bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Pharmacogenetics of efavirenz exposure in cervicovaginal fluid during pregnancy and postpartum
Authors: Eniayewu Oluwasegun , Azuka Uche , Ogah Jonah , Adejuyigbe Ebunoluwa , Bolaji Oluseye , Olagunju Adeniyi
Published: October 2023

Objectives

Adequate antiretroviral drug distribution into the female genital tract (FGT) could play an important role in reducing the risk of heterosexual and mother-to-child transmission of HIV. In this study, we investigated the combined influence of pregnancy and genetic polymorphisms on efavirenz pharmacokinetics in cervicovaginal fluid (CVF) of women receiving antiretroviral therapy.

Methods

A total of 159 women (147 pregnant and 12 postpartum) living with HIV and receiving efavirenz-containing antiretroviral therapy were recruited across two sites in Nigeria (Federal Medical Centre, and Bishop Murray Medical Centre, Makurdi) between 2017-2020. In stage 1, sparse CVF and dried blood spot (DBS) samples were obtained from each participant during pregnancy to assess possible association between drug concentration andCYP2B6polymorphisms (516G>T and 983 T>C). In the second stage, participants were stratified into three genotype groups (extensive, intermediate and low metabolisers) and re-enrolled for intensive pharmacokinetic sampling.

Results

In stage 1 (88 CVF, 81 plasma and 73 paired samples),CYP2B6 516G>Twas independently associated with both CVF (β = 997 ng/mL (90% CI: 598, 1357),p =5.7 x 10-5) and plasma (β = 1400 ng/mL (90% CI: 1051, 1748),p =5.7 x 10-9) efavirenz concentration during pregnancy. In the second stage (12 pregnant, 12 postpartum), median (IQR) efavirenz Cminin CVF during pregnancy versus postpartum was 243 ng/ml (168-402) vs 447 ng/ml (159-974), Cmaxwas 1031 ng/ml (595-1771) vs 1618 ng/ml (675-2695), and AUC0-24was 16465 ng.h/ml (9356-30417) vs 30715 ng.h/ml (10980-43714). Overall, median CVF-to-plasma AUC ratio was 0.34 during pregnancy and 0.46 postpartum. When patients were stratified usingCYP2B6 516G>T, efavirenz median clearance increased by 57.9% during pregnancy compared with postpartum control (p= 0.232) in patients with theCYP2B6516GT genotype. The AUC0-24h, Cmaxand Cminreduced by 33.8% ((p=0.182), 8.6% (0.175) and 59.5% (0.171) during pregnancy, with values of 20671 ng.h/ml (15993-28712), 1550 ng/ml (1090-2090) and 330 ng/ml (250-440), respectively, compared with 31229 ng.h/ml (27660-41873), 1695 ng/ml (1540-3003) and 814 ng/ml (486-981) during postpartum in this genotype.

Median efavirenz Cminin CVF was 1.93 and 3.55 times higher than the PBIC90of 126 ng/ml in the pregnant and postpartum cohorts, respectively.

Conclusions

Efavirenz is well distributed into the CVF, and both pregnancy and polymorphisms in its disposition genes affect CVF exposure.
Growth retardation in a mouse model of Kabuki syndrome 2 bears mechanistic similarities to Kabuki syndrome 1
Authors: Gao Christine W , Lin Wan-Ying , Riddle Ryan C , Chopra Sheetal , Boukas Leandros , Hansen Kasper D , Björnsson Hans T , Fahrner Jill A
Published: October 2023

Growth retardation is a characteristic feature of both Kabuki syndrome 1 (KS1) and Kabuki syndrome 2 (KS2), Mendelian disorders of the epigenetic machinery with similar phenotypes but distinct genetic etiologies. We previously described skeletal growth retardation in a mouse model of KS1 and further established that aKmt2d−/−chondrocyte model of KS1 exhibits precocious differentiation. Here we characterized growth retardation in a mouse model of KS2,Kdm6atm1d/+. We show thatKdm6atm1d/+mice have decreased femur and tibia length compared to controls and exhibit abnormalities in cortical and trabecular bone structure.Kdm6atm1d/+growth plates are also shorter, due to decreases in hypertrophic chondrocyte size and hypertrophic zone height. Given these disturbances in the growth plate, we generatedKdm6a−/−chondrogenic cell lines. Similar to our priorin vitromodel of KS1, we found thatKdm6a−/−cells undergo premature, enhanced differentiation towards chondrocytes compared toKdm6a+/+controls. RNA-seq showed thatKdm6a−/−cells have a distinct transcriptomic profile that indicates dysregulation of cartilage development. Finally, we performed RNA-seq simultaneously onKmt2d−/−,Kdm6a−/−, and control lines at Days 7 and 14 of differentiation. This revealed surprising resemblance in gene expression betweenKmt2d−/−andKdm6a−/−at both time points and indicates that the similarity in phenotype between KS1 and KS2 also exists at the transcriptional level.
Cytoophidia influence cell cycle and size inSchizosaccharomyces pombe
Authors: Deng Ruolan , Li Yi-Lan , Liu Ji-Long
Published: October 2023

