bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Characterization of Differences of Seed Endophytic Microbiome in Conventional and Organic Rice by Amplicon-based Sequencing and Culturing Methods
Authors: Khanal Sabin , Imran Muhammad , Zhou Xin-Gen , Antony-Babu Sanjay
Published: October 2023

The seed serves as the primary source of microbial inoculum for plant microbiota, playing a crucial role in establishing microbial populations in plants across subsequent generations, ultimately impacting plant growth and its overall health. Cropping conditions, especially farming practices, can influence the composition and functionality of the seed microbiome. Very little is known about the differences in seed microbiome between organic and conventional production systems. In this study, we characterized the endophytic microbial populations in seeds of rice grown under organic and conventional management practices through culture-dependent and independent analyses. The V4 region of 16S rRNA was used for bacterial taxa identification, and the ITS1 region was used in the identification of fungal taxa. Our results revealed significantly higher Shannon and Simpson indices for bacterial diversity in the conventional farming system whereas the fungal diversity was higher for observed, Shannon, and Simpson indices in the organic farming system. The cultivable endophytic bacteria were isolated and identified by the full-length 16S rRNA gene. There was no difference in culturable endophytic bacterial isolates in rice seeds grown under both conventional and organic farming systems. Among 33 unique isolates testedin vitro, three bacteriaBacillussp. ST24,Burkholderiasp. OR5, andPantoeasp. ST25, showed antagonistic activities againstMarasmius graminum, Rhizoctonia solaniAG4, andR. solaniAG11, the fungal pathogens causing rice seedling blight.

IMPORTANCE

In this paper, we studied the differences in the endophytic microbial composition of rice seeds grown in conventional and organic farming systems. Our results demonstrate a greater bacterial diversity in conventional farming, while organic farming showcases a higher fungal diversity. Additionally, our research reveals the ability of seed bacterial endophytes to inhibit the growth of three fungal pathogens responsible for causing seedling blight in rice. This study provides valuable insights into the potential use of beneficial seed microbial endophytes for developing a novel microbiome-based strategy in the management rice diseases. Such an approach has the potential to enhance overall plant health and improve crop productivity.
Inhibition of Asparagine Synthetase Effectively Retards Polycystic Kidney Disease Progression
Authors: Podrini Christine , Clerici Sara , Tronci Laura , Stefanoni Davide , Canu Tamara , Chiaravalli Marco , Spies Daniel , Costa Ana S. H. , Esposito Antonio , D’Alessandro Angelo , Frezza Christian , Bachi Angela , Boletta Alessandra
Published: October 2023

Polycystic Kidney Disease (PKD) is a genetic disorder characterized by bilateral cyst formation. We showed that PKD cells and kidneys display metabolic alterations, including the Warburg effect and glutaminolysis, sustainedin vitroby the enzyme asparagine synthetase (ASNS). Here, we used antisense oligonucleotides (ASO) againstAsnsin orthologous and slowly progressive PKD murine models and show that treatment leads to a drastic reduction of total kidney volume (measured by MRI) and a prominent rescue of renal function in the mouse. Mechanistically, the upregulation of an ATF4-ASNS axis in PKD is driven by the amino acid response (AAR) branch of the integrated stress response (ISR). Metabolic profiling of PKD or control kidneys treated withAsns-ASO orScr-ASO revealed major changes in the mutants, several of which are rescued byAsnssilencingin vivo. Indeed, ASNS drives glutamine-dependentde novopyrimidine synthesis and proliferation in cystic epithelia. Notably, while several metabolic pathways were completely corrected byAsns-ASO, glycolysis was only partially restored. Accordingly, combining the glycolytic inhibitor 2DG withAsns-ASO further improved efficacy. Our studies identify a new therapeutic target and novel metabolic vulnerabilities in PKD.
Cross-modal sensory compensation increases mosquito attraction to humans
Authors: Morita Takeshi , Lyn Nia G. , von Heynitz Ricarda K. , Goldman Olivia V. , Sorrells Trevor R. , DeGennaro Matthew , Matthews Benjamin J. , Houri-Zeevi Leah , Vosshall Leslie B.
Published: October 2023

