bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
First high-quality genome assembly data of sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottboll)
Authors: Kit Lim Leonard Whye , Lin Lau Melinda Mei , Chung Hung Hui , Hussain Hasnain , Gan Han Ming
Published: December 2021

The sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottboll) is a all-rounder palm, it is both a tropical halophytic starch-producing palm as well as an ornamental plant. Recently, a genome survey was conducted on this palm using Illumina sequencing platform but the BUSCO genome completeness is very low (21.5%) and most of them (∼78%) are either fragmented or missing. Thus, in this study, the sago palm genome completeness was further improved with the utilization of the Nanopore sequencing platform that produced longer reads. A hybrid genome assembly was conducted and the outcome was a much complete sago palm genome with BUSCO completeness achieved at as high as 97.9% with only ∼2% of them either fragmented or missing. The estimated genome size of the sago palm is 509,812,790 bp in this study. A sum of 33,242 protein-coding genes were revealed from the sago palm genome and around 96.39% of them had been functionally annotated. An investigation on the carbohydrate metabolism KEGG pathways also unearthed that starch synthesis was one of the major sago palm activities. These data are indispensable for future molecular evolutionary and genome-wide association studies.

Specifications Table

Value of the Data

First complete genome dataset for the eco-economic important sago palm (Metroxylon sagu Rottboll).

High completeness of sago palm genomic dataset will facilitate future researches, such as genome-wide association studies.

The data is useful in pioneering sago palm genetic landscape investigations which in turn unmask the mystery behind its high starch yield, salinity tolerance and disease resistance.
Depletion of CD206+Tumour Macrophages via a Peptide-Targeted Star-Shaped Polyglutamate Inhibits Tumourigenesis and Metastatic Dissemination in Breast Cancer Models
Authors: Lepland Anni , Malfanti Alessio , Haljasorg Uku , Asciutto Eliana K. , Pickholz Monica , Bringas Mauro , Đorđević Snežana , Salumäe Liis , Peterson Pärt , Teesalu Tambet , Vicent María J. , Scodeller Pablo
Published: December 2021

Although many studies have explored the depletion of tumour-associated macrophages (TAMs) as a therapeutic strategy for solid tumours, currently available compounds suffer from poor efficacy and dose-limiting side effects. Here, we developed a novel TAM-depleting agent (“OximUNO”) that specifically targets CD206+TAMs and demonstrated efficacy in triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) mouse models. OximUNO comprises a star-shaped polyglutamate (St-PGA) decorated with the CD206-targeting peptide mUNO that carries the chemotherapeutic drug doxorubicin (DOX). In TNBC models, a fluorescently labelled mUNO-decorated St-PGA homed to CD206+TAMs within primary lesions and metastases. OximUNO exhibited no acute liver or kidney toxicity in vivo. Treatment with OximUNO reduced the progression of primary tumour lesions and pulmonary metastases, significantly diminished the number of CD206+TAMs and increased the CD8/FOXP3 expression ratio (demonstrating immunostimulation). Our findings suggest the potential benefit of OximUNO as a TAM-depleting agent for TNBC treatment. Importantly, our studies also represent the first report of a peptide-targeted St-PGA as a targeted therapeutic nanoconjugate.
Efficient and Explainable Deep Neural Networks for Airway Symptom Detection in Support of Wearable Health Technology
Authors: Groh René , Lei Zhengdong , Martignetti Lisa , Li-Jessen Nicole Y. K. , Kist Andreas M.
Published: December 2021

Mobile health wearables are often embedded with small processors for signal acquisition and analysis. These embedded wearable systems are, however, limited with low available memory and computational power. Advances in machine learning, especially deep neural networks (DNNs), have been adopted for efficient and intelligent applications to overcome constrained computational environments. In this study, evolutionary optimized DNNs were analyzed to classify three common airway-related symptoms, namely coughs, throat clears and dry swallows. As opposed to typical microphone-acoustic signals, mechanoacoustic data signals, which did not contain identifiable speech information for better privacy protection, were acquired from laboratory-generated and publicly available datasets. The optimized DNNs had a low footprint of less than 150 kB and predicted airway symptoms of interests with 83.7% accuracy on unseen data. By performing explainable AI techniques, namely occlusion experiments and class activation maps, mel-frequency bands up to 8,000 Hz were found as the most important feature for the classification. We further found that DNN decisions were consistently relying on these specific features, fostering trust and transparency of proposed DNNs. Our proposed efficient and explainable DNN is expected to support edge computing on mechano-acoustic sensing wearables for remote, longterm monitoring of airway symptoms.
The evolution and biological correlates of hand preferences in anthropoid primates
Authors: Caspar Kai R. , Pallasdies Fabian , Mader Larissa , Sartorelli Heitor , Begall Sabine
Published: December 2021