CTP synthase (CTPS) forms cytoophidia in all three domains of life. Here we focus on the function of cytoophidia in cell proliferation usingSchizosaccharomyces pombeas a model system. We find that converting His359of CTPS into Ala359leads to cytoophidium disassembly. By reducing the level of CTPS protein or specific point mutations, the loss of cytoophidia prolongs the G2 phase and expands cell size. In addition, the loss-filament mutant of CTPS leads to a decrease in the expression of genes related to G2/M transition and cell growth, includingslm9. The overexpression ofslm9alleviates the G2 phase elongation and cell size enlargement induced by CTPS loss-filament mutant. Overall, our results connect cytoophidia with cell cycle and cell size control inSchizosaccharomyces pombe.
Cortical and behavioural tracking of rhythm in music: Effects of pitch predictability, enjoyment, and expertise
Authors: Keitel Anne , Pelofi Claire , Guan Xinyi , Watson Emily , Wight Lucy , Allen Sarah , Mencke Iris , Keitel Christian , Rimmele Johanna
Published: October 2023

The cortical tracking of stimulus features (such as the sound envelope) is a crucial neural requisite of how we process continuous music. We here tested whether cortical tracking of the beat, typically related to rhythm processing, is modulated by pitch predictability and other top-down factors. Participants listened to tonal (high pitch predictability) and atonal (low pitch predictability) music while undergoing EEG, and we analysed their cortical tracking of the acoustic envelope. Interestingly, cortical envelope tracking was stronger while listening to atonal than tonal music, likely reflecting listeners’ violated pitch expectations. Envelope tracking was also stronger with more expertise and enjoyment. Furthermore, we analysed cortical tracking of pitch surprisal (using IDyOM) and show that listeners’ expectations for tonal and atonal music match those computed by the IDyOM model, with higher surprisal (prediction errors) for atonal than tonal music. Behaviourally, we measured participants’ ability to tap along to the beat of tonal and atonal sequences in two experiments. In both experiments, finger-tapping performance was better in the tonal than the atonal condition, indicating a positive effect of pitch predictability on behavioural rhythm processing. Cortical envelope tracking predicted tapping performance for tonal music, as did pitch surprisal tracking for atonal music, indicating that conditions of high and low predictability might impose different processing regimes. We show that cortical envelope tracking, beyond reflecting musical rhythm processing, is modulated by pitch predictability, as well as musical expertise and enjoyment. Taken together, our results show various ways in which those top-down factors impact musical rhythm processing.
Long-term dynamics of the “Serratia marcescenscomplex” in the hospital-built environment
Authors: Aracil-Gisbert Sonia , Fernández-De-Bobadilla Miguel D. , Guerra-Pinto Natalia , Serrano-Calleja Silvia , Pérez-Cobas Ana Elena , Soriano Cruz , de Pablo Raúl , Lanza Val F. , Pérez-Viso Blanca , Reuters Sandra , Hasman Henrik , Cantón Rafael , Baquero Fernando , Coque Teresa M.
Published: October 2023

Serratia marcescensis an opportunistic pathogen historically associated with abrupt, unpredictable, and severe outbreaks in hospital intensive care units (ICUs) and, more recently, with the spread of acquired genes encoding carbapenem resistance. However, the population biology and ecology ofS. marcescensin the hospital ecosystem is still poorly understood. Here, we combine epidemiological information of 1417Serratiaisolates collected from the sinks of a large ICU ward that underwent significant demographic and operational changes (2019-2020) and 99 non-redundant outbreak/non-outbreak isolates from the same hospital (2003-2019), with genomic data of 165 isolates. We first report hospital sinks as reservoirs of heterogeneous and coexistent populations of theS. marcescenscomplex (SMC). A novel SMC clade congruent with the recently describedSerratia neveispecies is predominant, exhibiting chromosomal AmpC β-lactamase with an unusual basal expression in contrast to one of the major features ofS. marcescens. PersistentSerratiasink strains are identical to those involved in clonal and polyclonal outbreaks of VIM-1 and OXA-48 producers since at least 2017. The “source-sink” dynamics of SMC populations able to acquire the highly conserved plasmids such as IncL carryingblaVIM-1orblaOXA-48offer novel insights that might improve interventions to control outbreaks and treat Serratia infections in high-risk hospital areas.
A detailed characterisation of drug resistance during darunavir/ritonavir (DRV/r) monotherapy highlights a high barrier to the emergence of resistance mutations in protease but identifies alternative pathways of resistance
Authors: Abdullahi Adam , Diaz Ana Garcia , Fopoussi Olga Mafotsing , Beloukas Apostolos , Defo Victoire Fokom , Kouanfack Charles , Torimiro Judith , Geretti Anna Maria
Published: October 2023

Background

Maintenance monotherapy with DRV/r has yielded variable outcomes and is not recommended. Trial samples offer valuable opportunities for detailed studies. We analysed samples from a 48-week trial in Cameroon to obtain a detailed characterisation of drug resistance.

