bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Consumers' preferences and willingness to pay for domestic chicken cut parts in Ghana: evidence from the Kumasi metropolis
Authors: Osei Mensah James , Etuah Seth , Musah Emmanuel Fiifi , Botchwey Frederick , Oppong Adjei Loretta , Owusu Kofi 
Published: December 2020

PurposeThis study aims to analyse consumers' preferences for domestic chicken cut parts and the premium they are willing to pay for the various parts using data from a contingent valuation survey of individual chicken meat consumers in the Kumasi Metropolitan Area of Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe willingness to pay premiums are obtained using the double-bounded dichotomous choice approach. Determinants of the consumers' willingness to pay amounts are identified through a multivariate Tobit regression analysis.FindingsThe study finds that the wing is the most preferred chicken part by the consumers followed by the thighs. All consumers who express interest in a particular domestic chicken cut part are willing to pay a premium. Age, sex, years of formal education, household size and income level of the consumers as well as convenience, product availability and perceived wholesomeness of the product are identified as the key factors that influence the willingness to pay amounts.Research limitations/implicationsThe findings and recommendations of this study could serve as a guide to domestic poultry meat producers and investors in Ghana and other developing countries on how to process or package the meat for the market or consumers. This could further contribute to policy formulation regarding the development of the domestic poultry meat industry.Originality/valueThe uniqueness of this study is seen in the contributions it makes to the literature on consumer preferences and willingness to pay for chicken cut parts from a developing country perspective where the market for these products is virtually non-existent.
The impact of economic freedom on the gender pay gap: evidence from a survey of UK households
Authors: Apergis Nicholas , Lynch Nicola 
Published: December 2020

PurposeUsing survey datasets, the purpose of this work explores the impact of economic freedom on the gender pay gap in the UK.Design/methodology/approachThe analysis combines Economic Freedom of the World data with the Understanding Society (USoc) Microdata series.FindingsThe results document that economic freedom positively affects the gender pay gap. When the components of the index are considered, the findings indicate different effects of various types of policy, i.e. less government spending, stronger trade liberalization conditions and levels of corruption lead to higher gaps; stronger legal and property rights and a sounder money system have no impact on the gap. Moreover, a stronger impact in the manufacturing industry, part-time workers and those who work in the non-London regions is observed.Practical implicationsThe findings imply that reductions to government spending programmes can potentially aggravate the gap in hourly wages paid between males and females and should, therefore, be implemented. It may be also possible to provide females the training or education necessary to effectively compete in the workforce, before eliminating any spending programme they rely on.Originality/valueThe first study explores the link between economic freedom and gender pay gap through a unique survey dataset with UK households.
FIIs herding in energy sector of Indian stock market
Authors: Madaan Veena , Shrivastava Monica 
Published: December 2020

PurposeThis paper investigates herding behavior and its persistence among foreign institutional investors (FIIs) in the individual stocks of the energy sector of Indian stock exchange by focusing on post turmoil period. The study also examines the relation of herding with the individual return, market return, trading volume and conditional volatility of individual and market return.Design/methodology/approachThe presence of herding is investigated by Lakonishoket al.(1992) model, value-based and count-based herd ratio measure among FIIs in individual stock of energy sector post turmoil period. Further, run test was employed to check the persistency in herding and multivariate distributed lag to investigate the relationship with the market determinant.FindingsThe result indicates the existence of herding in most of the companies and strong persistence in all the companies. The intensity of buy side herding is higher than sell side. Herding and individual return both are significant driving forces of FIIs herding, while trading volume and market volatility in few companies exhibit inverse relationship.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to investigation of energy sector stock.Social implicationsStock market is significantly influenced by FIIs and their propensity to herd may generate instability in the stock market. Therefore, regulatory authority should continuously monitor the flow of fund by FIIs.Originality/valueHerding in the individual stock of the energy sector was not previously performed.
Passenger satisfaction and loyalty for app-based ride-sharing services: through the tunnel of perceived quality and value for money
Authors: Ahmed Selim , Choudhury Musfiq Mannan , Ahmed Ezaz , Chowdhury Ujjal Yaman , Asheq Ahmed Al 
Published: December 2020

