bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Directionality of transcriptional regulatory elements
Authors: Chen You , Shah Sagar R. , Leung Alden K. , Paramo Mauricio I. , Cochran Kelly , Kundaje Anshul , Clark Andrew G. , Lis John T. , Yu Haiyuan
Published: December 2024

Divergent transcription is a critical marker of active transcriptional regulatory elements (TREs), including enhancers and promoters, in mammals. However, distal elements with unidirectional transcriptional patterns are often overlooked, leaving their identity and function poorly understood. Here, we performed a systematic comparison between divergent and unidirectional elements, revealing their distinct architectural and functional features. Our analysis also shows that unidirectional elements have younger sequence ages and are under weaker evolutionary constraints than divergent elements, indicating that they may represent a unique category of genomic regulatory function with more recent origins. Notably, we observed that some transcription factors, including CTCF, AP1, SP, and NFY, exhibit dual roles in modulating the directionality of TREs, either activating or repressing nascent transcription in a position-dependent manner. Overall, the elucidation of directionality enhances our understanding of the diverse architectural models, functional features, evolutionary dynamics, and regulatory logic of TREs.
Identification and developmental profiling of microRNAs in the acoel wormHofstenia miamia
Authors: Duan Ye , Segev Tomer , Veksler-Lublinsky Isana , Ambros Victor , Srivastava Mansi
Published: December 2024

The acoel wormHofstenia miamia (H. miamia)has recently emerged as a model organism for studying whole-body regeneration and embryonic development. Previous studies suggest that post-transcriptional mechanisms likely play important roles in whole-body regeneration. Here, we establish a resource for studyingH. miamiamicroRNA-mediated gene regulation, a major aspect of post-transcriptional control in animals. Using small RNA-sequencing samples spanning key developmental stages, we annotatedH. miamiamicroRNAs. Our analysis uncovered a total of 1,050 microRNA loci, including 479 high-confidence loci based on structural and read abundance criteria. Comparison of microRNA seed sequences with those in other bilaterian species revealed thatH. miamiaencodes the majority of known conserved bilaterian microRNA families and that several microRNA families previously reported only in protostomes or deuterostomes likely have ancient bilaterian origins. We profiled the expression dynamics of theH. miamiamiRNAs across embryonic and post-embryonic development. We observed that thelet-7andmir-125microRNAs are unconventionally enriched at early embryonic stages. To generate hypotheses for miRNA function, we annotated the 3’ UTRs ofH. miamiaprotein-coding genes and performed miRNA target site predictions. Focusing on genes that are known to function in the wound response, posterior patterning, and neural differentiation inH. miamia, we found that these processes may be under substantial miRNA regulation. Notably, we found that miRNAs in MIR-7 and MIR-9 families which have target sites in the posterior genesfz-1,wnt-3, andsp5are indeed expressed in the anterior of the animal, consistent with a repressive effect on their corresponding target genes. Our annotation offers candidate miRNAs for further functional investigation, providing a resource for future studies of post-transcriptional control during development and regeneration.
Stress during puberty and adulthood pregnancy impact histone acetylation regulators in the hypothalamus
Authors: Luther Laiklyn A.M. , Higley Samantha L. , Morrison Kathleen E.
Published: December 2024

Undergoing stressful events during puberty puts women at risk for a variety of negative outcomes, and this risk is heightened if they become pregnant later in life. We previously demonstrated that stress during puberty combined with pregnancy in adulthood led to a blunted response of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal stress axis in humans and mice. We have begun to understand the mechanisms underlying this effect by examining the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), a key regulator of the HPA axis. Prior studies uncovered an increase in chromatin openness within the PVN of the at-risk mice, with bioinformatic analyses implicating histone acetylation in this increased openness. Here, we measured the activity of histone acetyltransferase (HATs) and histone deacetylase (HDACs), the writers and erasers of histone acetylation, within the PVN to further characterize how stress during puberty and pregnancy may be interacting to produce a blunted stress response. We found that histone acetylation tone within the PVN is predictive of prior transcriptional and chromatin results, with pregnant, pubertally stressed females having a pro-acetylation tone within the PVN. These findings establish a role for regulators of acetylation in the open chromatin landscape characteristic in the PVN of pregnant, pubertally stressed females. Overall, this study provides insight into the epigenetic mechanisms underlying female-relevant risk for stress dysregulation, a central endophenotype of affective disorders.
Have you heard of Rift Valley fever? Findings from a multi-country study in East and Central Africa
Authors: Odinoh Raymond , Dawa Jeanette , Situma Silvia , Nyakarahuka Luke , Lepore Luciana , Vanlerberghe Veerle , Nasimiyu Carolyne , Makiala Sheila , Ifufa Christian , Mukadi Daniel , Viala Herve , Owor Nicholas , Bakamutumaho Barnabas , Ndumu Deo , Masumu Justin , Breiman Robert F. , Njenga Kariuki
Published: December 2024

Introduction

Rift Valley Fever (RVF) has caused outbreaks in Africa, impacting human health and animal trade. Recently, sporadic detections among humans and animals in East Africa have replaced large-scale outbreaks. We assessed RVF knowledge levels in East and Central Africa across countries with different epidemiological profiles.