Methods

Following failure of NNRTI-based therapy and virological suppression on PI-based therapy, participants were assigned to receive either DRV/r (n=81) or TDF/3TC + LPV/r (n=39). PBMC from study entry underwent bulk protease and RT sequencing. Plasma collected at virological rebound (confirmed or last available HIV-1 RNA >60 copies/ml) underwent ultradeep protease and RT sequencing and bulk gag-protease sequencing. A site-directed mutant with T375A (p2/p7) was phenotypically characterised using a single-cycle assay.

Results

HIV-1 DNA analysis revealed NRTI and NNRTI resistance-associated mutations (RAMs) in 52/90 (57.8%) and 53/90 (58.9%) samples, respectively. In rebound HIV-1 RNA (DRV/r n=21; LPV/r n=2), prevalence was 9/23 (39.1%) and 10/23 (43.5%), respectively, with most RAMs occurring at frequencies ≥15%. No DRV RAMs were found. Paired HIV-1 DNA and RNA sequences showed partial consistency in resistance patterns. Among 8 participants experiencing virological rebound on DRV/r (n=12 samples), all showed gag mutations associated with PI-exposure, including T375N, T375A (p2/p7), K436R (p7/p1), and mutations in p17, p24, p2 and p6. T375A conferred 10-fold DRV resistance and increased replication capacity.

Conclusions

The study highlights the high resistance barrier of DRV/r while identifying alternative pathways of DRV resistance through gag substitutions. During virological suppression, resistance patterns in HIV-1 DNA reflect treatment history, but due to technical and biological considerations, cautious interpretation is warranted.
Evaluation of 1stWHO Anti-Malaria Reference Reagent for Competition ELISA Harmonisation and Development of ADAMSEL Analytical Platform
Authors: Khatri Bhagwati , Riese Peggy , Shkarlet Hanna , Mortier Daniella , McShane Helen , Bowyer Paul , Remarque Edmond
Published: October 2023

This study focuses on harmonising the competition ELISA (cELISA) assay forPlasmodium falciparum(P. falciparum), using the 1stWHO reference reagent for anti-malaria (P. falciparum) human reference serum (10/198). Antibody-mediated immune responses, against the Apical Membrane Antigen 1 (AMA1), play a significant role in protection against malaria. However, the sequence diversity of AMA1 and cross-reactivity among variants pose challenges in assessing antibody responses. To address this, the cELISA assay was selected to examine cross-reactive antibody responses against different variants.

The harmonisation process for cELISA was performed in three laboratories. The 10/198 served as an internal standard for the calculation of IgG concentrations in the cELISA using ADAMSEL software. Additionally, a novel semi-automated analytical tool was developed in the R-statistics environment. This tool is freely available for download and streamlines result in generation while minimising human error.

This study demonstrated the effectiveness of the 1stWHO reference reagent as a standard for ELISA. Additionally, the ADAMSEL software and R-platform tool provide a user-friendly and accessible tool for the analysis of cELISA data. Its automation capabilities improve efficiency and ensure global accessibility at no cost, benefitting laboratories with limited resources.

Importance

This study focuses on the 1stWHO reference reagent (10/198) in harmonizing the competition ELISA (cELISA) assay for P. falciparum. In addition, the introduction of ADAMSEL software for cELISA data analysis, coupled with a novel R-platform tool, available for free, simplifies analytical processes and contributes to global accessibility. This study demonstrates the 1stWHO reference reagent’s efficacy as a competition ELISA standard.
Clinical Performance and Safety of Cerviron Vaginal Ovules in the Management of Cervical Lesions Postoperative Care: A National, Multicentric Study
Authors: Petre Izabella , Toader Daniela Oana , Petrita Ramona , Pinta Alexandru-Remus , Alexa Andreea Anda , Mercioni Marina Adriana , Sandulescu Roxana-Mihaela
Published: October 2023

Background

Laser conization and electrocautery are the preferred surgical options for the management of benign cervical erosions. Local re-epithelialization therapy should be initiated preoperatively and postoperatively to prevent severe bleeding, wound inflammation, and infection.

Objective

To investigate the aspect of the cervix by colposcopy after a 3-month treatment with the medical device. As secondary objectives, the study analyzed the presence of primary and secondary inflammation, the presence of ulceration, colpitis, vaginal discharge, and vaginal irritation.

Methods

The study population included 27 participants with benign, ectopic, cervical ectopy that consented their participation in 3 research sites from Romania. The treatment protocol consisted of the delivery of the medical device intravaginally, for 15 consecutive days, with a total study duration of 3 months.

