bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Analysis of Methicillin Resistance inStaphylococcus AureusSepsis Using TDbasedUFE
Authors: Watanabe S. , Taguchi Y-h.
Published: January 2024

scATAC-seq explains chromatin accessibility at cell-type resolution. Accordingly, this process is crucial for advancing our understanding of pathology and disease states. However, annotated data from scATAC-seq are both extensive and sparse; thus, conducting multidimensional analyses under multiple conditions is a challenging task. TDbasedUFE is a valuable tool for analyzing scATAC-seq data as it can extract genes in an unsupervised manner under multiple conditions based on tensor decomposition. We analyzed scATAC-seq data from the peripheral blood mononuclear cells of patients with sepsis infected withS. aureususing TDbasedUFE.

We extracted genes that exhibited different responses in methicillin-resistant (MSSA) and methicillin-sensitiveS. aureus(MSSA) strains in sepsis for each cell type. Subsequently, we searched for studies containing gene sets similar to the extracted genes and predicted their functions. We also constructed protein-protein interactions (PPIs) for the extracted genes, defined hub proteins as central to the interactions based on degrees and clustering coefficients, and investigated the functions of these hub proteins. The genes of interest were abundant across all cell types, ranging from 710 to 1,372 genes. The functions of the extracted genes were predicted to be associated with several diseases or physiological substances. The hub proteins identified from the PPI analysis were mainly related to the ribosome, and their functions were associated with protein synthesis. These results highlight the suitability of TDbasedUFE for the analysis of scATAC-seq data. The functions of the genes identified in this study may provide insights into new promising therapeutic approaches, considering the distinction between methicillin resistance andS. aureussepsis.
Exploring the changing association between parental and adolescent fruit and vegetable intakes, from age 10 to 30 years
Authors: Braune Tanya , Adams Prof Jean , Winpenny Dr Eleanor M.
Published: January 2024

Background

Adolescence is a pivotal developmental stage, where escalating rates of overweight and obesity have raised concerns about diet quality and its association with adverse health outcomes. Parents are known to have considerable influence on childhood diet, but how this influence changes as adolescents mature is unknown. This study investigates the association between parental fruit and vegetable (FV) intake and adolescent FV consumption, exploring how this changes across adolescence and when children leave home.

Methods

Adolescents aged 10-30 years (n=12,805) from the UK Household Longitudinal Study (UKHLS), and their parents, reported FV intakes every 2 years. Multilevel linear regression models were fitted to assess associations between parental and adolescent FV intakes, investigating interactions with age and living arrangement, and adjusting for sociodemographic covariates.

Results

Parental FV intake was positively associated with adolescent FV intake (β=0.20 [95%CI:0.19,0.22] portions/day), with the strength of this association lowest during early adolescence (10-14 years) and peaking at 17-18 years (β=0.30 [95%CI: 0.27,0.33] portions/day). When adolescents no longer lived in the parental home, the association of parental FV intake with their own FV consumption decreased, but a positive association was maintained up to age 30 years.

Conclusions

Our findings emphasise the enduring effect of parental modelling on dietary choices, highlighting the potential for interventions to promote increased FV intake, acknowledging the lasting influence of parental diet, even beyond the confines of the parental home.
Induction of NASH in theNwd1−/−mouse liver via SERCA2-dependent endoplasmic reticulum stress
Authors: Yamada Seiya , Nakadate Kazuhiko , Mizukoshi Tomoya , Kawakami Kiyoharu , Kobayashi Ryosuke , Horii Takuro , Hatada Izuho , Sakakibara Shin-ichi
Published: January 2024

The endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stores Ca2+and plays crucial roles in protein folding, lipid transfer, and it’s perturbations trigger an ER stress. In the liver, chronic ER stress is involved in the pathogenesis of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) and nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH). Previous studies revealed that dysfunction of sarco/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase (SERCA2), a key regulator of Ca2+transport from the cytosol to the ER, is associated with the induction of ER stress and lipid droplet formation. We previously identified NACHT and WD repeat domain-containing protein 1 (Nwd1), which is localized in the ER and mitochondria. However, the physiological significance of Nwd1 outside the central nervous system remains unclear. In this study, we revealed thatNwd1knockout mice exhibited pathological manifestations comparable to NASH. Nwd1 interacts with SERCA2 near ER membranes.Nwd1−/−livers exhibited reduced SERCA2 ATPase activity and a smaller Ca2+pool in the ER, leading to an exacerbated state of ER stress. These findings highlight the importance of SERCA2 activity mediated by Nwd1 in the pathogenesis of NASH.

Highlights

Nwd1−/−mice exhibited NASH-like liver steatosis.

Elevated ER stress, fibrosis, and pyroptosis were observed inNwd1−/−livers.

Nwd1 interacts with SERCA2, an ER membrane Ca2+ pump.

