bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Regulatory variation at serotonin receptor 1F (HTR1F) modulates arousals and risk for sleep apnea
Authors: Strausz Satu , Broberg Martin , Jones Samuel E , Koskela Jukka , Kiiskinen Tuomo , FinnGen  , Palotie Aarno , Palotie Tuula , Bachour Adel , Saxena Richa , Ripatti Samuli , Abner Erik , Ollila Hanna M.
Published: August 2024

Background

Sleep apnea is a common sleep disorder affecting at least ten percent of the population. It is caused by lack of breathing during sleep, typically mediated by obstruction of airways or less frequently by misdirected central signals for breathing. The primary risk factor is a high body mass index (BMI), causing airway obstruction. However, understanding risk factors for sleep apnea in non-obese (BMI < 30) individuals requires further exploration.

Aim

Our goal was to elucidate genetic risk factors for sleep apnea in non-obese individuals.

Methods

We performed genome-wide association testing in individuals with BMI < 30 in FinnGen including 20,413 cases with sleep apnea diagnosis (ICD-10 G47.3 or ICD-9 3472) and 443,463 disease free controls. We replicated our analysis in Estonian Biobank.

Results

We identified a significant association within the Serotonin receptor 1F (HTR1F) locus (rs1818163, beta = 0.059, se = 0.010, P < 1.58e-8), and replicated the association in Estonian Biobank (beta =0.042, se = 0.021, P = 0.046). The association signal co-localized withHTR1Fexpression across multiple tissues (posterior probability > 0.8), and single cell sequencing implicatedHTR1Fexpression particularly in neurons. Analysis of eQTL data further supported a possible regulatory role in neurons (beta = -0.03, P = 1.2e-4). Finally, objectively measured sleep-activity data showed association with number awakenings during night (P = 5.6e-8).

Conclusions

The findings indicate association ofHTR1Fin sleep apnea particularly in the patient population within the non-obese BMI range and provide insight into the growing evidence of serotonin signaling as a factor modulating liability to sleep apnea.
Functional divergence of conserved developmental plasticity genes between two distantly related nematodes
Authors: Wighard Sara , Witte Hanh , Sommer Ralf J.
Published: August 2024

Genes diverge in form and function in multiple ways over time; they can be conserved, acquire new roles, or eventually be lost. However, the way genes diverge at the functional level is little understood, particularly in plastic systems. We investigated this process using two distantly related nematode species,Allodiplogaster sudhausiandPristionchus pacificus. Both these nematodes display environmentally-influenced developmental plasticity of mouth-form feeding structures. This phenotype can be manipulated by growth on particular diets, making them ideal traits to investigate functional divergence of developmental plasticity genes between organisms. Using CRISPR-engineered mutations inA. sudhausimouth-form genes, we demonstrate examples of the various ways ancestral genes regulate developmental plasticity and how these roles can progressively diverge. We examined four ancestral genes, revealing distinct differences in their conservation and functional divergence in regulating the mouth phenotype in both species. Specifically, certain genes retain the same characteristics, while others have acquired a new function. Additionally, two ancestral genes retain their functions as switch genes, which completely prevent a phenotype, and the other two display quantitative effects, with knockouts in these genes displaying intermediate phenotypes. Remarkably, despite the evolutionary distance, all genes examined were involved in mouth-form regulation. Finally, multiple gene knock-out mutants were engineered, with key sulfatase-encoding genes acting downstream of all others, suggesting they play a major role in mouth-form plasticity. Together, this study represents the first mutant-based functional analysis of the evolution of developmental plasticity between two highly diverged species, offering new insights into the genetic mechanisms underlying phenotypic evolution.

Article Summary

While evolutionary divergence of genes is well-studied at the sequence level, the resulting functional and phenotypic consequences are less known, particularly in plastic systems. Here, we examined functional divergence of a set of genes involved in developmental plasticity of mouth-form between two highly diverged nematode species. We found that all studied genes control mouth-form plasticity in both species; however, with strong functional divergence and gene-specific quantitative effects or even novel functions. Thus, there is a spectrum from full conservation, partial conservation to the gain of a new function; with genes involved in sulfation showing the strongest conservation during evolution.
CRISPR/dCas-mediated counter-silencing – Reprogramming dCas proteins into antagonists of xenogeneic silencers
Authors: Wiechert Johanna , Roigé Biel Badia , Dohmen-Olma Doris , Hindra  , Zhang Xiafei , Stella Roberto G. , Elliot Marie A. , Frunzke Julia
Published: August 2024

