bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Contemporary Management of Median Arcuate Ligament in Liver Transplantation
Authors: Babu Benoy I. , Oniscu Gabriel C.
Published: July 2022

Background.

Median arcuate ligament (MAL) can impair arterial inflow during orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT). Furthermore, approaches to ensure optimal vascular inflow in the presence of MAL is not standardized.

Methods.

We undertook a systematic review according to the Cochrane systematic review protocol and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. We analyzed the incidence of MAL, investigations, treatment options, and potential complications associated with MAL intervention in patients undergoing OLT. After the exclusion criteria were implemented, the dataset from the final 21 manuscripts yielded 117 patients who underwent a liver transplant in the presence of MAL.

Results.

The incidence of MAL in patients undergoing OLT is between 1.6% and 12%. In 63.2% of cases, an open approach for MAL intervention was undertaken. Hepatic artery thrombosis developed in 17% (7) patients without MAL intervention versus 2.6% (2) after MAL intervention. Seven grafts (5.9%) were lost after OLT in patients with MAL. Three (3.9%) patients developed arterial stenosis post-MAL intervention.

Conclusions.

We propose an algorithm for intraoperative assessment and management of liver transplant arterial inflow in the presence of MAL based on the hepatic artery flow changes with respiration, following clamping of the recipient gastroduodenal artery. In the presence of a 30%–50% flow variation on respiration, the arterial inflow should be established preserving additional inflow from the recipient gastroduodenal artery. Consider an open MAL release if the flow remains insufficient. A poor arterial flow with no variation with respiration and lack of evidence of aortoiliac atherosclerosis indicates the need for arterial jump graft.
Operative Coaching for General Surgery Residents: Review of Implementation Requirements
Authors: Chen Xiaodong (Phoenix) , Go Michael , Harzman Alan , Traugott Amber , Ejaz Aslam , Collins Courtney , Pawlik Timothy M , Ellison E Christopher
Published: July 2022

Operative coaching offers a unique opportunity to strengthen surgery residents’ skill sets and practice readiness. However, institutional organizational capacity may influence the ability to successfully implement and sustain a coaching program. This review concentrates on the implementation requirements as they relate to institutional organizational capacity to help evaluate and determine if adopting such a coaching model is feasible. We searched English-language, peer-reviewed articles concerning operative coaching of general surgery residents between 2000 and 2020 with the MEDLINE database. The abstracts of 267 identified articles were further screened based on the presence of 2 inclusion criteria: general surgery residents and operative coaching. Then we summarized the reported implementation requirements. Findings revealed the implementation requirements (ie people, processes, technology/support resources, physical resources, and organizational systems) of 3 major types of resident operative coaching models were different. Video-assisted coaching faces the most barriers to implementation followed by video-based coaching; in-person coaching encounters the least barriers. Six questions are generated helping residency education leaders assess their readiness for an operative coaching program. Evaluation of the implementation requirements of a desired coaching program using the 5 organizational capacity elements is recommended to ensure the residency’s ability to achieve a successful and sustainable program.
National Trends and Outcomes in Adolescents Undergoing Bariatric Surgery
Authors: Vuong Linh , Chang Su-Hsin , Wan Fei , Wu Ningying , Eagon J Chris , Eckhouse Shaina R , Dimou Francesca M
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND:

In the US, obesity continues to be a severe health issue now affecting adolescents. Bariatric surgery remains the most effective treatment for obesity, but use among adolescents remains low. The objective of this study was to identify current national trends in bariatric surgery among adolescents.

STUDY DESIGN:

Using the Nationwide Inpatient Sample database, adolescents aged 9 to 19 with a diagnosis of morbid obesity who underwent a laparoscopic gastric bypass (Roux-en-Y gastric bypass) or laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy (SG) between 2015 and 2018 were identified. Demographics, comorbidities, and in-hospital complications were collected. National estimates were calculated. The trend of annual number of operations was determined by Kruskal–Wallis rank test.

RESULTS:

Between 2015 and 2018, 1,203 adolescents were identified, resulting in a nationwide estimate of 4,807 bariatric cases. The number of bariatric operations increased annually from 1,360 in 2015 to 1,740 operations in 2018 (p = 0.0771). The majority of patients were female (76%), 17 to 19 years old (84.1%), and White (47.9%). Most patients underwent SG (82.0%). Black and Hispanic patients comprised 40.2% of the cohort. Significant comorbidities included diabetes, dyslipidemia, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, hypertension, and sleep apnea. The average length of stay decreased from 2.12 days to 1.64 days. There were no in-hospital mortalities, and complications were less than 1%.

