bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Estimation of animal location from grid cell population activity using persistent cohomology
Authors: Kawahara Daisuke , Fujisawa Shigeyoshi
Published: January 2023

Many cognitive functions are represented as cell assemblies. For example, the population activity of place cells in the hippocampus and grid cells in the entorhinal cortex represent self-location in the environment. The brain cannot directly observe self-location information in the environment. Instead, it relies on sensory information and memory to estimate self-location. Therefore, estimating low-dimensional dynamics, such as the movement trajectory of an animal exploring its environment, from only the high-dimensional neural activity is important in deciphering the information represented in the brain. Most previous studies have estimated the low-dimensional dynamics behind neural activity by unsupervised learning with dimensionality reduction using artificial neural networks or Gaussian processes. This paper shows theoretically and experimentally that these previous research approaches fail to estimate well when the nonlinearity between high-dimensional neural activity and low-dimensional dynamics becomes strong. We estimate the animal’s position in 2-D and 3-D space from the activity of grid cells using an unsupervised method based on persistent cohomology. The method using persistent cohomology estimates low-dimensional dynamics from the phases of manifolds created by neural activity. Much cognitive information, including self-location information, is expressed in the phases of the manifolds created by neural activity. The persistent cohomology may be useful for estimating these cognitive functions from neural population activity in an unsupervised manner.

Author summary

Hippocampal place cells fire only when the animal is in a specific position in the environment. Grid cells in entorhinal cortex fire to spatial locations in a repeating hexagonal grid. Information about self-location in the environment is expressed by the population activity of place cells and grid cells. The brain cannot directly observe the information of self-position in the environment but relies on the direction of movement, distance, and landmarks to estimate self-position. This corresponds to unsupervised learning. Estimating the position of an animal from neural activity alone, without using information about the animal’s position, is important for understanding the brain’s representation of information. Unsupervised learning methods using artificial neural networks and Gaussian processes have been used in previous studies to address this problem. However, we show that these previous studies cannot estimate the position of an animal in two dimensions from the population activity of grid cells. As an alternative to the previous studies, we used a topological method called persistent cohomolohy to estimate the animal’s position in 2D and 3D space from the population activity of grid cells. However, it was impossible to estimate the animal’s position from the population activity of place cells. We discussed the causes and solutions to this problem.
Worth the work? Monkeys discount rewards by a subjective adapting effort cost
Authors: Burrell Mark , Pastor-Bernier Alexandre , Schultz Wolfram
Published: January 2023

All life must solve how to allocate limited energy resources to maximise benefits from scarce opportunities. Economic theory posits decision makers optimise choice by maximising the subjective benefit (utility) of reward minus the subjective cost (disutility) of the required effort. While successful in many settings, this model does not fully account for how experience can alter reward-effort trade-offs. Here we test how well the subtractive model of effort disutility explains the behavior of two non-human primates (Macaca mulatta) in a binary choice task in which reward quantity and physical effort to obtain were varied.Applying random utility modelling to independently estimate reward utility and effort disutility, we show the subtractive effort model better explains out-of-sample choice behavior when compared to parabolic and exponential effort discounting. Furthermore, we demonstrate that effort disutility is dependent on previous experience of effort: in analogy to work from behavioral labour economics, we develop a model of reference-dependent effort disutility to explain the increased willingness to expend effort following previous experience of effortful options in a session. The result of this analysis suggests that monkeys discount reward by an effort cost that is measured relative to an expected effort learned from previous trials. When this subjective cost of effort, a function of context and experience, is accounted for, trial-by-trial choice behavior can be explained by the subtractive cost model of effort.Therefore, in searching for net utility signals that may underpin effort-based decision-making in the brain, careful measurement of subjective effort costs is an essential first step.

Significance

All decision-makers need to consider how much effort they need to expend when evaluating potential options. Economic theories suggest that the optimal way to choose is by cost-benefit analysis of reward against effort. To be able to do this efficiently over many decision contexts, this needs to be done flexibly, with appropriate adaptation to context and experience. Therefore, in aiming to understand how this might be achieved in the brain, it is important to first carefully measure the subjective cost of effort. Here we show monkeys make reward-effort cost-benefit decisions, subtracting the subjective cost of effort from the subjective value of rewards. Moreover, the subjective cost of effort is dependent on the monkeys’ experience of effort in previous trials.
Immobilisation of Lipophilic and Amphiphilic Biomarker on Hydrophobic Microbeads
Authors: Dinter Franziska , Thiehle Thomas , Schedler Uwe , Lehmann Werner , Schierack Peter , Rödiger Stefan
Published: January 2023

Background

Lipids and amphiphilic molecules are ubiquitous and play a central role in cell signalling, cell membrane structure, and lipid transport in the human body. However, they also appear in many diseases such as atherosclerosis, cardiovascular diseases, infections, inflammatory diseases, cancer, and autoimmune diseases. Thus, it is necessary to have detection systems for lipids and amphiphilic molecules. Microbeads can be one of these systems for the simultaneous detection of different lipophilic biomarkers.

