bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Self-healing of hyaluronic acid to improvein vivoretention and function
Authors: Gilpin Anna , Zeng Yuze , Hoque Jiaul , Ryu Ji Hyun , Yang Yong , Zauscher Stefan , Eward William , Varghese Shyni
Published: September 2021

Convergent advances in the field of soft matter, macromolecular chemistry, and engineering have led to the development of biomaterials that possess autonomous, adaptive, and self-healing characteristics similar to living systems. These rationally designed biomaterials could surpass the capabilities of their parent material. Herein, we describe the modification of hyaluronic acid (HA) molecules to exhibit self-healing properties and studied its physical and biological function bothin vitroandin vivo. Ourin vitrofindings showed that self-healing HA designed to undergo autonomous repair improved lubrication, enhanced free radical scavenging, and resisted enzymatic degradation compared to unmodified HA. Longitudinal imaging following intra-articular injection of self-healing HA showed improvedin vivoretention despite the low molecular weight. Concomitant with these functions, intra-articular injection of self-healing HA mitigated anterior cruciate ligament injury-mediated cartilage degeneration in rodents. This proof-of-concept study shows how incorporation of functional properties like self-healing can be used to surpass the existing capabilities of biolubricants.
In vivointraoral waterflow quantification reveals hidden mechanisms of suction feeding in fish
Authors: Provini Pauline , Brunet Alexandre , Filippo Andréa , Van Wassenbergh Sam
Published: September 2021

Virtually all fish rely on flows of water to transport food to the back of their pharynx. While external flows that draw food into the mouth are well described, how intra-oral water flows manage to deposit food at the esophagus entrance remains unknown. In theory, the posteriorly moving water must, at some point, curve laterally and/or ventrally to exit through the gill slits. Such flows would eventually carry food away from the esophagus instead of towards it. This apparent paradox calls for a filtration mechanism to deviate food from the suction-feeding streamlines. To study this gap in our fundamental understanding of how fish feed, we developed and applied a new technique to quantify three-dimensional patterns of intra-oral water flowsin vivo.We combined stereoscopic high-speed x-ray videos to quantify skeletal motion (XROMM) with 3D x-ray particle tracking (XPT) of approximately neutrally buoyant spheres of 1.4 mm in diameter. We showed, for carp (Cyprinus carpio) and tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), that water tracers displayed higher curvatures than food tracers, indicating an inertia-driven filtration. In addition, tilapia also exhibited a ‘central jet’ flow pattern, which aids in quickly carrying food to the pharyngeal jaw region. When the food was trapped at the branchial basket, it was resuspended and carried more centrally by periodical bidirectional waterflows, synchronized with head-bone motions. By providing a complete picture of the suction-feeding process and revealing fundamental differences in food transport mechanisms among species, this new technique opens a new area of investigation to fully understand how most aquatic vertebrates feed.
Energy status-promoted growth and development of Arabidopsis require copper deficiency response transcriptional regulator SPL7
Authors: Schulten Anna , Pietzenuk Björn , Quintana Julia , Krause Marcus , Feil Regina , Romera-Branchat Maida , Wahl Vanessa , Severing Edouard , Coupland George , Krämer Ute
Published: September 2021

Copper (Cu) is a cofactor of around 300 Arabidopsis proteins including photosynthetic and mitochondrial electron transfer chain enzymes critical for ATP production and carbon fixation. Plant acclimation to Cu deficiency requires the transcription factor SQUAMOSA PROMOTER-BINDING PROTEIN-LIKE7 (SPL7). We report that in the wild type and in thespl7-1mutant, respiratory electron fluxviaCu-dependent cytochromecoxidase remained unaffected under both normal and low-Cu cultivation conditions. Contrary to the wild type, supplementing Cu-deficient media with exogenous sugar failed to stimulate growth ofspl7-1. Thespl7-1mutant accumulated carbohydrates including the signaling sugar trehalose 6-phosphate, as well as ATP and NADH, also under normal Cu supply and without sugar supplementation. Late flowering ofspl7-1was in agreement with its attenuated sugar responsiveness. Functional TOR and SnRK1 kinase signaling inspl7-1suggested against fundamental defects in these energy-signaling hubs. Sequencing of chromatin immunoprecipitates combined with transcriptomics identified direct targets of SPL7-mediated positive regulation, includingFE SUPEROXIDE DISMUTASE1(FSD1),COPPER-DEFICIENCY-INDUCED TRANSCRIPTION FACTOR1(CITF1) and uncharacterizedbHLH23(CITF2), as well as an enriched upstream GTACTRC motif. In summary, transducing energy availability into growth and reproductive development requires the function of SPL7. Our results could help to increase crop yields, especially on Cu-deficient soils.
PREDICTING SPEECH INTELLIGIBILITY FROM A SELECTIVE ATTENTION DECODING PARADIGM IN COCHLEAR IMPLANT USERS
Authors: Nogueira Waldo , Dolhopiatenko Hanna
Published: September 2021

1.

