bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Altered sleep architecture in diabetes and prediabetes: findings from the Baependi Heart Study
Authors: Chen Daniel M. , Taporoski Tâmara P. , Alexandria Shaina J. , Aaby David A. , Beijamini Felipe , Krieger Jose E. , Schantz Malcolm von , Pereira Alexandre , Knutson Kristen L.
Published: March 2023

Objective

People with diabetes are more likely to have obstructive sleep apnea, but there are few studies examining sleep architecture in people with diabetes, especially in the absence of moderate-severe sleep apnea. Therefore, we compared sleep architecture among people with diabetes, prediabetes or neither condition, whilst excluding people with moderate-severe sleep apnea.

Research design and methods

This sample is from the Baependi Heart Study, a prospective, family-based cohort of adults in Brazil. 1,074 participants underwent at-home polysomnography (PSG). Diabetes was defined as 1) FBG>125 OR 2) HbA1c>6.4 OR 3) taking diabetic medication, and prediabetes was defined as 1) [(5.7≤HbA1c≤6.4) OR (100≤FBG≤125)] AND 2) not taking diabetic medication. We excluded participants that had an apnea-hypopnea index (AHI)>30 from these analyses to reduce confounding due to severe sleep apnea. We compared sleep stages among the 3 groups.

Results

Compared to those without diabetes, we found shorter REM duration for participants with diabetes (−6.7min, 95%CI -13.2, -0.1) or prediabetes (−5.9min, 95%CI -10.5, -1.3), even after adjusting for age, gender, BMI, and AHI. Diabetes was also associated with lower total sleep time (−13.7min, 95%CI -26.8, -0.6), longer slow-wave sleep (N3) duration (+7.6min, 95%CI 0.6, 14.6) and higher N3 percentage (+2.4%, 95%CI 0.6, 4.2), compared to those without diabetes.

Conclusions

People with diabetes and prediabetes had less REM sleep after taking into account potential confounders, including AHI. People with diabetes also had more N3 sleep. These results suggest that diabetes is associated with different sleep architecture, even in the absence of moderate-severe sleep apnea.
Autistic kinematics diverge from the power laws that typically govern movement
Authors: Cook Jennifer L. , Fraser Dagmar S. , Hickman Lydia J. , Brewer Rebecca , Huh Dongsung
Published: March 2023

Extant work reliably demonstrates that autistic individuals move with increased jerk (where jerk concerns change in acceleration). Although it follows that autistic movement may therefore diverge from fundamental power laws that govern movement, this hypothesis has not been directly tested to date. This lack of insight holds back progress in understanding the mechanisms underpinning differences in autism in motor control particularly with respect to movement jerkiness. Here we investigated whether movements executed by autistic adults diverged from the typical power law relationship that links movement speed and curvature. x and y position of the stylus tip was recorded at 133 Hz while 21 autistic and 19 non-autistic age-, intelligence quotient- and sex-matched adults traced, on a tablet device, a range of shapes that varied in angular frequency from 2/33 (spiral-like shapes) to 4 (square-like shapes). The gradient of the relationship between speed and curvature for each angular frequency-defined shape is reliably predicted by a set of mathematical equations often referred to as fundamental power laws thus, to assess deviations from power laws, we compared autistic and non-autistic participants in terms of speed-curvature gradients. To gain insight into potential mechanisms underpinning any differences we also used fast Fourier transform to explore amplitude spectral density across all angular frequencies. Compared to non-autistic adults, autistic adults exhibited significantly steeper speed-curvature gradients. Fast Fourier transform further revealed that non-autistic participants exhibited highly precise modulation of speed oscillations around the target frequency. For example, when drawing an ellipse their speed profile was dominated by speed changes in a band centred around the angular frequency 2 with minimal changes in other bands. Autistic adults, in contrast, exhibited less precise modulation of speed oscillations around the target frequency, a result that is reminiscent of a literature reporting broader auditory filters in autistic individuals. These results evidence, in autistic adults, a deviation from the power laws that typically govern movement and suggest differences in motor cortical control policies and/or biomechanical constraints.
A diverse panel of 755 bread wheat accessions harbors untapped genetic diversity in landraces and reveals novel genetic regions conferring powdery mildew resistance
Authors: Leber Rebecca , Heuberger Matthias , Widrig Victoria , Jung Esther , Paux Etienne , Keller Beat , Sánchez-Martín Javier
Published: March 2023

