bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
MultiStageSearch: a multi-step proteogenomic workflow for taxonomic identification of viral proteome samples adressing database bias
Authors: Pipart Julian , Holstein Tanja , Martens Lennart , Muth Thilo
Published: May 2024

The recent years, with the global SARS-Cov-2 pandemic, have shown the importance of strain level identification of viral pathogens. While the gold-standard approach for unkown viral sample identification remains genomics, studies have shown the necessity and advantages of orthogonal experimental approaches such as proteomics, based on proteomic database search methods. The databases required as references for both proteins and genome sequences are known to be biased towards certain taxa, such as pathogenic strains or species, or common model organisms. Aditionally, the proteomic databases are not as comprehensive as the genomic databases.

We present MultiStageSearch, an iterative database search approach for the taxonomic identification of viral samples combining proteomic and genomic databases. The potentially present species and strains are inferred using a generalist proteomic reference database. MultiStageSearch then automatically creates a proteogenomic database. This database is further pre-processed byfiltering for duplicates as well as clustering of identical ORFs to address potential bias present in the genomic database. Furthermore, the workflow is independent of the strain level NCBI taxonomy, enabling the inference of strains that are not present in the NCBI taxonomy.

We performed a benchmark on several viral samples to demonstrate the performance of the strain level taxonomic inference. The benchmark shows superior performance compared to state of the art methods for untargeted strain level inference using proteomic data while being independent of the NCBI taxonomy at strain level.
PSAURON: a tool for assessing protein annotation across a broad range of species
Authors: Sommer Markus J. , Zimin Aleksey V. , Salzberg Steven L.
Published: May 2024

Evaluating the accuracy of protein-coding sequences in genome annotations is a challenging problem for which there is no broadly applicable solution. In this manuscript we introduce PSAURON (Protein Sequence Assessment Using a Reference ORF Network), a novel software tool developed to assess the quality of protein-coding gene annotations. Utilizing a machine learning model trained on a diverse dataset from over 1000 plant and animal genomes, PSAURON assigns a score to coding DNA or protein sequence that reflects the likelihood that the sequence is a genuine protein coding region. PSAURON scores can be used for genome-wide protein annotation assessment as well as the rapid identification of potentially spurious annotated proteins. Validation against established benchmarks demonstrates PSAURON’s effectiveness and correlation with recognized measures of protein quality, highlighting its potential use as a general-purpose method to evaluate gene annotation. PSAURON is open source and freely available athttps://github.com/salzberg-lab/PSAURON.

One-Sentence Summary

PSAURON is a machine learning-based tool for rapid assessment of protein coding gene annotation.
MS2Lipid: a lipid subclass prediction program using machine learning and curated tandem mass spectral data
Authors: Sakamoto Nami , Oka Takaki , Matsuzawa Yuki , Nishida Kozo , Hori Aya , Arita Makoto , Tsugawa Hiroshi
Published: May 2024

Untargeted lipidomics using collision-induced dissociation-based tandem mass spectrometry (CID-MS/MS) is essential for biological and clinical applications. However, annotation confidence is still guaranteed by manual curation by analytical chemists, although various software tools have been developed for automatic spectral processing based on rule-based fragment annotations. In this study, we provide a novel machine learning model, MS2Lipid, for the prediction of lipid subclasses from MS/MS queries to provide an orthogonal decision of lipidomics software programs to determine the lipid subclass of ion features, in which a new descriptor, MCH (mode of carbon and hydrogen), was designed to increase the specificity of lipid subclasses in nominal mass resolution MS data. The model trained with 5,224 and 5,408 manually curated MS/MS spectra for the positive- and negative-ion modes mapped the query into one or several categories of 97 lipid subclasses, with an accuracy of 95.5% queries in the test set. Our program outperformed the CANOPUS ontology prediction program, providing correct annotations for 38.7% of the same test set. The program was further validated using various datasets from different machines and curators, and the average accuracy exceeded 87.4 %. Furthermore, the function of MS2Lipid was showcased by the annotation of novel esterified bile acids, whose abundance was significantly increased in obese patients in a human cohort study, suggesting that the machine learning model provides an independent criterion for lipid subclass classification, in addition to an environment for annotating lipid metabolites that have been previously unknown.
Kinetic properties of optogenetic DNA editing by LiCre-loxP
Authors: Dufour Alice , Duplus-Bottin Hélène , Boukéké-Lesplulier Thomas , Casassa Eliane , Triqueneaux Gérard , Darthenay-Kiennemann Camille , Dumont Agnès , Moali Catherine , Vittoz Franck , Jost Daniel , Yvert Gaël
Published: May 2024

