bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Drug sentencing in Brazil: factors influencing sentencing outcomes in the criminal courts of Recife/PE
Authors: Brasileiro Dourado Lais Meneses , Fischer Benedikt 
Published: July 2021

Purpose
This paper aims to examine sentencing decisions for drug-trafficking offences in the criminal courts of the city of Recife to address a gap in quantitative research on drug sentencing and incarceration in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach
Using original data obtained from the Court of Justice for Pernambuco, the research used multivariate regression analysis to investigate the effect of case processing, offender, and offence characteristics on sentence length.

Findings
A key finding of the research is the influence of two legal factors on sentence length: admitting to a drug-trafficking offence and being categorized as “mitigated trafficking”. Results also indicate that first-time defendants were more likely to be categorized as mitigated trafficking, stressing the importance of criminal history on predicting sentencing outcomes. “Mitigated trafficking” is a distinct category of drug-trafficking created by the Drug Law nº. 11.343 (2006) to protect defendants considered novices in the illicit drug market from receiving longer imprisonment sentences.

Practical implications
The findings suggest that the policy strategy of having a legal distinction for a specific type of defendant appears to be effective in impacting sentence length for drug-trafficking convictions. Future research could explore how similar strategies could be adopted to influence sentencing for other vulnerable groups. However, focussing on a defendant records or prior convictions as an eligibility criterion could disproportionately impact defendants who are caught in a cycle of re-offending for socio-economic reasons or a need to finance a substance use disorder.

Originality/value
This research address a gap in quantitative sentencing research in Brazil and contributes to the broader literature by presenting results that are aligned with previous studies conducted in North America.
Effect of Ponzi schemes on a country: the case of Ghana
Authors: Mohammed Umar 
Published: July 2021

Purpose
This paper aims to examine the nature and operations of the two main Ponzi schemes (DKM Diamond Micro Finance Company and Menzgold Company Limited). It explores how such dubious schemes were able to circumvent financial regulatory bodies and their impact on the social, political and economic spheres of Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach
The paper adopts both quantitative and qualitative research approaches and relies on secondary sources of data from the Bank of Ghana, World Bank and textbooks, etc.

Findings
It was found out that inadequate supervisory role by financial regulators was a factor that made these schemes thrive in Ghana which had dire consequences on the socio-economic of the country.

Originality/value
This is the first paper that explores the major Ponzi schemes in Ghana.
Linear and nonlinear relationships: a hybrid SEM-neural network approach to verify the links of online experience with luxury hotel branding
Authors: Xia Menglong , Zhang Yang 
Published: July 2021