Methods

Based on the fundamentals of microbead development, novel hydrophobic microbeads were produced. These not only have a hydrophobic surface, but are also fluorescently encoded and organic solvent resistant. The challenge after the development of the hydrophobic microbeads was to immobilise the amphiphilic molecules, in this study phospholipids, on the microbead surface in an oriented direction. After successful immobilisation of the biomarkers, a suitable antibody based detection assay was established.

Results

By passive adsorption, the phospholipids cardiolipin, phosphatidylethanolamine and phosphatidylcholine could be bound to the microbead surface. With the application of the enzymes phospholipase A2 and phospholipase C, the directional binding of the phospholipids to the microbead surface was demonstrated. The detection of directional binding indicated the need for the hydrophobic surface. Microbeads with no hydrophobic surface bound the phospholipids non-directionally (with the hydrophilic head) and were thus no longer reactively accessible for detection.

Conclusion

With the newly developed hydrophobic, dual coded and solvent stable microbeads it is possible to bind amphiphilic biomolecules directionally onto the microbead surfaces.
Developmental hearing loss-induced perceptual deficits are rescued by cortical expression of GABABreceptors
Authors: Masri Samer , Fair Regan , Mowery Todd M. , Sanes Dan H.
Published: January 2023

Even transient periods of developmental hearing loss during the developmental critical period have been linked to long-lasting deficits in auditory perception, including temporal and spectral processing, which correlate with speech perception and educational attainment. In gerbils, hearing loss-induced perceptual deficits are correlated with a reduction of both ionotropic GABAAand metabotropic GABABreceptor-mediated synaptic inhibition in auditory cortex, but most research on critical period plasticity has focused on GABAAreceptors. We developed viral vectors to express both endogenous GABAAor GABABreceptor subunits in auditory cortex and tested their capacity to restore perception of temporal and spectral auditory cues following critical period hearing loss in the Mongolian gerbil. HL significantly impaired perception of both temporal and spectral auditory cues. While both vectors similarly increased IPSCs in auditory cortex, only overexpression of GABABreceptors improved perceptual thresholds after HL to be similar to those of animals without developmental hearing loss. These findings identify the GABABreceptor as an important regulator of sensory perception in cortex and point to potential therapeutic targets for developmental sensory disorders.

Significance Statement

Hearing loss in children can induce deficits in aural communication that persevere even after audibility has returned to normal, suggesting permanent changes to the auditory central nervous system. In fact, a reduction in cortical synaptic inhibition has been implicated in a broad range of developmental disorders, including hearing loss. Here, we tested the hypothesis that developmental hearing loss-induced perceptual impairments in gerbils are caused by a permanent reduction of auditory cortical inhibitory synapse strength. We found that virally-mediated expression of a GABABreceptor subunit in gerbil auditory cortex was able to restore two auditory perceptual skills in juvenile animals reared with hearing loss, suggesting that cortical synaptic inhibition is a plausible therapeutic target for sensory processing disorders.
Deconfounded Dimension Reduction via Partial Embeddings
Authors: Chen Andrew A. , Clark Kelly , Dewey Blake , DuVal Anna , Pellegrini Nicole , Nair Govind , Jalkh Youmna , Khalil Samar , Zurawski Jon , Calabresi Peter , Reich Daniel , Bakshi Rohit , Shou Haochang , Shinohara Russell T. ,   the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative,   the North American Imaging in Multiple Sclerosis Cooperative
Published: January 2023

Dimension reduction tools preserving similarity and graph structure such ast-SNE and UMAP can capture complex biological patterns in high-dimensional data. However, these tools typically are not designed to separate effects of interest from unwanted effects due to confounders. We introduce the partial embedding (PARE) framework, which enables removal of confounders from any distance-based dimension reduction method. We then develop partialt-SNE and partial UMAP and apply these methods to genomic and neuroimaging data. Our results show that the PARE framework can remove batch effects in single-cell sequencing data as well as separate clinical and technical variability in neuroimaging measures. We demonstrate that the PARE framework extends dimension reduction methods to highlight biological patterns of interest while effectively removing confounding effects.
Updated phylogeny and protein structure predictions revise the hypothesis on the origin of MADS-box transcription factors in land plants
Authors: Qiu Yichun , Li Zhen , Walther Dirk , Köhler Claudia
Published: January 2023