Lsr2-like nucleoid-associated proteins function as xenogeneic silencers (XSs) inhibiting expression of horizontally acquired, AT-rich DNA in actinobacteria. Interference by transcription factors can lead to counter-silencing of XS target promoters, but relief of this repression typically requires promoter engineering. In this study, we developed a novel CRISPR/dCas-mediated counter-silencing (CRISPRcosi) approach by using nuclease-deficient dCas enzymes to counteract the Lsr2-like XS protein CgpS inCorynebacterium glutamicumor Lsr2 inStreptomyces venezuelae. Systematicin vivoreporter studies with dCas9 and dCas12a and various guide RNAs revealed effective counter-silencing of different CgpS target promoters in response to guide RNA/dCas DNA binding – independent of promoter sequence modifications. The most prominent CRISPRcosi effect was observed when targeting the CgpS nucleation site, an effect that was also seen inS. venezuelaewhen targeting a known Lsr2 nucleation site within the chloramphenicol biosynthesis gene cluster. Analyzing the system inC. glutamicumstrains lacking the XS protein CgpS revealed varying strengths of counteracting CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) effects based on the target position and strand. Genome-wide transcriptome profiling in sgRNA/dCas9 co-expressingC. glutamicumwild-type strains revealed high counter-silencing specificity with minimal off-target effects. Thus, CRISPRcosi provides a promising strategy for the precise upregulation of XS target genes with significant potential for studying gene networks as well as for developing applications in biotechnology and synthetic biology.

IMPORTANCE

Lsr2-like nucleoid-associated proteins act as xenogeneic silencers (XSs), repressing the expression of horizontally acquired, AT-rich DNA in actinobacteria. The targets of Lsr2-like proteins are very diverse, including prophage elements, virulence gene clusters and biosynthetic gene clusters. Consequently, the targeted activation of XS target genes is of interest for fundamental research and biotechnological applications. Traditional methods for counter-silencing typically require promoter modifications. In this study, we developed a novel CRISPR/dCas-mediated counter-silencing (CRISPRcosi) approach, utilizing nuclease-deficient dCas enzymes to counteract repression by Lsr2-like proteins inCorynebacterium glutamicumandStreptomyces venezuelae. The strongest effect was observed when targeting the Lsr2 nucleation site. Genome-wide transcriptome profiling revealed high specificity with minimal off-target effects. Overall, CRISPRcosi emerges as a powerful tool for the precise activation of genes silenced by xenogeneic silencers, offering new opportunities for exploring gene networks and advancing biotechnological applications.
A scalable adaptive quadratic kernel method for interpretable epistasis analysis in complex traits
Authors: Fu Boyang , Anand Prateek , Anand Aakarsh , Mefford Joel , Sankararaman Sriram
Published: August 2024

Our knowledge of the contribution of genetic interactions (epistasis) to variation in human complex traits remains limited, partly due to the lack of efficient, powerful, and interpretable algorithms to detect interactions. Recently proposed approaches for set-based association tests show promise in improving the power to detect epistasis by examining the aggregated effects of multiple variants. Nevertheless, these methods either do not scale to large Biobank data sets or lack interpretability. We propose QuadKAST, a scalable algorithm focused on testing pairwise interaction effects (quadratic effects) within small to medium-sized sets of genetic variants (window size ≤100) on a trait and provide quantified interpretation of these effects. Comprehensive simulations show that QuadKAST is well-calibrated. Additionally, QuadKAST is highly sensitive in detecting loci with epistatic signals and accurate in its estimation of quadratic effects. We applied QuadKAST to 52 quantitative phenotypes measured in ≈300,000 unrelated white British individuals in the UK Biobank to test for quadratic effects within each of 9515 protein-coding genes. We detect 32 trait-gene pairs across 17 traits and 29 genes that demonstrate statistically significant signals of quadratic effects (accounting for the number of genes and traits tested). Across these trait-gene pairs, the proportion of trait variance explained by quadratic effects is comparable to additive effects, with five pairs having a ratio >1. Our method enables the detailed investigation of epistasis on a large scale, offering new insights into its role and importance.
Extraction of transhelicity worm-gear distributions and opportunities at the Electron-Ion Collider in China
Authors: Yang Ke , Liu Tianbo , Sun Peng , Zhao Yuxiang , Ma Bo-Qiang
Published: August 2024