Sensory compensation is a process that allows individuals with a loss of one sense, for instance hearing or vision, to adapt to changes in their sensory abilities. Where this phenomenon has been observed, there is enhanced perception by another sense to compensate for deficiency of the lost sense. Such compensation is important for humans and non-human animals that use multisensory integration for effective navigation and the execution of vital tasks. Among these, female mosquitoes are sensory specialists that rely heavily on integrating multiple human-emitted cues in their quest for a suitable host to obtain a blood meal. Here, we identify a previously undescribed mechanism of sensory compensation in femaleAedes aegyptimosquitoes. Mutant mosquitoes lacking the odorant receptor co-receptorOrcoshow specific enhancement in heat-seeking behavior. This s compensation does not require the antenna, which was previously assumed to be the primary mosquito thermosensitive organ. Instead, we found that the tips of the forelegs are required to detect heat, and that the heightened sensitivity in heat detection is mediated by increased neuronal activity in foreleg sensory neurons, which are distant from the head appendage neurons that expressOrco. By comparative gene expression analysis in wildtype andOrcomutant legs, we identifyIr140, a foreleg-enriched member of the Ionotropic Receptor (IR) superfamily of sensory receptors, as strongly upregulated inOrcomutant legs. Emphasizing the important role of IRs in thermosensation, we find that mutant mosquitoes lacking the IR co-receptor,Ir25a, lose all responses to heat, andIr140mutants show strong deficits in responding to human skin temperatures. We generated anIr140,Orcodouble mutant and show that these animals lose the remarkable sensory compensation seen inOrcomutants. This strongly suggests that upregulation ofIr140in the foreleg is the mechanism of sensory compensation inOrcomutants. Odorant receptor expression is sparse in legs, suggesting an indirect, long-range mechanism of sensory compensation. Our findings reveal a novel compensatory mechanism in which loss of one sensory modality in femaleAedes aegyptimosquitoes results in greater sensitivity in another to maintain the overall effectiveness of their host-seeking behavior, further enhancing their status as the most dangerous predator of humans.
Premature endocycling ofDrosophilafollicle cells causes pleiotropic defects in oogenesis
Authors: Herriage Hunter C. , Calvi Brian R.
Published: October 2023

Endocycling cells grow and repeatedly duplicate their genome without dividing. Cells switch from mitotic cycles to endocycles in response to developmental signals during the growth of specific tissues in a wide range of organisms. The purpose of switching to endocycles, however, remains unclear in many tissues. Additionally, cells can switch to endocycles in response to conditional signals, which can have beneficial or pathological effects on tissues. However, the impact of these unscheduled endocycles on development is underexplored. Here, we useDrosophilaovarian somatic follicle cells as a model to examine the impact of unscheduled endocycles on tissue growth and function. Follicle cells normally switch to endocycles at mid-oogenesis. Inducing follicle cells to prematurely switch to endocycles resulted in lethality of the resulting embryos. Analysis of ovaries with premature follicle cell endocycles revealed aberrant follicular epithelial structure and pleiotropic defects in oocyte growth, developmental gene amplification, and the migration of a special set of follicle cells known as border cells. Overall, these findings reveal how unscheduled endocycles can disrupt tissue growth and function to cause aberrant development.

Summary Statement

A premature switch to polyploid endocycles inDrosophilaovarian follicle cells caused pleiotropic defects in oogenesis and compromised female fertility, revealing new ways in which unscheduled endocycles cause developmental defects.
Evolution ofRhodopseudomonas palustristo degrade halogenated aromatic compounds involves changes in pathway regulation and enzyme specificity
Authors: Haq Irshad Ul , Christensen Annika , Fixen Kathryn R.
Published: October 2023

Halogenated aromatic compounds are used in a variety of industrial applications but can be harmful to humans and animals when released into the environment. Microorganisms that degrade halogenated aromatic compounds anaerobically have been isolated but the evolutionary path that they may have taken to acquire this ability is not well understood. A strain of the purple nonsulfur bacterium,Rhodopseudomonas palustris, RCB100, can use 3-chlorobenzoate (3-CBA) as a carbon source whereas a closely related strain, CGA009, cannot. To reconstruct the evolutionary events that enabled RCB100 to degrade 3-CBA, we selected for and isolated a CGA009 strain capable of growing on 3-CBA, although not as well as RCB100. Comparative whole-genome sequencing of the evolved strain and RCB100 revealed large deletions encompassingbadM, a transcriptional repressor of genes for anaerobic benzoate degradation. It was previously shown that in strain RCB100, a single nucleotide change in an alicyclic acid coenzyme A ligase gene, namedaliA, gives rise to a variant AliA enzyme that has high activity with 3-CBA. When we introduced the RCB100aliAallele and abadMdeletion intoR. palustrisCGA009, it grew on 3-CBA at a similar rate as RCB100. This work provides an example of pathway evolution that includes a variant of a promiscuous enzyme with enhanced substrate specificity and a regulatory mutation that leads to constitutive expression of a pathway that does not regulate the promiscuous enzyme.

Importance

Biodegradation of man-made compounds often involves the activity of promiscuous enzymes whose native substrate is structurally similar to the man-made compound. Based on the enzymes involved, it is possible to predict what microorganisms are likely involved in biodegradation of anthropogenic compounds. However, there are examples of organisms that contain the required enzyme(s) and yet cannot metabolize these compounds. We found that even when the purple nonsulfur bacterium,Rhodopseudomonas palustris, encodes all the enzymes required for degradation of a halogenated aromatic compound, it is unable to metabolize that compound. Using adaptive evolution, we found a regulatory mutation and a variant of promiscuous enzyme with increased substrate specificity were required, but the ability to metabolize a halogenated aromatic compound also resulted in reduced fitness on another aromatic compound. This work provides insight into how an environmental isolated evolved to use halogenated aromatic compounds and the potential ecological trade-offs associated with this adaptation.
Acute and chronic alcohol modulation of extended amygdala calcium dynamics
Authors: Roland Alison V. , Chao Tzu-Hao Harry , Hon Olivia J. , Machinski Samantha N. , Sides Tori R. , Lee Sophia I. , Shih Yen-Yu Ian , Kash Thomas L.
Published: October 2023

