bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A structural analysis of amyloid polymorphism in disease: clues for selective vulnerability?
Authors: van der Kant Rob , Louros Nikolaos , Schymkowitz Joost , Rousseau Frederic 
Published: March 2021

AbstractThe increasing amount of amyloid structures offers an opportunity to investigate the general principles determining amyloid stability and polymorphism in disease. We find that amyloid stability is dominated by about 30% of residues localized in few segments interspersed with regions that are often structurally frustrated in the cross-β conformation. These stable segments correspond to known aggregation-nucleating regions and constitute a cross-β structural framework that is shared among polymorphs. Alternative tertiary packing of these segments within the protofibril results in conformationally different but energetically similar polymorphs. This combination of a conserved structural framework along the axis and energetic ambiguity across the axis results in polymorphic plasticity that explains a number of fundamental amyloid properties, including fibril defects and brittleness but also the polymorphic instability of amyloids in simple aqueous buffers. Together these findings suggest a structural model for in vivo polymorphic bias and selective cellular vulnerability whereby (1) polymorphic bias is induced by particular templating interactions in susceptible cells, (2) once formed specific polymorphs are entropically primed to selectively bind similar targets in neighbouring cells, (3) conservation of polymorphic bias during pathological spreading implies the continued presence of similar templating interactions in successive susceptible cells and (4) absence of templating interactions relaxes polymorphic bias possibly allowing for the modification of cellular susceptibilities during disease progression by novel templating interactions.
Institutional work and the interplay of stability and change in public budgeting reform: the case of public universities in Iran
Authors: Jalali Aliabadi Farzaneh , Farooq Muhammad Bilal , Sharma Umesh , Mihret Dessalegn Getie 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to understand the efforts of key social actors in influencing the reform of Iranian public universities budgeting system, from incremental to performance-based budgeting (PBB), the tensions that arose as competing efforts of institutional change were undertaken, and ultimately the impact of these efforts on the extent to which the Iranian government transitioned to a system of PBB in public universities.Design/methodology/approachData comprises of semi-structured interviews with managers and experts involved in the budget setting process and an analysis of budgetary policy documents, reports and archival material such as legislation. An institutional work lens is employed to interpret the findings.FindingsWhile actors advocating the change were engaged in institutional work directed at disrupting the old budgetary rules by disassociating the rules moral foundations and creating new budgetary rules (through new legislation), universities undertook subtle resistance by engaging in extended evaluation of the new proposed PBB rules thereby maintaining the old budgetary rules. The reforms undertaken to introduce PBB in Iranian universities achieved minimal success whereby incremental budgeting continued to constitute by far a larger percentage of the budget allocation formula for university budgets. This finding illustrates change and continuity in university budgetary systems resulting from institutional work of actors competing to control the basis of resource allocation under the proposed PBB system by proposing contradicting models.Practical implicationsThe findings highlight the importance of understanding the interplay of institutional work undertaken by competing social actors as they seek to advance their goals in shaping budgetary reforms in the public-sector. Such an understanding may inform policy makers who intend to introduce major reforms in public-sector budgeting approaches.Originality/valueUnlike prior studies that largely focused on how organization-level budgeting practices responded to changes in public budgeting rules (i.e. at the site of implementation of the rules), this paper highlights how strategies of change and resistance are played out at the site of setting budgetary norms.
Food security and trade policies: evidence from the milk sector case study
Authors: Zolin Maria Bruna , Cavapozzi Danilo , Mazzarolo Martina 
Published: March 2021

PurposeMilk is one of the most produced, consumed and protected agricultural commodities worldwide. The purpose of this paper is to assess how trade-opening policies can foster food security in the Chinese milk sector.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical evidence proposed in our paper is based on time series data from the National Bureau of Statistics of China (2019) and FAOSTAT (2020). Differences in income elasticity between urban and rural areas are estimated by OLS regressions. The data also provide empirical evidence to assess to what extent and to which countries China is resorting to meet its growing demand.FindingsPer-capita milk consumption of Chinese is rising. The authors’ estimates show that milk income elasticity is higher in rural areas. China is also progressively increasing its dependence on imports. Producers who benefit the most are those from countries implementing trade-opening policies.Research limitations/implicationsOther methods could be applied, by way of example, the gravitational model.Practical implicationsTrade agreements and the removal of barriers could be effective responses to protectionist pressures and to food security concerns.Social implicationsThe case examined is of particular interest as it intervenes on food security and safety.Originality/valueThe paper adds value and evidence to the effects of trade on food security in a country with limited and exploited natural resources addressing a health emergency and environmental concerns.
Exchange of knowledge in protected environments. The case of university business incubators
Authors: Redondo María , Camarero Carmen , van der Sijde Peter 
Published: March 2021

