bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Exploring causal relationships between COVID-19 and cardiometabolic disorders: A bi-directional Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Xiang Yong , Chau Carlos Kwan-Long , Qiu Jinghong , Rao Shitao , So Hon-Cheong 
Published: March 2021

AbstractBackgroundMore than 100 million cases of COVID-19 have been reported worldwide. A number of risk factors for infection or severe infection have been identified, however observational studies were subject to confounding bias. In addition, there is still limited knowledge about the complications or medical consequences of the disease.MethodsHere we performed bi-directional Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to evaluate causal relationships between liability to COVID-19 (and severe/critical infection) and a wide range of around 30 cardiometabolic disorders (CMD) or traits. Genetic correlation (rg) was assessed by LD score regression(LDSC). The latest GWAS summary statistics from the COVID-19 Host Genetics Initiative was used, which comprised comparisons of general population controls with critically ill, hospitalized and any infected cases.ResultsOverall we observed evidence that liability to COVID-19 or severe infection may be causally associated with higher risks of type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM), chronic kidney disease(CKD), ischemic stroke (especially large artery stroke[LAS]) and heart failure(HF) when compared to the general population. On the other hand, our findings suggested that liability to atrial fibrillation (AF), stroke (especially LAS), obesity, diabetes (T1DM and T2DM), low insulin sensitivity and impaired renal function (low eGFR and diabetic kidney disease) may be causal risk factors for COVID-19 or severe disease. In genetic correlation analysis, T2DM, CAD, obesity, fasting insulin, CKD, gout, stroke and urate showed positive rg with critical or hospitalized infection. All above findings passed multiple testing correction at a false discovery rate (FDR)<0.05.ConclusionsIn summary, this study provides evidence for tentative bi-directional causal associations between liability to COVID-19 and severe disease and a number of CM disorders. Further replications and prospective studies are required to verify the findings.
N-myristoyltransferase inhibition is synthetic lethal in MYC-deregulated cancers
Authors: Lueg Gregor A. , Faronato Monica , Gorelik Andrii , Grocin Andrea Goya , Caamano-Gutierrez Eva , Falciani Francesco , Solari Roberto , Carr Robin , Bell Andrew S. , Bartlett Edward , Hutton Jennie A. , Llorian-Sopena Miriam , Chakravarty Probir , Brzezicha Bernadette , Janz Martin , Garnett Mathew J. , Calado Dinis P. , Tate Edward W. 
Published: March 2021

AbstractHumanN-myristoyltransferases (NMTs) catalyze N-terminal protein myristoylation, a modification regulating membrane trafficking and interactions of >100 proteins. NMT is a promising target in cancer, but a mechanistic rationale for targeted therapy remains poorly defined. Here, large-scale cancer cell line screens against a panel of NMT inhibitors (NMTi) were combined with systems-level analyses to reveal that NMTi is synthetic lethal with deregulated MYC. Synthetic lethality is mediated by post-transcriptional failure in mitochondrial respiratory complex I protein synthesis concurrent with loss of myristoylation and degradation of complex I assembly factor NDUFAF4, followed by mitochondrial dysfunction specifically in MYC-deregulated cancer cells. NMTi eliminated MYC-deregulated tumors in vivo without overt toxicity, providing a new paradigm in which targeting a constitutive co-translational protein modification is synthetically lethal in MYC-deregulated cancers.One-sentence summaryN-myristoyltransferase inhibition leads to post-transcriptional complex I failure and cell death in MYC-deregulated cancers
DrosophilaMale Accessory Gland Displays Developmental Ground Plan of a Primitive Prostate
Authors: Kumari Jaya , Sinha Pradip 
Published: March 2021

