bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Hydroxychloroquine in COVID-19: An updated systematic review with meta-analysis
Authors: Chacko Jose , Brar Gagan , Premkumar Robert 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackgroundHydroxychloroquine is being administered among patients with COVID-19 infection in many healthcare systems across the world, considering its in vitro effect against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In spite of several observational studies and a few randomized controlled trials, the effect of hydroxychloroquine on patients with COVID-19 infection remains unclear. We undertook this systematic review with meta-analysis to evaluate the efficacy and safety of hydroxychloroquine among patients with COVID-19 infection.MethodsWe searched PubMed, Embase, the Cochrane Library, Web of Science, medRxiv, and other relevant resources until August 1, 2020. We included randomized controlled trials and observational studies in which hydroxychloroquine was administered and compared to a control group. Data were extracted, and quality assessment of the studies was carried out. We evaluated symptomatic progression, mortality, viral clearance, evolution of changes on chest CT imaging, and adverse events. A fixed or random-effects model was used depending on outcome heterogeneity.ResultsWe included 23 studies, including seven randomized controlled trials and 16 observational studies. Among these, 11,029 patients received hydroxychloroquine alone or in combination, while 12063 did not. Mortality was reported at different points in time. The overall mortality was not significantly different among patients who received hydroxychloroquine compared to the control group (OR: 0.94, 95% CI: 0.72–1.22; p = 0.63). Clinical worsening did not differ between patients who received hydroxychloroquine compared to those who did not (OR 0.93, 95% CI: 0.57–1.52; p = 0.77). Negative conversion, assessed by RT-PCR, did not differ significantly between the hydroxychloroquine and the control groups (OR: 0.67, CI: 0.21–2.11; p = 0.49). The evolution of changes on chest CT imaging was reported only in two studies; a more pronounced improvement was observed with the use of hydroxychloroquine compared to standard care (OR: 2.68, CI: 1.1–6.55; P = 0.03). The incidence of adverse events was significantly higher with hydroxychloroquine (OR: 5.95, CI: 2.56–13.83; p < 0.00001).ConclusionsOur meta-analysis does not suggest improvement in mortality, clinical progression, or negative conversion by RT-PCR among patients with COVID-19 infection who are treated with hydroxychloroquine. There was a significantly higher incidence of adverse events with hydroxychloroquine use.
Thiazoline-related TRPA1 agonist odorants orchestrate survival fate in mice
Authors: Matsuo Tomohiko , Isosaka Tomoko , Tang Lijun , Soga Tomoyoshi , Kobayakawa Reiko , Kobayakawa Ko 
Published: May 2020