The evolution of human right-handedness has been intensively debated for decades. Manual lateralization patterns in non-human primates have the potential to elucidate evolutionary determinants of human handedness. However, restricted species samples and inconsistent methodologies have so far limited comparative phylogenetic studies. By combining original data with published literature reports, we assembled data on hand preferences for standardized object manipulation in 1,786 individuals from 38 species of anthropoid primates, including monkeys, apes, and humans. Based on that, we employ quantitative phylogenetic methods to test prevalent hypotheses on the roles of ecology, brain size and tool use in primate handedness evolution. We confirm that human right-handedness represents an unparalleled extreme among anthropoids and found taxa displaying population-level handedness to be rare. Species-level direction of manual lateralization was largely uniform among non-human primates and did not strongly correlate with any of the selected biological predictors, nor with phylogeny. In contrast, we recovered highly variable patterns of hand preference strength, which show signatures of both ecology and phylogeny. In particular, terrestrial primates tend to display weaker hand preferences than arboreal species. These results challenge popular ideas on primate handedness evolution, especially the postural origins hypothesis. Furthermore, they point to a potential adaptive benefit of disparate lateralization strength in primates, a measure of hand preference that has often been overlooked in the past. Finally, our data show that human lateralization patterns do not align with trends found among other anthropoids, suggesting that unique selective pressures gave rise to the unusual hand preferences of our species.
Impact of circadian time of dosing on cardiomyocyte-autonomous effects of glucocorticoids
Authors: Wintzinger Michelle , Panta Manoj , Miz Karen , Pragasam Ashok D. , Durumutla Hima , Sargent Michelle , Peek Clara Bien , Bass Joseph , Molkentin Jeffery D. , Quattrocelli Mattia
Published: December 2021

Mitochondrial capacity is critical to adapt the high energy demand of the heart to circadian oscillations and diseased states. Glucocorticoids regulate the circadian cycle of energy metabolism, but little is known about how circadian timing of exogenous glucocorticoid dosing directly regulates heart metabolism through cardiomyocyte-autonomous mechanisms. While chronic oncedaily intake of glucocorticoids promotes metabolic stress and heart failure, we recently discovered that intermittent once-weekly dosing of exogenous glucocorticoids promoted muscle metabolism in normal and obese skeletal muscle. However, the effects of glucocorticoid intermittence on heart metabolism and heart failure remain unknown. Here we investigated the extent to which circadian time of dosing regulates the effects of the glucocorticoid prednisone in heart metabolism and function in conditions of single pulse or chronic intermittent dosing. In WT mice, we found that prednisone improved cardiac content of NAD+and ATP with light-phase dosing (ZT0), while the effects were blocked by dark-phase dosing (ZT12). The drug effects on mitochondrial function were cardiomyocyte-autonomous, as shown by inducible cardiomyocyte-restricted glucocorticoid receptor (GR) ablation, and depended on an intact cardiomyocyte clock, as shown by inducible cardiomyocyte-restricted ablation of Brain and Muscle ARNT-like 1 (BMAL1). Conjugating time-of-dosing with chronic intermittence, we found that once-weekly prednisone improved metabolism and function in heart after myocardial injury dependent on circadian time of intake, i.e. with lightphase but not dark-phase dosing. Our study identifies cardiac-autonomous mechanisms through which circadian-specific intermittent dosing reconverts glucocorticoid drugs to metabolic boosters for the heart.
Comparative transcriptomics reveals the molecular toolkit used by an algivorous protist for cell wall perforation
Authors: Gerbracht Jennifer V. , Harding Tommy , Simpson Alastair G. B. , Roger Andrew J. , Hess Sebastian
Published: December 2021

