bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Corporate social responsibility, firm value and life cycle: evidence from Southeast Asian countries
Authors: Hendratama Tifanny Dwijaya , Huang Yu-Chuan 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThis study extends related research on corporate social responsibility (CSR) into the less-researched realm of Southeast Asia setting by investigating the role of life cycle stages on the relationship between CSR and firm value.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses a sample of 1,247 firm-year observations of firms listed in Southeast Asia from 2012 to 2018. Descriptive, multiple regression and sensitivity analyses are presented in the study.FindingsThe results provide evidence that although CSR and firm value, in general, have a positive relationship, the relationship is contingent on the stages of firm's life cycle. The effect of each CSR dimension on firm value differs across life cycle stages. The social dimension of CSR predicts higher firm value at the introduction and mature stages. The governance dimension affects firm value at the growth and shake-out/decline stages. Moreover, the environmental dimension affects firm value only at the later stage of the life cycle.Research limitations/implicationsThis study is limited to five countries in Southeast Asia, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand from 2012 to 2018. Future studies may explore other countries and investigate the impact of country classification on the relationship between CSR and firm value.Practical implicationsPolicymakers, managers and other decision-makers may have a better understanding of firm's behavior in different life cycle stages. With such understanding, CSR will be successfully adopted in decision making, formulation and implementation of policies.Originality/valueCSR-related research in Southeast Asia remains an under-studied domain, and little attention has been dedicated to different dimensions of CSR and life cycle in the area of CSR-related preference for decision making.
Examining faculty's online teaching competence during crisis: one semester on
Authors: Adi Badiozaman Ida Fatimawati , Segar Augustus Raymond , Iah Dorene 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThis study aims to examine the faculty perceptions of their competence and readiness for online teaching in Sarawak higher education (HE).Design/methodology/approachA validated instrument, Faculty Readiness to Teach Online (Martin et al., 2019), was distributed to four main higher learning institutions in Sarawak, Malaysia, yielding 174 responses.FindingsThe highest rated competencies across the four HEs were course communication and course design. This was followed by time management and technological competence. MANOVA results showed no significant differences in the demographic variables.Research limitations/implicationsThe results of this study must be viewed in light of some limitations of its generalisability. First, the small sample size does not fully represent all of the target population. Secondly, the study did not provide qualitative research data, especially pertinent to how the teachers perceived their competence linked with their ability and online teaching behaviours.Practical implicationsThis current study shows that all participants were cognisant of the need to enhance their competencies to teach online. As acquisition and mastery of such competencies may require time and support, this means that the transition to online teaching requires advanced levels of instructor training and support, be it through professional development programs or in-service training.Originality/valuePerceived importance for online teaching competence was ranked highly across all the four institutions. This understanding can help HEs transcend emergency online practices to provide data-driven approaches to better support and improve coordination, resilience and adaptability in HE.
Predictors of education and utilization of adolescent-friendly health services among youth in Kumbungu district, Ghana
Authors: Adokiya Martin Nyaaba , Cudjoe Francis Kronzu , Yakong Vida Nyagre 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThis paper assessed factors affecting adolescent-friendly health services (AFHS), education and utilization among youth (10–19 years) in Kumbungu district, Ghana.Design/methodology/approachThe study used a cross-sectional design involving 416 adolescents from households using a random sampling technique. The authors collected data on sociodemographic characteristics, education and utilization of AFHS using a semi-structured questionnaire between June and September 2017. Logistic regression models were used to determine the factors associated with AFHS education and utilization.FindingsOf the 416 adolescents interviewed, 66% were between 15 and 19 years. Half (50%) of the adolescents received AFHS education, 54% utilized existing services and 85% knew about health challenges. Females (aOR = 0.64; p = 0.031) were less likely to receive AFHS education compared to males. Muslims (aOR = 0.21; p < 0.001) were less likely to utilize AFHS compared to Christians. Adolescents with primary (aOR = 6.65; p = 0.020), junor high school (JHS) (aOR = 10.66, p = 0.079) or senior high school (SHS) (aOR = 1.04; p = 0.954) education were more likely to utilize AFHSs compared to those with no education.Originality/valueThis study reports a moderate level of education and the utilization of adolescent health services. Sex, religion and education are the key predictors of AFHS education and utilization. This study contributes to the understanding of adolescent health services and the foundation for future studies. It may be used for the planning of adolescent health service programs in disadvantaged settings.
Spatiotemporal variation in drivers of parasitism in a wild wood mouse population
Authors: Sweeny Amy R. , Albery Gregory F. , Venkatesan Saudamini , Fenton Andy , Pedersen Amy B. 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Host–parasite interactions in nature are driven by a range of factors across several ecological scales, so observed relationships are often context‐dependent. Importantly, if these factors vary across space and time, practical sampling limitations can limit or bias inferences, and the relative importance of different drivers can be hard to discern.

