bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
In Vitro Evaluation of Anti-Inflammatory, Anti-Plaque Efficacy, and Biocompatibility of Norway Spruce (Picea abies) Resin Extract for Oral Care Applications
Authors: Yamileva Kamilla , Parrotta Simone , Multia Evgen
Published: September 2024

The periodontal disease is globally highly prevalent, and calls for novel, effective, and preferably bio-based raw materials. Accumulation of dental plaque causes gingivitis, which is reversible by treatments that control the bacterial biofilm. If left untreated, the gingivitis can lead to gingival inflammation and potentially progress to periodontitis. In this study, a natural antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory Norway spruce (Picea abies) resin extract was evaluated as a potential option in supportive periodontal care. Lipopolysaccharide-induced macrophage-like cells were used to study the anti-inflammatory properties in vitro. The spruce resin extract at 20% concentration had the highest anti-inflammatory effect, comparable to a corticosteroid's effect on pro-inflammatory cytokines interleukin-1 beta (IL-beta), tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha), and matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3). Consequently, the 20% spruce resin extract was selected for toothpaste formulation. Its anti-plaque efficacy was evaluated by total aerobic colony counts and the proportions of streptococci grown on the surfaces of the treated glass rods using pooled human saliva. It was found that the toothpaste effectively reduced dental plaque biofilm, matching the anti-plaque efficacy of Corsodyl mouthwash, containing chlorhexidine digluconate. The toothpaste was also found to be non-corrosive in biocompatibility studies on three-dimensional (3D) models of human oral and gingival epithelium. These findings provide scientific validation of spruce resin's effectiveness in oral care, elucidating probable reasons why people have historically chewed resins for oral care purposes.
CRISPR/Cas9-induced breaks are insufficient to break linkage drag surrounding the ToMV locus ofSolanum lycopersicum
Authors: Grubben Jillis , Bijsterbosch Gerard , Aktürk Burak , Visser Richard G.F. , Schouten Henk J.
Published: September 2024

Despite the success of CRISPR/Cas9 in inducing DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) for genome editing, achieving targeted recombination in somatic cells remains challenging, particularly at recombination cold spots like the Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) resistance locus inSolanum lycopersicum. We investigated the potential of CRISPR/Cas9-induced targeted recombination in somatic cells to overcome linkage drag surrounding the ToMV locus. We employed two strategies: first, inducing DSBs in both alleles of F1tomato seedlings to promote non-homologous end joining (NHEJ) and homology-directed repair (HDR); second, targeting a single allele in a heterozygous background to induce HDR in seedlings. CRISPR/Cas9 activity was confirmed in F₁ seedlings by detecting NHEJ-mediated mutations at the target sites in ToMV. We developed a bioinformatics pipeline to identify targeted recombinants by analyzing single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) between parental haplotypes, allowing precise tracking of SNP variations. A two-dimensional pooling strategy was employed to distinguish genuine recombination events from PCR artifacts. Despite these advances and the active CRISPR/Cas9 system in F1progeny, no increase in recombination frequency was observed compared to wild-type plants. We extended our research to protoplasts to assess whether CRISPR/Cas9 could induce targeted recombination under different cellular conditions at the same locus. Consistent with our findings in F1plants, we observed no increase in recombinant patterns compared to wild-type controls in protoplasts. Our findings suggest that CRISPR/Cas9-induced DSBs are insufficient to break the genetic linkage at the ToMV locus on chromosome 9 in recombination cold spots within somatic cells.

Article Summary

This research targets plant biologists and geneticists interested in enhancing plant breeding techniques. The study used CRISPR/Cas9 technology to induce DNA breaks in tomato plants. It specifically targeted the Tomato Mosaic Virus (ToMV) resistance gene, which resists natural recombination. The aim was to induce genetic recombination via CRISPR/Cas9. The highly active CRISPR/Cas9 system did not increase the expected genetic changes, indicating challenges in achieving targeted recombination. These findings highlight the challenges in breaking genetic linkages in specific genome regions using current CRISPR methods. These findings are relevant for developing techniques for targeted recombination in plant breeding.
Enhanced conspicuousness of prey in warmer water mitigates the visual constraint of turbidity for predators
Authors: Zanghi Costanza , Troscianko Jolyon , Ioannou Christos C
Published: September 2024

Changes in environmental conditions impact predator-prey interactions by altering behaviour through sensory and non-sensory pathways. Elevated water temperature and turbidity are known to alter activity levels and anti-predator responses in prey fish, and are increasing globally as a result of anthropogenic activities. Less is known about how temperature and turbidity impact predators’ ability to detect prey directly, or indirectly via changes to prey behaviour.

We quantified the detectability of Trinidadian guppies (Poecilia reticulata) free-swimming in a large arena from the perspective of a stationary visual predator (simulated as an underwater camera). We used a fully factorial experimental design testing the independent and combined effects of increased temperature and turbidity.

