bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
HybridExpress: an R/Bioconductor package for comparative transcriptomic analyses of hybrids and their progenitors
Authors: Almeida-Silva Fabricio , Prost-Boxoen Lucas , Van de Peer Yves
Published: April 2024

Hybridization, the process of crossing individuals from diverse genetic backgrounds, plays a pivotal role in evolution, biological invasiveness, and crop breeding. At the transcriptional level, hybridization often leads to complex non-additive effects, presenting challenges for understanding its consequences. Although standard transcriptomic analyses exist to compare hybrids to their progenitors, such analyses have not been implemented in a software package, hindering reproducibility. Here, we introduceHybridExpress, an R/Bioconductor package designed to facilitate the analysis, visualization, and comparison of gene expression patterns in hybrid triplets (hybrids and their progenitors).HybridExpressprovides users with a user-friendly and comprehensive workflow that includes all standard comparative analyses steps, including data normalization, calculation of midparent expression values, sample clustering, expression-based gene classification into categories and classes, and overrepresentation analysis for functional terms. We illustrate the utility ofHybridExpressthrough comparative transcriptomic analyses of cotton allopolyploidization and rice root trait heterosis.HybridExpressis designed to streamline comparative transcriptomic studies of hybrid triplets, advancing our understanding of evolutionary dynamics in allopolyploids, and enhancing plant breeding strategies.HybridExpressis freely accessible from Bioconductor (https://bioconductor.org/packages/HybridExpress) and its source code is available on GitHub (https://github.com/almeidasilvaf/HybridExpress).
Repeated global adaptation across plant species
Authors: Nocchi Gabriele , Whiting James R. , Yeaman Samuel
Published: April 2024

Global adaptation occurs when all populations of a species undergo selection toward a common optimum. This can occur by a hard selective sweep with the emergence of a new globally advantageous allele that spreads throughout a species’ natural range until reaching fixation. This evolutionary process leaves a temporary trace in the region affected, which is detectable using population genomic methods. While selective sweeps have been identified in many species, there have been few comparative and systematic studies of the genes involved in global adaptation. Building upon recent findings showing repeated genetic basis of local adaptation across independent populations and species, we asked whether certain genes play a more significant role in driving global adaptation across plant species. To address this question, we scanned the genomes of 17 plant species to identify signals of repeated global selective sweeps. Despite the substantial evolutionary distance between the species analysed, we identified several gene families with strong evidence of repeated positive selection. These gene families tend to be enriched for reduced pleiotropy, consistent with predictions from Fisher’s evolutionary model and the cost of complexity hypothesis. We also found that genes with repeated sweeps exhibit elevated levels of gene duplication. Our findings contrast with recent observations of increased pleiotropy in genes driving local adaptation, consistent with predictions based on the theory of migration-selection balance.

Significance

Global adaptation occurs when a species undergoes selection toward a common optimum throughout its natural range. While instances of global adaptation are widespread in the literature, there is a shortage of comparative studies aimed at understanding its genetic architecture and how it contrasts with that of local adaptation. This research compares global selective sweeps across 17 plant species to uncover the attributes of the genetic loci repeatedly involved in adaptation. We show that global adaptation tends to rely on genes with reduced pleiotropy and is characterized by increased levels of gene duplication. This finding contrasts with recent observations of increased pleiotropy in genes driving local adaptation, reflecting the opposing dynamics underlying these two evolutionary processes.
Near infrared radiation-driven oxygenic photosynthesis contributes substantially to primary production in biofilms harboring chlorophyllf-containing cyanobacteria
Authors: Mosshammer Maria , Trampe Erik C. L. , Frigaard Niels-Ulrik , Kühl Michael
Published: April 2024

Cyanobacteria with far-red light photoacclimation (FaRLiP) can modify their photopigmentation by synthesizing red-shifted phycobiliproteins and chlorophylls, i.e., chlorophyll (Chl)dandf. This enables use of near-infrared radiation (NIR) for oxygenic photosynthesis in habitats depleted of visible light (VIS). Cyanobacteria with FaRLiP are widespread but their quantitative importance for primary production in natural habitats remains unknown. Previously we showed that intertidal beachrock formations can harbor endolithic populations of Chlf-containing cyanobacteria capable of using NIR for oxygenic photosynthesis (Kühl et al., 2020). Here we use a combination of gas exchange measurements and luminescence lifetime-based O2imaging to quantify how endolithic cyanobacteria with far-red chlorophylls contribute to the primary production of an intertidal beachrock habitat when exposed to a natural gradient of visible and near-infrared radiation. While VIS-driven photosynthesis predominantly took place in the dense cyanobacterial surface biofilm of beachrock, NIR-driven photosynthesis was mainly confined to a subsurface layer in the beachrock containing endolithic cyanobacteria with Chlfandd. Yet such subsurface, NIR-driven photosynthesis provided a substantial O2production reaching >20% of the gross photosynthesis rates under comparable photon irradiance of visible light. This points to a hitherto overlooked role of far-red light acclimated cyanobacteria for primary production in natural habitats characterized by steep attenuation of visible light and relative enrichment in near-infrared radiation.
Effect modification by sex of genetic associations of vitamin C related metabolites in the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging
Authors: Lelievre Rebecca , Rakesh Mohan , Hysi Pirro G , Little Julian , Freeman Ellen E , Roy-Gagnon Marie-Hélène
Published: April 2024

