bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A pyridyl-furan series developed from Open Global Health Library blocks red blood cell invasion and protein trafficking inPlasmodium falciparumthrough potential inhibition of the parasite’s PI4KIIIb enzyme
Authors: Ling Dawson B. , Nguyen William , Looker Oliver , Razook Zahra , McCann Kirsty , Barry Alyssa E. , Scheurer Christian , Wittlin Sergio , Bullen Hayley E. , Crabb Brendan S. , Sleebs Brad E. , Gilson Paul R.
Published: April 2023

With resistance increasing to current antimalarial medicines, there is an urgent need to discover new drug targets and to develop new medicines against these targets. We therefore screened the Open Global Health Library of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany of 250 compounds against the asexual blood stage of the deadliest malarial parasitePlasmodium falciparum,from which eight inhibitors with low micromolar potency were found. Due to its combined potencies against parasite growth and inhibition of red blood cell invasion, the pyridyl-furan compound OGHL250, was prioritised for further optimisation. The potency of the series lead compound (WEHI-518) was improved 250-fold to low nanomolar levels against parasite blood-stage growth. Parasites selected for resistance to a related compound MMV396797, were also resistant to WEHI-518 as well as KDU731, an inhibitor of the phosphatidylinositol kinase PfPI4KIIIB, suggesting this kinase is the target of the pyridyl-furan series. Inhibition of PfPI4KIIIB blocks multiple stages of the parasite’s life cycle and other potent inhibitors are currently under preclinical development. MMV396797-resistant parasites possess an E1316D mutation in PfPKI4IIIB which clusters with known resistance mutations of other inhibitors of the kinase. Building upon earlier studies which showed that PfPI4KIIIB inhibitors block the development of the invasive merozoite parasite stage, we show that members of the pyridyl-furan series also block invasion and/or the conversion of merozoites into ring-stage intracellular parasites through inhibition of protein secretion and export into red blood cells.
Membrane binding of endocytic myosin-1s is inhibited by a class of ankyrin repeat proteins
Authors: Willet Alaina H. , Chen Jun-Song , Ren Liping , Gould Kathleen L.
Published: April 2023

Myosin-1s are monomeric actin-based motors that function at membranes. Myo1 is the single myosin-1 isoform inSchizosaccharomyces pombethat works redundantly with Wsp1-Vrp1 to activate the Arp2/3 complex for endocytosis. Here, we identified Ank1 as an uncharacterized cytoplasmic Myo1 binding partner. We found that inank1Δcells, Myo1 dramatically redistributed from endocytic patches to decorate the entire plasma membrane and endocytosis was defective. Biochemical analysis and structural predictions suggested that the Ank1 ankyrin repeats bind the Myo1 lever arm and the Ank1 acidic tail binds the Myo1 TH1 domain to prevent TH1-dependent Myo1 membrane binding. Indeed, Ank1 over-expression precluded Myo1 membrane localization and recombinant Ank1 blocked purified Myo1 liposome binding in vitro. Based on biochemical and cell biology analyses, we propose budding yeast Ank1 and human OSTF1 are functional Ank1 orthologs and that cytoplasmic sequestration by small ankyrin repeat proteins is a conserved mechanism regulating myosin-1s in endocytosis.

Fission yeast long-tailed myosin-1 binds Ank1. Ank1 ankyrin repeats associate with the Myo1 lever arm and Ank1 acidic tail binds the Myo1 TH1 domain to inhibit Myo1 membrane binding. Ank1 orthologs exists in budding yeast (Ank1) and humans (OSTF1).
Mapping resistance-associated anthelmintic interactions in the model nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Rehborg Elena G. , Wheeler Nicolas J , Zamanian Mostafa
Published: April 2023

Parasitic nematodes infect billions of people and are mainly controlled by anthelmintic mass drug administration (MDA). While there are growing efforts to better understand mechanisms of anthelmintic resistance in human and animal populations, it is unclear how resistance mechanisms that alter susceptibility to one drug affect the interactions and efficacy of drugs used in combination. Mutations that alter drug permeability across primary nematode barriers have been identified as potential resistance mechanisms using the model nematodeCaenorhabditis elegans. We leveraged high-throughput assays in this model system to measure altered anthelmintic susceptibility in response to genetic perturbations of potential cuticular, amphidial, and alimentary routes of drug entry. Mutations in genes associated with these tissue barriers differentially altered susceptibility to the major anthelmintic classes (macrocyclic lactones, benzimidazoles, and nicotinic acetylcholine receptor agonists) as measured by animal development. We investigated two-way anthelmintic interactions acrossC. elegansgenetic backgrounds that confer resistance or hypersensitivity to one or more drugs. We observe that genetic perturbations that alter susceptibility to a single drug can shift the drug interaction landscape and lead to the appearance of novel synergistic and antagonistic interactions. This work establishes a framework for investigating combinatorial therapies in model nematodes that can potentially be translated to amenable parasite species.
Exploring Microbial Diversity and Functional Potential along the Bay of Bengal Coastline in Bangladesh: Insights from Amplicon Sequencing and Shotgun Metagenomics
Authors: Akter Salma , Rahman M. Shaminur , Ali Hazrat , Minch Benjamin , Mehzabin Kaniz , Siddique Md. Moradul , Galib Syed Md. , Yesmin Farida , Azmuda Nafisa , Adnan Nihad , Hasan Nur A , Rahman Sabita Rezwana , Moniruzzaman Mohammad , Ahmed Md Firoz
Published: April 2023