Nwd1−/−livers exhibited reduced SERCA2 activity and smaller Ca2+ pools in the ER.
An end-to-end workflow to study newly synthesized mRNA following rapid protein depletion inSaccharomyces cerevisiae
Authors: Ridenour John B. , Donczew Rafal
Published: January 2024

Accurate regulation of gene transcription by RNA polymerase II is essential for the growth and development of eukaryotic cells. Although significant progress has been made in understanding the mechanisms that regulate transcription, many questions remain unanswered. Defining the direct effects of transcriptional regulators is critically important to answering these questions. An effective approach for identifying the direct targets of transcriptional regulators is combining rapid protein depletion and quantification of newly transcribed RNA. The auxin-inducible degron (AID) system and thiol (SH)-linked alkylation for the metabolic sequencing of RNA (SLAM-seq) are powerful methods to rapidly degrade a target protein and directly quantify newly transcribed RNA, respectively. Both methods have been widely applied to study transcriptional regulation. To address unresolved questions in transcription, we engineered an end-to-end workflow inSaccharomyces cerevisiaeto deplete proteins of interest using the AID system and measure newly transcribed RNA using SLAM-seq. We provide a step-by-step protocol to support rapid implementation and demonstrate that the workflow can help define the direct effects of transcriptional regulators using the BET proteins Bdf1 and Bdf2 as a test case. This workflow will help address outstanding questions underlying the molecular basis of transcription and other biological processes inS. cerevisiaeand other systems.
Synthetic integrin antibodies discovered by yeast display reveal αV subunit pairing preferences with β subunits
Authors: Hao Yuxin , Yan Jiabin , Fraser Courtney , Jiang Aiping , Anuganti Murali , Zhang Roushu , Lloyd Kenneth , Jardine Joseph , Coppola Jessica , Meijers Rob , Li Jing , Springer Timothy A.
Published: January 2024

Eight of the 24 integrin heterodimers bind to the tripeptide Arg-Gly-Asp (RGD) motif in their extracellular ligands, and play essential roles in cell adhesion, migration, and homeostasis. Despite similarity in recognizing the RGD motif and some redundancy, these integrins can selectively recognize RGD-containing ligands including fibronectin, vitronectin, fibrinogen, nephronectin and the prodomain of the transforming growth factors to fulfill specific functions in cellular processes. Subtype-specific antibodies against RGD-binding integrins are desirable for investigating their specific functions. In this study, we discovered 11 antibodies that exhibit high specificity and affinity towards integrins αVβ3, αVβ5, αVβ6, αVβ8, and α5β1 from a synthetic yeast-displayed Fab library. Of these, 6 are function-blocking antibodies containing an R(G/L/T) D motif in their CDR3 sequences. We report antibody binding specificity, kinetics, and binding affinity for purified integrin ectodomains as well as intact integrins on the cell surface. We further employed these antibodies to reveal binding preferences of the αV subunit for its 5 β-subunit partners: β6=β8>β3>β1=β5.
Zebrafish live imaging reveals a surprisingly small percentage of spinal cord motor neurons die during early development
Authors: Jia Hao , Yang Hongmei , Luo Kathy Qian
Published: January 2024

It is widely accepted that large numbers of neurons die during the early development of vertebrates; however, the tracking of this dying process in live animals remains challenging. Here, we generated sensor zebrafish achieving live imaging of motor neuron apoptosis at single- cell resolution. Using these sensor zebrafish, we observed for the first time that in an apoptotic motor neuron, caspase-3 activation occurred quickly within 5-6 min and at the same time between the cell body and axon. Interestingly, we found that only a surprisingly small percentage of spinal cord motor neurons died during zebrafish early development, which is quite different from the generally believed massive motor neuron death occurred in the embryonic stage of chicks, mice, rats, and humans. We also observed that most of the apoptotic bodies of dead motor neurons were not colocalized with macrophages. These sensor zebrafish can serve as powerful tools to study motor neuron apoptosisin vivo.
“From Nutritional Patterns to Behavior: High-Fat Diet Influences on Inhibitory Control, Brain Gene Expression and Metabolomics in Rats”
Authors: Ruiz-Sobremazas Diego , Abreu Ana Cristina , Prados-Pardo Ángeles , Martín-González Elena , Isabel Tristán Ana , Fernández Ignacio , Moreno Margarita , Mora Santiago
Published: January 2024

Background

Impulsive and compulsive behaviors are associated with inhibitory control deficits. Diet plays a pivotal role in normal development, impacting both physiology and behavior. However, the specific effects of high-fat diets (HFD) on inhibitory control have not received adequate attention.

Objectives

This study aimed to explore how exposure to an HFD from postnatal day (PND) 33 to PND77 affects impulsive and compulsive behaviors.

