bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Extension of individual model averaging assessments to unbalanced designs and dose-response
Authors: Chasseloup E. , Li X. , Karlsson M. O.
Published: April 2024

1

Recent investigations assessed two non-linear mixed effect (NLME) model based approaches to test for drug effect on real data in the context of balanced two-arms designs. The standard approach (STD) showed type I error inflation and biased drug effect estimates contrary to the proposed alternative, individual model averaging (IMA), which had controlled type I error and unbiased drug effect estimates. The current study is an extension of the performances assessment of these two approaches to unbalanced designs and dose-response studies. The type I error rate and drug effect estimates were assessed for unbalanced designs, using placebo Alzheimer disease assessment scale cognitive (ADAS-cog) scores from 800 individuals. The bias in the drug effect estimates was assessed for dose response scenarios, on data modified by the addition of various dose-response scenarios (Emax= 2.5, 5, and 10). The generalization of IMA to any randomization ratio of two-arms studies was also presented, together with an alternative parameterization of IMA: saturated IMA (sIMA). Similarly to what was observed in balanced designs, both IMA and sIMA had controlled type I errors and unbiased drug effect estimates in unbalanced designs, whereas STD had uncontrolled type I error and biased drug estimates. For the dose-response studies STD had a systematic bias towards the underestimation of the drug effect estimates. IMA and sIMA were unbiased in the scenarios with high maximum effect but their performances were hindered at the lowest maximum drug effect scenario, because of the closeness in magnitude between the drug effect addition and the placebo model misspecification.
Single molecule array measures of LRRK2 kinase activity in serum link Parkinson’s disease severity to peripheral inflammation
Authors: Yuan Yuan , Li Huizhong , Sreeram Kashyap , Malankhanova Tuyana , Boddu Ravindra , Strader Samuel , Chang Allison , Bryant Nicole , Yacoubian Talene A. , Standaert David G. , Erb Madalynn , Moore Darren J. , Sanders Laurie H. , Lutz Michael W. , Velmeshev Dmitry , West Andrew B.
Published: April 2024

Background

LRRK2-targeting therapeutics that inhibit LRRK2 kinase activity have advanced to clinical trials in idiopathic Parkinson’s disease (iPD). LRRK2 phosphorylates Rab10 on endolysosomes in phagocytic cells to promote some types of immunological responses. The identification of factors that regulate LRRK2-mediated Rab10 phosphorylation in iPD, and whether phosphorylated-Rab10 levels change in different disease states, or with disease progression, may provide insights into the role of Rab10 phosphorylation in iPD and help guide therapeutic strategies targeting this pathway.

Methods

Capitalizing on past work demonstrating LRRK2 and phosphorylated-Rab10 interact on vesicles that can shed into biofluids, we developed and validated a high-throughput single-molecule array assay to measure extracellular pT73-Rab10. Ratios of pT73-Rab10 to total Rab10 measured in biobanked serum samples were compared between informative groups of transgenic mice, rats, and a deeply phenotyped cohort of iPD cases and controls. Multivariable and weighted correlation network analyses were used to identify genetic, transcriptomic, clinical, and demographic variables that predict the extracellular pT73-Rab10 to total Rab10 ratio.

Results

pT73-Rab10 is absent in serum fromLrrk2knockout mice but elevated byLRRK2andVPS35mutations, as well asSNCAexpression. Bone-marrow transplantation experiments in mice show that serum pT73-Rab10 levels derive primarily from circulating immune cells. The extracellular ratio of pT73-Rab10 to total Rab10 is dynamic, increasing with inflammation and rapidly decreasing with LRRK2 kinase inhibition. The ratio of pT73-Rab10 to total Rab10 is elevated in iPD patients with greater motor dysfunction, irrespective of disease duration, age, sex, or the usage of PD-related or anti-inflammatory medications. pT73-Rab10 to total Rab10 ratios are associated with neutrophil activation, antigenic responses, and the suppression of platelet activation.