PurposeMobile technologies have recently come to serve as the primary reservation option for the hospitality industry. This study examines the role of online experience in determining potential consumers' perceived hotel brand image, through a three-stage model based on the stimulus–organism–response (SOR) framework.Design/methodology/approachA dual-stage analytical procedure, including structural equation modeling (SEM) and an artificial neural network (ANN) approach, was adopted to test the hypotheses.FindingsOnline experience of mobile applications (apps) can be influenced by perceived usefulness. As the indivisible component of consumers' cognitive beliefs, perceived ease of use exerts a positive impact on online experience. The online experience of mobile apps positively influenced brand awareness and satisfaction, further contributing to potential consumers' brand image formation.Research limitations/implicationsThis study empirically verified the relationships among potential hotel consumers' perceptions of official hotel mobile app quality, online experience and brand image.Practical implicationsThis study reiterates the importance of official hotel apps in implementing online marketing strategies, suggesting that hoteliers should pay attention to enhancing the quality of their official apps.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to combine machine learning techniques with the traditional SEM approach to assess linear and nonlinear relationships in consumers' perceptual models. Additionally, the findings provide theoretical insights into the online experience of mobile apps and reveal the perceived brand image formation process of potential consumers.
The choice of cap-and-trade and carbon tax regulations in a cap-dependent carbon trading price setting
Authors: Xu Xiaoping , Yu Yugang , Dou Guowei , Ruan Xiaomei 
Published: July 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to analyze the operational decisions of a manufacturer who produces multiple products and the government's selection of cap-and-trade and carbon tax regulations.Design/methodology/approachThis paper explores the production decisions of a multi-product manufacturer under cap-and-trade and carbon tax regulations in a cap-dependent carbon trading price setting and compares carbon emission, the manufacturer's profits and social welfare under the two regulations. Game theory and extreme value theory are used to analyze our models.FindingsFirst, the authors find that the optimal profit of the manufacturer (the optimal cap) increases and then decreases with the cap (the unit carbon emission of product). Second, if the environmental damage coefficient is moderate, the optimal cap of unit environmental damage coefficient is independent of the product carbon emission or other related product parameters. Ultimately, cap-and-trade regulation always generates more carbon emission than carbon tax regulation. And cap-and-trade regulation (carbon tax regulation) can generate more social welfare if the environmental damage coefficient is low (high), and the social welfare under the two regulations is equal to each other, or otherwise.Originality/valueThis paper contributes the prior literature by considering the inverse relationship of the allocated cap and the carbon trading price and discusses the social welfare under cap-and-trade and carbon tax regulations. Some important and new results are found, which can guide the government's implementation of the two regulations.
When feminism meets social networks
Authors: Prebor Gila 
Published: July 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine how different feminist Facebook groups in Israel operate in order to better understand the main issues in their discussions about feminism in Israel. The study will also identify the variances between the different subgroups. A secondary research question examined was whether Voyant Tools can be used as an effective content text analysis tool in general and in Hebrew in particular.Design/methodology/approachThe study's research method analyzes the content of Facebook posts using the Voyant Tools online toolkit to quantitatively analyze and visualize the results of text mining and data visualization. The sample consists of the texts of posts of three groups representing different currents in Israeli feminism, gathered over a period of three months.FindingsThe results show that there are high-frequency words occurring in all groups, each group has its unique words, which distinguish it from the other groups. Feminist and Halachic Feminist groups had few words in common, while the Religious Feminist groups had more words in common with both the Feminist and the Halachic Feminist groups and more so with the latter group. While all groups discussed the issue of violence against women, especially sexual violence, the degree of engagement varied greatly between the groups. In addition, there were clear differences in the prominent issues concerning the various groups. This paper demonstrates the possibility of using Voyant Tools for text mining and analysis.Originality/valueThis paper demonstrates the possibility of using Voyant Tools for text mining and analysis. Voyant Tools shed light on common concepts, their location and prevalence in the text.
Strategic capabilities for business model digitalization
Authors: Menchini Fernando , Russo Paschoal Tadeu , Slavov Tiago Nascimento Borges , Souza Rodrigo Paiva 
Published: July 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to understand the association between the capacity to use enterprise architecture tools and the effectiveness of business model digitalization in companies.Design/methodology/approachThe authors used two research strategies – survey and focus group – to analyze the relationship between maturity in using enterprise architecture (EA) and digital maturity, under the perspective of sociomateriality.FindingsThe use of EA is not a strategic competence that contributes to building sustainable competitive advantage, in the process of business model digitalization. On the other hand, top management’s determination and clarity, expressed by its sponsorship to communicating the strategy, contribute to the integration, engagement and adaptability of those involved and are responsible for higher maturity in the digitalization of business models.Research limitations/implicationsThe statistical treatment used does not allow understanding the causality between the variables.Practical implicationsIt provides executives with important elements for clarifying and operationalizing digital business models.Originality/valueThe study operationalizes a theoretical and measurement model, through a strategy that used simultaneously a survey and a focus group, which allowed to know associations between technological capacities and maturity in digital business models.
Perivascular adipose tissue and microvascular endothelial dysfunction in obese mice: Beneficial effects of aerobic exercise in adiponectin receptor (AdipoR1) and peNOSSer1177
Authors: Sousa Andressa S. , Sponton Amanda C. S. , Delbin Maria A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractIn the present study, we aim to investigate the effects of aerobic physical training on perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT)‐induced microvascular dysfunction of the femoral artery in obese mice. Microvascular reactivity was evaluated in control sedentary (c‐SD), obese sedentary (o‐SD) and obese trained (o‐TR) male mice (C57BL6/JUnib), in the absence (PVAT−) or the presence (PVAT+) of femoral artery PVAT. We also analyzed protein expression, vascular nitric oxide (NO) production and reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in PVAT. The blood glucose, triglycerides and total cholesterol levels were increased in the o‐SD group, when compared with the c‐SD group. The maximal responses and the potency to acetylcholine (ACh) were decreased in PVAT+ compared with PVAT− rings in the o‐SD group, accompanied by a decrease in vascular protein expression of peNOSSer1177, Cu/Zn‐SOD, leptin receptor (Ob‐R) and adiponectin receptor (AdipoR1). The protein expression of leptin increased and that of adiponectin decreased in PVAT. Additionally, vascular NO production was reduced and ROS generation was enhanced in PVAT in the o‐SD group. Aerobic exercise training was effective for normalizing ACh relaxation response, vascular NO production and ROS generation in the o‐TR group. It partially re‐established the vascular protein expression of peNOSSer1177 and the PVAT leptin; normalized the vascular Cu/Zn‐SOD and AdipoR1 protein expressions. In obese sedentary mice, the presence of PVAT is involved in the process of microvascular dysfunction of the femoral artery in a pathway associated with increased inflammation and ROS generation. The aerobic exercise training normalized the vascular response, the NO production and/or bioavailability and oxidative stress, with improved vascular expressions of Cu/Zn‐SOD, peNOSser1177, and AdipoR1.
Meta‐omic evaluation of bacterial microbial community structure and activity for the environmental assessment of soils: overcoming protein extraction pitfalls
Authors: Herruzo‐Ruiz Ana M. , Fuentes‐Almagro Carlos A. , Jiménez‐Pastor José M. , Pérez‐Rosa Víctor M. , Blasco Julián , Michán Carmen , Alhama José 
Published: July 2021

