bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Monocarboxylate Transporters are Involved in Extracellular Matrix Remodelling in Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma
Authors: Ufuk Ayşe , Garner Terence , Stevens Adam , Latif Ayşe 
Published: February 2022

AbstractPancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is an aggressive malignancy with a five-year survival rate of <8%. PDAC is characterised by desmoplasia with abundant extracellular matrix (ECM) rendering current therapies ineffective. Monocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) are key regulators of cellular metabolism and are upregulated in different cancers, however their role in PDAC desmoplasia is little understood. Here, we investigated MCT and ECM gene expression in primary PDAC patient biopsies using RNA-sequencing data obtained from Gene Expression Omnibus. We generated a hypernetwork model from these data to investigate whether a causal relationship exists between MCTs and ECMs. Our analysis of stromal and epithelial tissues (n=189) revealed 9 differentially expressed MCTs, including upregulation of SLC16A2/6/10 and the non-coding SLC16A1-AS1, and 502 ECMs including collagens, laminins, and ECM remodelling enzymes (false discovery rate<0.05). Causal hypernetwork analysis demonstrated a bidirectional relationship between MCTs and ECMs; 4 MCT and 255 ECM-related transcripts correlated with 90% of differentially expressed ECMs (n=376) and MCTs (n=7), respectively. The hypernetwork model was robust, established by two independent approaches involving iterated sampling and silencing of indirect interactions in the network. This transcriptomic analysis highlights the role of MCTs in PDAC desmoplasia via associations with ECMs, opening novel treatment pathways to improve patient survival.Simple SummaryMonocarboxylate transporters (MCTs) carry a variety of substrates with MCT1-4 being well characterised and involved in proton-coupled transport of monocarboxylates (such as lactate) which can be used as metabolic fuel for cancer cells. Increased acidity of tumour microenvironment via MCTs favours remodelling of extracellular matrix (ECM) leading to desmoplasia associated with tumour metastasis and poor patient outcomes. Although MCT1-2/4 are upregulated in several cancers, their expression and role in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma desmoplasia is little understood. Here, we aimed to understand the role of MCTs in desmoplasia through their associations with ECM components. Our analysis using hypernetworks showed the presence of bidirectional associations of MCTs and ECMs, suggesting the presence of a causal relationship and the need to further investigate their functional associations. It confirms the role of MCTs in desmoplasia highlighting their importance as therapeutic targets alone or in combination with key ECM components to potentially improve patient outcomes.
Mitophagy mediates beige to white transition of human primary subcutaneous adipocytes ex vivo
Authors: Vámos Attila , Shaw Abhirup , Varga Klára , Csomós István , Mocsár Gábor , Balajthy Zoltán , Lányi Cecília , Bacso Zsolt , Szatmári-Tóth Mária , Kristóf Endre 
Published: February 2022

AbstractBrown and beige adipocytes have multilocular lipid droplets, express uncoupling protein (UCP) 1, and promote energy expenditure. In rodents, when the stimulus of browning subsides, parkin-dependent mitophagy is activated and dormant beige adipocytes persist. In humans, however, the molecular events during beige to white transition were not studied in detail. In this study, human primary subcutaneous abdominal preadipocytes were differentiated to beige for 14 days, then either the beige culture conditions were applied for additional 14 days or it was replaced by a white medium. Control white adipocytes were differentiated by their specific cocktail for 28 days. Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ-driven beige differentiation resulted in increased mitochondrial biogenesis, UCP1 expression, fragmentation, and respiration as compared to white. Morphology, UCP1-content, mitochondrial fragmentation, and basal respiration of the adipocytes that underwent transition, along with the induction of mitophagy, were similar to control white adipocytes. However, white converted beige adipocytes had a stronger responsiveness to dibutyril-cAMP, which mimics adrenergic stimulus, than the control white ones. Gene expression patterns showed that removal of mitochondria in transitioning adipocytes may involve both parkin-dependent and independent pathways. Preventing entry of beige adipocytes into white transition can be a feasible way to maintain elevated thermogenesis and energy expenditure.
Classification-based forest management program and farmers' income: evidence from collective forest area in southern China
Authors: Xu Chang , Cheng Baodong , Zhang Mengzhen 
Published: February 2022