Conclusions

The extracellular ratio of pT73-Rab10 to total Rab10 in serum is a novel pharmacodynamic biomarker for LRRK2-linked innate immune activation associated with disease severity in iPD. We propose that those iPD patients with higher serum pT73-Rab10 levels may benefit from LRRK2-targeting therapeutics to mitigate associated deleterious immunological responses.
Identification ofPappaandSall3as Gli3 direct target genes acting downstream of cilia signalling in corticogenesis
Authors: Basu Shinjini , Mautner Lena , Whiting Kae , Hasenpusch-Theil Kerstin , Borkowska Malgorzata , Theil Thomas
Published: April 2024

The cerebral cortex is critical for advanced cognitive functions and relies on a vast network of neurons to carry out its highly intricate neural tasks. Generating cortical neurons in accurate numbers hinges on cell signalling orchestrated by primary cilia to coordinate the proliferation and differentiation of cortical stem cells. While recent research has shed light on multiple ciliary roles in corticogenesis, specific mechanisms downstream of cilia signalling remain largely unexplored. We previously showed that an excess of early-born cortical neurons in mice mutant for the ciliary geneInpp5ewas rescued by re-introducing Gli3 repressor. By comparing expression profiles betweenInpp5eandGli3mutants, we here identified novel Gli3 target genes. This approach highlighted the transcription factor geneSall3andPappalysin1(Pappa), a metalloproteinase involved in IGF signalling, as up-regulated genes. Further examination revealed that Gli3 directly binds toSall3andPappaenhancers and suppresses their activity in the dorsal telencephalon. Collectively, our analyses provide important mechanistic insights into how primary cilia govern the behaviour of neural stem cells, ultimately ensuring the production of adequate numbers of neurons during corticogenesis.

SUMMARY STATEMENT

This study reports how cilia control gene expression via Gli3 in the developing murine cerebral cortex.
Evaluating the epizootic and zoonotic threat of an H7N9 low pathogenicity avian influenza virus (LPAIV) variant associated with enhanced pathogenicity in turkeys
Authors: James Joe , Thomas Saumya S. , Seekings Amanda H. , Mahmood Sahar , Kelly Michael , Banyard Ashley C. , Núñez Alejandro , Brookes Sharon M. , Slomka Marek J.
Published: April 2024

Between 2013-2017, A/Anhui/1/13-lineage (H7N9) low pathogenicity avian influenza virus (LPAIV) was epizootic in chickens in China causing mild disease, with 616 fatal human cases. Despite poultry vaccination, H7N9 has not been eradicated. Previously we demonstrated increased pathogenesis in turkeys infected with H7N9, correlating with the emergence of the L217Q (L226Q H3 numbering) polymorphism in the haemagglutinin (HA) protein. A Q217 containing virus also arose and is now dominant in China following vaccination. We compared infection and transmission of this Q217 containing ‘turkey-adapted’ (ty-ad) isolate alongside the H7N9 (L217)wild-type(wt)virus in different poultry species, and investigated the zoonotic potential in the ferret model. Bothwtand ty-ad viruses demonstrated similar shedding and transmission in turkeys and chickens. However, the ty-ad virus was significantly more pathogenic than thewtvirus in turkeys but not in chickens, causing 100% and 33% mortality in turkeys respectively. Expanded tissue tropism was seen for the ty-ad virus in turkeys but not chickens, yet the viral cell receptor distribution was broadly similar in visceral organs of both species. The ty-ad virus required exogenous trypsin forin vitroreplication yet had increased replication in primary avian cells. Replication was comparable in mammalian cells and the ty-ad virus replicated successfully in ferrets. The L217Q polymorphism also affected antigenicity. Therefore, H7N9 infection in turkeys can generate novel variants with increased risk through altered pathogenicity and potential HA antigenic escape. These findings emphasise the requirement for enhanced surveillance and understanding of A/Anhui/1/13-lineage viruses and their risk to different species.
Assessing AF2’s ability to predict structural ensembles of proteins
Authors: Riccabona Jakob R. , Spoendlin Fabian C. , Fischer Anna-Lena M. , Loeffler Johannes R. , Quoika Patrick K. , Jenkins Timothy P. , Ferguson James A. , Smorodina Eva , Laustsen Andreas H. , Greiff Victor , Forli Stefano , Ward Andrew B. , Deane Charlotte M. , Fernández-Quintero Monica L.
Published: April 2024