MADS-box transcription factors (TFs) are broadly present in eukaryotes. Varying by domain architecture, MADS-box TFs in land plants are categorized into Type I (M-type) and Type II (MIKC-type). For about twenty years, Type I and II genes were considered orthologous to the SRF and MEF2 genes in animals, respectively, presumably originating from a duplication before the divergence of eukaryotes. Here, we exploited the increasing eukaryotic MADS-box sequences and reassessed their evolution. While supporting the ancient duplication giving rise to SRF- and MEF2-types, we found that Type I and II genes originated from the MEF2-type genes through another duplication in the most recent common ancestor (MRCA) of land plants. Protein structures predicted by AlphaFold2 and OmegaFold support our phylogenetic analyses, with plant Type I and II TFs resembling the MEF2-type structure, rather than SRFs. We hypothesize that the ancestral SRF-type TFs got lost in the MRCA of Archaeplastida (the kingdom Plantaesensu lato). The retained MEF2-type TFs acquired a Keratin-like domain and became MIKC-type upon the evolution of Streptophyta. Subsequently in the MRCA of land plants, M-type TFs evolved from a duplicated MIKC-type precursor through loss of the Keratin-like domain, leading to the Type I clade. Both Type I and II TFs largely expanded and functionally differentiated in concert with the increasing complexity of land plant body architecture. We attribute the adaptation to the terrestrial environment partly to the divergence among MEF2-type MADS-box genes and the repetitive recruitment of these originally stress-responsive TFs into developmental programs, especially those underlying reproduction.
Characterization and Applications of Evoked Responses During Epidural Electrical Stimulation
Authors: Verma Nishant , Romanauski Ben , Lam Danny , Lujan Luis , Blanz Stephan , Ludwig Kip , Lempka Scott , Knudson Bruce , Nishiyama Yuichiro , Hao Jian , Park Hyun-Joo , Ross Erika , Lavrov Igor , Zhang Mingming
Published: January 2023

Epidural electrical stimulation (EES) of the spinal cord has been FDA approved and used therapeutically for decades. However, there is still not a clear understanding of the local neural substrates and consequently the mechanism of action responsible for the therapeutic effects. Epidural spinal recordings (ESR) are collected from the electrodes placed in the epidural space. ESR contains multi-modality signal components such as the evoked neural response (due to tonic or BurstDR™waveforms), evoked muscle response, stimulation artifact, and cardiac response. The tonic stimulation evoked compound action potential (ECAP) is one of the components in ESR and has been proposed recently to measure local neural activation during EES. Here, we first review and investigate the referencing strategies, as they apply to ECAP component in ESR in the domestic swine animal model. We then examine how ECAP component can be used to sense lead migration, an adverse outcome following lead placement that can reduce therapeutic efficacy. Lastly, we show and isolate concurrent activation of local back and leg muscles during EES, demonstrating that the ESR obtained from the recording contacts contain both ECAP and EMG components. These findings may further guide the implementation of recording and reference contacts in an implantable EES system and provide preliminary evidence for the utility of ECAP component in ESR to detect lead migration. We expect these results to facilitate future development of EES methodology and implementation of use of different components in ESR to improve EES therapy.
The MOM1 complex recruits the RdDM machinery via MORC6 to establishde novoDNA methylation
Authors: Li Zheng , Wang Ming , Zhong Zhenhui , Gallego-Bartolomé Javier , Feng Suhua , Jami-Alahmadi Yasaman , Wang Xinyi , Wohlschlegel James , Bischof Sylvain , Long Jeffrey A. , Jacobsen Steven E.
Published: January 2023

MOM1 is anArabidopsisfactor previously shown to mediate transcriptional silencing independent of major DNA methylation changes. Here we found that MOM1 localizes with sites of RNA-directed DNA methylation (RdDM). Tethering MOM1 with artificial zinc finger to unmethylatedFWApromoter led to establishment of DNA methylation andFWAsilencing. This process was blocked by mutations in components of the Pol V arm of the RdDM machinery, as well as by mutation ofMORC6. We found that at some endogenous RdDM sites, MOM1 is required to maintain DNA methylation and a closed chromatin state. In addition, efficient silencing of newly introducedFWAtransgenes was impaired by mutation of MOM1 or mutation of genes encoding the MOM1 interacting PIAL1/2 proteins. In addition to RdDM sites, we identified a group of MOM1 peaks at active chromatin near genes that colocalized with MORC6. These findings demonstrate a multifaceted role of MOM1 in genome regulation.
Reliance on Episodic vs. Procedural Systems in Decision-Making Depends on Individual Differences in Their Relative Neural Efficiency
Authors: Yang Yuxue Cher , Sibert Catherine , Stocco Andrea
Published: January 2023