Objectives

Electroencephalography (EEG) can be used to decode selective attention in cochlear implant (CI) users. This work investigates if selective attention to an attended speech source in the presence of a concurrent speech source can predict speech understanding in CI users.

Approach

CI users were instructed to attend to one out of two speech streams while EEG was recorded. Both speech streams were presented to the same ear and at different signal to interference ratios (SIRs). Speech envelope reconstruction of the to-be-attended speech from EEG was obtained by training decoders using regularized least squares. The correlation coefficient between the reconstructed and the attended (ρASIR) and between the reconstructed and the unattended (ρUSIR) speech stream at each SIR was computed.

Main Results

Selective attention decoding in CI users is possible even if both speech streams are presented monaurally. A significant effect of SIR on the correlation coefficient to the attended signal ρASIR, as well as on the difference correlation coefficients ρASIR – ρUSIR and ρASIR – ρUSIR was observed, but not on the unattended correlation coefficient ρUSIR. Finally, the results show a significant correlation between speech understanding performance and the correlation coefficients ρASIR–ρUSIR or −ρUSIR across subjects. Moreover, the difference correlation coefficient ρASIR – ρU−SIR, which is less affected by the CI electrical artifact, presented a correlation trend with speech understanding performance.

Significance

Selective attention decoding in CI users is possible, however care needs to be taken with the CI artifact and the speech material used to train the decoders. Even if only a small correlation trend between selective attention decoding and speech understanding was observed, these results are important for future development of objective speech understanding measures for CI users.
Network-based prediction and functional validation of metformin for potential treatment of atrial fibrillation using human inducible pluripotent stem cell-derived atrial-like cardiomyocytes
Authors: Lal Jessica Castrillon , Zhou Yadi , Gore-Panter Shamone R. , Rennison Julie H. , Barnard John , Van Wagoner David R. , Cheng Feixiong , Chung Mina K.
Published: September 2021

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a significant cause of morbidity and mortality, and effective therapeutic interventions are lacking. Here, we harness an integrative, network medicine approach to repurpose FDA-approved drugs for AF. We hypothesize that the use of an unbiased method for prioritizing AF drugs using patient transcriptomics data can help to identify alternative therapeutic strategies and mechanism-of-action for these drugs. To achieve this, we first characterized the molecular networks specific to AF by incorporating transcriptomic data of left atrial tissue. We quantified the network proximity of genes differentially expressed in AF to drug targets to identify putative drugs for repurposing. We identified nine high-confidence drug candidates that were validated using enrichment analysis of drug-gene signatures in human cell lines. We identified metformin for the potential treatment of AF and validated its use in human inducible pluripotent stem cell-derived atrial-like cardiomyocytes. We identified AF-specific dysregulated networks enriched in cardiac metabolism, ion transport, and immune pathways that were improved following metformin treatment. In summary, this study utilized network-based approaches for rapid identification of drugs that may be repurposed for AF treatment and validated metformin as a candidate drug using a robust human atrial cell model.
Marker-free genome engineering in Amycolatopsis using the pSAM2 site-specific recombination system
Authors: Santos Luísa D. F. , Caraty-Philippe Laëtitia , Darbon Emmanuelle , Pernodet Jean-Luc
Published: September 2021

Actinobacteria belonging to the genus Amycolatopsis are important for antibiotic production and other valuable biotechnological applications such as biodegradation or bioconversion. Despite their industrial importance, tools and methods for the genetic manipulation of Amycolatopsis are less developed than in other actinobacteria such as Streptomyces. Moreover, most of the existing methods do not support convenient marker-free genome engineering. Here, we report the use of the pSAM2 site-specific recombination system for the efficient deletion of marker genes or large DNA regions in Amycolatopsis. For this purpose, we constructed a shuttle vector, replicating in Escherichia coli and Amycolatopsis, expressing the Xis and Int proteins from the Streptomyces integrative and conjugative element pSAM2. These proteins are sufficient for site-specific recombination between the attachment sites attL and attR. We also constructed two plasmids, replicative in E. coli but not in Amycolatopsis, for the integration of the recombination sites attL and attR on each side of a region targeted for deletion. We exemplified the use of these tools in Amycolatopsis mediterranei DSM 40773 by obtaining with high efficiency (>95%) a marker-free deletion of one single gene in the rifamycin biosynthetic gene cluster or of the entire 90-kb cluster.

