bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Draft genome sequence of the glasshouse-potato aphidAulacorthum solani
Authors: Torres Joseph , Rozo-Lopez Paula , Brewer William , Ziabari Omid Saleh , Parker Benjamin J.
Published: November 2024

Abstract

Aulacorthum solaniis a worldwide agricultural pest aphid capable of feeding on a wide range of host plants. This insect causes mechanical damage to crops and is a vector of plant viruses. We found that the publicly available genome forA. solaniis contaminated with another aphid species, and we produced a new genome using a barcoded isogenic laboratory line. We produced Oxford Nanopore and Illumina reads to generate a draft assembly, and we sequenced RNA to aid in the annotation of our assembly. OurA. solanidraft genome is 671 Mbp containing 7,020 contigs with an N50 length of 196 kb with a BUSCO completeness of 98.6%. Out of the 24,981 genes predicted by E-GAPx, 22,804 were annotated with putative functions based on homology to other aphid species. This genome will provide a useful resource for the community of researchers studying aphids from agricultural and genomic perspectives.
Human skin rejuvenation via mRNA
Authors: Li Li , Tang Zhengkuan , Portillo Xavier , Arora Rohit , Yang Madeleine , Mintzer Esther , Han Patrick , Zhang Zhenrui , Majewski Dorothy D. , Titelman Asaf Ashkenazy , Plesa Alexandru M. , Shadpour Michael , McNamee Shannon M. , Zheng Yue , Li Xiaolong , Tam Jenny , McGee Jean S. , Sol Stefano , Boncimino Fabiana , Zhang Yu Shrike , Mandinova Anna , Murphy George F. , Kupper Thomas S , Ma Sai , Church George M.
Published: November 2024

Aging is characterized by a gradual decline in function, partly due to accumulated molecular damage. Human skin undergoes both chronological aging and environmental degradation, particularly UV-induced photoaging. Detrimental structural and physiological changes caused by aging include epidermal thinning due to stem cell depletion and dermal atrophy associated with decreased collagen production. Here, we present a comprehensive single-cell atlas of skin aging, analyzing samples from young, middle-aged, and elderly individuals, including both sun-exposed and sun-protected areas. This atlas reveals age-related cellular composition and function changes across various skin cell types, including epidermal stem cells, fibroblasts, hair follicles, and endothelial cells. Using our atlas, we have identified basal stem cells as a highly variable population across aging, more so than other skin cell populations such as fibroblasts. In basal stem cells, we identified ATF3 as a novel regulator of skin aging. ATF3 is a transcriptional factor for genes involved in the aging process, with its expression reduced by 20% during aging. Based on this discovery, we have developed an innovative mRNA-based treatment to mitigate the effects of skin aging. Cell senescence decreased 25% in skin cells treated with ATF3 mRNA, and we observed an over 20% increase in proliferation in treated basal stem cells. Importantly, we also found crosstalk between keratinocytes and fibroblasts as a critical component of therapeutic interventions, with ATF3 rescue of basal cells significantly enhancing fibroblast collagen production by approximately 200%. We conclude that ATF3-targeted mRNA treatment effectively reverses the effects of skin aging by modulating specific cellular mechanisms, offering a novel, targeted approach to human skin rejuvenation.
Stress Changes the Bacterial Biomolecular Condensate Material State and Shifts Function from mRNA Decay to Storage
Authors: Ortiz-Rodríguez Luis A. , Yassine Hadi , Nandana Vidhyadhar , Azaldegui Christopher A. , Cheng Jiayu , Schrader Jared M. , Biteen Julie S.
Published: November 2024

Bacterial ribonucleoprotein bodies (BR-bodies) are dynamic biomolecular condensates that play a pivotal role in RNA metabolism. We investigated how BR-bodies significantly influence mRNA fate by transitioning between liquid- and solid-like states in response to stress. With a combination of single-molecule and bulk fluorescence microscopy, biochemical assays, and quantitative analyses, we determine that BR-bodies promote efficient mRNA decay in a liquid-like condensate during exponential growth. On the other hand, BR-bodies are repurposed from sites of mRNA decay to reservoirs for mRNA storage under stress, a functional change that is enabled by their transition to a more rigid state, marked by reduced internal dynamics, increased molecular density, and prolonged residence time of ribonuclease E. Furthermore, we manipulated ATP levels and translation rates and conclude that the accumulation of ribosome-depleted mRNA is a key factor driving these material state transitions, and that condensate maturation further contributes to this process. Upon nutrient replenishment, stationary-phase BR-bodies disassemble, releasing stored mRNAs for rapid translation, demonstrating that BR-body function is governed by a reversible mechanism for resource management. These findings reveal adaptive strategies by which bacteria regulate RNA metabolism through condensate-mediated control of mRNA decay and storage.
Srs2/PARI DNA helicase mediates abscission inhibition in response to chromatin bridges in yeast and human cells
Authors: Dam Monica , Brownlow Nicola , Furst Audrey , Spiegelhalter Coralie , Mendoza Manuel
Published: November 2024