Wheat breeding for disease resistance relies on the availability and use of diverse genetic resources. More than 800,000 wheat accessions are globally conserved in gene banks, but they are mostly uncharacterized for the presence of resistance genes and their potential for agriculture. Based on the selective reduction of previously assembled collections for allele mining for disease resistance, we assembled a trait-customized panel of 755 geographically diverse bread wheat accessions with a focus on landraces, called the LandracePLUS panel. Population structure analysis of this panel based on the TaBW35K SNP array revealed an increased genetic diversity compared to 632 landraces genotyped in an earlier study and 17 high-quality sequenced wheat accessions. The additional genetic diversity found here mostly originated from Turkish, Iranian and Pakistani landraces. We characterized the LandracePLUS panel for resistance to ten diverse isolates of the fungal pathogen powdery mildew. Performing genome-wide association studies and dividing the panel further by a targeted subsetting approach for accessions of distinct geographical origin, we detected several known and already cloned genes, including thePm2agene. In addition, we identified 22 putatively novel powdery mildew resistance loci that represent useful sources for resistance breeding and for research on the mildew-wheat pathosystem. Our study shows the value of assembling trait-customized collections and utilizing a diverse range of pathogen races to detect novel loci. It further highlights the importance of integrating landraces of different geographical origins into future diversity studies.

Key Message

A bread wheat panel reveals rich genetic diversity in Turkish, Pakistani, and Iranian landraces and novel resistance loci to diverse powdery mildew isolates via subsetting approaches in association studies.
Genetic regulation of fetal hemoglobin across global populations
Authors: Cato Liam D. , Li Rick , Lu Henry Y. , Yu Fulong , Wissman Mariel , Mkumbe Baraka S. , Ekwattanakit Supachai , Deelen Patrick , Mwita Liberata , Sangeda Raphael , Suksangpleng Thidarat , Riolueang Suchada , Bronson Paola G. , Paul Dirk S. , Kawabata Emily , Astle William J. , Aguet Francois , Ardlie Kristin , Lopez de Lapuente Portilla Aitzkoa , Kang Guolian , Zhang Yingze , Nouraie Seyed Mehdi , Gordeuk Victor R. , Gladwin Mark T. , Garrett Melanie E. , Ashley-Koch Allison , Telen Marilyn J. , Custer Brian , Kelly Shannon , Dinardo Carla Luana , Sabino Ester C. , Loureiro Paula , Carneiro-Proietti Anna Bárbara , Maximo Cláudia ,   NHLBI Trans-Omics for Precision Medicine (TOPMed) Consortium,   BIOS Consortium, Méndez Adriana , Hammerer-Lercher Angelika , Sheehan Vivien A. , Weiss Mitchell J. , Franke Lude , Nilsson Björn , Butterworth Adam S. , Viprakasit Vip , Nkya Siana , Sankaran Vijay G.
Published: March 2023

1.

Human genetic variation has enabled the identification of several key regulators of fetal-to-adult hemoglobin switching, including BCL11A, resulting in therapeutic advances. However, despite the progress made, limited further insights have been obtained to provide a fuller accounting of how genetic variation contributes to the global mechanisms of fetal hemoglobin (HbF) gene regulation. Here, we have conducted a multi-ancestry genome-wide association study of 28,279 individuals from several cohorts spanning 5 continents to define the architecture of human genetic variation impacting HbF. We have identified a total of 178 conditionally independent genome-wide significant or suggestive variants across 14 genomic windows. Importantly, these new data enable us to better define the mechanisms by which HbF switching occursin vivo. We conduct targeted perturbations to define BACH2 as a new genetically-nominated regulator of hemoglobin switching. We define putative causal variants and underlying mechanisms at the well-studiedBCL11AandHBS1L-MYBloci, illuminating the complex variant-driven regulation present at these loci. We additionally show how rare large-effect deletions in theHBBlocus can interact with polygenic variation to influence HbF levels. Our study paves the way for the next generation of therapies to more effectively induce HbF in sickle cell disease and β-thalassemia.
Morbidity and mortality burden of COVID-19 in rural Madagascar: results from a longitudinal cohort and nested seroprevalence study
Authors: Garchitorena Andres , Rasoloharimanana Lova Tsikiniaina , Rakotonanahary Rado JL , Evans Michelle V , Miller Ann C. , Finnegan Karen E. , Cordier Laura F. , Cowley Giovanna , Razafinjato Benedicte , Randriamanambintsoa Marius , Andrianambinina Samuel , Popper Stephen , Hotahiene Raphaël , Bonds Matthew H. , Schoenhals Matthieu
Published: March 2023

Introduction

Three years into the pandemic, there remains significant uncertainty about the true infection and mortality burden of COVID-19 in the WHO-Africa region. High quality, population-representative studies in Africa are rare and tend to be conducted in national capitals or large cities, leaving a substantial gap in our understanding of the impact of COVID-19 in rural, low-resource settings. Here, we estimated the spatio-temporal morbidity and mortality burden associated with COVID-19 in a rural health district of Madagascar until the first half of 2021.