We present a global analysis of the transhelicity worm-gear distribution function, g1T⊥, by fitting the longitudinal-transverse double-spin asymmetry data of the semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering. The analysis is performed within the framework of transverse momentum dependent factorization and evolution. It is found that the u-quark favors a positive distribution and the d-quark favors a negative distribution, which is consistent with previous model calculations and phenomenological extractions. Based on the fit to existing world data, we also study the impact of the proposed Electron-Ion Collider in China and conclude that it can significantly improve the precision of the worm-gear distribution function and hence enhance our understanding of nucleon spin structures.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Using analytic models to describe effective PDFs
Authors: Ochoa-Oregon S. A. , Rentería-Estrada D. F. , Hernández-Pinto R. J. , Sborlini G. F. R. , Zurita P.
Published: August 2024

Parton distribution functions play a pivotal role in hadron collider phenomenology. They are nonperturbative quantities extracted from fits to available data, and their scale dependence is dictated by the Dokshitzer-Gribov-Lipatov-Altarelli-Parisi evolution equations. In this article, we discuss machine-assisted strategies to efficiently compute parton distribution functions (PDFs) explicitly incorporating the scale dependence. Analytical approximations to the PDFs as functions of x and Q2, including up to next-to-leading-order effects in quantum chromodynamics, are obtained. The methodology is tested by reproducing the 2.0 set and implementing the analytical expressions in benchmarking codes. It is found that the computational time cost of evaluating the distributions is reduced by ∼50%, while the precision of the simulations stays well under control.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Interferometry of Non-Abelian Band Singularities and Euler Class Topology
Authors: Breach Oliver , Slager Robert-Jan , Ünal F. Nur
Published: August 2024

In systems with a real Bloch Hamiltonian band nodes can be characterized by a non-Abelian frame-rotation charge. The ability of these band nodes to annihilate pairwise is path dependent, since by braiding nodes in adjacent gaps the sign of their charges can be changed. Here, we theoretically construct and numerically confirm two concrete methods to experimentally probe these non-Abelian braiding processes and charges in ultracold atomic systems. We consider a coherent superposition of two bands that can be created by moving atoms through the band singularities at some angle in momentum space. Analyzing the dependency of excitations on the frame charges, we demonstrate an interferometry scheme passing through two band nodes, which reveals the relative frame charges and allows for measuring the multigap topological invariant. The second method relies on a single wave packet probing two nodes sequentially, where the frame charges can be determined from the band populations. Our results present a feasible avenue for measuring non-Abelian charges of band nodes and the direct experimental verification of braiding procedures, which can be applied in a variety of settings including the recently discovered anomalous non-Abelian phases arising under periodic driving.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Does carbon performance payoff? An empirical evidence from Asia-Pacific region
Authors: Jangid Mohan Lal , Sharma Anil Kumar
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study primarily examines the link between carbon and financial performance in the Asia-Pacific region. In addition, the study also explores how the economic impact of carbon performance varies in carbon-intensive and non-carbon-intensive industries.

Design/methodology/approach

This study takes a sample of 1,539 non-financial firms from 13 Asia-Pacific countries from 2014 to 2021. It employs a firm-fixed effect panel regression model to examine the objective.

Findings

The findings indicate that carbon performance improvement enhances accounting-based and market-based financial performance. The positive impact of carbon abatement stems from increased operational efficiency, energy efficiency and lower production costs. Further, the stock market participants also reward the firm for carbon efficiency. However, the carbon intensity of industrial sectors presents a conflicting picture for this association.

Originality/value

This study adds insights to the literature by providing a contemporary reflection on the nexus between carbon emissions and economic outcomes in the understudied Asia-Pacific region. It also unveils the nuanced difference in the carbon-financial performance relationship attributed to industries' carbon sensitivity.
The planning of Greater Amman: migrants to migrant capital
Authors: Abu-Dayyeh Nabil
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Close inspection of some of the more intricate details of the two most recent planning efforts, the award-winning Amman Plan 2025 and the strategic master plan known as the Amman Development Corridor Study (ADC), particularly in their most direct area of overlap, that is, the Metropolitan Growth Strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

Study and interpretation of published documents relevant to the plans in question.

Findings

The study reveals that the emerging objectives of accommodating migrant capital within the context of state-wide neo-liberal restructuring, particularly at the city’s eastern and south-eastern edge, have yet to benefit from recent scholarship on productive suburbanization.

Research limitations/implications

Lack of data on Foreign Direct Investment in Amman.

Practical implications

The results have implications for the future urban growth scenario of Greater Amman.

Social implications

Informal (illegal) building on the fringes of the city continues unabated. It is encouraged by permissive planning practice, a long-standing aspect of local practice dating to the 1970s. The longer that planning action lags, particularly at the eastern fringes, the more intense will be the informal building, and the higher the prospects for social conflict.