Previously, we developed an optogenetic tool made of a single chimeric protein called LiCre that enables the edition of specific changes in the genome of live cells with blue light via DNA recombination betweenloxPsites (Duplus-Bottin et al., 2021). Here, we usedin vitroandin vivoexperiments combined with kinetic modeling to provide a deeper characterization of the photo-activated LiCre-loxPrecombination reaction. We find that LiCre binds DNA with high affinity in absence of light stimulus, that this binding is cooperative although not as much as for the Cre recombinase from which LiCre was derived and that increasing temperature from 20°C to 37°C gradually increased LiCre efficiency. The recombination kinetics in live cells can be explained by a model where photo-activation of two or more DNA-bound LiCre units (happening in seconds) can produce (in several minutes) a functional recombination synapse. Our conclusions provide helpful guidelines to induce specific genetic changes in live cells using light.
RUNX2 Isoform II Protects Cancer Cells from Ferroptosis and Apoptosis by Promoting PRDX2 Expression in Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Authors: Huang Junjun , Jia Rong , Guo Jihua
Published: May 2024

Ferroptosis is a distinct iron-dependent programmed cell death and plays important roles in tumor suppression. However, the regulatory mechanisms of ferroptosis need further exploration. RUNT-related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), a transcription factor, is essential for osteogenesis. RUNX2 has two types of transcripts produced by two alternative promoters. In the present study, we surprisingly find that RUNX2 isoform II is a novel ferroptosis and apoptosis suppressor. RUNX2 isoform II can bind to the promoter of peroxiredoxin-2 (PRDX2), a ferroptosis inhibitor, and activate its expression. Knockdown of RUNX2 isoform II suppresses cell proliferationin vitroand tumorigenesisin vivoin oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). Interestingly, homeobox A10 (HOXA10), an upstream positive regulator of RUNX2 isoform II, is required for the inhibition of ferroptosis and apoptosis through the RUNX2 isoform II/PRDX2 pathway. Consistently, RUNX2 isoform II is overexpressed in OSCC, and associated with OSCC progression and poor prognosis. Collectively, OSCC cancer cells can up-regulate RUNX2 isoform II to inhibit ferroptosis and apoptosis, and facilitate tumorigenesis through the novel HOXA10/RUNX2 isoform II/PRDX2 pathway.

Research organism

Human, Mouse, Oral Squamous Cell Carcinoma
Voltage Sensor Conformations Induced by LQTS-associated Mutations in hERG Potassium Channels
Authors: Chan Aaron N. , Handlin Lucas J. , Lessie Erin N. , Tajkhorshid Emad , Dai Gucan
Published: May 2024

Voltage sensors are essential for electromechanical coupling in hERG K+channels, critical to cardiac rhythm. These sensors detect changes in membrane voltage and move in response to the transmembrane electric field. Mutations in voltage-sensing arginines of hERG, associated with Long QT syndrome, alter channel gating, though mechanisms in these mutants remain unclear. Using fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM), transition metal FRET (tmFRET), dual stop-codon mediated noncanonical amino acid incorporation, and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations, we identified distinct intermediate voltage-sensor conformations caused by these mutations. Phasor plot analysis of the FLIM-tmFRET donor revealed multiple FRET states in mutant hERG channels, in contrast to the single high-FRET state observed in unmutated controls. These intermediate FRET states correspond to specific mutation sites and align with distinct intermediate voltage-sensor conformations identified in MD simulations. This study provides novel insights into cardiac channelopathies, highlighting structural underpinnings underlying voltage sensing in cardiac arrhythmias.
BMP4 regulates asymmetric Pkd2 distribution in mouse nodal immotile cilia and ciliary mechanosensing required for left–right determination
Authors: Katoh Takanobu A. , Lange Tim , Nakajima Yoshiro , Yashiro Kenta , Okada Yasushi , Hamada Hiroshi
Published: May 2024

Background

Mouse nodal immotile cilia mechanically sense the bending direction for left–right (L–R) determination and activate the left-side-specific signaling cascade, leading to increasedNodalactivity. Asymmetric distribution of Pkd2, a crucial channel for L-R determination, on immotile cilia has been reported recently. However, the causal relationship between the asymmetric Pkd2 distribution and direction-dependent flow sensing is not well understood. Furthermore, the underlying molecular mechanism directing this asymmetric Pkd2 distribution remains unclear.

Results

The effects of several recombinant proteins and inhibitors on the Pkd2 distribution were analyzed using super-resolution microscopy. Notably, bone morphogenetic protein 4 (BMP4) affected the Pkd2 distribution. Additionally, three-dimensional manipulation of nodal immotile cilia using optical tweezers revealed that excess BMP4 caused defects in the mechanosensing ability of the cilia.

Conclusions

Experimental data together with model calculations suggest that BMP4 regulates the asymmetric distribution of Pkd2 in nodal immotile cilia, thereby affecting the ability of these cilia to sense the bending direction for L–R determination. This study, for the first time, provides insight into the relationship between the asymmetric protein distribution in cilia and their function.
Metabolic Responses to an Acute Glucose Challenge: The Differential Effects of Eight Weeks of Almond vs. Cracker Consumption in Young Adults
Authors: Dhillon Jaapna , Pandey Saurabh , Newman John W. , Fiehn Oliver , Ortiz Rudy M.
Published: May 2024