CONCLUSIONS:

With the increasing prevalence of obesity among adolescents in the US, bariatric surgery increased over time but was performed less in patients younger than 16 years of age and racial minorities. Bariatric surgery among adolescents remains safe, with extremely low complication rates and zero in-hospital mortality.
One-Year Follow-Up of COVID-19 Impact on Surgical Education: Clinical Training Restored but Surgical Trainee Emotional Well-Being Still at Risk
Authors: Ellison E Christopher , Spanknebel Kathryn , Farmer Diana L , Matthews Jeffrey B , Stain Steven C , Shabahang Mohsen M , Gabler Blair Patrice , Nagler Alisa , Sloane Richard , Britt LD , Sachdeva Ajit K
Published: July 2022

BACKGROUND:

A previous survey documented the severe disruption of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic on surgical education and trainee well-being during the initial surge and systemic lockdowns. Herein, we report the results of a follow-up survey inclusive of the 2020 to 2021 academic year.

STUDY DESIGN:

A survey was distributed to education leaders across all surgical specialties in summer 2021. We compared the proportion of participants reporting severe disruption in key areas with those of the spring 2020 survey. Aggregated differences by year were assessed using chi-square analysis.

RESULTS:

In 2021, severe disruption of education programs was reported by 14% compared with 32% in 2020 (p < 0.0001). Severe reductions in nonemergency surgery were reported by 38% compared with 87% of respondents in 2020. Severe disruption of expected progression of surgical trainee autonomy by rank also significantly decreased to 5% to 8% in 2021 from 15% to 23% in 2020 among respondent programs (p < 0.001). In 2021 clinical remediation was reported for postgraduate year 1 to 2 and postgraduate year 3 to 4, typically through revised rotations (19% and 26%) and additional use of simulation (20% and 19%) maintaining trainee promotion and job placement. In 2021, surgical trainees’ physical safety and health were reported as less severely impacted compared with 2020; however, negative effects of isolation (77%), burnout (75%), and the severe impact on emotional well-being (17%) were prevalent.

CONCLUSIONS:

One year after the initial coronavirus disease 2019 outbreak, clinical training and surgical trainee health were less negatively impacted. Disruption of emotional well-being remained high. Future needs include better objective measures of clinical competence beyond case numbers and the implementation of novel programs to promote surgical trainee health and well-being.
Homocysteine thiolactone contributes to a prognostic value of fibrin clot structure/function in coronary artery disease patients
Authors: Sikora Marta , Skrzydlewski Paweł , Perła-Kaján Joanna , Jakubowski Hieronim
Published: July 2022

Background

Fibrin clot structure/function contributes to cardiovascular disease. We examined sulfur-containing metabolites as determinants of fibrin clot lysis time (CLT) and maximum absorbance (Absmax) in relation to outcomes in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients. Effects of B-vitamin/folate therapy on CLT and Absmax were studied.

Methods and Findings

Plasma samples were collected from 1,952 CAD patients randomized in a 2 × 2 factorial design to (i) folic acid, vitamins B12, B6; (ii) folic acid, vitamin B12; (iii) vitamin B6; (iv) placebo for 3.8 years in the Western Norway B-Vitamin Intervention Trial. Clot lysis time (CLT) and maximum absorbance (Absmax) were determined using a validated turbidimetric assay. Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and mortality were assessed during a 7-year follow-up. Data were analyzed using bivariate and multiple regression. Survival free of events was studied using Kaplan Mayer plots. Hazard ratios (HR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. Baseline urinary (u)Hcy-thiolactone and plasma Cys were significantly associated with CLT while plasma Hcy was significantly associated with Absmax, independently of fibrinogen, triglycerides, vitamin E, glomerular filtration rate, body mass index, age, sex plasma creatinine, CRP, HDL-C, ApoA1. B-vitamins/folate did not affect CLT and Absmax. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed associations of increased baseline CLT and Absmax with worse outcomes. In Cox regression analysis, baseline CLT and Absmax (>cutoff) predicted AMI (CLT: HR 1.58, 95% CI 1.10-2.28; P = 0.013. Absmax: HR 3.22, CI 1.19-8.69; P = 0.021) and mortality (CLT: HR 2.54, 95% CI 1.40-4.63; P = 0.002. Absmax: 2.39, 95% CI 1.17-4.92; P = 0.017). After adjustments for other prognostic biomarkers these associations remained significant.

Conclusions

uHcy-thiolactone and plasma Cys are novel determinants of CLT, an important predictor of adverse CAD outcomes. CLT and Absmax were not affected by B-vitamin/folate therapy, which could account for the lack of efficacy of such therapy in CAD.