Results

Cerviron had a positive impact on cervical epithelialization. After 3 months of treatment with Cerviron, for 100.00% of the participants, the colposcopy result was normal. Cerviron seems to exert a beneficial effect in reducing primary inflammation correlated with cervical erosions. It was observed that after 90 days of treatment primary inflammation was reduced by 85.19% (p < 0.001; 95% CI [58.74 – 98.35]). Other clinical parameters associated with cervical ectopy have certainly improved: vaginal erosion by 70.37% (p < 0.001, 95% CI [48.30 – 93.23]), ulceration by 55.56% (p < 0.001, 95% CI [33.22 – 83.67]), colpitis by 81.48% (95% CI [62.52 – 100.00], and vaginal secretion by 66.67% (95% CI [44.26 – 90.74]).

Conclusions

The medical device reduced inflammation and other symptoms related to non-malignant cervical disease. Moreover, our study findings suggest that supportive treatment with Cerviron can be recommended for cervical wound healing in patients with human papillomavirus infection.

ClinicalTrials.govidentifier:NCT04735718
Trends in Nationally Notifiable Infectious Diseases in Humans and Animals During the COVID-19 Pandemic in South Korea
Authors: Chang Taehee , Cho Sung-il , Yoo Dae sung , Min Kyung-Duk
Published: October 2023

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were implemented to cope with the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in South Korea. These interventions could also have affected other infectious diseases, but there have been no comprehensive studies regarding their impacts. This study examined trends in notifiable infectious diseases in both humans and animals during the COVID-19 pandemic. Autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) models were developed for each disease using data from 2016 to 2019, and the incidences for 2020 to 2021 were predicted. Subsequently, the predicted numbers of cases were compared with actual observations. Our findings indicated a substantial reduction in human respiratory infectious diseases during implementation of NPIs. However, human gastrointestinal infectious diseases and livestock diseases did not show a significant decrease. The results revealed that the preventive effect sizes of NPIs varied among diseases and indicated the potential for side effects, suggesting that complementary interventions are needed to minimize these negative effects.
Disability Documentation in the National Health Interview Survey and Its Consequence: Comparing the American Community Survey to the Washington Group Disability Measures
Authors: Landes Scott D. , Swenor Bonnielin K. , Vaitsiakhovich Nastassia
Published: October 2023

Background and Objective.

The objective of the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) is to provide data that can be used to monitor the health of the US population. In this study, we evaluate whether the disability questions currently used in the NHIS – the Washington Group questions – threaten the ability of this survey to fulfil its stated objective for disabled people.

Methods.

Data were from the 2011-2012 NHIS with linkage to mortality status through 2019. We examined the percentage and characteristics of people reporting a disability in the American Community Survey (ACS) disability questions who were documented as such in the Washington Group (WG) disability questions. We then examined the consequence of use of the WG, as opposed to the ACS questions, on estimates of disability prevalence and comparative mortality risk.

Results.

We find that when compared to their predecessor, the American Community Survey disability questions, the Washington Group questions account for less than half of disabled people, primarily documenting disabled people with a more than one disability status, but excluding many disabled people with only one disability status. As a result of these exclusions, disability prevalence rates based on the Washington Group questions underestimate the size of the disabled population in the US, and overestimate the comparatively higher mortality risk associated with disability status.

Conclusions.

These results underscore the need to re-evaluate the disability questions used in the NHIS, and invest in the development of improved and expanded disability questionnaires for use in national surveys.
Stock price indices prediction combining deep learning algorithms and selected technical indicators based on correlation
Authors: Ifleh Abdelhadi , El Kabbouri Mounime
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The prediction of stock market (SM) indices is a fascinating task. An in-depth analysis in this field can provide valuable information to investors, traders and policy makers in attractive SMs. This article aims to apply a correlation feature selection model to identify important technical indicators (TIs), which are combined with multiple deep learning (DL) algorithms for forecasting SM indices.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology involves using a correlation feature selection model to select the most relevant features. These features are then used to predict the fluctuations of six markets using various DL algorithms, and the results are compared with predictions made using all features by using a range of performance measures.

Findings

The experimental results show that the combination of TIs selected through correlation and Artificial Neural Network (ANN) provides good results in the MADEX market. The combination of selected indicators and Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) in the NASDAQ 100 market outperforms all other combinations of variables and models. In other markets, the combination of all variables with ANN provides the best results.

