bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Public expenditure on education, educational attainment and unemployment nexus in India: an empirical investigation
Authors: Singh Deepti , Shastri Shruti 
Published: May 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine the nexus among public expenditure allocated to education, educational attainment at secondary level and unemployment rate in India for the period 1987–2017.Design/methodology/approachThe study employs autoregressive distributed lags (ARDL) bound testing approach suggested by Pesaranet al.(2001) to find the long-run relationship among the variables. The causal linkages are investigated through block exogeneity test based on vector error correction model.FindingsThe empirical results indicate that educational attainment proxied by gross enrolment ratio at secondary level of education negatively affects unemployment rate in long run as well as in short run. However, public expenditure on education is ineffective in influencing both educational attainment and unemployment rate.Originality/valueThe study is the first empirical effort to identify the causal nexus among public expenditure on education, educational attainment and unemployment in the context of India.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at:https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-06-2019-0396
Sensitivity analysis of using solar cells in regional electricity power supply of off-grid power systems in Iran
Authors: Jahangiri Mehdi , Haghani Ahmad , Heidarian Shahram , Mostafaeipour Ali , Raiesi Heidar Ali , Alidadi Shamsabadi Akbar 
Published: May 2020

PurposeRural areas are one of the effective regions in economy and self-sufficiency field especially in agricultural and livestock section. Planning in the rural section and the effort in solving the problems of farmers lead to increase their interest in farming and manufacturing in the villages and decrease their migration to the cities and metropolitans. Therefore, the present study aimed at feasibility of electricity to a rural household in Iran using off-grid solar-based hybrid system.Design/methodology/approachIn renewable energy projects, a successful evaluation requires suitable criteria so that one can properly analyze the operational behavior of all feasible scenarios. In the present paper, HOMER software has been used for this purpose for a village with no access to electricity grid (Bar Aftab-e Jalaleh, Iran). Due to drastic fluctuation of fossil fuel prices and varied solar radiations in various years because of climate change, sensitivity analysis has been performed using HOMER.FindingsIn the optimum status economically, 70% of needed energy is provided by solar cells at the price 0.792 $/kWh. The comparison between the optimum condition economically and the condition that only use fossil fuels revealed that the return on investment will occur after less than 2 years and have remained profitable over 23 years.Social implicationsThe authors hope that the results of this study can be used in planning of the authorities to realize the interests of people in this village.Originality/valueAccording to the surveys, despite Iran being the first country in terms of providing solar power to the villages, so far no socio-economic-environmental assessment has been done for a solar cell-based micro-grid in an off-grid mode for a remote village that is deprived of electricity from a national electricity grid. In addition, for the first time in Iran, the effect of the fuel price and solar radiation parameters variability on the performance of system have been investigated.
The relationship between audit components and audit market adaptability
Authors: Salehi Mahdi , Saravani Mahdi , Rouhi Safoura 
Published: May 2020

Purpose
This study aims to study the relationship between audit components and collusion in the audit market.

Design/methodology/approach
The statistical population of the study includes 130 listed firms on the Tehran Stock Exchange from 2012-2017. The data tested using multivariate regression.

Findings
The findings of the study indicate that there is a positive and significant relationship between Rank A audit firms, competition and audit fees and audit market adaptability. The relationship standard fees and audit market adaptability, however, is negative and significant. Moreover, the results of the study show that there is no significant relationship between opinion shopping, type of audit report, audit market concentration, and agency costs with audit market adaptability.