Microbial eukaryotes display a stunning diversity of feeding strategies, ranging from generalist predators to highly specialised parasites. The unicellular “protoplast feeders” represent a fascinating mechanistic intermediate, as they penetrate other eukaryotic cells (algae, fungi) like some parasites, but then devour their cell contents by phagocytosis. Besides prey recognition and attachment, this complex behaviour involves the local, pre-phagocytotic dissolution of the prey cell wall, which results in well-defined perforations of species-specific size and structure. Yet, the molecular processes that enable protoplast feeders to overcome cell walls of diverse biochemical composition remain unknown. We used the flagellate Orciraptor agilis (Viridiraptoridae, Rhizaria) as a model protoplast feeder, and applied differential gene expression analysis to examine its penetration of green algal cell walls. Besides distinct expression changes that reflect major cellular processes (e.g. locomotion, cell division), we found lytic carbohydrate-active enzymes that are highly expressed and upregulated during the attack on the alga. A putative endocellulase (family GH5_5) with a secretion signal is most prominent, and a potential key factor for cell wall dissolution. Other candidate enzymes (e.g. lytic polysaccharide monooxygenases) belong to families that are largely uncharacterised, emphasising the potential of non-fungal micro-eukaryotes for enzyme exploration. Unexpectedly, we discovered various chitin-related factors that point to an unknown chitin metabolism in Orciraptor, potentially also involved in the feeding process. Our findings provide first molecular insights into an important microbial feeding behaviour, and new directions for cell biology research on non-model eukaryotes.
Adhesion shear strength test method for freshwater/seawater ice on carbon ceramic brake pads of amphibious aircraft
Authors: Zhang Y.J. , Guo Renzhong , Zhang Yunhui , Liang K.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Based on the mechanical model of typical shear tests, this study aims to propose the test principle and method of freshwater/seawater ice adhesion shear strength of carbon ceramic brake pads for amphibious aircraft, designs and builds the test equipment, prepares the freshwater/seawater ice samples and completes the tests.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines the influence of the icing process, mechanism, temperature and freshwater/seawater on ice adhesion shear strength of carbon ceramic brake pads and puts forward a test method for the freshwater/seawater ice adhesion shear strength of amphibious aircraft brake pads.

Findings

The obtained results examine the influence of the icing process, mechanism, temperature and freshwater/seawater on ice adhesion shear strength of carbon ceramic brake pads. The adhesion shear strength of frozen freshwater and of the seawater of Dalian, Qingdao, Fuzhou and Zhuhai on the surface of aircraft brake pads is measured at –10 to –50°C. It is found that the shear strength of freshwater increases first and then decreases with the decrease of temperature. The adhesion shear strength of seawater; however, increases mainly linear with the decrease of temperature.

Originality/value

The value of this paper is that the test method proposed and test results for the freshwater/seawater ice adhesion shear strength of amphibious aircraft brake pads provide technical support for the anti-icing design of amphibious aircraft brake devices.
Fashion involvement, opinion-seeking and product variety as stimulators for fashion e-commerce: an investigated model based on S-O-R model
Authors: Alanadoly Alshaimaa , Salem Suha
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study's aim was to investigate the stimulators of fashion e-consumers within e-commerce environments. The study proposed a framework utilizing stimulus–organism–response (S-O-R) theory to suggest that fashion involvement and opinion-seeking would act as sociopsychological stimuli, while product variety as an objective stimulus. Perceived quality is proposed as an organism, moderated by perceived price. Consumer buying behavior within e-commerce environments presents the framework's response. The study looked at variables with deeper insights into Malaysian fashion consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative method was used to assess the significance of relationships within the proposed model. Partial least squares structural equation modeling technique was implemented to assess the framework's relationships with a sample size of 374.

Findings

Results indicate that fashion involvement is significantly associated as a sociopsychological stimulus, with product variety being an objective stimulus for Malaysian fashion e-consumers. Perceived quality is significantly represented as an organism through the framework, and buying behavior is the latent response. Price would significantly moderate the relationship between fashion involvement and quality. Opinion-seeking was found not to be a significant stimulus for Malaysian e-consumers.

Originality/value

Contribution of this study goes to the existing literature by providing a deeper understanding of Malaysian e-consumer behavior by applying S-O-R theory. Malaysian fashion e-consumerism was suggested to be influenced by product involvement, quality, price, opinion-seeking and product range offered; therefore, a proposed framework was demonstrated and tested.
Prevalence of malnutrition among women and adolescent girls: impact of urbanization in rural–urban interface of Bangalore
Authors: Bellundagi Veerabhadrappa , Umesh K.B. , Ashwini B.C. , Hamsa K.R.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

India is facing a double burden of malnutrition, i.e. undernutrition and obesity. Women and adolescent health and nutrition are very relevant issues which have not received much attention it deserves in India, especially in the context of a girl child. Hence, the purpose of this study is to assess malnutrition among women and adolescent girls as well as the associated factors.

Design/methodology/approach

An attempt was made to assess malnutrition among women and adolescent girls and associated factors. The required data was collected from the north (616) and south transects (659) sample households of Bangalore constituting a total sample size of 1,275. The data was analyzed by adopting multiple linear regression and multinomial logistic regression analysis using STATA software.

Findings

The effects of this study simply confirmed that, urbanization had an instantaneous effect on dietary repute of women and adolescent girls, while transferring throughout the gradient from rural to urban with the growing significance of weight problems and obese. In adolescent girls, about 31% were underweight followed by normal weight and overweight across rural–urban interface of Bangalore. The factors such as education, consumption of meat and animal products, a dummy for urban, diabetes and blood pressure were significantly and positively influencing the nutritional status (Body Mass Index) of women across rural–urban interface. While consumption of vegetables, wealth index and per capita income had a positive and significant influence on the nutritional status of adolescent girls.