We found that both stressors had a strong influence on the appearance of prey (objectively quantified as the mean magnitude of the optical flow in the videos). As expected, turbidity reduced the frequency of detection between the guppies and the simulated predator, i.e. the magnitude of optical flow exceeded the threshold for a ‘detection event’ more often in clear water. Events were also shorter in duration in turbid water, reducing the time available for a predator to detect the prey. However, during an event, prey were more detectable in warmer water (i.e. the mean magnitude was greater).

Although we found no evidence of interactive effects of turbidity and temperature on the response variables, their cumulative main effects suggest an antagonistic effect on the overall rate of prey capture.
pytom-match-pick: a tophat-transform constraint for automated classification in template matching
Authors: Chaillet Marten L. , Roet Sander , Veltkamp Remco C. , Förster Friedrich
Published: September 2024

Template matching (TM) in cryo-electron tomography (cryo-ET) enablesin situdetection and localization of known macromolecules. However, TM faces challenges such as interfering features with a high signal-to-noise ratio and the need for manual curation of results. To address these challenges, we introduce pytom-match-pick, a GPU-accelerated, open-source command line interface for enhanced TM in cryo-ET. Using pytom-match-pick, we first quantify the effects of point spread function (PSF) weighting and show that a tilt-weighted PSF outperforms a binary wedge with a single defocus estimate. We also assess previously introduced background normalization methods for classification performance. This indicates that phase randomization is more effective than spectrum whitening in reducing false positives. Furthermore, a novel application of the tophat transform on score maps, combined with a dual-constraint thresholding strategy, reduces false positives and improves precision. We benchmarked pytom-match-pick on public datasets, demonstrating improved classification and localization of macromolecules like ribosomal subunits and proteasomes that led to fewer artifacts in subtomogram averages. This tool promises to advance visual proteomics by improving the efficiency and accuracy of macromolecule detection in cellular contexts.
Astrocyte glucocorticoid receptors mediate sex-specific changes in activity following stress
Authors: Depaauw-Holt Lewis R. , Hamane Sarah , Peyrard Sarah , Rogers Benjamin , Fulton Stephanie , Bosson Anthony , Murphy-Royal Ciaran
Published: September 2024

Interactions between orexin neurons and astrocytes in the lateral hypothalamus influence activity levels including circadian and motivated behaviour. These behaviors are disrupted by stress in rodents and form a hallmark of stress-related neuropsychiatric disorders. Here we set out to understand how stress influences activity and the underlying cellular mechanisms. We report that the long-term effects of stress on activity levels correlate with spontaneous firing of orexin neurons with hyperactivity in males and hypoactivity presented by female mice. These neuronal changes were accompanied by extensive astrocyte remodelling. Causal manipulations identified lateral hypothalamic astrocytes as key regulators of activity patterns. In the context of stress, genetic deletion of glucocorticoid receptors in lateral hypothalamic astrocytes rescued the effects of stress on orexin neuron firing, restoring activity to control levels in both males and females. Overall, these data suggest that astrocytic regulation of orexin neuron firing enables the maintenance of activity levels, and their dysfunction drives stress-induced activity dysregulation.

Graphical Abstract
Synthesis and mechanical characterization of polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels with different stiffnesses for large-batch cell culture applications
Authors: Cresens Charlotte , Aytekin Samet , Shaghaghi Behrad , Gerrits Lotte , Montero-Calle Ana , Barderas Rodrigo , Kouwer Paul , Rocha Susana
Published: September 2024

The impact of mechanical cues on cell behavior is increasingly being recognized, rendering hydrogel platforms that mimic the extracellular matrix indispensable inin vitrocell biology research. Here, we present a step-by-step protocol for synthesis and rheological characterization of polyacrylamide (PAAm) hydrogels with varying stiffnesses, produced as large circular unattached gels customizable in shape and size. We outline methods for their use in cell culture and downstream applications involving secretome or cell analysis, and protein visualization by fluorescence microscopy.

This protocol is based on the recent work of Shi & Janmey who describe a novel and straightforward method for the production of large PAAm hydrogels for bulk cell culture and mechanobiology studies.1Their procedure results in one large gel that is not attached to a supporting surface and therefore can be transferred and/or stamped to generate PAAm gels of custom shapes and sizes. The aim of this step-by-step procedure is therefore not to improve the reported protocol, but to create a clearly outlined and repeatable protocol that enables a smooth implementation in any lab for a diverse audience. In addition, our protocol describes besides harvesting of cells also the collection of secretome for downstream biochemical analyses, as well as immunofluorescence labeling using antibodies that can readily be multiplexed for optimization of labeling conditions.