Recent breakthroughs in protein structure prediction have enhanced the precision and speed at which protein configurations can be determined, setting new benchmarks for accuracy and efficiency in the field. However, the fundamental mechanisms of biological processes at a molecular level are often connected to conformational changes of proteins. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations serve as a crucial tool for capturing the conformational space of proteins, providing valuable insights into their structural fluctuations. However, the scope of MD simulations is often limited by the accessible timescales and the computational resources available, posing challenges to comprehensively exploring protein behaviors. Recently emerging approaches have focused on expanding the capability of AlphaFold2 (AF2) to predict conformational substates of protein structures by manipulating the input multiple sequence alignment (MSA). These approaches operate under the assumption that the MSA also contains information about the heterogeneity of protein structures. Here, we benchmark the performance of various workflows that have adapted AF2 for ensemble prediction focusing on the subsampling of the MSA as implemented in ColabFold and compare the obtained structures with ensembles obtained from MD simulations and NMR. As test cases, we chose four proteins namely the bovine pancreatic inhibitor protein (BPTI), thrombin and two antigen binding fragments (antibody Fv and nanobody), for which reliable experimentally validated structural information (X-ray and/or NMR) was available. Thus, we provide an overview of the levels of performance and accessible timescales that can currently be achieved with machine learning (ML) based ensemble generation. In three out of the four test cases, we find structural variations fall within the predicted ensembles. Nevertheless, significant minima of the free energy surfaces remain undetected. This study highlights the possibilities and pitfalls when generating ensembles with AF2 and thus may guide the development of future tools while informing upon the results of currently available applications.
Prediction of Cardiovascular Markers and Diseases Using Retinal Fundus Images and Deep Learning: A Systematic Scoping Review
Authors: Li Livie Yumeng , Isaksen Anders Aasted , Lebiecka-Johansen Benjamin , Funck Kristian , Thambawita Vajira , Byberg Stine , Andersen Tue Helms , Norgaard Ole , Hulman Adam
Published: April 2024

Background

Cardiovascular risk prediction models based on sociodemographic factors and traditional clinical measurements have received significant attention. With rapid development in deep learning for image analysis in the last decade and the well-known association between micro- and macrovascular complications, some recent studies focused on the prediction of cardiovascular risk using retinal fundus images. The objective of this scoping review is to identify and describe studies using retinal fundus images and deep learning to predict cardiovascular risk markers and diseases.

Methods

We searched MEDLINE and Embase for peer-reviewed articles on 17 November 2023. Abstracts and relevant full-text articles were independently screened by two reviewers. We included studies that used deep learning for the analysis of retinal fundus images to predict cardiovascular risk markers (e.g. blood pressure, coronary artery calcification, intima-media thickness) or cardiovascular diseases (prevalent or incident). Studies that used only predefined characteristics of retinal fundus images (e.g. tortuosity, fractal dimension) were not considered. Study characteristics were extracted by the first author and verified by the senior author. Results are presented using descriptive statistics.

Results

We included 24 articles in the review, published between 2018 and 2023. Among these, 21 (88%) were cross-sectional studies and eight (33%) were follow-up studies with outcome of clinical CVD. Five studies included a combination of both designs. Most studies (n=23, 96%) used convolutional neural networks to process images. We found nine (38%) studies that incorporated clinical risk factors in the prediction and four (17%) that compared the results to commonly used clinical risk scores in a prospective setting. Three of these reported improved discriminative performance. External validation of models was rare (n=5, 21%). Only four (17%) studies made their code publicly available.

Conclusions

There is an increasing interest in using retinal fundus images in cardiovascular risk assessment. However, there is a need for more prospective studies, comparisons of results to clinical risk scores and models augmented with traditional risk factors. Moreover, more extensive code sharing is necessary to make findings reproducible and more impactful beyond a specific study.
Microbial resistance and resilience to drought under organic and conventional farming
Authors: Kost Elena , Kundel Dominika , Conz Rafaela Feola , Mäder Paul , Krause Hans-Martin , Six Johan , Mayer Jochen , Hartmann Martin
Published: April 2024

The impacts of climate change, such as drought, can affect soil microbial communities. These communities are crucial for soil functioning and crop production. Organic and conventional cropping systems promote distinct soil microbiomes and soil organic carbon contents, which might maintain different capacities to mitigate drought effects on cropping systems. A field-scale drought simulation was performed in long-term organically and conventionally managed cropping systems differing in fertilization and pesticide application. The soil microbiome was assessed during and after drought in bulk soil, rhizosphere, and roots of wheat. We found that drought shifted microbial community structures, affecting fungi more strongly than prokaryotes. Microbial communities associated with crops (i.e. rhizosphere and root) were more strongly influenced by drought compared to bulk soil communities. A drought legacy effect was observed in the bulk soil after harvesting and rewetting. The resistance and resilience of the soil microbiome to severe drought did not significantly differ across the organic and conventional cropping systems, although few individual genera (e.g.Streptomyces,Rhizophagus, Actinomadura, andAneurinibacillus) showed system-specific drought responses. All cropping systems showed relative increases in potential plant growth-promoting genera under drought. This agricultural field study indicated that fungal communities might be less resistant to drought than prokaryotic communities in cropping systems and these effects get more pronounced in closer association with plants. Organic fertilization or the reduction in pesticide application might not have the ability to buffer severe drought stress and additional farming practices might have to be incorporated to improve drought tolerance in cropping systems.
Protein design of two-component tubular assemblies like cytoskeletons
Authors: Noji Masahiro , Sugita Yukihiko , Yamazaki Yosuke , Miyazaki Makito , Suzuki Yuta
Published: April 2024