The coordination of chromosome segregation with cytokinesis is crucial for maintaining genomic stability. Chromatin bridges, arising from DNA replication stress or catenated chromosomes, can interfere with this process, leading to genomic instability if not properly managed. Here, we uncover that the budding yeast DNA helicase Srs2 and its human homolog PARI delay the timing of abscission events in the presence of chromatin bridges. We demonstrate that Srs2 is essential for delaying abscission in yeast cells with chromatin bridges, and preventing their damage by cytokinesis. In human cells, PARI similarly plays a key role in delaying abscission events, such as midbody severing and actin patch disassembly during cytokinesis, in response to chromatin bridges caused by topoisomerase II inhibition. Our results also show that PARI functions within the Aurora B-mediated abscission checkpoint pathway. These findings reveal an evolutionarily conserved role of the Srs2/PARI DNA helicase in maintaining genomic integrity by modulating abscission timing in response to chromatin bridge formation.
Optoacoustic Entanglement in a Continuous Brillouin-Active Solid State System
Authors: Zhu Changlong , Genes Claudiu , Stiller Birgit
Published: November 2024

Entanglement in hybrid quantum systems comprised of fundamentally different degrees of freedom, such as light and mechanics, is of interest for a wide range of applications in quantum technologies. Here, we propose to engineer bipartite entanglement between traveling acoustic phonons in a Brillouin active solid state system and the accompanying light wave. The effect is achieved by applying optical pump pulses to state-of-the-art waveguides, exciting a Brillouin Stokes process. This pulsed approach, in a system operating in a regime orthogonal to standard optomechanical setups, allows for the generation of entangled photon-phonon pairs, resilient to thermal fluctuations. We propose an experimental platform where readout of the optoacoustics entanglement is done by the simultaneous detection of Stokes and anti-Stokes photons in a two-pump configuration. The proposed mechanism presents an important feature in that it does not require initial preparation of the quantum ground state of the phonon mode.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Bell Test of Quantum Entanglement in Attosecond Photoionization
Authors: Ruberti Marco , Averbukh Vitali , Mintert Florian
Published: November 2024

Attosecond physics enables the study of ultrafast coherent electron dynamics in matter upon photoexcitation and photoionization, revealing spectacular effects such as hole migration and coherent Auger dynamics in molecules. In the photoionization scenario, there has been a strong focus on probing the physical manifestations of internal quantum coherence within the individual parent ion and photoelectron systems. However, quantum correlations between these two subsystems emerging from attosecond photoionization events have thus far remained much more elusive. In this work, we design theoretically and model numerically a direct probe of quantum entanglement in attosecond photoionization in the form of a Bell test. We simulate from first principles a Bell test protocol for the case of noble gas atoms photoionized by ultrashort, circularly polarized infrared laser pulses in the strong-field regime predicting robust violation of the Bell inequality. This theoretical result paves the way for the direct observation of entanglement in the context of ultrafast photoionization of many-electron systems. Our work provides a novel perspective on attosecond physics directed toward the detection of quantum correlations between systems born during attosecond photoionization and unraveling the signatures of entanglement in ultrafast coherent molecular dynamics, including in the chemical decomposition pathways of molecular ions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Broad Instantaneous Bandwidth Microwave Spectrum Analyzer with a Microfabricated Atomic Vapor Cell
Authors: Shi Yongqi , Ruster Thomas , Ho Melvyn , Karlen Sylvain , Haesler Jacques , Treutlein Philipp
Published: November 2024

We report on broad instantaneous bandwidth microwave spectrum analysis with hot Rb87 atoms in a microfabricated vapor cell in a large magnetic field gradient. The sensor is a MEMS atomic vapor cell filled with isotopically pure Rb87 and N2 buffer gas to localize the motion of the atoms. The microwave signals of interest are coupled through a coplanar waveguide to the cell, inducing spin-flip transitions between optically pumped ground states of the atoms. A static magnetic field with large gradient maps the frequency spectrum of the input microwave signals to a position-dependent spin-flip pattern on absorption images of the cell recorded with a laser beam onto a camera. In our proof-of-principle experiment, we demonstrate a microwave spectrum analyzer that has ≈1  GHz instantaneous bandwidth centered around 13 GHz, 3 MHz frequency resolution, 2 kHz refresh rate, and a −23  dBm single-tone microwave power detection limit in 1 s measurement time. A theoretical model is constructed to simulate the image signals by considering the processes of optical pumping, microwave interaction, diffusion of Rb87 atoms, and laser absorption. We expect to reach more than 25 GHz instantaneous bandwidth in an optimized setup, limited by the applied magnetic field gradient. Our demonstration offers a practical alternative to conventional microwave spectrum analyzers based on electronic heterodyne detection.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Tomography of a Spatially Resolved Single-Atom Detector in the Presence of Shot-to-Shot Number Fluctuations
Authors: Allemand Maxime , Jannin Raphael , Dupuy Géraud , Bureik Jan-Philipp , Pezzè Luca , Boiron Denis , Clément David
Published: November 2024