Graphical abstract
A dopaminergic basis of behavioral control
Authors: Ballard Ian C. , Furman Daniella J. , Berry Anne S. , White Robert L. , Jagust William J. , Kayser Andrew S. , D’Esposito Mark
Published: September 2024

Both goal-directed and automatic processes shape human behavior, but these processes often conflict.Behavioral controlis the decision about which process guides behavior. Despite the importance of behavioral control for adaptive decision-making, its neural mechanisms remain unclear. Critically, it is unknown if there are mechanisms for behavioral control that are distinct from those supporting the formation of goal-relevant knowledge. We performed deep phenotyping of individual dopamine system function by combining multiple PET scans, fMRI, and dopaminergic drug administration in a within-subject, double-blind, placebo-controlled design. Subjects performed a rule-based response time task, with goal-directed and automatic decision-making operationalized as model-based and model-free influences on behavior. We found a double dissociation between two aspects of ventral striatal dopamine physiology: D2/3 receptor availability and dopamine synthesis capacity. Convergent and causal evidence indicated that D2/3 receptors regulate behavioral control by enhancing model-based and blunting model-free influences on behavior but do not affect model-based knowledge formation. In contrast, dopamine synthesis capacity was linked to the formation of model-based knowledge but not behavioral control. D2/3 receptors also modulated frontostriatal functional connectivity, suggesting they regulate behavioral control by gating prefrontal inputs to the striatum. These results identify central mechanisms underlying individual and state differences in behavioral control and point to striatal D2/3 receptors as targets for interventions for improving goal-directed behavior.
High-resolutionin vivokinematic tracking with injectable fluorescent nanoparticles
Authors: Ulutas Emine Zeynep , Pradhan Amartya , Koveal Dorothy , Markowitz Jeffrey E.
Published: September 2024

Behavioral quantification is a cornerstone of many neuroscience experiments. Recent advances in motion tracking have streamlined the study of behavior in small laboratory animals and enabled precise movement quantification on fast (millisecond) timescales. This includes markerless keypoint trackers, which utilize deep network systems to label positions of interest on the surface of an animal (e.g., paws, snout, tail,etc.). These approaches mark a major technological achievement. However, they have a high error rate relative to motion capture in humans and are yet to be benchmarked against ground truth datasets in mice. Moreover, the extent to which they can be used to track joint or skeletal kinematics remains unclear. As the primary output of the motor system is the activation of muscles that, in turn, exert forces on the skeleton rather than the skin, it is important to establish potential limitations of techniques that rely on surface imaging. This can be accomplished by imaging implanted fiducial markers in freely moving mice. Here, we present a novel tracking method called QD-Pi (QuantumDot-basedPose estimationin vivo), which employs injectable near-infrared fluorescent nanoparticles (quantum dots, QDs) immobilized on microbeads. We demonstrate that the resulting tags are biocompatible and can be imaged non-invasively using commercially available camera systems when injected into fatty tissue beneath the skin or directly into joints. Using this technique, we accurately capture 3D trajectories of up to ten independent internal positions in freely moving mice over multiple weeks. Finally, we leverage this technique to create a large-scale ground truth dataset for benchmarking and training the next generation of markerless keypoint tracker systems.
Structural insights into terminal arabinosylation biosynthesis of the mycobacterial cell wall arabinan
Authors: Liu Yaqi , Brown Chelsea M. , Erramilli Satchal , Su Yi-Chia , Tseng Po-Sen , Wang Yu-Jen , Duong Nam Ha , Tokarz Piotr , Kloss Brian , Han Cheng-Ruei , Chen Hung-Yu , Rodrigues Jose , Archer Margarida , Lowary Todd L. , Kossiakoff Anthony A. , Stansfeld Phillip J. , Nygaard Rie , Mancia Filippo
Published: September 2024

The emergence of drug-resistant strains exacerbates the global challenge of tuberculosis caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis (Mtb). Central to the pathogenicity of Mtb is its complex cell envelope, which serves as a barrier against both immune system and pharmacological attacks. Two key components of this envelope, arabinogalactan (AG) and lipoarabinomannan (LAM) are complex polysaccharides that contain integral arabinan domains important for cell wall structural and functional integrity. The arabinofuranosyltransferase AftB terminates the synthesis of these arabinan domains by catalyzing the addition of the addition of β-(1→2)-linked terminal arabinofuranose residues. Here, we present the cryo-EM structures of Mycobacterium chubuense AftB in its apo and donor substrate analog-bound form, determined to 2.9 Å and 3.4 Å resolution, respectively. Our structures reveal that AftB has a GT-C fold transmembrane (TM) domain comprised of eleven TM helices and a periplasmic cap domain. AftB has an irregular tube-shaped cavity that bridges the two proposed substrate binding sites. By integrating structural analysis, biochemical assays, and molecular dynamics simulations, we elucidate the molecular basis of the reaction mechanism of AftB and propose a model for catalysis.
Sparsity of population activity in the hippocampus is task-invariant across the trisynaptic circuit and dorsoventral axis
Authors: Lee J. Quinn , Nielsen Matt , McHugh Rebecca , Morgan Erik , Hong Nancy S. , Sutherland Robert J. , McDonald Robert J.
Published: September 2024