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to investigate the passengers' perception of app or application-based ride-sharing service in Bangladesh. The research directly measures the passengers' perception of perceived quality and value for money of using app-based ride-sharing services in Bangladesh and how it impacts passengers' satisfaction. The study also measures the indirect relationship of perceived quality and value for money and passengers' loyalty through the mediating effects of passenger satisfaction in app-based ride-sharing services.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used an online self-administered survey questionnaire to collect data from the respondents who have experienced app-based ride-sharing services in Bangladesh. In this study, 400 questionnaires were distributed to the respondents online (Google form) and received 281 useful responses that give a 70.25% response rate. The survey data were analyzed based on construct validity, convergent validity and structural equation modeling by using Smart PLS 3.FindingsThe research findings indicate that perceived quality and value for money positively and significantly influence passengers' satisfaction. The passengers' satisfaction has a direct and significant relationship with passenger loyalty. The research findings also indicate that perceived quality and value for money have an indirect relationship with passenger loyalty through the mediating effect of passenger loyalty in app-based ride-sharing services.Practical implicationsBoth perceived quality and value for money have been the key drivers of passenger satisfaction and loyalty. Thus, the ride-sharing service providers should emphasize enhancing passenger value perception and quality service to reinforce passenger satisfaction and loyalty by increasing communication with the passengers about their apps. Besides, the service providers need to keep track of passengers' satisfaction levels and adopt necessary initiatives to ensure satisfied passengers toward loyalty.Originality/valueLimited studies have investigated the impacts of perceived quality and value for money on passenger satisfaction and loyalty to app-based rideshare service. It is a suitable time as the research findings will help ride-sharing service providers enhance their quality performance to compete healthily. Simultaneously, passengers can enjoy improved, and value-added services due to increasing competition among the app-based service providers. Regulators can also emphasize passenger quality services and the importance of money as a proposition while formulating policy and regulations toward the management of ride-sharing companies.
Subtractive proteomic analysis of antigenic extracellular proteins and design a multi‐epitope vaccine against Staphylococcus aureus
Authors: Solanki Vandana , Tiwari Monalisa , Tiwari Vishvanath 
Published: December 2020

AbstractStaphylococcus aureus is a versatile Gram's positive bacterium that can reside as an asymptomatic colonizer, which can cause a wide range of skin, soft‐tissue, and nosocomial infections. A vaccine against multi‐drug resistant S. aureus, therefore, is urgently needed. Subtractive proteomics and reverse vaccinology are newly emerging techniques to design multiepitope‐based vaccines. The analysis of 7290 proteomes (sensitive and resistant strains), five potent nonhuman homologous vaccine targets [(UNIPORT ID Q2FZL3 (Staphopain B), Q2G2R8 (Staphopain A), Q2FWP0 (uncharacterized leukocidin‐like protein 1), Q2G1S6 (uncharacterized protein), and Q2FWV3 (Staphylokinase, putative)] were selected. These proteins were absent in the gut microbiome, which further enhances the significance of these proteins in vaccine design. These five virulence‐associated proteins mainly have a role in the invasion mechanism in the host phagocyte cells. MHC I, MHC II, and B cell epitopes were identified in these five proteins. Finalized epitopes were examined by different online servers to screen suitable epitopes for multi‐epitope based vaccine design. Shortlisted antigenic and nonallergenic associated epitopes were joined with linkers to design 30 variants (VSA1‐VSA30) of multi‐epitope vaccine conjugates. The antigenicity and allergenicity of all the 30 vaccine constructs were identified, and VSA30 was found to have the highest antigenicity and lowest allergenicity, and hence was selected for further study. Accordingly, VSA30 was docked with different HLA allelic variants, and the best‐docked complex (VSA30‐1SYS) was further analyzed by molecular dynamics simulation (MDS). The MDS result confirms the interaction of VSA30 with MHC (HLA‐allelic variant). Thus, the final vaccine construct was in silico cloned in the pET28a vector for suitable expression in a heterologous system. Therefore, the designed vaccine construct VSA‐30 can be developed as an appropriate vaccine to target S. aureus infection. VSA‐30 still needs experimental validation to assure the antigenic and immunogenic properties.
Quantifying carbon in tree bark: The importance of bark morphology and tree size
Authors: Neumann Mathias , Lawes Michael J. 
Published: December 2020

Abstract

Bark contributes approximately 20% to the total above‐ground biomass of trees, yet bark is not properly accounted for when estimating carbon sequestered by trees. Current allometric functions estimate tree volume from diameter measured over the bark, and derive bark density and carbon content from estimates for wood. As the bark density of hardwood species is 40%–50% lower than the wood density, but nearly equivalent in conifers, bark carbon is overestimated for most species. The latter is further exacerbated by variation in bark volume with bark surface morphology.