SummaryTherapeutic hypothermia protects the brain after cardiopulmonary arrest. Innate fear has evolved to orchestrate protective effects in life-threatening situations. Thus, strong fear perception may induce a specialized life-protective metabolism based on hypothermia/hypometabolism; however, such phenomena and their inducers are yet to be elucidated. Here, we report that thiazoline-related fear odors (tFOs), which are TRPA1 agonists and induce robust innate fear in mice, induced hibernation-like systemic hypothermia/hypometabolism, accelerated glucose uptake in the brain, and suppressed aerobic metabolism via phosphorylation of pyruvate dehydrogenase, thereby enabling long-term survival in a lethal hypoxic environment. In contrast to hibernation, during which immune functions are generally suppressed, tFO-stimulation induced a crisis-response immune state characterized by potentiated innate immune functions but suppressed inflammation with anti-hypoxic ability. Collectively, these responses exerted potent therapeutic effects in cutaneous and cerebral ischemia/reperfusion injury models. Whole brain mapping and chemogenetic activation revealed that sensory representation of tFOs orchestrate survival fate via brain stem Sp5/NST to midbrain PBN pathway. TFO-induced strong crisis perception maximizes latent life-protective effects by shifting metabolism to a crisis response mode characterized by hypothermia, hypometabolism and crisis immunity.
Mrr1 regulation of methylglyoxal catabolism and methylglyoxal-induced fluconazole resistance inCandida lusitaniae
Authors: Biermann Amy R. , Demers Elora G. , Hogan Deborah A. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractInCandidaspecies, the transcription factor Mrr1 regulates azole resistance genes in addition to the expression of a suite of other genes including known and putative methylglyoxal reductases. Methylglyoxal (MG) is a toxic metabolic byproduct that is significantly elevated in certain disease states that frequently accompany candidiasis, including diabetes, kidney failure, sepsis, and inflammation. Through the genetic analysis ofCandida lusitaniae(syn.Clavispora lusitaniae) strains with different Mrr1 variants with high and low basal activity, we showed that Mrr1 regulates basal and/or induced expression of two highly similar MG reductases,MGD1andMGD2, and that both participate in MG detoxification and growth on MG as a sole carbon source. We found that exogenous MG increases Mrr1-dependent expression ofMGD1andMGD2inC. lusitaniaesuggesting that Mrr1 is part of the natural response to MG. MG also induced expression ofMDR1, which encodes a major facilitator protein involved in fluconazole resistance, in a partially Mrr1-dependent manner. MG significantly improved growth ofC. lusitaniaein the presence of fluconazole and strains with hyperactive Mrr1 variants showed greater increases in growth in the presence of fluconazole by MG. In addition to the effects of exogenous MG, we found knocking outGLO1, which encodes another MG detoxification enzyme, led to increased fluconazole resistance inC. lusitaniae. Analysis of isolates otherCandidaspecies found heterogeneity in MG resistance and MG stimulation of growth in the presence of fluconazole. Given the frequent presence of MG in human disease, we propose that induction ofMDR1in response to MG is a novel contributor toin vivoresistance of azole antifungals in multipleCandidaspecies.Author SummaryInCandidaspecies, constitutively active variants of the transcription factor Mrr1 confer resistance to fluconazole, a commonly used antifungal agent. However, the natural role of Mrr1 as well as how its activity is modulatedin vivoremain poorly understood. Here, we have shown that, in the opportunistic pathogenCandida lusitaniae, Mrr1 regulates expression and induction of two enzymes that detoxify methylglyoxal, a toxic metabolic byproduct. Importantly, serum methylglyoxal is elevated in conditions that are also associated with increased risk of colonization and infection byCandidaspecies, such as diabetes and kidney failure. We discovered that methylglyoxal causes increased expression of these two Mrr1-regulated detoxification enzymes as well as an efflux pump that causes fluconazole resistance. Likewise, methylglyoxal increased the ability of multipleC. lusitaniaestrains to grow in the presence of fluconazole. Several otherCandidastrains that we tested also exhibited stimulation of growth on fluconazole by methylglyoxal. Given the physiological relevance of methylglyoxal in human disease, we posit that the induction of fluconazole resistance in response to methylglyoxal may contribute to treatment failure.
Large domain movements through lipid bilayer mediate substrate release and inhibition of glutamate transporters
Authors: Wang Xiaoyu , Boudker Olga 
Published: May 2020

ABSTRACTGlutamate transporters are essential players in glutamatergic neurotransmission in the brain, where they maintain extracellular glutamate below cytotoxic levels and allow for rounds of transmission. The structural bases of their function are well established, particularly within a model archaeal homologue, sodium and aspartate symporter GltPh. However, the mechanism of gating on the cytoplasmic side of the membrane remains ambiguous. We report Cryo-EM structures of GltPhreconstituted into nanodiscs, including those structurally constrained in the cytoplasm-facing state and either apo, bound to sodium ions only, substrate, or blockers. The structures show that both substrate translocation and release involve movements of the bulky transport domain through the lipid bilayer. They further reveal a novel mode of inhibitor binding and show how solutes release is coupled to protein conformational changes. Finally, we describe how domain movements are associated with the displacement of bound lipids and significant membrane deformations, highlighting the potential regulatory role of the bilayer.
Generic skills in accounting education in Saudi Arabia: students’ perceptions
Authors: Al Mallak Mohammed Ali , Tan Lin Mei , Laswad Fawzi 
Published: May 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this exploratory study is to examine the perceptions of Saudi university accounting students of the importance of developing generic skills in their accounting education, the levels of competence they should acquire and expect to achieve during the academic study, and the constraints that may hinder the development of generic skills in accounting education.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses the skills outlined in the IFAC’s International Education Standards (IES) 3 (intellectual, personal, organizational and business management, and interpersonal and communication) and IES 4 (ethics in accounting/business). A survey questionnaire was used to collect the data.FindingsThe findings show that students perceived all five generic skill categories to be important, with ethical skills rated as the most important. However, the students expected that they would achieve a somewhat lower level of generic skill by the end of their studies in all areas, and they perceived a number of constraints that impede their skill development. The results indicate the importance of developing generic skills in accounting education and suggest that the Saudi accounting education system could do more to provide students with opportunities to develop generic skills to enable them to succeed in their future careers.Originality/valueAs little of the current literature has focused on generic skills in accounting education in a non-Western country, this research contributes to the literature on generic skills in a developing nation.
Tourist experience on traditional pastries in UNESCO heritage city
Authors: Tan Cheng Ling , Yeo Sook Fern 
Published: May 2020