Methods

The experiment involved 40 Wistar rats, half of which were male and subjected to the HFD or Chow diets. Several tasks were employed to assess behavior, including the Variable Delay to Signal (VDS), the Five Choice Serial Reaction Time Task (5-CSRTT), the Delay Discounting Task (DDT), and the Rodent Gambling Task (rGT). Genetic analyses were performed on the frontal cortex, and metabolomics and fatty acid profiles were examined using stool samples collected on PND298.

Results

The study revealed that rats exposed to the HFD exhibited heightened impulsivity in the VDS and in the 5-CSRTT, suggesting an increase in motor impulsivity. Notably, no significant effect was observed in the DDT. Surprisingly, the HFD-exposed group demonstrated reduced levels of impulsive-like behaviors, and a different decision making, in the rGT. Furthermore, abnormal gene regultation linked to brain plasticity and dopamine were identified in the frontal cortex. Metabolomics analysis of stool samples, collected in adulthood, indicated lower levels of fatty acids.

Discussion

These results suggest that HFD exposure during adolescence may create a lasting vulnerability to inhibitory control deficits, specifically in terms of motor impulsivity, and in gene expression as well as in metabolomics profile.
FBM: Freestanding bilayer microscope for single-molecule imaging of membrane proteins
Authors: Pérez-Mitta Gonzalo , Sezgin Yeliz , Wang Weiwei , MacKinnon Roderick
Published: January 2024

Integral membrane proteins (IMPs) constitute a large fraction of organismal proteomes, playing fundamental roles in physiology and disease. Despite their importance, the mechanisms underlying dynamic features of IMPs, such as anomalous diffusion, protein-protein interactions, and protein clustering, remain largely unknown due to the high complexity of cell membrane environments. Available methods forin vitrostudies are insufficient to study IMP dynamics systematically. This publication introduces the Freestanding-Bilayer Microscope (FBM), which combines the advantages of freestanding bilayers with single-particle tracking. The FBM, based on planar lipid bilayers, enables the study of IMP dynamics with single-molecule resolution and unconstrained diffusion. This paper benchmarks the FBM against total internal reflection fluorescence (TIRF) imaging on supported bilayers and is used here to estimate ion channel open probability and to examine the diffusion behavior of an ion channel in phase- separated bilayers. The FBM emerges as a powerful tool to examine membrane protein/lipid organization and dynamics to understand cell membrane processes.
Artificial Sweeteners in US-Marketed Oral Nicotine Pouch Products: Correlation with Nicotine Contents and Effects on Product Preference
Authors: Jabba Sairam V. , Silinski Peter , Yang Alicia Y. , Ouyang Wenyi , Jordt Sven E.
Published: January 2024

Introduction

Artificial sweeteners are listed as ingredients of oral nicotine pouches (ONPs), a new product category with rapidly growing market share. The exact sweetener contents of ONPs remain unknown. Artificial sweeteners in ONPs may facilitate initiation and encourage consumption behavior.

Aims and Methods

Artificial sweetener contents in major US-marketed ONP brands (Zyn, on!, Velo) were determined by Liquid Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry (LC-MS). Sweetener effects during the initiation of ONP consumption were modeled in single- and two-bottle tests, offering mice ONP extracts calibrated to contain nicotine levels similar to saliva of people who use smokeless tobacco. To examine the contribution of sweet taste perception, consumption behavior was compared between wild-type mice and mice deficient in the sweet taste receptor (Tas1r2−/−).

Results

Acesulfame-K was detected in on!, Zyn and Velo ONPs (∼0.3-0.9 mg/pouch), including products marketed as “Unflavored” or “Flavor ban approved”. In Velo ONPs, sweetened with sucralose (0.6-1.2 mg/pouch), higher nicotine strength products contained higher sucralose levels. Tas1r2−/−mice consumed less ONP extracts than wild-type mice in both sexes. ONP extracts with both higher nicotine and sweetener strengths were tolerated by wild-type mice, but produced stronger aversion in Tas1r2−/−mice.

Conclusions

ONPs contain significant amounts of artificial sweeteners, with some brands adding more sweetener to ONPs with higher nicotine strengths. Artificial sweeteners, at levels present in ONPs, increase nicotine consumption. Increasing sweetener contents facilitates consumption of ONPs with higher nicotine strengths. Sweetness is a key determinant of ONP use initiation, likely reducing the aversive sensory effects of nicotine and other ONP constituents.