This study investigated the dynamic responses to an acute glucose challenge following chronic almond versus cracker consumption for 8 weeks (clinicaltrials.gov ID:NCT03084003). Seventy-three young adults (age: 18-19 years, BMI: 18-41 kg/m2) participated in an 8-week randomized, controlled, parallel-arm intervention and were randomly assigned to consume either almonds (2 oz/d, n=38) or an isocaloric control snack of graham crackers (325 kcal/d, n=35) daily for 8 weeks. Twenty participants from each group underwent a 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test (oGTT) at the end of the 8-week intervention. Metabolite abundances in the oGTT serum samples were quantified using untargeted metabolomics, and targeted analyses for free PUFAs, total fatty acids, oxylipins, and endocannabinoids. Multivariate, univariate, and chemical enrichment analyses were conducted to identify significant metabolic shifts. Findings exhibit a biphasic lipid response distinguished by higher levels of unsaturated triglycerides in the earlier periods of the oGTT followed by lower levels in the latter period in the almond versus cracker group (p-value<0.05, chemical enrichment analyses). Almond (vs. cracker) consumption was also associated with higher AUC120 minof aminomalonate, and oxylipins (p-value<0.05), but lower AUC120 minof L-cystine, N-acetylmannosamine, and isoheptadecanoic acid (p-value<0.05). Additionally, the Matsuda Index in the almond group correlated with AUC120 minof CE 22:6 (r=- 0.46; p-value<0.05) and 12,13 DiHOME (r=0.45; p-value<0.05). Almond consumption for 8 weeks leads to dynamic, differential shifts in response to an acute glucose challenge, marked by alterations in lipid and amino acid mediators involved in metabolic and physiological pathways.
Inferring Bacterial Interspecific Interactions from Microcolony Growth Expansion
Authors: Miguel Trabajo Tania , Guex Isaline , Dubey Manupriyam , Sarton-Lohéac Elvire , Todorov Helena , Richard Xavier , Mazza Christian , van der Meer Jan Roelof
Published: May 2024

Interactions between species are thought to be crucial for modulating their growth and behaviour within communities, and determinant for the emergence of community functions. Several different interaction concepts exist, but there is no consensus on how interactions should be quantified and integrated in community growth theory. Here we expand on existing concepts of real-time measurements of pure culture microcolony growth to develop and benchmark coculture microcolony experiments, and show how these can both parametrize growth kinetic and interspecific interaction effects. We follow surface growth by time-lapse microscopy of fluorescently taggedPseudomonas putidaandPseudomonas veroniiunder substrate competition with succinate, or under substrate indifference with D-mannitol and putrescine. Monoculture-grown microcolonies showed substrate concentration dependent expansion rates as expected from Monod relations, whereas individual microcolony yields were strongly dependent on densities and spatial positioning of founder cells. Maximum specific growth rates in cocultures under substrate competition were diminished by ca. 15%, which was seeding-density independent. The collectiveP. putidapopulation dominated growth over that ofP. veronii, but with 27% yield loss under competition compared to monoculture growth; and 90% for that ofP. veronii. Incidental local reversal of competition was observed whereP. veroniimicrocolonies profited at the detriment ofP. putida, and between 9 and 43% ofP. veroniimicrocolonies grew bigger than expected from bulk competition, depending on seeding density. Simulations with a cell-agent Monod surface growth model suggested that colony expansion rate decrease in competitive coculture is caused by metabolite cross-feeding, which was supported by exometabolite analysis during and after growth of the strains on their individual or swapped supernatant. Coculture microcolony growth experiments thus provide a flexible platform for analysis of kinetic and interspecific interactions, expanding from individual microcolony phenotypic effects to averaged behaviour across all microcolony pairs. The system in theory is scalable to follow real-time growth of multiple species simultaneously into communities.
Diagnostic Performance of ChatGPT to Perform Emergency Department Triage: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis
Authors: Kaboudi Navid , Firouzbakht Saeedeh , Eftekhar Mohammad Shahir , Fayazbakhsh Fatemeh , Joharivarnoosfaderani Niloufar , Ghaderi Salar , Dehdashti Mohammadreza , Kia Yasmin Mohtasham , Afshari Maryam , Vasaghi-Gharamaleki Maryam , Haghani Leila , Moradzadeh Zahra , Khalaj Fattaneh , Mohammadi Zahra , Hasanabadi Zahra , Shahidi Ramin
Published: May 2024

Background

Artificial intelligence (AI), particularly ChatGPT developed by OpenAI, has shown potential in improving diagnostic accuracy and efficiency in emergency department (ED) triage. This study aims to evaluate the diagnostic performance and safety of ChatGPT in prioritizing patients based on urgency in ED settings.

Methods

A systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Comprehensive literature searches were performed in Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed, and Embase. Studies evaluating ChatGPT’s diagnostic performance in ED triage were included. Quality assessment was conducted using the QUADAS-2 tool. Pooled accuracy estimates were calculated using a random-effects model, and heterogeneity was assessed with the I² statistic.