SummaryMicroorganisms play unique, essential and integral roles in the biosphere. This work aims to assess the utility of soil's metaomics for environmental diagnosis. Doñana National Park (DNP) was selected as a natural lab since it contains a strictly protected core that is surrounded by numerous threats of pollution. Culture‐independent high‐throughput molecular tools were used to evaluate the alterations of the global structure and metabolic activities of the microbiome. 16S rRNA sequencing shows lower bacterial abundance and diversity in areas historically exposed to contamination that surround DNP. For metaproteomics, an innovative post‐alkaline protein extraction protocol was developed. After NaOH treatment, successive washing with Tris–HCl buffer supplemented with glycerol was essential to eliminate interferences. Starting from soils with different physicochemical characteristics, the method renders proteins with a remarkable resolution on SDS‐PAGE gels. The proteins extracted were analysed by using an in‐house database constructed from the rRNA data. LC–MS/MS analysis identified 2182 non‐redundant proteins with 135 showing significant differences in relative abundance in the soils around DNP. Relevant global biological processes were altered in response to the environmental changes, such as protective and antioxidant mechanisms, translation, folding and homeostasis of proteins, membrane transport and aerobic respiratory metabolism.
SlicerMorph: An open and extensible platform to retrieve, visualize and analyse 3D morphology
Authors: Rolfe Sara , Pieper Steve , Porto Arthur , Diamond Kelly , Winchester Julie , Shan Shan , Kirveslahti Henry , Boyer Doug , Summers Adam , Maga A. Murat 
Published: July 2021

Abstract

Large‐scale digitization projects such as #ScanAllFishes and oVert are generating high‐resolution microCT scans of vertebrates by the thousands. Data from these projects are shared with the community using aggregate 3D specimen repositories like MorphoSource through various open licenses. We anticipate an explosion of quantitative research in organismal biology with the convergence of available data and the methodologies to analyse them.

Though the data are available, the road from a series of images to analysis is fraught with challenges for most biologists. It involves tedious tasks of data format conversions, preserving spatial scale of the data accurately, 3D visualization and segmentations, and acquiring measurements and annotations. When scientists use commercial software with proprietary formats, a roadblock for data exchange, collaboration and reproducibility is erected that hurts the efforts of the scientific community to broaden participation in research.

We developed SlicerMorph as an extension of 3D Slicer, a biomedical visualization and analysis ecosystem with extensive visualization and segmentation capabilities built on proven python‐scriptable open‐source libraries such as Visualization Toolkit and Insight Toolkit. In addition to the core functionalities of Slicer, SlicerMorph provides users with modules to conveniently retrieve open‐access 3D models or import users own 3D volumes, to annotate 3D curve and patch‐based landmarks, generate landmark templates, conduct geometric morphometric analyses of 3D organismal form using both landmark‐driven and landmark‐free approaches, and create 3D animations from their results. We highlight how these individual modules can be tied together to establish complete workflow(s) from image sequence to morphospace. Our software development efforts were supplemented with short courses and workshops that cover the fundamentals of 3D imaging and morphometric analyses as it applies to study of organismal form and shape in evolutionary biology.

Our goal is to establish a community of organismal biologists centred around Slicer and SlicerMorph to facilitate easy exchange of data and results and collaborations using 3D specimens. Our proposition to our colleagues is that using a common open platform supported by a large user and developer community ensures the longevity and sustainability of the tools beyond the initial development effort.
Monitoring intraocular proangiogenic and profibrotic cytokines within 7 days after adjunctive anti‐vascular endothelial growth factor therapy for proliferative diabetic retinopathy
Authors: Hu Zizhong , Cao Xin , Chen Lu , Su Yun , Ji Jiangdong , Yuan Songtao , Fransisca Silvia , Mugisha Aime , Zou Wenjun , Xie Ping , Liu Qinghuai 
Published: July 2021