Here we ask to what degree environmental, host and within‐host influences on parasitism are shaped by spatiotemporal variation. We used a replicated, longitudinal dataset of >1,500 observations for nearly 1000 individual wood mice, Apodemus sylvaticus, encompassing 6 years of sampling across five different woodland sites, and investigated drivers of infection intensity with a highly prevalent gastrointestinal nematode, Heligmosomoides polygyrus.

We used a Bayesian modelling approach to further quantify if and how each factor varied in space and time. Finally, we examined the extent to which a lack of spatial or temporal replication (i.e. within single years or single sites) would affect which drivers predict H. polygyrus infection.

Season, host body condition, and sex were the three most important determinants of infection intensity; however, the strength and even direction of these effects varied in time, but not in space. Models fit to single years and site replicates in many cases showed weak and variable detection of effects of the factors investigated, highlighting the benefits of long‐term sampling for separating meaningful ecological variation from sampling variation.

These results highlight the importance of accounting for spatiotemporal variation in determining what drives disease dynamics and the need to incorporate replication in both time and space when designing sampling regimes. Furthermore, we suggest that embracing, rather than simply controlling for, spatiotemporal variation can reveal meaningful variation for understanding the factors impacting parasitism (e.g. season and host charateristics) which can improve predictions of how wildlife health will respond to change.

A free Plain Language Summary can be found within the Supporting Information of this article.
Organic fertilisation enhances generalist predators and suppresses aphid growth in the absence of specialist predators
Authors: Aguilera Guillermo , Riggi Laura , Miller Kirsten , Roslin Tomas , Bommarco Riccardo 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Biological control by natural enemies is a valuable ecosystem service. The predator community in a crop field is a combination of predators dwelling in the field and those moving into it from the surrounding landscape. The former is mainly affected by field management, the latter more by the composition of the surrounding landscape. Yet, separate and combined effects of local and landscape management on pest suppression have seldom been investigated.

We set‐up mesocosms within an existing long‐term agricultural field experiment to investigate the effects of local management of organic manure or inorganic mineral fertilisation, and simulated the spillover from the surrounding landscape of different predator types: no predators, generalist predators (wolf spiders) and specialist predators (ladybirds). We examined whether aphid density was driven by top‐down or bottom‐up processes under different fertilisation treatments, and how the magnitude of pest suppression was affected by predator community composition.

We found positive synergistic effects between manure fertilisation and predator spillover on the suppression of aphid growth. Top‐down suppression of aphids was more effective under manure fertilisation and in presence of specialist predators (ladybirds). Bottom‐up effects on the plant biomass growth dominated in inorganically fertilised plots.

Organic and inorganic fertilisation gave the same yield, but through different mechanisms. The abundance of locally emerging predators in the manure treatment increased top‐down pest suppression yielding plant biomass levels comparable with inorganically fertilised plants, being the latter driven by bottom‐up effects.