PurposeIn recent years, the traditional pastries industry has gained popularity among tourists due to the advantage of the pastries location at UNESCO Heritage city, Penang. However, the little research focussed on this particular industry, and there is lack of evidence of the tourists' experience with the traditional pastries and how these attributes affect their revisit decision.Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes a qualitative research design to gain in-depth understanding on tourists' thought and their repurchase decision. Secondary data were collected via TripAdvisor with 68 tourists who visited the most popular three pastries shops namely, Him Heang, Ghee Hiang and Min Xiang Tai, which are later analysed using qualitative content analysis.FindingsThe findings revealed that tourists generally concerned about the service quality, value, brand image and atmospherics that could affect their repurchasing decision. Particularly, the staff service quality has been viewed as the upmost important attribute to influence the tourists' decision. Therefore, the pastries shops shall ensure that the staff who serve the tourists shall be well trained to satisfy the tourists' enquiry.Research limitations/implicationsThe limitation concerning the interpretation of the secondary data based on the feedbacks and comments of the tourists may derive the bias possibility. Future research might consider the large-scale primary data to extend the findings.Originality/valueLimited research exists on the tourists' experience which affects the repurchasing decision in pastries industry. This study provides valuable information for pastries shops and researchers interested in this area.
FinTech and household finance: a review of the empirical literature
Authors: Agarwal Sumit , Chua Yeow Hwee 
Published: May 2020

PurposeThis paper reviews recent advances in the empirical literature of FinTech and household finance.Design/methodology/approachWe survey the effects of FinTech on three different aspects of household finance: payments, lending and portfolio decisions. Specifically, we examine the impact of digital payments, mobile money, FinTech lending, marketplace lending, robo-advising and crowd-funding.FindingsStudies suggest that FinTech has positively benefited households by increasing consumption and borrowing. This allows them to smoothen their consumption across time. Furthermore, there is an improvement in their portfolio diversification. Nonetheless, there is also evidence that certain households overconsume and borrow beyond their means.Originality/valueDespite the importance of this topic, there has been a lack of empirical evidence until recently. In this paper, we take stock of the empirical evidence in the literature through the lens of household finance
Implicit and explicit norms and tools of safety net management
Authors: Kane Edward 
Published: May 2020

PurposeThis paper explains the value of interpreting the design of a country's financial safety net as an exercise in incomplete social contracting.Design/methodology/approachSafety net contracts unlucky financial institutions and customers to transfer some or all of what would otherwise be ruinous losses to taxpayers in other sectors. Their capacity to do this is based on a series of unspoken and slowly varying cultural norms that govern when government support is supplied to an insolvent bank, in what forms, on what terms and under what limitations. Identifying these norms is the purpose of this paper. Identifying similarities in the norms that hold sway in the United States and China is the main contribution this paper has to offer.FindingsRegulators do not want to face the consequences of challenging large insolvent banks' claims that funding problems that their managers know to be hopeless reflect a spate of reversible bad luck and a temporary shortfall in liquidity. In hopes of shifting the problem forward to their successors, regulators forbear from meaningful intervention until and unless crisis-driven depositor runs force them into action.Research limitations/implicationsThis means that much like US rescue arrangements, one can demonstrate that the Chinese safety net is incomplete in four ways. It does not fully delineate the events that trigger a loss transfer. It sets formal but imperfectly enforceable limits on the size of potential loss transfers. The political obligations that actually persuade state actors to bail out major banks in a crisis are largely implicit and optional in timing, magnitude and transparency. Finally, the identity of the citizens who will be forced to absorb the costs of crisis bailouts is also optional. Who pays and how they do so will be determined in part during the crisis but will not be finalized until well after the crisis has blown over.Originality/valueThe analysis makes it clear that authorities, express commitment to fair and efficient modes of financial supervision is destined to break down under crisis pressure unless the disadvantaged equity stake that the safety net assigns to taxpayers is rebalanced to record and collect taxpayers' deserved share of the profits a country's megabanks book during booms.
Dichotomous impacts on social and environmental sustainability: competitiveness and development levels matter
Authors: Doyle Eleanor , Perez Alaniz Mauricio 
Published: May 2020