Vitamin C is an essential dietary factor. There have been observed sex differences in serum vitamin C concentrations but the reason for this is not fully known. To understand how environmental factors like vitamin C intake interact with molecular processes, levels of metabolites can be used. Two metabolites associated with vitamin C are O-methylascorbate and ascorbic acid 2 sulfate. Past research has found there are genetic factors that influence these metabolite levels. Here, we aimed to investigate if there is effect modification by sex of these gene-metabolite associations and characterize the biological function of these interactions. We included individuals of European descent from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging with available genetic and metabolic data (n= 9004). We conducted a genome wide association study with and without a sex interaction using mixed linear models. We also investigated the biological function of the important gene-sex interactions found for each metabolite. Two genome-wide statistically significant (p-value < 5×10-8) interaction effects and several suggestive (p-value < 10-5) interaction effects were found. The suggestive interaction associations were mapped to several genes includingHSD11B2, which is associated with sex hormones andAGRPthat helps initiate hunger drive. By understanding the genetic factors that impact metabolites associated with vitamin C, we better understand its function in disease risk. In addition, highlighting genetic markers and genes whose effects are modified by sex can help to understand the mechanisms behind sex differences in vitamin C levels and guide further research.
All You Need Is Context: Clinician Evaluations of various iterations of a Large Language Model-Based First Aid Decision Support Tool in Ghana
Authors: Mensah Paulina Boadiwaa , Quao Nana Serwaa , Dagadu Sesinam , Mensah James Kwabena , Darkwah Jude Domfeh ,   Project Genie Clinician Evaluation Group [1]
Published: April 2024

As advancements in research and development expand the capabilities of Large Language Models (LLMs), there is a growing focus on their applications within the healthcare sector, driven by the large volume of data generated in healthcare. There are a few medicine-oriented evaluation datasets and benchmarks for assessing the performance of various LLMs in clinical scenarios; however, there is a paucity of information on the real-world usefulness of LLMs in context-specific scenarios in resource-constrained settings. In this work, 5 iterations of a decision support tool for medical emergencies using 5 distinct generalized LLMs were constructed, alongside a combination of Prompt Engineering and Retrieval Augmented Generation techniques. 50 responses were generated from the LLMs. Quantitative and qualitative evaluations of the LLM responses were provided by 13 physicians (general practitioners) with an average of 3 years of practice experience managing medical emergencies in resource-constrained settings in Ghana. Machine evaluations of the LLM responses were also computed and compared with the expert evaluations.
Deciphering neuronal variability across states reveals dynamic sensory encoding
Authors: Akella Shailaja , Ledochowitsch Peter , Siegle Joshua H. , Belski Hannah , Denman Daniel J. , Buice Michael A. , Durand Severine , Koch Christof , Olsen Shawn R. , Jia Xiaoxuan
Published: April 2024

Influenced by factors such as brain states and behavior, neurons exhibit substantial response variability even to identical stimuli. Because these factors are non-stationary, they dynamically impact the fidelity of sensory processing. However, it remains unclear how their relative impact on neuronal variability evolves over time. To address this question, we designed an encoding model with latent states to partition visual cortical variability across three crucial categories of sources: internal brain dynamics, behavior, and external visual stimulus. Applying a hidden Markov model to the rhythmic patterns of cortical local field potentials, we consistently identified three distinct oscillation states. Each state revealed a unique variability profile and a consistent descending trend of stimulus modulation across the visual hierarchy. Regression models within each state revealed a dynamic composition of factors contributing to the observed spiking variability, with the primary influencing factor switching within seconds. In the state dominated by high-frequency oscillations, sensory inputs and behavior exerted the most influence on population dynamics. Conversely, internal brain activity explained most of the variance in the state dominated by low-frequency oscillations. This heterogeneity across states underscores the importance of partitioning variability over time, particularly when considering the dynamic influence of non-stationary factors on sensory processing.
Sex-specific sequels of early life stress on serine/threonine kinase activity in visceral adipose tissue from obese mice
Authors: Leachman Jacqueline , Creeden Justin , Turner Meghan , Ahmed Nermin , Dalmasso Carolina , Loria Analia S.
Published: April 2024

Adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) are an established independent risk factor for chronic disease including obesity and hypertension; however, only women exposed to multiple ACEs show a positive relationship with BMI. Our lab has reported that maternal separation and early weaning (MSEW), a mouse model of early life stress, induces sex-specific mechanisms underlying greater blood pressure response to a chronic high fat diet (HF). Specifically, female MSEW mice fed a HF display exacerbated perigonadal white adipose tissue (pgWAT) expansion and a metabolic syndrome-like phenotype compared to control counterparts, whereas hypertension is caused by sympathoactivation in male MSEW mice. Thus, this study aimed to determine whether there is a sex-specific serine/threonine kinase (STKA) activity in pgWAT adipose tissue associated with early life stress. Frozen pgWAT was collected from MSEW and control, male and female mice fed a HF to assess STKA activity using the Pamstation12 instrument. Overall, MSEW induces significant reduction of 7 phosphokinases (|Z| >=1.5) in females (QIK, MLK, PKCH, MST, STE7, PEK, FRAY) and 5 in males (AKT, SGK, P38, MARK, CDK), while 15 were downregulated in both sexes (DMPK, PKA, PKG, RSK, PLK, DYRK, NMO, CAMK1, JNK, PAKA, RAD53, ERK, PAKB, PKD, PIM, AMPK). This data provides new insights into the sex-specific dysregulation of the molecular network controlling cellular phosphorylation signals in visceral adipose tissue and identifies possible target phosphokinases implicated in adipocyte hypertrophy as a result of exposure to early life stress. Identifying functional metabolic signatures is critical to elucidate the underlying molecular mechanisms behind the sex-specific obesity risk associated with early life stress.
The stress of carrying CRISPR-Cas
Authors: Haider Dorina , Bauer Richard , Grempels Aline , Roscher Rebecca , Aslan Cagil Ceren , Mauerer Stefanie , Spellerberg Barbara
Published: April 2024

Streptococcus anginosus(S. anginosus) is a commensal that can cause severe invasive bacterial infections. A considerable percentage ofS. anginosusstrains harbor CRISPR-Cas systems, which apart from being a bacterial immunity system can play an important role regarding the adaptation to environmental stress. The functionality ofS. anginosusCRISPR-Cas systems has previously not been investigated. To address this, we created a set of deletion mutants in the CRISPR-Cas type II-A system of theS. anginosusSK52 type strain, targeting the nuclease Cas9 and the CRISPR array. Testing these strains in a plasmid clearance assay, we were able to confirm CRISPR-Cas activity. Furthermore, the role of theS. anginosusCRISPR-Cas system was investigated under various stress conditions such as UV light, hydrogen peroxide exposure, and high-temperatures in wildtypeS. anginosusand CRISPR-Cas mutant strains. Under these conditions, survival was significantly lower in strains carryingcas9.Bacterial growth and metabolic activity in Alamar blue assays was also negatively affected by the presence ofcas9inS. anginosus. In summary we found that the presence of a functional CRISPR-Cas system inS. anginosusleads to measurable metabolic and fitness costs for the wildtype strain. Carryingcas9was associated with an impaired stress response in our experiments and may thus explain, why many strains of this species lack CRISPR-Cas.

Author Summary

The bacterial immunity system CRIPRS-Cas provides protection against invading foreign genetic material. Despite this obvious advantage only about 50% of bacteria carry CRISPR-Cas. To investigate the CRISPR system ofStreptococcus anginosus, which can cause serious bacterial infections and has recently been linked to gastric cancer, we created a set of mutants in different loci of the CRISPR system. Exposing these mutants to stress through UV-light, hydrogen peroxide and high temperatures, we could show that carrying the CRISPR nuclease gene Cas9 is associated with impaired survival under harsh conditions. Strains lacking the nuclease gene had a better growth and higher metabolic activity than the wildtype strain. In summary we found that the presence of a functional CRISPR-Cas system inS. anginosusleads to considerable metabolic and fitness costs. Carryingcas9was associated with an impaired stress response in our experiments and may thus explain, why many strains of this species lack CRISPR-Cas.
Contributions of the Dachsous intracellular domain to Dachsous-Fat signaling
Authors: Tripathi Bipin Kumar , Irvine Kenneth D.
Published: April 2024