Originality/value

There has been only one, rather uncritical, published research on the Amman Plan, but none so far discussing the ADC study and its proposals.
Exploring the impacts of leader anger expressions on employee boundary-spanning behavior in construction projects
Authors: Kang Fei , Shi Yifei , Li Jiyu , Zhang Han
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Despite the increasing importance of boundary-spanning behaviors in construction projects, the research on how leader anger expressions impact employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors remains unclear. This study aims to investigate the impact of leader anger expressions on employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors in construction projects while exploring the mediating effect of work hope and the moderating effect of power distance orientation through the lens of social information processing theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical data were collected from a questionnaire survey of 235 employees in construction projects, and the hypotheses were tested using the PROCESS program developed by Hayes.

Findings

This study demonstrated that leader anger expressions negatively affect employees’ work hope, and work hope mediates the relationship between leader anger expressions and employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors. Besides, the stronger the employees’ power distance orientation, the stronger the negative relationship between leader anger expressions and employees’ work hope, and the above mediating effect was also stronger.

Research limitations/implications

The use of cross-sectional data was unable to entirely infer a causal relationship between leader anger expressions and employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors. Additionally, the reliance on self-reported data inevitably introduced some common method bias.

Originality/value

Applying social information processing theory, this paper enriches the discourse on factors influencing employees’ boundary-spanning behaviors in construction projects. It also offers valuable insights for leaders in construction projects to manage their teams effectively.
Strategizing green marketing in times of uncertainty: does it pay off?
Authors: Papadas Karolos A. , Piha Lamprini , Davvetas Vasileios , Leonidou Constantinos N.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the impact of green marketing strategy (GMS) and firms’ decision to invest in or divest from green marketing activities during a crisis on business performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study collected survey data from 245 Greek firms during the 2015 Eurozone crisis to investigate the impact of GMS and green marketing investments on firm resilience during crisis. Time-lagged, objective performance data for a subset of these firms helped examine the impact of GMS on postcrisis financial performance.

Findings

Pursuing a GMS builds resilience, especially for companies that decided not to reduce resources allocated to green marketing activities during a recession. Beyond resilience, firms investing in GMS during the crisis experienced improved financial performance in the long run. Finally, this research proposes a typology of GMS responses during a crisis.

Research limitations/implications

This study does not specify which types of green marketing activities lead to more investment or divestment during a crisis.

Practical implications

The study offers insights for allocating resources to green marketing during recessions. Supporting GMSs during unpredictable times is important to successfully navigate performance both during and after a crisis. Six crisis response profiles are offered: green-nonbelievers, dis-investors, reluctants and cautious-, opportunistic- and strategic-green investors.

Social implications

The study proposes a balanced approach to environmental sustainability, marketing strategy and firm performance during a crisis.

Originality/value

The study argues that GMSs enable firms to survive a crisis and recover from financial shocks.
An integrated numerical and analytical investigation on cilia-generated MHD flow of Jeffrey fluid through a porous medium
Authors: Zeeshan A. , Javed Hamza , Shehzad N. , Sait Sadiq M. , Ellahi R.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the cilia-driven flow of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD) non-Newtonian fluid through a porous medium. The Jeffrey fluid model is taken into account. The fluid motion in a two-dimensional symmetric channel emphasizes the dominance of viscous properties over inertial properties in the context of long wavelength and low Reynolds number approximations.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated numerical and analytic results are obtained by hybrid approach. A statistical method analysis of variance along with response surface methodology is used. Sensitivity analysis is used to validate the accuracy of nondimensional numbers.

Findings

The impact of various flow parameters is presented graphically and in numerical tables. It is noted that the velocity slip parameter is the most sensitive flow parameter in velocity and relaxation to retardation time ratio in temperature.

Originality/value

A model on cilia-generated flow of MHD non-Newtonian Jeffrey fluid is proposed.
Self-efficacy of school principals for effective school functioning during the COVID-19 crisis
Authors: Qadach Mowafaq
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The current study seeks first to examine the prediction of school functioning in crises during the COVID-19 pandemic by school principals’ self-efficacy; second, to explore the differences in all dimensions of self-efficacy and school functioning during crises in Arab and Jewish schools in Israel and third, to determine which of school principals’ self-efficacy dimensions best predicted school functioning during the COVID-19 crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were aggregated at the school level for structural equation modeling (SEM) analysis using AMOS analysis of 103 middle schools across Israel, 53 from Jewish and 50 from Arab society. Participants included 103 school principals (who answered the school principals’ self-efficacy questionnaire) and 1,031 teachers who answered the school functioning during crises questionnaire (477 Jewish teachers and 554 Arab teachers).