AbstractConservation of developmental genetic toolkits of functionally comparable organs from disparate phyla reveals their deep homology, which may help overcome the challenges of their confounding categorization as either homologous or analogous organs. A male accessory sexual organ in mammals, prostate, for instance, is anatomically disparate from its phylogenetically distant counterpart—the male accessory gland (MAG)—in insects likeDrosophila. By examining a select set of toolkit gene expression patterns, here we show thatDrosophilaMAG displays deep homology with the mammalian prostate. Like mammalian prostate, MAG morphogenesis is marked by recruitment of fibroblast growth factor receptor, FGFR, a tubulogenesis toolkit signaling pathway, starting early during its adepithelial genesis. Specialization of the individual domains of the developing MAG tube on the other hand is marked by expression of a posterior Hox gene transcription factor, Abd-B, while Hh-Dpp signaling marks its growth.DrosophilaMAG thus reveals developmental design of unitary bud-derived tube—a ground plan that appears to have been reiteratively co-opted during evolutionary diversification of male accessory sexual organs across distant phylogeny.
Food losses and waste quantification in supply chains: a systematic literature review
Authors: Kafa Nadine , Jaegler Anicia 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to systematically review and critically examine food losses and waste quantification in supply chain, especially in studies that tackle all the supply chain activities in a real context.Design/methodology/approachThis work employed a systematic literature review methodology on the extant literature focusing on peer-reviewed journal articles published from 2000 to 2019.FindingsA systematic analysis of 117 articles reveals that downstream supply chains are studied to a greater extent than upstream supply chains, with an emphasis on consumer waste. The findings also highlight more than half of the articles focus on only one supply chain activity. In terms of the methodologies, surveys and modelling methods are the most used to measure food losses and wastes, adopt monetary, carbon emission and calorific metrics. This study highlights that while food losses and waste research remains a relevant field of study, it has yet to been fully explored.Research limitations/implicationsThe main limit is the adoption of a systematic review method for food losses and waste quantification in supply chain.Practical implicationsThe results suggest that supply chain managers should invest in acquiring more knowledge about food losses in the global network. Upstream supply chains should be more studied and integrated with the downstream supply chains. Using combined direct and indirect methods has the potential to deal with the contradictions of quantification, the lack of data and reduce losses over time and space.Originality/valueBased on this review as the first one focusing exclusively on quantification of food losses and waste in supply chain context, the authors develop an aspiring research agenda that proposes opportunities for future research.HeadingsWe analyse 117 studies addressing food losses and waste quantification.Downstream food supply chains are more studied than upstream food supply chains.Case studies of food supply chains in developed countries are more prolific.The main metric to quantify food losses and waste is weight.
Factors limiting the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery in Ghana
Authors: Agyekum Kofi , Adinyira Emmanuel , Oppon James Anthony 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThe increased awareness of global environmental threats like climate change has created an upsurge of interest in low embodied carbon building materials for green building delivery. Though the literature advocates for the use of hemp-based building materials, there is no evidence of studies to explore its potential use in Ghana. Therefore, this study explores the potential factors that limit the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery in Ghana.Design/methodology/approachA structured questionnaire was used to solicit the views of built environment professionals operating in construction, consulting and developer firms. The questions were developed through a