Materials and Methods

Individuals aged ≥10 years with acute febrile illness were enrolled from six health facilities in Kenya, Uganda, and the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). Sociodemographic information was collected and participants asked questions on RVF transmission, symptoms, prevention, and control. Blood samples were tested for anti-RVF antibodies (IgG and IgM). Knowledge was categorized as absent, basic, or advanced. Descriptive and ordinal logistic regression analysis identified factors associated with RVF knowledge.

Results

Among 4,806 participants (median age 31, IQR 22–44, 57.5% female), only 20.5% demonstrated any RVF knowledge (16.4% basic, 4.1% advanced). Knowledge levels varied by country: DRC (3.1%), Uganda (16.1%), and Kenya (42.6%). Factors associated with RVF knowledge included age 20–40 years aOR 1.72 (95%CI 1,24–2.22) and >40 years 2.42 (95%CI 1.74–3.420), male gender aOR 1.54 (95%CI 1.31–1.82), healthcare workers aOR 7.95 (95%CI 5.25–12.1), residence in Kenya aOR 23.5 (95%CI 15.8–35.8) or Uganda 5.4 (95%CI 3.68–8.38), completing primary education aOR 3.24 (95%CI 1.94–5.75) with advanced education shown to increase knowledge, postgraduate aOR 11.5 (95%CI 4.0– 32.4). Other factors included presence of livestock within the homes aOR 1.30 (95%CI 1.06– 1.59) and prevention of mosquito bites aOR 1.55 (95%CI 0.46–0.66). Animal farmers, butchers, and those with close animal contact showed no association, despite being at-risk populations.

Conclusion

RVF knowledge was low overall, varying by country, age, education, and environmental factors. Increased awareness is crucial for high-exposure groups in all regions, particularly in Uganda, where exposure is higher, but knowledge remains low.
Unified genus-1 potential and a parametric perturbative/nonperturbative relation
Authors: Çavuşoğlu Atakan , Kozçaz Can , Tezgin Kemal
Published: December 2024

We study a parametric deformation of the unified genus-1 anharmonic potential and derive a parametric form of perturbative/nonperturbative (P/NP) relation, applicable across all parameter values. We explicitly demonstrate that the perturbative expansion around the perturbative saddle is sufficient to generate all the nonperturbative information in these systems. Our results confirm the known results in the literature, where the cubic and quartic anharmonic potentials are reproduced under extreme parameter values, and go beyond these known results by developing the nonperturbative function of real and complex instantons solely from perturbative data.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Scaling Violation in Power Corrections to Energy Correlators from the Light-Ray Operator Product Expansion
Authors: Chen Hao , Monni Pier Francesco , Xu Zhen , Zhu Hua Xing
Published: December 2024

In recent years, energy correlators have emerged as a powerful tool to explore the field theoretic structure of strong interactions at particle colliders. In this Letter we initiate a novel study of the nonperturbative power corrections to the projected N-point energy correlators in the limit where the angle between the detectors is small. Using the light-ray operator product expansion as a guiding principle, we derive the power corrections in terms of two nonperturbative quantities describing the fragmentation of quarks and gluons. In analogy with their perturbative leading-power counterpart, we show that power corrections obey a classical scaling behavior that is violated at the quantum level. This crucially results in a dependence on the hard scale Q of the problem that is calculable in perturbation theory. Our analytic predictions are successfully tested against Monte Carlo simulations for both lepton and hadron colliders, marking a significant step forward in the understanding of these observables.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
First-Principles Prediction of Structural Distortions in the Cuprates and Their Impact on the Electronic Structure
Authors: Jin Zheting , Ismail-Beigi Sohrab
Published: December 2024