Results

Fourteen studies with a total of 1,412 patients or scenarios were included. ChatGPT 4.0 demonstrated a pooled accuracy of 0.86 (95% CI: 0.64-0.98) with substantial heterogeneity (I² = 93%). ChatGPT 3.5 showed a pooled accuracy of 0.63 (95% CI: 0.43-0.81) with significant heterogeneity (I² = 84%). Funnel plots indicated potential publication bias, particularly for ChatGPT 3.5. Quality assessments revealed varying levels of risk of bias and applicability concerns.

Conclusion

ChatGPT, especially version 4.0, shows promise in improving ED triage accuracy. However, significant variability and potential biases highlight the need for further evaluation and enhancement.
Degenerate subspace localization and local symmetries
Authors: Schmelcher Peter
Published: May 2024

Domain specific localization of eigenstates has been a persistent observation for systems with local symmetries. The underlying mechanism for this localization behavior has, however, remained elusive. We provide here an analysis of a local reflection symmetric tight-binding Hamiltonian which attempts at identifying the key features that lead to the localized eigenstates. A weak coupling expansion of closed-form expressions for the eigenvectors demonstrates that the degeneracy of on-site energies occurring at the center of the locally symmetric domains represents the nucleus for eigenstates spreading across the domain. Since the symmetry-related subdomains constituting a locally symmetric domain are isospectral, we encounter pairwise degenerate eigenvalues that split linearly with an increasing coupling strength of the subdomains. The coupling to the (nonsymmetric) environment in an extended setup then leads to the survival of a certain system specific fraction of linearly splitting eigenvalues. The latter go hand in hand with the eigenstate localization on the locally symmetric domain. We provide a brief outlook addressing possible generalizations of local symmetry transformations while maintaining isospectrality.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Examining the effectiveness of knowledge governance mechanisms in mobile messaging groups within construction project teams
Authors: Jia Jianyao , Wu Ming
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Mobile messaging groups (MMGs) have been widely adopted in construction practice, yet, little is known about how to foster knowledge sharing (KS) in MMGs, characterized by communication visibility. This study is thus motivated to investigate mechanisms for KS in this context.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper employs knowledge governance theory to construct a theoretical model and develop hypotheses. Specifically, psychological safety is identified as a mediator between knowledge governance mechanism (KGM) and KS, and promotion regulatory focus is identified as a moderator between KGM and psychological safety. Data from 208 Chinese construction project team members are collected to test the proposed theoretical model.

Findings

The results suggest that both formal and informal KGM positively affect psychological safety, which in turn improves KS (quantity and quality). Moreover, the mediating role of psychological safety is confirmed, and the moderating role of promotion regulatory focus is validated.

Originality/value

This study explores how to foster KS in MMGs, which are pervasive in today’s digital age. The findings in this study enhance the understanding of KS in digital environments and afford important insights into knowledge management within construction project teams.
The predictive power of prior attitudes: understanding employee workspace satisfaction in activity-based work environments
Authors: Halldorsson Freyr , Valgeirsson Halldór , Kristinsson Kari
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine if and how an activity-based work environment affects employee workspace satisfaction – an attitude linked to important employee outcomes. By comparing perceptions before and after implementation, the research draws attention to factors that may help explain the impact of an activity-based work environment. Specifically, prior attitudes toward activity-based work environments and gender are tested.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study uses a longitudinal design to explore how implementing an activity-based work environment impacts employees’ workspace satisfaction (e.g. privacy, air quality, lighting, temperature, etc.). A sample of 100 employees in a government organization implementing an activity-based working environment was investigated using a longitudinal design, with employees being surveyed thrice – once before and twice after implementation.

Findings

The results indicate that when workspace satisfaction is impacted by implementing an activity-based work environment, this effect seems primarily based on employees’ prior attitude toward such work environments. In addition, employee gender emerges as a potentially important factor in workspace satisfaction, though not exclusive to the activity-based work environment.

Originality/value

Using a longitudinal approach – which allows for observing potential changes over time – and robust statistical methods, this study supports the importance of employees’ initial attitude toward an activity-based work environment concerning workspace satisfaction. This finding has practical implications for organizations and advances the understanding of why an activity-based work environment may positively affect workspace satisfaction for some employees while negatively affecting others.
Assessing the determinants of human development in OECD economies: evidence from labor productivity and investment decisions
Authors: Akinyele Olawale Daniel
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Development has been a long-age phenomenon from the millennium to sustainability. This is because the new millennium ushered in the episode of development in the global economy from the role of inputs to the role of productivity and knowledge. Thus, understanding the forefront of initiatives to develop better policies for better lives and to find fact-based answers to social, economic, and environmental problems becomes unavoidable.

Design/methodology/approach

The study therefore assesses the impact of labor productivity and investment decisions on human development. A modified production theory was adopted for OECD economies. To address the problem of endogeneity and cross-sectional dependence, a two-step system generalized method of moments, Driscoll–Kraay estimator, and Panel Corrected Standard Error were used.

Findings

The findings reveal that the impact of labor productivity on human development differs significantly from the impact of investment decisions. The result shows that investment decisions will have a positive impact on human development when there is an insignificant capital fixed formation to boost the productivity of OECD economies. Further, the result shows that the organization governments through the provision of social security and essential services have a positive impact on the OECD human development.