Experiential decision-making can be explained as a result of either memory-based or reinforcement-based processes. Here, for the first time, we show that individual preferences between a memory-based and a reinforcement-based strategy, even when the two are functionally equivalent in terms of expected payoff, are adaptively shaped by individual differences in resting-state brain connectivity between the corresponding brain regions. Using computational cognitive models to identify which mechanism was most likely used by each participant, we found that individuals with comparatively stronger connectivity between memory regions prefer a memory-based strategy, while individuals with comparatively stronger connectivity between sensorimotor and habit-formation regions preferentially rely on a reinforcement-based strategy. These results suggest that human decision-making is adaptive and sensitive to the neural costs associated with different strategies.
eIF2B localisation and its regulation during the integrated stress response is cell type specific
Authors: Hanson Filipe M. , Ribeiro de Oliveira Madalena I. , Cross Alison K. , Allen K. Elizabeth , Campbell Susan G.
Published: January 2023

Eukaryotic initiation factor 2B (eIF2B) is a master regulator of translation control. eIF2B recycles inactive eIF2-GDP to active eIF2-GTP. Under transient/acute cellular stress, a family of kinases phosphorylate the alpha subunit of eIF2 (eIF2α-P[S51]) activating the integrated stress response (ISR). This response pathway inhibits eIF2B activity resulting in overall translation attenuation and reprogramming of gene expression to overcome the stress. The duration of an ISR programme can dictate cell fate wherein chronic activation has pathological outcomes. Vanishing white matter disease (VWMD) is a chronic ISR-related disorder linked to mutations in eIF2B. eIF2B is vital to all cell types, yet VWMD eIF2B mutations primarily affect astrocytes and oligodendrocytes suggesting cell type-specific functions of eIF2B. Regulation of the cytoplasmic localisation of eIF2B (eIF2B bodies) has been implicated in the ISR. Here, we highlight the cell type specific localisation of eIF2B within neuronal and glial cell types. Our analyses revealed that each cell type possesses its own steady-state repertoire of eIF2B bodies with varied subunit composition and activity. We also demonstrate that neural and glial cell types respond similarly to acute induction of the ISR whilst a chronic ISR programme exerts cell type-specific differences. Regulatory composition of eIF2B bodies is suggested to be differentially modulated in a manner that correlates to the action of acute and chronic ISR. We also highlight a cell type specific response of the ISR inhibitor ISRIB on eIF2B localisation and activity.
On the physiological and structural contributors to the overall balance of excitation and inhibition in local cortical networks
Authors: Shirani Farshad , Choi Hannah
Published: January 2023

Overall balance of excitation and inhibition in cortical networks is central to their functionality and normal operation. Such orchestrated co-evolution of excitation and inhibition is established through convoluted local interactions between neurons, which are organized by specific network connectivity structures and are dynamically controlled by modulating synaptic activities. Therefore, identifying how such structural and physiological factors contribute to establishment of overall balance of excitation and inhibition is crucial in understanding the homeostatic plasticity mechanisms that regulate the balance. We use biologically plausible mathematical models to extensively study the effects of multiple key factors on overall balance of a network. We characterize a network’s baseline balanced state by certain functional properties, and demonstrate how variations in physiological and structural parameters of the network deviate this balance and, in particular, result in transitions in spontaneous activity of the network to high-amplitude slow oscillatory regimes. We show that deviations from the reference balanced state can be continuously quantified by measuring the ratio of mean excitatory to mean inhibitory synaptic conductances in the network. Our results suggest that the commonly observed ratio of the number of inhibitory to the number of excitatory neurons in local cortical networks is almost optimal for their stability and excitability. Moreover, the values of inhibitory synaptic decay time constants and density of inhibitory-to-inhibitory network connectivity are critical to overall balance and stability of cortical networks. However, network stability in our results is sufficiently robust against modulations of synaptic quantal conductances, as required by their role in learning and memory.

We leverage computational tractability of a biologically plausible conductance-based meanfield model to perform a comprehensive bifurcation and sensitivity analysis that demonstrates how variations in key synaptic and structural parameters of a local cortical network affect network’s stability and overall excitation-inhibition balance. Our results reveal optimality and criticality of baseline biological values for several of these parameters, and provide predictions on their effects on network’s dynamics which can inform identifying pathological conditions and guide future experiments.
Human-specific features and developmental dynamics of the brain N-glycome
Authors: Klarić Thomas S. , Gudelj Ivan , Santpere Gabriel , Sousa André M. M. , Novokmet Mislav , Vučković Frano , Ma Shaojie , Bečeheli Ivona , Sherwood Chet C. , Ely John J. , Hof Patrick R. , Josić Djuro , Lauc Gordan , Sestan Nenad
Published: January 2023