Implications

Artificial sweeteners such as acesulfame-K or sucralose reduce aversion and facilitate initiation and continued consumption of ONPs. The marketing of some artificially sweetened ONPs as “Unflavored” of “Flavor ban-approved” suggests that the tobacco industry rejects sweet taste as a determinant for the presence of a characterizing flavor. Sweetness as imparted by artificial sweeteners in tobacco products needs to be addressed by regulators as a component of a characterizing flavor, with the aim to reduce product appeal and initiation by never users, and especially youth attracted to sweet flavors.
Early dynamics of excitation and inhibition maintain late frequency tuning in auditory cortex
Authors: Reid Ashlan P. , Zador Anthony M. , Hromádka Tomáš
Published: January 2024

In the auditory cortex the onset of a tone evokes time-varying excitation and inhibition. However, the role of early inhibition in shaping the temporal properties of tone-evoked responses has not been fully characterized. By using Archaerhodopsin-3 (Arch) to photo-suppress the activity of the parvalbumin-expressing (PV) class of inhibitory interneurons, we manipulated the early component of tone-evoked inhibition. We find that early inhibition directly controls the output gain of the response, reducing the number of spikes proportionately across all frequencies. However, by controlling early activity, transient inhibition prevents late excitation and spiking for non-optimal frequencies. Thus, transient tone-evoked inhibition plays a critical long-lasting role in shaping response properties in the auditory cortex.
A new genetically tractable non-vertebrate system to study complete camera-type eye regeneration
Authors: Accorsi Alice , Pardo Brenda , Ross Eric , Corbin Timothy J. , McClain Melainia , Weaver Kyle , Delventhal Kym , Morrison Jason A. , McKinney Mary Cathleen , McKinney Sean A. , Sánchez Alvarado Alejandro
Published: January 2024

Camera-type eyes are complex sensory organs susceptible to irreversible damage. Their repair is difficult to study due to the paucity of camera-type eye regeneration models. Identifying a genetically tractable organism with the ability to fully regenerate complete camera-type eyes would help overcome this difficulty. Here, we introduce the apple snailPomacea canaliculata, capable of full regeneration of camera-type eyes even after complete resection. We defined anatomical components ofP. canaliculataeyes and genes expressed during crucial steps of their regeneration. By exploiting the unique features of this organism, we successfully established the first stable mutant lines in apple snails. Our studies revealed that, akin to humans,pax6is indispensable for eye development in apple snails, establishing this as a research organism to unravel the mechanisms of camera-type eye regeneration. This work expands our understanding of complex sensory organ regeneration and offers new ways to explore this process.
PI3Kgamma promotes neutrophil extracellular trap formation by noncanonical pyroptosis in abdominal aortic aneurysm
Authors: Xiong Yacheng , Liu Shuai , Liu Yu , Zhao Jiani , Sun Jinjian , Pan Baihong , Wang Wei
Published: January 2024

Background

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is one of the most life-threatening cardiovascular diseases while currently lacks effective drug treatment. NETs formation has been proved to be crucial trigger of AAA, so finding its upstream regulatory targets is the key to discovering therapeutic agents for AAA.

Methods and Results

we reveal that PI3Kgmma (PI3Kγ) is an upstream signal that regulates NETs formation. Inhibition of PI3Kγ reduces the expression of NETs and reduces inflammation in the aortic wall, thereby significantly ameliorating AAA. However, the mechanism of NETs formation regulated by PI3Kγ has not been fully elucidated. Using isolated bone marrow neutrophils, we show that PI3Kγ deficiency inactivates the noncanonical pyroptosis pathway (Capase11/GSDMD) to inhibit NETs expression, and subsequently found that PI3Kγ regulation of noncanonical pyroptosis via anchoring PKA is dependent on cAMP/PKA signaling, but not on classical PI3K/AKT signaling.

Conclusions

Our research uncovers the role and mechanism of PI3Kγ in AAA development and provides insights into AAA therapy from the perspective of NETs formation.
Neighbourhood identity: a methodological perspective from Nantes-France
Authors: Manahasa Edmond , Manahasa Odeta , Leduc Thomas , Halgand Marie-Paule
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This research aims to develop a method for defining the identity of multilayered neighbourhoods by taking a case study in Nantes/France. It utilizes the urban identity concept to achieve this goal, which is defined by physical and identificatory relation to the neighbourhood.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology includes historical periodical analysis, housing form and architectural stylistic definition, visualization and geographic information system (GIS) mapping. The research conducts spatial analysis to reveal the physical component of the urban identity of the neighbourhood and interviews (No = 50) with dwellers for the identificatory relation, asking about neighbourhood tangible/non-tangible elements. All these data are mapped through GIS.

Findings

The study found that the physical component is defined by three urban layers (identified as industrial, reconstruction and development, and post-industrial) and eleven housing typologies. As for the identificatory relation, the authors found that the interviewees mostly identified with their neighbourhood, whereas a minority did not. The most important form of identification with the neighbourhood was its atmosphere, and as reasons were given, the neighbourhood's positively evaluated quality, good location and social values.

Originality/value

It proposes the definition of the physical component through urban layers and housing typologies. The identificatory relation also considers the identification of the residents with the neighbourhood's tangible/non-tangible urban elements.
Research note – Sensational museums on TikTok: reaching young virtual tourists with short videos
Authors: Lau Pei Mey , Ho Jessica Sze Yin , Pillai Padma
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how museums reach Generation Z virtual tourists using TikTok videos to elucidate the relationship between the video elements and types of engagement by classifying the characteristics of popular themes in the museums’ short videos.