Originality/value

This study has contributed significantly to assessing the drivers of human development within the purview of labor productivity, investment decisions and government expenditure in OECD countries.
Does education promote risk-taking? Evidence from Vietnam
Authors: Tran Dai Binh , Tran Hanh Thi My
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study examines the impact of schooling on risk perceptions and the moderation role of a non-cognitive skill, locus of control.

Design/methodology/approach

Using information from the Thailand Vietnam Socio Economic Panel data set, the study employs Generalised Method of Moments (GMM) to address the potential endogeneity problem of the schooling variable.

Findings

The findings indicate that a higher level of willingness to take risks is correlated with additional schooling years. In other words, those with higher levels of education are more prone to take more risks. The result demonstrates that the association between education and risk attitudes is moderated by locus of control.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the growing literature on education in emerging countries by addressing the endogeneity problem of schooling variables using the GMM method. Moreover, this study examines the mediating role of personal non-cognitive skills, namely locus of control, in the relationship between education and risk attitudes.
Enhancing AAA capabilities in humanitarian supply chains through 4PL adoption
Authors: Tickle Matthew , Schiffling Sarah , Verma Gaurav
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the impact of fourth-party logistics (4PL) adoption on the agility, adaptability and alignment (AAA) capabilities within humanitarian supply chains (HSCs).

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews with individuals from a large non-government organisation were combined with secondary data to assess the influence of 4PL adoption on AAA capabilities in HSCs.

Findings

The results indicate that HSCs exhibit some of the AAA antecedents but not all are fully realised. While 4PL positively affects the AAA capabilities of HSCs, its adoption faces challenges such as the funding environment, data security/confidentiality and alignment with humanitarian principles. The study suggests an AAA antecedent realignment, positioning alignment as a precursor to agility and adaptability. It also identifies three core antecedents in HSCs: flexibility, speed and environmental uncertainty.

Practical implications

The study shows the positive impact 4PL adoption can have on the AAA capabilities of HSCs. The findings have practical relevance for those wishing to optimise HSC performance through 4PL adoption, by identifying the inhibiting factors to its adoption as well as strategies to address them.

Originality/value

This research empirically explores 4PL’s impact on AAA capabilities in HSCs, highlighting the facilitating and hindering factors of 4PL adoption in this environment as well as endorsing a realignment of AAA antecedents. It also contributes to the growing research on SC operations in volatile settings.
Investing in knowledge assets: a novel approach for measuring national intellectual capital index in emerging economies
Authors: Rehman Wasim ul , Nadeem Muhammad , Saltik Omur , Degirmen Suleyman , Jalil Faryal
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The aims of the current study were twofold: first, to rank the world’s emerging economies based on a novel National Intellectual Capital Index (NICI) and its components; and second, to examine the impact of NICI and its components on economic growth, measured in terms of real GDP per capita.

Design/methodology/approach

We employed principal component analysis (PCA) to construct the novel NICI based on five key socio-economic indicators including (1) national human capital, (2) national structural capital, (3) national relational capital, (4) national informational capital and (5) national innovational capital. These indicators are publicly available for many countries. The index was generated by considering the most appropriate socio-economic indicators as precise measures of NIC from the Penn world table (version 10.0), the World Bank’s database of world governance and development indicators and the KOF globalization across the selected emerging economies.

Findings

The empirical findings revealed that national human capital is a significant driver of NIC, corresponding to higher economic growth. This is followed by national informational capital, national relational capital, national innovation capital and national structural capital. Furthermore, results indicate that the contribution of national structural capital is marginal compared to other critical strands of NIC.

Practical implications

NIC is generally considered the most valuable strategic resource for driving knowledge economies, especially in the Industry 5.0 revolution. Ranking emerging economies based on the NICI sheds light on the accumulated stock of NIC and how it contributes to and improves the economic growth of these economies. The stock of NIC is considered a critical success factor for measuring both current and future economic prosperity. Therefore, using the socio-economic indicators of KOFGI as accurate measures of NICI will assist policymakers in formulating and implementing relevant policies to enhance the accumulation of knowledge-based capital, which are critical components of NIC.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study of its kind, both theoretically and empirically, to measure the National Intellectual Capital Index (NICI) using the most nascent socio-economic indicators of NIC. Moving forward, this study evaluates the impact of NICI and its components on economic growth, which is a relatively sparse area of research in the context of emerging knowledge economies.
Consumers’ motivation to purchase second-hand clothing: a multimethod investigation anchored on belief elicitation and theory of planned behavior
Authors: Koay Kian Yeik , Lim Weng Marc , Khoo Kim Leng , Xavier Jesrina Ann , Poon Wai Ching
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Amidst escalating sustainability challenges, product and brand managers face a pressing need to foster responsible consumption and marketing strategies. Guided by the theory of planned behavior, this paper aims to explore consumers’ motivation to purchase second-hand clothing, a type of product that contributes to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 12 on Responsible Consumption and Production by democratizing the brand, extending the life-cycle of the product, promoting a circular economy, while reducing economic costs for consumers and environmental costs for companies.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-stage study was conducted: 20 consumers were initially interviewed to identify the salient beliefs about second-hand clothing, and following that, a survey was conducted with 449 consumers to statistically analyze consumers’ motivation to purchase second-hand clothing. The data were analyzed using partial least squares-structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) and necessary condition analysis (NCA).