The protocadherins Fat and Dachsous regulate organ growth, shape, patterning, and planar cell polarity. Although Dachsous and Fat have been described as ligand and receptor, respectively, in a signal transduction pathway, there is also evidence for bidirectional signaling. Here we assess signaling downstream of Dachsous through analysis of its intracellular domain. Genomic deletions of conserved sequences withindachsousidentified regions of the intracellular domain required for normal development. Deletion of the A motif increased Dachsous protein levels and decreased wing size. Deletion of the D motif decreased Dachsous levels at cell membranes, increased wing size, and disrupted wing, leg and hindgut patterning and planar cell polarity. Co-immunoprecipitation experiments established that the D motif is necessary and sufficient for association of Dachsous with four key partners: Lowfat, Dachs, Spiny-legs, and MyoID. Subdivision of the D motif identified distinct regions that are preferentially responsible for association with Lft versus Dachs. Our results identify motifs that are essential for Dachsous function and are consistent with the hypothesis that the key function of Dachsous is regulation of Fat.
Supplier concentration and debt maturity structure
Authors: Zhang Tiesheng , Wang Ying , Zeng Xiangfei
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This paper takes Chinese A-share listed companies from 2007 to 2021 as research samples to investigate the influence of supplier concentration on debt maturity structure and its mechanism. It further analyzes whether the relationship between the two is different in the case of different monetary policies, collateral assets, and total debt. The research conclusion is of practical significance for enterprises to construct a balanced debt maturity structure and prevent financial risks.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts the empirical research method. The data came from the CSMAR database, which eliminated ST and *ST and companies with missing data, resulting in a sample of 20,328. Stata16 was used for statistical analysis.

Findings

There is an inverted U-shaped relationship between supplier concentration and debt maturity structure, and market position and trade credit play an intermediary role. In the case of tight monetary policy, fewer collateral assets, and higher total debt, the inverse U-shaped relationship is more significant.

Originality/value

This paper examines the relationship between supplier concentration and debt maturity structure from a non-linear perspective for the first time, providing theoretical support for enterprises to form a reasonable debt structure, and deepening the theoretical cognition of the relationship between supplier concentration and corporate debt maturity structure.
Numerical modeling of magnetic cores with combined electrical steel grades
Authors: Dabaj Oussama-Ali , Corin Ronan , Lecointe Jean-Philippe , Demian Cristian , Blaszkowski Jonathan
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of combining grain-oriented electrical steel (GOES) grades on specific iron losses and the flux density distribution within a single-phase magnetic core.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents the results of finite-element method (FEM) simulations investigating the impact of mixing two different GOES grades on losses of a single-phase magnetic core. The authors used different models: a 3D model with a highly detailed geometry including both saturation and anisotropy, as well as a simplified 2D model to save computation time. The behavior of the flux distribution in the mixed magnetic core is analyzed. Finally, the results from the numerical simulations are compared with experimental results.

Findings

The specific iron losses of a mixed magnetic core exhibit a nonlinear decrease with respect to the GOES grade with the lowest losses. Analyzing the magnetic core behavior using 2D and 3D FEM shows that the rolling direction of the GOES grades plays a critical role on the nonlinearity variation of the specific losses.

Originality/value

The novelty of this research lies in achieving an optimum trade-off between the manufacturing cost and the core efficiency by combining conventional and high-performance GOES grade in a single-phase magnetic core.
Human-machine dialogues unveiled: an in-depth exploration of individual attitudes and adoption patterns toward AI-powered ChatGPT systems
Authors: Kumar Jitender , Rani Manju , Rani Garima , Rani Vinki
Published: April 2024

Purpose

ChatGPT is an advanced artificial intelligence (AI) form that can generate human-like text based on large amounts of data. This paper aims to empirically examine the ChatGPT adoption level among Indian individuals by considering the key factors in determining individuals’ attitudes and intentions toward newly emerged AI tools.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used “partial least square structural equation modeling” (PLS-SEM) to investigate the relation among several latent factors by applying a representative sample of 351 individuals.

Findings

This study found that trialability, performance expectancy and personal innovativeness significantly influence individuals' attitudes, while compatibility and effort expectancy do not significantly impact attitudes. Additionally, trialability, performance expectancy, effort expectancy, personal innovativeness and attitude significantly influence behavioral intentions. However, compatibility has an insignificant impact on behavioral intention. Moreover, the research highlights that attitude and behavioral intention directly correlate with actual use. Specifically, the absence of compatibility makes people hesitate to use technology that does not meet their specific needs.

Practical implications

These unique findings provide valuable insights for technology service providers and government entities. They can use this information to shape their policies, deliver timely and relevant updates and enhance their strategies to boost the adoption of ChatGPT.

Originality/value

This paper is one of the pioneering attempts to exhibit the research stream to understand the individual acceptance of ChatGPT in an emerging country. Moreover, it gained significant attention from individuals for delivering a unique experience and promising solutions.
Parallelization of adaptive Bayesian cubature using multimodal optimization algorithms
Authors: Hong Fangqi , Wei Pengfei , Beer Michael
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Bayesian cubature (BC) has emerged to be one of most competitive approach for estimating the multi-dimensional integral especially when the integrand is expensive to evaluate, and alternative acquisition functions, such as the Posterior Variance Contribution (PVC) function, have been developed for adaptive experiment design of the integration points. However, those sequential design strategies also prevent BC from being implemented in a parallel scheme. Therefore, this paper aims at developing a parallelized adaptive BC method to further improve the computational efficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

By theoretically examining the multimodal behavior of the PVC function, it is concluded that the multiple local maxima all have important contribution to the integration accuracy as can be selected as design points, providing a practical way for parallelization of the adaptive BC. Inspired by the above finding, four multimodal optimization algorithms, including one newly developed in this work, are then introduced for finding multiple local maxima of the PVC function in one run, and further for parallel implementation of the adaptive BC.