IMPORTANCE

The genus Amycolatopsis is regarded as an important source of diverse specialized metabolites. Members of this genus are used in industry for the production of valuable antibiotics such as rifamycins or vancomycin. Amycolatopsis spp. also present a great interest for biotechnological applications such as biodegradation or bioconversion. Despite their importance, their genetic manipulation was somehow hampered by the lack of efficient tools. Here we report the successful use of the pSAM2 site-specific recombination system to construct unmarked deletion mutants, allowing marker recycling, or to create large deletions in A. mediterranei DSM 40773. The high efficiency of this site-specific recombination system and it possible application to other Amycolatopsis species open new opportunities for marker-free genome engineering in this genus.
In search of a core cellular network with single cell transcriptome data in the fruit fly
Authors: Yang Ming , Harrison Benjamin R. , Promislow Daniel E.L.
Published: September 2021

Along with specialized functions, cells of multicellular organisms also perform essential functions. Whether diverse cells do this by using the same set of genes, interacting in a fixed coordinated fashion, remains a central question in biology. Single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) measures gene expression of individual cells, enabling researchers to discover gene expression patterns that contribute to the diversity of cell functions. Current efforts focus primarily on identifying differentially expressed genes. However, patterns of co-expression between genes are more indicative of biological processes than are the expression of individual genes. Here, we constructed cell type-specific gene co-expression networks using the fly brain transcriptome atlas to search for a core cellular network. We detected a set of highly coordinated genes preserved across cell types and defined this set as the core network. This network was further validated through two additional datasets profiling fly brains or heads. This core has a small size and shows dense connectivity. Modules within this core are enriched for basic cellular functions and gene members of these modules have distinct evolutionary signatures. Overall, we demonstrated that a core cellular network exists in diverse cell types of fly brains and this core exhibits unique topological, structural, functional and evolutionary properties.
Targeted biallelic integration of an inducible Caspase 9 suicide gene for safer cellular therapies prevents development of drug-resistant escapees in human iPSCs
Authors: Wunderlich Stephanie , Haase Alexandra , Merkert Sylvia , Jahn Kirsten , Deest Maximillian , Glage Silke , Korte Wilhelm , Martens Andreas , Kirschning Andreas , Zeug Andre , Ponimaskin Evgeni , Goehring Gudrun , Ackermann Mania , Lachmann Nico , Moritz Thomas , Zweigerdt Robert , Martin Ulrich
Published: September 2021

Drug-inducible suicide systems may help to minimize risks of cellular therapies due to the tumor forming potential of human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Recent research challenged the usefulness of such systems since rare drug-resistant subclones were observed that showed elimination or silencing of the transgene.

We have introduced a drug-inducible Caspase9 suicide system (iCASP9) into the AAVS1 safe harbor locus of hiPSCs. In these cells, apoptosis could be efficiently induced in vitro. In mice, drug treatment generally led to rapid elimination of teratomas, but individual animals subsequently formed tumor tissue from monoallelic iCASP9 hiPSCs. Very rare drug-resistant subclones of monoallelic iCASP9 hiPSCs appeared in vitro with frequencies of ~ 3×10-8. Transgene elimination, presumably via Loss of Heterozygosity (LoH), or methylation of the CAG promoter but not methylation of the ppp1r12c locus were identified as underlying mechanisms. In contrast, we never observed any escapees from biallelic iCASP9 hiPSCs, even after treatment of up to 0.8 billion hiPSCs.

In conclusion, biallelic integration of an iCASP9 system in the AAVS1 locus may substantially contribute to the safety level of iPSC-based therapies, which should be calculated by relating clonal escapee frequencies to the cell number in tumors of a size that is readily detectable during routine screening procedures.
Optineurin links Hace1-dependent Rac ubiquitylation to integrin-mediated mechanotransduction to control bacterial invasion and cell division
Authors: Petracchini Serena , Hamaoui Daniel , Doye Anne , Asnacios Atef , Fage Florian , Vitiello Elisa , Balland Martial , Janel Sebastien , Lafont Frank , Gupta Mukund , Ladoux Benoit , Gilleron Jerôme , Maia Teresa , Impens Francis , Gagnoux-Palacios Laurent , Daugaard Mads , Sorensen Poul H. , Lemichez Emmanuel , Mettouchi Amel
Published: September 2021