Synthesis and applications. Organic fertilisation enhanced local emergence of predators increasing top‐down pest suppression. In contrast, local predator communities were unable to suppress aphid populations in inorganic and no fertilisation treatments. Here, predator inflow from outside the crop field was essential for lowering aphid population growth. Managing landscapes to promote mobile predators emerges as particularly important for crop fields without manure amendments. We advise the active promotion of both local predators in the crop field and mobile predators in the landscape to secure the conservation of biological insect pest suppression.
Proteomics insights into the Burkholderia cenocepacia phosphorus stress response
Authors: Shropshire Holly , Jones Rebekah A. , Aguilo‐Ferretjans María M. , Scanlan David J. , Chen Yin 
Published: March 2021

SummaryThe Burkholderia cepacia complex is a group of Burkholderia species that are opportunistic pathogens causing high mortality rates in patients with cystic fibrosis. An environmental stress often encountered by these soil‐dwelling and pathogenic bacteria is phosphorus limitation, an essential element for cellular processes. Here, we describe cellular and extracellular proteins differentially regulated between phosphate‐deplete (0 mM, no added phosphate) and phosphate‐replete (1 mM) growth conditions using a comparative proteomics (LC–MS/MS) approach. We observed a total of 128 and 65 unique proteins were downregulated and upregulated respectively, in the B. cenocepacia proteome. Of those downregulated proteins, many have functions in amino acid transport/metabolism. We have identified 24 upregulated proteins that are directly/indirectly involved in inorganic phosphate or organic phosphorus acquisition. Also, proteins involved in virulence and antimicrobial resistance were differentially regulated, suggesting B. cenocepacia experiences a dramatic shift in metabolism under these stress conditions. Overall, this study provides a baseline for further research into the biology of Burkholderia in response to phosphorus stress.
Infrastructures physiques et croissance économique en Afrique de l'Ouest: Le rôle des institutions
Authors: Diandy Idrissa Yaya , Seck Alioune Badara 
Published: March 2021