PurposeThis article's purpose is to examine the effect of a Classification-Based Forest Management (CFM) program on farmers' income and determine whether its effect varies with the degree of farmers' concurrent occupations.Design/methodology/approachThe authors use representative panel survey data from Longquan to explore the welfare effects of CFM on farmers. The analysis uses differences-in-differences with propensity score matching (PSM-DID) estimation techniques to deal with endogeneity problems when farmers make the decision to participate in CFM.FindingsThe results show that CFM has a positive effect on part-time forestry households (where forestry income accounts for between 5 and 50% of total income). In contrast, it has a negative impact on full-time forestry households (forestry income accounts for more than 50%), and no clear effect on nonforestry households whose forestry income is less than 5%. This research also shows that the positive effect of CFM on farmers' total income is mainly due to increase of off-farm income driven by CFM, while the negative effects consist of CFM's reduction of forestry income.Originality/valueThe extent of CFM's economic benefits to farmers is uncertain and largely unexplored. This paper analyzes the impact of CFM on income structure to explore the mechanisms explaining its effects on farmers' income. There are still challenges in ensuring the reliability and accuracy of CFM assessment. This paper collected natural experimental data and used the estimation technology of PSM-DID to solve the possible endogeneity problems.
The impact of the threat of COVID-19 on visiting intentions as influenced by different destination logos
Authors: Kim Jungkeun , Park Jooyoung , Kim Seongseop (Sam) , Gonzalez-Jimenez Hector , Kim Jae-Eun , De Villiers Rouxelle , Lee Jacob C. , Giroux Marilyn 
Published: February 2022

Purpose
This research aims to examine the role of perceived threat (i.e. COVID-19) on people’s preferences for destination logo designs. In addition, it investigates the influence of childhood socioeconomic status (SES) and sensation seeking on the aforementioned effect.

Design/methodology/approach
Five experiments are used. Studies 1 A and 1B examine the impact of the threat of COVID-19 on visiting intentions as influenced by different destination logos. Study 2 replicates the previous studies and tests for evidence of mediation by the perceived risk. Studies 3 and 4 investigate the moderating role of childhood SES and sensation seeking.

Findings
The results show that a salient threat of COVID-19 leads people to display higher visiting intentions when presented with simpler (vs complex) destination logo designs. The perceived risk mediates this effect as well. This preference is evident only for people with low (vs high) childhood SES and only for relatively low sensation seekers.

Research limitations/implications
This study contributes to the branding literature by investigating how situational factors can influence affective reactions to brand logos and to the tourism literature by further investigating the impact of logos on visiting intentions.

Practical implications
This study provides actionable insights for tourism marketers and logo designers, allowing them to select or create positively perceived destination logos during a potential global crisis.

Originality/value
This research offers the first evidence that pandemic-related threat perceptions influence people’s visiting intentions when presented with different destination logos, and that these effects are influenced by individual characteristics such as childhood SES or sensation seeking. In doing so, the current study offers a more sophisticated understanding of the potential boundary conditions driving people’s brand logo evaluation.
How do adoption choices influence public private partnership outcomes? Lessons from Spain and Portugal transport infrastructure
Authors: Anago Jude Chidiebere 
Published: February 2022

Purpose Maximising real efficiency benefit (REB) is currently being replaced with access to private finance as core public–private partnership (PPP) adoption motive. This later choice focusses on short-term performance, compromising REB and the procurement of infrastructure that meets the need of the present and future generations, which the former accomplishes. The paper aims to review these observed changes to understand the rationales and significance behind such switch.Design/methodology/approach Secondary data powered exploratory study. Deployed X-inefficiency theory to triangulate and reduce bias and select country cases to provide the proper foundation for the descriptive “what happened?” question, such as “what was the failure concerns with a particular adoption choice?”Findings The shift to accessing private finance adoption motive against REB failed to improve PPP project performance or meet efficiency and sustainability. Instead, it allows the private sector to assume financial risk without synergistic monitoring from the government to determine their contractual and commitment trust level, which would help achieve the five-dimensional sustainable performance measurement system for PPP. This led to the struggles of PPP projects in Portugal and Spain, where cost overruns and high demand forecast led to project failures. A recommendation, blended finance with its technical assistance additionality, is considered pivotal to addressing access to private finance motive shortcomings.Originality/value This study improves best practices for new and existing adopters by systematically establishing that adoption ideology is a cardinal variable that influences PPP project success. When not correctly adopted, it can make the most successful structured projects face complexities and uncertainty.
Exploring the nexus of equality and efficiency in healthcare
Authors: Cinaroglu Songul 
Published: February 2022