The central amygdala (CeA) and bed nucleus of the stria terminalis (BNST) are reciprocally connected nodes of the extended amygdala thought to play an important role in alcohol consumption. Studies of immediate-early genes indicate that BNST and CeA are acutely activated following alcohol drinking and may signal alcohol reward in nondependent drinkers, while increased stress signaling in the extended amygdala following chronic alcohol exposure drives increased drinking via negative reinforcement. However, the temporal dynamics of neuronal activation in these regions during drinking behavior are poorly understood. In this study, we used fiber photometry and the genetically encoded calcium sensor GCaMP6s to assess acute changes in neuronal activity during alcohol consumption in BNST and CeA before and after a chronic drinking paradigm. Activity was examined in the pan-neuronal population and separately in dynorphinergic neurons. BNST and CeA showed increased pan-neuronal activity during acute consumption of alcohol and other fluid tastants of positive and negative valence, as well as highly palatable chow. Responses were greatest during initial consummatory bouts and decreased in amplitude with repeated consumption of the same tastant, suggesting modulation by stimulus novelty. Dynorphin neurons showed similar consumption-associated calcium increases in both regions. Following three weeks of continuous alcohol access (CA), calcium increases in dynorphin neurons during drinking were maintained, but pan-neuronal activity and BNST-CeA coherence were altered in a sex-specific manner. These results indicate that BNST and CeA, and dynorphin neurons specifically, are engaged during drinking behavior, and activity dynamics are influenced by stimulus novelty and chronic alcohol.
mTOR inhibits autophagy to facilitate cell swelling and rapid wound repair
Authors: Scepanovic Gordana , Fernandez-Gonzalez Rodrigo
Published: October 2023

Embryonic wounds repair rapidly, with no inflammation or scarring. Embryonic wound healing is driven by collective cell movements facilitated by the swelling of the cells adjacent to the wound. The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is often associated with cell growth. We found that disrupting mTORC1 signalling prevented cell swelling and slowed down wound repair. Catabolic processes, such as autophagy, can inhibit cell growth. Using five-dimensional time-lapse microscopy, as well as pharmacological and genetic manipulations, we demonstrated that the number of autophagosomes decreased during wound repair, suggesting that autophagy must be tightly regulated for rapid wound healing. Quantitative image analysis showed that mTOR inhibition increased autophagy, and that activating autophagy prevented cell swelling and slowed down embryonic wound closure. Finally, reducing autophagy in embryos in which mTORC1 signalling was disrupted rescued rapid wound repair. Together, our results show that mTORC1 activation upon wounding negatively regulates autophagy, allowing cells to increase their volumes to facilitate rapid wound healing.
Inputs to the locus coeruleus from the periaqueductal gray and rostroventral medulla shape opioid-mediated descending pain modulation
Authors: Lubejko Susan T. , Livrizzi Giulia , Patel Janki , Yung Jean C. , Yaksh Tony L. , Banghart Matthew R.
Published: October 2023

The supraspinal descending pain modulatory system (DPMS) shapes pain perception via monoaminergic modulation of sensory information in the spinal cord. However, the role and synaptic mechanisms of descending noradrenergic signaling remain unclear. Here, we establish that noradrenergic neurons of the locus coeruleus (LC) are essential for supraspinal opioid antinociception. Unexpectedly, given prior emphasis on descending serotonergic pathways, we find that opioid antinociception is primarily driven by excitatory output from the ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) to the LC. Furthermore, we identify a previously unknown opioid-sensitive inhibitory input from the rostroventromedial medulla (RVM), the suppression of which disinhibits LC neurons to drive spinal noradrenergic antinociception. We also report the presence of prominent bifurcating outputs from the vlPAG to the LC and the RVM. Our findings significantly revise current models of the DPMS and establish a novel supraspinal antinociceptive pathway that may contribute to multiple forms of descending pain modulation.

Teaser

Convergent synaptic activation of noradrenergic neurons in the locus coeruleus drives systemic opioid antinociception.
Substructure of the brain’s Cingulo-Opercular network
Authors: D’Andrea Carolina Badke , Laumann Timothy O. , Newbold Dillan J. , Nelson Steven M. , Nielsen Ashley N. , Chauvin Roselyne , Marek Scott , Greene Deanna J. , Dosenbach Nico U.F. , Gordon Evan M.
Published: October 2023