Methods

We integrated a nested seroprevalence study within a pre-existing longitudinal cohort conducted in a representative sample of 1600 households in Ifanadiana District, Madagascar. Socio-demographic and health information was collected in combination with dried blood spots for about 6500 individuals of all ages, which were analysed to detect IgG and IgM antibodies against four specific proteins of SARS-CoV2 in bead-based multiplex immunoassay. We evaluated spatio-temporal patterns in COVID-19 infection history and its associations with several geographic, socio-economic and demographic factors via logistic regressions.

Results

Eighteen percent of people had been infected by April-June 2021, with seroprevalence increasing with individuals’ age. COVID-19 primarily spread along the only paved road and in major towns during the first epidemic wave, subsequently spreading along secondary roads during the second wave to more remote areas. Wealthier individuals and those with occupations such as commerce and formal employment were at higher risk of being infected in the first wave. Adult mortality increased in 2020, particularly for older men for whom it nearly doubled up to nearly 40 deaths per 1000. Less than 10% of mortality in this period could be directly attributed to COVID-19 deaths given known infection fatality ratios and observed seroprevalence in the district.

Conclusion

Our study provides a very granular understanding on COVID-19 transmission and mortality in a rural population of sub-Saharan Africa and suggests that the disease burden in these areas may have been substantially underestimated.
SWATH-MS-based proteogenomic analysis reveals the involvement of alternative splicing in poplar upon lead stress
Authors: Zhu Fu-Yuan , Chen Xin , Song Yu-Chen , Lam Lydia Pui Ying , Tobimatsu Yuki , Gao Bei , Chen Mo-Xian , Cao Fu-Liang
Published: March 2023

Alternative splicing (AS) regulates gene expression and increases proteomic diversity for the fine tuning of stress responses in plants, but the exact mechanism through which AS functions in plant stress responses is not thoroughly understood. Here, we investigated how AS functions in poplar (Populus trichocarpa), a popular plant for bioremediation, in response to lead (Pb) stress. Using a proteogenomic analysis, we determine that Pb stress induced alterations in AS patterns that are characterized by an increased use of nonconventional splice sites and a higher abundance of Pb-responsive splicing factors (SFs) associated with Pb-responsive transcription factors. A strong Pb(II)-inducible chaperone protein, PtHSP70, that undergoes AS was further characterized. Overexpression of its two spliced isoforms, PtHSP70-AS1 and PtHSP70-AS2, in poplar andArabidopsissignificantly enhances the tolerance to Pb. Further characterization shows that both isoforms can directly bind to Pb(II), and PtHSP70-AS2 exhibits 10-fold higher binding capacities and a greater increase in expression under Pb stress, thereby reducing cellular toxicity through Pb(II) extrusion and conferring Pb tolerance. AS of PtHSP70 is found to be regulated by PtU1-70K, a Pb(II)-inducible core SF involved in 5′-splice site recognition. Because the same splicing pattern is also found in HSP70 orthologs in other plant species, AS of HSP70 may be a common regulatory mechanism to cope with Pb(II) toxicity. Overall, we have revealed a novel post-transcriptional machinery that mediates heavy metal tolerance in diverse plant species. Our findings offer new molecular targets and bioengineering strategies for phytoremediation and provide new insight for future directions in AS research.
Why does the European football market need a revolution?
Authors: Ruberti Massimo
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study explores the motivations underlying the European Super League (SL) breakaway attempt. While institutional settings bind football to tradition, investors conceive football companies as an opportunity to diversify their investments in a fast-growing technological industry. The study investigates the market structure and identifies the reasons behind the European football crisis, proposing to modify the role of Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) in the European football market.

Design/methodology/approach

After summarizing the unusual features of the European football market, the article displays the agents involved and their interrelations. Modeling the market facilitates picturing the misalignment of targets of regulatory bodies and football clubs. It also helps visualize the potential consequences of the SL coup on the market.

Findings

The market does not allow football companies to monetize their business and compete with other entertainment sectors. Only a radical change in the balance of power between clubs and self-interested institutional settings can settle this situation. Indeed, this relation leads to market inefficiency because the two most critical clubs' financial problems (the high dependence on broadcasting revenues and the uncontrolled expenditures on players' salaries) are linked to the same issue: the governing bodies strongly influence the profit equation by holding control of media rights and incentivizing clubs to overspend to win both on-field and off-field.

Originality/value

This study is the first to assess the football business market using an evolutionary approach to address its problems. It offers a visualizing tool to understand the market and proposes an alternative solution for solving the football market crisis.
Facilitators to improve whole-grain consumption among Malaysian adults: a qualitative study
Authors: Danaselvam Ugunesh , Siau Ching Sin , Mohd Sanip Mohd Nor Ahmar Bin , Koo Hui Chin
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore the facilitators that could help to improve the consumption of whole grains in the Malaysian adult population.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 30 individual in-depth interviews were conducted online. Malaysian adults aged a minimum of 18 years old and responsible for grocery shopping and food preparation at home were included in the study. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed thematically.

