bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Practitioners' learning about healthcare supply chain management in the COVID-19 pandemic: a public procurement perspective
Authors: Harland Christine Mary , Knight Louise , Patrucco Andrea S. , Lynch Jane , Telgen Jan , Peters Esmee , Tátrai Tünde , Ferk Petra 
Published: December 2021

PurposeThe procurement and supply of crucial healthcare products in the early stages of the COVID-19 emergency were chaotic. To prepare for future crises, we must be able to describe what went wrong, and why, and map out ways to build agility and resilience. How can this be done effectively, given the highly complex and diverse network of actors across governments, care providers and supply chains, and the extreme uncertainty and dynamism in the procurement system and supplier markets? The purpose of this study was to capture learning from practitioners in “real time” in a way that could frame and inform capacity building across healthcare systems with varying procurement and supply management maturity.Design/methodology/approachThis exploratory study involved interviews with 58 senior public procurement practitioners in central and regional governments, NGOs and leaders of professional organizations from 23 countries, very early in the COVID crisis. Following the first, inductive phase of analysis leading to five descriptive dimensions, the awareness-motivation-capability (A-M-C) framework was applied in a further round of coding, to understand immediate challenges faced by procurement practitioners, how the complex, multi-level procurement system that shaped their motivations to respond and critical capabilities required to face these challenges.FindingsDevelopments across 23 countries and practitioners' learning about procurement and supply in the pandemic crisis can be captured in five overarching themes: governance and organization, knowledge and skills, information systems, regulation and supply base issues. Together these themes cover the strengths and gaps in procurement and supply capability encountered by procurement leaders and front-line personnel. They highlight the various facets of structure, resource and process which constitute organizational capability. However, to account better for the highly dynamic situation characterized by both unprecedented rivalry and cooperation, analysts must also pay attention to actors' emerging awareness of the situation and their rapidly changing motivations.Originality/valueThe application of the A-M-C framework is unique in the healthcare supply chain and disaster management literature. It enables a comprehensive overview of healthcare procurement from a system perspective. This study shows how increasing system preparedness for future emergencies depends both on developing critical capabilities and understanding how awareness and motivation influence the effective deployment of those capabilities.
Transparency level of the electronic procurement system in Malaysia
Authors: Ahmad Hawa , Abul Hassan Sitti Hasinah , Ismail Suhaiza 
Published: December 2021

Purpose
This paper aims to examine the level of transparency of the electronic procurement (e-procurement) system in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach
Using the content analysis method, 23 transparency disclosure items from the Website Attribute Evaluation System (WAES) checklist were used to evaluate the transparency level of the e-procurement system. The data gathered from the WAES were analysed using frequency and percentage based on the various categories of transparency.

Findings
The study reveals that the e-procurement system disclosed 17 out of the 23 WAES transparency disclosure items, which represents a transparency disclosure level of 73.91%. Of the five categories of disclosure, i.e. ownership, contact information, organizational information, citizen consequences and freshness, the detailed results show that the items are fully disclosed for only two categories, and for three categories, i.e. ownership, contact information and organizational information, the items are not fully disclosed.

Research limitations/implications
The findings of the present research offer a positive indication that the government is moving in the right direction, particularly in efforts to reduce the corruption level in procurement activities and to improve the accountability level of the government.

Originality/value
The present study is among the few studies that attempts to address a fundamental issue of transparency in the public procurement system that has an important relationship with the occurrence of corruption in procurement activities.
Biodiversity reporting practices of the South African national parks
Authors: Buchling Michael , Maroun Warren 
Published: December 2021

Purpose
This paper aims to explore the biodiversity reporting by a state-owned entity responsible for conserving and protecting biodiversity assets in South Africa, the South African National Parks (SANParks) (SOC) Limited.

Design/methodology/approach
This study uses content analysis to explore and investigate the disclosure themes in the SANParks reports for the period 2013–2017. The frequency of substantive disclosures is also evaluated over a five-year period. The data are presented graphically in frequency charts and supported by descriptive statistics and univariate correlations for non-normal data. This provides insights into the amount of information being disclosed and the interconnections among biodiversity reporting themes.

Findings
SANParks has increased its reporting on biodiversity over time. Disclosures are interconnected and deal with a range of issues, including species at risk of extinction, operational considerations, risk management practices and how SANParks evaluates its environmental performance. The information is detailed and included in different parts of the organisation’s annual reports suggesting a genuine commitment to protecting biodiversity. There are areas for improvement but SANParks frames biodiversity as a central part of its strategy, operations and assurance processes something which would not occur if the disclosures were only about managing impressions.