PurposeUniversity business incubators (UBIs) are born as tools of the academic world to market research results, for the transfer of technology and to promote entrepreneurial spirit. In these contexts, the exchange of knowledge among entrepreneurs can be a key variable for the development and success of their businesses. This paper aims to analyse the characteristics of entrepreneurs' resources and the institutional logic that prevails in the incubator as determinants of the exchange of knowledge, and the authors examine the results in terms of entrepreneurial commitment and the generation of innovations.Design/methodology/approachThe empirical study carried out on a sample of 101 entrepreneurs in UBIs in Spain and The Netherlands.FindingsThe results reveals how complementarity, supplementarity and transferability of resources, as well as incubator predisposition towards business are fundamental for the exchange of knowledge, the development of entrepreneurial spirit and the generation of innovation.Originality/valueThis study makes a contribution towards an understanding of how relationships between university entrepreneurs provide access to and help create useful knowledge for the parties, with this resource constituting one possible source of sustainable competitive advantage.
MIMO antenna miniaturization standards for future 5G
Authors: Katragadda Swetha , Jayasree PVY 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThe fifth-generation technology 5G, the planned successor to 4G, is a new global standard for mobile networks that brings virtual to reality. 5G wireless technology enables the delivery of high speed, low latency, reliability, 100% coverage and availability to connect number of users as in massive IoT applications.Design/methodology/approachWith expeditious development in wireless communication, the need for enhanced characteristic antenna design such as the size of the antenna, high data rate, demand in traffic, bandwidth, gain and efficiency increases. Various antenna designs are to be explored to meet the needs and achieve trade-offs between antenna size vs cost, high gain and efficiency vs less loss, high B.W and data rate with the selection of appropriate substrate materials and various gain & isolation enhancement techniques.FindingsThis paper thus gives scope for miniaturized MIMO antenna design for mobile applications at mm-wave frequency range.Originality/valueThis paper thus gives scope for miniaturized MIMO antenna design for mobile applications at mm-wave frequency range.
Impact of COVID-19 pandemic virus on G8 countries’ financial indices based on artificial neural network
Authors: Al-Najjar Hazem , Al-Rousan Nadia , Al-Najjar Dania , Assous Hamzeh F. , Al-Najjar Dana 
Published: March 2021

Purpose
The COVID-19 pandemic virus has affected the largest economies around the world, especially Group 8 and Group 20. The increasing numbers of confirmed and deceased cases of the COVID-19 pandemic worldwide are causing instability in stock indices every day. These changes resulted in the G8 suffering major losses due to the spread of the pandemic. This paper aims to study the impact of COVID-19 events using country lockdown announcement on the most important stock indices in G8 by using seven lockdown variables. To find the impact of the COVID-19 virus on G8, a correlation analysis and an artificial neural network model are adopted.

Design/methodology/approach
In this study, a Pearson correlation is used to study the strength of lockdown variables on international indices, where neural network is used to build a prediction model that can estimate the movement of stock markets independently. The neural network used two performance metrics including R2 and mean square error (MSE).

Findings
The results of stock indices prediction showed that R2 values of all G8 are between 0.979 and 0.990, where MSE values are between 54 and 604. The results showed that the COVID-19 events had a strong negative impact on stock movement, with the lowest point on the March of all G8 indices. Besides, the US lockdown and interest rate changes are the most affected by the G8 stock trading, followed by Germany, France and the UK.

Originality/value
The study has used artificial intelligent neural network to study the impact of US lockdown, decrease the interest rate in the USA and the announce of lockdown in different G8 countries.
Discouraging gender-biased job seekers by adapting job advertisements
Authors: Mao Jih-Yu , Mu Xinyan , Liu Xin 
Published: March 2021

PurposeSocially responsible organizations strive to foster gender diversity values in the workplace. As women, relative to men, tend to fall victim to gender discrimination more frequently, organizations can promote gender diversity in the workplace by either increasing female employment or discouraging job seekers who resist gender diversity from applying for positions. While more attention has been devoted to the former approach, less attention has been given to the latter.Design/methodology/approachA between-subjects experiment is conducted to test the hypotheses. Participants are randomly assigned to one of five conditions that feature different numbers of women in job advertisements.FindingsFor male job seekers who hold a male breadwinner ideology, their job pursuit intentions decrease as the number of women in job advertisements increases. Perceived person-organization fit acts as the mediating influence.Practical implicationsJob advertisements are purposed to attract job seekers who share similar values. Men who embrace male-dominant values are likely to resist and thwart the progress of gender diversity in the workplace. This study informs practitioners of how by strategically adapting job advertisements, organizations can discourage individuals who are likely to be a poor fit from applying for vacant jobs.Originality/valueThis study focuses on gender discrimination and resistance in a job seeking context from a social dominance perspective. The study informs organizations of the potential benefits of strategically adapting job advertisements.
Reliability assessment for multi-state automatic ticket vending machine (ATVM) through software and hardware failures
Authors: Kumar Amit , Kumar Pardeep 
Published: March 2021