Originality/value

With limited studies and data available in Karnataka, especially in Bengaluru, one of the fastest growing cities in the world. Against this backdrop, the study was conducted to assess the prevalence of malnutrition among women and adolescents and its association with various socio-economic variables.
Evolution of the rural social security system in a large country over 35 years: institutional transformation and the Chinese experience
Authors: Huo Xuan , Lin Mingang
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to review the institutional evolution of China's rural social security system in the past 35 years, focusing on major policy transformations of the rural social security system in a large country, and extract the Chinese experience on developing rural social security.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper systematically reviews the evolution of rural social security system via organizing policy documents, key events and research literature on the construction of rural social security since the Reform and Opening-up.

Findings

First, institutional transformation is a profound change in China's rural social security system; second, policy transformation has taken place in the main areas of China's rural social security system, including rural endowment insurance, medical insurance and social assistance; third, the policy evolution of China's rural social security system has a unique experience in a large country.

Originality/value

China is the country with the largest rural population in the world. The process and experience of transforming the social security system in the vast rural areas of China have important value and reference significance for other developing countries.
Torn between individual aspirations and the family legacy – individual career development in family firms
Authors: Achtenhagen Leona , Haag Kajsa , Hultén Kajsa , Lundgren Jen
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore individual career management by family members in the context of their family firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The interpretative interview study of family members active in family businesses explores how this context affects the choice, planning, goals and development of family members' careers in their family business.

Findings

The authors find that career management in the family business setting focuses on fulfilling the family business goals rather than the personal goals of family members. Career management is rather reactive and less self-directed than current literature on career development recommends. Based on the results, the authors develop a process model for individual career management in the family business context.

Originality/value

Little is known about individual career management of family members in a family business context, as research on careers in family firms has so far focused mainly on transgenerational succession. The authors explore how in family firms, the trend towards self-directed, individual career planning is in tension with a commitment to the family business and its legacy.
Investigating the determining factors of sustainable FDI in Vietnam
Authors: Quang Phung Thanh , Rasoulinezhad Ehsan , Linh Nguyen Nhat , Thao Doan Phuong
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to analyze the sustainable inward FDI pattern of Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper intends to analyze the sustainable FDI pattern of Vietnam using the gravity theory and panel data approach for the annual data over the period of 2007–2020.

Findings

Vietnamese FDI volume is positively affected by political and social factors, globalization and green energy consumption, while geographical distance is a major obstacle to the increase of FDI inflows of the country.

Practical implications

As the main practical policy implications, issuing policies for sustainable economic growth, launching the novel strategy of green FDI neighborhood policy and regionalism through free trade agreements are recommended.

Originality/value

To the best of author's knowledge, there has not been any in-depth academic study focusing on the Vietnam's sustainable FDI. In addition, three robustness checks have been conducted to ensure the validation of empirical findings.
Is the construction site a safer place under the USACE or local government guidelines? The case of Afghanistan
Authors: Ibrahimkhil Mohammad Hashim , Hadidi Laith
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to assess the safety level of construction sites in Afghanistan following the US Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) safety practices and compare this with other construction sites in Afghanistan that follow local government safety guidelines. The USACE oversees and funds many infrastructure projects in Afghanistan, and these projects are supposed to follow the same standards implemented in the USA, including safety standards. The local government of Afghanistan also funds infrastructure projects in Afghanistan; however, these do not follow USACE best practices. This research explores the question of whether the USACE standards provide a safer construction site. The effect of the USACE standards on safety practices in construction projects is also investigated in the Afghanistan construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review and other safety checklists were used to develop a safety checklist containing 104 items (questions) in 17 categories. Subsequently, the checklist was used to assess the safety performance of 57 construction projects (25 USACE projects, and 32 governmental projects). Utilizing quantitative analysis, the Spearman rank correlation coefficient (Rho) and Mann–Whitney tests were carried out for correlation and statistical disparity between USACE and governmental projects.

Findings

The safety performance level of Afghan government projects was found to be poor in relation to other developing countries, while in USACE projects it was excellent. In addition, fire prevention, safety administration, PPE, heavy equipment, and handling and storage of materials for all types of contractors were the most overlooked aspects of Afghan Government projects.

Practical implications

The findings clearly demonstrate the deficiencies in construction sites observed during this study and also support the adoption of USACE standards in Afghanistan projects.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the safety of construction sites in Afghanistan. The study also demonstrates the benefits of adopting international standards (USACE) to improve the safety of construction sites in a developing country such as Afghanistan. The findings provide evidence of the safety of the Afghanistan construction industry compared to other developing countries. These findings will contribute to the Afghan Government's efforts to track injury statistics.
Lean and agile metrics. Literature review and framework for measuring leagile supply chain
Authors: Piotrowicz Wojciech Domink , Ryciuk Urszula , Szymczak Maciej
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to review metrics and develop a framework for measuring leagile supply chain. Metrics that are applicable in the lean, agile and leagile strategies are identified in the literature and are then combined into a framework that can reflect both agile and lean strategies – the leagile supply strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

This work is based on the systematic literature review. Literature was collected, then lean and agile metrics were extracted, analysed, counted and grouped into the framework. Findings are compared against literature on leagile supply chain.