Design/methodology/approach

The format, type and content of TikTok videos published by the seven international museums with the most popular TikTok accounts were analyzed. Thematic analysis included 313 short TikTok videos randomly chosen from those published by the museums between 2020 and 2022. Using descriptive analysis, museum-related TikTok usage and user engagement are presented; regression analysis revealed the most significant themes for audience engagement.

Findings

Museum promotions commonly use several strategies, including incorporating text-based information, captions, hashtags and background music into the video formats. Oral speech/documentary-style videos and combined video genres are less common. The most frequently presented video topics included history, infotainment, informative content and promotional elements. The results identify specific formats (titles and subtitles), types (demonstrations, news/events and TikTok dances/movements) and promotional themes that result in audiences’ virtual engagement in the form of “likes” and “comments” and increase the museums’ TikTok channel followers.

Originality/value

The results demonstrate that short videos on social media platforms encompass various strategies involving different formats, types and themes. Museums can use these strategies to engage virtual tourists. This study also provides valuable suggestions for museums and galleries seeking to leverage short videos as effective marketing mechanisms.
Audit committee quality and cosmetic accounting: an examination in an emerging market
Authors: Daryaei Abbas Ali , Balani Afshin , Fattahi Yasin
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The literature on the influence of audit committees (AC) and cosmetic accounting (CA) is scarce. AC plays a unique and vital role in boosting earnings reliability in countries with weaker application of accounting standards or weaker legal protection for investors. AC, therefore, are considered to be one of the essential tools available to directors in supervising management decisions regarding financial reporting. This paper aims to examine the influence of AC characteristics (ACC) on CA and how this relationship is moderated by the audit fee.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used probit regression to analyze 1,218 firm-year observations of listed companies in Tehran Stock Exchange from 2014 to 2020.

Findings

The results show that AC financial accounting expertise, AC independence, female AC membership and AC tenure were negatively related to CA. The negative relationship is highly pronounced when a firm incurs higher audit fees, and audit fees moderate the relationship between ACC and CA. Results for the robustness checks show that only AC independence was significant, and the results of other characteristics were not significant.

Research limitations/implications

This research was conducted in an Iranian setting where the formation of ACs is on the verge of regulation; therefore, the data used for the study only contains the seven-year period of ACs’ statutory activity. In addition, a lack of consensus on the precise measures of an AC’s effectiveness could be considered as a restrictive factor.

Originality/value

The findings provide an initial insight into the effect AC on CA and moderating effect of audit fee on the relationship between ACC and CA.
An ethical norm of long-term human survival with universal dignity
Authors: McNerney Gerald
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to create an ethical norm that will help guide the human race toward long-term survival.

Design/methodology/approach

The project posits a new societal ethical norm designed around a fundamental principle: the long-term survival of the human race with individual dignity. This study examines the requirements of the new norm and what is needed to achieve that goal.

Findings

There are three types of organizations that have the organizational and economic capacity to be responsible for future outcomes: governments, religions and corporations. These three types of organizations must act as if they have a moral compass that will compel them to develop and uphold the requirements for the survival of humanity with individual dignity.

Research limitations/implications

The analysis shows that a new, broader ethical norm must be established, and this norm implies that large organizations must act with a future embracing ethical behavior.

Practical implications

This study generates specific pathways for example: governments should adopt the just war principles and prohibitions on governments or other institutions from teaching any form of class superiority. These and other pathways are designed to diffuse threats to the fundamental principle.

Social implications

The fundamental principle includes universal human dignity. This means that the notion of individual dignity must be defined or understood, and the requirements to attain this goal must be identified.

Originality/value

This project takes concepts from long-termism, forward-looking collective responsibility, corporate social responsibility and the global catastrophic risk institute to advocate for a new ethical norm.
Scaling and modeling of the heat transfer across the free surface of a thermocapillary liquid bridge
Authors: Romanò Francesco , Stojanović Mario , Kuhlmann Hendrik C.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to derive a reduced-order model for the heat transfer across the interface between a millimetric thermocapillary liquid bridge from silicone oil and the surrounding ambient gas.

Design/methodology/approach

Numerical solutions for the two-fluid model are computed covering a wide parametric space, making a total of 2,800 numerical flow simulations. Based on the computed data, a reduced single-fluid model for the liquid phase is devised, in which the heat transfer between the liquid and the gas is modeled by Newton’s heat transfer law, albeit with a space-dependent Biot function Bi(z), instead of a constant Biot number Bi.

Findings

An explicit robust fit of Bi(z) is obtained covering the whole range of parameters considered. The single-fluid model together with the Biot function derived yields very accurate results at much lesser computational cost than the corresponding two-phase fully-coupled simulation required for the two-fluid model.