Materials-realistic microscopic theoretical descriptions of copper-based superconductors are challenging due to their complex crystal structures combined with strong electron interactions. Here, we demonstrate how density functional theory can accurately describe key structural, electronic, and magnetic properties of the normal state of the prototypical cuprate Bi2Sr2CaCu2O8+x (Bi-2212). We emphasize the importance of accounting for energy-lowering structural distortions, which then allows us to (a) accurately describe the insulating antiferromagnetic (AFM) ground state of the undoped parent compound (in contrast to the metallic state predicted by previous studies); (b) identify numerous low-energy competing spin and charge stripe orders in the hole-overdoped material nearly degenerate in energy with the AFM ordered state, indicating strong spin fluctuations; (c) predict the lowest-energy hole-doped crystal structure including its long-range structural distortions and oxygen dopant positions that match high-resolution scanning transmission electron microscopy measurements; and (d) describe electronic bands near the Fermi energy with flat antinodal dispersions and Fermi surfaces that are in agreement with angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy (ARPES) measurements and provide a clear explanation for the structural origins of the so-called “shadow bands.” We also show how one must go beyond band theory and include fully dynamic spin fluctuations via a many-body approach when aiming to make quantitative predictions to measure the ARPES spectra in the overdoped material. Finally, regarding spatial inhomogeneity, we show that the local structure at the CuO2 layer, rather than dopant electrostatic effects, modulates the local charge-transfer gaps, local correlation strengths, and by extension the local superconducting gaps.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Polymorphism of Pb5(PO4)3OHδ within the LK-99 mixture
Authors: Xu Mingyu , Wang Haozhe , Vojvodin Cameron , Yarava Jayasubba Reddy , Wang Tuo , Xie Weiwei
Published: December 2024

During the synthetic exploration targeting the polycrystalline compound LK-99, an unexpected phase, Pb5(PO4)3OHδ, was identified as a byproduct. We elucidated the composition of this compound through single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. Subsequent synthesis of the target compounds was achieved via high-temperature solid-state pellet reactions. The newly identified Pb5(PO4)3OHδ has an orthorhombic crystal structure with space group Pnma, representing a unique structure differing from the hexagonal apatite phases of Pb10(PO4)6O and Pb5(PO4)3OH. Comprehensive temperature- and magnetic-field-dependent magnetization studies unveiled a temperature-independent magnetic characteristic of Pb5(PO4)3OHδ. Solid-state nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy was employed to decipher the origins of the phase stability and confirm the presence of hydrogen atoms in Pb5(PO4)3OHδ. These investigations revealed the presence of protonated oxygen sites, in addition to the interstitial water molecules within the structure, which may play critical roles in stabilizing the orthorhombic phase.
Variable stoichiometry and a salt–cocrystal intermediate in multicomponent systems of flucytosine: structural elucidation and their impact on stability
Authors: Kanagavel Manimurugan , Balasubramanian Sridhar , Nechipadappu Sunil Kumar
Published: December 2024

New cocrystals and a salt–cocrystal intermediate system involving the antifungal drug flucytosine (FCY) and various coformers including caffeic acid (CAF), 2-chloro-4-nitrobenzoic acid (CNB), hydroquinone (HQN), resorcinol (RES) and catechol (CAL), are reported. The crystal structures of the prepared multicomponent systems were determined through SC-XRD analysis and characterized by different solid-state techniques. All FCY multicomponent systems crystallize in anhydrous form with different stoichiometric ratios. The cocrystals FCY–HQN, FCY–RES and FCY–CAL crystallize in 2:0.5, 2:0.5 and 3:2 stoichiometric ratios respectively. In contrast, FCY–CAF and FCY–CNB crystallize in a 1:1 stoichiometric ratio. The FCY–CAF cocrystal is formed via an acid–pyrimidine heterosynthon. Due to the partial proton transfer from the acid group of CNB to FCY, a three-point homosynthon is observed between two FCY molecules and the molecules interact via an N—H...O hydrogen bond between FCY and CNB. In FCY phenolic cocrystals, a single-point O—H...O hydrogen bond is observed. The formation of cocrystals and salt–cocrystal intermediate was further confirmed by difference Fourier map analysis and bond angle differences. Except for FCY–CAL, all the multicomponent systems were reproduced in the bulk scale for further characterization. A detailed Crystal Structural Database search was carried out on the multicomponent systems of FCY with acid coformers and we evaluated the formation of cocrystals/salt based on the ΔpKa
values, the difference in the bond distances and bond angles. Additionally, the prepared multicomponent systems exhibited hydration stability for one month under accelerated conditions [40 (2) °C and relative humidity 90–95 (5)%].
A milestone for the solution to the lattice sphere covering problem in dimension n = 6
Authors: Vallentin Frank
Published: December 2024

The complete classification of (primitive, generic) parallelohedra in a given dimension is a challenging computational task. Nearly 50 years have passed since the classification for the last dimension, n = 5, was completed. One application of such a classification is in solving the lattice sphere covering problem for the corresponding dimension. The paper by Dutour Sikirić & van Woerden [Acta Cryst. (2025), A81, https://doi.org/10.1107/S2053273324010143] marks a milestone in the classification effort for dimension n = 6. It provides a complete classification of all primitive iso-edge domains; here primitive parallelohedra are identified based on their facet vectors.
Defend what you love and what is fair: defensive word-of-mouth toward a brand
Authors: Lai Yueh-Hysuan , Huang Mei-Tzu , Lin Tom M.Y.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study investigates the mechanism of defensive word-of-mouth (WOM), which refers to consumers responding to unfair negative online reviews of a brand with which they identify.