comparative review of the related literature and complemented with a pilot review. Data were analysed via descriptive and inferential statistics.FindingsOn the average, the majority of the respondents showed a moderate level of awareness of hemp and its related uses in the construction industry. Also, certain key factors like the perceived association of hemp with marijuana, lack of expertise in the production of hemp-related building materials, farmers not getting the needed clearance for the cultivation of hemp, lack of legislation by the government in the legalisation of hemp and the inadequate knowledge of consumers on the benefits of hemp-based building materials were identified as potential limitations to the adoption of hemp as an alternative sustainable material for green building delivery.Originality/valueThe findings from this study provide insights into a less investigated area in sub-Saharan Africa and further provide new and additional information to the current state-of-the-art on the potential for the use of hemp in the building construction sector.
Do corporate financial flexibility, financial sector development and regulatory environment affect corporate investment decisions?
Authors: Mahmood Yasin , Rashid Abdul , Rizwan Muhammad Faisal 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThis study aims to examine how corporate financial flexibility, financial sector development and the regulatory environment influence corporate investment decisions in an emerging economy after controlling for several macroeconomic factors.Design/methodology/approachThe authors estimated random-effects models to empirically examine the impacts of corporate financial flexibility, banking sector development, equity market development, regulatory quality and corruption on corporate investment decisions. The empirical analysis is based on an unbalanced annual panel data set of a sample of 198 non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange for the period 1992–2018.FindingsThe results show that financially flexible firms tend to invest more. The increased banking sector development, stock market development and better regulatory quality play a pivotal role for enabling firms to increase their investment ability. However, the results reveal that corruption acts as a barrier and reduces corporate investments during the examined period. The results suggest that unused borrowing capacity is a good source of financial flexibility. These results strongly support the pecking order theory, which explains why firms incline toward internal sources for financing their investments and why they prefer debt to equity when go for external financing.Practical implicationsThe empirical findings of the study enable corporate managers to make better financing and investment decisions by understanding the significance of the attainment and maintenance of the corporate financial flexibility to enhance firm value. Furthermore, the findings enable corporate managers to examine and understand the role of banking sector development (BSD), equity market development (EMD), regulatory quality and the role of corruption in affecting corporate firms' investment ability, allowing them to make appropriate investment decisions, especially from an emerging economy perspective. The findings also help investors in making appropriate investment decisions while they are purchasing financial assets. Finally, the findings of the study have some implications for regulators as well. Specifically, the findings suggest that the authorities should implement economic and financial policies favoring banking sector as well as equity market development to enhance corporate investment.Originality/valueThe study significantly adds to the literature by examining the impact of financial flexibility, financial sector development and regulatory environment on corporate investment decisions. According to the authors' knowledge, the empirical evidence examining the impact of all of these factors on corporate investment is very scarce. Therefore, this study is an effort to fill the gap left in the literature.
The emergence and adoption of digitalization in the logistics and supply chain industry: an institutional perspective
Authors: Herold David M. , Ćwiklicki Marek , Pilch Kamila , Mikl Jasmin 
Published: March 2021