Recent advances in protein design have ushered in an era of constructing intricate higher-order structures1. Despite this progress, orchestrating the assembly of diverse protein units into cohesive artificial structures akin to biological assembly systems, especially in tubular forms, remains an elusive goal. To address this, we introduce the Nature-Inspired Protein Assembly Design (NIPAD), a novel methodology that utilises two distinct protein units to create unique tubular structures under carefully designed conditions. These structures demonstrate dynamic flexibility similar to that of actin filaments, with cryo-electron microscopy revealing diverse morphologies, like microtubules. By mimicking actin filaments, helical conformations were incorporated into tubular assemblies, thereby enriching their structural diversity. Remarkably, these assemblies can be reversibly disassembled and reassembled in response to environmental stimuli, such as changes in salt concentration and temperature, mirroring the dynamic behaviour of natural systems. NIPAD combines rational protein design with biophysical insights, leading to the creation of biomimetic, adaptable, and reversible higher-order assemblies. This approach deepens our understanding of protein assembly design and complex biological structures. Concurrently, it broadens the horizons of synthetic biology and material science, holding significant implications for unravelling life’s fundamental processes and pioneering new applications.
IncC plasmid genome rearrangements influence the vertical and horizontal transmission tradeoff inEscherichia coli
Authors: Allain Margaux , Morel-Journel Thibaut , Condamine Bénédicte , Gibeaux Benoist , Gachet Benoit , Gschwind Rémi , Denamur Erick , Landraud Luce
Published: April 2024

It has been shown that an evolutionary tradeoff between vertical (host growth rate) and horizontal (plasmid conjugation) transmissions contribute to global plasmid fitness. As conjugative IncC plasmids are important for the spread of multidrug resistance (MDR), in a broad range of bacterial hosts, we investigated vertical and horizontal transmissions of two multidrug-resistant IncC plasmids according to their backbones and MDR-region rearrangements, upon plasmid entry into a new host. We observed plasmid genome deletions after conjugation in three diverse naturalEscherichia coliclinical strains, varying from null to high number depending on the plasmid, all occurring in the MDR-region. The plasmid burden on bacterial fitness depended more on the strain background than on the structure of the MDR-region, deletions appearing to have no impact. Besides, we observed an increase in plasmid transfer rate, from ancestral host to new clinical recipient strains, when the IncC plasmid was rearranged. Finally, using a second set of conjugation experiments, we investigated the evolutionary tradeoff of the IncC plasmid during the critical period of plasmid establishment inE. coliK-12, by correlating the transfer rates of deleted or non-deleted IncC plasmids and their costs on the recipient strain. Plasmid deletions strongly improved conjugation efficiency with no negative growth effect. Our findings indicate that the flexibility of the MDR-region of the IncC plasmids can promote their dissemination, and provide diverse opportunities to capture new resistance genes. In a broader view, they suggest that the vertical-horizontal transmission tradeoff can be manipulated by the plasmid to improve its fitness.
Mitigation of Stress-induced Structural Remodeling and Functional Deficiency in iPSC-CMs with PLN R9C Mutation by Promoting Autophagy
Authors: Yu Qi , Barndt Robert J , Shen Yawei , Sallam Karim , Tang Ying , Chan Stephen Y. , Wu Joseph C. , Liu Qing , Wu Haodi
Published: April 2024

Background

Phospholamban (PLN) is a key regulator of cardiac function connecting adrenergic signaling and calcium homeostasis. The R9C mutation of PLN is known to cause early onset dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) and premature death, yet the detailed mechanisms underlie the pathologic remodeling process are not well defined in human cardiomyocytes. The aim of this study is to unravel the role of PLN R9C in DCM and identify potential therapeutic targets.