Originality/value
The current study fills the gap in this area, and the results of the study may give direction to researchers and policy makers.
Developing and validating a scale of consumer-based brand equity for SMEs: evidence from Thailand
Authors: Chokpitakkul Nitcha , Anantachart Saravudh 
Published: May 2020

PurposeThis study aimed to develop a generalisable small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) brand equity scale and examine its relationship with consumer response factors.Design/methodology/approachThe study which was done in Thailand included three steps. First, brand communications of 40 successful SMEs and opinions of 56 consumers were collected by document analysis, interview and focus group for generating items and measurement of stimuli. Second, 838 consumers were surveyed to define the dimensions of the brand equity and the top SMEs. Third, surveys with 552 customers of the three most popular SMEs, one from each of the manufacturing, service and trade businesses, were conducted to examine the scale's invariance and its relationships with consumer responses.FindingsThe SME brand equity (SMEBE) scale included 23 items that were grouped into five components named brand awareness, functionality, authenticity, attentiveness and resonance. The scale is applicable across consumers that vary in their product involvement and brand engagement. The SMEBE significantly affected the brand's preference, loyalty and word-of-mouth.Research limitations/implicationsSince the SMEBE scale was tested with three brands, one from each of three business sectors, future studies should measure more than one SME for each business type. To allow for potential cultural characteristics that might affect the study, replications in diverse international settings are required.Practical implicationsSME managers should increase the awareness, functionality, authenticity, attentiveness and resonance of their brands as these components are essential for SMEBE, which, in turn, significantly affects consumer behaviour.Originality/valueThis study develops a ready-to-use SMEBE scale and introduces a practical research design for quantitative research on SME branding.
New member in the boardroom and subsequent strategic change in the product-market scope of the firm
Authors: Süsi Virgo , Lukason Oliver 
Published: May 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to explore the linkages between the appointment of a new management board member and the following strategic change (SC) in the product-market scope of the firm.Design/methodology/approachThe study is based on the whole population of Estonian firms, in total 16,941 observations and the data are retrieved from Estonian Business Register. First, the authors focus on the association between the appointment of a new board member and the likelihood of different types of SC. Second, the authors focus on the association between the new board member’s previous export experience and export-related SC. Logistic regressions are applied for all models.FindingsThe results indicate that there is a significant association between the appointment of a new board member and the subsequent start of exports and also continuing it, entrance into a new industry and making an SC in more broad terms, though the significance levels vary across the composed models. No significant relationship was found with the entrance into the additional geographic market(s) for already exporting firms. There was also a significant association between the previous export experience of a new board member and the subsequent start of exporting.Originality/valueThe authors look at SC in the product-market domain holistically by applying the same data on both geographic and product portfolio expansion options. The authors also introduce the scale and stability contexts of SCs. These aspects are usually neglected from similar studies.
Ancestral niche separation and evolutionary rate differentiation between sister marine flavobacteria lineages
Authors: Xue Chun‐Xu , Zhang Hao , Lin He‐Yu , Sun Ying , Luo Danli , Huang Yongjie , Zhang Xiao‐Hua , Luo Haiwei 
Published: May 2020

SummaryMarine flavobacteria are specialists for polysaccharide degradation. They dominate in habitats enriched with polysaccharides, but are also prevalent in pelagic environments where polysaccharides are less available. These niches are likely occupied by distinct lineages, but evolutionary processes underlying their niche differentiation remain elusive. Here, genomic analyses and physiological assays indicate that the sister flavobacteria lineages Leeuwenhoekiella and Nonlabens likely explore polysaccharide‐rich macroalgae and polysaccharide‐poor pelagic niches respectively. Phylogenomic analyses inferred that the niche separation likely occurred anciently and coincided with increased sequence evolutionary rate in Nonlabens compared with Leeuwenhoekiella. Further analyses ruled out the known mechanisms likely driving evolutionary rate acceleration, including reduced selection efficiency, decreased generation time and increased mutation rate. In particular, the mutation rates were determined using an unbiased experimental method, which measures the present‐day populations and may not reflect ancestral populations. These data collectively lead to a new hypothesis that an ancestral and transient mutation rate increase resulted in evolutionary rate increase in Nonlabens. This hypothesis was supported by inferring that gains and losses of genes involved in SOS response, a mechanism known to drive transiently increased mutation rate, coincided with evolutionary rate acceleration. Our analyses highlight the evolutionary mechanisms underlying niche differentiation of flavobacteria lineages.
GATA‐type transcription factor MrNsdD regulates dimorphic transition, conidiation, virulence and microsclerotium formation in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium rileyi
Authors: Xin Caiyan , Yang Jie , Mao Yingyu , Chen Wenbi , Wang Zhongkang , Song Zhangyong 
Published: May 2020