Extracellular matrix (ECM) elasticity is perceived by cells via focal adhesion structures, which transduce mechanical cues into chemical signalling to conform cell behaviour. Although the contribution of ECM compliance to the control of cell migration or division has been extensively studied, little has been reported regarding infectious processes. We have studied how mechanical properties of the ECM impact invasion of cells by the extraintestinal Escherichia coli pathogen UTI89. We show that UTI89 takes advantage, via its CNF1 toxin, of integrin mechanoactivation to trigger its invasion into cells. We identified OPTN as a protein regulated by ECM stiffness whose function is required for bacterial invasion and integrin mechanical coupling and for stimulation of HACE1 E3 ligase activity towards the Rac1 GTPase. We showed that OPTN knockdown cells display enhanced Rac1 activation, strong mechanochemical adhesion signalling and increased cyclin D1 translation, together with enhanced cell proliferation independent of ECM stiffness. Despite such features, OPTN knockdown cells displayed defective traction force buildup associated with limited cellular invasion by UTI89. Together, our data indicate that OPTN, through a new role in mechanobiology, supports CNF1-producing uropathogenic E. coli invasion and links HACE1-mediated ubiquitylation of Rac1 to ECM mechanical properties and integrin mechanotransduction.
Multi-functional feedforward inhibitory circuits for cortical odor processing
Authors: Suzuki Norimitsu , Tantirigama Malinda L. S. , Huang Helena H.-Y. , Bekkers John M.
Published: September 2021

Feedforward inhibitory circuits are key contributors to the complex interplay between excitation and inhibition in the brain. Little is known about the function of feedforward inhibition in the primary olfactory (piriform) cortex. Using in vivo two-photon targeted patch clamping and calcium imaging in mice, we find that odors evoke strong excitation in two classes of interneurons – neurogliaform (NG) cells and horizontal (HZ) cells – that provide feedforward inhibition in layer 1 of the piriform cortex. NG cells fire much earlier than HZ cells following odor onset, a difference that can be attributed to the faster odor-driven excitatory synaptic drive that NG cells receive from the olfactory bulb. As a consequence, NG cells strongly but transiently inhibit odor-evoked excitation in layer 2 principal cells, whereas HZ cells provide more diffuse and prolonged feedforward inhibition. Our findings reveal unexpected complexity in the operation of inhibition in the piriform cortex.
Structural variants are a major source of gene expression differences in humans and often affect multiple nearby genes
Authors: Scott Alexandra J. , Chiang Colby , Hall Ira M.
Published: September 2021

Structural variants (SVs) are an important source of human genome diversity, but their functional effects are poorly understood. We mapped 61,668 SVs in 613 individuals from the GTEx project and measured their effects on gene expression. We estimate that common SVs are causal at 2.66% of eQTLs, a 10.5-fold enrichment relative to their abundance in the genome. Duplications and deletions were the most impactful variant types, whereas the contribution of mobile element insertions was small (0.12% of eQTLs, 1.9-fold enriched). Multitissue analysis of eQTLs revealed that gene-altering SVs show more constitutive effects than other variant types, with 62.09% of coding SV-eQTLs active in all tissues with eQTL activity compared with 23.08% of coding SNV- and indel-eQTLs. Noncoding SVs, SNVs and indels show broadly similar patterns. We also identified 539 rare SVs associated with nearby gene expression outliers. Of these, 62.34% are noncoding SVs that affect gene expression but have modest enrichment at regulatory elements, showing that rare noncoding SVs are a major source of gene expression differences but remain difficult to predict from current annotations. Both common and rare SVs often affect the expression of multiple genes: SV-eQTLs affect an average of 1.82 nearby genes, whereas SNV- and indel-eQTLs affect an average of 1.09 genes, and 21.34% of rare expression-altering SVs show effects on two to nine different genes. We also observe significant effects on rare gene expression changes extending 1 Mb from the SV. This provides a mechanism by which individual SVs may have strong or pleiotropic effects on phenotypic variation.
The weighted impact factor: the paper evaluation index based on the citation ratio
Authors: Ding Jingda , Xie Ruixia , Liu Chao , Yuan Yiqing
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study distinguishes the academic influence of different papers published in journals of the same subject or field based on the modification of the journal impact factor.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking SSCI journals in library and information science (LIS) as the research object, the authors first explore the skewness degree of the citation distribution of journal articles. Then, we define the paper citation ratio as the weight of impact factor to modify the journal impact factor for the evaluation of papers, namely the weighted impact factor. The authors further explore the feasibility of the weighted impact factor in evaluating papers.

Findings

The research results show that different types of skewness exist in the citation distribution of journal papers. Particularly, 94% of journal paper citations are highly skewed, while the rest are moderately skewed. The weighted impact factor has a closer correlation with the citation frequency of papers than the journal impact factor. It resolves the issue that the journal impact factor tends to exaggerate the influence of low-cited papers in journals with high impact factors or weaken the influence of high-cited papers in journals with low impact factors.