Methods

PLN R9C knock-in (KI) and patient-specific induced pluripotent stem cell-derived cardiomyocytes (iPSC-CMs) were generated and comprehensively examined for their expression profile, contractile function, and cellular signaling under both baseline conditions and following functional challenges.

Results

PLN R9C KI iPSC-CMs exhibited near-normal morphology and calcium handling, slightly increased contractility, and an attenuated response to β-adrenergic activation compared to wild-type (WT) cells. However, treatment with a maturation medium (MM) has induced fundamentally different remodeling in the two groups: while it improved the structural integrity and functional performance of WT cells, the same treatment result in sarcomere disarrangement, calcium handling deficiency, and further disrupted adrenergic signaling in PLN R9C KI cells. To understand the mechanism, transcriptomic analysis showed the enrichment of protein homeostasis signaling pathways specifically in PLN R9C KI cells in response to the MM treatment and increased contractile demands. Further studies also indicated elevated ROS levels, interrupted autophagic flux, and increased pentamer PLN aggregation in functionally challenged KI cells. These results were further confirmed in patient-specific iPSC-CM models, suggesting that functional stresses exacerbate the deficiencies in PLN R9C cells through disrupting protein homeostasis. Indeed, treating stressed patient cells with autophagy-accelerating reagents, such as metformin and rapamycin, has restored autophagic flux, mitigated sarcomere disarrangement, and partially rescued β-adrenergic signaling and cardiac function.

Conclusions

PLN R9C leads to a mild increase of calcium recycling and contractility. Functional challenges further enhanced contractile and proteostasis stress, leading to autophagic overload, structural remodeling, and functional deficiencies in PLN R9C cardiomyocytes. Activation of autophagy signaling partially rescues these effects, revealing a potential therapeutic target for DCM patients with the PLN R9C mutation.

Graphic abstracts

A graphic abstract is available for this article.
Ruvbl1 is required for the reproduction of the corn planthopper,Peregrinus maidis
Authors: Xavier César A. D. , Tyson Clara , Whitfield Anna E.
Published: April 2024

Ruvbl1(also known as TIP49, Pontin) encodes an ATPase of the AAA+ protein superfamily involved in several cellular functions, including chromatin remodeling, control of transcription, and cellular development (motility, growth, and proliferation). Here, we used anin-vivoRNA interference (RNAi) approach to evaluate the effect ofRuvbl1silencing on the physiology of the corn planthopper,Peregrinus maidis. Silencing ofP. maidis Ruvbl1(PmRuvbl1) was correlated with visible morphology changes in female individuals with significant increases in body mass observed at 8 and 12 days after double strand RNA (dsRNA) injection. Ovary morphology was significantly affected in adult females withPmRuvbl1silenced, with no mature oocytes observed at 8 and 12 days after gene silencing. Whereas no significant difference in egg laying was observed 4 days after dsRNA injection, significantly fewer eggs were laid in plants at 8 and 12 days after dsRNA treatment. Furthermore, dramatic reductions in egg hatching were observed at all time points afterPmRuvbl1silencing, compared to dsGFP-injected controls. These results extend PmRuvbl1 functions as a putative regulator ofP. maidisreproduction and demonstrate the potential ofRuvbl1to be further exploited as a target for RNAi-mediated insect control.
A protein condensation network contextualises cell fate decisions
Authors: Peskett Thomas R , Lee Sung Sik , Barral Yves
Published: April 2024

For cells to thrive, they must make appropriate fate decisions based on a myriad of internal and external stimuli. But how do they integrate these different forms of information to contextualise their decisions? Old yeast cells showed an ability to dampen their proliferation as they entered senescence. Conversely, they had an enhanced ability to promote proliferation during escape from pheromone stimulation. A network of nucleoprotein condensation states involving processing bodies (P-bodies) and the prion-like RNA-binding protein, Whi3, controlled these opposing fate decisions. In old but not in young cells, condensation of Whi3 was both necessary and sufficient for senescence entry. In old cells, Whi3 localised to age-dependent P-bodies. Preventing their formation stopped Whi3 condensation from driving senescence entry. Challenging old cells with an external stimulus, pheromone, revealed that the condensates had a second function: potentiating the cell’s ability to trigger escape from the mating pheromone response. These findings identify biomolecular condensation as an integrator of contextual information as cells make decisions, enabling them to navigate overlapping life events.
Two types of quaking and shear unjamming: State diagram for soft granular particles in quasistatic shear
Authors: Tsai Cheng-En , Li Wei-Chih , Fan-Chiang H.-C. , Hsiao Pai-Yi , Tsai Jih-Chiang
Published: April 2024