Comparative “omics” studies have revealed unique aspects of human neurobiology, yet an evolutionary perspective of the brain N-glycome is lacking. Here, we performed multi-regional characterization of rat, macaque, chimpanzee, and human brain N-glycomes using chromatography and mass spectrometry, then integrated these data with complementary glycotranscriptomic data. We found that in primates the brain N-glycome has evolved more rapidly than the underlying transcriptomic framework, providing a mechanism for generating additional diversity. We show that brain N-glycome evolution in hominids has been characterized by an increase in complexity and α(2-6)-linked N-acetylneuraminic acid along with human-specific cell-type expression of key glycogenes. Finally, by comparing the prenatal and adult human brain N-glycome, we identify region-specific neurodevelopmental pathways that lead to distinct spatial N-glycosylation profiles in the mature brain.

One-Sentence Summary

Evolution of the human brain N-glycome has been marked by an increase in complexity and a shift in sialic acid linkage.
Evolutionary history ofCastanea sativaMill. in the Caucasus driven by Middle and Late Pleistocene paleoenvironmental changes
Authors: Beridze Berika , Sękiewicz Katarzyna , Walas Łukasz , Thomas Peter A. , Danelia Irina , Kvartskhava Giorgi , Fazaliyev Vahid , Bruch Angela A. , Dering Monika
Published: January 2023

Due to global climate cooling and aridification since the Paleogene, the members of the Neogene flora were extirpated from the Northern Hemisphere or were confined to a few refugial areas. For some species, the final reduction/extinction came in the Pleistocene, but some others have survived climatic transformations up to the present. This has occurred inCastanea sativa, a species of high commercial value in Europe and a significant component of the Caucasian forests’ biodiversity. In contrast to the European range, neither the historical biogeography nor the population genetic structure of the species in the isolated Caucasian range has been clarified. Here, based on a survey of 21 natural populations from the Caucasus and a single one from Europe, we provide likely biogeographic reconstruction and genetic diversity details. By applying Bayesian inference, species distribution modelling, and fossil pollen data, we estimated (1) the time of the Caucasian - European divergence during the Middle Pleistocene (436.5 ka), (2) the time of divergence among Caucasian lineages, and (3) outlined the glacial refugia for species. The climate changes related to the Early Middle Pleistocene Transition and the alpine orogenic uplift in the region are proposed as the major drivers of the intraspecific divergence and European-Caucasian disjunction, while the impact of the last glacial cycle was of marginal importance.
Analyzing the effects of actions followed by the Central Bank of Jordan during COVID-19 pandemic on financial performance of Jordanian banks
Authors: Mugableh Mohamed Ibrahim , Malkawi Eyad Mohammad , Hammouri Mohamed Adnan
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study analyzes the impact of the procedures followed by the Central Bank of Jordan during the COVID-19 pandemic on the financial performance of Jordanian banks listed on the Amman Stock Exchange over the period (2019Q1–2021Q3).

Design/methodology/approach

The panel fixed effect model was used to measure the impact of each of the required reserve ratios and the deferred loans on the profitability of Jordanian banks represented by the return on total assets.

Findings

The results revealed a negative relationship at the significance level of 10% between the required reserve ratio and the return on total assets. Also, there is a negative relationship at the significance level of 5% between the deferred loans and the return on total assets.

Research limitations/implications

The paper recommends the Central Bank of Jordan following a precautionary policy to encounter systematic risks that cannot be eliminated by using diversification.

Originality/value

With the severe impact of the Coronavirus pandemic on the overall economic performance of the national economic sectors and the subsequent negative impact on the living standard of society’s members, this study shows the government’s role represented by the procedures of its monetary authority (Central Bank of Jordan) to mitigate the effects of this pandemic, as well as measuring the impact of these procedures on the financial performance of Jordanian banks listed on the Amman Stock Exchange.
Understanding the dynamics of entrepreneurial implementation during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Sengupta Santoshi , Dhir Sanjay
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand the rational cogent correlation among the factors that are responsible for the implementation of entrepreneurship to reinstate the severely affected ecosystem during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper attempts to identify the various units of entrepreneurship and public policies of entrepreneurship from the coherent literature review and examine the units' objectives. Examination of these units will help understand how the economy can recover from the COVID-19 impact. Total interpretive structural modeling (TISM) and matrix impacts cross multiplication applique and classement (MICMAC) have been used to recognize the factors, which are responsible for detangling the slowdown of the economy.

Findings

On the basis of the literature review, a total of 13 factors have been identified. The TISM methodology represents the hierarchical structure of the recognized factors and examines the pros and cons.

Research limitations/implications

The TISM lags to explain the strength and bond among the factors. The MICMAC addresses this problem and advises what factor plays an essential role and which factor impact is the least. An advocate administration of the factors could help to achieve a successful entrepreneurial plan.