Although the Bay of Bengal (BoB) is the world’s largest bay, possessing distinct physiochemical properties, it has garnered little research focus concerning its microbial diversity and ecological importance. Here, we present amplicon (16S and 18S) profiling and shotgun metagenomics data regarding microbial communities from BoB’s eastern coast, viz., Saint Martin and Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh. From the 16S sequencing data, Proteobacteria appeared to be the dominant phylum in both locations, withAlteromonas,Methylophaga,Anaerospora,Marivita, andVibriodominating in Cox’s Bazar andPseudoalteromonas,Nautella,Marinomonas,Vibrio, andAlteromonasdominating the Saint Martin site. From the 18S sequencing data, Ochrophyta, Chlorophyta, and Protalveolata appeared among the most abundant eukaryotic divisions in both locations, with significantly higher abundance of Choanoflagellida, Florideophycidae, and Dinoflagellata in Cox’s Bazar. Functional annotations revealed that the microbial communities in these samples harbor genes for biofilm formation, quorum sensing, xenobiotics degradation, antimicrobial resistance, and a variety of other processes. Together, these results provide the first molecular insight into the functional and phylogenetic diversity of microbes along the BoB coast of Bangladesh and lay the foundation for further in-depth assessment of microbial community dynamics and functional potential in the context of global change in this region.
Preparation of physiologically active inside-out vesicles from plant inner mitochondrial membranes
Authors: Ehmke Leander , Hause Gerd , Klösgen Ralf Bernd , Bennewitz Bationa
Published: April 2023

For many metabolites, the major barrier between cytosol and mitochondrial matrix is the inner envelope membrane of mitochondria, the site of the respiratory electron transport chain. In consequence, it houses numerous transporters which facilitate the controlled exchange of metabolites, ions, and even proteins between these cellular compartments. While their import into the organelle can be studied with isolated mitochondria or mitoplasts, the analysis of their export from the matrix into the intermembrane space or even the cytosol demands for more sophisticated approaches. Among those, inside-out inner membrane vesicles are particularly useful, since they allow the direct presentation of the potential export substrates to the membrane without prior import into the organelle. Here we present a protocol for the isolation of such inside-out vesicles of the inner envelope membrane of plant mitochondria based on repeated freeze/thaw-cycles of freshly prepared mitoplasts. Electron microscopy and Western analysis could show that the majority of the vesicles have single envelope membranes in an inside-out topology. The vesicles are furthermore physiologically active, as demonstrated by assays measuring the enzymatic activities of Complex I (NADH dehydrogenase), Complex V (ATP synthase) and the mitochondrial processing peptidase (MPP) associated with Complex III. Hence, the method presented here provides a good basis for further studies of the inner mitochondrial envelope membrane and mitochondrial export processes.
Three-phase material mapping with incomplete X-ray diffraction spectral information
Authors: Chang Xuyang , Lavernhe-Taillard Karine , Roux Stéphane , Hubert Olivier
Published: April 2023

An equiatomic nickel–titanium shape-memory alloy specimen subjected to a uniaxial tensile load undergoes a two-step phase transformation under stress, from austenite (A) to a rhombohedral phase (R) and further to martensite (M) variants. The pseudo-elasticity that goes accompanies the phase transformation induces spatial inhomogeneity. To unravel the spatial distribution of the phases, in situ X-ray diffraction analyses are performed while the sample is under tensile load. However, the diffraction spectra of the R phase, as well as the extent of potential martensite detwinning, are not known. A novel algorithm, based on a proper orthogonal decomposition and incorporating inequality constraints, is proposed in order to map out the different phases and simultaneously yield the missing diffraction spectral information. An experimental case study illustrates the methodology.
Preparation, spectroscopic, X-ray crystallographic, DFT, antimicrobial and ADMET studies of N-[(4-flourophenyl)sulfanyl]phthalimide
Authors: Çakmak Şukriye , Aycan Tuğba , Yakan Hasan , Veyisoğlu Aysel , Tanak Hasan , Evecen Meryem
Published: April 2023