Evidence from neurophysiological and genetic studies demonstrates thatactivity sparsity– the proportion of neurons that are active at a given time in a population – systematically varies across the canonical trisynaptic circuit of the hippocampus. Recent work has also shown that sparsity varies across the hippocampal dorsoventral (long) axis, wherein activity is sparser in ventral than dorsal regions. While the hippocampus has a critical role in long-term memory (LTM), whether sparsity across the trisynaptic circuit and hippocampal long axis is task-dependent or invariant remains unknown. Importantly, representational sparsity has significant implications for neural computation and theoretical models of learning and memory within and beyond the hippocampus. Here we used functional molecular imaging to quantify sparsity in the rat hippocampus during performance of the Morris water task (MWT) and contextual fear discrimination (CFD) – two popular and distinct assays of LTM. We found that activity sparsity is highly reliable across memory tasks, wherein activity increases sequentially across the trisynaptic circuit (DG < CA3 < CA1) and decreases across the long axis (ventral < dorsal). These results have important implications for models of hippocampal function and suggest that activity sparsity is a preserved property in the hippocampal system across cognitive settings.
Lateral prefrontal cortex controls interplay between working memory and actions
Authors: Kiyonaga Anastasia , Miller Jacob A. , D’Esposito Mark
Published: September 2024

Humans must often keep multiple task goals in mind, at different levels of priority and immediacy, while also interacting with the environment. We might need to remember information for an upcoming task while engaged in more immediate actions. Consequently, actively maintained working memory (WM) content may bleed into ongoing but unrelated motor behavior. Here, we experimentally test the impact of WM maintenance on action execution, and we transcranially stimulate lateral prefrontal cortex (PFC) to parse its functional contributions to WM-motor interactions. We first created a task scenario wherein human participants (both sexes) executed cued hand movements during WM maintenance. We manipulated the compatibility between WM and movement goals at the trial level and the statistical likelihood that the two would be compatible at the block level. We found that remembering directional words (e.g., ‘left’, ‘down’) biased the trajectory and speed of hand movements that occurred during the WM delay, but the bias was dampened in blocks when WM content predictably conflicted with movement goals. Then we targeted left lateral PFC with two different transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) protocols before participants completed the task. We found that an intermittent theta-burst protocol, which is thought to be excitatory, dampened sensitivity to block-level control demands (i.e., proactive control), while a continuous theta-burst protocol, which is thought to be inhibitory, dampened adaptation to trial-by- trial conflict (i.e., reactive control). Therefore, lateral PFC is involved in controlling the interplay between WM content and manual action, but different PFC mechanisms may support different time-scales of adaptive control.

Significance Statement

Working memory (WM) allows us to keep information active in mind to achieve our moment-to-moment goals. However, WM maintenance may sometimes unintentionally shape our externally-geared actions. This study formalizes the everyday “action slips” humans commit when we type out or say the wrong word in conversation because it was held in mind for a different goal. The results show that internally maintained content can influence ongoing hand movements, but this interplay between WM and motor behavior depends on the cortical excitability state of the lateral PFC. Neural perturbation with transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) shows that temporarily increasing or decreasing PFC excitability can make participants more or less susceptible to the impact of WM on actions.
Calculations of space-charge tune shifts in storage rings with extremely short bunches and small bunch spacing
Authors: Zhao Zihang , Wang Na , Xu Haisheng , Pan Zhilong
Published: September 2024

Space-charge tune shifts can affect the beam quality in storage rings. Laslett’s method, a classical approach for calculating space-charge tune shifts, may not hold valid assumptions for rings with extremely short bunches and small bunch spacing, such as in steady-state microbunching (SSMB) storage rings. To overcome this limitation, we have developed new formulas that are suitable for arbitrary bunch lengths and spacings for calculating space-charge tune shifts. Additionally, simplified formulas have been provided for the calculations of space-charge tune shifts specifically in the context of extremely short bunch lengths. Numerical computations were carried out to demonstrate the validity of these newly derived formulas. Moreover, the formulas were applied to compute the space-charge tune shifts in an SSMB storage ring characterized by typical parameters.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Quantum routing with teleportation
Authors: Devulapalli Dhruv , Schoute Eddie , Bapat Aniruddha , Childs Andrew M. , Gorshkov Alexey V.
Published: September 2024

We study the problem of implementing arbitrary permutations of qubits under interaction constraints in quantum systems that allow for arbitrarily fast local operations and classical communication (LOCC). In particular, we show examples of speedups over swap-based and more general unitary routing methods by distributing entanglement and using LOCC to perform quantum teleportation. We further describe an example of an interaction graph for which teleportation gives a logarithmic speedup in the worst-case routing time over swap-based routing. We also study limits on the speedup afforded by quantum teleportation—showing an O(NlogN) upper bound on the separation in routing time for any interaction graph—and give tighter bounds for some common classes of graphs.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
The relevance of post-Keynesian macroeconomics for middle-income economies
Authors: Feijo Carmem
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This paper, based on the 2022 Master Class delivered at the 50th National Economic Meeting organized by ANPEC, discusses how post-Keynesian macroeconomics and New Developmentalism complement each other to understand middle-income economies' development in financial globalization. It summarizes my academic reflection about the advance in post-Keynesian thinking to develop macroeconomics for peripheral middle-income economies.