Findings

Findings indicate that there are sets of metrics specific to lean strategy, such as are process-focused, cost, productivity, inventory and delivery-based metrics, and specific to agile such as flexibility, responsiveness, information sharing and cooperation. There are also metrics common for both strategies; they are related to time, quality and customer satisfaction. Lean measures are tangible and focused on internal processes and products, while agile measures are targeted at external environment.

Practical implications

The framework could be used by practitioners as a starting point for performance system design.

Originality/value

There is a need to stop looking at lean and agile as separate and distinct supply strategies. Results of this research indicate that lean and agile are interlinked, both are focusing on customer satisfaction and quality. Applying a proposed set of metrics enables to design supply chain measurement system that reflects both strategies to measure leagile supply chain. The framework could be used by practitioners as a starting point for performance system design.
A study of the Web visibility of the SDGs and the 2030 Agenda on university websites
Authors: Vallez Mari , Lopezosa Carlos , Pedraza-Jiménez Rafael
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Universities play an important role in the promotion and implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This study aims to examine the visibility of information about the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on the websites of Spanish and major international universities, by means of a quantitative and qualitative analysis with an online visibility management platform that makes use of big data technology.

Design/methodology/approach

The Web visibility of the universities studied in relation to the terms “SDG”, “Sustainable Development Goals” and “2030 Agenda” was determined using the SEMrush tool. Information was obtained on the number of web pages accessed and the queries formulated (query expansion). The content indexed by Google for these universities was compiled, and finally, the search engine optimization (SEO) factors applicable to the websites with the highest Web visibility were identified.

Findings

The universities analysed are content creators but do not have very high Web visibility in Web searches for information on the SDGs. Of the 98 universities analysed, only four feature prominently in search results.

Originality/value

Although research exists on the application of SEO to different areas, there have not, to date, been any studies examining the Web visibility of universities in relation to Web searches for information on the 2030 Agenda. The main contributions of this study are the global perspective it provides on the Web visibility of content produced by universities about the SDGs and the recommendations it offers for improving that visibility.
Gender gap and ecological footprint: are there country variations? Evidence from quantile panel regression
Authors: Elish Eman
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to investigate the impact of the gender gap on the ecological footprint (EFP) corresponding to its different quantiles.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantile panel regression for 24 countries from the period 2006 to 2017 will be used, for the gender gap and other determinants of EFP.

Findings

Each factor affecting EFP differs in its impact depending on the level of EFP quantile it corresponds to. Gender gap was found to be increasing EFP for the higher quantiles and decreasing EFP for the lower quantiles.

Research limitations/implications

Environmental institutions should be considering the role of gender equality as a factor affecting the environment. Socioeconomic factors sometimes hamper the role of the female gender in preserving the environment. There are variations on how EFP factors differ between individual countries and this opens areas for further studies.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the current research studies by testing the impact of the gender gap on EFP instead of CO2 emission which is widely used in the literature. This topic is considered understudied and one of the few that uses the quantile panel regression to investigate this impact, none of which is used in gender and environment studies. Finally, the model used in the study uses a more comprehensive extension of the “Stochastic Impact by Regression on Pollution, Affluence and Technology” model compared to the existing empirical studies in this area.
Stakeholders' consciousness of cultural heritage and the reconciliation of different needs for sustainable development
Authors: Aureli Selena , Del Baldo Mara
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The paper aims to investigate the approach and tools adopted by an Italian city, included amongst the UNESCO World Heritage sites (WHS), to involve different stakeholders in the protection and valorisation of its historical centre to achieve the goals of sustainable development. The paper focusses on the role of local authorities as the key actors that should engage different city users to jointly achieve heritage conservation and socio-economic development.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected, thanks to the researchers' direct participation in a project launched by the municipality of Urbino, which involved several local stakeholders and lasted about a year. Participant observation allowed the authors to collect informal interviews, join collective discussions and reflect on the direct observation of the activities undertaken.

Findings

The case study analysed suggests how participatory governance may be effective in fostering responsible principles in “asset usage” by any type of city users and how citizens actively co-design and co-implement initiatives of heritage revitalisation when engaged in cultural heritage (CH) policies.