Findings

The superiority of the parallel schemes and the performance of the four multimodal optimization algorithms are then demonstrated and compared with the k-means clustering method by using two numerical benchmarks and two engineering examples.

Originality/value

Multimodal behavior of acquisition function for BC is comprehensively investigated. All the local maxima of the acquisition function contribute to adaptive BC accuracy. Parallelization of adaptive BC is realized with four multimodal optimization methods.
Revealing consumer review attitude through online review and website cues
Authors: Natarajan Manoraj , Periaiya Sridevi
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Consumer-perceived review attitude determines consumer overall information adoption and is a core part of consumer’s online-shopping. This study aims to focus on factors that could influence consumer review attitude and can be used by marketers to shape individual information perception.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used the questionnaire method to collect data from online shoppers and the modelling of structural equations as an empirical approach to analyse the data.

Findings

The findings demonstrate that both systematic and heuristic cues impact the reviewer’s credibility and perceived website attitude differently, which, in turn, influence review attitude. Review characteristics, such as factuality, consistency and relevancy, have a positive relationship with reviewer credibility, while only review consistency and relevancy appears to have a relationship with review attitude. Website characteristics such as reputation, familiarity and social interactivity positively influence the website attitude, which positively influences review attitude. Apart from this, review skepticism has a significant negative relationship with review attitude.

Practical implications

This study could help to foster a positive attitude towards online reviews. Digital marketers need to motivate trusted reviewers to post consistent, fact-based reviews. Further improving the overall website reputation and interactivity could bring a positive attitude towards the reviews. Also, digital marketers must filter and avoid contradictory reviews or reviews that have a bipolar message and reviews expressing numerous emotions to enhance review relevance and consistency.

Originality/value

The current study addresses the need to understand the formation of consumer review attitude through both review and website characteristics using heuristic – systematic model. The paper captures the complex process undergone by the consumer to decipher review attitude and thereby extend the understanding of consumer information processing.
Construction and implementation of cross-border e-commerce supply chain system under the background of green and low-carbon
Authors: He Yi , Wang Zhanyu , Liu Sha , Du Xinle
Published: April 2024

Purpose

As China’s e-commerce and cross-border e-commerce rapidly develop, the cross-border e-commerce supply chain exhibits characteristics of globalized development scale, collaborative multiparty participation, streamlined management processes, digitalized production and trade and flexible strategic choices. It tends toward data-driven intelligence, interoperable information collaboration, personalized order responses, sustainable supply chain management and secure blockchain technology. These characteristics and trends provide critical references for businesses, governments and investors.

Design/methodology/approach

In response to issues such as inconsistent legal regulations, imbalanced logistics and transportation, imperfect payment settlements and opaque supply chains.

Findings

It is recommended to take measures to strengthen cooperation and communication, optimize logistics, reduce customs clearance difficulties, reinforce safeguard measures and promote sustainable development, collectively fostering the healthy growth of cross-border e-commerce.

Originality/value

With the rapid development of cross-border e-commerce, green and low-carbon initiatives have become a significant trend in this sector. The cross-border e-commerce supply chain refers to the mechanism that reduces environmental impacts and enhances resource efficiency from manufacturers to consumers. It primarily involves manufacturers, e-commerce platforms, logistics companies and payment and settlement processes. The cross-border e-commerce supply chain is gradually becoming a highlight in China’s foreign trade, supporting the concept of “buying globally and selling globally” and connecting the “world’s factory” with the “world’s market.”
Configurational pathways to innovation capability enhancement in high-tech enterprises: a perspective from technological innovation network
Authors: Liu Tingting , Li Yehui , Li Xing , Wu Lanfen
Published: April 2024

Purpose

High-tech enterprises, as the national innovation powerhouses, have garnered considerable interest, particularly regarding their technological innovation capabilities. Nevertheless, prevalent research tends to spotlight the impact of individual factors on innovative behavior, with only a fraction adopting a comprehensive viewpoint, scrutinizing the causal amalgamations of precursor conditions influencing the overall innovation proficiency of high-tech enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs a hybrid approach integrating necessary condition analysis (NCA) and fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) to examine the combinatorial effects of antecedent factors on high-tech enterprises' innovation output. Our analysis draws upon data from 46 listed Chinese high-tech enterprises. To promote technological innovation within high-tech enterprises, we introduce a novel perspective that emphasizes technological innovation networks, grounded in a network agents-structure-environment framework. These antecedents are government subsidy, tax benefits, customer concentration, purchase concentration rate, market-oriented index and innovation environment.