N-[(4-Fluorophenyl)sulfanyl]phthalimide (C14H8FNO2S, FP) was synthesized and characterized using X-ray crystallography. It was then investigated via quantum chemical analysis using the density functional theory (DFT) approach, as well as spectrochemically using FT–IR and 1H and 13C NMR spectroscopy, and elemental analysis. The observed and stimulated spectra are in very good agreement for the DFT method. The in vitro antimicrobial activity of FP against three Gram-positive bacteria, three Gram-negative bacteria and two fungi were determined using the serial dilution method, and FP showed the highest antibacterial activity against E. coli, with a MIC of 128 µg ml−1. Druglikeness, ADME (absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion) and toxicology studies were carried out to theoretically examine the drug properties of FP.
Synthesis of 5-(arylmethylideneamino)-4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)pyrimidine hybrids: synthetic sequence and the molecular and supramolecular structures of two intermediates and three final products
Authors: Vicentes Daniel E. , Rodríguez Ricaurte , Cobo Justo , Glidewell Christopher
Published: April 2023

A concise and versatile synthesis of 5-(arylmethylideneamino)-4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)pyrimidines has been developed, starting from 4-(1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl)pyrimidines, and we report here the synthesis and spectroscopic and structural characterization of three such products, along with those of two intermediates in the reaction pathway. The intermediates 4-[2-(4-chlorophenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]-6-methoxypyrimidine-2,5-diamine, (II), and 4-[2-(4-bromophenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]-6-methoxypyrimidine-2,5-diamine, (III), crystallize as the isostructural monohydrates C18H15ClN5O·H2O and C18H15BrN5O·H2O, respectively, in which the components are linked into complex sheets by O—H...N and N—H...O hydrogen bonds. In the product (E)-4-methoxy-5-[(4-nitrobenzylidene)amino]-6-[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidin-2-amine, which crystallizes as a 1:1 solvate with dimethyl sulfoxide, C25H18N8O5·C2H6OS, (IV), inversion-related pairs of the pyrimidine component are linked by N—H...N hydrogen bonds to form cyclic centrosymmetric R
2
2(8) dimers to which pairs of solvent molecules are linked by N—H...O hydrogen bonds. (E)-4-Methoxy-5-[(4-methylbenzylidene)amino]-6-[2-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidin-2-amine, C27H24N6O, (V), crystallizes with Z′ = 2 and the molecules are linked into a three-dimensional framework structure by a combination of N—H...N, C—H...N and C—H...π(arene) hydrogen bonds. The analogous product (E)-4-methoxy-5-[(4-chlorobenzylidene)amino]-6-[2-(4-methylphenyl)-1H-benzo[d]imidazol-1-yl]pyrimidin-2-amine, C26H21ClN6O, (VI), crystallizes from dimethyl sulfoxide in two forms: one, denoted (VIa), is isostructural with (V), and the other, denoted (VIb), crystallizes with Z′ = 1, but as an unknown solvate in which the pyrimidine molecules are linked by N—H...N hydrogen bonds to form a ribbon containing two types of centrosymmetric ring.
N-Methylserotonin hydrogen oxalate
Authors: Naeem Marilyn , Anas Nicholas A. , Chadeayne Andrew R. , Golen James A. , Manke David R.
Published: April 2023

The solid-state structure of N-methylserotonin {systematic name: [2-(5-hydroxy-1H-indol-3-yl)ethyl](methyl)azanium hydrogen oxalate}, C11H15N2O+·C2HO4
−, is reported. The structure possesses a singly protonated N-methylserotonin cation and one hydrogen oxalate anion in the asymmetric unit. In the crystal, the molecules are linked by N—H...O and O—H...O hydrogen bonds into a three-dimensional network.
Understanding the roles of interaction and trust in formation of loyalty toward customer-to-customer (C2C) platforms
Authors: Ting Liu , Ahn Jiseon
Published: April 2023

Purpose

An increasing number of customers are using customer-to-customer (C2C) platforms to buy and sell products and services. Despite this growth, little research has examined customer experiences with C2C e-commerce. This study examines how informational and emotional interactions affect customer patronage behaviors by increasing customer trust in both sellers and platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered questionnaire was used to collect data from 181 customers of C2C platforms in the United States. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to analyze the data.

Findings

The results show that informational interactions affect customer trust both in sellers and platforms, resulting in customer loyalty. The findings also show that emotional interactions affect customer trust in sellers. Multi-group analyses suggest that the impacts of informational and emotional interactions on trust vary depending on customer demographics.

Research limitations/implications

Theoretical implications in this study arise from (1) examination of customer experiences with C2C platforms using the stimulus-organism-response framework, (2) identification of the role of informational and emotional interactions in the formation of trust and (3) exploration of the ways in which customer gender, age and income affect the connection between experiences and consequences in C2C settings.

Practical implications

From a practical perspective, this study provides useful guidelines to help C2C business practitioners increase customer patronage behavior by means of interactions and trust.