Originality/value

The paper addresses a long-standing problem that has never been solved: how to enhance the consciousness of the CH amongst stakeholders and reconcile their different and conflicting needs in the historical urban environment in the process of revitalisation.
Linking leadership styles to communication competency and work engagement: evidence from the hotel industry
Authors: Rabiul Md Karim , Shamsudin Faridahwati Mohd , Yean Tan Fee , Patwary Ataul Karim
Published: December 2021

Purpose

This study examines the mediation effects of leaders' communication competency in the link between leadership styles (i.e. servant and transactional leadership) and employees' work engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross-sectional survey data from 392 employees in 33 hotels in Bangladesh were collected. To analyze the data, structural equation modeling was adopted, and partial least squares (PLS) analysis was used.

Findings

Results of PLS analysis revealed that servant leaders and leaders' communication competency positively influence employees' work engagement. In boosting employees' work engagement, communication competency is an important tool for servant leadership but not for transactional leadership.

Practical implications

Hoteliers and managers may want to adopt a servant leadership style and develop effective leadership communication skills to increase employees' engagement at work.

Originality/value

This study introduces communication competency as a mediating mechanism between leadership styles and work engagement in the hospitality industry.
Can government financial support enhance job creations: insights from Oman
Authors: Al Shukaili Abdullah Mohammed , Al Kindi Kawther , Kassim Norizan Mohd , Ahmed Zunaith , Al Hosni Khdija
Published: December 2021

Purpose

Promoting and supporting entrepreneurship is a critical pillar of Oman’s vision 2040. The need to understand to what extent the effectiveness of public funds given to micro and small enterprises in Oman as well as to understand the characteristics of the funds that can drive the impact of such government financial support programs on those enterprises motivated us to conduct this study. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to investigate the impact of the government loan support programs on job creation in micro and small enterprises in Oman.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses were tested using data collected from 1,127 micro and small enterprises that received loan supports from the Government of Oman. The authors explored the impact of a set of predictors on a dependent variable (job creation) to understand to what extent do the supported micro and small enterprise characteristics significantly influence job creations in the enterprises. Multiple regression and General Linear Model Multivariate Analysis statistical techniques were used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

There is a positive relationship between government supported firms’ characteristics and job creation for both nationals and expatriates’ employment. The empirical results suggest that, when compared with the micro enterprises, the small enterprises were able to create more jobs for nationals than for expatriates, although the effect of the support program on job creation was significant for both groups.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the literature debate on the effectiveness of Oman’s entrepreneurship policy. Using multivariate analysis, the study analyzes the public support program for enterprises in Oman and how it can be improved to support the Oman 2040 Vision.
Threat or opportunity: accelerated job demands during COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Afshari Leila , Hayat Aamir , Ramachandran K.K. , Bartram Timothy , Balakrishnan Bamini K.P.D.
Published: December 2021

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of accelerated job demands on employee outcomes during the COVID-19 crisis. An integrated model was developed to explore the relationships between different types of job demands (learning, decision-making, work intensification), employee turnover intention (TI) and burnout (BU).

Design/methodology/approach

Data were obtained from professionals whose work conditions were impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. An online survey was distributed anonymously. A total of 566 questionnaires were included in the analysis. Structural equation modeling was employed to analyze the data.

Findings

The findings revealed that employees' perception of job demands impacts the significance and direction of the relationships between different forms of job demands and employee outcomes. Furthermore, the findings confirm that mediating role of perceived organizational support alleviates the adverse effects of job demands on employee outcomes. Finally, the present study supported the moderation effect of positive affectivity between work intensification and employee BU.

Practical implications

This study provides employers with insights about supporting employees to cope with increased job demands in conditions where rapid changes are inevitable.

Originality/value

The unique context of research (COVID-19) enabled this study to account for the acceleration of job demands that employees experience in rapidly changing situations. This study employed an instrument that allowed for the assessment of acceleration in job demands. Furthermore, the granular approach of the measurement model extended the perspectives of job demands and work intensification.
Macroprudential policy and house prices in an estimated Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium model for South Africa
Authors: Dlamini Lenhle , Ngalawa Harold
Published: December 2021

This article examines the interaction of housing‐related macroprudential policies and monetary policy. The study uses housing cycles in a Dynamic Stochastic General Equilibrium (DSGE) model with a small open‐economy framework. We estimate the model with Bayesian techniques using South African data covering the period from 2000Q1 to 2018Q4. The results indicate that monetary policy has small effects on house prices. We consider a loan‐to‐value (LTV) tool for macroprudential policy. The results show that a 1% rise in the LTV ratio, a tight macroprudential policy, leads to increasing house prices, with significant effects on Consumer Price Index (CPI) inflation. The effects on CPI inflation suggest that monetary policy is not very effective. Efficient policy frontier analysis indicates that the introduction of macroprudential policy yields an improved effective outcome that lowers output and inflation volatility. The findings suggest monetary policy and macroprudential policy require coordination.
Quantitative analysis of thiamylal and its metabolite secobarbital using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry in adipose tissue, serum, and liver
Authors: Yoshioka Naoki , Asano Migiwa , Kuse Azumi , Kondo Takeshi , Takahashi Motonori , Morichika Mai , Nakagawa Kanako , Sakurada Makoto , Ueno Yasuhiro
Published: December 2021