Originality/value
The study is among the first to explore biodiversity disclosure themes in a state-owned entity in Africa, responsible for the conservation. While the study deals with a specific case entity, the findings are broadly applicable for other organisations keen on constructing a biodiversity account.
Comprehensive characterization of sortase A‐dependent surface proteins in Streptococcus mutans
Authors: Katsumata Tamaki , Nguyen‐Tra Le Mi , Kawada‐Matsuo Miki , Taniguchi Yuri , Ouhara Kazuhisa , Oogai Yuichi , Nakata Masanobu , Mizuno Noriyoshi , Nishitani Yoshihiro , Komatsuzawa Hitoshi 
Published: December 2021

AbstractStreptococcus mutans, a cariogenic pathogen, adheres to the tooth surface and forms a biofilm. Bacterial cell surface proteins are associated with adherence to substrates. Sortase A (SrtA) mediates the localization of proteins with an LPXTG motif‐containing proteins to the cell surface by covalent binding to peptidoglycan. In S. mutans UA159, six SrtA‐dependent proteins, SpaP, WapA, WapE, DexA, FruA, and GbpC, were identified. Although some of these proteins were characterized, a comprehensive analysis of the six proteins has not been reported. In this study, we constructed mutants deficient in each of these proteins and the SrtA‐deficient mutant. The SrtA‐deficient mutant showed drastically decreased binding to salivary components, biofilm formation, bacterial coaggregation activity, hydrophobicity, and cellular matrix binding (collagen type I, fibronectin, and laminin). The SpaP‐deficient mutant showed significantly reduced binding to salivary components and partially increased coaggregation with Porphyromonas gingivalis, and decreased hydrophobicity, and collagen binding. The WapA‐deficient mutant showed slightly decreased coaggregation with Fusobacterium nucleatum. Although the SrtA‐deficient mutant showed drastically altered phenotypes, all SrtA‐dependent protein‐deficient mutants, except the SpaP‐deficient mutant, did not show considerable alterations in binding to salivary components. These results indicate that the six proteins may coordinately contribute to these activities. In addition, using genomic data of 125 S. mutans strains, the amino acid sequences of each surface protein were compared and many variations were found among strains, which may affect the phenotype of cell surface proteins in S. mutans.
Pupillary response in adults with Marfan syndrome and its effect on straylight
Authors: Sandvik Gunhild Falleth , Rand‐Hendriksen Svend , Drolsum Liv , Kristianslund Olav 
Published: December 2021

AbstractPurposeThe main objective of this study was to examine the pupillary response in patients with Marfan syndrome (MFS) and secondarily to determine whether changes in the pupillary response are associated with the increased disability glare previously shown in the same patient population.MethodsThis study included 60 eyes of 34 patients with MFS diagnosed in accordance with the Ghent‐2 criteria and 81 eyes of 44 controls. Pupillary response was measured with a pupillograph and disability glare with a straylight meter.ResultsThe patients with MFS had a significantly smaller maximum pupil size than the control group, 4.87 (4.50–5.23) mm versus 5.58 (5.25–5.90) mm (p = 0.01). In addition, they exhibited slower contraction velocities (p = 0.03) and longer re‐dilation times (p = 0.01) compared with the control group. The mean straylight value was higher in patients with MFS than controls, even when including pupillary parameters together with lens surgery, cataract, iris colour, axial length and corneal curvature as possible explanatory variables in the analysis. However, when including data from both groups, a significant negative correlation was seen between maximum pupillary diameter and straylight value (p = 0.01). The other pupillary parameters did not correlate with straylight.ConclusionPatients with MFS had a smaller maximum pupil diameter, slower pupillary contraction and longer re‐dilation time than the controls. Despite the correlation between pupil size and straylight value, the pupillary response demonstrated in MFS eyes could not explain the increased straylight in these patients.
The medium‐run effects of a foreign election intervention: Haiti's presidential elections, 2010–2015
Authors: Palsson Craig 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe US and other foreign actors often intervene in elections in countries transitioning to democracy. I examine the effects of such interventions on voter behavior. In 2010, the United States intervened in Haiti's presidential election, advancing Michel Martelly over Jude Célestin. I look at the relationship between the intervention and voter behavior in the next election using Célestin's 2010 vote share as a measure of the intervention's intensity in a modified difference‐in‐differences analysis. Areas with greater Célestin support in 2010 had lower turnout in 2015. The relationship is robust to many sensitivity tests that account for possible confounding effects from fraud.
Revealing the drivers of taxonomic and functional diversity of nearshore fish assemblages: Implications for conservation priorities
Authors: Shah Esmaeili Yasmina , N. Corte Guilherme , Checon Helio H. , G. Bilatto Carla , Lefcheck Jonathan S. , Zacagnini Amaral Antonia Cecilia , Turra Alexander 
Published: December 2021