Findings

The findings showed that the principals’ self-efficacy positively predicted school functioning during the crisis. Among the five self-efficacy dimensions (general management efficacy, leadership efficacy, human relations efficacy, efficacy in managing external relations and pedagogical management efficacy), significant differences were found only in “external relations efficacy,” which was higher for “Arab” school principals; the only dimension that predicted school functioning during crises in both societies was “human relations efficacy.”

Originality/value

The current results emphasize the importance of principals’ self-efficacy in general and specifically caring leadership practices “human relations efficacy” in their relations with the school staff, the students and the parents for effective school coping and functioning during crises in two societies in Israel: Arab and Jewish. Further, no previous studies have explored this correlation.
Shared high-performance work system perceptions as a competitive advantage: mediating role of trust in management in the HPWS-performance link
Authors: Pak Sunjin , Ju Boreum (Jenny)
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the mediating role of trust in management and the moderating role of employee-management congruence in high-performance work system (HPWS) perceptions on the relationship between HPWS and firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data on HPWS practices and employee–manager perceptions from a large sample of South Korean firms were integrated with objective financial performance data. Path analysis using STATA 18.0 with robust standard errors was used to test the hypothesised moderated mediation model.

Findings

Trust in management partially mediated the relationship between HPWS and firm performance. While employee–management congruence in HPWS perceptions did not moderate the direct effect of HPWS on firm performance, it significantly moderated the indirect effect through trust in management. The positive influence of HPWS on performance via trust was stronger when employee–management congruence was high.

Originality/value

This study extends the social exchange perspective on the HPWS–performance relationship by incorporating trust in management as a critical mediator and employee–management congruence in HPWS perceptions as a moderator. The findings highlight the importance of fostering shared understandings of human resource practices between employees and managers to optimise the trust-building and performance-enhancing effects of HPWS.
Managing supply chain risk through inter-organisational justice
Authors: Khamaiseh Odai , Alghababsheh Mohammad , Lekhavat Saowanit , Rahman Mushfiqur
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study examines the impact of inter-organisational justice (i.e. distributive, procedural and interactional) in the buyer–supplier relationship on supply risk and, in turn, on a firm’s marketing and financial performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured survey was administered both online and in-person to Jordan-based manufacturing companies. The 137 responses received were analysed using partial least structural equation modelling.

Findings

The study found that while establishing both procedural and interactional justice in the relationship has a negative impact on supply risk, promoting distributive justice, surprisingly, has no impact. Moreover, supply risk was found to be detrimental to the firm’s marketing and financial performance.

Research limitations/implications

This study considers only the direct role of inter-organisational justice in reducing supply risk. Future research could enhance our understanding of this role by exploring the underlying mechanisms and conditions that could govern it.

Practical implications

Managers can alleviate supply risk by ensuring procedural and interactional justice in the relationship through involving suppliers in the decision-making processes, consistently adhering to established procedures and communicating transparent and ample information.

Social implications

Addressing supply risk can help in maintaining community resilience and economic stability.

Originality/value

The study highlights inter-organisational justice as a new approach to mitigating supply risk. Moreover, by examining how supply risk can affect a firm’s marketing performance, it also highlights a new implication of supply risk. Furthermore, by exclusively examining the impact of supply risk on a firm’s financial performance, the study provides a more nuanced interpretation of the effect of supply risk and how it can be reduced.
Managing consumer trust in e-commerce: evidence from advanced versus emerging markets
Authors: Quintus Michaela , Mayr Kathrin , Hofer Katharina Maria , Chiu Yen Ting
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Gaining and maintaining trust in e-commerce is crucial for online purchases. Specifically, understanding trust formation and its consequences in a cross-market online shopping context is important, as cross-market studies are scarce. Therefore, this study examines antecedents and consequences of consumer trust in online shopping (TOS) by comparing advanced and emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the formulated hypotheses, data including 397 responses from Austria and 205 from Moldova are analysed. Using partial least squares (PLS) path modelling, implications for theory and practice in cross-market e-commerce are obtained.

Findings

Empirical findings show that company reputation, perceived security and website quality positively influence consumer TOS. TOS corresponds directly positively with purchase intentions (PI). Our research confirms the negative relationship between trust and perceived risk (PR) as well as that between PR and PI. Furthermore, a significant difference between Austria and Moldova regarding the influence of experience and perceived website quality (PWQ) on TOS is observed.