PurposeDespite increasing interest in digital services and products, the emergence of digitalization in the logistics and supply chain (L&SC) industry has received little attention, in particular from organizational theorists. In response, taking an institutionalist view, the authors argue that the emergence and adoption of digitalization is a socially constructed phenomenon.Design/methodology/approachThis paper shows how actor-level frameshifts contribute to an emergence of an overarching “digitalization logic” in the L&SC industry at the field level. Building on a longitudinal analysis of field actors' frames and logics, the authors track the development of digitalization over the last 60 years in the L&SC sector.FindingsThe authors classify specific time periods by key field-configuring events, describe the relevant frameshifts in each time period and present a process that explains how and why digitalization has emerged, been adopted and manifested itself in the L&SC industry.Originality/valueThe findings of the study provide insights about the evolution of a digitalization logic and thus advance the institutional view on digitalization in the L&SC industry.
Informational efficiency and governance in restricted share settings: boosting family business leaders' financing decisions
Authors: Dupuis Daniel , Bodolica Virginia , Spraggon Martin 
Published: March 2021

PurposeVolume-based liquidity ratios suffer from potential measurement bias due to share restriction and may misrepresent actual liquidity. To address this issue, the authors develop two modified metrics, the free-float liquidity and the alternative free-float illiquidity ratios. These measures are well suited to estimate liquidity in the presence of trading constraints, as can be found in closely held/state-owned entities, IPOs/SEOs with lockup restrictions, dual-class share structures and family-owned businesses.Design/methodology/approachThe authors modify the turnover illiquidity ratio, where the number of outstanding shares is scaled by the public free float, and use natural log transformation to normalize free-float liquidity. Our dataset is composed of daily observations for US stocks included in the S&P 500 index over the 2015–2018 period. To test the validity of free-float (il)liquidity ratios, the authors perform a correlation analysis for various liquidity metrics. To examine their empirical efficiency, the authors employ pooled OLS regression models for family firms as a subsample of liquidity-constrained entities, relying on five different identifiers of family-owned businesses.FindingsThe authors’ empirical testing indicates that the proposed free-float (il)liquidity ratios compare favorably with other volume-based methods, such as Amihud's ratio, liquidity ratio and turnover ratio. For the subsample of family organizations as a restricted-share setting, the authors report significant coefficients for our free-float measures across all the family firm identifiers used. In particular, as free-float decreases with progressive family influence, the advanced ratios capture an increase (decrease) in perceived liquidity (illiquidity) that is absent in the other benchmarks.Originality/valueThis study allows the authors to inform the ongoing debate on the management and governance of publicly listed companies with various impediments to trade. Traditional measures understate illiquidity (overstate liquidity) as the fraction of free trading shares is limited by design or circumstances. The authors’ proposed free-float metrics offer informational gains for family leaders to aid in their financing decisions and for non-family outsiders to guide their investment choice. As a constrained free float inhibits price discovery processes, the authors discuss how restricted stock issuers may alleviate the attendant negative effects on governance and information opacity.
Investigation on reading behaviors and cognitive outcomes of Facebook health information
Authors: Syn Sue Yeon , Yoon JungWon 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThis study aims to understand how college students' personal and health-related characteristics are related to their reading behaviors and cognitive outcomes of Facebook health information through eye tracking data and cognitive outcomes.Design/methodology/approachThis study analyzed users' gaze movement data and results of recall and recognition tests to investigate users' reading patterns and their consequences with cognitive outcomes. The gaze movements are analyzed with eye tracking data including the average fixation count and time to first fixation.FindingsThe results of reading patterns show that Texts and Images are highly viewed and viewed immediately by participants when the posts were presented. There was no clear pattern with fixation counts to determine cognitive outcomes. However, the findings of study suggest that there is a clear pattern of reading Facebook posts with areas of interest (AOIs). Among five AOIs observed, participants viewed Images first and then Texts when a Facebook post is presented. On the other hand, they read Texts more carefully than Images. The findings of this study suggest that while images contribute to gaining users' attention, a clear and precise message needs to be delivered in text message to ensure readers' correct understanding and application of health information.Originality/valueThe user-centered evidence on reading behaviors and cognitive outcomes will make contributions to how health professionals and health organizations can make optimal use of Facebook for effective health information communication.Peer reviewThe peer-review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/OIR-05-2020-0177
Interactive effects of shading and disturbance on plant invasion in an arid shrubland: Assembly processes and CSR‐strategies
Authors: Escobedo Víctor M. , Rios Rodrigo S. , Gianoli Ernesto 
Published: March 2021

Abstract

Disturbance by small mammals and shrub canopies are ecological factors typical of arid ecosystems that may influence plant invasion through environmental and community changes. Whereas disturbance beneath shrub canopies may promote invasion by removing dominant species, disturbance in open areas may hinder plant invasion by increasing environmental harshness. However, we are unaware of studies explicitly addressing the interactive effects of disturbance by mammals and shading by shrubs on community assembly processes to understand plant invasion. In an arid shrubland, disturbance and shading were caused by the fossorial rodent Spalacopus cyanus and the shrub Flourensia thurifera, respectively. We used functional dispersion data (trait convergence vs. divergence) and Grime´s theory (competitive, stress‐tolerant and ruderal strategies, CSR) to gain insights into the underlying assembly processes.

We compared environmental conditions, richness and abundance of native and exotic species, as well as functional dispersion and prevalence of CSR‐strategies across four microsites (60 × 60 cm plots): undisturbed/open, undisturbed/shaded, disturbed/open and disturbed/shaded. We tested for functional differences between native and exotic species.