Fissured bark volume is overestimated by diameter over bark measurements by up to 40%. The vacant space in fissures can be accounted for by a bark fissure index (BFI). We calculate bark carbon for Australian species from a non‐destructive and effective BFI using bark thickness measured in the field.

Bark volume, and in turn bark carbon, scaled inversely with tree size (diameter) so that bark volume comprised 42% of small trees (10 cm diameter at breast height, DBH) but 23% of large trees (50 cm DBH). Our BFI method using a bark thickness gauge (BGM) yielded similar results than using the less time‐efficient contour gauge method (CM) to estimate BFI (bias BGM‐CM −1.3%, non‐significant at p = 0.72). Both BGM and CM had an error of <4% compared to digitized BFI from destructive sampled stem disks. An average of 15 bark gauge measurements per tree estimated bark thickness (and inconsequence BFI) for both fissured and unfissured bark with <20% error relative to the exact value.

Using the bark gauge method, BFI can be rapidly measured from large numbers of trees needed for estimating bark carbon at the community level and modelling carbon uptake, storage and cycling in woody biomes.
Active bone material containing modified recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2 induces bone regeneration in the alveolar process cleft in rabbits
Authors: Wang Hu , Sun Xue‐Cheng , Zhang Dan , Li Jian‐Hui , Yin Li‐Qiang , Yan Yu‐Fang , Ma Xu , Xia Hong‐Fei 
Published: December 2020