Design/methodology/approach

Study 1 employs an experimental design that manipulates brand identification and the perceived fairness of negative WOM, using a gift card choice scenario to measure decision-making behavior. Study 2 involves a real event with Google reviews and follows a quasi-experimental design, manipulating identification with the university and using Google Maps star ratings to measure brand attitude.

Findings

Consumers with high brand identification are more likely to defend the brand when confronted with unfair negative WOM. However, they do not always exhibit defensive WOM in fair cases. Furthermore, the results show that the defensive WOM can strengthen consumers’ brand attitude and supportive behavior.

Practical implications

Encouraging defensive WOM by mobilizing brand advocates and highlighting the unfairness of negative WOM could be a practical strategy to defend the brand and minimize the risk of online firestorms. Notably, defensive WOM itself strengthens the relationship between consumers and the brand.

Originality/value

This study proposes a mechanism for the defensive WOM phenomenon and demonstrates that the rebound effect in brand attitude caused by negative WOM comes from consumers’ willingness to express defensive WOM. We draw on self-affirmation theory to address the gap in theoretical explanations for defensive WOM. This contributes to the literature on self-identity and WOM research by showing that consumers defend their identities through WOM communication.
Integrating quality into the reverse logistics in construction: an empirical study in South Australia
Authors: Wijewickrama M.K.C.S. , Chileshe Nicholas , Rameezdeen Raufdeen , Ochoa J. Jorge
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Inferior quality reprocessed products hinder the successful adoption of reverse logistics supply chains (RLSCs) of demolition waste (DW) in the construction industry. Therefore, an information-centric quality assurance system (QAS), including process, people, policy and technology aspects, plays an important role in RLSCs, yet none of the previous studies empirically delved into this. Therefore, this study aims to establish how aspects of the process, people, policy and technology contribute to creating an information-centric QAS for RLSCs.

Design/methodology/approach

Initially, an extensive literature review was undertaken. Then, following a qualitative approach, 20 semi-structured interviews were conducted with internal stakeholders of the RLSCs in the South Australian construction industry. The collected data were analysed using directed content analysis.

Findings

This study empirically established how the aspects of process, people, policy and technology contribute to quality assurance (QA) in RLSCs. The process involves practices and approaches for QA. Experienced and knowledgeable people should undertake this process, complying with the policies and using new or available technologies. Each aspect provides useful information that should be shared and communicated with the other aspects to create an integrated QAS for the RLSCs.

Originality/value

The current study made a significant contribution by empirically establishing that an information-centric system of process, people, policy and technology was needed for QA in RLSCs to produce quality outputs. This QAS provides useful insights for industry practitioners, government and policymakers about the aspects they should embrace in enforcing QA in RLSCs.
Perceived organizational support and job burnout with the mediating mechanism of self-esteem
Authors: Alimbekov Akmatali , Azhykulov Saparbek , Imanbaev Askarbek , Zuluev Bekmurza , Koilubaeva Burulcha , Sagyndykova Rakhat , Muratbaev Bakyt
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study seeks to unravel the psychological well-being of education sector professionals by exploring the mediating role of self-esteem in the relationship between perceived organizational support and burnout among university teachers.

Design/methodology/approach

This survey-based study employs a relational, cross-sectional model to determine the relationship between educational technology proficiency, self-esteem and burnout behaviors. Additionally, as the study aims to determine the mediating role of self-esteem, the mediation model is employed. The study sample consists of 407 university teachers who completed evaluations in September 5–30, 2023. Alongside demographic information, data were collected using the following instruments: Perceived Organizational Support Scale, Rosenberg Self-Esteem Scale and Teacher Burnout Scale. Construct validity and path analyses were conducted using the AMOS software. Normality tests, descriptive analyses and correlation calculations were performed using SPSS software.

Findings

Results indicate that perceived organizational support negatively affects burnout and positively influences self-esteem levels. Additionally, self-esteem negatively impacts burnout and fully mediates the relationship between perceived organizational support and burnout. Hence, the effect of organizational support on burnout is mediated through self-esteem, indicating that supportive organizational practices not only mitigate burnout but also enhance teaching staff’s self-esteem. Based on these findings, organizational support strategies hold promise for reducing burnout and bolstering individual confidence and self-esteem among university teachers.