The tomography of single-particle-resolved detectors is of primary importance for characterizing particle correlations, with applications in quantum metrology, quantum simulation, and quantum computing. However, it is a nontrivial task in practice due to the uncertainties on the statistics of the state impinging on the detector and to the unavoidable presence of noise that affects the measurement but does not originate from the detector. In this work, we address this problem for a three-dimensional single-atom-resolved detector where shot-to-shot atom-number fluctuations are a central issue in performing a quantum detector tomography. We overcome this difficulty by exploiting the parallel measurement of the counting statistics in subvolumes of the detector, from which we evaluate the effect of shot-to-shot fluctuations and perform a local tomography of the detector. In addition, we illustrate the validity of our method from applying it to Gaussian quantum states with different number statistics. Finally, we show that the response of microchannel plate detectors is well described by using a binomial distribution with the detection efficiency as a single parameter.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Does mobile government become an administrative burden for older adults?
Authors: Chen Tao , Shang Tiancheng , Yan Rongxiao , He Kang
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The study explores how mobile governance affects the administrative burden on older adults, focusing on learning, psychological and compliance costs.

Design/methodology/approach

Using attribution theory, the research employs a quantitative research design, utilizing surveys to gather data from 516 older adults across three cities in China: Quzhou, Wuhan and Shanghai. The study examines how intrinsic factors and extrinsic factors of m-government interfaces impact older adults’ administrative burden.

Findings

Perceived complexity increases learning, psychological and compliance costs for older adults. Personalization and high-quality information decrease these costs, enhancing user satisfaction. Visual appeal decreases anxiety and psychological costs.

Originality/value

This research links attribution theory with m-government’s administrative burden on older adults, offering new insights into optimizing m-government to serve older adults better.
The two-stage pricing of preannouncement for platform introducing self-operated logistics under consideration of the first- or second-mover advantage
Authors: Li Ping , Wu Bin
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The optimization of transport efficiency by self-operated logistics has brought competitive advantages to platform, who is gradually developing self-operated logistics and adopting the preannouncement to announce the related information in advance. The purpose of this paper is to explore the development order of self-operated logistics on platform under consideration of preannounce behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper considers the sequence of platform constructing the self-operated logistics and constructs the two-stage pricing models to analyze the optimal pricing of platforms under different preannounce strategies, including four scenarios: {no-preannounce, first mover}, {no-preannounce, second mover}, {preannounce, first mover} and {preannounce, second mover}.

Findings

The authors receive several conclusions: First, under no-preannounce scenario, regardless of the sequence of entry into self-operated logistics market, when the quality differentiation of two platforms’ self-operated logistics is moderate, the ratio pricing of two platforms at competition stage is positively correlated with quality differentiation of their self-operated logistics. Additionally, there exists the substitution effect between preannouncement and quality differentiation under no-preannounce condition, and the first-mover platform should increase the pricing of the monopoly phase until it is twice as high as its pricing during the competition phase. Interestingly, the pricing of platform and the strategy for developing self-operated logistics are symmetric between first- and second-mover scenarios.

Originality/value

First, this study analyzes the pricing and self-operated logistics construction under different preannounce strategies, enriching the interdisciplinary research on corporate marketing and providing scientific suggestions on how to use preannouncement to acquire competitive advantages. Second, this paper also considers the sequence of platform developing self-operated logistics and analyzes how platform develops self-operated logistics as well as pricing to gain first-mover and second-mover advantages. Third, this paper develops the two-stage pricing models that consider the continuity of pricing in different cycles, enriching the relevant theories and models.
A Fourier-based approach to understanding the impact of dairy farming on red meat prices: evidence from the Turkish case
Authors: Bor Ozgur
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the drivers behind the notable increase in red meat prices in Turkey, attributing the rise primarily to policy interventions within the dairy industry which result in a reduction of farm capacity for dairy farmers.

Design/methodology/approach

To analyze the factors that determine the price of carcass red meat, cattle fattening feed is identified as a variable that directly affects carcass pricing, while the ratio of farm gate milk prices to milk feed prices is assumed to have an indirect impact. Monthly data from January 2011 to December 2022 are used in the analysis. The time series examined is influenced by time-dependent nonlinear Fourier trends that are computed for use in the estimation part.