Originality/value

The weighted impact factor is constructed based on the skewness of the citation distribution of journal articles. It provides a new method to distinguish the academic influence of different papers published in journals of the same subject or field, then avoids the situation that papers published in the same journal having the same academic impact.
Impact of knowledge management processes on organizational performance: the mediating role of absorptive capacity
Authors: Migdadi Mahmoud M.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Existing research on knowledge management processes (KMPs) and absorptive capacity (ACAP) is primarily conceptual and descriptive in nature, and empirical research confirming the real impact of KMPs when developing ACAP is lacking. Furthermore, the relationship between ACAP and organizational performance (OP) has not been adequately studied. Hence, the purpose of this paper is to introduce a comprehensive, delineated and integrated conceptual model which encompasses KMPs, ACAP and OP. Then, an empirical investigation is undertaken to test the relationships among the proposed study model variables.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 245 questionnaires were useable. Partial least square 3.3.3 is utilized to examine the validity of the measurement model and test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings of this study suggest that KMPs influence ACAP and ACAP affects OP. Finally, the results show that KMPs affect OP directly and indirectly through ACAP (mediator).

Practical implications

The results of this study help managers to ascertain the managerial practices that can be employed as well as determine the level of effort and resources necessary to enhance ACAP. Additionally, managers should shed additional light on the ACAP's positive implications for OP.

Originality/value

This study focuses on the conceptualization of KMP and empirically tests the effect of these individual processes on ACAP and on OP. Finally, the relationship between KMPs and OP, although implied, needs to be addressed empirically in the research literature through utilizing ACAP as mediator between KMPs and OP, this appears to be the first study to try to achieve this main objective.
Do social interactions matter for borrowing behaviour of the Europeans aged 50+?
Authors: Fernández-López Sara , Daoudi Djamila , Rey-Ares Lucía
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the linkage between households' social interactions and credit context and how these interactions may influence household borrowing decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of 45,907 individuals referred to 18 countries, drawn from the Survey of Health, Ageing and Retirement in Europe, different probit regressions are used to test the four hypotheses proposed.

Findings

Empirical evidence confirms that intensive and extensive sociability are positively related to consumer debt holding. However, when social activities are considered separately, there is weak evidence that they are also related to mortgage debt holding and over-indebtedness. Moreover, at this level of analysis, the different nature of the social activities in which the individual participates in may condition the relationship with borrowing behaviour. The findings also show that relative income plays a passive role in household borrowing behaviour, since low-income households are more likely to hold mortgage and informal loans or to be over-indebted in highly indebted countries.

Originality/value

First, this paper extends the knowledge of the relationship between social interactions and borrowing behaviour by considering not only the intensity and diversity of the social activities in which the individual participates, but also the different nature of these activities. Second, it proposes that social interactions may play a passive role on borrowing decision, suggesting that household's behaviour might be passively affected by the density of borrowers surrounding it. To the best of our knowledge, there has not been any attempt to test this issue regarding household borrowing decisions. Third, unlike the few empirical papers on the topic, the paper also analyses previous issues by distinguishing between different types of debts; a distinction that revels the different role played by social interactions.
Framing the customer journey: touch point categories and decision-making process stages
Authors: Towers Angela , Towers Neil
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to define and frame the understanding of customer journeys, associated areas of consumer decision-making process stages and touch point categories based on an ownership perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is based on a detailed literature review of customer journeys, in peer-reviewed marketing and retail journals, within the last decade. The Chartered Association of Business Schools (ABS) academic journal guide marketing discipline list was used because it only includes peer-reviewed journals, based on an internationally accepted quality ranked list.

Findings

The detailed analysis of the journals identified three groups of touch points (brand owned, partner owned/managed and outside the control of brand owner/partner) and three decision-making process stages (pre-purchase, purchase and post–purchase) that informed a clearer definition and understanding of the customer journey.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations concern the ABS database was used and a ten-year date period was selected, which may exclude some relevant journal articles, particularly those written in a language other than English.

Originality/value

The authors have provided a revised definition of customer journey, clarified the decision-making stages and subsequent categorisation of touch points from an ownership perspective.
Can risk communication in mass media improve compliance behavior in the COVID-19 pandemic? Evidence from Vietnam
Authors: Thanh Pham Tien , Tung Le Thanh
Published: September 2021

Purpose

During the COVID-19 pandemic, mass media play a vital role in containing the outbreak of the virus by quickly and effectively delivering risk communication messages to the public. This research examines the effects of risk communication exposure on public understanding and risk perception of COVID-19 and public compliance with health preventive measures.

Design/methodology/approach

Data from Vietnam during COVID-19 social distancing and path analysis model are used for empirical analysis.

Findings

This analysis finds that exposure to risk communication in mass media encourages public compliance directly and indirectly through the mediating roles of public understanding and risk perception. Further investigations also find that exposure to risk communication in both online media and traditional media facilitates public compliance. In addition, exposure to risk communication in online media only raises public risk perception, whereas exposure to risk communication in traditional media only raises public understanding.

Research limitations/implications

This research implies that traditional and online media should be combined to increase the efficiency and effectiveness of government risk communication work.