Practical implications

Using this novel Biot function approach instead of a constant Biot number, the critical Reynolds number can be predicted much more accurately within single-phase linear stability solvers.

Originality/value

The Biot function for thermocapillary liquid bridges is derived from the full multiphase problem by a robust multi-stage fit procedure. The derived Biot function reproduces very well the theoretical boundary layer scalings.
Providing a framework and guidelines for sport organizations to understand and predict sport consumer behavior
Authors: Trail Galen
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this commentary is to discuss a framework (the Revised Model of Sport Consumer Behavior – R-MSCB; Trail, 2019) to accomplish the following objectives. (1) Provide a framework for sport marketers and sport organizations to use in their own market research. (2) Designate the processes needed to generate results and knowledge that sport organizations, sport marketers and associated corporate partners can use to improve marketing campaigns. (3) Provide suggestions for analytic techniques and measurement constructs/instruments that will facilitate market research within the sport industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The author created a 140-item questionnaire for the pre-survey and a 50-item questionnaire for the post-survey. The pre-survey was given at the beginning of the season, and the post-survey was given at the end of the season. The research group has generated a sequence of 13 studies and has collected pre-survey responses from over 7,800 people across 4 continents, 8 sports and 13 teams (data collections), with more teams still planned and over 2,000 post-season survey responses with data collection continuing.

Findings

This project, with its 13 studies, will provide sport organizations with the theories/frameworks, knowledge and processes to do their own market research in a more effective and efficient manner and will show sport organizations how to understand the complexities of sport consumer behavior, the motivations behind it and how it varies extensively across individuals. The author will show sports organizations how to collect data from their consumers using valid and reliable measures and constructs that will allow them to segment their consumers, how to effectively market to those segments and how to establish long-lasting relationships that make a satisfied and loyal customer.

Originality/value

This paper provides the framework and guidelines so that sport marketers and researchers can identify specific variables, constructs and relationships that will further their own objectives when attempting to explain sport consumer behavior. Using their own market research, they can implement the results/output in association with the Communications Strategy Model to create more effective and efficient marketing and communications campaigns and consequently drive key performance indicators (KPIs) and improve revenue streams.
Inflation-poverty causal nexus in sub-Saharan African countries: an asymmetric panel causality approach
Authors: Olaniyi Clement Olalekan , Odhiambo Nicholas M.
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study examines the roles of cross-sectional dependence, asymmetric structure and country-to-country policy variations in the inflation-poverty reduction causal nexus in selected sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries from 1981 to 2019.

Design/methodology/approach

To account for cross-sectional dependence, heterogeneity and policy variations across countries in the inflation-poverty reduction causal nexus, this study uses robust Hatemi-J data decomposition procedures and a battery of second-generation techniques. These techniques include cross-sectional dependency tests, panel unit root tests, slope homogeneity tests and the Dumitrescu-Hurlin panel Granger non-causality approach.

Findings

Unlike existing studies, the panel and country-specific findings exhibit several dimensions of asymmetric causality in the inflation-poverty nexus. Positive inflationary shocks Granger-causes poverty reduction through investment and employment opportunities that benefit the impoverished in SSA. These findings align with country-specific analyses of Botswana, Cameroon, Gabon, Mauritania, South Africa and Togo. Also, a decline in poverty causes inflation to increase in the Congo Republic, Madagascar, Nigeria, Senegal and Togo. All panel and country-specific analyses reveal at least one dimension of asymmetric causality or another.

Practical implications

All stakeholders and policymakers must pay adequate attention to issues of asymmetric structures, nonlinearities and country-to-country policy variations to address country-specific issues and the socioeconomic problems in the probable causal nexus between the high incidence of extreme poverty and double-digit inflation rates in most SSA countries.

Originality/value

Studies on the inflation-poverty nexus are not uncommon in economic literature. Most existing studies focus on inflation’s effect on poverty. Existing studies that examine the inflation-poverty causal relationship covertly assume no asymmetric structure and nonlinearity. Also, the issues of cross-sectional dependence and heterogeneity are unexplored in the causal link in existing studies. All panel studies covertly impose homogeneous policies on countries in the causality. This study relaxes this supposition by allowing policies to vary across countries in the panel framework. Thus, this study makes three-dimensional contributions to increasing understanding of the inflation-poverty nexus.
Exploring the influence of gender diversity and women's empowerment on family entrepreneurship performance: the moderating impact of firm characteristic
Authors: Skaf Yahya , El Abiad Zouhour , El Chaarani Hani , El Nemar Sam , Vrontis Demetris
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how gender diversity and women’s empowerment influence the performance of family entrepreneurships and explores the role of firm characteristics as a moderating factor.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a structured questionnaire as the survey tool to collect data from 91 women managers working in family entrepreneurships, which originated from entrepreneurial initiatives, located in various Lebanese regions. The validity of the construct was assumed using the fitness of extracted index, incremental fit-index, non-normal fit-index, root mean square of residuals and standard root mean square residual. Composite reliability, Cronbach's alpha and value confirmatory factor analysis were used to measure the internal consistency. Data were analyzed using the structural equation modeling method.