Originality/value

This study provides practical and academic implications by examining how customer interactions affect customer trust in e-commerce C2C platforms.
Wine tourism as a catalyst for green innovation: evidence from the Spanish wine industry
Authors: Martínez-Falcó Javier , Marco-Lajara Bartolomé , Zaragoza-Sáez Patrocinio del Carmen , Millan-Tudela Luis A.
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This research focuses on analysing the effect of wine tourism on green product and process innovations developed by Spanish wineries. In addition, age, size and membership in a protected designation of origin (PDO) are introduced as control variables to increase the precision of the cause–effect relationship analysed.

Design/methodology/approach

The study proposes a conceptual model based on previous studies, which is tested using structural equations (partial least squares structural equation modelling [PLS-SEM]) with data collected from 202 Spanish wineries.

Findings

The research results show that wine tourism activity has a positive and significant influence on green product and process innovation.

Originality/value

The research contributes to the academic literature in several ways. First, the study advances knowledge and understanding of the benefits generated by wine tourism. Second, the research contributes to the literature that analyses the wine tourism–sustainability link, since it is predicted that this type of tourism can increase the capacity for green innovation. Third, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there is no previous research that has analysed wine tourism as a catalytic variable for green innovation. Fourth, the proposed theoretical model has not been previously addressed in the academic literature, so the study represents an important advance in scientific knowledge.
Board of directors and business transformation: a bibliometric analysis
Authors: de Enrique Arnau Luis , Pinillos-Costa María José
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the thematic content of research addressing the relation between board of directors (BoD) and business transformation (BT) to obtain better understanding of status and to derive future areas of study.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reviews literature through a bibliometric analysis based on co-occurrence of articles published in Web of Science Core Collection ™ (WoS) between 1990 and 2022, identifying key concepts, setting network of relations and identifying the strategic importance of clusters of concepts. Findings and implications are discussed, future lines of research are presented and limitations are noted.

Findings

Thematic research on boards addressing transformation shifted from the analysis of individuals' traits to an organizational approach with majority of research centered on the role of boards under different theories and the consequences of strategic changes on firm's performance. Further research is around gender diversity, sustainability and the moderating role of ownership structure and business culture.

Research limitations/implications

Some limitations are also noted. This analysis considered articles indexed by WoS for Q1+Q2 publications as source of literature, while including others such as Scopus would increase knowledge base. Also, to identify main streams of research, the authors considered keywords with cumulative occurrence spanning from 30% to 40% while increasing this percentage would add terms that might improve precision to the connections among keywords. Other techniques could have been used such as co-citation or bibliographic coupling, although the authors find these as better suited to investigate the basic structure behind the foundational knowledge of the topic while the authors’ intention was to understand the positioning of study fields regarding the degree of research progress.

Practical implications

This paper presents some practical implications for future researchers. Those who wish to leverage previous evidence to address new research questions might look into principal themes covering BoD dynamics and composition to exert CG, and the relation between strategic decisions and performance measured by different variables. Those who wish to position their research as new findings to shed light on dilemmas, might find opportunities in the fields of climate change-sustainability, R&D for growth and innovation under the perspective of intangible assets.

Originality/value

This paper, is the first to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to identify research clusters for the intersection of boards and transformation and to determine their stage of development.
(De/re) territorializing writing/composition: becoming with playful objects through maker literacies
Authors: Thiel Jaye Johnson
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Using a postqualitative inquiry approach, the purpose of this paper is to make sense of playful making events that took place at a community makerspace during an afterschool enrichment opportunity and to explore those events as ways we might deterritorialize traditional composition practices and pedagogies in the literacy classroom.

Design/methodology/approach

Thinking alongside theories (Jackson and Mazzei, 2012) of (de/re)territorialization, becoming (Deleuze and Guattari, 1987) and intimacy with objects (Bennett, 2010), the author argues that children are always, already engaged in writing practices through their everyday maker literacies.

Findings

By analyzing three different moments when young people were engaged in self-directed maker literacies, this paper illustrates how children’s playful compositions are writing practices and mimic many of the skills teachers seek out during more traditional writing instruction. The author also argues that literacy educators must deterritorialize their own practices to notice the ways children are engaged in these skills.

Originality/value

Written as a narrative, this paper adds to the ever-growing body of work that suggests seeing humans/nonhuman objects as being in co-relational partnerships offers us new ways to conceptualize literacy practice. Additionally, rather than call for a dismissal of traditional practices, the author encourages us to add to existing practices for a more robust and creative engagement with literacies.
The theory-practice research gains from big data: evidence from hospitality loyalty programs
Authors: Rita Paulo , Borges-Tiago Maria Teresa , Caetano Joana
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The hospitality industry values segmentation and loyalty programs (LPs), but there is limited research on new methods for segmenting loyalty program members, so managers often rely on conventional techniques. This study aims to use big data-driven segmentation methods to cluster customers and provide a new solution for customer segmentation in hotel LPs.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the k-means algorithm, this study examined 498,655 profiles of guests enrolled in a multinational hotel chain’s loyalty program. The objective was to cluster guests according to their consumption behavior and monetary value and compare data-driven segments based on brand preferences, demographic data and monetary value with loyalty program tiers.