The Cingulo-Opercular network (CON) is an executive network of the human brain that regulates actions. CON is composed of many widely distributed cortical regions that are involved in top-down control over both lower-level (i.e., motor) and higher-level (i.e., cognitive) functions, as well as in processing of painful stimuli. Given the topographical and functional heterogeneity of the CON, we investigated whether subnetworks within the CON support separable aspects of action control. Using precision functional mapping (PFM) in 15 participants with > 5 hours of resting state functional connectivity (RSFC) and task data, we identified three anatomically and functionally distinct CON subnetworks within each individual. These three distinct subnetworks were linked to Decisions, Actions, and Feedback (including pain processing), respectively, in convergence with a meta-analytic task database. These Decision, Action and Feedback subnetworks represent pathways by which the brain establishes top-down goals, transforms those goals into actions, implemented as movements, and processes critical action feedback such as pain.
Educational Environment and White Matter Development in Early Adolescence
Authors: Roy Ethan , Van Rinsveld Amandine , Nedelec Pierre , Richie-Halford Adam , Rauschecker Andreas M. , Sugrue Leo P. , Rokem Ariel , McCandliss Bruce D. , Yeatman Jason D.
Published: October 2023

Coarse measures of socioeconomic status, such as parental income or parental education, have been linked to differences in white matter development. However, these measures do not provide insight into specific aspects of an individual’s environment and how they relate to brain development. On the other hand, educational intervention studies have shown that changes in an individual’s educational context can drive measurable changes in their white matter. These studies, however, rarely consider socioeconomic factors in their results. In the present study, we examined the unique effect of educational opportunity on white matter development, even when controlling other known socioeconomic factors. To explore this question, we leveraged the rich demographic and neuroimaging data available in the ABCD study, as well the unique data-crosswalk between ABCD and the Stanford Education Data Archive (SEDA). We find that educational opportunity is related to accelerated white matter development, even when accounting for other socioeconomic factors, and that this relationship is most pronounced in white matter tracts associated with academic skills. These results suggest that the school a child attends has a measurable impact on brain development for years to come.
How a speaker herds the audience: Multi-brain neural convergence over time during naturalistic storytelling
Authors: Chang Claire H. C. , Nastase Samuel A. , Hasson Uri
Published: October 2023

Storytelling—an ancient way for humans to share individual experiences with others—has been found to induce neural synchronization among listeners. In our exploration of the dynamic fluctuations in listener-listener (LL) coupling throughout stories, we uncover a significant correlation between LL and lag-speaker-listener (lag-SL) couplings over time. Using the analogy of neural pattern (dis)similarity as distances between participants, we term this phenomenon the “herding effect”: like a shepherd guiding a group of sheep, the more closely listeners follow the speaker’s prior brain activity patterns (higher lag-SL similarity), the more tightly they cluster together (higher LL similarity). This herding effect is particularly pronounced in brain regions where neural synchronization among listeners tracks with behavioral ratings of narrative engagement, highlighting the mediating role of narrative content in the observed multi-brain neural coupling dynamics. By integrating LL and SL neural couplings, this study illustrates how unfolding stories shape a dynamic multi-brain functional network and how the configuration of this network may be associated with moment-by-moment efficacy of communication.

Significance Statement

Different stories have been found to evoke distinct brain activation patterns in the audience. This study delves into how the storyteller guides the audience through the multi-dimensional space of brain states, reflected in a series of shared activation patterns. We reveal that the listeners follow along the trajectory outlined by the speaker’s brain activity moments before, forming a tighter cluster at the more engaging moments of the story. This phenomenon is localized to high-level cortical areas supporting event representation. Our investigation illustrates how storytelling dynamically sculpts multi-brain neural dynamics in both the listeners and the speaker, shedding light on the potential association between the configuration of this network and communication efficacy.
Cholinergic modulation of motor sequence learning
Authors: Voegtle Angela , Mohrbutter Catharina , Hils Jonathan , Schulz Steve , Weuthen Alexander , Brämer Uwe , Ullsperger Markus , Sweeney-Reed Catherine M.
Published: October 2023

The cholinergic system plays a key role in motor function, but whether pharmacological modulation of cholinergic activity affects motor sequence learning is unknown. The acetylcholine receptor antagonist biperiden, an established treatment in movement disorders, reduces attentional modulation, but whether it influences motor sequence learning is not clear. Using a randomized, double-blind placebo-controlled crossover design, we tested thirty healthy young participants and show that biperiden impairs production of sequential finger movements following a fixed but not a random sequence. A similar interaction was observed in widespread oscillatory broadband power changes (4-25 Hz) in the motor sequence learning network after receiving biperiden, with greater power in the theta, alpha, and beta bands over ipsilateral motor and bilateral parietal–occipital areas. The reduced theta power during a fixed compared to random sequence, likely reflecting disengagement of top-down attention to sensory processes, was disrupted by biperiden. The alpha synchronization during learned sequences, reflecting sensory gating and lower visuospatial attention requirements for the learned, compared with visuomotor responses to a random sequence, was greater after biperiden, potentially reflecting excessive visuospatial attention reduction following biperiden, also affecting visuomotor responding required to enable sequence learning. Beta oscillations facilitate sequence learning by integrating visual and somatosensory inputs, stabilizing learned sequences, and promoting prediction of the next stimulus. The beta synchronization after biperiden fits with a disruption of the selective visuospatial attention enhancement associated with initial sequence learning. These findings highlight the role of cholinergic processes in motor sequence learning.
Incommensurate magnetic structure of CrAs at low temperatures and high pressures
Authors: Eich Andreas , Grzechnik Andrzej , Su Yixi , Ouladdiaf Bachir , Sheptyakov Denis , Wolf Thomas , Petricek Vaclav , Shahed Hend , Friese Karen
Published: October 2023