Originality/value

This article makes several significant contributions, including the use of a correlation feature selection model to select pertinent variables, comparison between multiple DL algorithms (ANN, CNN and Long-Short-Term Memory (LSTM)), combining selected variables with algorithms to improve predictions, evaluation of the suggested model on six datasets (MASI, MADEX, FTSE 100, SP500, NASDAQ 100 and EGX 30) and application of various performance measures (Mean Absolute Error (MAE), Mean Squared Error (MSE), Root Mean Squared Error(RMSE), Mean Squared Logarithmic Error (MSLE) and Root Mean Squared Logarithmic Error (RMSLE)).
Sustainable urban landscapes: a computation framework for enhancing sustainability in early-stage design
Authors: Yoffe Hatzav , Raanan Noam , Fried Shaked , Plaut Pnina , Grobman Yasha Jacob
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study uses computer-aided design to improve the ecological and environmental sustainability of early-stage landscape designs. Urban expansion on open land and natural habitats has led to a decline in biodiversity and increased climate change impacts, affecting urban inhabitants' quality of life and well-being. While sustainability indicators have been employed to assess the performance of buildings and neighbourhoods, landscape designs' ecological and environmental sustainability has received comparatively less attention, particularly in early-design stages where applying sustainability approaches is impactful.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a computation framework for evaluating key landscape sustainability indicators and providing real-time feedback to designers. The method integrates spatial indicators with widely recognized sustainability rating system credits. A specialized tool was developed for measuring biomass optimization, precipitation management and urban heat mitigation, and a proof-of-concept experiment tested the tool's effectiveness on three Mediterranean neighbourhood-level designs.

Findings

The results show a clear connection between the applied design strategy to the indicator behaviour. This connection enhances the ability to establish sustainability benchmarks for different types of landscape developments using parametric design.

Practical implications

The study allows non-expert designers to measure and embed landscape sustainability early in the design stages, thus lowering the entry level for incorporating biodiversity enhancement and climate mitigation approaches.

Originality/value

This study expands the parametric vocabulary for measuring landscape sustainability by introducing spatial ecosystem services and architectural sustainability indicators on a unified platform, enabling the integration of critical climate and biodiversity-loss solutions earlier in the development process.
Adult and child labor markets with Nashian and Kantian firms
Authors: Pham Van H.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper is a dedication to Professor Ngo Van Long who introduced the idea of Kant–Nash equilibrium. The author extends this analysis to the study of adult and child labor markets.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a game theoretic analysis of the market for adult and child workers when some firms behave in the neoclassical Nashian way and some firms follow a Kantian social norm.

Findings

The presence of Kantian firms in the output market in addition to Nashian lowers industry output and labor demand. This raises the possibility that Kantian behavior in the output market could lower wages sufficiently and increase the incidence of child labor. If firms engage in Kantian behavior in the labor market by not hiring child workers, adult wage rises but could lower child wage as children if they work can only work for Nashian firms. When labor demand is sufficiently high, more Kantians could raise adult wage above subsistence and eliminate child labor supply.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to apply Kant–Nash equilibrium to the labor market. The result that Kantian behavior could have an unintended negative spillover effect in other markets is new. The paper keeps alive the ideas of Professor Long, which hopefully will stimulate further work and build on his ideas.
Adoption and forecasting of technology: modeling the dynamics of cloud adoption using a system approach
Authors: Sharma Mahak , Gupta Ruchita , Acharya Padmanav
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the dynamism of causal relationships among cloud computing (CC) adoption factors in the Indian context, considering the perspectives of both the cloud adopter and cloud provider.

Design/methodology/approach

The case-study method has been used to understand the dynamics among the factors. Using data from specific cases in India, causal loop diagrams (CLDs) have been developed. System dynamic modeling (SDM) and simulation are used to study the relationships and their effect on the adoption rate.

Findings

The results revealed that adoption of CC depends on various factors such as persuasion (time-saving, cost-saving and word of mouth) and constraint factors (security and financial loss). However, it is seen that the adoption rate is very sensitive to changes in adoption per contact and word of mouth. Further, the adopter firm has a quicker time to market, which gives an added advantage to the firm. Also, with CC services, a firm can fulfill its projects or clients' requirements with little to no upfront investment in information technology (IT) services.

Practical implications

Lack of security, standardization and undefined service-level agreements are a few pressing issues that make it difficult for firms to evaluate the performance and reliability of services. Hence, immediate attention is needed to make transparent policies on CC and its services, thereby building trust.

Originality/value

This is the first and only work that has tried to explore and empirically test the dynamics of critical factors while making an adoption decision, considering both the adopter and provider perspectives. This study shows the journey of a firm, starting from being a prospective adopter to an adopter and continuous user. The work also empirically tested how adopters of technology benefit from the technology.
Ambidextrous organizational learning and performance: absorptive capacity in small and medium-sized enterprises
Authors: Ding Zhenkuo , Li Meijuan , Yang Xiaoying , Xiao Wanjun
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how absorptive capacity mediates the relationship between ambidextrous organizational learning and performance among small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the resource-based view (RBV) and the dynamic capability approach, this paper uses the resource-capability-performance framework to construct the theoretical model of this study and tests the theoretical model with the questionnaire survey data of 189 SMEs in mainland China.

Findings

Ambidextrous organizational learning has different effects on SMEs' performance in terms of survival performance and growth performance. Both exploitative learning and exploratory learning have positive effects on absorptive capacity, and absorptive capacity has positive influences on both the survival performance and growth performance of SMEs. Absorptive capacity plays different mediating roles in the relationships between ambidextrous organizational learning and SMEs' performance: absorptive capacity plays a partial mediating role in the relationship between exploratory learning and SME growth performance, while absorptive capacity plays complete mediating roles in other relationships.