Findings

More than half of the participants were females (63.3%), with a mean age of 39.2 years old, and from urban areas (76.7%). Whole-grain cookbook development was the most commonly mentioned facilitator (100%), followed by cost reduction (86.7%), whole grains education (83.3%), awareness of whole grains (53.3%) and enhanced accessibility and availability of whole grains (63.3%). The least mentioned facilitator was improving product labelling (23.3%), creating a habit/lifestyle that encourages the consumption of whole grains in daily life (23.3%) and peer encouragement (10%).

Research limitations/implications

This study addresses the facilitators that should be emphasised in future nutrition intervention studies. The cookbook was perceived to be an effective facilitator to improve the consumption of whole grains in Malaysia. The researchers anticipate that the study findings may improve whole-grain consumption among the Malaysian population.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first paper to outline the facilitators to improve the consumption of whole grains amongst Malaysian adults.
Nexus between board characteristics, firm performance and intellectual capital: an emerging market evidence
Authors: Farooq Muhammad , Ahmad Naeem
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the moderating effect of intellectual capital (IC) in the relationship between board characteristics and firm performance of non-financial firms listed on the Pakistan Stock Exchange (PSX) from 2010 to 2019.

Design/methodology/approach

The modified value-added intellectual capital (MVAIC) was used to assess the efficiency of sample firms’ IC, which is a modified version of Pulic’s (2000) model VAIC that includes an additional component, rational capital efficiency. Board size, independence, board meetings, chief executive officier duality and board gender diversity are all measures of board characteristics. Firm performance is measured through return on assets, return on equity and earnings per share. The Hausman test was used to select the best model for the study.

Findings

Based on the regression results, the board’s gender diversity and duality have a significant inverse relationship with profitability. In terms of the impact of board characteristics on IC, it is discovered that board independence and diversity are significantly inversely related to IC. Furthermore, IC is significantly related to profitability by all means. In terms of the moderating effect of IC, the findings show that IC significantly moderates the negative relationship between duality and profitability, as well as board gender diversity and profitability.

Practical implications

This study made some policy recommendations to policymakers. Duality should be avoided in PSX firms because it is significantly inversely related to profitability and IC. Second, female board participation should be subjective. Third, because the findings indicate that Pakistani firms lack true board independence, the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan should take additional steps to ensure that the board is truly independent.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study of its kind to study the moderating effect of IC between corporate governance and firm performance.
Enforcement, corporate governance, and financial decisions
Authors: Mertzanis Charilaos , Nobanee Haitham , Basuony Mohamed A.K. , Mohamed Ehab K.A.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the impact of corporate governance on firms’ external financing decisions in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyzed a unique set of panel data comprising 2,425 nonfinancial firms whose shares are traded on stock exchanges in countries in the MENA region. The authors fitted an ordinary least squares model to estimate the regression coefficients. The authors performed a sensitivity analysis using alternative measures of the critical variables and an endogeneity analysis using instrumental variable methods with plausible external instruments.

Findings

The results revealed that corporate governance characteristics of firms are strongly associated with their degree of leverage. They also showed that macrofinancial conditions, financial regulations, corporate governance enforcement and social conditions mitigate the impact of corporate governance on firms’ financing decisions.

Research limitations/implications

A larger sample size will further improve the results; however, this is difficult and depends on the extent to which increasing disclosure practices allow more corporate information to reach international databases.

Practical implications

This study provides new evidence on the role of corporate governance on firms’ financing decisions and documents the essential mitigating role of institutions, alerting managers to consider them.

Originality/value

This study is a novel attempt. Based on information from different data sources, this study explored the predictive power of corporate governance, ownership structures and other firm-specific characteristics in explaining corporate leverage in MENA countries. Overall, the analysis provides new evidence of the association between corporate governance and capital structure in the MENA region, highlighting the critical role of institutions.
Perceived financial performance in sport services firms: the role of HRM practices and innovation
Authors: Papaioannou Alkistis , Dimitropoulos Panagiotis , Koronios Konstantinos , Marinakos Konstantinos
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The aim of the present study is to examine the impact of human resource (HR) practices (human resource empowerment, organizational culture and transformational leadership) on innovation activities as well as the effect of innovation activities on perceived financial performance within sport services firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed relationships were examined using empirical data from 172 managers of Greek sport services firms. Seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) analysis was used to investigate the role of human resource management (HRM) practices on innovation activities and whether innovation activities affected the perceived financial performance.

Findings

The results of the study indicated that HRM practices, such as human resource empowerment, organizational culture and transformational leadership, significantly impact innovation activities and subsequently innovation activities have a significant and positive effect on perceived financial performance as measured by satisfaction levels in relation to specific key performance indicators (KPIs) such as profit, ROI, sales volume and market share.