AbstractAimUnderstanding patterns and drivers of biodiversity are essential towards developing effective conservation strategies for shallow marine habitats broadly. However, little is known about the natural and anthropogenic factors that structure fish biodiversity of sandy beaches, one of the largest and most socio‐economically valuable nearshore habitats due to their endemic fauna, economic importance and cultural relevance. Here, we investigated how environmental variables and urbanization affect taxonomic and functional diversity of nearshore fish assemblages to provide general biodiversity patterns that can serve as baseline information for management plans when considering conservation prioritization.LocationSoutheast Brazil.MethodsWe surveyed fish communities at 77 sites along 150 km of coastline with different natural features and degrees of human influence using a combination of seine nets and surf‐BRUVS. We used generalized additive models (GAMs) to investigate the influence of environmental variables and urbanization on taxonomic and functional diversity of resident fish assemblages.Main resultsWe found that significant breaker wave height was the most important environmental variable in explaining the taxonomic and functional diversity of fish assemblages. The effects of increasing wave height were mostly negative, except for piscivorous fishes, which were most abundant at high energy sites, and for benthic and zoobenthivorous species, which were most abundant at sites with intermediate wave exposure. The latter species were also associated with higher chlorophyll‐a contributing to increased taxonomic richness and abundance. Further, anthropogenic impacts generally reduced diversity, with highest diversity only observed at the most pristine sites.Main conclusionsOur results demonstrate that both natural environmental variation and human activities structure the fish assemblages of sandy beach surf zones, affecting species that possess specific functional traits differently. These drivers should therefore be considered simultaneously in appointing protected areas in order to preserve a diversity of organisms and functional traits integral to productive beach ecosystems.
Automated test design using swarm and evolutionary intelligence algorithms
Authors: Aktaş Muhammet , Yetgin Zeki , Kılıç Fatih , Sünbül Önder 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe world's increasing dependence on computer‐assisted education systems has raised significant challenges about student assessment methods, such as automated test design. The exam questions should test the students' potential from various aspects, such as their intellectual and cognitive levels, which can be defined as attributes of the questions to assess student knowledge. Test design is challenging when various question attributes, such as category, learning outcomes, difficulty, and so forth, are considered with the exam constraints, such as exam difficulty and duration. In this paper, four contributions are provided to overcome test design challenges for the student assessment. First, a tool is developed to generate a synthetic question pool. Second, an objective function is designed based on the considered attributes. Third, the popular swarm and evolutionary optimization methods, namely particle swarm optimization, genetic algorithm, artificial bee colony, differential search algorithm are comparatively studied with novel methodologies applied to them. Finally, as the state of the art methods, artificial bee colony, and differential search algorithm are further modified to improve the solution of the test design. To perform the proposed algorithms, a dataset of 1000 questions is built with the proposed question attributes of the test design. Algorithms are evaluated in terms of their successes in both minimizing the objective function and running time. Additionally, Friedman's test and Wilcoxon rank‐sum statistical tests are applied to statistically compare the algorithms' performances. The results show that the improved artificial bee colony and the improved differential search provide better results than others in terms of optimization error and running time.
Seasonal to decadal spatiotemporal variations of the global ocean carbon sink
Authors: Zhang Min , Cheng Yangyan , Bao Ying , Zhao Chang , Wang Gang , Zhang Yuanling , Song Zhenya , Wu Zhaohua , Qiao Fangli 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe global ocean has absorbed approximately 30% of anthropogenic CO2 since the beginning of the industrial revolution. However, the spatiotemporal evolution of this important global carbon sink varies substantially on all timescales and has not yet been well evaluated. Here, based on a reconstructed observation‐based product of surface ocean pCO2 and air–sea CO2 flux (the MPI‐SOMFFN method), we investigated seasonal to decadal spatiotemporal variations of the ocean CO2 sink during the past three decades using an adaptive data analysis method. Two predominant variations are modulated annual cycles and decadal fluctuations, which account for approximately 46% and 25% of all extracted components, respectively. Although the whole summer to non‐summer seasonal difference pattern is determined by the Southern Ocean, the non‐summer CO2 sink at mid‐latitudes in both hemispheres shows an increasing trend (a total increase of approximately 1.0 PgC during the period 1982–2019), while it is relatively stable in summer. On decadal timescales for the global ocean carbon sink, unlike the weakening decade (1990–1999) and the reinvigoration decade (2000–2009) in which the Southern Ocean plays the dominant role, the reinforcement decade (2010–2019) is mainly the result from the weakening source effect in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. Our results suggest that except for the Southern Ocean's role in the global ocean carbon sink, the strengthening non‐summer's sink at mid‐latitudes in both hemispheres and the decadal or longer timescales of equatorial Pacific Ocean dynamics should be fully considered in understanding the oceanic carbon cycle on a global scale.
Socio‐ecological drivers of multiple zoonotic hazards in highly urbanized cities
Authors: Combs Matthew A. , Kache Pallavi A. , VanAcker Meredith C. , Gregory Nichar , Plimpton Laura D. , Tufts Danielle M. , Fernandez Maria P. , Diuk‐Wasser Maria A. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractThe ongoing COVID‐19 pandemic is a stark reminder of the devastating consequences of pathogen spillover from wildlife to human hosts, particularly in densely populated urban centers. Prevention of future zoonotic disease is contingent on informed surveillance for known and novel threats across diverse human–wildlife interfaces. Cities are a key venue for potential spillover events because of the presence of zoonotic pathogens transmitted by hosts and vectors living in close proximity to dense human settlements. Effectively identifying and managing zoonotic hazards requires understanding the socio‐ecological processes driving hazard distribution and pathogen prevalence in dynamic and heterogeneous urban landscapes. Despite increasing awareness of the human health impacts of zoonotic hazards, the integration of an eco‐epidemiological perspective into public health management plans remains limited. Here we discuss how landscape patterns, abiotic conditions, and biotic interactions influence zoonotic hazards across highly urbanized cities (HUCs) in temperate climates to promote their efficient and effective management by a multi‐sectoral coalition of public health stakeholders. We describe how to interpret both direct and indirect ecological processes, incorporate spatial scale, and evaluate networks of connectivity specific to different zoonotic hazards to promote biologically‐informed and targeted decision‐making. Using New York City, USA as a case study, we identify major zoonotic threats, apply knowledge of relevant ecological factors, and highlight opportunities and challenges for research and intervention. We aim to broaden the toolbox of urban public health stakeholders by providing ecologically‐informed, practical guidance for the evaluation and management of zoonotic hazards.
From pure academics to transformative scholars? The crisis of the “ideal academic” in a Peruvian university
Authors: Manky Omar , Saravia Sergio 
Published: December 2021