Practical implications

Managers must stress the use of exploratory learning in order to promote SMEs' growth performance. However, to foster both absorptive capacity and SME performance in terms of survival and growth, managers must pay more attention to take advantage of ambidextrous organizational learning. Government as policymakers should create a favorable environment that enable SMEs to benefit much more from the deployment of ambidextrous organizational learning and absorptive capacity.

Originality/value

To the best of authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to theorize and test the mediating role of absorptive capacity in the linkage between ambidextrous organizational learning and SME performance in terms of survival and growth. Additionally, this study also is the first to provide empirical support for the impact of ambidextrous organizational learning on absorptive capacity among SMEs.
Facilitating workplace friendships for individuals with limited work capacity
Authors: Li David Chun Yin
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to provide strategies for individuals with limited work capacity (LWC) to build workplace friendships and foster inclusion, which can benefit their mental health.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper integrates key theories such as social exchange theory and the similarity-attraction paradigm to analyze the dynamics of relationships. Practical tips grounded in the existing literature are outlined.

Findings

Effective communication, building trust, showing mutual respect and discovering common interests can facilitate friendship development for employees with LWC. Supportive organizational policies and culture are also critical.

Social implications

By building workplace bonds and inclusion, individuals with LWC may experience greater social support, more engagement and better mental well-being. This also helps to diminish stigma and marginalization.

Originality/value

This viewpoint provides practical guidance specifically designed for individuals with Limited Work Capacity (LWC) to overcome workplace obstacles and build social relationships. It addresses an existing gap in the interpersonal facets of disability inclusion.
Development of a parametric optimization concept for the sun control of the outdoor spaces: the case study of 5A business park, Cairo, Egypt
Authors: Magdy Ayatallah , Mahmoud Ayman Hassaan , Saleh Ahmed
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Comfortable outdoor workspaces are important for employees in business parks and urban areas. Prioritizing a pleasant thermal environment is essential for employee productivity, as well as the improvement of outdoor spaces between office buildings to enhance social activities and quality of outdoor workplaces in a hot arid climate has been subjected to very little studies Thus, this study focuses on business parks (BPs) landscape elements. The objective of this study is to enhance the user's thermal comfort in the work environment, especially in the outdoors attached to the administrative and office buildings such as the BPs.

Design/methodology/approach

This research follows Four-phases methodology. Phase 1 is the investigation of the literature review including the Concept and consideration of BP urban planning, Achieving outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) and shading elements analysis. Phase 2 is the case study initial analysis targeting for prioritizing zones for shading involves three main methods: social assessment, geometrical assessment and environmental assessment. Phase 3 entails selecting shading elements that are suitable for the zones requiring shading parametrize the selected shading elements. Phase 4 focuses on the optimization of OTC through shading arrangements for the prioritized zones.

Findings

Shading design is a multidimensional process that requires consideration of various factors, including social aspects, environmental impact and structural integrity. Shading elements in urban areas play a crucial role in mitigating heat stress by effectively shielding surfaces from solar radiation. The integration of parametric design and computational optimization techniques enhances the shading design process by generating a wide range of alternative solutions.

Research limitations/implications

While conducting this research, it is important to acknowledge certain limitations that may affect the generalizability and scope of the findings. One significant limitation lies in the use of the shade audit method as a tool to prioritize zones for shading. Although the shade audit approach offers practical benefits for designers compared to using questionnaires, it may have its own inherent biases or may not capture the full complexity of human preferences and needs.

Originality/value

Few studies have focused on optimizing the type and location of devices that shade outdoor spaces. As a result, there is no consensus on the workflow that should regulate the design of outdoor shading installations in terms of microclimate and human thermal comfort, therefore testing parametric shading scenarios for open spaces between office buildings to increase the benefit of the outer environment is very important. The study synthesizes OTC strategies by filling the research gap through the implementation of a proper workflow that utilizes parametric thermal comfort.
What type of leadership is more effective for managing change during force majeure? Achieving organizational effectiveness during the pandemic
Authors: Habib Nazia , Naveed Shaheryar , Mumtaz Muhammad , Sultana Rabia , Akhtar Shoaib
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Leaders have been facing serious challenges in managing organizations during COVID-19, which has brought the need for implementing sudden technological change across the globe. Hence, it was important to identify effective leadership styles to successfully manage the transformational process during the period. Therefore, the current study aims to explore and compare the effectiveness of transformational and ethical leadership (EL) in terms of achieving organizational goals during COVID-19 in public and private sector organizations in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

Comparative research was carried out to find out the effectiveness of transformational and EL during and pre-COVID-19 in public and private sector organizations using the lens of social exchange theory. Data was collected from 214 respondents representing 67.6% of public and 32.4% of private sector organizations of Pakistan at two different points in time. Detailed comparative analyses were conducted in AMOS version 24 to assess the effectiveness of leadership styles before and during COVID-19 times.