Practical implications

This study presents useful theoretical and managerial implications that can be used by sport service firms to assess the effects of HRM practices on innovation activities and perceived financial performance.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on several merits. Firstly, the authors jointly estimate the impact of HRM practices on innovation and its concurrent effect on perceived financial performance, which is not methodologically considered before. Secondly, the authors incorporate a more thorough measure of perceived financial performance including four dimensions of performance, and finally the authors analyze a larger sample of sport services firms relative to previous studies, leading into more concrete conclusion on the research hypotheses.
The study of the legal and judicial approach in India to the problem of gender inequality in the workplace
Authors: Singh Vijay P.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study aims to analyse the present situation of gender inequality in the workplace in India, examine the legal provisions that address gender inequality in India and evaluate and assess the recommendations made to eliminate gender imbalance at workplaces in India.

Design/methodology/approach

This study will adopt an exploratory research design to help identify and describe the most pressing problems and developments in the field. For this purpose, a secondary data collection approach is adopted. This study will acquire data through secondary means. This study will gather secondary data through the course of existing literature, judicial decisions and other authentic and published sources.

Findings

Legislative and judicial efforts alone are not enough to achieve gender equality. The mindset of people, in general, has to change through awareness. Unless a law is supported by public opinion, it cannot achieve its goal.

Research limitations/implications

This study is limited to gender inequality in the workplace only. In addition, the judicial perspective on gender disparity in India is examined in this paper. As a result, the findings cannot be applied to other situations.

Originality/value

This study deals with gender inequality in the workplace from legal and judicial perspectives and discusses that social change can be brought only by enacting laws but by public awareness.
Cross-listing and noncompliance with the mandatory CSR expenditure regulation
Authors: Kumar Satish , Singh Geeta
Published: March 2023

Purpose

In this paper, the authors examine the relation between cross-listing and the noncompliance with the mandatory corporate social responsibility (CSR) expenditure regulation in India, the first country to legally mandate the CSR expenditure.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors apply panel logit and ordinary least square (OLS) regression models to examine the impact of cross-listing on the noncompliance with the mandatory CSR expenditure regulation because panel regression has lesser multicollinearity problems and has the benefit of controlling for individual or time heterogeneity mostly present in cross-section or time series data.

Findings

Using a sample of 1,027 listed Indian firms, the authors show that the cross-listed firms are more likely to comply with the mandatory CSR expenditure than non-cross-listed firms. The authors further show that this relation holds only for those firms which are exposed to higher agency problems, for firms affiliated to business groups and for firms operating in high litigation risk industries. Finally, the authors show that cross-listed firms complying with the mandatory CSR expenditure command more valuation premiums.

Practical implications

This study’s results suggest that the noncompliance of the Indian firms with the mandatory CSR expenditure regulation comes down once they cross-list their shares in the US or the UK since such firms have to bond to the stronger corporate governance standards of the listed country. Hence, the authors recommend that merely making the investment in CSR activities mandatory may not serve the purpose and the convergence in corporate governance as well as compliance with the CSR expenditure can be achieved through cross-listing in US and UK markets.

Originality/value

One, the authors analyze the effect of cross-listing on the likelihood and magnitude of noncompliance with the CSR mandate. Two, this study is based in India where CSR expenditure has been made mandatory under the Companies Act, 2013. Using CSR mandate as a natural experiment, the authors have access to a richer data set on CSR in terms of the actual expenditure made by the company on CSR activities and the mandatory amount to be spent in a particular year.
Upcycling historical data collections. A paradigm for digital history?
Authors: Scheltjens Werner
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Upcycling is conceptualised as a digital historical research practice aimed at increasing the scientific value of historical data collections produced in print or in electronic form between the eighteenth and the late twentieth centuries. The concept of upcycling facilitates data rescue and reuse as well as the study of information creation processes deployed by previous generations of researchers.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a selection of two historical reference works and two legacy collections, an upcycling workflow consisting of three parts (input, processing and documentation and output) is developed. The workflow facilitates the study of historical information creation processes based on paradata analysis and targets the cognitive processes that precede and accompany the creation of historical data collections.

Findings

The proposed upcycling workflow furthers the understanding of computational methods and their role in historical research. Through its focus on the information creation processes that precede and accompany historical research, the upcycling workflow contributes to historical data criticism and digital hermeneutics.

Originality/value

Many historical data collections produced between the eighteenth and the late twentieth century do not comply with the principles of FAIR data. The paper argues that ignoring the work of previous generations of researchers is not an option, because it would make current research practices more vulnerable and would result in losing access to the experiences and knowledge accumulated by previous generations of scientists. The proposed upcycling workflow takes historical data collections seriously and makes them available for future generations of researchers.
Emergence of robotic technologies: implications for Nigerian academic libraries
Authors: Oladokun Bolaji David , Owolabi Abayomi Kehinde , Aboyade Modupe Aduke , Wiche Humphrey Igwechi , Aboyade Wahab Akanmu
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Libraries may become obsolete in the 21st century unless they begin to harness new technology and improve information and service delivery. This paper aims to examine the emergence of robotic technologies with its implications to academic libraries in Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

The research, which was conducted on a desk, examined how the adoption of robotic technologies may affect library services and operations.