Species richness was similar among microsites for both native and exotic species. Shading ameliorated environmental conditions, promoted trait divergence and increased prevalence of C‐ and R‐strategies. Disturbance increased the abundance of exotic species and removed dominant species in shaded microsites. Exotic and native species were functionally different: exotics showed shorter life span, lower height, thinner stems and smaller leaves than natives.

Synthesis. Disturbance, by removing plant biomass, favoured exotic species in shaded microsites, where shrub canopy ameliorated environmental conditions and—by relaxing habitat filtering—promoted niche partitioning processes as well as C‐ and R‐strategies. We illustrate the value of linking trait‐based ecology approaches to micro‐environmental conditions, as it may provide insights into the underlying community processes when studying plant invasions at the local and microsite scales. Disturbed microsites beneath shrub canopies could be ‘hotspots’ where to concentrate efforts to manage plant invasions in arid ecosystems.
Examining omitted variable bias in anchoring premium estimates: Evidence based on assessed value
Authors: Zhou Tingyu , Clapp John M , Lu‐Andrews Ran 
Published: March 2021

AbstractA new assessed value approach is proposed to control for the amount of persistent unobserved quality. The approach to a well‐established two‐stage framework developed by Genesove and Mayer (GM, 2001) is applied, who test the effect of an expected loss on final transaction prices in the housing market. It is shown that the assessed value model effectively mitigates the omitted variable bias and produces similar results as GM when the first‐stage residual is included. Importantly, the model does not rely on repeat sales and therefore provides a powerful new tool for estimating market value. Results are robust to alternative specifications, to controlling for loan‐to‐value ratios, to replacing final sale price with listing price, to alternative fixed effects, to subperiods, to different holding periods, to simulated quality, to excluding flippers, and to controlling improvements between sales.
Symptomatic features and prognosis of 932 hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 in Wuhan
Authors: Sun Liang Liang , Wang Jian , Wang Yu Sheng , Hu Ping Fang , Zhao Zheng Qing , Chen Wei , Ning Bei Fang , Yin Chuan , Hao Yu Shi , Wang Qiong , Wang Chen , Liu Ya Long , Chen Cheng , Yin Ji Zhong , Huang Hai , Xie Wei Fen 
Published: March 2021

ObjectiveTo discern the symptomatic features of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19) and to evaluate the severity and prognosis of the disease.MethodsIn this retrospective cohort study, 932 hospitalized patients with COVID‐19 in Wuhan were enrolled, including 52 severe and 880 non‐severe cases. All patients were followed up for 3 months after discharge. The symptomatic features and follow‐up data of the patients in both groups were analyzed and compared.ResultsOf the 932 patients, fever (60.0%), cough (50.8%) and fatigue (36.4%) were the most common symptoms. In total, 32.7% of the severe cases presented with gastrointestinal symptoms at disease onset, including anorexia, nausea, vomiting or diarrhea, which was significantly higher than that of the non‐severe group (P = 0.0015). The incidence of olfactory disturbance and dysgeusia was only 3.1% and 6.2%, respectively. After adjusting for age and sex, multivariate regression analysis showed that fever lasting for over 5 days (odds ratio [OR] 1.90, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.00‐3.62, P = 0.0498), anorexia at onset (OR 2.61, 95% CI 1.26‐5.40, P = 0.0096), and modified Medical Research Council level above grade 2 when dyspnea occurred (OR 14.19, 95% CI 7.01‐28.71, P < 0.0001) were symptomatic risk factors for severe COVID‐19. During the follow‐up, cough (6.2%), dyspnea (7.2%), fatigue (1.8%), olfactory disturbance and dysgeusia (1.5%) were the significant remaining symptoms.ConclusionsCOVID‐19 causes clusters of symptoms with multiple systems involved. Certain symptomatic characteristics have predictive value for severe COVID‐19. Short‐term follow‐up data reveal that most patients have a good prognosis.