Findings

On the whole, transformational leadership (TL) was found to have a greater impact on organizational effectiveness (OE) in comparison with EL in both pre-and during COVID-19 situations. Moreover, the effectiveness of TL significantly increased and the same decreased for EL during COVID-19. Additional analyses indicated that TL was effective for the private sector and EL for public sector organizations during COVID-19.

Research limitations/implications

The study has not considered the mediating mechanisms of employee motivation, engagement and performance in the relationship between transformational and EL styles and OE, which can be explored in the future.

Practical implications

These results have important implications for private and public sector organizations and suggest that the adoption of a TL style will generate better results in the private sector and an EL style in public sector organizations to achieve OE in uncertain situations such as COVID-19.

Social implications

The study shows that leadership with more care and concern for humanity tends to perform better in terms of generating results for OE. Therefore, both transformational and EL are based on individualized consideration for employees and are effective during COVID-19 in private and public sector organizations in Pakistan.

Originality/value

The study has carried out the comparative analyses in three different ways, including leadership styles (transformational and ethical), type of organization (private and public) and time frames (pre and during COVID-19), which is a true contribution of the research in the Pakistani context.
Drama Queens: applying dramaturgy as an inclusive pedagogy within the one shot
Authors: Brown Sarah E. , Weaver Kari D.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

To illuminate the experience of working with students using the innovative pedagogical approach of dramaturgy, this pedagogy can more effectively address systemic bias within academia.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is rooted in dramaturgical theory which suggests that how a person's identity or background is being constantly reshaped by their interactions with one another and the world around them. Within a classroom setting, it applies to contexts where group activities have a required performative aspect.

Findings

The authors found that taking a dramaturgical approach can be a very effective active learning technique within a one-shot information literacy instruction context.

Originality/value

Creative approaches to information literacy instruction often remain untried, and the combination of this work and the consideration of dramaturgical theory within the framework of inclusive pedagogy is a distinct contribution to the field.
Atlantic cod individual spatial behaviour and stable isotope associations in a no‐take marine reserve
Authors: Monk Christopher T. , Power Michael , Freitas Carla , Harrison Philip M. , Heupel Michelle , Kuparinen Anna , Moland Even , Simpfendorfer Colin , Villegas‐Ríos David , Olsen Esben M.
Published: October 2023

Foraging is a behavioural process and, therefore, individual behaviour and diet are theorized to covary. However, few comparisons of individual behaviour type and diet exist in the wild.

We tested whether behaviour type and diet covary in a protected population of Atlantic cod, Gadus morhua.

Working in a no‐take marine reserve, we could collect data on natural behavioural variation and diet choice with minimal anthropogenic disturbance. We inferred behaviour using acoustic telemetry and diet from stable isotope compositions (expressed as δ13C and δ15N values). We further investigated whether behaviour and diet could have survival costs.

We found cod with shorter diel vertical migration distances fed at higher trophic levels. Cod δ13C and δ15N values scaled positively with body size. Neither behaviour nor diet predicted survival, indicating phenotypic diversity is maintained without survival costs for cod in a protected ecosystem.

The links between diet and diel vertical migration highlight that future work is needed to understand whether the shifts in this behaviour during environmental change (e.g. fishing or climate), could lead to trophic cascades.
Family domains: A conceptual framework with practical application for adolescent inpatient services
Authors: Hill Jonathan , Cornwell Simon , James Anthony , Lee Heather , Riley Steven , Tranter Paul , Tutty Fran
Published: October 2023

According to the Family Domains Framework (FDF), family life consists of a movement of parents and children across four domains: exploratory, attachment, discipline/expectation and safety. Each has its own typical behaviours, ways of speaking and pacing, and each serves distinct and equally important functions for the growing child. On admission to an adolescent psychiatric unit, staff become temporary custodians of some of the domains' processes, while also working in partnership with parents. Here we outline the Family Domains Framework and describe its application in a Family‐Domains‐informed systemic therapy, attending to the roles of unit staff, the family therapist, parent and young person. We outline how the FDF can be used to review everyday challenges involving staff, parents and young people to generate hypotheses and ideas for alternative staff strategies. We also describe how the framework can be used to clarify the roles of unit staff and parents.
The effect of rural hospital closures on maternal and infant health
Authors: Durrance Christine , Guldi Melanie , Schulkind Lisa
Published: October 2023

Objective

To evaluate the effect of rural hospital closures on infant and maternal health outcomes.

Data Sources and Study Setting

We used restricted National Vital Statistics System birth and linked birth and infant death data, merged with county‐level hospital closures from the Sheps Center for the period 2005–2019.

Study Design

We used difference‐in‐difference and event study methods, employing new estimators that account for staggered treatment timing. Our key outcome variables were prenatal care initiation; birth outcomes (<2500 g; <1500 g; <37 weeks; <28 weeks; 5‐min Apgar); delivery outcomes (cesarean, induction, hospital birth); and infant death (<1 year of birth; <=30 days of birth; <=7 days of birth; <= 1 day after birth).