Findings

This study reveals that gender equality, education level and family support significantly affect women's empowerment while an insignificant association was found between empowerment and earning social status and achieving financial independence. This paper also showed a significant interaction between women’s empowerment and the performance of family entrepreneurships. Additionally, the results showed that women holding managerial positions in family entrepreneurships is positively associated with firm performance. Finally, it was concluded that the location of the family firm moderates the relationship between gender diversity and firm performance.

Originality/value

This research contributes to theory and practice regarding the role of women in family entrepreneurships and sheds light on gender differences influencing family entrepreneurships and women empowerment issues.
Artificial intelligence-based food-quality and warehousing management for food banks' inbound logistics
Authors: Wu Pei-Ju , Tai Yu-Chin
Published: January 2024

Purpose

In the reduction of food waste and the provision of food to the hungry, food banks play critical roles. However, as they are generally run by charitable organisations that are chronically short of human and other resources, their inbound logistics efforts commonly experience difficulties in two key areas: 1) how to organise stocks of donated food, and 2) how to assess the donated items quality and fitness for purpose. To address both these problems, the authors aimed to develop a novel artificial intelligence (AI)-based approach to food quality and warehousing management in food banks.

Design/methodology/approach

For diagnosing the quality of donated food items, the authors designed a convolutional neural network (CNN); and to ascertain how best to arrange such items within food banks' available space, reinforcement learning was used.

Findings

Testing of the proposed innovative CNN demonstrated its ability to provide consistent, accurate assessments of the quality of five species of donated fruit. The reinforcement-learning approach, as well as being capable of devising effective storage schemes for donated food, required fewer computational resources that some other approaches that have been proposed.

Research limitations/implications

Viewed through the lens of expectation-confirmation theory, which the authors found useful as a framework for research of this kind, the proposed AI-based inbound-logistics techniques exceeded normal expectations and achieved positive disconfirmation.

Practical implications

As well as enabling machines to learn how inbound logistics are handed by human operators, this pioneering study showed that such machines could achieve excellent performance: i.e., that the consistency provided by AI operations could in future dramatically enhance such logistics' quality, in the specific case of food banks.

Originality/value

This paper’s AI-based inbound-logistics approach differs considerably from others, and was found able to effectively manage both food-quality assessments and food-storage decisions more rapidly than its counterparts.
Knowledge-enhancing HR practices and sustainable competitive advantage: the mediating role of intellectual capital in knowledge-based firms
Authors: Ghlichlee Behrooz , Mohammadkhani Elnaz , Hatami Amir
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the relationship between knowledge-enhancing HR practices, intellectual capital and sustainable competitive advantage in knowledge-based firms.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach was used to conduct the present study. The respondents were sampled from knowledge-based firms in Iran. Overall, 320 managers in 157 firms were selected using convenience sampling. A structural equation model was employed for testing the hypotheses.

Findings

The study confirmed that knowledge-enhancing human resource (HR) practices established a very strong connection with intellectual capital. The results further disclosed a positive relationship between intellectual capital and firms' competitive advantage. A mediated relationship between knowledge-enhancing HR practices and firms' competitive advantage through intellectual capital was also affirmed.

Research limitations/implications

The study was conducted in knowledge-based firms in Iran, which limits the generalizability of the research findings. Therefore, future studies should be carried out with samples from other contexts. Moreover, as the study was cross-sectional, the causal relationships could not be inferred directly.

Practical implications

The paper underscored the importance of intellectual capital in improving knowledge-enhancing HR practices and firms' competitive advantage. It suggests to human resource managers to make the organizational arrangements to design knowledge-enhancing HR practices, thereby developing the intellectual capital that brings competitive advantage to knowledge-based firms.

Originality/value

The results of this study contribute to advance research on the intellectual capital literature by trying to explain how intellectual capital as a mediator variable can influence the relationship between knowledge-enhancing HR practices and sustainable competitive advantage.
Prediction of surface roughness using deep learning and data augmentation
Authors: Guo Miaoxian , Wei Shouheng , Han Chentong , Xia Wanliang , Luo Chao , Lin Zhijian
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Surface roughness has a serious impact on the fatigue strength, wear resistance and life of mechanical products. Realizing the evolution of surface quality through theoretical modeling takes a lot of effort. To predict the surface roughness of milling processing, this paper aims to construct a neural network based on deep learning and data augmentation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes a method consisting of three steps. Firstly, the machine tool multisource data acquisition platform is established, which combines sensor monitoring with machine tool communication to collect processing signals. Secondly, the feature parameters are extracted to reduce the interference and improve the model generalization ability. Thirdly, for different expectations, the parameters of the deep belief network (DBN) model are optimized by the tent-SSA algorithm to achieve more accurate roughness classification and regression prediction.