The magnetic structure of chromium arsenide CrAs is studied with neutron powder diffraction at ambient pressure in the temperature range 1.5–300 K as well as with neutron single-crystal diffraction at 2 K and 0.12 GPa. The material undergoes an anti-isostructural phase transition at T
N = 267 K and atmospheric conditions, in which both orthorhombic phases have the same space-group symmetry (Pnma, Z = 4) but different distortions of the parent hexagonal structure of the NiAs type (P63/mmc, Z = 2). The magnetic structure below T
N is incommensurate with the propagation vector k = (0, 0, k
c). At ambient pressure, the component k
c decreases from k
c = 0.3807 (7) at 260 K to k
c = 0.3531 (6) at 50 K. Below this temperature, it is basically constant. With increasing pressure at 2 K, k
c is also constant within standard uncertainties [k
c = 0.353 (2)]. For the analysis of the magnetic structure, a group-theoretical approach based on the space group of the nuclear structure and its subgroups is used. To avoid falling into false minima in the refinements, a random search for magnetic moments in the models is implemented. In the literature, the magnetic structure has been determined on the basis of powder diffraction data as a double helix propagating along the c axis. Although this double-helical model leads to satisfactory agreement factors for our powder data, it does not reproduce the intensities of the magnetic satellite reflections measured on single-crystal data in a satisfactory way and can therefore be discarded. Instead, several other models are found that lead to better agreement. Each of them is spiral-like with directional components in all three directions and with no spin-density wave character that would cause a non-constant magnetic moment. In all these models, the ordering of the spins is neither a pure helix nor a pure cycloid. Instead, the unit vectors of the spin rotation planes make an angle α, 0° < α < 90°, with respect to the c* direction. The model in superspace group P21.1′(α0γ)0s yields the best agreement factors in the refinements of the neutron single-crystal and powder diffraction data. This model is unique as it is the only one in which all the magnetic moments rotate with the same chirality.
Evaluating a social annotation tool for engagement and learning with preservice special education teachers
Authors: Allen Abigail A. , Randall Kristina N.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Empirical validation of educational technology is critical for best practice, particularly when courses are delivered online. This study aims to investigate the predictive relationship of usage behaviors on perceptions of 30 preservice special education teachers while reading in an online social annotation reading tool.

Design/methodology/approach

In this single-group quasi-experimental study, participants completed two readings in Perusall, once individually and once in small groups, then took a researcher-created survey after each reading. Descriptive data and paired sample t-tests were calculated. Predictive relationships between usage behaviors and survey results were analyzed with linear regression models.

Findings

Participants thought Perusall was useful for their learning and easier to use in small groups and that guided reading prompts were helpful. Usage behaviors did not significantly account for participant beliefs about Perusall. Instructors may wish to use guided reading prompts and small groups to maximize student learning and engagement.

Originality/value

This study addresses gaps in the literature (Suhre et al., 2019; Sun et al., 2023) by following one group of students over two semesters, using a commercially available tool, measuring actual usage behaviors and not solely student perceptions and analyzing instructor perceptions of the tool. The authors contribute further evidence that group-constructed knowledge is valuable for undergraduate learning (Kalir et al., 2020b). The authors also provide data-based suggestions for the use of social annotation tools that maximize student learning and engagement.
Transparency ideals in online PR: between dialogue, control and authenticity
Authors: Wamprechtsamer Philip
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to systematically unpack the ideal of organizational transparency by tracing the concept's origins in the era of Enlightenment. Based on a genealogical reconstruction, the article explores different transparency understandings in key areas of online public relations (PR) and discusses the opportunities and challenges they present for the field.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a conceptual paper that unfolds a genealogical reconstruction to uncover different transparency ideals of modernity. These perspectives are then transferred to the field of online PR to discuss their ethical and practical implications in the context of digitalization.

Findings

Claims for transparency manifest in three distinct ideals, namely normative, instrumental and expressive transparency, which are also pursued in online PR. These ideals are related to associated concepts, like dialogue, control and authenticity, which serve as transparency proxies. Moreover, each transparency ideal inherits an ambivalence that presents unique opportunities and challenges for PR practitioners.