Findings

From a “should-have” perspective (PLS-SEM), the study reveals that behavioral beliefs, injunctive normative beliefs, descriptive normative beliefs and control beliefs positively shape attitudes, injunctive norms, descriptive norms and perceived behavioral control toward second-hand clothing, whereas attitudes, injunctive norms, moral norms and perceived behavioral control positively influence consumers’ purchases of second-hand clothing. From a “must-have” perspective (NCA), the study shows that behavioral beliefs, injunctive normative beliefs and descriptive normative beliefs are necessary conditions to positively shape attitudes, injunctive norms and descriptive norms toward second-hand clothing, whereas attitudes, injunctive norms and perceived behavioral control are necessary conditions to stimulate second-hand clothing purchases.

Originality/value

The study offers a deep dive into consumers’ motivation to purchase second-hand clothing using a multimethod approach that enables not only the elicitation of salient beliefs (through interviews) but also the empirical examination of these beliefs alongside varying subjective norms in motivating consumers to purchase second-hand clothing (via survey). Given that beliefs are deeply rooted, the rigorous unfolding and validation of consumers’ beliefs about second-hand clothing, including the “should-haves” versus the “must-haves,” provide finer-grained insights that product and brand managers can strategically use to encourage consumers to purchase second-hand clothing.
Investigation of the French Terry structure characteristics on sport-veiling using sustainable eco-materials
Authors: Yahia Sarah , Ali Marwa Atif , Seddik Khaled Mohamed
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to produce sustainable sport-hijab or veiling using cotton and bamboo as renewable and eco-material blending with polyester. Due to the unique characteristics of the knitting fabrics, the research focused on constructing the proposed samples using a circular knitting technique with a French terry structure, to achieve comfort, ease of care, good appearance and sustainability in different climatic conditions.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers formed three different knitted samples using yarn count 30/1Ne for cotton and bamboo and 70 dens for polyester yarn, using the same blending ratio of 50:50% (cotton/polyester, bamboo/ polyester and cotton/ bamboo). They tested several mechanical and physical properties (weight, thickness, air permeability, water permeability, electrostatic charges, ultraviolet protection factor, stiffness, pilling resistance and bursting strength).

Findings

Using different tools, the researchers statistically analyzed the influence of variables on sample properties, including a Chart line, ANOVA test at p-value = 0.05 and the least significant differences values to identify the effect significantly as well as demonstrate the interaction among the samples at each tested property. Finally, radar chart areas to clarify the preferable sample performance.

Originality/value

The findings declared that blending materials used significantly affected most properties of the produced samples, except for the water permeability and an electrostatic charge. Furthermore, the findings pointed out that blending (cotton or bamboo/polyester) is more efficient and desirable than blending (cotton/ bamboo). Additionally, based on radar charts analysis, the cotton/polyester knitted outperforms other blended materials samples in producing sport-hijab or veiling fabric.
Randomised clinical trial: Design of the SYNERGY‐NASH phase 2b trial to evaluate tirzepatide as a treatment for metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis and modification of screening strategy to reduce screen failures
Authors: Vuppalanchi Raj , Loomba Rohit , Sanyal Arun J. , Nikooie Amir , Tang Yuanyuan , Robins Deborah A. , Brouwers Bram , Hartman Mark L.
Published: May 2024

Background

The use of histological inclusion criteria for clinical trials of at‐risk metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is often associated with high screen failure rates.

Aims

To describe the design of a trial investigating tirzepatide treatment of MASH and to examine the effect of new inclusion criteria incorporating the use of the FibroScan‐AST (FAST) score on the proportion of patients meeting histological criteria.

Methods

SYNERGY‐NASH is a Phase 2b, multicentre, randomised, double‐blinded, placebo‐controlled trial in patients with biopsy‐confirmed MASH, F2–F3 fibrosis and NAFLD Activity Score ≥4. New inclusion criteria (FAST score >0.35 and an increase in AST inclusion criterion from >20 to >23 U/L) were adopted during the trial, allowing us to examine its impact on the qualification rate.

Results

1583 participants were screened, 651 participants proceeded to liver biopsy and 190 participants were randomised with an overall screen fail rate of 87%. Following the protocol amendment, the overall qualification rate for per‐protocol biopsies was minimally changed from 27.5% to 28.9% with considerable variation among different investigator medical speciality types: endocrinology: from 37.5% to 39.3%; gastroenterology/hepatology: from 26.0% to 23.3%; other specialities: from 21.3% to 29.7%. At 29 sites that performed per‐protocol biopsies before and after the amendment, qualification rates changed as follows: all: 26.1% to 29.1%; endocrinology: from 35.0% to 40.9%; gastroenterology/hepatology: 25.6% to 20.0%; other specialities: from 16.1% to 27.8%.