Thiamylal is an ultrashort‐acting barbiturate used for intravenous administration or general anesthesia induction. However, some cases of poisoning and suicide with thiamylal administration have been reported. Additionally, there are few reports on its analysis in the organs and adipose tissue, which requires purification by column chromatography and evaporation. A rapid and sensitive method was developed for quantifying thiamylal and its metabolite, secobarbital, in the adipose tissue, serum, and liver using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). Samples were prepared using modified QuEChERS extraction. For adipose tissue samples, an acetonitrile–hexane partitioning step was added to the extraction. This method was applied to investigate a suspected self‐poisoning autopsy case. The quantitation accuracy for thiamylal added to porcine pericardial fat (0.18 µg/g), human serum (0.015 µg/mL), and porcine liver (0.18 µg/g) was 103%, 113%, and 95.3%, respectively. The quantitation limits calculated for porcine pericardial fat, human serum, and porcine liver at a signal‐to‐noise ratio of 10 were 0.06 µg/g, 0.005 µg/mL, and 0.06 µg/g, respectively. In addition, the thiamylal and secobarbital levels in the forensic autopsy case were 140 and 1.5 µg/g, respectively, in myocardial fat; 3.5–4.9 and 0.12–0.20 µg/mL, respectively, in serum; and 6.2–42 and 0.58–1.1 µg/g, respectively, in liver tissue. Thiamylal is especially distributed in the adipose tissue. The thiamylal‐to‐fat ratio may help estimate the time from administration to death. The developed modified QuEChERS extraction method with acetonitrile–hexane partitioning is suitable for analyzing hydrophobic compounds, such as thiamylal, in the adipose tissue.
The rarest of rare cases within the one thousand faces of atypical carcinoid: Pseudomesotheliomatous manifestation in a pregnant woman
Authors: Kim Harim , Lee Ho Yun , Lee Se‐Hoon , Lee In Sun , Choi Joon Young , Shim Young Mog
Published: December 2021

Carcinoid tumors in pregnant women are rare, and there have been no previous studies of atypical carcinoid tumor reported in pregnancy. Also, pseudomesotheliomatous manifestation in atypical carcinoid is an extremely rare finding, there being only two cases reported. Here, we present the first case of pseudomesotheliomatous manifestation of atypical carcinoid in a pregnant woman. Upon image analysis, we found that atypical carcinoids with multiple metastatic lesions can exhibit variability in vascularity and metabolism, resulting in heterogeneous image characteristics among metastatic lesions, even those with identical histology. In addition, even with extensive metastasis, patients can exhibit good performance explained by long‐standing presentation of indolent cancer.
The impact of IFRS adoption on the value relevance of accounting information in Saudi Arabia
Authors: Alomair Abdulrahman , Farley Alan , Yang Helen Hong
Published: December 2021

We examined the joint and relative value relevance of book value of equity (BVE) and earnings before (2015–2016), after (2017–2018) and during the comparative year (2016) of mandatory adoption of International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) in Saudi Arabia. Results show that the accounting information is jointly value relevant (R2), with no significant change between accounting information prepared under Saudi GAAP and IFRS. However, we found a positive change in the relative value relevance of the BVE after IFRS implementation, mainly related to the introduction of fair value measurement. Differences in value relevance were found across variances in company characteristics.
Cuddling very and extremely preterm babies in the delivery room is a positive and normal experience for mothers after the birth
Authors: Kimkool Parisut , Huang Shirley , Gibbs Deanna , Banerjee Jayanta , Deierl Aniko
Published: December 2021

Aim

Extremely preterm infants are separated from their mothers immediately after birth and not placed skin‐to‐skin in routine neonatal intensive care unit settings. Visual and physical contact in the delivery room as a first cuddle potentially can facilitate early parent‐infant interaction and reduce the trauma of separation. Our aim in this study was to explore mothers' experience of delivery room cuddle by collecting qualitative feedback via emotional mapping.

Methods

Six mothers experiencing delivery room cuddle had been recruited (GA of their babies 24 + 5–29 + 0 weeks, birth weight 540–1019 g). Using a descriptive qualitative approach, semi‐structured interviews were performed with six mothers following consent via Zoom or phone between September 2020 and March 2021. Interviews were transcribed using AI Otter and then analysed using thematic analysis.