Findings

The findings delineate four configurational pathways leading to high innovative output and three pathways resulting in low production.

Originality/value

This study thereby enriches the body of knowledge around technological innovation and provides actionable policy recommendations.
Predictors of adoption of blockchain technology by academic libraries in Nigeria
Authors: Akintunde Mutairu Oyewale , Amuda Halimah Odunayo
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aimed to predict and understand the academic libraries' probability of successful adoption of blockchain within the lens of integrated technology acceptance model (TAM) and technology organization and environment theory (TOE) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed approach was employed to gather data from librarians (292) and system analysts (46) totaling 338 respondents. The total enumeration sampling technique was considered. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, while quantitative data were analyzed using structural equation model (SEM).

Findings

Perceived usefulness and policy are the important factors that influence academic libraries' blockchain adoption intentions. Unlimited access to both print and electronic resources, security of users' information and easy collaboration between users and library staff were found to be the benefits of blockchain application to academic libraries' operations. Major challenges to the adoption of blockchain in academic libraries include the cost of infrastructure related to blockchain applications, privacy issues and a lack of understanding of blockchain technology among librarians.

Research limitations/implications

Future studies would need to include more relevant items to the observed variables of the independent variables that were found insignificant in this study.

Practical implications

The findings of this study will create a roadmap for government and polytechnic management on the factors that could strengthen the adoption of blockchain in the libraries.

Social implications

The outcome of this study came at a crucial moment when the majority of academic libraries in developing nations like Nigeria were skeptical about the deployment of blockchain technology in their libraries.

Originality/value

The study identified new factors that influence blockchain adoption intention.
Circular supply chain management in post-pandemic context. A qualitative study to explore how knowledge, environmental initiatives and economic viability affect sustainability
Authors: Kaur Mandeep , Palazzo Maria , Foroudi Pantea
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Circular supply chain management (CSCM) is considered a promising solution to attain sustainability in the current industrial system. Despite the exigency of this approach, its application in the food industry is a challenge because of the nature of the industry and CSCM being a novel approach. The purpose of this study is to develop an industry-based systematic analysis of CSCM by examining the challenges for its application, exploring the effects of recognised challenges on various food supply chain (FSC) stages and investigating the business processes as drivers.

Design/methodology/approach

Stakeholder theory guided the need to consider stakeholders’ views in this research and key stakeholders directly from the food circular supply chain were identified and interviewed (n = 36) following qualitative methods.

Findings

Overall, the study reveals that knowledge, perception towards environmental initiatives and economic viability are the major barriers to circular supply chain transition in the UK FSC.

Originality/value

This research provides a holistic perspective analysing the loopholes in different stages of the supply chain and investigating the way a particular circular supply chain stage is affected by recognised challenges through stakeholder theory, which will be a contribution to designing management-level strategies. Reconceptualising this practice would be beneficial in bringing three-tier (economic, environmental and social) benefits and will be supportive to engage stakeholders in the sustainability agenda.
SCOBY: an alternate solution to develop cheap and nutritious food by food layered manufacturing (FLM)
Authors: Soni Rahul , Sharma Madhvi , K. Ponappa , Tandon Puneet
Published: April 2024

Purpose

In pursuit of affordable and nutrient-rich food alternatives, the symbiotic culture of bacteria and yeast (SCOBY) emerged as a selected food ink for 3D printing. The purpose of this paper is to harness SCOBY’s potential to create cost-effective and nourishing food options using the innovative technique of 3D printing.

Design/methodology/approach

This work presents a comparative analysis of the printability of SCOBY with blends of wheat flour, with a focus on the optimization of process variables such as printing composition, nozzle height, nozzle diameter, printing speed, extrusion motor speed and extrusion rate. Extensive research was carried out to explore the diverse physical, mechanical and rheological properties of food ink.

Findings

Among the ratios tested, SCOBY, with SCOBY:wheat flour ratio at 1:0.33 exhibited the highest precision and layer definition when 3D printed at 50 and 60 mm/s printing speeds, 180 rpm motor speed and 0.8 mm nozzle with a 0.005 cm3/s extrusion rate, with minimum alteration in colour.

Originality/value

Food layered manufacturing (FLM) is a novel concept that uses a specialized printer to fabricate edible objects by layering edible materials, such as chocolate, confectionaries and pureed fruits and vegetables. FLM is a disruptive technology that enables the creation of personalized and texture-tailored foods, incorporating desired nutritional values and food quality, using a variety of ingredients and additions. This research highlights the potential of SCOBY as a viable material for 3D food printing applications.
Tourism e-commerce marketing following live-streaming: consumer behavior and verification psychology
Authors: Wang Yuchen , Guo Rui
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Based on social cognitive theory, this study aims to explore the psychological mechanism behind consumer verification behavior following tourism e-commerce live-streaming.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on grounded theory, data were collected through 20 semi-structured in-depth interviews and analyzed.