Trial Registration

URL: http://clinicaltrials.gov. Identifier: NCT00354081
Tracing the international arrivals of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variants after Aotearoa New Zealand reopened its border
Authors: Douglas Jordan , Winter David , Ren Xiaoyun , McNeill Andrea , Bunce Michael , French Nigel , Hadfield James , de Ligt Joep , Welch David , Geoghegan Jemma L
Published: July 2022

Recently there has been a surge in emergent SARS-CoV-2 lineages that are able to evade both vaccine induced immunity as well as prior infection from the founding Omicron BA.1 and BA.2 lineages. These highly transmissible and evasive lineages are on the rise and include Omicron variants BA.2.12.1, BA.4, and BA.5. Aotearoa New Zealand recently reopened its borders to many travellers, without their need to enter quarantine. By generating 10,403 complete SARS-CoV-2 genomes classified as Omicron, we show that New Zealand is observing an influx of these immune-evasive variants through the border. Specifically, there has been a recent surge of BA.5 and BA.2.12.1 introductions into the community and these can be explained by the gradual return to pre-pandemic levels of international traveller arrival rates. We estimate there is one Omicron transmission event from the border to the community for every ∼5,000 passenger arrivals into the country, or around one introduction event per day at the current levels of travel. Given the waning levels of population immunity, this rate of importation presents the risk of a large wave in New Zealand during the second half of 2022. Genomic surveillance, coupled with modelling the rate at which new variants cross the border into the community, provides a lens on the rate at which new variants might gain a foothold and trigger new waves of infection.
Understanding the impact of third-party species on pairwise coexistence
Authors: Deng Jie , Taylor Washington , Saavedra Serguei
Published: July 2022

The persistence of virtually every single species depends on both the presence of other species and the specific environmental conditions in a given location. Because in natural settings many of these conditions are unknown, research has been centered on finding the fraction of possible conditions (probability) leading to species coexistence. The focus has been on the persistence probability of an entire multispecies community (formed of either two or more species). However, the methodological and philosophical question has always been whether we can observe the entire community and, if not, what the conditions are under which an observed subset of the community can persist as part of a larger multispecies system. Here, we derive long-term (using analytical calculations) and short-term (using simulations and experimental data) system-level indicators of the effect of third-party species on the coexistence probability of a pair (or subset) of species under unknown environmental conditions. We demonstrate that the fraction of conditions incompatible with the possible coexistence of a pair of species tends to become vanishingly small within systems of increasing numbers of species. Yet, the probability of pairwise coexistence in isolation remains approximately the expected probability of pairwise coexistence in more diverse assemblages. In addition, we found that when third-party species tend to reduce (resp. increase) the coexistence probability of a pair, they tend to exhibit slower (resp. faster) rates of competitive exclusion. Long-term and short-term effects of the remaining third-party species on all possible specific pairs in a system are not equally distributed, but these differences can be mapped and anticipated under environmental uncertainty.

Author Summary

It is debated whether the frequency with which two species coexist in isolation or within a single environmental context is representative of their coexistence expectation within larger multispecies systems and across different environmental conditions. Here, using analytical calculations, simulations, and experimental data, we show why and how third-party species can provide the opportunity for pairwise coexistence regardless of whether a pair of species can coexist in isolation across different environmental conditions. However, we show that this opportunity is not homogeneously granted across all pairs within the same system. We provide a framework to understand and map the long-term and short-term effects that third-party species have on the coexistence of each possible subset in a multispecies system.
A systematic method for detecting abnormal mRNA splicing and assessing its clinical impact in individuals undergoing genetic testing for hereditary cancer syndromes
Authors: Kamps-Hughes Nick , Carlton Victoria E.H. , Fresard Laure , Osazuwa Steve , Starks Elizabeth , Vincent John J. , Albritton Sarah , Nussbaum Robert L. , Nykamp Keith
Published: July 2022

Nearly 14% of disease-causing germline variants result from disruption of mRNA splicing. Most (67%) DNA variants predicted in silico to disrupt splicing end up classified as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). We developed and validated an analytic workflow — Splice Effect Event Resolver (SPEER) — that uses mRNA sequencing to reveal significant deviations in splicing, pinpoints the DNA variants potentially responsible, and measures the deleterious effect of the altered splicing on mRNA transcripts, providing evidence to assess the pathogenicity of the variant. SPEER was used to analyze leukocyte RNA encoding 63 hereditary cancer syndrome genes in 20,317 individuals undergoing clinical genetic testing. Among 3,563 (17.5%) individuals with at least one DNA variant predicted to affect splicing, 971 (4.8%) had altered splicing with a deleterious effect on the transcript and 31 had altered splicing due to a DNA variant located outside our laboratory’s reportable range. Integrating SPEER results into variant interpretation allowed reclassification of VUS to P/LP in 0.4% and to B/LB in 5.9% of the 20,317 patients. SPEER evidence had a significantly higher impact on allowing P/LP and B/LB interpretations in non-White individuals than in non-Hispanic White individuals, illustrating that evidence derived from RNA splicing analysis may reduce ethnic/ancestral disparities in genetic testing.
Risk Assessments of COVID-19 Exposure of Government-owned Public Health Center Physicians According to WHO in Indonesia
Authors: Suryatma Anton , Purnamasari Telly , Hendarwan Harimat
Published: July 2022