Design/methodology/approach

As part of this reflection, I first bring up the idea of a developmental convention and, next, how peripheral financialization impacts the elaboration of this convention. Given the asymmetric configuration of the international financial system and the context of hierarchical currencies, I discuss the challenge of overcoming underdevelopment in peripheral economies. The post-Keynesian macroeconomics and advances in the structuralist debate provide the analytical tools to understand how peripheral economies develop virtuous or vicious growth cycles. At the end of the paper, I present some comments on the stagnation of the Brazilian economy.

Findings

The growth strategy with foreign savings does not provide the conditions for middle-income economies to operate with sufficient economic policy autonomy to promote productive transformation. To this end, a developmental convention should replace the neoliberal convention that has dominated since the 1970s.

Originality/value

The dynamics of peripheral, middle-income economies, often influenced by international liquidity flows, are a crucial area of study. This research underscores the importance of understanding these dynamics, as it forms the basis for economic policy recommendations. The paper also highlights the inadequacy of the growth strategy with foreign savings in the current configuration of the international financial system, emphasizing the need for middle-income economies to operate with greater economic policy autonomy to foster productive transformation.
On the limited damp-proofing of residential buildings: do social norms matter?
Authors: Agyekum Kofi , Hammond Samuel Fiifi , Acheampong Alex Opoku , Gasue Rhoda
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study draws on neoclassical and behavioural economics theories to provide an empirical insight into the effect of knowledge, costs, and social norms on damp-proofing residential buildings in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the quantitative approach involving survey data. A sample size of 242 participants was involved in the study. Applying principal component analysis on the responses from the participants, an index for damp-proofing, cost, knowledge, and social norms was derived. After generating the indexes, the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression was applied to estimate the impact of knowledge, costs, and social norms on damp-proofing.

Findings

The results from the OLS regression revealed that knowledge has a significant positive effect on damp-proofing while costs and social norms have significant negative effect on damp-proofing in Ghana. This study, therefore, concludes that although neoclassical economic factors such as knowledge and cost affect behaviour (damp-proofing), behavioural factors such as social norms also matter.

Practical implications

The outcome of this study calls for policymakers to consider putting in place measures that increase knowledge and promote the use of damp-proofing techniques during the construction of buildings. In addition, the study calls for scholars to partake in collaborative research amongst disciplines such as economics, psychology, and the construction industry in order to provide more innovative solutions, the key of which is finding innovative ways to damp proof buildings.

Originality/value

This study is original in its context as it draws on neoclassical and behavioural economics theories to provide an empirical insight into the effect of knowledge, costs, and social norms on damp-proofing of residential buildings in Ghana. This is an area that has received less attention in the areas of building biology and building pathology globally.
Intellectual capital as a driver of value creation in Serbian entrepreneurial firms
Authors: Paunović Mihailo , Milovanović Vesna , Štrbac Dijana , Domazet Ivana
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This paper analyses the role of intellectual capital (IC) as a factor of the financial performance of entrepreneurial firms, which are recognized as the main drivers of economic growth and employment.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consists of 188 business owners from Serbia. The primary data are collected using the questionnaire, while the secondary data come from the annual financial statements of their companies. The elements of IC as independent variables are grouped into three components: human, structural and relational capital; sales revenue and operating profit CAGR (5y) are used as dependent variables, while company size and industry type are used as control variables. Statistical analysis involves factor and regression analyses.

Findings

The results reveal that IC components contribute to the long-term financial performance of entrepreneurial firms. Specifically, the following elements have positive effects on financial performance: knowledge of the entrepreneur, process improvement and organisational culture. On the other hand, entrepreneurs’ social skills and tenacity were found to have a negative impact on revenue and operating profit growth, while support from informal networks had a negative effect on the growth of sales revenue.

Originality/value

This study aims to fill a gap in the literature on the impact of IC on the financial performance of entrepreneurial firms.
Examining the Indonesian dual banking system: an exploration of market discipline indicators
Authors: Wardhani Nurhastuti Kesumo , Faff Robert , Liu Lewis , Abdul Halim Zairihan
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This research aims to investigate the disciplinary functions of depositors and subordinated debt holders within Indonesia's dual banking system, examining the impact of regulatory changes on market discipline.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a comprehensive analysis of the dual banking system in Indonesia over 15 years. Utilizing a non-public dataset from the Financial Services Authority and the Indonesia Deposit Insurance Corporation, the study employs propensity score matching and difference-in-differences analysis.