PurposeThis paper presents the performance analysis of the automatic ticket vending machine (ATVM) through the functioning of its different hardware and software failures.Design/methodology/approachFrequent failures in the working of ATVM have been observed; therefore, the authors of the paper intend to analyze the performance measures of the same. Authors have developed a mathematical model based on different hardware and software failures/repairs, which may occur during the operation, with the help of the Markov process. The developed model has been solved for two kinds of failure/repair rates namely variable failures (very much similar to real-time failure) and constant failures. Lagrange's method and Laplace transformation are used for the solution of the developed model.FindingsReliability and mean time to failure of the ATVM are determined. Sensitivity analysis for ATVM is also carried out in the paper. Critical components of the ATVM, which affect the performance of the same, in terms of reliability and MTTF are also identified.Originality/valueA mathematical model based on different hardware and software failures/repairs of ATVM has been developed to analyze its performance, which has not been done in the past.
Does job stress enhance employee creativity? Exploring the role of psychological capital
Authors: Ghafoor Azka , Haar Jarrod 
Published: March 2021

PurposeUsing the conservation of resource theory, the purpose of this paper is to investigate the potentially positive influence of job stress on creativity through the resource caravan approach. The influence of job stress directly and as a moderator of psychological capital (PsyCap) is explored. Finally, the influence of stress on creativity is investigated as a boundary condition that impacts on the PsyCap-creativity relationship via job satisfaction.Design/methodology/approachRelationships were tested on two samples: (1) an international employee cohort (n = 269) and (2) a New Zealand employee sample (n = 475) and similar effects were found in both studies.FindingsPsyCap was found to influence job satisfaction and creativity, with job satisfaction partially mediating this direct effect. Job stress has a positive moderation effect with PsyCap toward creativity, supporting Conservation of Resources theory, which suggests that high PsyCap individuals would have the psychological resources to leverage stress beneficially, making their behaviors more creative. Significant moderated mediation effects indicate complex indirect effects with PsyCap on creativity (via job satisfaction) increasing as job stress gets higher.Practical implicationsThis study calls for researchers' attention toward potentially positive influences of stress when considered in combination with high psychological resources. Practical implications focus manager's and leader's attention toward the enhancement of employees' psychological resources for its stress and creativity related benefits.Originality/valueThe findings provide new theoretical support for understanding how stress can positively influence creativity. The use of two samples improves confidence in these findings.
TPPP3 inhibits the proliferation, invasion and migration of endometrial carcinoma targeted with miR‐1827
Authors: Shen Aiqun , Tong Xiaowen , Li Huaifang , Chu Lei , Jin Xia , Ma Hanbo , Ouyang Yiqin 
Published: March 2021

AbstractObjective and designDatabase screening indicated that tubulin polymerization‐promoting protein 3 (TPPP3) was involved in pathogenesis of multiple cancer types. miR‐1827 has a potential role in a variety of human cancers. However, the role of TPPP3 and its underlying molecular mechanism in endometrial cancer (EC) has not been investigated. Herein, we aimed to reveal the role of TPPP3/miR‐1827 in EC progression.MethodsTumour tissue and whole blood samples were collected for the detection of TPPP3 expression. TPPP3 shRNAs and pcDNA‐TPPP3 were applied to knockdown or upregulate the TPPP3 expression, and miR‐1827 mimic was used to upregulate miR‐1827 level. CCK‐8 and colony assays were applied to estimate the cell proliferation. Wound healing and Transwell assays were conducted to assess the cell migration and invasion abilities. The dual‐luciferase reporter assay was conducted to validate the putative binding site between TPPP3 and miR‐1827. Expression of TPPP3, miR‐1827 and related proteins in cell lines, tissue and whole blood sample were detected using western blot, RT‐qPCR and immunofluorescence.ResultsTPPP3 was observed markedly elevated in EC patients and cells. TPPP3 knockdown displayed evident suppression in cell proliferation, migration and invasion in vitro and in vivo. Moreover, we identified TPPP3 as a direct and functional target gene of miR‐1827 in EC cells. The miR‐1827 induced regulatory effects on EC cells were partially reversed by TPPP3. Additionally, in vivo study confirmed the findings discovered in vitro.ConclusionTPPP3 exerted oncogenic roles in EC progression by sponging miR‐1827. This finding might provide potential targets for EC therapy.
Educational environments in Asian medical schools: A cross‐national comparison between Malaysia, Singapore, and China
Authors: Arokiamary Bharathy , Russell Vincent , Lim Haikel Asyraf , Koay Jun Min , Xia Jie , Zhao Xiao‐Hua , Xu Xin , Wu Da‐Xing , Chen Jun‐Xiang , Kua Ee Heok , Mahendran Rathi 
Published: March 2021