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

The analysis covered all births in the United States in rural counties (by rurality: all, most, moderately rural).

Principal Findings

We found evidence that fewer individuals delivered in their county of residence after a hospital closure, and this was most pronounced for residents of the most rural counties (29%–52% decline (p < 0.01) in the likelihood of delivering in their residence county). We found that hospital closures worsen prenatal, infant, and delivery outcomes for residents of moderately rural counties but improve those outcomes for those in the most rural counties. In moderately rural counties, low birth weight births increased by 10.4% (p < 0.01). We found suggestive evidence of decreased infant deaths in the most rural counties. This pattern of findings is consistent with closures leading residents of the most rural counties to seek care in a different county and residents of moderately rural counties to seek care at a different hospital in the same county.

Conclusions

Loss of hospital care has meaningful effects on the rural populations; investigating rural counties in aggregate may miss nuanced differences in the effects on the margin of rurality.
Making clear and effective communication SOuND BETTeR for patients with communication barriers
Authors: Evans Elizabeth , Jones Phillip , Keijzers Gerben
Published: October 2023

The consequences of ineffective communication between patients and clinicians in the ED range from frustration to significant adverse events. Unfortunately, scenarios where we are unable to understand what our patient is saying to us are common, due to a multitude of factors including acute illness, disability and patient diversity. Current communication aids can be difficult to access and use in the Emergency setting due to lack of physical resources, specific training and time. Our aim was to develop a communication tool which allowed for the rapid identification of urgent patient needs. In order to overcome current challenges, the tool had to be resource‐light, quick to use and not reliant on additional staff training or patient education for its effective use. The SOuND BETTeR communication tool is a list of yes/no questions, formatted as a mnemonic, which aims to identify the most common and urgent needs of patients in the ED. As the list of potential needs is not exhaustive, the tool does not purport to replace formal communication aids in the medium and long term, but to bridge the gap often left in the ED where urgent needs must be met and more formal communication aids are not yet available. The tool can effectively and quickly identify important needs in patients with expressive communication barriers such as those with aphasia, facial trauma and on non‐invasive ventilation. In addition, the tool can be modified for use in patients with non‐English speaking backgrounds. At this stage the tool has not yet been prospectively validated.
Biocontrol mechanisms of Bacillus: Improving the efficiency of green agriculture
Authors: Zhang Nan , Wang Zhengqi , Shao Jiahui , Xu Zhihui , Liu Yunpeng , Xun Weibing , Miao Youzhi , Shen Qirong , Zhang Ruifu
Published: October 2023

Species of the genus Bacillus have been widely used for the biocontrol of plant diseases in the demand for sustainable agricultural development. New mechanisms underlying Bacillus biocontrol activity have been revealed with the development of microbiome and microbe‐plant interaction research. In this review, we first briefly introduce the typical Bacillus biocontrol mechanisms, such as the production of antimicrobial compounds, competition for niches/nutrients, and induction of systemic resistance. Then, we discussed in detail the new mechanisms of pathogen quorum sensing interference and reshaping of the soil microbiota. The “cry for help” mechanism was also introduced, in which plants can release specific signals under pathogen attack to recruit biocontrol Bacillus for root colonization against invasion. Finally, two emerging strategies for enhancing the biocontrol efficacy of Bacillus agents, including the construction of synthetic microbial consortia and the application of rhizosphere‐derived prebiotics, were proposed.
The importance of external social support for workplace‐related stress as we grow older
Authors: Caines Valerie , Treuren Gerrit J. M.
Published: October 2023

Objectives

For older employees, a mismatch between work and nonwork roles can lead to work–family conflict (WFC) and stress. This paper examines whether the availability of social support from outside the workplace can assist these employees in coping with the stress‐related consequences of WFC.

Methods

This study used data from Waves 16 (Time 1) and 17 (Time 2) of the Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia (HILDA) survey (N = 2867). Sociodemographic characteristics were measured using age, sex and employment tenure. A moderated regression model was applied to the older employees in this sample using stress, WFC with external social support as the moderator. Analysis was additionally undertaken for the different aged employee cohorts, younger than 30 years and middle‐aged (30–50).

Results

We found that external social support dampened the effect of WFC on employee stress for older employees. This effect was more powerful for older employees than for younger employees. Interestingly, older employees reported the same levels of external social support as employees between 30 and 50, but less than that of employees younger than 30 years.

Conclusions

Following our hypothesised relationships based on conservation of resources (COR), selection, optimisation with compensation (SOC) and socio‐emotional selectivity theories (SST), this paper demonstrates that older employees benefit significantly from external social support. As external social support increased among older employees, the negative effect of WFC on stress decreased. However, this effect was only significant for employees up to the 68th percentile. Overall, this effect was less powerful for both groups of younger employees. Consistent with SOC and SST, older employees possessed different social motives (less reported external social support). Employer and government strategies assisting employees to develop social networks outside the workplace may provide significant benefits to organisations in addition to employees.