Findings

This study identified that companies commonly use reminder messages and secondary promotions to facilitate the verification of tourism live-streaming products. Throughout this process, consumers undergo various psychologies related to verification. Specifically, they experience four positive verification psychologies: fear of missing out, anticipated emotions, status self-esteem and promotional perception. They also encounter two negative verification psychologies: psychological reactance and invasiveness. In addition, environmental factors such as the type of tourism live-streaming products and tourism destinations, along with individual trait factors like cognitive miserliness, tourism experience, autonomy, regulatory mode and impulsiveness, play significant roles in shaping verification behavior. These factors collectively influence the formation of verification behavior.

Originality/value

This study can provide recommendations for tourism companies to conduct marketing events following live-streaming. It is one of the earlier comprehensive studies discussing how to promote verification behavior following tourism e-commerce live-streaming. It helps to understand the psychological mechanism underlying the formation of verification behavior.
Social origins and educational attainment: The unique contributions of parental education, class, and financial resources over time
Authors: Strømme Thea Bertnes , Wiborg Øyvind Nicolay
Published: April 2024

This study examines the unique contributions of parental wealth, class background, education, and income to different measures of educational attainment. We build on recent sibling correlation approaches to estimate, using Norwegian register data, the gross and net contribution of each social origin dimension across almost 3 decades of birth cohorts. Our findings suggest that parental education is crucial for all measures of children's educational outcomes in all models. In the descriptive analyses, we find that while broad education measures remain stable or decrease over time, attaining higher tertiary education and elite degrees is more stable or increasingly dependent on family background, especially parental financial resources. While gross sibling correlation models show somewhat decreasing trends in the contribution of education in all measures of educational outcomes, net models show that the unique contributions of financial resources have increased over time. Our results lend some support to the idea of education as a positional good and suggest that educational inequalities reflect broader patterns of inequality in society. Our results further indicate that the importance of parental education and cultural capital for children's education can be explained by within‐resource transmission but that pro‐educational norms tied to wealth may play an increasingly important role in educational mobility. In summary, this study sheds light on the multidimensional nature of social origins and highlights the role of different factors in shaping educational outcomes over time.
Unveiling health dynamics: Exploring the impact of CO2 emissions, urbanization, and renewable energy on life expectancy and infant mortality in SAARC countries (1990–2022)
Authors: Guo Aijun , Ullah Obaid , Zeb Ali , Din Naeem Ud , Hussain Shujaat
Published: April 2024

This study examines the intensifying threat to public health caused by increased CO2 emissions from energy and modern urbanization. In this connection, we focused on SAARC countries from 1990 to 2022. The study explores the dynamic association among urbanization, CO2 emissions, renewable energy, and key health indicators, namely life expectancy and infant mortality. It offers nuanced insights by highlighting the requirement for sustainable policies to meet health challenges associated with CO2 emissions and urban development in SAARC economies. To achieve the study objectives, the authors utilized panel auto regressive distributed lag for assessing short‐term and long‐run effects, and the method of moments quantile regressions to check these effects across different quantiles. The empirical results underscore the positive impact of renewable energy, urbanization, GDP, and industrialization on life expectancy. Conversely, CO2 emissions exhibit a detrimental impact on life expectancy, leading towards numerous diseases in both the short and long term. Notably, in the case of infant mortality, the study discloses that renewable energy, urbanization, GDP, and industrialization negatively affect infant mortality, while CO2 emissions positively impact infant mortality in both short and long‐run scenarios. Fully modified ordinary least squares and dynamic ordinary least squares further fortified our findings, supporting the results derived from panel auto regressive distributed lag and method of moments quantile regressions. The study's policy implications highlight the imperative for governments and policymakers to prioritize renewable energy and sustainable urbanization, mitigating the adverse health effects of CO2 emissions from non‐renewable energy sources. The study's findings further endorse a strategic shift towards renewable energy sources, positioning them as substitutes for conventional forms such as fossil fuels. Additionally, the emphasis is on planned and sustainable urbanization, facilitating improved access to health facilities and overall public health.
Application of bacteriophages in biopolymer‐based functional food packaging films
Authors: Rindhe Sandeep , Khan Ajahar , Priyadarshi Ruchir , Chatli Manish , Wagh Rajesh , Kumbhar Vishal , Wankar Alok , Rhim Jong‐Whan
Published: April 2024