Originality/value

Our study fills research gaps concerning TOS within the context of cross-market e-commerce. It contributes theoretically and practically and reveals the importance of customer trust and risk reduction for online retailers within advanced and emerging markets in order to provoke online PI.
Embracing sustainable development goals in B.Arch. design studio curriculum guideline through framework
Authors: Moondra Sanjana , Khan Mohammad Amir
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) were established by the UN in 2015 as an international call to action to end poverty, protect the environment, and ensure that everyone will live in peace and prosperity by the year 2030. (UNDP, 2015). Out of the 17 Goals, Goal 4 talks about “ensuring inclusive and equitable quality education and promoting lifelong learning opportunities for all.” The SDGs are essential to architectural education since buildings account for 40% of extracted materials used in construction and 39% of global energy-related carbon emissions. (Hendawy, 2023) To accomplish these objectives, the architecture curriculum must be up-to-date and efficient. It specifically takes into account the field of architecture. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework for curriculum guidelines of B.Arch. design studios, focusing on the parameter designing for inclusivity (UIA2023CPH, 2020) of SDGs.

Design/methodology/approach

Models, approaches and theories of curriculum development are studied. An evaluation matrix is made to evaluate different curriculum framework for government colleges on their incorporation of SDGs. A survey/questionnaire and interviews with academicians from architecture are conducted to analyze the incorporation of SDGs in design studios and find recommended solutions for its incorporation.

Findings

Finally, this research paper proposes a set of Architecture curriculum guidelines based on the evaluation framework for B.Arch. and an exemplary curriculum design model for the Architecture design studio which is evaluated through the desk critique stage for analyzing its functionality and applicability.

Originality/value

Despite the emphasis on SDGs in the present scenario, the “Council Of Architecture (Minimum Standards of Architecture Education in India) Regulations, 2020” does not include or mention SDGs as a key aspect (Architecture, 2020).
Effect of composite microtextures on the tribological properties of triangular guide rails
Authors: Ma Kexin , Deng Jianxin , Bao Yichen , Zhang Zhihui , Wang Junyan
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Liquid-assisted laser surface texturing technology was used to create composite microtextures on triangular guide rail surfaces to enhance their tribological properties.

Design/methodology/approach

Numerical simulations were used to investigate the impact of various microtextures on fluid dynamic lubrication. Reciprocating friction and wear tests, followed by mechanistic analysis, examined the combined tribological effects of microtextured surfaces and lubricants.

Findings

The numerical simulation outcomes reveal a significant augmentation in the influence of fluid dynamic pressure due to composite microtextures, consequently amplifying the load-bearing capacity of the oil film. The average friction coefficient of composite microtextured samples was approximately 0.136 in reciprocating pin-on-disk friction tests, representing approximately 17% decrease compared to polished samples. Triangular guide rails with composite microtextures demonstrated the lowest average coefficient under conditions of high-speed and heavy-loading in the reciprocating friction and wear tests. Additionally, the presence of composite microtextures was found to promote the formation of adsorbed and friction films during friction, potentially contributing to the enhancement of tribological properties.

Originality/value

Triangular guide rails face high friction and wear, limiting their stability in demanding applications like machine tool guideways. This paper proposes a novel approach for steel triangular guide rails, involving composite microtexturing, numerical fluid simulations, liquid-assisted laser surface texturing and friction-wear testing. By implementing composite microtextures, the method aims to reduce friction coefficients and extend guideway service life, thereby saving energy and reducing maintenance costs. Enhancing the antifriction and antiwear properties of machine tool guideways is crucial for improving performance and longevity.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-05-2024-0183/
Labyrinth of feminine beauty: onnagata in modern Japanese advertising
Authors: Minowa Yuko
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the construction of feminine beauty by onnagata kabuki actors in Japan’s history, with a focus on their narratives in modern advertorials about beauty products. The objective is to identify emerging themes in their narratives and to analyze the symbolism and rhetoric used to persuade the audience to enhance traditional feminine “beauty” by using the specific brand in the wake of Japan’s modernization and Westernization.

Design/methodology/approach

The study primarily employs semiotic analysis of advertorials in the newspaper and in the kabuki theatre’s program. They are supplemented with images from premodern prints. Visual content is described and analyzed as well.

Findings

The narration of the onnagata in the advertorial is the process of “truth-telling,” where the primary concern of the storyteller is persuasion about truth, such as belief in the new method of makeup with the advertised brand, and falsehood, such as belief in the old method of skincare. Four themes and binary oppositions of values emerged from the data: (1) Identity: selves vs others; (2) Material objects, cosmetics: scientific vs primitive; (3) Practice: competent vs incompetent, and (4) Transformations: intentional vs incidental.