Originality/value

This research is among the first attempts that examine the role of mass media (both traditional and online) in enhancing public compliance with preventive measures directly and indirectly through the mediating roles of public risk perception and understanding.
Meaning-making on the ground: an empirical study on interactional framing in environmental conflicts
Authors: van Vuuren-Verkerk Korien , Aarts Noelle , van der Stoep Jan
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The study aims to explain the communicative basis of conflicts in which actors stand in opposition in defining a negotiated situation and to deepen knowledge of environmental conflict development, in particular on how frames are (re)shaped through discursive choices in interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts an interactional approach to framing and 1) identifies the frames shaped and reshaped in four environmental debates and 2) analyzes how framing activities affect the course of the debates.

Findings

This study contributes to understanding 1) the interactive nature of conflicts; 2) how the reception and interpretation of issue framing depends on the surrounding identity and characterization framing and 3) how framing activities, like identity work, emotional alignment and reframing, can affect the course of environmental debates toward polarizing or bridging.

Research limitations/implications

On a methodological level, this study contributes to communication research by applying methodologies for investigating framing processes on a micro-level. This study investigates interactional framing, considering the perspectives of frame strategists engaging in issue arenas. The study provides an in-depth discourse analysis of the debates but lacks an overview on the entire issue arena regarding this conflict.

Practical implications

Skilled actors span boundaries by articulating issue frames that accommodate opponents' concerns and values while demonstrating the added value of the new frame, adjusting identity work in favor of relations with opponents. Furthermore, calibrating emotional intensity offers opportunities to mobilize support.

Originality/value

This research investigates which communicative competences are essential to act adequately in environmental conflicts, given their intractable nature, and suggests opportunities for cocreation by making discursive choices. This approach helps to uncover the micro-processes that escalate and de-escalate a conflict.
Supply chain viability in the context of COVID-19 pandemic in small and medium-sized enterprises: implications for sustainable development goals
Authors: Nasir Sumaiya Benta , Ahmed Tazim , Karmaker Chitra Lekha , Ali Syed Mithun , Paul Sanjoy Kumar , Majumdar Abhijit
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The recent outbreak of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has severely disrupted the operations of global supply chains (SCs) providing an opportunity for decision-makers to rethink and tune their existing strategies. To tackle the impacts caused by such a pandemic, this study aims to examine the contextual relations among the factors influencing supply chain viability (SCV) for achieving long-term Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Design/methodology/approach

A decision-aid approach by integrating Pareto analysis, grey theory and total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) has been propounded. The proposed approach examines contextual relations among the factors for SCV for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in an emerging economy. This study contributes to theory, methodology and practice by exploring a new research problem in the context of the SCV and COVID-19 pandemic and by developing a new decision-aid approach.

Findings

The findings reveal that the creation of SC digital twin and transformation of SCs to supply networks would help the policymakers to deal with the “new normal.” Also, SC crowdfunding and policy development for health protocols are critical driving factors influencing SCV.

Originality/value

This research work is perhaps one of few initial attempts to advance the theoretical and practical understanding of SCV and to achieve SDGs in industries following a pandemic risk.
Impact of occupational therapy in an integrated adult social care service: Audit of Therapy Outcome Measure Findings
Authors: Davenport Sharon J.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Health and social care services should demonstrate the quality of their interventions for commissioners, patients and carers, plus it is a requirement for occupational therapists to measure and record outcomes. Use of the “Therapy Outcome Measure” (TOMs) standardised tool was implemented by an occupational therapy adult social care service to demonstrate outcomes from April 2020, following integration to a community NHS Trust.

Design/methodology/approach

The aim was to demonstrate occupational therapy outcomes in adult social care through a local audit of the TOMs. The objective was to determine if clients improved following occupational therapy intervention in the four domains of impairment, activity, participation and wellbeing/carer wellbeing. 70 cases were purposively sampled over a 2-month timeframe, extracting data from the local electronic recording system.

Findings

Occupational therapy in adult social care clearly makes an impact with their client group and carers. Evidence from the dataset demonstrates clinically significant change, as 93% of clients seen by adult social care occupational therapy staff showed an improvement in at least one TOMs domain during their whole episode of care. 79% of activity scores, 20% of participation scores and 50% of wellbeing scores improved following intervention. 79% of carer wellbeing scores improved following occupational therapy.

Research limitations/implications

The audit did not collect data on uptake from the separate teams (equipment, housing, STAR and adult social care work) in occupational therapy adult social care. Potential sampling bias occurred as cases with completed scores only were purposively sampled. Sampling was not random which prevented data gathering on uptake of TOMs across the separate teams. Additionally, the audit results can only be applied to the setting from which the data was collected, so has limited external validity.