Findings

This study shows that current tier-based LPs lack features to improve customer segmentation, and some high-tier members generate less revenue than low-tier members. Therefore, more attention should be given to truly valuable customers.

Practical implications

Hotels can segment LP members to develop targeted campaigns and uncover new insights. This will help to transform LPs to make them more valuable and profitable and use differentiated rewards and strategies.

Originality/value

As not all guests or hotel brands benefit equally from LPs, additional segmentation is required to suit varying guest behaviors. Hotel managers can use data mining techniques to develop more efficient and valuable LPs with personalized strategies and rewards.
A theory of Founder-CEOs succession: governance implications for mature family firms amidst strategic successes and failures
Authors: LeCounte John Fitzpatrick
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This study aims to contribute to the academic disciplines of entrepreneurship and management by developing a new theory that explains Founder-CEOs’ succession in family and non-family firms. Many scholars failed to generate a specific theory to describe the succession of Founder-CEOs. Family firms remain complex enterprises comprising interconnectedness of cultural interests in which corporate governance occurs by families, Founder-CEOs and sometimes a board of directors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study’s design/methodology/approach reflects post-modernist epistemological and ontological perspectives for conducting systematic literature reviews. To identify relevant studies in the review, the several databases (Australian Business Dean’s Council Journal Quality List; EBSCO Database, including PsycINFO and Psych studies; Web of Science) and a mix of ranked journals from entrepreneurship, management and psychology were used.

Findings

The findings and results in this paper reflect the purpose, methodology and literature analysis culminating in 1,582 peer-reviewed studies. A total of 182 peer-reviewed studies met the criterion for review. Throughout the research process, a systematic literature review uncovered management literature gaps overlooked for decades during the theory-building process. Hence, developing a theory of Founder-CEOs succession used a combination of systematic, inductive, comparative and interactive approaches.

Originality/value

A Theory of Founder-CEOs Succession explains the strategic process of replacing a founder systematically. The promotion of, and incentives for, internal executives have been topics of great interest and deliberation among scholars and practitioners for a long time. This study contributes research implications for theory building in the academic disciplines of entrepreneurship and management by offering scholars and practitioners a theory that does not exist to describe Founder-CEOs’ succession encompassing both strategic successes and failures. By incorporating successes and failures, this study provides realistic reflections of Founder-CEOs.
A hybrid multi-criteria decision-making approach for hospitals’ sustainability performance evaluation under fuzzy environment
Authors: Regragui Hajar , Sefiani Naoufal , Azzouzi Hamid , Cheikhrouhou Naoufel
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Hospital structures serve to protect and improve public health; however, they are recognized as a major source of environmental degradation. Thus, an effective performance evaluation framework is required to improve hospital sustainability. In this context, this study presents a holistic methodology that integrates the sustainability balanced scorecard (SBSC) with fuzzy Delphi method and fuzzy multi-criteria decision-making approaches for evaluating the sustainability performance of hospitals.

Design/methodology/approach

Initially, a comprehensive list of relevant sustainability evaluation criteria was considered based on six SBSC-based dimensions, in line with triple-bottom-line sustainability dimensions, and derived from the literature review and experts’ opinions. Then, the weights of perspectives and their respective criteria are computed and ranked utilizing the fuzzy analytic hierarchy process. Subsequently, the hospitals’ sustainable performance values are ranked based on these criteria using the Fuzzy Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution.

Findings

A numerical application was conducted in six public hospitals to exhibit the proposed model’s applicability. The results of this study revealed that “Patient satisfaction,” “Efficiency,” “Effectiveness,” “Access to care” and “Waste production,” respectively, are the five most important criteria of sustainable performance.

Practical implications

The new model will provide decision-makers with management tools that may help them identify the relevant factors for upgrading the level of sustainability in their hospitals and thus improve public health and community well-being.

Originality/value

This is the first study that proposes a new hybrid decision-making methodology for evaluating and comparing hospitals’ sustainability performance under a fuzzy environment.
Financial transparency, trust and willingness to pay in local governments of sub-Saharan Africa
Authors: Krah Redeemer , Mertens Gerard
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The study investigates the influence of financial transparency on citizens' trust and revenue paying behaviour of citizens of local governments in sub-Saharan Africa. It relies on the theories of stewardship and public choice in explaining the relationship between financial transparency, trust and willingness to pay.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied a Partial Least Square Structural Equation Model (PLS-SEM) to survey data of 404 respondents selected from four Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies of Ghana to test the hypotheses of the study.

Findings

It establishes the fact that financial transparency positively influences trust of citizens in local government and their willingness to pay taxes and levies. The study also found that both financial transparency and trust are low in the local governments of Ghana.

Practical implications

The study emphasises the importance of financial transparency in improving trust and willingness to pay. Thus, local governments are encouraged to seek innovative ways to enhance the quality and access to financial information by the citizens.