Findings

The study reveals that fluctuations in cattle fattening feed prices have an immediate impact on carcass prices, while changes in the ratio of raw milk prices to milk feed prices exhibit a time lag. Although short-term interventions to the farm gate milk prices can initially suppress carcass prices, it is important to consider their medium and long-term effects, as these can manifest as a decrease in the number of animals available.

Originality/value

The research sheds light on the intricate interplay between policy interventions in the dairy sector and their ripple effects on the broader red meat market, contributing valuable insights to both academic and policy discourse.
Analysing the impact of gamification training on reinforcing the relationship of ISA employee engagement and employee task performance – empirical study
Authors: Mohanty Sattwik , Christopher B. Prabu
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effect of gamification training on employee task performance within the context of intellectual, social and affective (ISA) employee engagement in India. The use of gamification in training as a possible precursor to increased employee engagement is a fascinating research topic, especially as employee engagement is becoming an increasingly important factor in workplace success.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the aim of this study, 300 responses were obtained from employees in an Indian company using online surveys to quantitatively assess levels of employee engagement and task performance. Statistical tests like SPSS 20.0 and Smart PLS 3.0 were run on the collected data to see if gamification training led to significantly higher levels of employee engagement and if this engagement had an effect on task performance.

Findings

Result tells that social and affective engagement mediates the relationship between gamification training and employee task performance in gamification-using organisations, relative to intellectual engagement. As social and affective engagement has considerable positive effects on employee job performance and gamification training, gamification training is a critical approach for organisations to implement to increase employee engagement and, consequently, performance.

Originality/value

Using an innovative variable of employee engagement – specifically, ISA employee engagement – the authors have sought to establish a mediating link between gamification and employee task performance. Therefore, the study’s designs have practical value for organisations because they incorporate the ISA engagement scale into a game-based learning environment.
Remote work and psychological distress: evidence from the understanding America study dataset
Authors: Jong Jaehee , Lee Jungtaek
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how working remotely relates to psychological distress and also how this relationship varies by gender, age and employment sector.

Design/methodology/approach

We examined 30 waves of longitudinal data (observations = 76,845 and respondents = 4,542) drawn from the Understanding America Study (UAS), a nationally representative panel collected during the period March 2020–October 2021, and analyzed the data using a negative binomial panel model.

Findings

The results show that both female and male workers who worked remotely during this time period experienced psychological distress. For workers aged 30–54 and those 55 years of age or above, and those who worked for nonprofit and private organizations, remote work was strongly related to psychological distress. Alternatively, remote work had no significant effect on psychological distress among younger and government workers.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to both research and practice related to flexible work arrangements by delving into the influence of remote work on a key employee well-being outcome, psychological distress, which has been understudied in research on human resource practices.
“It’s more delicious because I like you”: commercial food influencers’ follower satisfaction, retention and repurchase intention
Authors: Olfat Mohammad , Kirkham Reuben
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how commercial influencers retain their followers and successfully persuade them to consider purchasing newly recommended products and services within the food industry. We explored the impact of followers’ purchase satisfaction upon their repurchase intention for newly promoted food products and services, directly and by the mediating roles of followers’ affective commitment and loyalty toward commercial food influencers.

Design/methodology/approach

Our conceptual model design was supported by the tricomponent attitude model, which helps explain followers’ emotional attachment to the influencers. We validated the proposed model using a sample of 200 followers of renowned commercial food influencers in Iran. We used partial least squares structural equation modeling for data analysis, with the assistance of Warp PLS (version 8.0) software.

Findings

We found that followers’ purchase satisfaction exerts a positive influence upon their repurchase intention, both directly and through the mediating roles of affective commitment and loyalty toward commercial food influencers.

Practical implications

This study elucidates the role of followers’ satisfaction with their previous purchases in influencing their intention to buy newly recommended products. There is a multiplicity of important implications for restauranteur’s business models, as this marketing approach rewards a digital equivalent of a strong customer relationship and an honest, high-quality product. Our results also suggest that food influencers can operate effectively in the affiliate marketing sphere by operating and sustaining enduring relationships.