Originality/value

An analytic study of the literature review demonstrates the relationship among the units to frame an entrepreneurial plan during the COVID-19 pandemic by using the TISM methodology. Hence, TISM provides reasonable facts to examine why and what factors need more attention for the generation of new business starters in the economic crisis.
Is “justice hurried actually justice buried”? An organisational perspective of the Italian criminal justice
Authors: Troisi Roberta , Alfano Gaetano
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study investigates the presence of a productivity–quality trade-off in judicial decisions from an organisational standpoint, focusing on the courts as bureaucracies. Applied to the Italian context and focusing on criminal courts, the main question addressed is whether or not increasing productivity diminishes decision quality.

Design/methodology/approach

Directional distance function (DDF) models were utilised to assess productivity. Two-sample t-tests are then used to compare the quality of efficient and inefficient units in first instance and appeal, with the aim to determine whether a productivity–quality trade-off exists.

Findings

The study’s approach yields results that differ from previous studies. (1) The Italian judicial system is found less efficient. (2) The efficiency of the courts of first instance is relatively uniform. In contrast, there is a difference in efficiency between northern and southern courts of appeal, with northern courts on average being more efficient. (3) The analysis reveals a statistically significant productivity–quality trade-off when the courts of appeal are considered.

Research limitations/implications

New evidence of a judicial system is presented, suggesting reforms regarding “reasonable time” as the optimal balance between quality and productivity.

Originality/value

The organisational framework leads to evaluating the efficiency of the courts by considering the various types of proceedings based on the gravity/complexity of the cases. In light of the pyramidal structure of the justice system, the quality is then defined in terms of hierarchical control expressed as review rate.
Enemies to frenemies: coopetition between online and offline retailers amidst crises
Authors: Halan Deepak , Singh Etinder Pal
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study explores coopetition opportunities between e-tailers and brick-and-mortar (BM) retailers and provides a conceptual framework. These opportunities may be triggered by events such as social distancing causing crises (SDCC).

Design/methodology/approach

A grounded theory based approach was used wherein 119 news articles and 48 academic papers are the main sources of data to analyse the real-world responses. A typical qualitative methodology, including open and axial coding, was used. To further analyse the insights obtained, six in-depth interviews were conducted.

Findings

Non-customer-interfacing-based coopetition, such as small BM stores serving as e-marketplace sellers and customer-interfacing-based coopetition, such as large BM stores serving as showrooms, are some potential coopetition opportunities.

Research limitations/implications

The majority of the available studies dwell more on offline retailers developing online channels. This study investigates the opposite situation and conceptualises a new understanding of how e-tailers and BM retailers can work together more harmoniously. This study can be used as a springboard by academicians for future research on a larger scale. Five research propositions are offered that can guide hypothesis generation. Development of case studies and consulting services for the industry are the other research opportunities.

Practical implications

Social distancing as a measure may vanish from the world with time; however, social distancing's implications are still pertinent given that new diseases, including new variants of pandemic potential, could continue to emerge. The study puts forward propositions based on theoretical dimensions and second-order themes derived from first-order categories. These propositions are about the drivers of coopetition and the opportunities with both large and small BM stores that e-tailers can leverage during a crisis, given that launching e-tailers' own BM stores demands large investments. This study has social and economic implications too.

Originality/value

This study investigates coopetition, an important trend but lacking adequate research. Whilst only few studies examine coopetition from a crises' perspective, this study investigates develops a new understanding of coopetition opportunities between e-tailers and BM retailers. This study adds to the scarce literature how such opportunities may be triggered by events such as SDCC.
Survival and sustenance strategy of primary agricultural cooperative credit societies in India: a fuzzy interpretive structural modelling approach
Authors: Panda Debadutta Kumar , Bhattacharjee Kaushik , Chatterjee Debmallya , Basu Sankarshan
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Primary agricultural cooperative credit societies (PACSs) in India are considered to be the backbone of the last mile delivery of rural credit for landless and marginal farmers and the poorest sections of the society. Contribution of PACS in social welfare is well documented. However, in spite of being such important form of organization at the grass root level, the authors find a typical baffling phenomenon which is fluctuating growth of PACS. Given that PACS have not been able to establish a consistent growth rate, thus hindering its trajectory to become a strong and consolidated organizational form, it is natural to investigate and identify those success factors that are critical for a newly formed PACS to survive and sustain. Hence it is necessary to undertake a strategic assessment of the function of PACS and hence identify those critical success factors (CSFs). This paper aims to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors review the existing literature and conduct interview with experts and other stakeholders with the purpose to gain a view of the strategic situation of PACS in India, especially with respect to their birth and death processes and identify a set of factors that are critical to the survival and sustenance of PACS. Based on the inputs from the experts, we modelled the interrelationships amongst these CSFs using interpretive structural modelling (ISM). Further, fuzzy Matriced’ Impacts Croise's Multiplication Appliquée a UN Classement (MICMAC) analysis is performed to cluster these CSFs into four quadrants based on their influence and dependence in the system.