Originality/value

Given the intricate job structure of university teachers in the education sector and their interactions with students, stress, high expectations and a perpetually evolving learning environment can impact their psychological well-being. In this context, perceived organizational support, burnout, and self-esteem emerge as pivotal factors shaping the work lives of university teachers. While previous studies have explored the relationship between perceived organizational support and self-esteem as well as self-esteem and burnout among academics, this study determines how self-esteem plays a mediating role in establishing a link between the two variables.
Wineries’ reference points and strategic positioning: an approach to their strategic choices
Authors: García-Pérez Ana María , Yanes-Estévez Vanessa
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to deepen the strategic choices of wineries by identifying their strategic reference points in their internal and external dimensions, and presenting their strategic positioning typology.

Design/methodology/approach

Strategic reference point theory (Fiegenbaum et al., 1996) and strategic positioning (Lavie and Figenbaum, 2000, 2003). The Rasch methodology (1960) is applied to a sample of wineries in the Canary Islands (Spain).

Findings

The principal internal reference is the quality of the wine and of the service offered, followed by social and environmental protection. The principal external reference are the customers, followed by society. Surprisingly, competitors, as an external factor, do not affect wineries’ strategic choices. Strategic positioning shows a polarisation of wineries: the largest group evidences a myopic strategic positioning, attaching little importance to internal and external references. In contrast, the second group of wineries is comprised of adaptive wineries who attach considerable importance both to internal as well as external references, and who are likely emerging as competitive wineries.

Research limitations/implications

These references urge wineries towards a conservative approach that focuses on satisfying their regular customers by offering the same quality products and services. Results also evidence a particular sensitivity towards society and the environment. Strategic positioning shows that the largest group of wineries (myopic) lack strategic orientation and are subject to high rates of failure.

Originality/value

Wineries’ strategic positioning emerges as a tool to help management and institutions in their strategic diagnosis. The Rasch method (1960) is applied for the first time to the strategic positioning of wineries according to the choices of their managers.
The behavioral intention of micro enterprises to use the integrated Qardhul Hasan and equity-based microenterprise development (IQEMD) model as a source of financing
Authors: Haqbin Naqibullah , Mohd Thas Thaker Mohamed Asmy Bin
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study proposes the integrated Qardhul Hasan and equity-based microenterprise development (IQEMD) model, a financial model for microenterprises in Muslim nation such as Afghanistan. This study aims to overcome the significant challenges these businesses face in securing financial resources, offering a tailored, sustainable solution to enhance their operations.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected primary data via a survey from 466 microentrepreneurs in Kandahar, Afghanistan. Data analysis was performed using partial least squares with SmartPLS 4 software. The study’s validation of the proposed financial model among microenterprises was grounded in the theory of reasoned action, ensuring a solid theoretical basis for its findings.

Findings

The findings of this research revealed that the attitudes and subjective norms of Afghan microentrepreneurs positively influence their intention to use IQEMD Model. These findings provide important guidance for financing ventures and policymakers, highlighting the IQEMD model’s potential to improve financial strategies and practices for microenterprises in Afghanistan.

Research limitations/implications

This study focuses solely on microenterprise development in Afghanistan, with its sample size and study area being clear constraints. Therefore, caution is advised when interpreting the results, which may not be broadly applicable. The reliance on current factors may also restrict the exploration of other important determinants affecting microenterprises’ behavioral intentions toward using the IQEMD model. Future research should consider incorporating new factors to optimize the IQEMD model and include interviews with more stakeholders to increase its validity.

Practical implications

The findings of this paper offer microenterprises an alternative source of financing to start or expand their businesses. This study holds implications for government and policymakers. By incorporating a nonprofit organization as suggested in this model, it assists the government in reducing expenditures associated with the development of microenterprises.

Originality/value

This study is a pioneering effort in merging Qardhul Hasan and equity-based financing for microenterprise development. It significantly contributes to existing research by underscoring the effectiveness and impact of such financing as a viable source for these enterprises. These strategies could notably boost productivity, employment and gross domestic product growth. The study enhances understanding of alternative financing models in the microenterprise sector.
Exploring the effect of family–work conflict on employee productivity in teleworking during crisis: a cross-national comparative study
Authors: Tran Thi Thanh Huong (Jenny) , Pham Thi Be Loan , Robinson Kate , Paparoidamis Nicholas
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The new teleworking conditions imposed by extreme events such as the COVID-19 pandemic blur the border between home and official working space, amplifying the conflicting demands of family and work life experienced by employees across national cultures. Drawing on conservation of resources (COR) theory, this study explores cross-national variances in the underlying mechanism of how family–work conflict (FWC) affects employees’ operational and marketing productivity in the global epidemic-induced teleworking context.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducts a large-scale and cross-national survey of 710 remote employees who worked from home partially or fully during the COVID-19 outbreak across three countries: the USA, the UK and Vietnam.

Findings

The results show that FWC drives affective commitment, leading to greater employees’ operational and marketing productivity when teleworking. We also find distinct moderating effects of organizational factors (i.e. task control) and employees’ psychological factors (i.e. emotional exhaustion) on the FWC–operational productivity link across the three countries. Moreover, centralization positively moderates the effect of operational productivity on marketing productivity in the teleworking context in Vietnam, while it is not the case in the USA and the UK.