Originality/value

This work addresses how the influencer–follower relationship, followers’ purchase satisfaction and emotional attachment toward influencers, shape both follower retention and future repurchase intentions. This is from the perspective of the tricomponent attitude model within the food industry.
Guiding research into integrated health and social care in Australia: suitability of three global frameworks for local adoption
Authors: Uribe Gabriela , Huckel Schneider Carmen , Mukumbang Ferdinand , Liu Hueiming , Woolfenden Susan , Jones Tabitha , Gillespie James , Hiscock Harriet , Haigh Fiona , Goldfeld Sharon , Katz Ilan , Page Andrew , Giannopoulos Vicki , Haber Paul , Goodwin Nick , Anderson Teresa , Eastwood John , Cunich Michelle
Published: November 2024

Purpose

In this paper, we aim to test the usefulness and contribute to the further development of analytical frameworks that guide research into integrated health and social care initiatives.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses case studies based in decentralised administrative areas within the New South Wales state health system using (1) the Innovative Policy Supports for Integrated Health and Social Care Programs Framework, (2) the Consolidated Framework for Implementation Research and (3) the Framework on the Emergence and Effectiveness of Global Health Networks to assess the quality of international policies and/or strategies and integrated health and social care networks.

Findings

This study facilitates and advances integrated health and social care knowledge, moving from the study of local initiatives to a higher-level taxonomy of integrated care initiatives and exploring the emergence and effectiveness of global integrated care knowledge exchange networks. This paper proposes the use of three different frameworks to assess enhancement of the integrated health and social care using an array of multi-level innovation efforts as case studies.

Research limitations/implications

This paper highlights the need for further research, and additional supports for formulating a single unified integrated health and social care framework that can assess innovations at multiple levels beyond local settings.

Practical implications

A stronger partnership with key stakeholders to enhance integrated health and social care research capabilities would be a feasible way to increase care and research capabilities in all sectors.

Social implications

Health and social care clinicians, consumer representatives, service managers, policymakers and network knowledge partners must co-design a unified framework that better reflects the large multi-level agenda for integrated health and social care system change.

Originality/value

This novel study examines the level of integration of local space-based health and social care interventions, develops a taxonomy of local health district and/or primary care network integrated care initiatives to locate the “local” within a broader policy context and evaluates the quality of international policies and/or strategies and integrated health and social care networks.
Halal procurement strategy for the halal pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia
Authors: Irfany Mohammad Iqbal , Nekha Aviyu , Tieman Marco , Haq Daffa Aqomal
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to develop a halal procurement strategy for the halal pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative research is based on in-depth interviews, followed by a strength, weakness, opportunity and threat analysis (using analytical network process technique) to develop halal procurement strategies for the halal pharmaceutical industry in Indonesia.

Findings

Access to halal-certified raw materials is the most difficult issue for pharmaceutical business procurement departments. Because Indonesia is heavily dependent on raw material imports, developing the raw material industry should be a top priority. Recommendations are drafted for the government, pharmaceutical industry and education to strengthen Indonesia’s halal pharmaceutical sector and procurement strategies.

Research limitations/implications

Few studies have been conducted on halal procurement in the pharmaceutical industry, and case studies are recommended to further explore halal procurement best practices. Quantitative research is also recommended to better understand existing halal procurement strategies and the purchasing process of halal critical items for pharmaceutical industries in Muslim-majority countries like Indonesia.

Practical implications

Halal critical items sourced for the halal pharmaceutical industry require halal certification, multiple supplier sourcing, evaluation mechanisms and benefit from horizontal collaboration. The main bottleneck for the halal pharmaceutical industry is lack of raw materials with the right halal certificates.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study on halal procurement strategies in the pharmaceutical industry. Its findings are relevant to regulatory, technical and business strategies in Muslim-majority countries.
Is family motivation family-friendly? How and when family motivation leads to work interference with family
Authors: Gao Feng , Sun Yuqing , Li Zhicheng , Wang Manyi
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Integrating self-determination theory with work-family boundary theory, this study delves into the mechanism (i.e. workplace anxiety) and boundary (i.e. intrinsic motivation) by which family motivation can inadvertently escalate work interference with family.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted two three-wave field survey studies of 468 employees and 298 employees in China to test the theoretical model.

Findings

When intrinsic motivation is weak, employees with high family motivation feel anxious at work and thus experience more work interference with family.

Practical implications

The motivation to support one’s family through work increases the possibility of workplace anxiety and work interference with family. To alleviate this impact, cultivating intrinsic motivation is important. Thus, we encourage employees to be compassionate toward their internal feelings and needs while performing their jobs. Moreover, organizations are encouraged to improve employees’ intrinsic motivation by implementing practices that support their basic psychological needs.

Originality/value

This study casts new light on the potential adverse effects that family motivation may have on the work-family interface, challenging the prevalent belief that working for the family invariably improves the work-family interface. Moreover, it provides a new lens to understand how valuing the family inadvertently increases work interference with family.
Macroeconomic variables and initial public offerings in Sri Lanka: a principal component analysis approach
Authors: Mohamed Riyath Mohamed Ismail , Indunil Dayaratne Debeharage Athula , Jahfer Athambawa
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to comprehensively examine the relationship between initial public offering (IPO) activities and macroeconomic factors in Sri Lanka.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses principal component analysis (PCA) and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) techniques to examine the relationship between IPO activities and macroeconomic factors. Ten macroeconomic variables are transformed into principal components (factors) using PCA. Then, ARDL is applied to investigate the long- and short-term relationships between IPO activities and the transformed macroeconomic factors.