Understanding intermittency, a ubiquitous behavior in flows of packed grains, is pivotal for establishing the rheology of granular matter. A straightforward explanation has been missing despite the long development of theories at various levels of abstraction. Here, we propose the use of a Stribeck-Hertz model that starts with the classic Coulomb friction but takes into account the interparticle , i.e., the reduction of friction coefficient with sliding speed as is commonly observed. Our numerical experiments reveal a state diagram that covers a wide range of packing fractions and show that incorporating the tribology enables the occurrence of quaking intermittency in the midrange of a dimensionless shear rate, consistent with prior experimental observations. Further study of the discontinuities in the evolution of the mean contact number leads to our discovery of two types of quaking that are distinguished by the abrupt or of neighboring contacts and reveal different pathways of microstructural change underlying these discrete events. In contrast to the prevailing paradigm in which shear is believed to promote jamming at intermediate densities, our study demonstrates that shear can also unjam a granular system, and this occurrence depends on the shear rate.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Crystal structures of trichlorido(4-methylpiperidine)gold(III) and two polymorphs of tribromido(4-methylpiperidine)gold(III)
Authors: Döring Cindy , Jones Peter G.
Published: April 2024

Trichlorido(4-methylpiperidine)gold(III), [AuCl3(C6H13N)], 1, crystallizes in Pbca with Z = 8. Tribromido(4-methylpiperidine)gold(III), [AuBr3(C6H13N)], 2, crystallizes as two polymorphs, 2a in Pnma with Z = 4 (imposed mirror symmetry) and 2b, which is isotypic to 1. The Au—N bonds trans to Cl are somewhat shorter than those trans to Br, and the Au—Cl bonds trans to N are longer than those cis to N, whereas the Au—Br bonds trans to N are slightly shorter than the cis bonds. The methyl and AuX
3 groups (X = halogen) occupy equatorial positions at the six-membered ring. The packing of all three structures involves chains of molecules with offset stacking of the AuX
3 moieties associated with short Au...X contacts; for 1 and 2b these are reinforced by N—H...X hydrogen bonds, whereas for 2a there are no classical hydrogen bonds and the chains are interconnected by Br...Br contacts.
How digitalization and information technology adoption affect firms' innovation performance: evidence from Chinese automotive firms
Authors: Zhou Fei , Xu Songling
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore how the application of digital technology and information technology can help firms improve their innovation performance and examines the mediating mechanisms of supply chain agility and supply chain integration.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted a questionnaire survey of 320 business managers in an automotive cluster in China and analyzed the collected data using structural equations.

Findings

Digital technology applications (DTA) have a positive impact on innovation performance, while supply chain agility and integration mediate this impact. In addition, information technology applications (ITA) also has a positive impact on innovation performance, while supply chain agility and integration mediate between the two. Supply chain agility (SCA) and supply chain integration (SCI) significantly enhance the positive impact of technology adoption on firms' innovation performance.

Originality/value

This study confirms the impact of digital technology and information technology applications on innovation performance and explores the mediating role played by supply chain agility and integration.
Maximizing marketing impact: heuristic vs ensemble models for attribution modeling
Authors: Gaur Jitendra , Bharti Kumkum , Bajaj Rahul
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Allocation of the marketing budget has become increasingly challenging due to the diverse channel exposure to customers. This study aims to enhance global marketing knowledge by introducing an ensemble attribution model to optimize marketing budget allocation for online marketing channels. As empirical research, this study demonstrates the supremacy of the ensemble model over standalone models.

Design/methodology/approach

The transactional data set for car insurance from an Indian insurance aggregator is used in this empirical study. The data set contains information from more than three million platform visitors. A robust ensemble model is created by combining results from two probabilistic models, namely, the Markov chain model and the Shapley value. These results are compared and validated with heuristic models. Also, the performances of online marketing channels and attribution models are evaluated based on the devices used (i.e. desktop vs mobile).