Findings

The adaptive synthetic sampling (ADASYN) algorithm can improve the classification prediction accuracy of DBN from 80.67% to 94.23%. After the DBN parameters were optimized by Tent-SSA, the roughness prediction accuracy was significantly improved. For the classification model, the prediction accuracy is improved by 5.77% based on ADASYN optimization. For regression models, different objective functions can be set according to production requirements, such as root-mean-square error (RMSE) or MaxAE, and the error is reduced by more than 40% compared to the original model.

Originality/value

A roughness prediction model based on multiple monitoring signals is proposed, which reduces the dependence on the acquisition of environmental variables and enhances the model's applicability. Furthermore, with the ADASYN algorithm, the Tent-SSA intelligent optimization algorithm is introduced to optimize the hyperparameters of the DBN model and improve the optimization performance.
The price of clean air – quantifying air pollution exposure in real estate decisions
Authors: Restle Rebecca , Cajias Marcelo , Knoppik Anna
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the significance impact of air quality as a contributing factor on residential property rents by applying geo-informatics to economic issues. Since air pollution poses a severe health threat, city residents should have a right to know about the (invisible) hazards they are exposed to.

Design/methodology/approach

Within spatial-temporal modeling of air pollutants in Berlin, Germany, three interpolation techniques are tested. The most suitable one is selected to create seasonal maps for 2018 and 2021 with pollution concentrations for particulate matter values and nitrogen dioxide for each 1,000 m2 cell within the administrative boundaries. Based on the evaluated pollution particulate matter values, which are used as additional variables for semi-parametric regressions the impact of the air quality on rents is estimated.

Findings

The findings reveal a compelling association between air quality and the economic aspect of the residential real estate market, with noteworthy implications for both tenants and property investors. The relationship between air pollution variables and rents is statistically significant. However, there is only a “willingness-to- pay” for low particulate matter values, but not for nitrogen dioxide concentrations. With good air quality, residents in Berlin are willing to pay a higher rent (3%).

Practical implications

These results suggest that a “marginal willingness-to-pay” occurs in a German city. The research underscores the multifaceted impact of air quality on the residential rental market in Berlin. The evidence supports the notion that a cleaner environment not only benefits human health and the planet but also contributes significantly to the economic bottom line of property investors.

Originality/value

The paper has a unique data engineering approach. It collects spatiotemporal data from network of state-certified measuring sites to create an index of air pollution. This spatial information is merged with residential listings. Afterward non-linear regression models are estimated.
Writing disclosure: to tell or not to tell?
Authors: Lilley Kirsty
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore from a lived experience perspective the factors impacting on the decision to disclose experiences of abuse to gain support. The author hopes to inform healthcare and allied professionals of the barriers people face when disclosing traumatic experiences to facilitate learning.

Design/methodology/approach

The author has shared various experiences of sharing details of traumatic experiences. It is important to reflect on the narratives of those with living experience to facilitate learning and opportunities to remove any common barriers to disclosure.

Findings

This lived experience narrative will support healthcare and allied professionals to reduce any barriers to disclosure so that early intervention may be facilitated. Collaborative learnings and reflection which support professionals and those with lived experience to work together to create meaningful services which support people in recovery and support is important.

Originality/value

This is the unique perspective and experience of the author which is shared to facilitate understanding and the removal of barriers to disclosure.
Understanding perceived loneliness: a multifaceted approach
Authors: Sharma Vaishnavi
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to understand loneliness with a special focus on perceived loneliness using a multifaceted approach.

Design/methodology/approach

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this appears to be the first paper dedicated to investigating the perception of loneliness as its primary topic. Unfortunately, not much work is available on this specific focus. However, various facets and dimensions can be integrated to gain a better understanding. Therefore, the author has carefully selected four sections, each focusing on different aspects of loneliness. These sections can contribute to a better understanding of loneliness, keeping in mind its perception.

Findings

Section one examines the cognitive processes and self-assessment mechanisms that set lonely individuals apart from their non-lonely counterparts. These include heightened awareness, negative social cue interpretation and increased sensitivity to social threats. Section two examines the predictors of loneliness and associated emotional responses. This includes factors such as emotional responses, attributions, duration and situational variables. Section three challenges conventional definitions of loneliness by introducing social asymmetry. Within this framework, personality traits such as extraversion emerge as resilient against loneliness, even in social isolation. Section four discusses the significant influence of cultural diversity on perceptions of loneliness. Collectivist cultures rely on familial and community support to combat loneliness, whereas individualistic cultures require interventions that promote independence.

Originality/value

This comprehensive examination contributes insights for informing targeted interventions, reinforcing support systems and enhancing our understanding of human connectivity in an increasingly isolated world.