Conclusions

For at‐risk MASH trials based on liver histology, the implementation of inclusion criteria with the proposed FAST score and AST cut‐offs in this trial was most effective at non‐specialist sites.
Mixed histiocytic disorders: Nature versus nurture?
Authors: McClain Kenneth , Dimitrion Peter
Published: May 2024

Histiocytic diseases arise from MAPK mutations in myeloid progenitors. Depending on whether the progenitor follows a dendritic cell or macrophage/monocyte lineage the final histology results in Langerhans cell histiocytosis, Rosai–Dorfman disease or Erdheim–Chester disease.

Commentary on: Friedman et al. Mixed histiocytic neoplasms: A multicentre series revealing diverse somatic mutations and responses to targeted therapy. Br J Haematol 2024;205:127–137.
The Process of Leaving a Domestic Violence Shelter for Mothers and Children
Authors: Thunberg Sara , Arnell Linda
Published: May 2024

Domestic violence (DV) shelters provide a safe place for women and children; however, they are only intended to be a temporary solution until residents can find a safe place of their own. In Sweden, the social services are responsible for helping and supporting victims of DV to get away from the violence, which can include everything from practical help and housing to emotional support. The present article aims to investigate mothers' descriptions of leaving a DV shelter where they were staying with their children. Interviews with 13 mothers of children aged 0–6 years are analysed using thematic analysis. The results show that the process of leaving a DV shelter begins almost as soon as the mother and her children arrive, as it can take quite some time to find a new safe place and to mentally prepare for the move. Additionally, it takes a lot of effort to plan for life outside the shelter. This involves hardship for the mothers and children, meaning that they need support from both shelter staff and social services. Implications for social work practice and policy are discussed.
Accuracy, accessibility, and institutional capacity shape the utility of habitat models for managing and conserving rare plants on western public lands
Authors: Samuel Ella M. , Meineke Jennifer K. , McCall Laine E. , Selby Lea B. , Foster Alison C. , Davidson Zoe M. , Dawson Carol A. , Jarnevich Catherine S. , Carter Sarah K.
Published: May 2024

Public lands are often managed for multiple uses ranging from energy development to rare plant conservation. Habitat models can help land managers assess and mitigate potential effects of projects on rare plants, but it is unclear how models are currently being used. Our goal was to better understand how staff in the Bureau of Land Management currently use habitat models to inform their decisions, and perceived challenges and benefits associated with that use. We first examined litigation documents to determine whether the agency has been challenged on its use of data for rare plants and found no relevant legal challenges. Second, we analyzed model use in National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) documents and found no clear citations of habitat models. Finally, we conducted interviews with agency staff who analyze potential effects of proposed actions on rare plants in NEPA documents. The primary challenges interviewees faced in using models related to data organization and access, model quality and accuracy, and institutional capacity. Interviewees believed models could be used more to inform decisions and actions to conserve rare plants and rare plant habitat on public lands and recommended improving staff access to models, creating models for additional species, and addressing staffing limitations.
Apart/Together: Challenges and opportunities for exhibition curation during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Jiang Xiaonan
Published: May 2024

This article discusses a cocurated hybrid (online + onsite) exhibition Apart/Together, which was specifically created to support the community during the challenging times of COVID‐19. Its primary aim was to highlight and foster the theme of friendship, while also showcasing the artworks of two contemporary artists, one from the United States and the other from China. The curatorial team forming the backbone of Apart/Together consisted of students from China and the United States and this diverse team of curators played a crucial role in shaping the exhibition's content and approach. This article examines the curatorial process of Apart/Together, focusing on how it was carried out through the perspective of cultural competency. Cultural competency is a dynamic developmental process that develops the ability or sensibility to collaborate effectively with individuals from different cultures. During a collaborative curatorial process, the curatorial team employed appropriate methods to engage participants, leveraging their cultural diversity to foster intercultural communication and integration. The curatorial experience of Apart/Together during the COVID‐19 pandemic confirmed the importance of cultural competency in curation and contributed to the literature on online collaborative curation and visitor‐centered exhibitions.
Small but connected islands can maintain populations and genetic diversity under climate change
Authors: Smith Matthew M. , Pauli Jonathan N.
Published: May 2024