AbstractPurposeTo monitor the intraocular proangiogenic and profibrotic cytokine profiles within 7 days after intravitreous injection of conbercept (IVC) for patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).MethodsThis prospective, randomized controlled, consecutive, comparative study included 157 eyes with PDR. Participant eyes underwent sham IVC or IVC and subsequent vitrectomy at days 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 postinjection. The intraocular cytokines profiles were measured using beaded assay methods.ResultsAfter IVC, the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF)‐A level in PDR vitreous decreased rapidly by approximately 10 times at day 2 (p = 0.00001) and kept at a low level at days 3, 4, 5, 6, 7 (p < 0.001, each compared with IVC‐sham group). Similar tendency of the change in VEGF‐A was observed in aqueous humour. The level of placenta growth factor (PIGF) in aqueous humour decreased 2 days after IVC whereas returned to baseline level after 5 days. The vitreous profibrotic cytokines, tissue growth factor (TGF)‐β1, TGF‐β2, TGF‐β3 and connective tissue growth factor did not increase after IVC in each group.ConclusionWe observed a remarkable and rapid decrease in intraocular VEGF‐A, temporal decrease in PIGF from day 2 to day 4, increase in VEGF‐C and VEGF‐D from day 2 onwards, but no profibrotic switch in PDR eyes after IVC. The findings might suggest that ideal vitrectomy timing might be around 3 days after IVC.
The relationship between species and spectral diversity in grassland communities is mediated by their vertical complexity
Authors: Conti Luisa , Malavasi Marco , Galland Thomas , Komárek Jan , Lagner Ondřej , Carmona Carlos P. , de Bello Francesco , Rocchini Duccio , Šímová Petra 
Published: July 2021

AbstractAimsThe link between spectral diversity and in‐situ plant biodiversity is one promising approach to using remote sensing for biodiversity assessment. Nevertheless, there is little evidence as to whether this link is maintained at fine scales, as well as to how it is influenced by vegetation's vertical complexity. Here we test, at the community level in grasslands, the link between diversity of the spectral signal (SDiv) and taxonomic diversity (TDiv), and the influence of vertical complexity.MethodsWe used 196 1.5 m × 1.5 m experimental communities with different biodiversity levels. To measure vertical complexity, we quantified height diversity (HDiv) of the most abundant species in the community. TDiv was calculated using the Shannon index based on species cover. Canopy spectral information was gathered using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) mounted with a multi‐spectral sensor providing spectral information via six 10‐nm bands covering the visible and near‐infrared region at a spatial resolution of 3 cm. We measured SDiv in a core area of 1 m ×1 m within the communities as mean Euclidean distance of all pixels in a feature space spanned between the two first components of a PCA calculated for the complete raster stack. We modelled SDiv through mixed‐effect linear models, using TDiv, HDiv, and their interaction as fixed‐effect predictors.ResultsContrary to our expectations, TDiv was negatively linked to SDiv. The diversity in plant height was positively related to SDiv. More importantly, diversity in plant height and TDiv had a significant negative interaction, meaning the more complex the vegetation was in terms of height, the more the SDiv–TDiv relationship became negative.ConclusionsOur results suggest that in order to exploit the SDiv–TDiv link for monitoring purposes, it needs to be contextualized. Moreover, the results highlight that communities’ functional characteristics (i.e. plant height) mediate such a link, calling for new insights into the relation between SDiv and functional diversity.
Parsimony analysis of phylogenomic datasets (I): scripts and guidelines for using TNT (Tree Analysis using New Technology)
Authors: Torres Ambrosio , Goloboff Pablo A. , Catalano Santiago A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWe discuss here the use of TNT (Tree Analysis using New Technology) for phylogenomic analysis. For such data, parsimony is a useful alternative to model‐based analyses, which frequently utilize models that make unrealistic assumptions (e.g. low heterotachy), struggle with high levels of missing data, etc. Parsimony and model‐based methods often yield trees with few topological differences, which can then be analyzed further in order to investigate whether these few topological differences are due to undesirable analysis artefacts. This is facilitated by the greater speed and computational efficiency of parsimony, which allow for a more in‐depth analysis of datasets. We here briefly describe the computationally most efficient and versatile parsimony software, TNT, which can be used for phylogenetic and phylogenomic analyses. In particular, we describe and provide a series of scripts that are specifically designed for the analysis of phylogenomic datasets. This includes scripts for concatenation of gene data files in different formats, generation of plots and datasets with different levels of gene/taxon occupancy, calculation of different support measures and phylogenetic reconstruction based on concatenated matrices and single genes. The execution of the scripts is also demonstrated with video clips (https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCpIgK8sVH‐yK0Bo3fK62IxA). Lastly, we describe the main commands and functions that enable efficient phylogenomic analyses in TNT.