Originality/value

The research shows that Japan’s onnagata transvestism tradition and its influences on women’s beauty practice have existed since the premodern period, preceding contemporary cross-gender beauty practices observed in social media.
The effects of economic policy uncertainty on hotel performance: evidence from the Italian hospitality sector
Authors: Menicucci Elisa , Paolucci Guido
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of economic policy uncertainty (EPU) on Italian hospitality sector. The investigation attempts to explain whether hotel performance drops when the perceived economic uncertainty increases in the period 2018–2022.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines the impact of EPU on hotel performance in a sample of 661 Italian luxury hotels. To establish the relationship between EPU and hotel performance, we employ the generalized estimating equations (GEE) technique on 3,305 hotel-year observations.

Findings

The results show that EPU has a negative impact on hotel performance. More specifically, the analysis reveals that EPU is negatively and significantly related to the revenue per available room (REVPAR), average daily rate (ADR) and hotel occupancy (OCCR). We also look at the role of hotel brand chain affiliation and the moderating effect of conference space and hotel wellness services on the relationship between EPU and hotel performance.

Research limitations/implications

Results provide new evidence for academics to critically evaluate the behavior of luxury hotels under uncertain economic conditions. The investigation offers valuable information also for government, tourism policymakers, tourist hotel owners, hoteliers and tourism managers in their decision-making.

Practical implications

This study provides strategic implications for practitioners and operators in hospitality industry to evaluate the factors ensuring hotel profitability in periods of EPU.

Originality/value

This paper provides interesting insights into the characteristics and practices of profitable hotels in Italy. Few econometric studies empirically explored the effects of EPU in the hospitality field so far and no prior study investigated this topic in the Italian hospitality sector. Therefore, this paper tries to close an important gap in the existing literature improving the understanding of EPU in the Italian hospitality industry.
Back to roots! The singular introduction of statutory auditing in France, Germany and Great Britain (1844–1935)
Authors: Fournès Christine , Karjalainen Helena , Beduneau-Wang Laurent
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to better understand auditing practices as a social phenomenon and management practice through a comparative historical analysis of the emergence of statutory auditing in three European countries, namely, France, Great Britain and Germany between 1844 and 1935.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors’ approach is a comparative history relying on a literature review, books pertaining to the period of interest and relevant archives.

Findings

The three countries’ trajectories were similar. All featured the promulgation of acts at the second half of the 19th century, the development of the accounting profession and the introduction of new acts to further strengthen statutory auditing around the Great Depression. However, each country took a different path because of the degree of regulation. For instance, the regulation strength and the degree of professionalism differed considerably by country. Business secrecy was also a departure point; it ranged from the rejection of auditors as intruders in France to Germany’s exclusively internal auditing and the UK’s peer auditing. The countries also differed on perceptions of the auditor’s role. Auditors were seen through the lens of a general interest mission in France, as advisors to internal governance bodies in Germany and as shareholders’ agents in Great Britain.

Originality/value

This paper compares three main European countries in the specific context of the introduction of statutory auditing. The findings of this paper are helpful for the international harmonization of auditing standards, as the derived insights provide a better understanding of the differences in the standards’ implementation.
Defining mental health literacy: a systematic literature review and educational inspiration
Authors: Zeng Shengnan , Bailey Richard , Peng Shuo , Chen Xiaohui
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how the term “mental health literacy” (MHL) is defined and understand the implications for public mental health and educational interventions.

Design/methodology/approach

An extensive search was conducted by searching PubMed, ERIC, PsycINFO, Scopus and Web of Science. Keywords such as “mental health literacy” and “definition” were used. The publication year ranges from 1997 to 2023.

Findings

In total, 17 papers met the inclusion criteria. Three distinct themes characterise the definitions of MHL: cognitive understanding; affective empowerment; and behavioural change. In the mental health educational context, inspiration, transformation and practice can be viewed as three stages for curriculum development.

Research limitations/implications

Despite conducting a systematic literature review, there remains the possibility that certain relevant studies may not have been identified. Specifically, the selection criteria prioritise papers that explicitly addressed MHL.

Practical implications

Traditional educational approaches prioritise knowledge dissemination and attitude change; integrating MHL into mental health well-being curriculum advocates for action-oriented intervention to address mental health challenges.

Social implications

Understanding different definitions and concepts in a field can be valuable for consolidating shared understandings, highlighting tensions and contradictions, and enhancing communication among researchers. Ironically, perhaps, the process also highlights the provisional nature of these definitions.