SummaryThe GATA‐type sexual development transcription factor NsdD has been implicated in virulence, secondary metabolism and asexual development in filamentous fungi. However, little is known about its function in the yeast‐to‐hypha transition and in microsclerotium formation. In the current study, the orthologous NsdD gene MrNsdD in the entomopathogenic fungus Metarhizium rileyi was characterized. Transcriptional analysis indicated that MrNsdD was involved in yeast‐to‐hypha transition, conidiation and microsclerotium formation. After targeted deletion of MrNsdD, dimorphic transition, conidiation, fungal virulence and microsclerotium formation were all impaired. Compared with the wild‐type strain, the ΔMrNsdD mutants were hypersensitive to thermal stress. Furthermore, transcriptome sequencing analysis revealed that MrNsdD regulated a distinct signalling pathway in M. rileyi during the yeast‐to‐hypha transition or microsclerotium formation, but exhibited overlapping regulation of genes during the two distinct developmental stages. Taken together, characterization of the MrNsdD targets in this study will aid in the dissection of the molecular mechanisms of dimorphic transition and microsclerotium development.
Mimosa pigra in eastern and southern Africa: Distribution and socio‐ecological impacts
Authors: Witt Arne B.R. , Floyd Kelvin S. , Nunda Winnie , Beale Tim , Shanungu Griffin , Kriticos Darren J. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe semiaquatic weed Mimosa pigra has negative impacts on biodiversity, fishing, crop and livestock production, and tourism in most places where it has been introduced, established and proliferated. Many of the ecological impacts are well known, but its impacts on rural livelihoods are less well documented, especially in Africa. We mapped the distribution of M. pigra in eastern and southern Africa, and then compared that with its potential distribution based on an ecoclimatic niche model. Household interviews were conducted to assess the impacts of this weed on local livelihoods. Mimosa pigra was found to be invasive in western Ethiopia, around the shores of Lake Victoria and Lake Tanganyika, and along the Tanzanian coastline, northern Malawi, parts of Mozambique and along the Kafue River and in the Barotse floodplain on the Zambezi River in Zambia. According to respondents living along the Kafue River floodplains in Zambia, it has a negative impact on biodiversity, wildlife, livestock, crop production, fishing and mobility. Dense stands prevented the movement of people and livestock, limiting access to croplands, grazing lands and fishing areas. Fish catches have been reduced and fishing equipment damaged. All respondents agreed that their livelihood options would be considerably enhanced if M. pigra was removed from the landscape. Based on its current and potential impact, we therefore recommend that an integrated management plan be developed and implemented, including the appropriate use of biological control agents to reduce the negative impacts of the weed.
Lack of association between the GNB3 rs5443, HIF1A rs11549465 polymorphisms, physiological and functional characteristics
Authors: Bosnyák Edit , Trájer Emese , Alszászi Gabriella , Móra Ákos , Györe István , Udvardy Anna , Tóth Miklós , Szmodis Márta 
Published: May 2020