RésuméL'objectif de cet article est d'examiner le rôle des infrastructures physiques dans la croissance économique, en tenant compte de la qualité des institutions. L'analyse porte sur un échantillon de 14 pays d'Afrique de l'Ouest et se fonde sur un modèle dynamique de croissance. Une analyse en composantes principales a permis de construire un indice institutionnel agrégé à partir des indicateurs de gouvernance publique de Kaufman. De plus, un modèle d'interaction est utilisé pour mesurer l'effet marginal des infrastructures physiques sur le revenu en fonction de la qualité institutionnelle. En outre, le recours à l'estimateur GMM a permis de résoudre le problème d'endogénéité des variables. Les résultats montrent que les infrastructures physiques ont globalement un impact positif, mais faible, sur la croissance économique. Cependant, ils révèlent aussi que cet effet est atténué par la qualité des institutions.
The Value of Pole Position in Formula 1 History
Authors: Wesselbaum Dennis , Owen P. Dorian 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIn this article, we study the effect of the Pole Position in Formula 1 history on the outcome of the race. Using data for every race between 1950 and 2013, we use two approaches to quantify the effect of being on Pole. First, we estimate the effect on the probability of winning the race using a logit model. Second, we estimate a Poisson model to express the effect in terms of finishing positions. We find that the Pole sitter does have a significant advantage over the other drivers on the grid: two positions at the finish line or about a 10 percentage point higher probability of winning the race. These estimates capture the effect controlling for various confounding factors and a rich set of fixed effects, including driver ability, track characteristics and constructor performance. We also document that the effect varies over seasons.
Ordinal citizenship
Authors: Fourcade Marion 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe expansion of social citizenship in the 20th century mitigated the brute effects of economic inequality in people's lives. The new rights also created new social divisions, however, separating citizens according to their ability to do well through them. In the 21st century the conceptual matrix of citizenship has developed further, powered by new technologies that have promised new freedoms and opportunities in every aspect of people's lives. As the scope of economic and social incorporation has broadened, the possibilities for classifying, sorting, slotting, and scaling people have also grown and diversified. Echoing the earlier rise of the meritocracy, this new matrix produces its own winners and losers, partly recycling old inequalities, and partly creating new ones. Demands for self‐care and individual fitness pile up, eroding the universal and solidaristic basis upon which the expansion of citizenship historically thrived. In its place stands what I call “ordinal citizenship,” a form of social inclusion that thrives on social measurement, differentiation, and hierarchy.
Health benefits of whole grain: effects on dietary carbohydrate quality, the gut microbiome, and consequences of processing
Authors: Seal Chris J. , Courtin Christophe M. , Venema Koen , de Vries Jan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractGrains are important sources of carbohydrates in global dietary patterns. The majority of these carbohydrates, especially in refined‐grain products, are digestible. Most carbohydrate digestion takes place in the small intestine where monosaccharides (predominantly glucose) are absorbed, delivering energy to the body. However, a considerable part of the carbohydrates, especially in whole grains, is indigestible dietary fibers. These impact gut motility and transit and are useful substrates for the gut microbiota affecting its composition and quality. For the most part, the profile of digestible and indigestible carbohydrates and their complexity determine the nutritional quality of carbohydrates. Whole grains are more complex than refined grains and are promoted as part of a healthy and sustainable diet mainly because the contribution of indigestible carbohydrates, and their co‐passenger nutrients, is significantly higher. Higher consumption of whole grain is recommended because it is associated with lower incidence of, and mortality from, CVD, type 2 diabetes, and some cancers. This may be due in part to effects on the gut microbiota. Although processing of cereals during milling and food manufacturing is necessary to make them edible, it also offers the opportunity to still further improve the nutritional quality of whole‐grain flours and foods made from them. Changing the composition and availability of grain carbohydrates and phytochemicals during processing may positively affect the gut microbiota and improve health.
Effects of acetate on cerebral blood flow, systemic inflammation, and behavior in alcohol use disorder
Authors: Tanabe Jody , Neff Sarah , Sutton Brianne , Ellis Sam , Patten Luke , Brown Mark S. , Hoffman Paula L. , Tabakoff Boris , Burnham Ellen L. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundAlcohol use disorders (AUDs) are associated with altered regulation of physiological processes in the brain. Acetate, a metabolite of ethanol, has been implicated in several processes that are disrupted in AUDs including transcriptional regulation, metabolism, inflammation, and neurotransmission. To further understand the effects of acetate on brain function in AUDs, we investigated the effects of acetate on cerebral blood flow (CBF), systemic inflammatory cytokines, and behavior in AUD.MethodsSixteen participants with AUD were recruited from a nonmedical, clinically managed detoxification center. Each participant received acetate and placebo in a randomly assigned order of infusion and underwent 3T MR scanning using quantitative pseudo‐continuous arterial spin labeling. Participants and the study team were blinded to the infusion. CBF values (ml/100 g/min) extracted from thalamus were compared between placebo and acetate using a mixed effect linear regression model accounting for infusion order. Voxel‐wise CBF comparisons were set at threshold of p < 0.05 cluster‐corrected for multiple comparisons, voxel‐level p < 0.0001. Plasma cytokine levels and behavior were also assessed between infusions.ResultsFifteen men and 1 woman were enrolled with Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT) scores between 13 and 38 with a mean of 28.3 ± 9.1. Compared to placebo, acetate administration increased CBF in the thalamus bilaterally (Left: 51.2 vs. 68.8, p < 0.001; Right: 53.7 vs. 69.6, p = 0.001), as well as the cerebellum, brainstem, and cortex. Older age and higher AUDIT scores were associated with increases in acetate‐induced thalamic blood flow. Cytokine levels and behavioral measures did not differ between placebo and acetate infusions.ConclusionsThis pilot study in AUD suggests that during the first week of abstinence from alcohol, the brain's response to acetate differs by brain region and this response may be associated with the severity of alcohol dependence.
Maternal and fetal anaesthesia for fetal surgery
Authors: Dick J. R. , Wimalasundera R. , Nandi R. 
Published: March 2021