Findings

The findings reveal distinct patterns in the exercise of market discipline by depositors over different regulatory regimes. During the blanket guarantee regime (2002–2005), depositors lacked the incentive to monitor banks but resumed their disciplinary role under the limited guarantee regime (2005–2017). Islamic banks faced simultaneous market and regulatory discipline, with market discipline prevailing.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by providing novel insights into the interplay between regulatory changes, market discipline and depositor behavior within Indonesia's dual banking system. The utilization of a comprehensive non-public dataset from regulatory authorities adds to the originality of the research.
Utilizing blockchain to enhance project management information systems: insights into project portfolio success, knowledge management and learning capabilities
Authors: Alkhudary Rami , Gardiner Paul
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This paper explores how blockchain technology can enhance information quality within project management information systems (PMIS), thereby positively affecting knowledge management, learning capabilities and project portfolio success.

Design/methodology/approach

We employ a literature review and a theory-based approach to develop a conceptual framework and set of propositions that integrate key principles from blockchain technology, project management and dynamic capabilities theory. Subsequently, a focus group is conducted to refine our propositions, providing insights and examples demonstrating the potential value of blockchain in project management.

Findings

The findings suggest that blockchain significantly impacts the information quality within PMIS. This improvement in information quality enhances traceability, reliability and security of project data, facilitating better decision-making and governance. The focus group revealed blockchain’s benefits in managing confidential data and streamlining knowledge sharing processes, ultimately contributing to project portfolio success.

Originality/value

This research offers a novel conceptual framework and original insights into the application of blockchain in project management, particularly within the context of Industry 4.0, paving the way for future research on digital transformation in project management.
Greenhouse gas assurance and carbon emission performance in light of the auditor’s reputation and the country’s development level
Authors: Alkebsee Radwan , Mardini Ghassan H. , Azibi Jamel , Koutoupis Andreas G. , Davidopoulos Leonidas G.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The objective of this study is to determine the impact of GHG assurance on firms’ carbon emissions performance (CEP) regarding curbing carbon emissions and the effect on such by the GHG assurance provider’s affiliation and reputation. It also explores whether the affiliation and reputation of GHG assurance providers imply the relationship between GHG assurance and the firm’s CEP. Further, this study examines the moderating effect of the country’s development level on the relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a sample of international firms from 56 countries spanning the period from 2012 to 2020, this study utilizes the ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. We also run the OLS regression at times t+1 and t+2 to verify the baseline results. To address the endogeneity concerns arising from self-selection bias and the causality effect, this study applies the generalized method of moment (GMM) and the Heckman test.

Findings

This study finds that GHG assurance leads to better CEP by firms. We also find that engaging with accounting assurance providers leads firms to a better CEP than non-accounting assurance providers. Our results show that Big Four auditors can help firms decrease carbon emissions. We also find that the positive effect of GHG assurance is prevalent in firms operating in developed countries.

Research limitations/implications

Our study only considers the influence of the assuror’s reputation and affiliation on CEP without examining other factors that may influence the quality of assurance services provided.

Practical implications

Our study provides a practical implication related to the influence of a GHG assurance provider’s affiliation and reputation globally by providing evidence that accounting and Big Four assurance providers do play a significant role in a firm’s carbon emission performance. This study offers great insights into the GHG assurance impact on CEP with the interplay between the assuror’s affiliation and reputation and the country’s development.

Originality/value

This paper enriches the limit evidence on GHG assurance and CEP by providing novel evidence on the relationship between GHG assurance and a firm’s CEP. Moreover, this study provides insights into the implication of a country’s development level on the role of GHG assurance in CEP.
Measuring quantity in ecosystem markets and ecosystem accounts
Authors: Stoneham Gary , Beverly Craig
Published: September 2024

The quantity of ecosystem services produced from land cannot be readily measured at the site level needed for participation in ecosystem markets, or at a regional level needed to create ecosystem accounts. This paper applies biological scaling principles to develop a quantity metric in which areas of ecosystem (extent) scale allometrically to ecosystem services (a capacity measure) according to a scaling exponent defined by the fractal dimension of ecosystem vegetation. A key conclusion of this paper is that the quantity of ecosystem services arising from ecosystem degradation and conservation activities cannot be estimated unless information about the space‐filling properties of vegetation is observed and included in the quantity measurement methodology. The paper demonstrates how remote sensing techniques can be applied to systematically measure ecosystem extent and fractal dimension. It illustrates the economic efficiency and environmental outcome implications of such a quantity metric through comparison with current quantity estimation methods that assume isometric scaling. The quantity metric proposed has potential applications to ecosystem accounting. It enables information currently reported in land accounts to be combined with information reported in ecosystem condition accounts to create ecosystem stock accounts measured in physical units.
THE POLITICS OF VIOLENT CONCATENATIONS
Authors: Auyero Javier , Servián Sofía
Published: September 2024