Originality/value

These novel findings illustrate the valuable and unique impact of occupational therapy in this adult social care setting. The integration of adult social care into an NHS Community Trust has supported the service to measure outcomes, by utilising the same standardised tool in use by allied health professions across the Trust.
Empirical study of protective products in an emerging market
Authors: Li Xinrong , Guo Tao , Guo Dongmei
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This paper aims to study the motivations for purchasing protective products.

Design/methodology/approach

Empirical microeconomic research.

Findings

The results show that comparing with ordinary families, families vulnerable to environmental conditions, including prepregnant, pregnant and postpartum families, are not intended to consume more protective products. Among the above three types of families, postpartum families consume the most, followed by pregnant families, and prepregnancy families consume the least. The results also showed that a higher level of economic development, more prevalent Internet access and higher levels of education also increase the consumption of protective products.

Originality/value

New dataset and new empirical results.
Employee participation, job quality, and inequality
Authors: FitzRoy Felix R. , Nolan Michael A.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The purpose is to review the effects of employee participation (EP) in decision-making, ownership and profit on job quality, worker well-being and productivity, and derive policy recommendations from the findings.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors summarise results of “declining labour power”, plus theoretical arguments and empirical evidence for the benefits of EP for job quality, satisfaction and productivity.

Findings

Worker well-being and job satisfaction are ignored unless they contribute directly to profitability. EP is needed to remedy this situation when employers have market power and unions are weak. The result can be a rise in both productivity and well-being.

Research limitations/implications

The chief issue here is that there are data limitations, particularly on the well-being effects of participation.

Practical implications

Lots of encouraging examples in many countries need legislative help to multiply.

Social implications

It is quite possible that there could be major implications for welfare and employment.

Originality/value

The authors make the case for public sector subsidies for employee buyouts and new cooperative start-ups, as well as legislation for works councils and profit sharing.
The interactive effect of cultural values and government regulations on firms’ entrepreneurial orientation
Authors: Chew Tze Cheng , Tang Yee Kwan , Buck Trevor
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Considering that the social-cultural context is important as in which the entrepreneurs are embedded to conceptualise entrepreneurial orientation (EO), the purpose of the study is to explicate the influence of the key decision-makers’ internalised cultural values and perceptions of government regulations, to offer nuanced explanations of micro-level variations in EO of firms embedded in the same institutional context.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative approach, relationships are explored in a sample of 201 Malaysian small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) is used for the sample, and an additional test is conducted for a robustness check.

Findings

The study finds that three cultural values of the key decision-maker, namely individualism, masculinity and uncertainty avoidance, exhibit a significant association with the EO of the firms. Further, the analysis reveals that the positive effects of individualism and masculinity are enhanced when moderated by favourable perceptions of government regulations to entrepreneurship.

Research limitations/implications

The study uses a single key informant in data collection, therefore, the possibility of single-respondent bias. The results must be interpreted in light of these limitations.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature regarding the relationship between institutions and entrepreneurship. Specifically, it articulates a microfoundations lens to explain the influence of institutions in terms of key decision-makers’ internalised cultural values (informal institutions) and their perceptions of government regulations (formal institutions) on the EO of the firm. It further elucidates the need to embrace informal and formal institutions as interdependent factors instead of treating them as standalone constructs in entrepreneurship research and policy design.
The resilient effects of transformational leadership on well-being: examining the moderating effects of anxiety during the COVID-19 crisis
Authors: McCombs Kate , Williams Ethlyn
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Although important for organizational performance, much is still unknown about the relationship between employee well-being and transformational leadership. The authors answer calls to consider the relationship (1) in an extreme context (i.e. coronavirus pandemic), (2) at the dimension level and (3) differences that exist depending on the employee's gender.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors employed a two-wave study with data collected from 212 working individuals. Respondents reported their level of COVID-19 anxiety and leadership experiences at time 1 starting at the height of the pandemic and three weeks later reported well-being.

Findings

The authors found COVID-19 anxiety weakened the influence of transformational leadership style on well-being, and this was only the case for females. Further, the authors found that while the moderator of COVID-19 anxiety weakened the influence of core transformational leadership behaviors and intellectual stimulation on well-being, the more individualized and short-term focused transformational behaviors of individualized consideration and performance expectations proved to have resilient effects on well-being with no moderating effects. Looking at gender differences, the authors found that this was only the case for females.

Originality/value

The findings extend research by capturing an external shock concerning the coronavirus pandemic to better understand how transformational leadership style, its dimensions and employee gender, influence well-being. While the authors expected COVID-19 anxiety to weaken the positive effects of transformational leadership style on well-being, paradoxically the authors also expected differential effects when examining individual dimensions.
Innovation with flow at work: exploring the role of servant leadership in affecting innovative work behavior through flow at work
Authors: Khan Muhammad Mumtaz , Mubarik Muhammad Shujaat , Ahmed Syed Saad , Islam Tahir , Khan Essa
Published: September 2021

Purpose

This study aims to ascertain the role of servant leadership in inducing flow at work. The study, along with confirming the relation between flow at work and innovative work behavior (IWB), intends to explore the mediating role flow at work plays in relating servant leadership to IWB.