In 2020, the death of physicians due to COVID-19 in Indonesia raises questions about the condition that caused the incident. What was the situation at the early stage of the pandemic, the use of WHO’s Risk Assessment questionnaire, and what lesson was learned about it? A Cross-sectional survey, using blast mail surveys targeting the Government-owned Public Health Center Physician’s WhatsApp application across Indonesia had held. A Self-administered questionnaire, using WHO’s “Risk assessment and management of exposure of health care workers in the context of Covid-19” which has been translated into Bahasa Indonesia. As result, there were 2.099 responses eligible for this study. At the early stage of the pandemic, 99,29% of Government-owned Public Health Center Physicians were at high risk of COVID-19 exposure. Its because on average 64,23% of the respondent not use PPE correctly, 15,53% of respondents still performing actions that produced aerosols in health centers, or 22,73% of respondents got biological accidents. At the early stage of the pandemic in Indonesia marked by the scarcity of PPE, the lack of awareness from the physicians and or the government make a double burden on the physicians. As for the use of questionnaires, there were challenging issues in conducting the study, such as respondents feeling redundant in answering the questionnaire. It is recommended that the Central and Regional Governments, health centers, and hospitals increase their commitment to protecting physicians from possible exposure to Covid-19, among others, through meeting standard APD needs, maintaining the cleanliness of health care facilities, updating the skill and knowledge about pandemics on physicians, and providing adequate incentives. The physician is also expected to adapt in many ways.
Accuracy of the drug dependency checkbox on the Maine birth certificate for Medicaid-covered births, 2016-2020
Authors: Dudley Julia , McGuire Catherine , Kumarage Apsara , Anumaka Chinonye , Ahrens Katherine A.
Published: July 2022

Introduction

The accuracy of the drug dependency checkbox on the Maine birth certificate is unknown. Our objective was to compare the drug dependency checkbox with information on substance use disorders as documented in Medicaid claims data.

Methods

Using rule-based deterministic matching, we linked Medicaid enrollment information to 2016–2020 Maine birth record data (N=58,584). Among the linked records (n=27,448), we identified maternal substance use disorder (SUD) diagnoses during the 280 days before through 7 days after delivery using ICD-CM-10 diagnosis codes. We used the following hierarchy to create mutually exclusive SUD categories: opioid use disorder (OUD), cannabis use disorder without cocaine use disorder, and other SUD disorders (alcohol, cocaine, nicotine, or other).

Results

Among women enrolled in Medicaid at the time of delivery, 12% had drug dependency indicated on their birth record and 33% had at least one SUD diagnosis recorded in their Medicaid claims. Among the birth records with the drug dependency indicated, 56% had an OUD, 25% cannabis use disorder without cocaine use disorder, 8% other SUD, and 10% had no SUD. Among those without drug dependency indicated, the corresponding percentages were 4%, 9%, 13%, and 75%.

Discussion

Although diagnoses of OUD and cannabis use disorder were more common among birth records with the drug dependency checkbox checked, reporting of drug dependency on the birth record does not appear to accurately indicate SUD during pregnancy.

Conclusions

Our findings suggest the drug dependency checkbox on the Maine birth certificate may be of limited value in identifying SUD during pregnancy.
An Evaluation of the Safety and Immunogenicity of MVC-COV1901: Results of an interim analysis of a phase III, parallel group, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled study
Authors: Torales Julio , Cuenca-Torres Osmar , Barrios Laurentino , Armoa- Garcia Luis , Estigarribia Gladys , Sanabria Gabriela , Lin Meei-Yun , Estrada Josue Antonio , Estephan Lila , Cheng Hao-Yuan , Chen Charles , Janssen Robert , Lien Chia-En
Published: July 2022

Background

Data from previous studies of the MVC-COV1901 vaccine, a subunit vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 based on the stable prefusion spike protein (S-2P) adjuvanted with CpG 1018 adjuvant and aluminum hydroxide, suggest that the vaccine is generally safe and elicits a good immune response in healthy adults and adolescents. By comparing with AZD1222, this study adds to the findings from previous trials and further evaluates the breadth of protection offered by MVC-COV1901.

Methods

In this phase 3, parallel group, randomized, double-blind, active-controlled trial conducted in 2 sites in Paraguay, we assigned adults aged 18 to 91 years in a 1:1 ratio to receive intramuscular doses of MVC-COV1901 or AZD1222 administered as scheduled in the clinical trial. Serum samples were collected on the day of vaccination and 14 days after the second dose. Primary and secondary safety and immunogenicity endpoints were assessed. In addition, other outcomes investigated were cross-reactive immunity against the Omicron strain and the induction of IgG subclasses.

Results

A total of 1,030 participants underwent randomization. Safety data was derived from this set while primary immunogenicity data involved a per-protocol immunogenicity (PPI) subset including 225 participants. Among the participants, 58% are seropositive at baseline. When compared against AZD1222, MVC-COV1901 exhibited superiority in terms of neutralizing antibody titers and non-inferiority in terms of seroconversion rates. Reactogenicity was generally mild and no serious adverse event was attributable to MVC-COV1901. Both vaccines have a Th1-biased response predominated by the production of IgG1 and IgG3 subclasses. Omicron-neutralizing titers were 44.5 times lower compared to wildtype-neutralizing titers among seronegative individuals at baseline. This fold-reduction was 3.0 times among the seropositive.