Findings

It is believed that robot adoption in libraries can enhance library services and give users with reliable information that can foster growth and development in the information age.

Originality/value

This paper is the original idea from the authors and does not reflect on any copyrighted materials. The paper recommended that academic libraries should collaborate with their parent institutions or organisations to create a strategy plan for cutting-edge technology, such as robots; federal and state governments should strengthen their alliances with robot vendors to take advantage of direct support; and open communication between library management boards and librarians should be encouraged, particularly when it comes to the acceptance and use of robots in libraries.
Sustainable supply chain of Indonesia’s textile & apparel industry: opportunities and challenges
Authors: Sarasi Vita , Primiana Ina , Harsanto Budi , Satyakti Yayan
Published: March 2023

Purpose

As a leading sector that has entered the international market, the Indonesian Textile and Apparel (T&A) industry has begun to focus on sustainability issues; however, this study is still limited. This paper aims to conduct a systematic review and explore future research opportunities in developing sustainable supply chain management (SSCM) in the T&A industry in Indonesia, particularly in the small- and medium-sized enterprise (SME) sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) through five academic databases, including Science Direct, IEEE Explore, Scopus, Google Scholar and Web of Science, was conducted and followed by a content analysis of the selected papers.

Findings

Directions for future research include designing a standardized and sustainable measurement of SSCM performance; analyzing SSCM practices in T&A SMEs through the concept of sustainable entrepreneurs; and exploring the application of a circular economy in the T&A industry, known as circular fashion, which is preferred by the community, affordable and environmentally friendly.

Research limitations/implications

This research only used secondary data. In-depth interviews with relevant experts should also be conducted to get a more comprehensive picture of this issue.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first SLR analyzing the implementation of SSCM in the T&A industry in Indonesia.
Preface: Listen to the voices of local beech forests: An ecological and evolutionary conception of beech under phylogenetic and environmental constraints
Authors: Kitamura Keiko , Hara Masatoshi , Tamaki Ichiro
Published: March 2023

Beech has long been the subject of ecological research in many fields. Recent studies using new methods are now being conducted. This special feature focuses on local beech forests and offers a collection of articles to readers of Ecological Research.
Rethinking the Metre of Parzival: Iambic Verse for a Trochaic Language
Authors: Booth Joshua J.
Published: March 2023

The Middle High German (MHG) prosodic foot is uncontroversially considered to be trochaic, a fact which has traditionally led scholars to assume a preference for trochaic metre in poetry of the MHG Classical Period. However, given the trend elsewhere in mediaeval Europe (even in trochaic languages) to emulate French lyrics and compose verse in iambic metre, the uncritical assumption of a trochaic metre in all MHG poetry seems inadequate. A close examination of Parzival, an early thirteenth‐century grail romance by Wolfram von Eschenbach, suggests that the traditional analysis is not only insufficient but counter to the linguistic evidence. This paper argues for the first time that Parzival was in fact composed in iambic tetrameter, based on a close analysis of the rhythmic alternations within lines and the quantity and foot structure of line‐final syllables. Halle & Keyser's (1966) principles for iambic metre were used to produce a taxonomy of possible line structures in Parzival and the dominance of the wswswsws pattern, beginning on a weak beat and ending on a strong, offers convincing evidence in favour of iambic metre. The remaining lines can be neatly categorised as iambic by allowing feminine rhyme (with an extrametrical schwa syllable) or the construction of monosyllabic feet from a single heavy syllable. This analysis is further corroborated by the consistently iambic structure of line‐final feet, as well as the foot structures avoided by the poet, identified according to the weight of the final, penultimate and antepenultimate syllables. The present analysis has the advantage of explaining the various patterns of alternating prominence in the metre of Parzival much more consistently than the complex system advocated by the traditional literary view.
Reading smart: Queering and contextualising a cycling diary
Authors: Bachman‐Sanders Christine
Published: March 2023

Contradicting heteropatriarchal romance narratives in the historical archive, Bachman‐Sanders reads the diary of a woman cyclist from Leeds, UK written between 1893 and 1896 against the grain to reveal an identity for the diarist that is relationally and spatially constructed. She utilises feminist inter‐subjective reading practices and a queer interpretive framework to investigate the personal, genealogical, geographical and historical context surrounding this diary and to interrogate her own attachment to the research subject. Bachman‐Sanders produces a collection of images and maps that explore the intimate connections and non‐linearity of bicycle tourism and feminist historical research, pushing the limits of the ‘queer object’.
From opportunity to threat: the non‐linear relationship between voice frequency and job performance via voice endorsement
Authors: Zhang Limei , Chen Hui
Published: March 2023