Originality/value

While prior studies focus on the measurement and determinant of financial transparency, this study links financial transparency to revenue mobilisation in the local government of sub-Saharan Africa.
Factors influencing customers’ green purchasing intention: evidence from developing country
Authors: Chanda Razib Chandra , Isa Salmi Mohd , Ahmed Tofayel
Published: April 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the contribution of environmental knowledge and environmental sensitivity on the green purchasing intention of Bangladeshi consumers by using an extended theory of planned behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative research method was used to collect 369 data by using a convenient sampling method. Data was analyzed using partial least square while a structural equation model was applied to measure causal relations among the variables.

Findings

The findings of this study demonstrate that subjective norms, attitude toward green products and perceived behavioral control have a positive and significant relationship with green purchasing intention. Moreover, environmental knowledge has also a positive and significant relationship with environmental sensitivity. There is a positive and significant association between environmental sensitivity and attitude toward green products, while the relationship between environmental knowledge and attitude toward green products was found insignificant. Quality of green products does not moderate the relationship between attitude toward green products and green purchasing intention. The results further indicate that environmental sensitivity mediates the relationship between environmental knowledge and attitude toward green products. Attitude toward green products also mediates the relationship between environmental sensitivity and green purchasing intention. At the same time, environmental sensitivity and attitude toward green products jointly mediate the relationship between environmental knowledge and green purchasing intention. However, attitude toward green products does not mediate the relationship between environmental knowledge and green purchasing intention.

Originality/value

This study may be used to guide managers who are planning to launch green products in the Bangladeshi market for choosing their target markets and a great insight for the government to produce environmentally friendly consumption policy for citizens and environmental conservation.
Opening the black box of Library Hi Tech: a social network and bibliometric analysis
Authors: Zhang Guijie , Wei Fangfang , Wang Peixin
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This paper presents a comprehensive study using bibliometric and social network analysis (SNA) to depict the academic community, research hotspots and the correlation between research performance and social network measurements within Library Hi Tech.

Design/methodology/approach

Publications from Library Hi Tech between 2010 and 2022 are reviewed and analysed through coauthorship analysis, co-occurrence analysis, SNA and the Spearman rank correlation test.

Findings

The annual number of publications in Library Hi Tech increased from 2016 to 2022, indicating that this research has gradually gained global attention. The USA and China are the most significant contributors to the relevant publications. Scholars in this field mainly engage in small-scale cooperation. Academic libraries, digital libraries, libraries, information technology and COVID-19 were hot topics during the study period. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a marked increase in research on healthcare. Academic interest in the internet of Things and social media has proliferated recently and may soon attract more attention. Spearman rank correlation analysis shows that research performance (i.e. publication count and citation count) is significantly and positively correlated with social network measurements (i.e. degree centrality, betweenness centrality, closeness centrality and eigenvector centrality) in studies of Library Hi Tech.

Originality/value

This paper reveals a systematic picture of the research landscape of Library Hi Tech and provides a potential guide for future research. The relationship between scientific research performance and social network measurements can be objectively identified based on statistical knowledge.
Shop floor performance feedback, employee's motivation and engagement: study of a beverage distribution company
Authors: Marodin Giuliano Almeida , Tortorella Guilherme , Saurin Tarcísio Abreu , Marcon Erico
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This paper aims at examining how different types of shop floor performance feedback affect employee motivation and engagement. Based on this dataset, the authors analyzed the relationship between five types of performance feedback (safety, quality, productivity, improvement and individual performance) and three types of human-related outputs (motivation, role clarity and engagement) in light of socio-technical systems theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors designed a survey instrument and collected data from 492 employees of a large beverage distribution company. The authors used robust construct validity tests and multiple regression analysis to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings indicated significant positive effects of feedback on overall production, improvements and individual performance on all human-related outputs. In turn, safety and quality performance feedback had no statistically significant impact in motivation or engagement. These findings highlight the mixed nature of the impact of performance feedback on human-related outputs that have been neglected in the literature.

Originality/value

The joint analysis of the social and technical portion of performance feedback is unusual despite its clear relevance, which characterizes an original contribution of the authors’ work. Although previous literature supports the effect of performance feedback on motivation and engagement, previous studies have not tested how different types of feedback affect those social constructs.
Rare whiskies' market: new Eldorado for investors and collectors?
Authors: Le Fur Eric
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This article aims to analyze the relationships between the different categories of rare whiskies and the opportunities for investors and collectors.

Design/methodology/approach

This article uses indices representative of collectors, market performance and specific from 2008–2022 to a distillery and determine the returns. The author performs stationarity tests, cointegration procedures and the Granger non-causality test.