Conclusion

Results presented here demonstrate the safe and robust immunogenicity from MVC-COV1901. Previous infection coupled with vaccination of this vaccine may offer protection against the Omicron strain though its durability is still unknown.

ClinicalTrials.gov registration

NCT05011526
Magnetic nanoprecipitates and interfacial spin disorder in zero-field-annealed Ni50Mn45In5 Heusler alloys as seen by magnetic small-angle neutron scattering
Authors: Bersweiler Mathias , Bender Philipp , Peral Inma , Pratami Sinaga Evelyn , Honecker Dirk , Alba Venero Diego , Titov Ivan , Michels Andreas
Published: July 2022

Shell ferromagnetism is a new functional property of certain off-stoichiometric Ni–Mn–In Heusler alloys, with a potential application in non-volatile magnetic memories and recording media. One key challenge in this field remains the determination of the structural and magnetic properties of the nanoprecipitates that are the result of an annealing-induced segregation process. Thanks to its unique mesoscopic length scale sensitivity, magnetic small-angle neutron scattering appears to be a powerful technique to disclose the microstructure of such annealing-induced nanoprecipitates. In this study, the microstructure of a zero-field-annealed off-stoichiometric Ni50Mn45In5 Heusler alloy is investigated by unpolarized magnetic small-angle neutron scattering. The neutron data analysis reveals a significant spin-misalignment scattering, which is mainly related to the formation of annealing-induced ferromagnetic nanoprecipitates in an antiferromagnetic matrix. These particles represent a source of perturbation which, due to dipolar stray fields, gives rise to canted spin moments in the surroundings of the particle–matrix interface. The presence of anticorrelations in the computed magnetic correlation function reflects the spatial perturbation of the magnetization vector around the nanoprecipitates. The magnetic field dependence of the zero crossing and the minima of the magnetic correlation function are qualitatively explained using the law of approach to ferromagnetic saturation for inhomogeneous spin states. More specifically, at remanence, the nanoprecipitates act magnetically as one superdefect with a correlation length that lies outside the experimental q range, whereas near saturation the magnetization distribution follows each individual nanoprecipitate. Analysis of the neutron data yields an estimated size of 30 nm for the spin-canted region and a value of about 75 nm for the magnetic core of the individual nanoprecipitates.
Neutron crystallographic analysis of the nucleotide-binding domain of Hsp72 in complex with ADP
Authors: Yokoyama Takeshi , Fujii Shiho , Ostermann Andreas , Schrader Tobias E. , Nabeshima Yuko , Mizuguchi Mineyuki
Published: July 2022

The 70 kDa heat-shock proteins (Hsp70s) are ATP-dependent molecular chaperones that contain an N-terminal nucleotide-binding domain (NBD) and a C-terminal substrate-binding domain. Hsp70s bind to misfolded/unfolded proteins and thereby prevent their aggregation. The ATP hydrolysis reaction in the NBD plays a key role in allosteric control of the binding of substrate proteins. In the present study, the neutron crystal structure of the NBD of Hsp72, a heat-inducible Hsp70 family member, was solved in complex with ADP in order to study the structure–function relationship with a focus on hydrogens. ADP bound to Hsp72 was fully deprotonated, and the catalytically important residues, including Asp10, Asp199 and Asp206, are also deprotonated. Neutron analysis also enabled the characterization of the water clusters in the NBD. Enzymatic assays and X-ray crystallographic analysis revealed that the Y149A mutation exhibited a higher ATPase activity and caused disruption of the water cluster and incorporation of an additional magnesium ion. Tyr149 was suggested to contribute to the low intrinsic ATPase activity and to stabilize the water cluster. Collectively, these structural studies will help to elucidate the molecular basis of the function of Hsp72.
Modeling of factors affecting supplier selection on start-ups during frequent pandemic episodes like COVID-19
Authors: Sreenivasan Aswathy , Shah Bhavin , Suresh M.
Published: July 2022

Purpose

In developing countries such as India, start-ups play an essential role in “industrial output,” “Gross Domestic Product ” and “employment creation.” Evidence suggests that pandemics have risen over the last century due to rising global travel and assimilation, urbanization, alterations in land use, and significantly larger exploitation of the natural environment. These trends are likely to continue and intensify. These pandemic episodes affect businesses, especially start-ups. Supplier selection is among the vital critical elements that start-ups must include in start-ups' strategy procedures during the pandemic episodes. This study's focus is to “identify,” “analyze,” and “categorize” the factors affecting supplier selection in start-ups during frequent pandemic episodes like coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Design/methodology/approach

Through “literature review” and “experts' opinion” from various start-ups in India, ten affecting factors were identified. Total Interpretative Structural Modeling (TISM) and Cross-Impact Matrix Multiplication Applied to Classification (MICMAC) were employed to analyze the interrelationship among the factors affecting the supplier selection on start-ups during frequent pandemic episodes, and these factors were ranked as “autonomous,” “independent,” “linkage,” and “dependent” factors.