Originality/value

This study fills a gap in the literature by revealing cross-national differences in the underlying mechanism of the FWC effects on employees’ operational and marketing productivity in the pandemic-induced teleworking conditions. It extends extant studies in the work–family literature by introducing affective commitment as an important mediator in translating the negative consequences of FWC to operational and marketing productivity gain in crisis-driven teleworking across national cultures. We also provide insights into the distinct moderating roles of task control and emotional exhaustion in determining the FWC effect on operational productivity as well as that of centralization in driving marketing productivity. The findings have substantive implications for teleworking design and management to improve employee productivity across different national settings.
Applying the latest Uppsala model to digital products: an empirical investigation of app internationalization via app updates
Authors: Kim Yongseok , Gretz Richard T. , Basuroy Suman
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper examines the application of the latest iteration of the Uppsala model to digital products by empirically investigating the role of app updates in an app’s internationalization.

Design/methodology/approach

We align the evolution of apps through updates in a foreign market with the evolutionary process anchored in the latest Uppsala model and empirically test the model using our data of 410 non-Korean apps launched in South Korea. Particularly, we estimate the effect of app updates on an app’s foreign market performance. For the analysis, we employ a multiple fixed-effects regression model utilizing our panel data.

Findings

We present empirical support for the application of the latest Uppsala model to digital products in the context of apps and demonstrate a positive association between app evolution through updates and successful internationalization. We find that one additional app update is associated with a 6.2% increase in the number of monthly active users in the foreign market. We further show that this effect is conditional on time since entry and cultural distance.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to empirically test the latest Uppsala model in a digital context. Specifically, our work contributes to the emerging literature studying the impact of digitization on internationalization. We also provide empirical evidence supporting the strategic use of app updates to facilitate internationalization.
Building information modeling in construction projects: the case of the Portuguese code of public contracts
Authors: C. Matos Bruno , O. Cruz Carlos , A. Branco Fernando
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to address gaps in the integration of Building Information Modelling (BIM) into procurement processes for construction works under the Portuguese Code of Public Contracts (CCP). The goal is to improve procurement procedures with practical recommendations benefiting both public and private sectors, and applicable in other countries, promoting efficient BIM use in construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved a literature review and expert interviews to identify opportunities within the CCP related to construction procurement that impact BIM implementation during construction works. It critically analyzed these insights and proposed specific adjustments to the CCP to enhance BIM application in public construction works.

Findings

The study provides practical recommendations to address two main gaps identified in the literature: the neglect of non-specific digitalization factors influencing BIM implementation, and the lack of consideration for specific constraints in public procurement, particularly those dictated by legal frameworks like the CCP. These recommendations aim to optimize traditional procurement provisions for public construction, thereby improving BIM utilization on-site.

Social implications

The study’s social implications include enhanced transparency and efficiency in construction processes, leading to reduced delays and costs for both stakeholders and the public. By optimizing BIM practices, public resources can be used more effectively in construction projects. The research may also accelerate the adoption of advanced technologies in the industry and improve urban development through better-planned and executed infrastructure projects. Additionally, the study’s recommendations could serve as a model for other countries, fostering the adoption of higher construction standards on a global scale.

Originality/value

The study’s original contribution lies in its comprehensive examination of public procurement procedures, particularly within the CCP context, to enhance the utilization of BIM during construction works. It uniquely identifies literature gaps and provides practical recommendations addressing non-specific digitalization factors and legal constraints in public procurement.
Performance appraisal mechanism and employee productivity in public hospitals in Mbeya – Tanzania: the mediating roles of working environment and management style
Authors: Lupenza Evans J. , Kilima Fredy T. , Kumburu Neema Penance
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of performance appraisal mechanisms on employee productivity in public hospitals in Mbeya – Tanzania, when mediated by working environment and management style.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 338 employees, a cross-sectional design was adopted; questionnaires and interviews were used to collect primary data. Partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to determine the relationship between the variables, and Sobel’s test was performed to test the mediation effects.

Findings

Astudy found a strong association between performance appraisal mechanisms and employee productivity (p < 0.05). Goal setting significantly enhanced employee productivity (p < 0.05). Performance planning negatively impacted employee productivity, especially when combined with the working environment (p < 0.05). Assessment criteria had a significant positive effect on employee productivity when mediated by working environment and management style (p < 0.001).