Purpose
Whereas in developed countries, sustainability primarily focuses on environmental topics, in developing countries the issues of poverty, development and equity are equally, if not more, important. The purpose of this paper is to apply measures of social and environmental sustainability to assess sustainable development for the period 2005–2015 across a sample of 94 countries for which relevant data are available. Countries include two groups: developed and developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach
Using the index-based approach introduced by the World Economic Forum in its Global Competitiveness Project, a range of indicators are collected for estimating trends in both social and environmental sustainability. For the panel of data identified, a dynamic panel data estimator method is applied to the data set constructed. This paper presents the empirical results identifying key competitiveness factors related to social and environmental sustainability (separately and combining both aspects in a comprehensive sustainability framework).

Findings
This study explores how sustainable competitiveness offers a comprehensive assessment of the inter-related dynamics of the social, the environmental and economic building blocks of sustainable development simultaneously. Performance impacts are found to differ substantially across two groups of countries depending on their development level. This highlights the challenges in shaping and achieving sustainable development goals.

Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this research is novel in examining the intersections between economic competitiveness and environmental and social sustainability addressing an identified research gap. In addition, the paper investigates the most important competitiveness pillars focusing on both strengths and weaknesses in sustainable competitiveness across developed and developing countries.
Exploring SMEs’ qualitative growth and networking through formalization
Authors: Milanesi Matilde , Guercini Simone , Tunisini Annalisa 
Published: May 2020

PurposeThis paper aims to analyze the role of networking through formalization, namely, the adoption of specific contractual forms, in triggering small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs’) qualitative growth. The paper adopts an approach to SMEs’ growth that stresses the multi-dimensionality nature of the concept, which includes not only size but also relationship and capability growth.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative methodology is used, based on the study of cases of SMEs from an Italian fashion district, connected by a specific contractual form – the so-called “network contract” (NC) – promoted by the national government. Two cases of NCs are presented, a vertical and a horizontal network.FindingsThe paper highlighted the positive influence of NCs, intended as a managerial strategy not only aimed at collaboration, on the growth paths of SMEs but also stressed that the influence of NCs cannot be isolated, but acts virtuously together with other variables. Such variables include entrepreneurs’ and managers’ individual traits, the context – industrial district in the two cases under study – in which SMEs operate, the presence of an external actor that stimulates the adoption of NCs.Originality/valueThe focus on qualitative growth, which can be triggered by the formalization of business relationships through contractual forms, contributes to the debate on the nature and content of SMEs’ growth. The awareness of the variables that contribute to SMEs’ growth is crucial for both entrepreneurs and institutional actors who want to create the conditions to undertake paths of qualitative growth.
A different approach to the network method: continuity equation in flow through porous media under retaining structures
Authors: Martínez-Moreno Encarnación , Garcia-Ros Gonzalo , Alhama Ivan 
Published: May 2020

Purpose
This study aims to present a new numerical model for the simulation of water flow through porous media of anisotropic character, based on the network simulation method and with the use of the free code Ngspice.

Design/methodology/approach
For its design, it starts directly from the flow conservation equation, which presents several advantages in relation to the numerical simulation of the governing equation in terms of the potential head. The model provides very precise solutions of streamlines and potential patterns in all cases, with relatively small meshes and acceptable calculation times, both essential characteristics when developing a computational tool for engineering purposes. The model has been successfully verified with analytical results for non-penetrating dams in isotropic media.

Findings
Applications of the model are presented for the construction of the flow nets, calculation of uplift pressures, infiltrated flow and average exit gradient in anisotropic scenarios with penetrating dams with and without sheet piles, being all this output information part of the decision process in ground engineering problems involving these retaining structures.

Originality/value
This study presents, for the first time, a numerical network model for seepage problems that is not obtained from the Laplace's governing equation, but from the water flow conservation continuity equation.
Quality initiatives in public health and other health-related fields
Authors: MacVane Phipps Fiona 
Published: May 2020

PurposeThe purpose of the International Journal of Health Governance (IJHG) review is to present a synopsis of the accepted articles in each issue, thus allowing readers to identify articles of particular interest to themselves.Design/methodology/approachThe review editor reads all the submissions for each issue and then prepares an overview presenting the major themes with reference to supporting literatureFindingsThe findings from all articles are presented in a succinct format.Originality/valueThe value of the IJHG review lies in the fact that no other Emerald publication includes a review section of this type. This unique contribution to this particular journal enhances usability and reader satisfaction.