Findings

The findings point out that a hierarchical interconnected structure exists amongst the CSFs that influence the survival and sustenance of the PACSs. “Quality and Motivation of Management” was found to be driving all other factors so far the survival of any PACS is considered. Also the authors have found that “Loan Recovery” is the most sensitive factor that needs to be taken care of for the sustenance of PACS. These findings are in the expected line and commensurate with the conventional wisdom yet to be documented till date.

Originality/value

It is a forward-looking analysis that tries to find out the CSFs for the survival of PACS in order to face the changing economic scenario of India which is still agrarian in nature. Both in terms of research question as well as methodology, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is first of its kind so far PACS are concerned being one of the most important but neglected entities in India; so far the last mile rural agricultural credit delivery is concerned, this study will help the policy makers to develop a holistic viewpoint in relation to long term sustenance of PACS.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2022-0331
Cryogenic friction behavior and thermolubricity effect of graphene film on copper substrate
Authors: Bai Qingshun , Guo Wanmin , Dou Yuhao , He Xin , Liu Shun , Guo Yongbo
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to reveal the mechanism of graphene low-temperature friction and provide a theoretical basis for the application of graphene.

Design/methodology/approach

A probe etching model of graphene on the copper substrate was established to obtain the friction pattern of graphene with different layers in the temperature interval from 100 to 300 K. The friction mechanism was also explained from a microscopic perspective based on thermal lubrication theory. Low-temperature friction experiments of graphene were carried out by atomic force microscopy to further verify the graphene low-temperature friction law.

Findings

Graphene nanofriction experiments were conducted at 230–300 K. Based on this, more detailed simulation studies were performed. It is found that the combined effect of thermolubricity and thermal fluctuations affects the variation of friction. For monolayer graphene, thermolubricity is the main influence, and friction decreases with increasing temperature. For multilayer graphene, thermal fluctuations gradually become the main influencing factor as the temperature rises, and the overall friction becomes larger with increasing temperature.

Originality/value

Graphene with excellent mechanical properties provides a new way to reduce the frictional wear of metallic materials in low-temperature environments. The friction laws and mechanisms of graphene in low-temperature environments are of great significance for the expansion of graphene application environments.
From revolutions to institutions: the experience of Arab reform
Authors: Abdelbary Islam
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to outline the reasons for the 2011 Arab Spring and why the Arab states failed to achieve sustainability and inclusive growth over the past three decades.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the augmented growth model framework derived from a production function and a dynamic panel LSDCV estimation, which incorporates aggregated economic and political reform indicators generated by principal component analysis. The empirical analysis is a comparative assessment of the Arab region as a whole and the Gulf countries and emerging Arab countries. This study is based on several panel data models for the Arab region’s reform programmes from 1995 to 2018.

Findings

The absence of robust economic and institutional reforms was the main reason for the uprising. Structural reforms in Gulf countries have been insufficient and more difficult to address than macroeconomic stability. By contrast, Arab emerging economies have achieved strong progress in structural reform but with weak progress in economic stability. Critically, governance indicator reforms enhance growth, with different items of governance based on the type of each group of countries. The results of this study confirm that reform is simultaneously political, social and economical.

Practical implications

Economic reform should not be seen in a vacuum or in isolation from the political and social choices that society makes. Looking forward, the Arab reform agenda must address critical governance issues that hinder the effectiveness of reform policies.

Originality/value

Theoretically, this study reappraises governance’s role in economic growth using a unified mathematical model. Methodologically, this study analyses economic, social and political reform components in the Arab region using econometric analysis. Empirically, this study investigates regional socioeconomic reform programmes. Existing studies have failed to recognise the economic and institutional policy reform patterns in the Arab world.
When and how digital platforms empower professional services firms: an agility perspective
Authors: Liu Yulong (David) , Chung Henry F.L. , Zhang Zuopeng (Justin) , Wu Mian
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Drawing on a strategic agility perspective, the authors develop a theoretical framework and empirically examine how digital platform adoption and capability impact business performance via digital-enabled strategic agility in the context of professional service firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose and examine a conceptual framework based on survey data from 127 professional service firms in New Zealand.