Findings

The empirical investigation identifies three principal factors from the ten macroeconomic variables, of which two factors have a significant long-run association with IPO activities: “return on investment (RTOI)” and “economic and market development (ECMD).” In the short run, “trade openness and banking sector development (TOBD)” and RTOI are significantly associated with IPO activities.

Research limitations/implications

The study was based on 30 years of observations, which passed all diagnostic tests but may be insufficient for generalizing the findings. Future studies could use high-frequency data (monthly or quarterly) to increase the number of observations and repeat the method and analysis. Also, while the symmetrical ARDL method was used in this study, an asymmetrical ARDL method may provide more insightful results and interpretations.

Practical implications

The study highlights the importance of considering both long- and short-term associations when analyzing the impact of macroeconomic variables on IPO activities.

Originality/value

This study is the first to comprehensively examine the relationship between IPO activities and macroeconomic variables using PCA and the ARDL technique. The study provides insight into the macroeconomic factors that influence IPO activities in Sri Lanka and highlights the importance of considering long- and short-term associations.
Examining the impact of mobile money on financial inclusion in Sub-Saharan Africa: the role of institutions and governance
Authors: Gyamerah Kwaku Kyei , Tetteh Francis Kamewor
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the role of institutional quality in the relationship between mobile money and financial inclusion among Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) from 2002 to 2022.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper uses annual data from SSA on a bundle of four financial inclusion variables, six institutional quality indicators (i.e. rule of law, government effectiveness, control of corruption, voice and accountability, regulatory quality and political stability) and total volume of mobile money transaction in a year. The two-stage least squares regression was used to validate the hypotheses. Also, the random effects model was also used to account for potential unobserved heterogeneity across countries in SSA.

Findings

The empirical results reveal that institutional quality and mobile money have direct impact on financial inclusion. Also, institutional quality plays a positive and significant contingency role in the relationship between mobile money and financial inclusion.

Originality/value

The study contributes to financial inclusion theory by providing multi-country empirical evidence to validate the theory in explaining mobile money’s role in expanding financial access. It also highlights the key insight from financial inclusion theory regarding the need for strong governance institutions for technology-enabled inclusion. By examining interactions between mobile money, institutions and financial inclusion across 15 African SSA economies, the study allows for more generalizable conclusions about contextual dependencies.
Tree traits are a stronger predictor of bee traits and species richness than taxonomic diversity
Authors: González‐Chaves Adrian , Borges Rafael Cabral , Andrino Caroline O. , Barbosa‐Silva Rafael G. , Madureira Maia Ulysses , Giannini Tereza C.
Published: November 2024

Functional traits help to understand biological diversity and the mechanism by which ecological communities are structured and how they respond to the environment. For example, the high tree species diversity within tropical forests can be grouped into a few functional attributes, wood density, size and dependence on animal pollination or seed dispersal. However, little is known about how these traits influence animal taxonomic and functional diversity in the forests.

We carried out a vegetation census on six plots (20 × 100 m) within the National Forest of Carajás (Amazon biome) to identify forest canopy species and their functional traits. Within the same plot, we also applied three bee sampling methods (entomological nets, honey traps and scent traps). By characterizing the functional traits of trees and bees, we were able to predict bee functional diversity better than with taxonomic diversity alone via combinations of tree traits like size, wood density, dependence on pollinators and extinction risk.

We found that larger trees with low wood density were negatively associated with small, eusocial tree cavity nesting bees. The richness and abundance of trees with high extinction risk was positively associated with the richness of medium‐sized solitary bees. The dominance in the community of pollinator‐dependent trees (average diameter in the basal area) was negatively associated with the richness of above‐ground and cavity nesting bees.

Our findings suggest that the composition of the tree community limits the availability of nesting resources for specific groups of bees. Moreover, the presence of trees with higher extinction risk (conservation value) was associated with a greater variety of bee traits and was the only metric associated with overall bee richness.