Findings

Channel importance charts for desktop and mobile devices are analyzed to understand the top contributing online marketing channels. Customer relationship management-emailers and Google cost per click a paid advertising is identified as the top two marketing channels for desktop and mobile channels. The research reveals that ensemble model accuracy is better than the standalone model, that is, the Markov chain model and the Shapley value.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the current research is the first of its kind to introduce ensemble modeling for solving attribution problems in online marketing. A comparison with heuristic models using different devices (desktop and mobile) offers insights into the results with heuristic models.
The role of organisational culture in university–firm cooperation: multiple case studies
Authors: Sartor de Oliveira Rafael , Franco Mário , Rodrigues Margarida
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Cooperative agreements between universities and firms (U–F) have gained prominence. However, the literature on organisational culture and the formation of cooperation agreements is scarce. This study aims to analyse, from the perspective of the managers of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and those in charge in universities, the perceptions of the influence of organisational culture on this type of U–F cooperation.

Design/methodology/approach

To this end, multiple case studies were adopted, involving cooperation agreements between a Portuguese and eight SMEs incubated in UBImedical. Semi-structured interviews were used to gather information, aiming to understand the meaning, importance and possible obstacles caused by organisational culture in this U–F cooperation agreement.

Findings

Content analysis of the results obtained leads to the conclusion that cultural compatibility is a crucial factor for successful U–F cooperation. The exchange of knowledge, mutual trust and flexibility between those involved are identified as key determinants to build shared norms that allow a more productive, assertive union.

Practical implications

The study represents an important tool to support SME managers and those in charge of universities, as the evidence obtained can help them to define policies and actions with regard to the U–F cooperation process. More precisely, these SME and university managers could give more attention to culture in future cooperation agreements.

Originality/value

This study advances understanding of the role of organisational culture in a cooperation agreement since this was a gap identified in the literature on the topic. It also contributes to the existing body of work on U–F cooperation, demonstrating that organisational culture is considered important by partners in these agreements and should be adjusted towards compatible alignment of each party’s expectations.
Unveiling investment behavior: through emotional intelligence, social stigma, financial literacy and risk tolerance
Authors: Chaturvedi Sharma Pooja
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study examines the effects of financial literacy and financial risk tolerance on investor behavior by introducing social stigma as a mediator and emotional intelligence as a moderating factor.

Design/methodology/approach

Data is collected from 761 financially independent individual investors, with a minimum age of 25 years, a minimum of five years of stock market experience and residing in five selected major Indian cities. The collected data is subsequently analyzed using SmartPLS. Homogeneous purposive sampling followed by snowball sampling was employed.

Findings

The findings of the study demonstrate a strong and noteworthy impact of financial literacy on investor behavior. The research reveals that social stigma acts as a partial mediator and emotional intelligence plays a significant moderator with direct effects and indirect effects between financial literacy, financial risk tolerance, social stigma and investor behavior.

Research limitations/implications

Exploring emotional intelligence in financial decisions enriches academic programs by integrating it into financial education. Collaboration between academia and financial institutions yields practical tools, infusing emotional intelligence into services. This prompts systemic shifts, reshaping education and societal discourse, fostering inclusive, emotionally intelligent financial landscapes, aiming to redefine both academic teachings and real-world financial practices.

Practical implications

Integrating emotional intelligence into government-led financial literacy programs can transform societal perspectives on financial decision-making. Customized services, destigmatizing workshops and collaborative efforts with academia foster an emotionally intelligent financial landscape, reshaping traditional paradigms.

Social implications

Promoting open societal discussions about finances combats stigma, fostering a supportive space for risk-taking. Emphasizing emotional intelligence in awareness campaigns cultivates inclusivity and confidence. Normalizing financial talks empowers individuals, enhancing their well-being. Elevating both financial literacy and emotional intelligence enhances overall financial health, nurturing a community adept at navigating financial journeys.

Originality/value

This study marks a notable contribution to behavioral finance and social stigma theory by examining their intersection with emotional intelligence. It uniquely introduces social stigma as a mediator and emotional intelligence as a moderator, unexplored in this context. This novelty underscores the research’s significance, offering practical insights into financial well-being.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2023-0626
Understanding students’ switching intentions from cash payment to mobile payment in education sector
Authors: Pragha P. , Dhalmahapatra Krantiraditya , Sambasivan Murali , Rathore Pradeep , Saha Esha
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The study intends to evaluate students’ intention to shift from cash payment to mobile payment system for academic fee payments through push, pull and mooring framework. Push factors comprise risk and service-related factors, pull factors consist of subjective and aspect-based factors and mooring factors include cost and cognitive factors.