AbstractThe aim was to examine the association between the hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1α (HIF1A) gene and the guanine nucleotide binding protein beta polypeptide 3 (GNB3) gene polymorphisms and the endurance/power athlete status and relative aerobic capacity. Another goal of this study was to reveal the connection between GNB3, blood pressure (BP), body composition and body mass index (BMI). Two hundred thirty‐eight people participated in this study: 148 elite athletes (men = 107, women = 41) and 90 controls (men = 51, women = 39). The athletes were divided into two groups: the power and the endurance athletes. BMI and body fat percentage (fat%) were calculated. Fifty of the athletes underwent an incremental treadmill test to exhaustion; BP was monitored before and after the test. There were differences in the genotype frequencies of HIF1A between the endurance and the control group (ProPro: 64% vs.79%, ProSer: 27% vs.19%, SerSer: 9% vs. 2%; p = .0351); in the allele prevalences among the three groups (Pro: 87% vs. 77% vs. 88%; Ser: 13% vs. 23% vs. 12%; p = .0103) and between the endurance and control group (p = .0049) as well. The GNB3 allele proportions differed in the three groups (C: 74% vs. 61% vs. 71%, T: 26% vs. 39% vs. 29%; p = .0436). There were no connections between the genotypes and the relative aerobic capacity and neither between GNB3 genotypes and BP, BMI and fat%. The connection of GNB3 T allele to the endurance performance still remained contradictable.
Ovomucoid epitope‐specific repertoire of IgE, IgG4, IgG1, IgA1, and IgD antibodies in egg‐allergic children
Authors: Suprun Maria , Getts Robert , Grishina Galina , Tsuang Angela , Suárez‐Fariñas Mayte , Sampson Hugh A. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractBackgroundEgg‐white ovomucoid, that is, Gal d 1, is associated with IgE‐mediated allergic reactions in most egg‐allergic children. Epitope‐specific IgE levels have been correlated with the severity of egg allergy, while emerging evidence suggests that other antibody isotypes (IgG1, IgG4, IgA, and IgD) may have a protective function; yet, their epitope‐specific repertoires and associations with atopic comorbidities have not been studied.MethodsBead‐based epitope assay (BBEA) was used to quantitate the levels of epitope‐specific (es)IgA, esIgE, esIgD, esIgG1, and esIgG4 antibodies directed at 58 (15‐mer) overlapping peptides, covering the entire sequence of ovomucoid, in plasma of 38 egg‐allergic and 6 atopic children. Intraclass correlation (ICC) and coefficient of variation (CV) were used for the reliability assessment. The relationships across esIgs were evaluated using network analysis; linear and logistic regressions were used to compare groups based on egg allergy status and comorbidities.ResultsBBEA had high reliability (ICC >0.75) and low variability (CV <20%) and could detect known IgE‐binding epitopes. Egg‐allergic children had lower esIgA1 (P = .010) and esIgG1 (P = .016) and higher esIgE (P < .001) and esIgD (P = .015) levels compared to the atopic controls. Interestingly, within the allergic group, children with higher esIgD had decreased odds of anaphylactic reactions (OR =0.48, P = .038). Network analysis identified most associations between esIgE with either esIgG4 or esIgD; indicating that IgE‐secreting plasma cells could originate from either sequential isotype switch from antigen‐experienced intermediate isotypes or directly from the IgD+ B cells.ConclusionsCollectively, these data point toward a contribution of epitope‐specific antibody repertoires to the pathogenesis of egg allergy.
Red‐bellied black snake (Pseudechis porphyriacus) envenomation in 17 dogs: clinical signs, coagulation changes, haematological abnormalities, venom antigen levels and outcomes following treatment with a tiger‐brown snake antivenom
Authors: Finney ER , Padula AM , Leister EM 
Published: May 2020