Recently, food spoilage caused by pathogens has been increasing. Therefore, applying control strategies is essential. Bacteriophages can potentially reduce this problem due to their host specificity, ability to inhibit bacterial growth, and extend the shelf life of food. When bacteriophages are applied directly to food, their antibacterial activity is lost. In this regard, bacteriophage‐loaded biopolymers offer an excellent option to improve food safety by extending their shelf life. Applying bacteriophages in food preservation requires comprehensive and structured information on their isolation, culturing, storage, and encapsulation in biopolymers for active food packaging applications. This review focuses on using bacteriophages in food packaging and preservation. It discusses the methods for phage application on food, their use for polymer formulation and functionalization, and their effect in enhancing food matrix properties to obtain maximum antibacterial activity in food model systems.
Effect of mediumcut‐offmembranes on Pentosidine and N‐(carboxymethyl) lysine levels in uncontrolled diabetic hemodialysis patients
Authors: Koç Neriman Sıla , Yeter Hasan , Yıldırım Tolga , Erdem Yunus , Yılmaz Rahmi
Published: April 2024

Introduction

Patients on hemodialysis, especially with diabetes, face elevated cardiovascular events. A major contributor to complications associated with diabetes is advanced glycation end products (AGEs). Removing these compounds is challenging in traditional hemodialysis. Medium‐cut‐off (MCO) membranes potentially remove toxins without significant albumin loss. This study explored how MCO membranes impact AGEs levels in uncontrolled diabetic patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Methods

Sixteen patients received MCO membrane dialysis, while others used high‐flux (HF) membranes. After 12 sessions, the dialyzers were switched, totaling 24 sessions. Blood samples at trial initiation (T0), session 12 (T1) and session 24 (T2) tested for CML, Pentosidine, laboratory parameters.

Results

Switching dialyzers showed increased albumin with MCO‐to‐HF and decreased with HF‐to‐MCO, albeit nonsignificant (p = 0.5/p = 0.1). Patients on MCO had lower albumin levels than HF (p = 0.03/p = 0.6, respectively). Hemodialysis with MCO demonstrated lower levels of CML/Pentosidine compared to HF (p = 0.09/p = 0.9 for CML;p = 0.04/p = 0.3 for Pentosidine). Transitioning to HF led to elevated levels (p = 0.4/p = 0.09 for CML;p = 0.3/p = 0.07 for Pentosidine).

Conclusion

MCO dialysis in diabetic individuals notably reduces AGE levels.
Genome‐resolved metagenomics identifies novel active microbes in biogeochemical cycling within methanol‐enriched soil
Authors: Macey Michael C.
Published: April 2024

Metagenome assembled genomes (MAGs), generated from sequenced 13C‐labelled DNA from 13C‐methanol enriched soils, were binned using an ensemble approach. This method produced a significantly larger number of higher‐quality MAGs compared to direct binning approaches. These MAGs represent both the primary methanol utilizers and the secondary utilizers labelled via cross‐feeding and predation on the labelled methylotrophs, including numerous uncultivated taxa. Analysis of these MAGs enabled the identification of multiple metabolic pathways within these active taxa that have climatic relevance relating to nitrogen, sulfur and trace gas metabolism. This includes denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium, ammonia oxidation and metabolism of organic sulfur species. The binning of viral sequence data also yielded extensive viral MAGs, identifying active viral replication by both lytic and lysogenic phages within the methanol‐enriched soils. These MAGs represent a valuable resource for characterizing biogeochemical cycling within terrestrial environments.
Gut microbiome affects the response to immunotherapy in non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Ren Shengnan , Feng Lingxin , Liu Haoran , Mao Yuke , Yu Zhuang
Published: April 2024

Background

Immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment. Recent studies have suggested that the efficacy of immunotherapy can be further enhanced by the influence of gut microbiota. In this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of bacteria on the effectiveness of cancer immunotherapy by combining analysis of clinical samples with validation in animal models.

Methods

In order to characterize the diversity and composition of microbiota and its relationship with response to immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs), 16S ribosomal RNA (rRNA) and GC–MS sequencing was performed on 71 stool samples from patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) prior to treatment with immune checkpoint blockade (ICB). Furthermore, fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) was performed from different patients into mice and a subcutaneous tumor model established using the Lewis lung cancer cell line to evaluate the therapeutic effect of PD‐1 on mice with varying gut microbiota.

Results

The results demonstrated a significant association between elevated gut microbiota diversity and response to treatment with ICIs, p < 0.05. Faecalibacterium was markedly increased in the gut microbiota of responders (R), accompanied by increased short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA) levels, especially butanoic acid, acetic acid and hexanoic acid, p < 0.05. Additionally, FMT from R and nonresponders (NR) could promote an anticancer effect and reduce the expression of Ki‐67 cells in tumors in mice, p < 0.05. Moreover, R and NR FMT did not alter PD‐L1 expression in the tumor tissues of mice, p > 0.05. The diversity of gut microbiota consistently correlated with an optimistic prognosis in NSCLC patients with immunotherapy, which could be functionally mediated by SCFAs.

Conclusion

The findings of the present study indicated that the diversity of gut microbiota and SCFAs is related to the efficacy of immunotherapy. FMT can effectively delay tumor progression, and enhance the effect of immunotherapy, thus providing evidence for improving the efficacy of immunotherapy in NSCLC patients.