PurposeThis study aims to explore the nexus of equality and efficiency by considering public hospitals' development dynamics, capacity and technology indicators.Design/methodology/approachData was collected from the Ministry of Health Public Hospital Almanacs from 2014 to 2017. The Gini index (GI) is used to estimate the inequality of distribution of hospital performance indicators. A bias-corrected efficiency analysis is calculated to obtain efficiency scores of public hospitals for the year 2017. A path analysis is then constructed to better identify patterns of causation among a set of development, equality and efficiency variables.FindingsA redefined path model highlights that development dynamics, equality and efficiency are causally related and health technology (path coefficient = 0.57; t = 19.07; p < 0.01) and health services utilization (path coefficient = 0.24; t = 8; p < 0.01) effects public hospital efficiency. The final path model fit well (X2/df = 50.99/8 = 6; RMSEA = 0.089; NFI = 0.95; CFI = 0.96; GFI = 0.98; AGFI = 0.94). Study findings indicate high inequalities in distribution of health technologies (GI > 0.85), number of surgical operations (GI > 0.70) and number of inpatients (GI > 0.60) among public hospitals for the years 2014–2017.Originality/valueStudy results highlight that, hospital managers should prioritize equal distribution of health technology and health services utilization indicators to better orchestrate equity-efficiency trade-off in their operations.
Availability optimization of biological and chemical processing unit using genetic algorithm and particle swarm optimization
Authors: Saini Monika , Goyal Drishty , Kumar Ashish , Patil Rajkumar Bhimgonda 
Published: February 2022

PurposeThe demand of sewage treatment plants is increasing day by day, especially in the countries like India. Biological and chemical unit of such sewage treatment plants are critical and needs to be designed and developed to achieve desired level of reliability, maintainability and availability.Design/methodology/approachThis paper investigates and optimizes the availability of biological and chemical unit of a sewage treatment plant. A novel mathematical model for this unit is developed using the Markovian birth-death process. A set of Chapman–Kolmogorov differential equations are derived for the model and a generalized solution is discovered using soft computing techniques namely genetic algorithm (GA) and particle swarm optimization (PSO).FindingsNature-inspired optimization techniques results of availability function depicted that PSO outperforms GA. The optimum value of the availability of biological and chemical processing unit is 0.9324 corresponding to population size 100, the number of evolutions 300, mutation 0.6 and crossover 0.85 achieved using GA while PSO results reflect that optimum achieved availability is 0.936240 after 45 iterations. Finally, it is revealed that PSO outperforms than GA.Research limitations/implicationsThis paper investigates and optimizes the availability of biological and chemical units of a sewage treatment plant. A novel mathematical model for this unit is developed using the Markovian birth-death process.Originality/valueAvailability model of biological and chemical units of a sewage treatment is developed using field failure data and judgments collected from the experts. Furthermore, availability of the system has been optimized to achieve desired level of reliability and maintainability.
Decreasing e-waste through reliability enhancement encouraged by performance-based contracting
Authors: Uvet Hasan , Celik Hasan , Cevikparmak Sedat , Adana Saban , Idug Yavuz 
Published: February 2022

PurposeIn the last 20 years, e-waste has become a serious issue resulting from an overwhelming amount of electronics consumption. However, there has been limited research on how to decrease such waste in a structured manner. Toward study was to use a simulation methodology to investigate the dynamics of upfront investment in reliability enhancement promoted by performance-based contracting (PBC), based on the number of spare parts and duration of the contract.Design/methodology/approachThe present research first details the relevant mathematical equations and uses game theory to demonstrate the utility for supplier and buyer relationships. Next, the effects of reliability enhancement, spare partsPBC are analyzed using a BlockSim simulation model.FindingsThe results indicate strong relationships among system design cost, reliability, availability and service cost. The authors found that investment in reliability increases system availability while reducing total service costs. Furthermore, increasing the spare parts inventory was determined to have less influence on the readiness of highly reliable systems. The findings support the notion that PBC reduces e-waste by increasing system availability, incentivizing upfront investment in reliability growth.Research limitations/implicationsRecognition of these findings in the context of buyer–supplier relationships will help managers better understand the value of upfront reliability investment, reducing maintenance, repair and overhaul requirements, avoiding the need to plan for extra spare parts and minimizing volume and the resulting e-waste.Practical implicationsThis study also clarifies the uncertainty associated with upfront investment and provides potential incentives for suppliers.Originality/valueThe main contribution of this study is its use of PBC for e-waste reduction, highlighting the effects of upfront investment in reliability enhancement. The authors applied a game theory model to illustrate the relationship between incentives and upfront investment and demonstrate how increased levels of spare parts can be counterproductive to achieving readiness, reducing inventory and consequent e-waste.
Product quality optimization vs production capacity optimization: an analytical perspective
Authors: Goswami Mohit , Daultani Yash 
Published: February 2022