As expected, functional traits shed light on the mechanism that might drive high diversity within tropical forests. In addition, there appears to be complementarity in terms of conservation value and carbon stock potential, as areas that habour tree species with higher extinction risk and higher wood density are also those with overall greater bee and functional diversity. Finally, our study can contribute to the restoration of plant—pollinator community by providing an understanding of the vegetation community that contributes to biodiversity maintenance.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Running uphill: A comparative analysis of the gender gap in campaign financing
Authors: SUDULICH LAURA , TRUMM SIIM , MAKROPOULOS IAKOVOS
Published: November 2024

Women are not a demographic minority, but they certainly are a minority in politics. Most legislative bodies across the world are still overwhelmingly male. Female candidates cite lack of resources as one of the main deterrents to run. Using data on candidates encompassing twenty‐eight elections in sixteen countries between 2006 and 2017, we examine the role of electoral institutions, partisanship and candidates’ political profile in mitigating – or aggravating – the gender resource gap. We find that female candidates systematically avail of significantly lower campaign budgets. This is true across different electoral systems and on the left as well as on the right. The gap is larger in size among incumbents. It is also wider in parties that use voluntary quotas and put forward more female candidates. Moreover, the budget composition of male and female candidates varies considerably. Male candidates tend to use higher proportions of their own resources, while female candidates rely on proportionally higher party contributions, that are, however, smaller in size.
Changes in healthcare costs and utilization for Medicaid recipients who received supportive housing through a payer‐community‐based housing partnership
Authors: Lovelace John , Lai Yu‐Hsuan , Kanter Justin , Eichner Joan C. , Prushnok Ray , Winger Mary E.
Published: November 2024

Objective

To evaluate healthcare cost and utilization changes among Medicaid and dually eligible participants of a supportive housing program implemented by a managed care organization and community‐based organization.

Study Setting and Design

Healthcare claims were reviewed retrospectively for 80 program participants in one urban Pennsylvania county between 1/1/2018 and 9/28/2023 who had ≥6 months of claims data in both pre‐ and post‐housing periods. Eligibility included age >18 years, Medicaid/Special Needs Plan enrollment, and housing need. Due to limited housing units, potential participants were prioritized by medical need and history of unplanned care.

Data Sources and Analytic Sample

Healthcare cost and utilization were compared during pre‐ (i.e., 12 months before housing initiation) and post‐periods (i.e., 12 months after housing initiation).

Principal Findings

Compared to the pre‐period, significantly lower medical (−40.4%, p = 0.004), emergency department (−62.7%, p = 0.02), and total (−33.3%, p = 0.02) costs of care were observed in the post‐period. Significantly lower primary care (−50.0%, p = 0.0003), specialist (−31.3%, p = 0.02), and emergency department (−50.0%, p = 0.03) utilization were also observed.

Conclusions

Healthcare cost and utilization among medically complex individuals were lower with supportive housing. Future evaluations with randomized designs can address the potential causal impact of supportive housing as a healthcare intervention on specific outcomes.
Pig manure characteristics and decomposition ability of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis larval instar stages
Authors: Jeong Yeon‐Woo
Published: November 2024

Many types of livestock waste can be treated with insect larvae; however, in‐depth research on the decomposition ability of Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (PBS) larvae and the characteristics of manure after treatment with PBS is extremely limited. Therefore, this study examined the decomposition ability and survival rates of different instars of PBS larvae and their effects on the characteristics and pathogen counts of pig manure. Two treatments were designed: 1 kg of second instar or third instar PBS larvae per 10 kg of pig manure. Pig manure did not affect the decomposing capacity and survival rates of the two PBS larval instar groups (P > 0.05). However, the decomposition abilities of the different PBS larval instar groups on days 2, 7 and 8 significantly differed (P < 0.05). Over time, the changes observed in pH, moisture, total nitrogen, acid detergent fiber (ADF), neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and hemicelluloses did not significantly differ (P > 0.05) between treatments using second or third instar PBS larvae. On day 15, both total nitrogen and NDF significantly differed (P < 0.05) between the two treatment groups. During the experimental period, no significant (P > 0.05) change in Escherichia coli or Salmonella counts was observed in pig manure treated with different PBS larval instars. Our findings suggest that the decomposition abilities and survival rates of larvae and pig manure characteristics and pathogen counts do not differ for different PBS larval instar stages.
Microbial diversity in the arid and semi‐arid soils of Botswana
Authors: Tidimalo Coetzee , Maximiliano Ortiz , Karen Jordaan , Lebre Pedro H. , Bernard Olivier , Michelle Greve , Oagile Dikinya , Cowan Don A.
Published: November 2024