Practical implications

Instead of an unquestioned belief in the ideal of organizational transparency, the paper urges communication practitioners to critically reflect on the ambivalent nature of different transparency regimes in the context of digitalization and provides initial recommendations on how to manage digital transparency in online PR responsibly.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the vivid debate surrounding organizational transparency in the context of digitalization by offering a novel and systematic analysis of the multifaced concept of transparency while opening new research avenues for further conceptual and empirical research.
The effect of the Covid-19 epidemic on auditing quality and the reaction of family vs non-family businesses to Covid-19: the case of Jordan
Authors: Alharasis Esraa Esam , Mustafa Fairouz
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to provide new scientific knowledge concerning the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on auditing quality as determined by audit fees for both family- and non-family-owned firms in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use an ordinary least squares (OLS) regression firm-clustered standard error employing data from 200 Jordanian enterprises between 2005 and 2020 to validate this study's hypotheses.

Findings

The regression findings suggest that enterprises run by families are better able to handle crises and spend less on audits. Companies that are not family-owned have to spend the most on monitoring tasks since they need to take extra steps to prevent the agency problem and make their financial statements stand out from their peers in order to attract more investors. Additional analysis that stretched out throughout 2005–2022 came to the same findings.

Practical implications

The findings can be beneficial for authorities to better regulate and supervise the auditing sector. Political leaders, legislators, regulators and the auditing industry can all learn important lessons from the findings as they assess the growing concerns in a turbulent economic situation. The results of this research can, therefore, be utilised to reassure investors and assist policymakers in crafting workable responses to Covid-19's creation of financial problems. After the devastation caused by the coronavirus, these findings may be used to strengthen the laws that oversee Jordan's auditing sector.

Originality/value

In emerging nations like Jordan, where there is a clear concentration of ownership and a predominance of high levels of family ownership, and to the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first empirical study to compare the auditing quality of family-owned versus non-family-owned enterprises. Preliminary insights into the crisis management tactics of family and non-family organisations are provided by this first empirical investigation of the consequences of the Covid-19 crisis on family-owned firms.
Is past performance a guarantee for current results? The influence of learning on business performance in manufacturing
Authors: Prim Alexandre Luis , Freitas Kenyth Alves de , Paiva Ely , Kumar Maneesh
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper investigates the relationship between past performance and the development of operational capabilities in manufacturing firms, focusing on the role of intra- and inter-organisational learning mechanisms.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on a survey database collected in 208 manufacturing plants in 15 countries from three industries: electronics, machinery and transport components. The authors developed a model and tested the study hypotheses using the structural equation modelling technique with two-stage analytical procedures.

Findings

In the analysis of the overall sample, the study findings support prior literature by suggesting that firms with successful experiences may become complacent and less motivated to engage in learning, leading to a decline in performance. However, high-performance firms overcome the “success trap” by engaging supply chain partners. In contrast, low-performance firms exhibit limited learning from past poor performance, leading to organisational inertia and further declines in their current performance.

Practical implications

This research provides practical guidance for managers in developing operational capabilities, highlighting collaboration with suppliers as an essential element for high-performance firms.

Originality/value

This study focuses on the little-researched topic of how past performance influences the development of operational capabilities in manufacturing firms. The authors highlight the path for developing capabilities in high- and low-performance firms based on intra- and inter-organisational learning mechanisms.
How big data-driven organizational capabilities shape innovation performance? An empirical study from small and medium manufacturing enterprises
Authors: Al-Khatib Ayman Wael
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study mainly aims to explore the causal nexus between big data-driven organizational capabilities (BDDOC) and supply chain innovation capabilities (SCIC) and innovation performance (IP), then explore the indirect effect of SCIC and also test the moderating effects for both internal supply chain integration (ISCI) and external supply chain integration (ESCI) into the relationship between BDDOC and SCIC.

Design/methodology/approach

In order to test the conceptual model and the hypothesized relationships between all the constructs, the data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire by workers in Jordanian small and medium manufacturing enterprises. Partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was employed to test the model.

Findings

The paper reached a set of interesting results where it was confirmed that there is a positive and statistically significant relationship between BDDOC, SCIC and IP in addition to confirming the indirect effect of SCIC between BDDOC and IP. The results also showed that there is a moderating role for both ESCI and ISCI.

Originality/value

This study can be considered the first study in the current literature that investigates these constructs as shown in the research model. Therefore, the paper presents an interesting set of theoretical and managerial contributions that may contribute to covering part of the research gap in the literature.
Nutrient enrichment undermines invasion resistance to Spartina alterniflora in a saltmarsh: Insights from modern coexistence theory
Authors: Qiu Shiyun , Huang Jingxin , Lu Meng , Xu Xiao , Li Xincheng , Zhang Qun , Xin Fengfei , Zhou Chenhao , Zhang Xi , Nie Ming , Wu Jihua , Li Bo
Published: October 2023

The ability of native communities to maintain invasion resistance in the face of environmental changes is crucial for biodiversity conservation. However, previous studies have primarily focused on the inhibitive effects experienced by invaders, providing limited insights into the ultimate outcome of resistance.

In this study, we integrated modern coexistence theory into biotic resistance research to investigate the impact of nutrient enrichment on the resistance of Phragmites australis marshes to Spartina alterniflora invasion in the Yangtze estuary saltmarshes of China.