AbstractThe clinical application of most materials used to fill severe bone defects is limited owing to the insufficient ability of such materials to induce bone regeneration over a long repair period. The purpose of this study was to establish a model for the alveolar process cleft in rabbits to evaluate the effect of active bone material in bone defect repair. The active bone material used in this study is a new bone repair material composed of a heterogeneous collagen membrane implanted with modified recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein 2. This proposed active bone material can specifically bind to collagen. Twenty‐four young Japanese white rabbits (JWRs) were selected and randomly divided into four groups (normal, control, material, and bone morphogenetic protein groups). The alveolar process cleft model was established by removing an equal volume bone at the left maxillary position. Blood samples were collected from the JWRs 3 and 6 months after the surgery to evaluate the biocompatibility of the active bone materials. Subsequently, the skull model was established, and the appearance was observed. Imaging methods (including X‐ray examination and micro‐computerized tomography scanning), tissue staining, and immunohistochemistry were employed for the evaluation. The bone collagen material and active bone material exhibited high biocompatibility. In addition, the ability of the active bone material to induce bone repair and regeneration was higher than that of the bone collagen material. The active bone material exhibited satisfactory bone regeneration performance in rabbits, indicating its potential as an active material for repairing congenital alveolar process clefts in humans.
Albuminuria and retinal vessel density in diabetes without diabetic retinopathy: the Kailuan Eye Study
Authors: Wang Qian , Liu Lili , Jonas Jost B. , Gao Bixia , Wu Shou Ling , Chen Shuo Hua , Yan Yan Ni , Yang Jing Yan , Zhou Wen Jia , Yang Mo Chi , Chan Szy Yann , Zhang Luxia , Wei Wen Bin , Wang Ya Xing 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundDiabetic retinopathy and chronic kidney disease are both major complications of diabetes mellitus. We explored the relationship between retinal vessel density (VD) and albuminuria in diabetic patients without conventionally defined diabetic retinopathy.MethodsThe cross‐sectional community‐based Kailuan Diabetic Retinopathy Study included patients with type 2 diabetes without diabetic retinopathy who participated in the community‐based longitudinal Kailuan study and who had undergone ocular fundus photography, kidney function assessment, and optical coherence tomographic angiography (OCT‐angiography) for the assessment the retinal perfusion density (PD) and retinal VD.ResultsThe study included 447 patients (mean age: 60.9 ± 9.7 years). Higher PD and VD were associated with a lower urinary albumin‐creatinine ratio (uACR) (macular region: p = 0.007: standardized regression coefficient beta: −0.14; and p = 0.008, beta: −0.13, respectively; parafoveal region: p = 0.006, beta: −0.14; and p = 0.007, beta: −0.14, respectively) after adjusting for age and ocular axial length. In a reverse manner, higher uACR was associated with lower PD and VD (macular region: p = 0.009, beta: −0.14; and p = 0.01, beta: −0.14, respectively; parafoveal region: p = 0.008, beta: −0.14; and p = 0.01, beta: −0.14, respectively), after adjusting for diabetes duration, blood pressure, serum concentration of C‐reactive protein and high‐density lipoprotein cholesterol and ocular axial length. In a multivariable model, the prevalence of macroalbuminuria increased by 11% (95% CI: 2%, 18%) and 17% (95% CI: 3%, 30%), respectively, for each mm−1 decrease in VD and each unit decrease in PD.Conclusions and RelevanceAfter adjusting for systemic and ocular parameters, diabetic patients without diabetic retinopathy showed a reduction in OCT‐angiographic retinal vascular measurements in association with systemic parameters indicating chronic kidney disease. Optical coherence tomographic (OCT)‐angiographic retinal microvascular parameters may serve as markers for chronic kidney disease.
Genetic factors associated with age‐related macular degeneration: identification of a novel PRPH2 single nucleotide polymorphism associated with increased risk of the disease
Authors: Ulańczyk Zofia , Grabowicz Aleksandra , Mozolewska‐Piotrowska Katarzyna , Safranow Krzysztof , Kawa Miłosz Piotr , Pałucha Andrzej , Krawczyk Mariusz , Sikora Piotr , Matczyńska Ewa , Machaliński Bogusław , Machalińska Anna 
Published: December 2020

AbstractPurposeAge‐related macular degeneration (AMD) is associated with multiple environmental and genetic risk factors. Two main risk factors for AMD are variants in the CFH and ARMS2/HTRA1 genes. We investigated over 2000 variants in AMD patients and controls using high‐throughput sequencing methods to search for variants associated with AMD.MethodsA total of 296 AMD patients and 100 controls were enrolled in this study. Genetic analysis was performed with the Illumina NextSeq 500 system.ResultsMultivariate analysis of patients and controls, adjusted for age, sex and smoking status (pack‐years), revealed that three SNPs were strong risk factors independently associated with AMD: CFH Y402H, ARMS A69S and PRPH2 c.582‐67T>A (rs3818086). The TC genotype in CFH Y402H was associated with 1.90‐fold higher odds, and the CC genotype was associated with 5.66‐fold higher odds of AMD compared with the TT genotype. The GT genotype in ARMS A69S was associated with 2.40‐fold higher odds, and the TT genotype was associated with 6.75‐fold higher odds of disease compared with the GG genotype. In the case of rs3818086, the A allele could be considered a ‘risk’ allele, since AA + TA genotypes were associated with 2.33‐fold higher odds of AMD compared with the TT genotype.ConclusionsAlthough PRPH2 mutations have been previously implicated in various forms of retinal degeneration, to the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to show that the rs3818086 variant increases the risk for AMD more than two times. Further studies on larger cohorts are required to elucidate how this variant affects protein structure.
A cis‐regulatory change underlying the motor neuron‐specific loss of Ebf expression in immotile tunicate larvae
Authors: Lowe Elijah K. , Racioppi Claudia , Peyriéras Nadine , Ristoratore Filomena , Christiaen Lionel , Swalla Billie J. , Stolfi Alberto 
Published: December 2020