Based on three years of ethnographic fieldwork, this article examines face‐to‐face violent interactions in a high‐poverty squatter settlement in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Delving into the situational interactions and biographies of those who simultaneously exercise and suffer violence—victims and perpetrators—we illustrate in fine‐grained detail the concatenations of violence and their political dimensions. Violent concatenations are political in a twofold sense: (1) they are shaped by state (legal and illegal) interventions, and (2) they are understood by both victims and perpetrators as being caused by state actors either directly (in the form of police repression) or clandestinely (in the form of collusion with criminals).
Parents' lived experiences regarding the decision‐making process on reasonable accommodations for their child with SEN—An IPA analysis
Authors: Fluyt Laura , Vandesande S. , Nijs S.
Published: September 2024

Reasonable accommodations (RA) for children with special educational needs (SEN) need to be decided in collaboration with all stakeholders. Even though parents play a crucial part in the inclusive school trajectory or their child with SEN, they often miss a clear role in this decision‐making process. In this research, using interpretative phenomenological analysis (IPA), six parents of children with SEN were questioned. The analysis showed that parents are bound to the decisive character of school professionals and find themselves along the spectrum of being actively involved to being followers. There are often opposite perspectives, and in many cases insufficient RA are decided upon according to parents. This resulted in diagnostic trajectories and a search for support outside the school environment. In many cases, parents perceived the decision‐making process on RA for their child with SEN as a life‐long journey and a never‐ending process. In the end, enabling factors were expressed by parents that facilitated the decision‐making process on RA.
Multiphysical field and multiobjective mathematical modeling of grain–oilseed storage: Current status and future trends
Authors: Zhu Guang‐Fei , Vidyarthi Sriram K. , Zhou Xin‐Qun , Zhang Yong‐Li , Lei Deng‐Wen , Li Lan‐Xin , Shi Jian‐Fang , Chen Peng‐Xiao , Xie Qi‐Zhen , Xiao Hong‐Wei
Published: September 2024

Storage is an important process involved in the postharvest treatment of grain–oilseed and is necessary for maintaining high quality and ensuring the long‐term supply of these commodities in the food industry. Proper storage practices help prevent spoilage, maintain nutritional value, and preserve marketable quality. It is of great interest for storage to investigate flow, heat and mass transfer processes, and quality change for optimizing the operation parameters and ensuring the quality of grain–oilseed. This review discusses the mathematical models developed and applied to describe the physical field, biological field, and quality change during the storage of grain–oilseed. The advantages, drawbacks, and industrial relevance of the existing mathematical models were also critically evaluated, and an organic system was constructed by correlating them. Finally, the future research trends of the mathematical models toward the development of multifield coupling models based on biological fields to control quality were presented to provide a reference for further directions on the application of numerical simulations in this area. Meanwhile, artificial intelligence (AI) can greatly enhance our understanding of the coupling relationships within grain–oilseed storage. AI's strengths in both qualitative and quantitative analysis, as well as its effectiveness, make it an invaluable tool for this purpose.
Evaluation of green kiwifruit juice extract on physicochemical properties, antioxidant activity, and tenderness of beef M. semitendinosus with in vitro digestion
Authors: Kim Haeun , Chin Koo Bok
Published: September 2024

This study focused on the physicochemical properties and tenderness of vacuum‐packaged beef M. semitendinosus as affected by various dilution ratios (DRs, 1:4, 1:2, and 1:1) of green kiwifruit juice extract (GKJE) with phosphate buffer during storage at 4°C for 7 days. In addition, the formation of peptides with antioxidant activity for GKJE ability to hydrolyze proteins present in beef was evaluated at different steps of in vitro digestion. Beef with GKJE showed higher tenderness than control (CTL, beef with brine solution alone) during storage, and the increased DR increased tenderness as compared to lower DRs. The addition of GKJE increased protein digestibility during in vitro digestion. To increase the antioxidant activity in the body, GKJE having a DR of 1:2 and 1:1 should be applied to the beef muscle with effective antioxidant activity. These results suggest that DRs of phosphate buffer and kiwifruit juice of 1:1 and 1:2 have the potential to be used as a meat‐tenderizing agent and could increase the digestibility of meat as well as the antioxidant capability of bioactive peptides.