Results

Analysis of the participants' experiences revealed five themes: fears and hopes around delivery; the moment of delivery—recognising uncertainty; reclaiming normalcy; forming connections; and the journey ahead as an empowered parent.

Conclusion

All mothers reported positive emotions about the cuddle with their baby. They highlighted that this physical contact was often the only positive and ‘normal’ birth experience they had from the time of delivery.
Editorial: risk of loss of response to anti‐TNFα agents in patients with inflammatory bowel disease—the longer the less?
Authors: Goren Idan , Yanai Henit
Published: December 2021

LINKED CONTENT

This article is linked to Schultheiss et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16605 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16722
Faecal biomarkers as tools to reconstruct land‐use history in maar sediments in the Westeifel Volcanic Field, Germany
Authors: Birk Jago J. , Reetz Kristina , Sirocko Frank , Wright David K. , Fiedler Sabine
Published: December 2021

The analysis of faecal biomarkers in lake sediments has been used to reconstruct human population densities and animal husbandry practices in an increasing number of studies in recent years. However, terrigenous biomarkers can decompose in soils, can be stored and redeposited in colluvium and on flood‐plains prior to their ultimate deposition in lakes. These and other effects can blur and distort biomarker signals. Therefore, we analysed sediments from two maars in Westeifel to evaluate whether signals of the faecal biomarkers (5β‐stanols, bile acids) demonstrate statistically significant differences between contrasting periods in land‐use intensity. In Holzmaar, palaeoenvironmental data showed evidence for agriculture including cereal cultivation and grassland during the pre‐Roman Iron Age and Middle Ages compared with those from periods that were less influenced by land use and showed a higher abundance of broadleaf forest. However, the specific domesticated taxa of livestock in the locale from these periods remain speculative. We found statistically significantly different faecal biomarker signals, which we interpret to be related to an enhanced deposition of faeces of horses, pigs and ruminants in the core sections that represented periods of amplified land use. The analyses of grass‐ and broadleaf‐tree characteristic n‐alkanes supported the applicability of biomarkers for land‐use reconstruction. Stanol data from a core section dating to the Mesolithic showed no clear results. Analyses of two core sections from Ulmener Maar, which covered periods before and after the decline of elm in the Neolithic, indicated input of pig faeces in the younger section. This study provides important evidence that faecal biomarkers can be used for land‐use reconstruction in central European lakes with small catchment areas for time periods from the Neolithic onwards. The results underscore the importance of bile acid analyses in addition to stanol analyses for an identification of faeces inputs from different animals.
ErbB4‐mediated regulation of vasculogenic mimicry capability in breast cancer cells
Authors: Kawahara Ryota , Simizu Siro
Published: December 2021

ErbB4 is a member of the ErbB receptor tyrosine kinase family. It has both pro‐ and anti‐oncogenic activities in tumors. Vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a phenomenon in which cancer cells form capillary‐like structures without endothelial cells, has been recognized to be a cause of malignant phenotypes in some solid tumors. Here, we used an in vitro VM formation assay, and demonstrated that ErbB4 negatively regulated VM formation in human breast cancer cells. By using CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated gene knockout, we verified that the depletion of endogenous ErbB4 improved the VM formation capability. Although treatment with neuregulin 1 (NRG1), a ligand of ErbB4, induced the phosphorylation of ErbB4 and promoted VM formation in a dose‐dependent manner, it did not induce such activities in kinase‐dead K751M ErbB4‐overexpressing cells. Moreover, we examined the effect of the missense mutation E872K of ErbB4, which has been reported in multiple tumors, on VM formation, and found that the mutation enhanced the basal phosphorylation level and ErbB4‐mediated VM formation in the absence of NRG1 stimulation. Whereas NRG1 stimulated VM formation, excessive activation of ErbB4 induced a negative effect. In E872K ErbB4‐overexpressing cells, but not in wild‐type ErbB4‐overexpressing cells, the number of VM tubes was significantly decreased by low‐dose treatment with the ErbB inhibitor afatinib. Taken together, our findings demonstrated the significance of ErbB4‐mediated VM formation, and suggested the possibility of ErbB4 mutations as effective targets in breast cancer.
Early life stress and perceived social isolation influence how children use value information to guide behavior
Authors: Smith Karen E. , Pollak Seth D.
Published: December 2021

Learning the value of environmental signals and using that information to guide behavior is critical for survival. Stress in childhood may influence these processes, but how it does so is still unclear. This study examined how stressful event exposures and perceived social isolation affect the ability to learn value signals and use that information in 72 children (8–9 years; 29 girls; 65.3% White). Stressful event exposures and perceived social isolation did not influence how children learned value information. But, children with high stressful event exposures and perceived social isolation were worse at using that information. These data suggest alterations in how value information is used, rather than learned, may be one mechanism linking early experiences to later behaviors.