How managers evaluate employees' ideas and when they endorse or reject them have always been concerns. Based on categorization theory, we theorize that middle managers with multiple responsibilities and limited resources tend to label excessive voices as threats instead of opportunities. We thus propose an inverted U‐shaped relationship between voice frequency and voice endorsement that sequentially influences job performance. Further, perceived task interdependence, related to how an individual makes sense of issues in the team, will influence voice content and moderate the curvilinear relationship between voice frequency and job performance through voice endorsement. A three‐wave time‐lagged survey of Chinese firms, including 299 employees and 37 supervisors, provided convergent support for this theoretical model. Our research contributes to the voice literature by exploring how middle managers' limited resources and multiple responsibilities influence their voice evaluation process. This research thus has practical implications for both organizations and employees, as it suggests organizations allocate resources to facilitate managers' implementation of voice and provides suggestions for effective voice experience.
Sauchinone inhibits breast cancer cell proliferation through regulating microRNA‐148a‐3p/HER‐2 axis
Authors: Hu Xiaolei , Wang Jie , Shang Pei , Wang Shan , Chen Lujia , Ye Changsheng , Yao Guangyu
Published: March 2023

Background

Sauchinone is extracted from the root of Saururus chinensis and exhibits potent antitumor effects in various human cancers. However, how sauchinone is involved in breast cancer has not been well studied.

Methods

Cells apoptosis, cell proliferation, and cycle distribution were evaluated. Xenograft tumor mouse model was constructed to investigate the roles of sauchinone. The relevant protein expression was detected by western blot.

Results

We found that sauchinone significantly reduced proliferation and survival, also induced apoptosis of MCF‐7 and Bcap‐37 cells in vitro. Sauchinone significantly increased miR‐148a‐3p expression, and human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)‐2 targeted on miR‐148a‐3p. Sauchinone exposure downregulated HER‐2 expression whose overexpression partly eliminated the inhibitory effect of sauchinone. Further, sauchinone efficiently inhibited breast cancer progression through downregulating HER‐2 expression in vivo.

Conclusion

Our results indicate that sauchinone efficiently inhibits breast cancer progression through regulating miR‐148a‐3p/HER‐2 axis, suggesting that sauchinone could be an effective anticancer agent for breast cancer.
Efficacy of different irrigant activation devices in removing dentin debris from an artificial isthmus connecting curved canals
Authors: Plotino Gianluca , Özyürek Taha , Gündoğar Mustafa , Uslu Gülşah , Pedullà Eugenio , Careddu Roberto , Franco Vittorio
Published: March 2023

The aim of this study was to evaluate the debridement efficacy of sonic irrigation (EDDY; VDW, Munich, Germany and EndoActivator; Dentsply‐Sirona, Ballaigues, Switzerland) and ultrasonically activated irrigation (Irrısafe; Satelec Acteon, Merignac, France) in a simulated canal isthmus connecting curved canals. Transparent resin blocks were produced containing two curved canals connected with an isthmus. The isthmus was then filled with dentin debris. Three irrigant activation cycles were performed and the amount of remaining debris was compared analysing pictures taken after each activation cycle. Data were statistically analysed using one‐way ANOVA and post hoc Tukey tests at a significance level of p < 0.05. EDDY showed greater efficiency in removing dentin debris from the simulated isthmus than the other techniques tested. An increase in the activation time enhanced the efficiency of both EDDY and ultrasonically activated irrigation in debris removal.
Opioid use disorder in the active service: Implications for intervention
Authors: Moore Brian A. , Vincent Sophie R. , Schlenk Michael A. , McNamara Corinne L.
Published: March 2023

Background and Objectives

Military service members experience occupational‐specific injuries that may result in chronic pain and comorbid behavioral health concerns.

Methods

Data from the Defense Medical Epidemiology Database was used to examine opioid use disorder (OUD) diagnoses between 2016 and 2021. Statistical analysis calculated incidence rates and diagnostic variability by demographic density.

Results

The average incidence rate of OUD was 6.1 (per 10,000) and declined by 34% between 2016 and 2021. Diagnoses were most frequently made in service members classified as male, married, white, aged 30–39, junior enlisted, and serving in the Army.

Conclusions and Scientific Significance

To our knowledge, this is the first study to examine the incidence rates of OUD among active duty personnel.
Impact of age on outcomes in young women with breast cancer
Authors: Yadav Budhi S. , Bansal Anshuma , Das Deepak , Thakur Pragyat , Gupta Ankita , Dahiya Divya
Published: March 2023

Background

In this study, we compared outcomes in young and very young patients with breast cancer (BC).