Findings

The results of this article indicates that average returns are positive. In addition, there is a wide range of annual returns, i.e. strongly negative and positive, leading to possible speculation over short periods. High and heterogeneous volatility accompanies these potential gains. The correlations between the different returns of rare whisky are close to zero, indicating potential gains in terms of portfolio diversification. This result is crucial for investors-speculators that benefit from an additional alternative asset. Cointegration relationships are more numerous in the short run than in the long run, confirming that rare whisky could present potential gains for investors, as collectors have in-depth knowledge of the relationships between the different markets.

Originality/value

Finally, the author discusses the implications for different categories of economic actors (investors, collectors, sellers and producers).
Responses of investors to earnings announcement: does the type of ownership holdings in banks matter?
Authors: Anantha Krishnan Akila , Sengupta Angan
Published: April 2023

Purpose

This study examines the influence of the ownership structure of banks on investors' behavior by dissecting the investors' response to news regarding performance indicators in private and government-owned banks.

Design/methodology/approach

The event study methodology is used for the analysis. The data for 35 banks (out of 38), listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) for a duration of 230 months (January 2001 to February 2020) is collected. A set of cross-sectional regression analyses is done to identify variables influencing the returns under differential circumstances.

Findings

Private banks seem to display a sharper response to negative changes in earnings, while government-owned banks show a more robust reaction to a positive change. The contrast is seen in the variables, having a bearing on the abnormal returns After controlling for a set of factors, the regression analysis shows the ownership structure may not matter on abnormal returns (on event day), the factors such as a change in quarterly earnings, firm-size and three-year average-sales growth influence the positive and negative changes in abnormal returns of government banks, and predictability for private banks is found to be poor regarding selected indicators.

Originality/value

The study evaluates the role of ownership structure on the heterogeneity in investors' responses to the financial performance of banks, thereby assisting in designing strategies to ensure the optimal outcome around the quarterly earnings announcements.
A systematic review of gamification in organizational learning
Authors: Khodabandelou Rouhollah , Roghanian Parastoo , Gheysari Hamed , Amoozegar Azadeh
Published: April 2023

Purpose

Gamification appears to be one of the most important levers for improving performance and engagement in training programs. Moreover, gamification has been considered as critical to researchers in organizational learning. The main purpose of this study is to provide a general overview of gamification studies in the organizational context.

Design/methodology/approach

This systematic literature review has been synthesized by reviewing the majority of literature reviews as well as carefully selected primary research studies published between 2010 and 2020.

Findings

The result of the study revealed that gamification has become a popular technique to improve employee and organizational capabilities. The features of the gamification have been reviewed from three mechanics, dynamics and aesthetics perspectives. Additionally, three primary, middle and optimal affordances and core functions of gamification in organizational learning have been identified and examined.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the literature regarding the gamification field for systematic review results in an organizational learning context.
Reproductive challenges related to a complex sexual system in Euphorbia rosescens, a rare endemic herb
Authors: Faivre Amy E. , Smith Stacy A.
Published: April 2023

When the sexual system of a rare plant species is complex, characterizing floral development, plant morphology, and subpopulation structure is essential for assessing reproductive potential. Availability of pollinator rewards and positioning of sexual morphs within inflorescences relates to outcrossing potential. We studied the complex sexual system of the recently discovered Euphorbia rosescens E.L. Bridges & Orzell, a rare species occurring in a single Florida county. Euphorbia rosescens has both monomorphic subpopulations of female plants and mixed subpopulations with male and andromonoecious plants. Most data on cyathia sex, inflorescence architecture, floral visitors, and fruit set came from one female subpopulation and one mixed subpopulation. Cyathia longevity, flowering phase, nectar secretion, pollen production, and viability were measured in female, male, and hermaphrodite cyathia. Female plants had fewer inflorescence levels and cyathia and significantly smaller cyathia than male and andromonoecious plants. Andromonoecious plants were larger and produced more cyathia relative to male plants. Within mixed populations, sex switching occurred in both directions between male and andromonoecious plants. Female plants did not switch sexes. Proximal to distal inflorescence levels transitioned from hermaphrodite to male cyathia on andromonoecious plants. Nectar secretion corresponded to initiation of staminate flowering, but in female cyathia stigmas were receptive approximately a day before nectar secretion. Pollen production and viability were similar in male and hermaphrodite cyathia. Fruit maturation was minimal, primarily observed on andromonoecious plants. Nectar availability, pollen rewards, trimorphic inequalities in inflorescence display, and low fruit set suggest high geitonogamy, thus limiting outcrossing potential for this species.
Oxic–anoxic cycling promotes coupling between complex carbon metabolism and denitrification in woodchip bioreactors
Authors: McGuire Philip M. , Butkevich Natalie , Saksena Aryaman V. , Walter M. Todd , Shapleigh James P. , Reid Matthew C.
Published: April 2023