To date, little research has been conducted on the landscape‐scale distribution of soil microbial communities and the factors driving their community structures in the drylands of Africa. We investigated the influence of landscape‐scale variables on microbial community structure and diversity across different ecological zones in Botswana. We used amplicon sequencing of bacterial 16S rRNA gene and fungal internal transcribed spacers (ITS) and a suite of environmental parameters to determine drivers of microbial community structure. Bacterial communities were dominated by Actinomycetota (21.1%), Pseudomonadota (15.9%), and Acidobacteriota (10.9%). The dominant fungal communities were Ascomycota (57.3%) and Basidiomycota (7.5%). Soil pH, mean annual precipitation, total organic carbon, and soil ions (calcium and magnesium) were the major predictors of microbial community diversity and structure. The co‐occurrence patterns of bacterial and fungal communities were influenced by soil pH, with network‐specific fungi–bacteria interactions observed. Potential keystone taxa were identified for communities in the different networks. Most of these interactions were between microbial families potentially involved in carbon cycling, suggesting functional redundancy in these soils. Our findings highlight the significance of soil pH in determining the landscape‐scale structure of microbial communities in Botswana's dryland soils.
Impact of Omicron Variant Infection on Female Fertility and Laboratory Outcomes: A Self‐Controlled Study
Authors: Hu Yu‐Ling , Zhang Yong‐Jia , Lv Xing‐Yu , Liu Rui‐Ling , Zhong Zhao‐Hui , Fu Li‐Juan , Bao Mei‐Hua , Geng Li‐Hong , Xu Hai‐Jiao , Yu Shao‐Min , Ding Yu‐Bin
Published: November 2024

Problem

Investigating the impact of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus‐2 (SARS‐CoV‐2) infection on female fertility and laboratory outcomes in patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment who were initially uninfected but later became infected.

Methods of the Study

This self‐controlled study included 197 patients who underwent repeated oocyte retrieval before and after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection between March 2021 and April 2023, of which 117 used the same ovarian stimulation protocol within a consistent age range. We evaluated the ovarian reserve, ovarian response, and laboratory outcomes in patients before and after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection.

Results

The ovarian reserve (follicle‐stimulating hormone [FSH], luteinizing hormone [LH], estrogen [E2], anti‐Müllerian hormone [AMH], antral follicle count [AFC]), ovarian response (total Gn dosage, duration of Gn administration, number of follicles ≥14 mm on trigger day, number of retrieved oocytes), and laboratory outcomes (cleavage stage good‐quality embryo rate, blastocyst formation rate, and cycle freezing rate) showed no significant differences before and after SARS‐CoV‐2 infection in 117 patients (p > 0.05). When stratified by age, the ≤ 35 years group showed a higher two pronuclei (2PN) fertilization rate post‐infection, while the >35 years group had increased mature metaphase II (MII) oocyte and blastocyst stage good‐quality embryo rates. Additionally, upon stratified by the time interval between SARS‐CoV‐2 infection and ART treatment, in the ≤ 3 months group, there was an increased post‐infection MII oocyte rate, 2PN fertilization rate, and blastocyst stage good‐quality embryo rate. Meanwhile, no significant differences were found in any indicators when the interval exceeded three months.

Conclusion

Our study suggested that undergoing IVF/ICSI treatment after recovering from COVID‐19 may not adversely affect female fertility and laboratory outcomes.
Cloud seeding Los Angeles: Elements of an Unsettled City
Authors: Peterson Marina
Published: November 2024

In February of 1978, heavy rain brought major flooding to the Los Angeles region. Attention quickly turned to the Los Angeles County Flood Control District, which had activated its cloud seeding program just prior to the storm. This event provides a focal point for examining ways in which the physicality of clouds informs an elemental approach to urbanism that is at once epistemological and material. Suspended vapor or ice crystals that might precipitate or disperse, clouds offer an understanding of ways of being and knowing in motion. The materiality of water, wind, mud, and concrete in Los Angeles comes to matter in ways inflected by that of clouds. Like clouds, these are moving, phase‐shifting forms of matter that destabilize and elude modes of classification. As a material form for thinking through phase shifting processes more generally, clouds attune us toward an unsettled city.
Stroke‐Induced Renal Dysfunction: Underlying Mechanisms and Challenges of the Brain–Kidney Axis
Authors: Chen Xi , Yang Dong‐Xiao , Zhao Heng , Zhang Hong‐Fei , Hong Pu
Published: November 2024

Stroke, a major neurological disorder and a leading cause of disability and death, often inflicts damage upon other organs, particularly the kidneys. While chronic kidney disease (CKD) has long been established as a significant risk factor for cerebrovascular disease, stroke can induce renal dysfunction, manifesting as acute kidney injury (AKI) or CKD. Mounting clinical and basic research evidence supports the existence of a bidirectional brain‐kidney crosstalk following stroke, implicating specific mechanisms and pathways in stroke‐related renal dysfunction. This review analyzes pertinent experimental studies, elucidating the underlying mechanisms of this cerebro‐renal interaction following stroke. Additionally, we summarize the current landscape of clinical research investigating brain‐kidney interplay and discuss potential challenges in the future. By enhancing our understanding of the scientific underpinnings of brain‐kidney crosstalk, this review paves the way for improved treatment strategies and outcomes for stroke patients. Recognizing the intricate interplay between the brain and kidneys after stroke holds profound clinical implications.