AbstractIn the last 2 decades, the Latin American university has embarked on a shift toward increasing scientific production, following a pattern common to much of the Global North. Few studies have analyzed how this process has had a differentiated impact on male and female scholars. In dialog with previous studies, we explore the changing nature of the “ideal academic,” accounting for its gendered character in an historically and culturally specific context. Based on a qualitative study, we describe the crisis of a model that idealized theoretical work and exclusive dedication to academia, and show that, in a broader context of feminist mobilizations, a critical discourse is emerging, stressing the need to bridge academic life and professional and political concerns. We seek to contribute to studies on changes in the Latin American academy illustrating the gendered ways through which the neoliberal university ends up being contested in the Global South.
Determinants of attrition in agricultural training programmes: Insights from the next generation cocoa youth programme in Ghana
Authors: Azumah Shaibu Baanni , Dagunga Gilbert , Zakaria Abraham , Boateng Nathaniel A. , Mensah Kwadwo B. , Boateng Ethel S. 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDemographic data from Ghana suggest aging population among cocoa farmers. Based on this evidence, youth participation in the cocoa sector has become a subject of interest to stakeholders including Solidaridad. This study employed both qualitative analysis and parametric regression models that addresses observed and unobserved errors, to estimate the determinants of youth attrition from cocoa training programmes; and the possible impact of attrition on youth engagement in cocoa farming in Ghana. The empirical results reveal that younger and male youth, the unmarried, persons without mobile phone, youth who do not participate in community development initiatives, and youth without leadership roles have a higher propensity of attrition from agricultural training programmes. Attrition was also found to be significantly driven by youth not having savings, non‐business ownership, and having higher formal education. There is therefore the need for various stakeholders including COCOBOD in Ghana, to employ various mechanisms aimed at encouraging the youth to save. This could be done especially through the formation of Youth Savings and Loan Associations (YSLAs) which could reduce attrition rates from training programmes. Moreover, married and female youth should be prioritised by future cocoa‐training programmes, and encouraged to take up leadership roles in the communitiessince they have a lower probability of attrition from training programmes.
Barriers to naturalization: How dual citizenship restrictions impede full membership
Authors: Weinmann Martin 
Published: December 2021

AbstractDual citizenship restrictions are widely recognized as one of the major barriers for immigrant naturalization. Yet, we know surprisingly little about what drives migrants’ concerns about trading off their former citizenship for a new one. This paper aims at closing this gap by analysing the interrelation between dual citizenship policies and naturalization outcomes on basis of original survey data from Germany. I examine how dual citizenship restrictions as well as subjectively perceived barriers concerning acceptance and belonging regarding citizenship change drive immigrants’ naturalization decisions. Using cluster‐robust logistic regression models clustered by origin country, I find that the requirement of giving up one's original citizenship for naturalization impedes immigrants’ naturalization decisions and that perceived barriers concerning acceptance and belonging are also relevant for long‐term exclusion from full membership in the destination country.