Our results demonstrated that under non‐enriched conditions, successful invasion resistance was facilitated by stable coexistence between native and invasive species in the field. This prediction of invasion resistance aligned with the distribution dynamics of the two species in the Yangtze estuary saltmarshes over the past two decades. However, nutrient enrichment was likely to lead to a fundamental shift in their coexistence and ultimately, the failure of resistance.

Synthesis and applications. Integrating modern coexistence theory into biotic resistance studies advances the assessment of invasion resistance by shifting from quantifying relative strength to predicting explicit resistance outcomes. Ecosystem managers can draw explicit conclusions about the potential establishment and impact of invaders by analysing observational or experimental data within the framework of modern coexistence theory. This information aids in identifying the most efficient strategies for addressing invasive species.
Devoted, Pious, Frivolous and Irreverent Women: The Representation of Female Religiosity in Spanish Painting, 1868–1917
Authors: RÍOS LLORET ROSA ELENA
Published: October 2023

The aim of this article is to show how Spanish painting of the nineteenth century helped to construct the narrative of a female religiosity based on sentiment, which was specific to women. This narrative was not free from misogyny because women's piety was often diluted, converted into something superficial. It was brimming with exaggerated sentimentalism, the product of superstition and lacking in careful reflection, without an intellectual religious discourse – which women, by their nature, could never reach. Women's involvement in religion and catholic movements was not as insubstantial, sentimental or naïve as it has been presented or made out to be; but this reality was not reflected in painting.
L. T. Hobhouse's idea of a European Federation
Authors: DIVIDUS ALESSANDRO
Published: October 2023

This article discusses L. T. Hobhouse's project for the creation of a new European Federation based on a social‐liberal model of the State without sacrificing the principle of national identity. The nineteenth century, according to Hobhouse, associated the idea of nationality and liberty, and the connection was genuine enough as long as it applied to subject peoples struggling to be free. But that very growth of national consciousness which inspired the struggle for freedom, turned to exclusiveness and imperiousness as soon as it had achieved its end. Nationality has thus turned into an exclusive principle and has become a dominating force in twentieth‐century politics. World War I proved that nationalism was Janus‐faced, promoting first freedom and self‐government, and then international aggression and militarism which are the product of an overstimulation of the sentiment of nationality. For this reason, Hobhouse distinguishes between a negative and a positive meaning of nationality, which he describes as patriotism. Patriotism is a more spontaneous, genuine and deeper feeling of national belonging. It is a part of a ‘sentimental education’ taking place within a national community. This positive conception of patriotism, borrowed from authors such as Thomas Hill Green and Giuseppe Mazzini, is the means by which, as Hobhouse believes, permanent tranquillity may be established in Europe. Using the philosophical idea behind the notion of patriotism, Hobhouse is able to overcome the arguments of the liberal economic cooperation, such as those exposed by Norman Angell, by mixing them with an ethical vision of the community.
IoT forensics: Exploiting log records from the DAHUA technology CCTV systems
Authors: Dragonas Evangelos , Lambrinoudakis Costas , Kotsis Michael
Published: October 2023

CCTV surveillance systems are ubiquitous IoT appliances. Their forensic examination has proven critical for investigating crimes. DAHUA Technology is a well‐known manufacturer of such products. Despite its global market share, research regarding digital forensics of DAHUA Technology CCTV systems is scarce and currently limited to extracting their video footage, overlooking the potential presence of valuable artifacts within their log records. These pieces of evidence remain unexploited by major commercial forensic software, yet they can hide vital information for an investigation. For instance, these log records document user actions, such as formatting the CCTV system's hard drive or disabling camera recording. This information can assist in attributing nefarious actions to specific users and hence can be invaluable for understanding the sequence of events related to incidents. Therefore, in this paper, several DAHUA Technology CCTV systems are thoroughly analyzed for these unexplored pieces of evidence, and their forensic value is presented.
Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances and cardiometabolic diseases: A review
Authors: Schillemans Tessa , Donat‐Vargas Carolina , Åkesson Agneta
Published: October 2023

Per‐ and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a group of persistent and widespread environmental pollutants that represent a high concern for human health. They have been shown to be associated with several important physiological processes such as lipid metabolism and the immune system. Consequently, PFAS are suspected to play a role in cardiometabolic disease development. However, the evidence regarding associations between PFAS and overt cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes remains limited and inconsistent. To address this, we conducted a review of the epidemiological evidence. A deeper understanding of potential underlying molecular mechanisms may help to explain inconsistencies in epidemiological findings. Thus, to gain more mechanistic insight, we also summarized evidence from omics and laboratory studies into an adverse outcome pathway framework. Our observations indicate the potential for associations of PFAS with multiple molecular pathways that could have opposite associations with disease risk, which could be further modified by mixture composition, lifestyle factors or genetic polymorphisms. This identifies the need for exposome studies considering mixture effects, the use of multi‐omics data to gain insight in relevant pathways and the integration of epidemiological and laboratory studies to enhance mechanistic understanding and causal inference. Improved comprehension is essential for environmental health risk assessments.
The utility of SOX10 in mixed type desmoplastic melanoma with lymph node metastasis of the spindle cell component: A cautionary tale of inattentional blindness
Authors: Shah Ahmed , Campbell Katelynn , Osmond Allison
Published: October 2023