Originality/value

This is the first study to examine how a performance appraisal system influences the productivity of public hospital employees in Tanzania. The study further explores the potential mediating effects of the work environment and management style on this relationship. By analysing the interplay between these variables and their impact on productivity, organizations can develop targeted strategies to boost employee performance and achieve superior results.
Flowing toward transparency: impact of China’s water resource tax policy pilot on corporate water disclosure
Authors: Yu Nizhou , Liu Duan , Wan Hong
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Amid the increasing water risks faced by firms, external investors are becoming more interested in corporate water disclosure and research on its drivers has become prominent. This paper aims to investigate the impact of water resource tax (WRT) on water disclosure and other related drivers.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the WRT policy as a quasi-natural experiment and applies the difference-in-differences method.

Findings

The results indicate that WRT policy significantly stimulates water disclosure. Improving green innovation and strengthening internal control are potential channels through which WRT works. Moreover, WRT’s effect is more pronounced in firms that face high institutional pressures and have better internal resource support.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that water-sensitive firms should disclose water information to acquire resources from external stakeholders to support their green transition. It also provides implications for governments to incorporate other external forces in shaping the direction and intensity of WRT and consider the resource constraints of small and private firms in green transformation.

Social implications

This study is of assistance in promoting water environmental protection in areas experiencing water stress and provides an opportunity for external stakeholders (external investors, nongovernmental organizations, governments, consumers, suppliers, communities and media) to advocate the water disclosure of firms with high water risks.

Originality/value

The attempt is novel in the context of considering the water regulation risks and the demands of external stakeholders. It provides new insights into the factors influencing water disclosure from the perspective of political stakeholders.
Navigating the Lay Referral System for Treatment‐Seeking Decisions During Illness in the Digital Age: A Qualitative Study of Adults Living in Slums in Nigeria
Authors: Onuegbu Chinwe , Harlock Jenny , Griffiths Frances
Published: November 2024

Interaction with a lay referral system (informal networks that provide health advice during illness) influences the treatment‐seeking decisions of individuals with perceived healthcare needs. We examined how this occurred in urban slums in Nigeria with scarce formal healthcare and unstable social networks. Using existing theories of social networks and lay referral, we examined the use of these systems for treatment‐seeking decisions in slums, including the use of digital technologies. We interviewed 30 adults (aged 18–64) of diverse age, gender, network size and use of digital technologies for health advice in two Nigerian slums. We analysed the data using a thematic inductive–deductive approach. Lay referral was multidimensional: discussion of illness during daily bonding, social demonstration of self and purposeful exchange of support. People limited lay referrals to a few family members and friends, avoiding wider interactions due to mistrust. Use of online sources was scarce due to limited access to smart devices and low digital health literacy. Lay referral motivated timely care seeking but also facilitated unhelpful advice. Slum residents were agentic in their use of their lay referral system. The effectiveness of their agency may be improved if trusted and reliable health advice sources are available in addition to their social network.
The impact of intergenerational transfers on the distribution of wealth: An international comparison
Authors: Horioka Charles Yuji
Published: November 2024

In this paper, I analyse detailed data on intergenerational transfers in four countries (China, India, Japan and the United States) from the ‘Japan Household Panel Survey on Consumer Preferences and Satisfaction (JHPS‐CPS)’ which has been conducted by the Institute of Social and Economic Research of Osaka University in these four countries since 2003, in order to shed light on the impact of intergenerational transfers on household wealth disparities and on possible reasons for the substantial differences in household wealth disparities among the four countries. Almost all of the evidence I present suggests that intergenerational transfers have a disequalising impact on household wealth disparities and promote the transmission of household wealth disparities from generation to generation in all four countries, although the magnitude of these effects varies considerably from country to country. Moreover, the evidence I present sheds considerable light on possible reasons for the substantial differences in household wealth disparities among the four countries.
HERITAGIZING THE OTHER: Diversity, Heritage and Gentrification in Amsterdam Oost
Authors: Fiore Elisa , Caradonna Vittoria
Published: November 2024

This article explores the complex connections between gentrification, heritage and othering in Amsterdam Oost, a district shaped by intertwined (post)colonial and (post)migrant histories. It does so by examining two temporary heritage‐making initiatives coordinated by the nearby ethnographic Tropenmuseum to celebrate the rich immigration history of the area. Building on the notion of ‘gentrification consciousness’ (Sze, 2010), we draw attention to the ambivalent position of the museum towards gentrification in Amsterdam Oost, and how this ambivalence may contribute to the unfolding of neoliberal urban redevelopment in the area. The projects at the centre of our analysis promote a positive and edifying representation of local diversity as an asset to be protected, celebrated, and valorized; yet they also mobilize problematic colonial tropes that are instrumental in transforming the area into a space of aestheticized multicultural urbanity attractive to a Dutch middle class with an increasingly cosmopolitan outlook. While scholarship on heritage‐led gentrification and cosmopolitan urbanism has amply discussed how local governments, developers and newcomers alike strategically mobilize ethnic heritage discourses and practices to trigger or sustain gentrification, our study reveals heritage institutions as emergent subjectivities in neoliberal urban politics and problematizes their growing imbrication within processes of gentrification.
Adverse Neonatal Outcomes Among Children Born to Mothers Eating Disorders: A Register‐Based Cohort Study
Authors: Chatwin Hannah , Holde Katrine , Momen Natalie C. , Yilmaz Zeynep , Liu Xiaoqin , Munk‐Olsen Trine , Strandberg‐Larsen Katrine , Micali Nadia , Petersen Liselotte Vogdrup
Published: December 2024