Findings

This study reveals the impact of digital platform capability on the business performance of professional service firms that employ digital platform technologies. The results suggest that organizational innovation and managers' creative efficacy will be used as distal antecedents and contribute to digital platform capabilities. In addition, digital strategic agility can mediate the link between digital platform capabilities and business performance.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to investigate when and how digital platforms empower professional service firms. This study reveals the role of digital strategic agility and digital platform capabilities in knowledge-intensive enterprises. This research advances the development of knowledge-based economy in the information age by applying and extending strategic agility to the uncertain and volatile business environment. The authors' new conceptualization provides a deeper understanding of how and why professional services business and organizations can adapt to the post-COVID era smoothly and successfully.
Going green with the green market and green innovation: building the connection between green entrepreneurship and sustainable development
Authors: Soomro Bahadur Ali , Moawad Nisren Farouk , Saraih Ummi Naiemah , Abedelwahed Nadia A. Abdelmageed , Shah Naimatullah
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore the role of the green market (GM) and green innovation (GI) towards green entrepreneurship (GE) and sustainable development (SD).

Design/methodology/approach

Based on cross-sectional data, the researchers used quantitative methods in this study to confirm the conceptual framework. The researchers used a questionnaire to collect the data obtained from Pakistan's knowledge-based companies (KBCs). In total, the researchers used 192 usable samples to deliver the findings.

Findings

The researchers used structural equation modeling (SEM) to ensure the model's fitness and as a basis for this study's hypotheses. The findings highlight that the GM factors, such as green product (GP), green design (GD), green supply chain (GSC) and green production (GPN) have a positive and significant effect GM factors, such as on both GE and SD. Further, GI is, also, a significant predictor of GE and SD. Finally, this study's findings show that GE has a predictive role of towards SD.

Practical implications

This study's findings create a source of attention for individuals to preserve the GM's natural resources. Further, mainly in developing contexts like Pakistan, the addition of the GI factor and the GM towards GE and SD contribute to the depth of the existing literature.

Originality/value

By integrating factors, such as innovation toward GE and SD, this study's findings provide an original contribution to the empirical evidence.
From #iononriapro to #ioapro: analysing hashtag activism in the Italian restaurant Twittersphere during the 2020 lockdown
Authors: La Rocca Gevisa , Boccia Artieri Giovanni , Greco Francesca
Published: January 2023

Purpose

In this article, the authors analyse the impact of the 2020 lockdown and the subsequent measures to contain the spread of COVID-19 in Italy in the hospitality industry by looking at the social demands brought forward by the restaurant sector.

Design/methodology/approach

To analyse social demands, the authors choose Twitter as an observation point using two hashtags as keywords to scratch the data: #iononriapro and #ioapro, which correspond to two different instances conveyed by the same subject: the restaurant sector. The instances linked to the hashtags produced different levels of engagement and penetration within the social structure and digital platform. To analyse the first block of data linked to the first hashtag-flag #iononriapro, the authors used content analysis. To analyse the second and third block of data linked to the hashtag-flag #ioapro, the authors used an automatic procedure, emotional text mining.

Findings

The analysis procedures allow us to reconstruct the positioning of the topics of closures and reopenings due to lockdown in this sector and to identify two explanatory dimensions: structural and affective, which explain the tension that has emerged between the State and the restaurant sector around COVID-related closures.

Originality/value

The study's findings not only contribute to the current understandings of the birth, transformation and penetration of social issues by the restaurant sector over the specific period linked to the COVID-19 pandemic and the measures imposed for its containment but are also valuable to analyse the dynamics through which Twitter hashtags and the social issues they represent find strength or lose interest in the public.
An exploratory study of Swedish and Romanian organisations to investigate upcycling practice in the clothing industry
Authors: Paras Manoj Kumar , Pal Rudrajeet , Ekwall Daniel
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The process of redesigning is one of the essential steps in upcycling, which comprises ideation, reconstruction and fitting. This paper aims to study the best practice of upcycling in the clothing industry. This study is an attempt to standardise upcycling/redesign process.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory approach was adopted to perform the research. This study draws on the multiple organisations involved in the upcycling of clothes. The organisations chosen for this study are located in Sweden and Romania using the snowball technique. Semi-structured interviews, direct and participatory observation approaches were used to collect information. The collected data are systematically analysed using NVivo 10 software.

Findings

This paper provides empirical insights into the diverse practices of upcycling. Process, product and demand-based were three fundamental approaches to performing the redesigning process. The fabric quality and durability, variations in size, colour and pattern, skills and efforts required in the extraction of parts and environmental consciousness and awareness were the main factors influencing upcycling process.

Research limitations/implications

The use of the European case may miss best practices from the other region. This study may help scholars to understand the method of upcycling. A practitioner of upcycling can use the findings to improve and standardise the existing process. This research is beneficial for society, as this leads to the reduction of textile wastage.

Originality/value

This paper conceptualises some of the best practices of clothes redesign. This provides a good insight for the organisation for the improvement in the redesign business.