In response to the striking effects of environmental change, conservation strategies often include the identification of conservation areas that can effectively maintain vulnerable species. Consequently, identifying system‐specific conditions that maintain the demographic and genetic viability of species of conservation concern is essential. Connectivity plays a critical role in the persistence of populations. Islands have been model systems to understand connectivity and metapopulation processes and have emerged as particularly favorable targets for conservation. While islands can be isolated from mainland disturbances, it is unknown what degree of isolation is necessary to avoid unfavorable changes but remain sufficiently connected to maintain population viability. To test this question, we explored connectivity within the Apostle Islands, an archipelago of 22 islands within Lake Superior, by comparing historical and contemporary trends in ice bridge connectivity and by simulating the effect of reduced connectivity within this system. We developed a demographically informed individual‐based model to explicitly test the role of connectivity to influence the persistence and genetic diversity of American marten Martes americana, a forest carnivore at risk across its southern range boundary. We found that genetic diversity was resilient to moderate changes in ice cover, but a complete loss of connectivity resulted in rapid genetic erosion. Despite genetic erosion, populations persisted as long as nominal connectivity occurred between islands. Our work suggests that connectivity will decline, but martens would be resilient to moderate changes and, in the short term, the Apostle Islands can act as a refuge along this species' southern range boundary. Identifying thresholds in connectivity that maintain populations but allow for isolation from disturbance will be necessary to identify suitable areas for species conservation across space and time.
Cognitive control in infancy: Attentional predictors using a tablet‐based measure
Authors: Macrae Emma , Milosavljevic Bosiljka , Katus Laura , Mason Luke , Amadó Marta Perapoch , Rozhko Maria , de Haan Michelle , Elwell Clare E. , Moore Sophie E. , Lloyd‐Fox Sarah ,   The BRIGHT Project Team
Published: May 2024

Cognitive control is a predictor of later‐life outcomes and may underpin higher order executive processes. The present study examines the development of early cognitive control during the first 24‐month. We evaluated a tablet‐based assessment of cognitive control among infants aged 18‐ and 24‐month. We also examined concurrent and longitudinal associations between attentional disengagement, general cognitive skills and cognitive control. Participants (N = 60, 30 female) completed the tablet‐task at 18‐ and 24‐month of age. Attentional disengagement and general cognitive development were assessed at 5‐, 8‐, 12‐, 18‐ and 24‐month using an eye‐tracking measure and the Mullen Scales of Early Learning (MSEL), respectively. The cognitive control task demonstrated good internal consistency, sensitivity to age‐related change in performance and stable individual differences. No associations were found between infant cognitive control and MSEL scores longitudinally or concurrently. The eye‐tracking task revealed that slower attentional disengagement at 8‐month, but faster disengagement at 18‐month, predicted higher cognitive control scores at 24‐month. This task may represent a useful tool for measuring emergent cognitive control. The multifaceted relationship between attention and infant cognitive control suggests that the rapid development of the attentional system in infancy results in distinct attentional skills, at different ages, being relevant for cognitive control development.
The impact of goal saliency and verbal information on selective imitation in 16‐ to 18‐month‐olds
Authors: Trouillet Léonie , Bothe Ricarda , Mani Nivedita , Elsner Birgit
Published: May 2024

This study aimed to assess which action component (movement or goal) infants prioritize in their imitation behavior when they get information about its relevance from two important sources: perceptual goal saliency and experimenter's verbal information. 16‐ to 18‐month‐olds (N = 72) observed how the experimenter moved a toy mouse with a hopping or sliding movement onto one of two empty spaces (low goal saliency) or 2D circles (medium saliency), or inside one of two 3D houses (high saliency). Before the demonstration, the experimenter verbally announced the movement style or the goal. Results showed that verbal action descriptions did not influence infants' imitation. However, matching previous findings, infants imitated the goal more often than the movement in the high‐saliency condition, and the movement more often than the goal in the low‐saliency condition. Moreover, in the novel medium‐saliency condition, infants imitated both components equally often. Thus, selective imitation varied as a function of perceptual goal saliency, but not of verbal cues. This suggests that perceptual features can enhance infants' bottom‐up processing and imitation of action components, while the impact of top‐down processes based on verbal cues may vary depending on task characteristics and infants' verbal abilities, inducing a need for further research.
Cytoreductive chemotherapy in induction therapy plays a key role in the prognosis of patients with low‐risk acute promyelocytic leukaemia
Authors: Zhu Xiaolu , Tang Feifei , Yu Wenjing , Zhao Xiaosu , Qin Yazhen , Jiang Qian , Huang Xiaojun , Jiang Hao
Published: May 2024

In order to explore the risk factors of relapse and potential optimized therapeutic regimen of low‐risk acute promyelocytic leukaemia (APL), here we retrospectively analysed 282 patients who were diagnosed between February 2014 and September 2021. The median follow‐up was 59 (9–102) months. The 5‐year overall survival and cumulative relapse incidence were 97.9% and 5.9%, respectively. In terms of different cytoreductive therapies, 86 patients were administered with hydroxycarbamide (30.5%), 113 with anthracyclines or cytarabine (40.1%), 31 with etoposide (11.0%) and 52 with no cytoreductive therapy (18.4%) during the induction therapy. The hydroxycarbamide treatment group did not decrease the relapse rate compared to the no cytoreduction group (11.4% vs. 5.9%, p = 0.289). Compared with the hydroxycarbamide group, the anthracyclines/cytarabine treatment group showed improved 5‐year RFS (88.145% vs. 98.113%, p = 0.008). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed that myeloblasts in bone marrow at diagnosis, and PML‐RARA transcript level of 6.5% or more after induction therapy were associated with a subsequent risk of relapse. The only factor positively reducing the relapse rate was anthracyclines/cytarabine cytoreductive treatment. In conclusion, cytoreductive chemotherapy in induction therapy plays a potential key role in the prognosis of low‐risk APL.