Findings

The findings show that “performance history,” “service levels,” “technical capability,” and “financial stability” are the most critical factors affecting the supplier selection on start-ups during frequent pandemic episodes. The next importance should be safety and environmental concern” and “quality.”

Research limitations/implications

The factors affecting supplier selection on start-ups during frequent pandemic episodes are the current focus of this study. This study is mainly performed on Indian start-ups and can be extended to other countries.

Practical implications

The start-ups can rely on this study to clearly understand the factors affecting the supplier selection on start-ups during frequent pandemic episodes.

Originality/value

There is no research regarding factors affecting supplier selection on start-ups during the COVID-19 emergencies. This research gap is filled by analyzing aspects linked to supplier selection in start-ups. This gap inspired the present study, which employs the “Total Interpretive Structural Modeling (TISM)” technique to uncover supplier selection determinants and investigate hierarchical interconnections among factors influencing/affecting supplier selection in start-ups during frequent pandemic episodes.
Enhancing IT industry employees’ service innovation performance: antecedents and outcomes of service innovation engagement
Authors: Pai Peiyu , Tsai Hsien-Tung , Zhong Jun-Yu
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study aims to explore how information technology (IT) companies that provide professional information systems/IT solutions to business clients can enhance employees’ service innovation performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Self-reported data were collected from 251 employees over two periods, along with their supervisor-reported data. The model was tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

Employees’ engagement fully mediates the impact of innovative self-efficacy and social identification on service innovation performance. Employees’ customer orientation and feeling trusted both strengthen the transformation of service innovation engagement into service innovation performance. However, IT employees’ embeddedness, unexpectedly, significantly weakens the link between engagement and performance in business-to-business (B2B) service innovation contexts.

Research limitations/implications

The sample was collected in Taiwan, where the IT industry is dominant and employees’ values and team interactions are influenced by Chinese culture. Data drawn from a single industry, involving a particular culture, limit claims of external validity.

Practical implications

Managers can encourage participative decision-making, or hold official platforms where peers and clients can exchange ideas, leading to higher levels of feeling trusted and customer orientation, which both strengthen the link between service innovation engagement and performance. Moreover, highly embedded members can easily discuss novel ideas with team members and obtain improvement-oriented feedback, which ensures highly embedded members can keep focusing on service innovation.

Originality/value

This study provides a more nuanced picture of predictive factors for individual innovation behavior in B2B service innovation contexts in which employees provide business clients with professional, innovative IT solutions through team-based projects.
Substitution and complementarity dynamics in configurations of sustainable management practices
Authors: Song Wenyan , Han Yi Hubert , Sroufe Robert
Published: July 2022

Purpose

Previous research tends to study various sustainable management practices (SMPs) in isolation, leading to inconsistent conclusions about the effect of SMP on firm profit. This research aims to advance the understanding of the linkage between SMP configurations and financial performance by revealing the dynamics of substitutions and complementarities among these SMPs.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an exploratory study based on the theoretical lens of the practice-based view (PBV). An integrated text-mining approach is used in gathering data from 302 corporate reports of cross-sectional firms, followed by a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis method to examine the configurations of SMPs in achieving high and low financial performance.

Findings

The findings show that green innovation practices (GIP) and cleaner production practices work together as complements for small firms in configurations associated with high profits. However, large companies in high-competition industries often adopt a minimalist configuration focusing on product quality and safety management (PQSM). PQSM and GIP are complements in configuration for small firms in high-competition industries, while they work together as substitutes for small firms in low-competition industries.

Practical implications

This research provides managers with a new way of thinking to support decision-making in sustainable operations management. The complementary and substitutive view of management practice can guide operations managers to design and implement effective practice configurations to achieve synergistic effects.

Originality/value

This is among the first studies to reveal the complex relationship between various configurations of SMPs and firm performance. In addition, this research offers new insights into previously inconsistent findings from a PBV and configuration perspective.
Tourism seasonality management strategies – what can we learn from payment data
Authors: Ramos Luis Moura , Sol Murta Fátima
Published: July 2022

Purpose

A convenient payment system is increasingly recognized as an asset of tourism destinations. By using data on payments with cards issued in foreign countries, together with other monthly tourism flow variables, the authors assess the importance of card payments to identify seasonality in inbound tourism in Portugal.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors compute seasonality measures using Portuguese data on card payments from 2003 to 2019, together with data on nights spent and the Balance of Payments travel credit. The authors also assess seasonal behaviour in the timespan of the different tourism strategic plans in place during this period.

Findings

Card payments grew at a faster pace than the other inbound tourism variables and show a seasonal pattern similar to the other variables. Seasonality decreases when variables measured in quantities are considered (nights spent and number of card transactions). However, when the authors use value variables (Balance of Payments travel credit and value of card transactions), seasonality in 2019 is higher than in 2003.

Research limitations/implications

The widespread use of digital payments makes card payment information an even better proxy of tourism activity and since it is available in a short time-span it has informational potential for tourism stakeholders and for researchers in this field.