AbstractIntroductionPerceptions of the educational environment (EE) represent an important source of information on medical students' learning experience. Understanding and addressing these perceptions can help inform initiatives designed to improve the learning experience and educational outcomes, while comparison of student perceptions across medical schools can provide an added perspective. The aim of the study was to compare the EEs of three Asian medical schools: Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and University College Dublin Malaysia Campus, Yong Loo Lin School of Medicine, Singapore and Xiangya School of Medicine, China.MethodsMedical students in the clinical years (N = 1063) participated in a cross‐sectional study using the Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM). Data were analyzed using SPSS version 22.ResultsThere were significant differences between the three medical schools in the total DREEM scores (F [2, 1059] = 38.29, p < .001), but all were in the category “more positive than negative” (mean score 135.42, range 128.97–142.44). Highest DREEM scores were noted in year 5 at RUMC (139.79 ± 79), year 3 at YLL (145.93 ± 14.52), and year 4 at XSM (138.56 ± 18.91). Variations in total and subscale DREEM scores were also found between clinical years in each medical school.DiscussionTotal DREEM scores at the three medical schools are similar to those reported from other undergraduate settings. However, significant variations occurred in perceptions of the EE, as students progressed through the clinical years. Greater attention to the learning environment and the curriculum may improve students' educational experience.
Preparation of polyurethane acrylate‐based titanium dioxide pigment and its use in blue light‐curable ink
Authors: Wang Chenglong , Yan Kai , Luo Xun , Jin Shulan , Wang Lili , Luo Jun , Zheng Jinhuan 
Published: March 2021

AbstractPolyurethane acrylate‐based titanium dioxide was used to prepare blue light‐curable inks as both a white pigment to replace the original white pigment and as an oligomer. The polyurethane acrylate‐based titanium dioxide was fabricated using a two‐step method. In the first step, the titanium dioxide was grafted with γ‐aminopropyltriethoxy silane, and the grafting process was studied. Second, amino‐modified titanium dioxide was used to prepare polyurethane acrylate‐based titanium dioxide, which was then used to configure the blue light‐curable polyurethane acrylate‐based titanium dioxide ink. Fourier Transform–infrared spectroscopy indicated that the amino‐modified titanium dioxide and polyurethane acrylate‐based titanium dioxide were prepared successfully. The content of the amino groups on the surface of the amino‐modified titanium dioxide could be effectively controlled by adjusting the pH value. Moreover, by increasing the content of the amino groups, the viscosity decreased and the photopolymerisation efficiency increased, which was attributed to the formation of branched structures and the promoting effect of the amino groups on the titanium dioxide. The inks with decreased viscosity and branched structures displayed excellent cross‐linking properties: viscoelastic transition was achieved within 10 seconds and the final moduli were in the range of 36‐55 kPa. The cross‐linking degree and rate were more than seven times those of unmodified ink. The ranges of elongation and stress were 95%‐165% and 1.9‐4.3 MPa, respectively, and the amino group content varied from 0% to 0.101%. In general, polyurethane acrylate‐based titanium dioxide was shown to be suitable for blue light‐curable ink.
Experimental validation of the soil fertility hypothesis in a natural Mediterranean tri‐trophic system
Authors: Martinez Jean‐Jacques Itzhak , Jonas‐Levi Adi , Gonzalez‐Karlsson Adrea , Moreno‐González Víctor , Álvarez Rafael 
Published: March 2021

AbstractHost plant resources are a major issue in gall‐insect ecology. Soil fertilization may affect both plant quality and indirect defenses, as well as the prey quality of herbivores for predators. The soil fertility hypothesis (SFH) claims that gall‐inducing insects infest more plants growing on poor than on fertile soils. Until now this was studied and supported only by observations in natural tropical biomes. We tested its validity in a field experiment in a Mediterranean region, using four aphid species (Hemiptera: Aphididae, Eriosomatinae) that induce galls in wild Pistacia atlantica Desf. (Anacardiaceae) trees, and their main enemies. The impact of fertilization was examined in control trees that were not fertilized (‘poor soil’) and others that were fertilized with NPK for either one or two consecutive growing seasons. Average internode length in apical shoots of fertilized trees was longer than in control trees, following SFH expectations. We did not detect a different number of aphid species in each tree, contrary to SFH predictions. Fertilization lowered the number of galls, the gall survival, and the mean number of aphids inside the galls, as expected by the SFH. All the galls suffered increased attacks by enemies in fertilized trees, as expected by the SFH. In conclusion, following this field experiment, the SFH should not be rejected as a possible framework in research on galling‐insect ecology.