AbstractMany species in the tunicate family Molgulidae have independently lost their swimming larval form and instead develop as tailless, immotile larvae. These larvae do not develop structures that are essential for swimming such as the notochord, otolith, and tail muscles. However, little is known about neural development in these nonswimming larvae. Here, we studied the patterning of the Motor Ganglion (MG) of Molgula occulta, a nonswimming species. We found that spatial patterns of MG neuron regulators in this species are conserved, compared with species with swimming larvae, suggesting that the gene networks regulating their expression are intact despite the loss of swimming. However, expression of the key motor neuron regulatory gene Ebf (Collier/Olf/EBF) was reduced in the developing MG of M. occulta when compared with molgulid species with swimming larvae. This was corroborated by measuring allele‐specific expression of Ebf in hybrid embryos from crosses of M. occulta with the swimming species M. oculata. Heterologous reporter construct assays in the model tunicate species Ciona robusta revealed a specific cis‐regulatory sequence change that reduces expression of Ebf in the MG, but not in other cells. Taken together, these data suggest that MG neurons are still specified in M. occulta larvae, but their differentiation might be impaired due to reduction of Ebf expression levels.
Effects of hillside aspect, landscape features, and kleptoparasitism on the reproductive success of the solitary bee Osmia caerulescens
Authors: Tobajas Estefanía , Rosas‐Ramos Natalia , Asís Josep D. , de Paz Víctor , Tormos José , Baños‐Picón Laura 
Published: December 2020

Osmia caerulescens is a generalist solitary bee well‐adapted to altered anthropogenic environments, and the kleptoparasitic wasp Sapyga quinquepunctata has been cited among its natural enemies.
We analysed offspring characteristics of O. caerulescens and S. quinquepunctata, at population and individual levels, and compared these characteristics between sunny and shady aspects and between two zones within the valley that differed in landscape complexity (simple and complex zones).
The offspring production of O. caerulescens was higher in sunny aspect at population and individual levels while S. quinquepunctata was positively associated with the zone with a lower proportion of agricultural land (complex zone). We did not detect a relationship between number of brood cells parasitised and number of brood cells established by host. Despite the parasitism being higher in the area with favourable characteristics for both species, the reproductive success of O. caerulescens did not show signs of reduction. At the individual level, nests with fewer brood cells were more likely to be parasitised.
Studying the relationship of environmental factors and landscape features at population and individual levels provides a better understanding of how these characteristics could be driving the offspring production of the solitary bee and their ecological interactions.
Vaccination against GnRH as a prelude to surgical castration of horses
Authors: Birrell John R. , Schulman Martin L. , Botha Alma E. , Ganswindt André , Fosgate Geoffrey T. , Bertschinger Henk J. 
Published: December 2020

AbstractBackgroundSurgical castration is one of the most frequently performed surgeries in horses and is associated with various post‐surgical complications ranging in severity.ObjectivesWe investigated the effects of administering an anti‐GnRH vaccine to colts for reduction of testis size on the incidence of complications associated with their subsequent surgical castration.Study designRandomised open controlled trial.MethodsNineteen colts were randomly assigned to one of the three groups. Treatment Groups V1‐57 and V2‐100 received two treatments of Improvac® (Zoetis, South Africa) before their castration in the field on either Day 57 or Day 100 following first treatment, respectively. Controls similarly received placebo treatments followed by castration on Day 57. Serial measurements of testicular dimensions and serum samples for measuring serum testosterone concentrations (STCs) and anti‐GnRH antibody titres (ABTs) were obtained pre‐ and post‐vaccination and on the day of castration. Clinical data recorded for 10 days determined post‐surgical complications.ResultsAll vaccinated colts showed a baseline STC concentration at castration with a strong ABT response. Mean testicular volume of Groups V1‐57 and V2‐100 reduced by 49.7% and 30.8%, respectively, on Day 57 and this further reduced in Group V2‐100 by 63.9% at castration on Day 100. Testis size was significantly correlated with post‐surgical preputial (P = 0.001) and scrotal (P = 0.025) swelling.Main limitationsA study population of young light horse breed colts and a relatively small sample size limited this pilot study.ConclusionsAdministering two doses of Improvac® in colts 28 days apart prior to castration effectively reduced their testicular volumes with associated significant post‐surgical improvement in both the incidence and degree of local swelling. These results may inform mitigation of potential post‐surgical complications associated with castration in the field.