Originality/value

The authors study the seasonal behaviour of foreign card payments along with other international tourism flow variables. The authors’ results highlight the informational potential of card payment data and the importance of electronic payment infrastructure for tourist activity.
Credit supervision and trading strategy of rural e-commerce based on evolutionary game
Authors: Bai Qun , Tan Senming , Yuelong Zheng , Su Jiafu , Tingting Li
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This study investigates the credit supervision issue in rural e-commerce. By studying the trading strategies of buyers and sellers under different credit supervision measures and the impact of different pricing strategies on the trading strategies of both parties, this paper proposes regulatory suggestions for the increasingly severe credit problems in rural e-commerce.

Design/methodology/approach

In the online agricultural product transaction between farmers and consumers, both parties' decision-making is a dynamic process. Using the copying dynamic model of the evolutionary game, this study establishes two evolutionary game models to explore the factors affecting credit supervision in the rural e-commerce transaction process. Then, the study provides corresponding countermeasures and suggestions.

Findings

First, credit supervision measures implemented by rural e-commerce platforms and the Government's legal system construction and infrastructure construction guarantees influence both parties' trust choices in rural e-commerce transactions. Second, price is a key factor affecting both parties' trading strategies. In the case of relatively fair prices, the higher the proportion of farmers who choose “low price” and “honest transaction” strategies, the easier that is for consumers to choose to trust farmers. In contrast, the higher the price, the higher the proportion of consumers who choose the “trust farmers” strategy, and the more willing farmers are to choose honest transactions.

Originality/value

This work develops a new approach for analyzing rural e-commerce credit supervision. Moreover, this study helps establish and improve the credit supervision mechanism of rural e-commerce and further realize the long-term sustainable development of the rural economy.
Modeling the symmetric relation between Baltic Exchange indexes
Authors: Pourkermani Kasra
Published: July 2022

Purpose

This research provides some evidence by the vine copula approach, suggesting the significant and symmetric causal relation between subsections of Baltic Exchange and hence concluding that investing in different indexes, which is currently a risk diversification system, is not a correct risk reduction strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

The daily observations of Baltic Capesize Index (BCI), Baltic Handysize Index (BHSI), Baltic Dirty Tanker Index (BDTI) and Baltic LNG Tanker Index (BLNG) over an eight-year period have been used. After collecting data, calculating the return and estimating the marginal distribution of return rates for each of the indexes applying asymmetric power generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity and autoregressive moving average (APGARCH-ARMA), and with the assumption of skew student's t-distribution, the dependence of Baltic indexes was modeled based on Vine-R structures.

Findings

A positive and symmetrical correlation was observed between the study groups. High and low tail dependence is observed between all four indexes. In other words, the sector business groups associated with each of these indexes react similarly to the extreme events of other groups. The BHSI has a pivotal role in examining the dependency structure of Baltic Exchange indexes. That is, in addition to the direct dependence of Baltic groups, the dependence of each group on the BHSI can transmit accidents and shocks to other groups.

Practical implications

Since the Baltic Exchange indexes are tradable, these findings have implications for portfolio design and hedging strategies for investors in shipping markets.

Originality/value

Vine copula structures proves the causal relationship between different Baltic Exchange indexes, which are derived from different types of markets.
Environmental conditions and male quality traits simultaneously explain variation of multiple colour signals in male lizards
Authors: Badiane Arnaud , Dupoué Andréaz , Blaimont Pauline , Miles Donald B. , Gilbert Anthony L. , Leroux‐Coyau Mathieu , Kawamoto Anna , Rozen‐Rechels David , Meylan Sandrine , Clobert Jean , Le Galliard Jean‐François
Published: July 2022

Male lizards often display multiple pigment‐based and structural colour signals which may reflect various quality traits (e.g. performance, parasitism), with testosterone (T) often mediating these relationships. Furthermore, environmental conditions can explain colour signal variation by affecting processes such as signal efficacy, thermoregulation and camouflage. The relationships between colour signals, male quality traits and environmental factors have often been analysed in isolation, but simultaneous analyses are rare. Thus, the response of multiple colour signals to variation in all these factors in an integrative analysis remains to be investigated.

Here, we investigated how multiple colour signals relate to their information content, examined the role of T as a potential mediator of these relationships and how environmental factors explain colour signal variation.

We performed an integrative study to examine the covariation between three colour signals (melanin‐based black, carotenoid‐based yellow–orange and structural UV), physiological performance, parasitism, T levels and environmental factors (microclimate, forest cover) in male common lizards Zootoca vivipara from 13 populations.

We found that the three colour signals conveyed information on different aspects of male condition, supporting a multiple message hypothesis. T influenced only parasitism, suggesting that T does not directly mediate the relationships between colour signals and their information content. Moreover, colour signals became more saturated in forested habitats, suggesting an adaptation to degraded light conditions, and became generally brighter in mesic conditions, in contradiction with the thermal melanism hypothesis.