PurposeThis study aims to devise generalized unconstrained optimization models for ascertaining the optimal level of product quality and production capacity level by modeling both product price and production cost as a function of product quality. Further, interrelations among investment for quality, product quality and production volume are considered. This study contributes toward the extant research, in that nuances related to price, production volume, and product quality are fused together such that two broad operational strategies of product quality optimization and production capacity optimization can be contrasted.Design/methodology/approachTo achieve the research objectives, the authors evolve unconstrained optimization models such that optimal product quality level and optimal production capacity level can be obtained employing the principles of differential calculus aimed at maximizing the manufacturer's profit. Specifically, nuances related to quality technology and efficiency, and quality loss cost has also been integrated in the integrated model. Thereafter, employing numerical analysis for a generalized product, the detailed workings of evolved models are demonstrated. The authors further carry out the sensitivity analysis to understand the impact of investment for quality onto the manufacturer's profit for both operational strategies.FindingsThe research demonstrates that the manufacturer would be better off adopting production capacity optimization strategy as an operational policy, as opposed to product quality optimization policy for the manufacturer's profit maximization. Further, considering the two operational strategies, the manufacturer does not obtain the highest possible theoretical profit when pertinent variables (product quality and production capacity) are set at highest possible theoretical level. This research discusses that in low-volume and high-margin products, it might be useful to adopt a product quality optimization strategy as a production capacity optimization strategy results in significantly high quality loss cost.Originality/valueThe findings of our study have a significant implication for industries such as steel-making, cement production, automotive industry wherein the conventional wisdom dictates that higher level of production capacity utilization always results in higher level of revenues. However, the authors deduce that beyond certain production capacity utilization, striving for higher utilization does not fetch additional profit. This work also adds to the extant research literature, in that it integrates the nuances of product quality, production volume and pricing in an integrative manner.
Voluntary disclosure-cost of equity nexus and the moderating role of corporate governance: evidence from an extremely politically unstable context
Authors: Abu Alia Muiz , Abdeljawad Islam , Jallad Sara Emad , Rashid Mamunur 
Published: February 2022

Purpose
Higher degree of and commitment to voluntary disclosure (VD) and corporate governance (CG) helps contain information asymmetry, leading to lower cost of equity (Ke). This study provides evidence on the nexus among VD, CG, and Ke from a context characterized by extreme political instability.

Design/methodology/approach
This study uses all non-bank companies listed with the Palestine Exchange during 2009–2018. The level of VD was estimated by using a checklist of 35 items modified for the context of Palestine. A second checklist with 19 items was used to measure the commitment of the Palestinian companies with CG requirements. Five proxies for Ke were tested: three ex-ante Capital Asset Pricing Model-like proxies and two ex-post realized return proxies.

Findings
The findings state that the VD negatively impacted Ke. Interaction effect of CG and VD helps reduce the Ke. As such, for firms with better CG, the increase in VD decreases the Ke more than their standalone effect. For control variables, leverage, size and growth of firms exhibited positive impacts on Ke, whereas quality of auditors found a negative connection.

Practical implications
Managers in similar context, like Palestine, may prefer flexibility of smaller size and adopt conservative growth strategies to cope with adverse events. Firms adopt CG and VD as complementary forces to tackle instability and market expectation.

Originality/value
Studies connecting VD-CG-Ke nexus from similar context are rare. Results of this study forward that emphasis on disclosure and governance practices will help boost the confidence of the investors, reduce the Ke and create an incentive for more investment.
The role of access-based apparel in processes of consumer identity construction
Authors: Sörum Niklas , Gianneschi Marcus 
Published: February 2022

PurposeThe aim of the study is to analyse negotiations about ownership and style in access-based apparel related to processes of identity construction.Design/methodology/approachThe study applies a qualitative and interpretative method and relies on semi-structured depth interviews and focus group interviews with clothing library users as the main data source. The conceptual context of this paper is that of consumer culture theory approaches to consumer identity construction and the role of object ownership in consumer identity projects.FindingsThe empirical analysis highlights how processes of consumer identity construction related to symbolic values of clothing and self-possession mechanisms related to ownership are negotiated in encounters with access-based types of fashion consumption with effects on potential consumer adoption of access-based forms of consumption. The findings are structured in six analytical themes.Social implicationsThere are several aspects of this research which are of relevance to the sustainability agenda and which have societal implications. Identity has been identified, in previous research, as a key conceptual tool for exploring, predicting and deepening the understanding of pro-environmental and sustainable behaviours. As such, if the aim is to strengthen the commitment of societies to environmental and sustainable behaviours, then this will require greater knowledge of consumers' identities and meaning-making processes. This is a challenge, not least in terms of recognizing the barriers identified in this study as relating to issues of consumer identity construction.Originality/valueThis study reveals multiple possibilities as well as barriers for implementing collaborative apparel consumption schemes in a fashion and apparel context. Some of the barriers might be explained by clothing's emotional character and close relationship to identity formation. Furthermore, the participants questioned whether access and renting services could substitute the meanings of owning. In conclusion, the authors argue that clothing may be a challenging type of goods to integrate in liquid forms of consumption and findings point out complexities amongst fashion-conscious consumers regarding meaning and identity values of collaborative apparel consumption. Theoretical contributions of an interpretative consumer identity approach for understanding barriers as well as possibilities for consumer adoption of access-based fashion are developed in the concluding sections of the article.