Desmoplastic melanoma (DM), a type of spindle cell melanoma separated into pure desmoplastic melanoma (PDM) and mixed desmoplastic melanoma (MDM) subtypes, can be a diagnostic challenge and easily confused for dermal scar, especially PDM. We report a 65‐year‐old white man who received a left thumb amputation after an initial biopsy for melanoma, an unclassified type with epithelioid morphology. The amputation and sentinel lymph node specimens were significant for residual melanoma with epithelioid morphology, dermal scar, and a slightly expanded “scar‐like” capsular area in one of seven lymph nodes, which was diffusely positive for SOX10 on reflex sentinel lymph node immunohistochemical protocol. On re‐review of the amputation “scar” like area, a subsequent SOX10 stain confirmed the diagnosis of MDM in this area with epithelioid and spindle cell morphology, significantly upgrading the tumor stage. We share this case to highlight: (i) MDM, although exceptionally uncommon, can result in a pure spindle cell lymph node metastasis, (ii) to encourage increased utilization of SOX10 to assess sentinel lymph node biopsies, especially in the context of melanomas with a spindle cell component, and (iii) share an example of inattentional blindness which was fortunately identified by reflex sentinel lymph node immunohistochemical protocols.
Are links between maternal obesity early in pregnancy and child neurodevelopment causal?
Authors: Kuhn Louise
Published: October 2023

This commentary is on the original article by Fast et al. on pages493–500of this issue.
Associations between cortisol stress responses and limbic volume and thickness in young adults: An exploratory study
Authors: Henze Gina‐Isabelle , Konzok Julian , Kudielka Brigitte M. , Wüst Stefan , Nichols Thomas E. , Kreuzpointner Ludwig
Published: October 2023

The investigation of the relationship between neural measures of limbic structures and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis responses to acute stress exposure in healthy young adults has so far focused in particular on task‐based and resting state functional connectivity studies. Thus, the present study examined the association between limbic volume and thickness measures and acute cortisol responses to the psychosocial stress paradigm ScanSTRESS. Using Permutation Analysis of Linear Models controlling for sex, age and total brain volume, the associations between (sex‐specific) cortisol increases and human connectome project style anatomical variables of limbic structures (i.e. volume and thickness) were investigated in 66 healthy and young (18–33 years) subjects (35 men, 31 women taking oral contraceptives). In addition, exploratory (sex‐specific) bivariate correlations between cortisol increases and structural measures were conducted. The present data provide interesting new insights into the involvement of striato‐limbic structures in psychosocial stress processing, suggesting that acute cortisol stress responses are also associated with mere structural measures of the human brain. Thus, our preliminary findings suggest that not only situation‐ and context‐dependent reactions of the limbic system (i.e. blood oxygenation level‐dependent reactions) are related to acute (sex‐specific) cortisol stress responses but also basal and somewhat more constant structural measures. Our study hereby paves the way for further analyses in this context and highlights the relevance of the topic.
Haemophilia and cardiovascular disease in Japan: Low incidence rates from ADVANCE Japan baseline data
Authors: Nagao Azusa , Chikasawa Yushi , Sawada Akihiro , Kanematsu Takeshi , Yamasaki Naoya , Takedani Hideyuki , Nojima Masanori , Fujii Teruhisa , Suzuki Nobuaki , Matsushita Tadashi , Higasa Satoshi , Amano Kagehiro ,   ADVANCE Japan Working Group
Published: October 2023

Introduction

With the increasing life expectancy of people with haemophilia, the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) and thrombotic events has become a growing concern. Longitudinal studies on the incidence and risk factors of CVD in this population are limited, and optimal prevention and treatment strategies are yet to be established.

Aim

This study aimed to present the baseline data of a prospective longitudinal study focusing on a subset of Japanese patients with haemophilia, specifically investigated the incidence, risk factors and treatment modalities for CVD and thrombotic diseases in people aged 40 years in Japan over 10 years through the ADVANCE Japan study.

Methods

The ADVANCE Japan study is a prospective multicentre cohort study involving 600 adult individuals with haemophilia A/B aged 40 years in Japan. The primary endpoint was the incidence of CVD, with secondary endpoints encompassing anticoagulant use, mortality rates, and comparison with the general population.

Results

Baseline data from the 600 participants revealed that thrombotic events occurred in 13 individuals (2.2%), mostly in those with haemophilia A. Atrial fibrillation was observed in 11 participants (1.8%). Hypertension and dyslipidaemia were identified as the prevalent risk factors. Various prophylactic treatments were employed, and no severe bleeding events were observed during the study period.

Conclusion

This study provides vital baseline data for a 10‐year prospective investigation of CVD and thrombotic disease risk in people with haemophilia. These findings will contribute to refining prevention and treatment approaches and improving patients’ quality of life.