We show that distinct individual quality traits and environmental factors simultaneously explain variations of multiple colour signals with different production modes. Our study therefore highlights the complexity of colour signal evolution, involving various sets of selective pressures acting at the same time, but in different ways depending on colour production mechanism.
Ecological traits explain long‐term phenological trends in solitary bees
Authors: Dorian Nicholas N. , McCarthy Max W. , Crone Elizabeth E.
Published: July 2022

Across taxa, the timing of life‐history events (phenology) is changing in response to warming temperatures. However, little is known about drivers of variation in phenological trends among species.

We analysed 168 years of museum specimen and sighting data to evaluate the patterns of phenological change in 70 species of solitary bees that varied in three ecological traits: diet breadth (generalist or specialist), seasonality (spring, summer or fall) and nesting location (above‐ground or below‐ground). We estimated changes in onset, median, end and duration of each bee species' annual activity (flight duration) using quantile regression.

To determine whether ecological traits could explain phenological trends, we compared average trends across species groups that differed in a single trait. We expected that specialist bees would be constrained by their host plants' phenology and would show weaker phenological change than generalist species. We expected phenological advances in spring and delays in summer and fall. Lastly, we expected stronger shifts in above‐ground versus below‐ground nesters.

Across all species, solitary bees have advanced their phenology by 0.43 days/decade. Since 1970, this advancement has increased fourfold to 1.62 days/decade. Solitary bees have also lengthened their flight period by 0.44 days/decade. Seasonality and nesting location explained variation in trends among species. Spring‐ and summer‐active bees tended to advance their phenology, whereas fall‐active bees tended to delay. Above‐ground nesting species experienced stronger advances than below‐ground nesting bees in spring; however, the opposite was true in summer. Diet breadth was not associated with patterns of phenological change.

Our study has two key implications. First, an increasing activity period of bees across the flight season means that bee communities will potentially provide pollination services for a longer period of time during the year. And, since phenological trends in solitary bees can be explained by some ecological traits, our study provides insight into mechanisms underpinning population viability of insect pollinators in a changing world.
Gene expression in the microbial consortia of colonial Microcystis aeruginosa‐a potential buoyant particulate biofilm
Authors: Shi Limei , Cai Yuanfeng , Gao Shengling , Fang Daoyan , Lu Yaping , Li Pengfu , Wu Qinglong L.
Published: July 2022

Microcystis spp., notorious bloom‐forming cyanobacteria, are often present in colony form in eutrophic lakes worldwide. Uncovering the mechanisms underlying Microcystis colony formation and maintenance is vital to controlling the blooms, but it has long been a challenge. Here, bacterial communities and gene expression patterns of colonial and unicellular forms of one non‐axenic strain of Microcystis aeruginosa isolated from Lake Taihu were compared. Evidently, different microbial communities between them were observed through 16S rDNA MiSeq sequencing. Metatranscriptome analyses revealed that transcripts for pathways involved in bacterial biofilm formation, such as biosynthesis of peptidoglycan and arginine by Bacteroidetes, methionine biosynthesis, alginate metabolism, flagellum, and motility, as well as widespread colonization islands by Proteobacteria, were highly enriched in the colonial form. Furthermore, transcripts for nitrogen fixation and denitrification pathways by Proteobacteria that usually occur in biofilms were significantly enriched in the colonial Microcystis. Results revealed that microbes associated with Microcystis colonies play important roles through regulation of biofilm‐related genes in colony formation and maintenance. Moreover, Microcystis colony represents a potential ‘buoyant particulate biofilm’, which is a good model for biofilm studies. The biofilm features of colonial Microcystis throw a new light on management and control of the ubiquitous blooms in eutrophic waters.
Responses of dinoflagellate cells to ultraviolet‐C irradiation
Authors: Kwok Alvin Chun Man , Li Chongping , Lam Wing Tai , Wong Joseph Tin Yum
Published: July 2022

Dinoflagellates are important aquatic microbes and major harmful algal bloom (HAB) agents that form invasive species through ship ballast transfer. UV‐C installations are recommended for ballast treatments and HAB controls, but there is a lack of knowledge in dinoflagellate responses to UV‐C. We report here dose‐dependent cell cycle delay and viability loss of dinoflagellate cells irradiated with UV‐C, with significant proliferative reduction at 800 Jm−2 doses or higher, but immediate LD50 was in the range of 2400–3200 Jm−2. At higher dosages, some dinoflagellate cells surprisingly survived after days of recovery incubation, and continued viability loss, with samples exhibiting DNA fragmentations per proliferative resumption. Sequential cell cycle postponements, suggesting DNA damages were repaired over one cell cycle, were revealed with flow cytometric analysis and transcriptomic analysis. Over a sustained level of other DNA damage repair pathways, transcript elevation was observed only for several components of base pair repair and mismatch repair. Cumulatively, our findings demonstrated special DNA damage responses in dinoflagellate cells, which we discussed in relation to their unique chromo‐genomic characters, as well as indicating resilience of dinoflagellate cells to UV‐C.