Objective

We examined the risk of adverse neonatal outcomes among children born to mothers with anorexia nervosa (AN), bulimia nervosa (BN), and eating disorder not otherwise specified (EDNOS).

Design

Cohort study.

Setting

Population‐based using Danish national registers.

Population

We included 1 517 839 singletons born between 1991 and 2015 in Denmark.

Methods

For each ED subtype, we compared children born to mothers with a recent (≤ 2 years before conception and during pregnancy) or past (> 2 years before conception) diagnosis, with children born to mothers who had not been diagnosed with the ED of interest before the index delivery.

Main Outcome Measures

Using multinomial logistic regression, we estimated relative risk ratios (RRRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for gestational age, birthweight, weight‐for‐gestational age, low Apgar score, Caesarean section, congenital malformations and postpartum haemorrhage.

Results

Both recent and past AN were associated with increased risk of low birthweight (recent: RRR = 2.36 [95% CI = 1.76–3.18]; past: 1.22 [1.04–1.43]), small‐for‐gestational age (recent: 1.52 [1.01–2.26]; past: 1.37 [1.16–1.62]), and preterm birth (recent: 1.83 [1.37–2.45]; past: 1.17 [1.00–1.36]), with more pronounced risks in recent AN. Recent (but not past) BN was associated with increased risk of low Apgar score (1.44 [1.03–2.00]). Recent (but not past) EDNOS was associated with increased risk of SGA (1.53 [1.04–2.27]).

Conclusions

Children born to mothers with EDs have an increased risk of some adverse neonatal outcomes, with more pronounced risks in recent than past EDs. These results underscore the need for improved prevention of maternal EDs and enhanced monitoring throughout pregnancy to mitigate adverse outcomes.
Brextinction? How cohort replacement has transformed support for Brexit
Authors: FRESE JORIS , HÄRKÖNEN JUHO , HIX SIMON
Published: November 2024

Public support for Brexit has declined since the 2016 referendum. We argue that part of this decline is due to cohort replacement where many older voters (who support Brexit) have passed away, while younger voters (who oppose Brexit) have entered the electorate. Using a series of original YouGov surveys from 2016, 2018, 2020 and 2022, each representative of the UK electorate, we first demonstrate the large and stable differences in Brexit support between younger and older voters. Next, we employ demographic decomposition calculations to estimate that cohort replacement alone accounts for approximately one third of the decline in aggregate Brexit support in just 6 years (with two thirds of the decline being explained by within‐cohort changes). Furthermore, by combining our data on Brexit support with Office for National Statistics cohort projections up to 2030, we derive testable hypotheses about the pressure that cohort replacement will continue to put on Brexit support over the next decade across a wide range of potential scenarios. Altogether, our study demonstrates the powerful role that cohort replacement plays in shaping British (and European) politics in the post‐Brexit world.
Evaluation and mathematical modeling of foam‐mat drying of Momordica charantia L. leaves
Authors: Negreiros Jéssica Kelly da Silva , Oliveira Bárbara Freire de , Sobrinho Maurício Alves da Motta , Cavalcante Josilene de Assis , Costa Nagel Alves , Santos Felipe Augusto
Published: December 2024

This study aimed to analyze the influence of operational parameters (foaming agent concentration, agitation time, and drying temperature) on the characteristics of the final product and the foam drying process of Momordica charantia L. leaves, in addition to performing mathematical modeling of the experimental data. The foam characteristic was most influenced by the foaming agent concentration, where the increase in this variable increased its stability, reaching the highest index of 0.9838 ± 0.0038. The drying process was best represented by the Page model, which presented the best adjustments to the experimental data and was significantly affected by the drying temperature, where the increase in this variable resulted in an increase in the drying rate, causing a reduction in the total drying time, with the shortest time obtained being 170 min. The product obtained was also more affected by the drying temperature, where the increase in this variable resulted in better preservation of the biochemical compounds of the material, presenting the highest phenolic compound content of 14,933.95 ± 135.97 mg EAG/g extract. The increase in temperature also reduced the moisture content and water activity of the product, with the lowest values obtained being 5.20 ± 0.60% and 0.25 ± 0.01, respectively, ensuring safe storage for the material.