Design/methodology/approach

The data collection was conducted through an interviewee-administered questionnaire in three waves that were four weeks apart. The data were collected from 267 respondents. To run the measurement model and structural model, Smart-PLS was used, and Statistical Product and Service Solutions (SPSS) was used to summarize the demographic information and conduct hierarchal regression.

Findings

Servant leadership is related to flow at work. Additionally, flow at work is related to IWB. Finally, flow at work mediates the relationship between servant leadership and IWB.

Originality/value

The study found servant leadership is related to flow at work. Moreover, the study unearthed the relation between flow at work and IWB. Finally, the study unveiled that flow at work acts as a mediator between servant leadership and IWB.
Online schadenfreude as an outcome of ideological polarization: a case in Hong Kong
Authors: Au Cheuk Hang , Ho Kevin K.W.
Published: September 2021

Purpose

The impact of ideological polarization has been a serious concern, given its damages to society. In addition, Schadenfreude is increasingly common in the era of ideological polarization. Previous literature may have discussed the cause and outcomes of schadenfreude in general but not specifically related to ideological polarization. This study aims to serve to establish a more informed understanding of online schadenfreude as an outcome of ideological polarization and help society recover from the damages.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors adopted a case research method with netnography for our study, given that the authors are exploring the phenomena of online schadenfreude, which involves multiple dimensions.

Findings

The authors identified a three-level model that illustrates how schadenfreude is driven as an outcome of ideological polarization, i.e. macro-environment, camp/partisan and target. These factors of different levels involve political viewpoint differences, perceived appearance, personal conduct, aggressive norms and polarized environment with a lack of conventional opinion expression channel. Moreover, attackers may demonstrate a belief in Karma, creativity and a sense of humor and may call for actions.

Originality/value

While previous literature focused on the relationship between fake news, echo chambers and ideological polarization, this study is a relatively earlier one on studying schadenfreude as an outcome of ideological polarization, which would facilitate to formulate the solution to repair the damages created to ideological polarization. The authors also discussed the enablers as well as the self-reinforcing nature of ideological polarization, and provided some practical implications for politicians and government officials.
Cops and COVID: an examination of California officers' perceptions and experiences while policing during a pandemic
Authors: Shjarback John , Magny Obed
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Using online survey data from a sample of 440 police officers in California throughout May 2020, the current study collected time-sensitive information on officers' perceptions and departmental experiences in the wake of the pandemic. It examined officers' perceptions of agency responsivity as well as their perceptions of morale, stress and risk following agency responses and changes in policy patterns, service delivery innovations and other administrative challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

COVID-19 had a tremendous impact on the law enforcement community, who continued to work and adapt in order to provide public safety. During the first few months of the pandemic, a number of national data collection efforts set out to understand what police agencies, at the organizational-level, were doing to address the crisis. Largely missing from these initial discussions were the perspectives of individual officers, particularly how they felt about their respective departments ensuring safety and balancing risk.

Findings

Results from ordinary least squares (OLS) regressions found that the number of departmental changes made in the wake of COVID-19 that reduced police–public contact was associated with (1) increased levels of perceived agency responsivity to officer needs (i.e. balancing officer safety, taking active steps to maintain officers' mental health) and (2) reduced levels of perceived negative outlook (e.g. stress, low morale, danger/risk). Policy implications and the importance of police executives' decisions during crisis are discussed.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first, to the authors’ knowledge, to examine perceptions of policing during the pandemic from an individual officer point of view rather than an organizational standpoint.
Building innovation capabilities through human resources practices
Authors: Lattuch Frank
Published: September 2021

Purpose

Considering the distressingly low rate of success in introducing radical new products, the purpose of this paper is to reinforce the importance of taking human resources beyond administrative activity leading to stronger innovation performance and the greater use of its people. In particular, this paper highlights three persistent fallacies in human resource practices: need for creativity; efficiency of bottom-up efforts; and monetary incentives for product innovations and to learn from innovative organizations about how to deal with these fallacies.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper details the correlation between culture, confidence, support mechanisms through HR, and innovation by reviewing innovation cases in high-performing organizations.

Findings

Problem definition, pragmatism and leadership represent critical innovation determinants. As a strategic partner HR can offer support to tackle the three described fallacies of product innovations.

Originality/value

This paper suggests a practical means for helping HR professionals to better understand how some simple organizational rules can effectively build innovation capabilities.