Originality/value

The exploration of MHL with three themes of definitions sheds light on the understanding of this concept. Three core themes in MHL definitions guide future curriculum development. This study underscores the importance of prioritise action-oriented intervention in mental health education, emphasising the need to move beyond knowledge dissemination towards transformative practices that promote holistic mental well-being.
Factors affecting adoption of e-procurement with electronic orders integrated systems by enterprises: evidence from World Bank survey of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Asif Mohammad , Siddiqui Mohd Shuaib , Sharma Hari Prapan
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The aim of the study is to investigate the factors that influence the adoption of e-procurement by businesses in the specific context of Saudi Arabia.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the firm-level data of World Bank Enterprise Surveys 2022 of Saudi Arabia covering 1,573 enterprises. The association between firm characteristics and the adoption of e-procurement by enterprises has been examined through the chi-square test. Further, a logistic regression model has been fitted to estimate the factors affecting adoption of e-procurement.

Findings

About 10 % of the enterprises reported that they adopted e-procurement as the establishment’s main technology to manage procurement and supplier chain by enterprises. A statistically significant association has been found between e-procurement vis-a-vis firm characteristics. Moreover, logistic regression analysis indicated that large and innovative enterprises, with digital presence in terms of website, holding a bank account and access to credit are more likely to adopt e-procurement.

Practical implications

This study offers valuable insights into the factors that influence the adoption of e-procurement by businesses, which helps the supply chain manager to develop and operationalize the digital supply chain through e-procurement in the context of Saudi Arabia.

Originality/value

This paper can provide significant insights for promoters and supply chain managers in Saudi Arabia, who are now focusing on the digital transformation of businesses. By understanding the factors affecting e-procurement by firms, they can smooth the supply chain.
Motivation for women’s football: a competing scales study
Authors: Rosa Anderson Filipe , Freire Otávio Bandeira de Lamônica , Lima Araújo Costa Murilo
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare measurement scales of sports fans’ motivations applied to women’s football.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey research approach was used to collect 574 valid responses from participants in Brazil and the USA. Three prominent scales – Sport Interest Inventory (SII), Sport Fan Motivation Scale (SFMS) and Motivation Scale for Sport Consumption (MSSC) are were compared using the structural equation modeling technique.

Findings

The results indicate that the SII scale demonstrates superior predictive power for variables such as “purchase intention,” “electronic word of mouth,” “identification as a fan” and “interest in women’s football” compared to the SFMS and MSSC scales. The primary motivation among followers and spectators of women’s football in the study was “supporting women’s opportunities” in sport.

Research limitations/implications

While the study is grounded in the most relevant scales pertinent to the theme, the limited academic production on the subject hinders direct comparisons with prior research.

Practical implications

Leveraging the insights from the SII scale, football team managers can refine their marketing strategies by understanding the primary motivations driving women’s football consumption. This knowledge can inform targeted efforts to enhance women’s football consumption, subsequently expanding opportunities for women in the sport.

Social implications

This study provides valuable information that can inform initiatives aimed at boosting women’s soccer consumption, thereby contributing to increased opportunities for women in the sport.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to compare scales in the specific context of women’s soccer, contributing with a unique perspective to the development of women’s sports.
Reputation and eWOM in accommodation decision-making: insights from Generation Z users
Authors: Perez-Aranda Javier , Tolkach Denis , Panchal Jenny H.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the relationship between Generation Z (or Gen Z) consumers’ decision-making styles and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) use in the tourism sector. Drawing on the consumer style inventory (CSI) model and the theory of reasoned action (TRA), the research examines how specific decision-making styles influence Gen Z’s propensity to use eWOM recommendations for accommodation choices.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses structural equation modelling to analyse data collected from 296 Gen Z users of Booking.com. The CSI model is adapted to the analysed context and attributes – impulsive, recreational, sustainable, fashion-conscious and perfectionist attitudes – are examined to determine their impact on eWOM use intention and actual eWOM use.

Findings

Three of the hypothesised relationships in the model were validated. Specifically, the results suggest that the attitudes of sustainable and perfectionist consumers influence the intention to use eWOM. Furthermore, use intention is positively associated with the actual use of eWOM.

Practical implications

For marketers and tourism businesses, understanding the decision-making styles of Gen Z can inform the development of targeted marketing strategies that emphasise quality and sustainability. Highlighting these aspects in online reviews and eWOM platforms can enhance engagement with Gen Z consumers.

Originality/value

This research advances the understanding of eWOM behaviour by integrating CSI and TRA theories in the context of Gen Z’s tourism decision-making. It provides empirical evidence on the significant role of perfectionist and sustainable attitudes in shaping eWOM intentions, contributing to the literature on consumer behaviour and digital marketing in tourism.