SummaryOver the last three decades, advances in early diagnosis of fetal anomalies, imaging and surgical techniques have led to a huge expansion in fetal surgery. A small number of specialist centres perform fetal surgery, which involves high‐risk anaesthesia for the mother and fetus. The anaesthetist plays an integral role within the large multispecialty and multidisciplinary team, involved in planning and delivering care for complex surgical procedures. This article reviews three fetal surgical procedures, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, myelomeningocele repair and ex‐utero intrapartum treatment for airway obstruction. The underlying fetal pathology, surgical management, anaesthetic considerations and risks for both the mother and fetus are described for each. Fundamental to this is the understanding that clear communication and collaboration between all team members is vital to ensure successful outcomes of patients, the mother and the fetus.
Use of the new preservation solution Custodiol‐MP for ex vivo reconditioning of kidney grafts
Authors: von Horn Charlotte , Wilde Benjamin , Rauen Ursula , Paul Andreas , Minor Thomas 
Published: March 2021

AbstractOrgan shortage and the increasing use of extended criteria donor grafts for transplantation drives efforts for more efficient organ preservation strategies from simple cold storage toward dynamic organ reconditioning. The choice of a suitable preservation solution is of high relevance in different organ preservation or reconditioning situations. Custodiol‐MP is a new machine perfusion solution giving the opportunity to add colloids according to organ requirements. The present study aimed to compare new Custodiol‐MP with clinically established Belzer MPS solution. Porcine kidneys were ischemically predamaged and cold stored for 20 hours. Ex vivo machine reconditioning was performed either with Custodiol‐MP (n = 6) or with Belzer MPS solution (n = 6) for 90 minutes with controlled oxygenated rewarming up to 20°C. Kidney function was evaluated using an established ex vivo reperfusion model. In this experimental setting, differences between both types of perfusion solutions could not be observed. Machine perfusion with Custodiol‐MP resulted in higher creatinine clearance (7.4 ± 8.6 mL/min vs. 2.8 ± 2.5 mL/min) and less TNC perfusate levels (0.22 ± 0.25 ng/mL vs. 0.09 ± 0.08 ng/mL), although differences did not reach significance. For short‐term kidney perfusion Custodiol‐MP is safe and applicable. Particularly, the unique feature of flexible colloid supplementation makes the solution attractive in specific experimental and clinical settings.
A systematic review indicates an association between birth weight and body fat in childhood
Authors: Rallis Dimitrios , Balomenou Foteini , Tzoufi Meropi , Giapros Vasileios 
Published: March 2021

AbstractAimTo summarise the existing evidence regarding the body fat of small or large for gestation subjects, evaluated from birth up to 18 years of age.MethodsThe PRISMA guidelines were adopted for the current systematic review, including studies having evaluated body fat with bioelectrical impedance analysis, air displacement plethysmography, dual‐energy X‐ray absorptiometry or magnetic resonance imaging.ResultsA total of 31 studies was included. The balance of evidence suggests that small for gestation infants have decreased fat mass at birth; postnatally they experience increased adiposity. In the long term, however, the evidence is inconclusive, since some studies suggest that foetal‐restricted children with increased catch‐up growth are at increased risk of fat accumulation, whereas other studies suggest a neutral or even negative association. Large for gestation infants have increased fat mass at birth, but in the long term, they have a lower body fat ratio, especially when they develop a catch‐down growth.ConclusionSome studies suggested that foetal‐restricted children with increased catch‐up growth are at increased risk of later adiposity, while other studies suggested a neutral or negative association. Given that the evidence is inconclusive, further studies are warranted. Large for gestation subjects have lower body fat when they develop catch‐down growth.