Materials and methods

Between January 1990 to December 2010, 414 young women (age ≤35 years) with BC were registered in the radiotherapy (RT) outpatient department. Patients were divided into young (31–35 years) and very young (18–30 years). They were compared for clinical, pathological characteristics, and treatment‐related factors such as RT and systemic therapy. Outcomes compared between the two groups were locoregional recurrence rate (LRR), local recurrence‐free survival (LRFS), disease‐free survival (DFS), overall survival (OS), and toxicities. LRFS, DFS, and OS were estimated using the Kaplan‐Meier method.

Results

Out of 414 patients, 138 and 276 were very young and young, respectively. Clinical, pathological, and treatment characteristics were balanced between the two groups except for more patients in the young group who had pN3 disease and received hormonal therapy; 41 (15%) versus seven (5%) and 171 (62%) versus 62 (45%) in the very young group, respectively. Median follow‐up was 84 months (range 12–363 months). LR was seen in 16 (11.6%) and 25 (9%) patients in the very young and young groups, respectively (p = 0.28). The hazard ratios for LR, disease recurrence, and death in the very young group relative to the young group were 1.11 (p = 0.25), 1.0 (p = 1.0), and 1.05 (p = 0.79), respectively. Estimated 10‐year LRFS, DFS and OS were 80% versus 86%, 63% versus 61%, and 66% versus 64% in the very young and young groups, respectively. Lymphedema, cardiac toxicity, and second malignancy developed in seven (5%) versus 23 (8%), one (1%) versus three (1%), and seven (5%) versus 18 (7%) patients in the very young and young groups, respectively.

Conclusion

In very young and young patients with BC, there was no significant difference in LRR, LRFS, DFS, or OS. Toxicities were also comparable between the two groups.
Measuring the quality of skin cancer management in primary care: A scoping review
Authors: Spanos Samantha , Singh Nehal , Laginha Bela I. , Arnolda Gaston , Wilkinson David , Smith Andrea L. , Cust Anne E. , Braithwaite Jeffrey , Rapport Frances
Published: March 2023

Skin cancer is a growing global problem and a significant health and economic burden. Despite the practical necessity for skin cancer to be managed in primary care settings, little is known about how quality of care is or should be measured in this setting. This scoping review aimed to capture the breadth and range of contemporary evidence related to the measurement of quality in skin cancer management in primary care settings. Six databases were searched for relevant texts reporting on quality measurement in primary care skin cancer management. Data from 46 texts published since 2011 were extracted, and quality measures were catalogued according to the three domains of the Donabedian model of healthcare quality (structure, process and outcome). Quality measures within each domain were inductively analysed into 13 key emergent groups. These represented what were deemed to be the most relevant components of skin cancer management as related to structure, process or outcomes measurement. Four groups related to the structural elements of care provision (e.g. diagnostic tools and equipment), five related to the process of care delivery (e.g. diagnostic processes) and four related to the outcomes of care (e.g. poor treatment outcomes). A broad range of quality measures have been documented, based predominantly on articles using retrospective cohort designs; systematic reviews and randomised controlled trials were limited.
Open educational resources: Evaluation of students' intention to use and motivation to create
Authors: Adedoyin Olasile Babatunde , Altinay Fahriye
Published: March 2023

The advent of open educational resources (OER) has increased access to pedagogical resources that promote the quality of education, but the potential of the OER to transform pedagogical practices is yet to be realized, mainly as a result of a lack of concentration on the policies and practices necessary to support the idea of openness within the academic institutions. Several exploratory attentions have been given to educators’ adoption of OER, but little or none exists on university students’ intention to use and motivation to create OER. This study explores university students’ intention to use OER in Study 1 and motivation to create OER in Study 2 using a non‐experimental research design with a survey method and partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS‐SEM) for the two studies. The findings indicated that the relationship between perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, zero price accessibility and availability, and attitude and university students’ intention to use OER is significantly positive for Study 1. This showed that university students’ intention to use OER can be influenced by these factors. The relationship between competence and mastery of content, personal development, reward system and motivation to create OER is significantly positive for Study 2. This implies that university students are not mere users of OER but partners in the OER crusade as creators.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic

Significant roles of OER.

Faculty members as OER developers.

Students as mere users of OER.

What this paper adds

Factors that influence university students’ intentions to use OER using a blended TAM model.

Factors that influence university students’ motivation to create OER using a blended SDT theory.

The significant roles of university students as OER developers.

Implications for practice and/or policy

University students are not mere users of OER but partners in the OER crusade as creators.

Extensive information on the factors to focus on by faculty members to improve university students’ intentions to use and motivation to create OER.

The need for OER policymakers to concentrate on the factors highlighted in this study to make OER policies that will promote university students’ motivation to create OER.