Denitrifying woodchip bioreactors (WBRs) are increasingly used to manage the release of non‐point source nitrogen (N) by stimulating microbial denitrification. Woodchips serve as a renewable organic carbon (C) source, yet the recalcitrance of organic C in lignocellulosic biomass causes many WBRs to be C‐limited. Prior studies have observed that oxic–anoxic cycling increased the mobilization of organic C, increased nitrate (NO3−) removal rates, and attenuated production of nitrous oxide (N2O). Here, we use multi‐omics approaches and amplicon sequencing of fungal 5.8S‐ITS2 and prokaryotic 16S rRNA genes to elucidate the microbial drivers for enhanced NO3− removal and attenuated N2O production under redox‐dynamic conditions. Transient oxic periods stimulated the expression of fungal ligninolytic enzymes, increasing the bioavailability of woodchip‐derived C and stimulating the expression of denitrification genes. Nitrous oxide reductase (nosZ) genes were primarily clade II, and the ratio of clade II/clade I nosZ transcripts during the oxic–anoxic transition was strongly correlated with the N2O yield. Analysis of metagenome‐assembled genomes revealed that many of the denitrifying microorganisms also have a genotypic ability to degrade complex polysaccharides like cellulose and hemicellulose, highlighting the adaptation of the WBR microbiome to the ecophysiological niche of the woodchip matrix.
Development and initial validation of the Sources of Reading Self‐Efficacy Scale for College and University Students (SOURSES‐C)
Authors: Pei Yalian , O'Brien Katy H.
Published: April 2023

Background

To examine levels of reading self‐efficacy in college students and further understand sources that foster reading self‐efficacy at the postsecondary level, there is a need for a valid scale that can be used for college student populations.

Methods

In Phase 1, 160 items were generated and reviewed by a panel of experts and a group of undergraduate students. Of these, 48 items reached consensus for acceptance and were retained for Phase 2 pilot testing. Pilot results were analysed with principal component analysis to identify the scale structure and remove items not strongly associated with components. Phase 3 finalised the scale and confirmed construct validity using confirmatory factor analysis as well as internal reliability with Cronbach's α. Phase 4 further assessed construct validity through sensitivity analyses that control for age, gender, education level, ethnicity and grade point average (GPA) to evaluate the potential impact of these covariates on model fit. In addition, Phase 4 assessed the relationships between reading self‐efficacy and similar constructs (i.e., academic self‐efficacy and reading performance) to evaluate convergent validity of the final scale.

Results

Based on Phase 2 principal component analysis, three components were retained: ‘effort’, ‘enjoyment’, and ‘processing’. After removing items with high covariance indicated by the Phase 3 testing, the final scale included 15 items. The Sources of Reading Self‐Efficacy Scale for College and University Students (SOURSES‐C) was significantly correlated with reading performance, GPA and general academic self‐efficacy.

Conclusions

SOURSES‐C is a valid and reliable tool to describe sources of reading self‐efficacy in college students. Understanding of reading self‐efficacy profiles may inform further investigations to improve motivation and persistence, self‐regulation and strategy use during reading.
The natural rate of interest of Hong Kong
Authors: He Yunlu , Wang Bin
Published: April 2023

We measure the natural rate of interest of Hong Kong in a flexible VAR model. We find that the natural rate of interest of Hong Kong fell below zero after the SARS shock in 2003 and reached the lowest after the great recession in 2007–2009. Variance decomposition shows that mainland China, instead of the USA, has a larger impact on the natural rate of interest of Hong Kong.
Occurrence and survival of Campylobacter spp. in dairy matrices investigated by viability qPCR
Authors: Rossi Franca , Del Matto Ilaria , Manocchio Paola , Saletti Maria Antonietta , Ricchiuti Luciano , Marino Lucio
Published: April 2023

The aim of this study was to investigate the survival of Campylobacter jejuni in dairy matrices by viability qPCR. Survival in UHT milk was examined first and the cheese outbreak strain, C. jejuni 11 218 showed enhanced tendency to become viable but nonculturable (VBNC). It survived for long at different pH values, in raw and fermented milk and cheese. Viability qPCR was also used to examine the occurrence of viable Campylobacter spp. in raw milk, detecting the bacteria in 40.9% of 25 mL samples negative on culture. Results showed that viability qPCR is valuable in estimating Campylobacter risk in dairy products.
Positive effect of Limosilactobacillus plantarum grx16 on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in rats
Authors: Qu Hengxian , Zhang Longfei , Liu Xiaoxiao , Liu Yang , Mao Kaidong , Shen Guiqi , Wa Yunchao , Chen Dawei , Huang Yujun , Chen Xia , Gu Ruixia
Published: April 2023

We aimed to investigate the potential and mechanism of probiotics as digestive enzyme inhibitors to alleviate nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). We compared the level of NAFLD in rats before and after Limosilactobacillus plantarum grx16 intervention, as well as changes in gut digestive enzymes and inflammatory factors. L. plantarum grx16 inhibited the absorption of starch and triglycerides by inhibiting the activity of gut amylase and lipase to alleviate insulin resistance and reduce lipid accumulation in the body, thereby alleviating the inflammatory response, and thus alleviating NAFLD in rats.