Practical Application

The dilution ratio of kiwi juice with phosphate buffer at 1:1 has the potential to be used as a meat‐tenderizing agent during refrigerated storage and also increase the digestibility of beef.
Exploring the chemical composition of granola formulated with different sweeteners and produced via oven and microwave baking
Authors: Erdoğan Selma Lubabe , Çetintaş Yunus , Tekgül Barut Yeliz , Süfer Özge , Çalışkan Koç Gülşah , Yüksel Ayşe Nur
Published: September 2024

The objective of this study was to create and characterize an innovative granola, a popular choice in quick breakfasts. The granola samples were sweetened with agave syrup (A), honey (H), and stevia (S) and produced using conventional oven (1) and microwave (2) baking techniques at temperatures of 160°C and 300 W, respectively. Among the samples, H1 exhibited the highest total sugar content (26.64 ng/µL), with fructose being the predominant monosaccharide in A and H samples, whereas saccharose and maltose were more prominent in S‐containing samples. Hydroxymethylfurfural was absent in S2, but its concentrations ranged between 10.52 and 85.78 ppm in the other samples. Linoleic acid constituted nearly 52% of the fatty acid composition in all granolas. In terms of organic acid composition, malic acid ranged between 1189.55 and 2022.95 µg/mL, and citric acid fell within the range of 341.58 and 1824.04 µg/mL. The granola specimens also contained individual phenolic compounds, such as vanillic acid, vanillin, ferulic acid, propyl gallate, and pyrocatechol.

Practical Application

This study demonstrates that both baking method and sweetener choice significantly impact the chemical quality attributes of granola, which is a popular breakfast cereal. Microwave baking can be a faster and potentially healthier option, whereas stevia offers a low‐calorie sweetener alternative. Further research is needed to maximize health benefits of granola products.
Effect of non‐thermal acidic and alkaline modifications on the structural, pasting, rheological, and functional properties of cassava (Manihot esculenta) starch
Authors: Alonso‐Gomez Leonardo A. , Gonzalez‐Hernandez Angie J. , Fragua‐Cruz Andrés F. , Barrón‐García Oscar Y. , Rodriguez‐Garcia Mario E.
Published: September 2024

This study aimed to investigate the effects of acid or alkali modification of isolated cassava starch (ICS) on its physicochemical properties. Acetic acid concentrations of 5%, 10%, and 20% v/v (0.87, 1.73, and 3.46 M, respectively) and calcium hydroxide concentrations of 0.15%, 0.20%, and 0.30% w/w (0.02, 0.025, and 0.04 M, respectively) were tested independently and compared with untreated isolated starch. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) shows starches with polyhedral and semispherical shapes; these modifications do not change the surface of the starch granules. Nanocrystals with orthorhombic crystal structure were extracted from ICS. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) shows crystallites with a size (two‐dimensional) of 20 ± 5 nm in length and 10 ± 2 nm in width and reveals that this starch contains nanocrystals with orthorhombic crystal structure. The X‐ray patterns show that these nanocrystals are unaffected by acidic or alkaline treatments. The Ca+2 and CH3COO− ions do not interact with these nanocrystals. The alkaline treatment only affects the gelatinization temperature at a Ca(OH)2 concentration of 0.30%. Low concentrations of acidic and alkaline treatments affect the ability of cassava starch to absorb water and reduce the peak and final viscosity. The infrared spectra show that the modifications lead to C–H and C═C bond formations. ICS‐B 0.30 can modify the amorphous regions of the starch, and the acid treatment leads to acetylation, which was confirmed by the presence of an IR band at 1740 cm−1.
Earnings management reactions to key audit matters
Authors: Camacho‐Miñano María‐del‐Mar , Campa Domenico , Parte Laura
Published: September 2024

This paper aims to investigate the earnings management (EM) reactions of firms to the key audit matters (KAMs) disclosed in expanded audit reports. Although previous literature has extensively investigated the interconnection between EM and different risks, little research to date examines the association between KAMs and EM strategies, considering both real earnings management and accruals earnings management. To test the hypotheses, we use a sample of UK listed companies over the period 2013 to 2018. The results show a different relationship between KAMs disclosed in the extended audit report and EM strategies. In particular, findings reveal that EM strategies differ according to the number of KAMs, the type of KAMs and each specific type of KAMs. The article contributes to a better understanding of the effect of financial information transparency and accounting quality.
“Magical math hand‐waving”
Authors: Schubert Jon
Published: September 2024

Political risk forecasting is an industry that provides specialized analysis to a range of clients, including insurance companies, extractive industries, governments, defense ministries, and NGOs. Risk forecasters aim to help their clients mitigate risks by anticipating political developments that could threaten their investments and assets, especially in the “emerging markets” of the Global South. What can ethnographic analysis reveal about this industry's knowledge practices and how it transforms open‐source intelligence into commercially relevant risk forecasts? Based on five years of work experience as Senior Africa Analyst at a commercial intelligence firm, I examine how forecasters select and process risk‐relevant events, narrate them as qualitative risk briefs, and finally assign them quantitative risk scores. Through a close reading of a risk firm's internal guidelines and its daily practices, I show how analysts construct risk in African countries in line with entrenched sociopolitical imaginaries, reproducing the coloniality of finance.