BackgroundThis report describes 17 cases of red‐bellied black snake envenomation (RBBS; Pseudechis porphyriacus) in dogs in south‐eastern Queensland. Patients were prospectively enrolled for the treatment with a new tiger‐brown snake antivenom 8000 units, (TBAV; Padula Serums Pty Ltd, VIC, Australia).Case ReportClinical diagnosis of RBBS envenomation was made by either snake venom detection kit, snake identification using scale counting, or owner observed dog‐snake interaction in patients with clinical signs of envenomation. An RBBS venom antigen sandwich ELISA was used to retrospectively quantify venom levels in frozen serum and urine. Mechanical ventilation was required in 11% (2/17) patients, whole blood transfusion in 12% (2/17), tissue swelling at the bite site occurred in 53% (9/17) and facial palsy in 12% (2/17). One dog was euthanised, and overall, 94% (16/17) survived to hospital discharge. Clinicopathological changes pre‐TBAV included variable haemolysis, increased CK, pigmenturia and mildly prolonged active clotting time with a median of 134 s (n = 13, range 91–206 s). Haematological profiles post envenomation revealed anaemia (6/6) and spherocytosis (5/5), which resolved without the use of corticosteroids. Pre‐TBAV, median RBBS venom antigen concentration was 22.6 ng/mL (n = 15, range 2–128) in serum and 58 ng/mL (range 1–452) in urine; RBBS venom antigen was undetectable in serum post‐TBAV in all patients.ConclusionSome RBBS envenomed dogs required, critical care including mechanical ventilation, blood transfusion, additional antivenom and prolonged hospitalisation. TBAV was effective with excellent prognosis despite stated specificity for tiger and brown snake.
Combination of a mitogen‐activated protein kinase inhibitor with the tyrosine kinase inhibitor pacritinib combats cell adhesion‐based residual disease and prevents re‐expansion of FLT3‐ITD acute myeloid leukaemia
Authors: Zabkiewicz Joanna , Lazenby Michelle , Edwards Gareth , Bygrave Ceri A. , Omidvar Nader , Zhuang Lihui , Knapper Steve , Guy Carol , Hills Robert K. , Burnett Alan K. , Alvares Caroline L. 
Published: May 2020

AbstractMinimal residual disease (MRD) in acute myeloid leukaemia (AML) poses a major challenge due to drug insensitivity and high risk of relapse. Intensification of chemotherapy and stem cell transplantation are often pivoted on MRD status. Relapse rates are high even with the integration of first‐generation FMS‐like tyrosine kinase 3 (FLT3) inhibitors in pre‐ and post‐transplant regimes and as maintenance in FLT3‐mutated AML. Pre‐clinical progress is hampered by the lack of suitable modelling of residual disease and post‐therapy relapse. In the present study, we investigated the nature of pro‐survival signalling in primary residual tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI)‐treated AML cells adherent to stroma and further determined their drug sensitivity in order to inform rational future therapy combinations. Using a primary human leukaemia‐human stroma model to mimic the cell–cell interactions occurring in patients, the ability of several TKIs in clinical use, to abrogate stroma‐driven leukaemic signalling was determined, and a synergistic combination with a mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MEK) inhibitor identified for potential therapeutic application in the MRD setting. The findings reveal a common mechanism of stroma‐mediated resistance that may be independent of mutational status but can be targeted through rational drug design, to eradicate MRD and reduce treatment‐related toxicity.
Tropical forest loss drives divergent patterns in functional diversity of forest and non‐forest birds
Authors: Matuoka Maísa A. , Benchimol Maíra , Morante‐Filho José Carlos 
Published: May 2020

AbstractTropical forests have been facing high rates of deforestation driven by multiple anthropogenic disturbances, with severe consequences for biodiversity. However, the understanding of such effects on functional diversity is still limited in tropical regions, especially considering different ecological groups responses. Here, we evaluated the functional responses of birds to forest loss at the threatened Brazilian Atlantic forest, considering the complete assemblage, and both forest‐dependent and non‐forest‐dependent species. Birds were surveyed in 40 forest sites with a forest cover gradient, located in two regions showing different land use types. We tested different models to assess the responses of functional diversity indices to forest loss in these sites. Although functional diversity did not differ between regions, forest and non‐forest birds showed divergent responses to forest loss. Deforested landscapes presented an increase in functional richness (SESFRic) and evenness for forest species and an increase of functional dispersion for non‐forest birds. Additionally, forested landscapes harbor birds presenting lower body mass and wing length, and non‐forest species with lower tarsus length. The maintenance of some functional metrics through forest loss resulted from a compensatory dynamic between forest and non‐forest birds, indicating that only evaluating the complete assemblage may mask important idiosyncratic patterns of different ecological groups. Although non‐forest species are relatively capable to maintain bird functional diversity in deforested landscapes, forest birds are facing a drastic ongoing collapse in these sites, representing an alarming signal for the maintenance of forest ecosystem function.Abstract in Portuguese is available with online material.