Design/methodology/approach

Sample of the study consists of around 296 undergraduate and postgraduate students from different higher educational institutions located in India. The questionnaire for data collection comprises 21 Likert scale-based items distributed among seven constructs. Partial least square structural equation modeling is used to identify the significant factors influencing students’ intentions.

Findings

Five of the factors, namely, risk, service, subjective, aspect and cognitive significantly influence student’s intention to switch to mobile payment system for academic fee payments. Moderation analysis indicates that the impact of the push and pull factors on switching intention towards mobile payments has a more positive influence among male students.

Originality/value

This study is probably the only study that tested the specific push, pull and mooring factors influencing intention to switch to mobile payment from cash payment in the Indian education system based on the incentive, Fogg behavior and status quo bias theory for academic fee payment.
An integrative model of enterprise architecture value: a grounded theory study to position its artifacts
Authors: Grave Frank , van de Wetering Rogier , Kusters Rob
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Despite the relevance of how enterprise architecture (EA) contributes to organizational performance in contemporary digital technology-driven strategic renewal, little is known about the position of EA artifacts. Therefore, this study aims to build an integrative model of EA artifact-enabled EA value supplemented with a research agenda to enhance our understanding further.

Design/methodology/approach

This study leveraged grounded theory techniques and a systematic review approach to develop the integrative model and research agenda.

Findings

We inductively build a model of the position of EA artifacts in EA value creation. Additionally, we elaborate a research agenda that proposes (1) an investigation of the role of an EA practice in successful strategic change, (2) an examination of how to manage EA practice value generation and (3) longitudinal research to gain insight into the evolution of value creation by EA practices.

Originality/value

This study presents a model of EA artifact-enabled EA value, thereby contributing to our understanding of the mechanisms, inhibitors and success factors associated with EA value. Following our model, the proposed research agenda contains future research areas to help us better understand the mechanisms and interrelatedness of EA practices in highly dynamic environments.
Knowledge sharing in open social innovation for sustainable development: evidence from rural social enterprises
Authors: Juusola Katariina , Venkitachalam Krishna , Kleber Daniel , Popat Archana
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the use of knowledge sharing (KS) in delivering open social innovation (OSI) solutions for sustainable development in the context of economically marginalized, rural societies in India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is guided by an exploratory, qualitative approach using an embedded case study design with four social enterprises. The study approaches the use of KS in three stages of OSI: (1) the stages of ideating and prototyping, (2) the initial stages of experimenting and business development and (3) the more current and future-oriented stages of organizations’ strategies for expanding market opportunities for maximizing impact.

Findings

The first stage used KS for collaborative efforts among diverse stakeholders to recognize the needs of marginalized people and ideate suitable ecological solutions. The social enterprises acted as orchestrators in this stage. The second stage involved a more dynamic role of KS in the refinement of social enterprises’ market offerings, generating additional innovations and value propositions, which diversified the scope of the social enterprises. This was facilitated by enterprises’ ability to be open systems, which change and evolve through OSI processes and KS. In the third stage, social enterprises’ use of KS was shifted towards future business development by expanding market opportunities with solutions that tackle complex societal and ecological problems, thereby contributing to sustainable development goals.

Originality/value

The present study contributes to studies on OSI, focusing on sustainable development and the role played by social enterprises operating in rural, economically marginalized areas, which have been an understudied phenomenon in the open innovation literature.
Effects of loving-kindness meditation on prosocial behavior: empirical and meta-analytic evidence
Authors: Valor Carmen , Martínez-de-Ibarreta Carlos , Carrero Isabel , Merino Amparo
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Brief loving-kindness meditation (LKM) is introduced here as a valid social marketing intervention. LKM positively influences prosocial cognitions and affects. However, it remains unclear whether brief meditation interventions can influence prosocial behavior. This study aims to provide evidence of the effects of short LKM on prosocial behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

This study reports the results of three experiments examining the effects of brief LKM on donations to unknown others. The results are then integrated with the results of seven other studies testing the effects of brief LKM on prosocial behavior using a meta-analysis (n = 683).

Findings

LKM increased love more than the control group (focused breathing) in the three experiments; however, its effects on donations were mixed. The meta-analysis shows that LKM has a small-to-medium significant effect compared to active control groups (d = 0.303); moreover, age and type of prosocial measure used moderate the effects.

Originality/value

Results suggest that LKM can nurture prosocial emotions such as love and lead young individuals to donate. However, these emotions may not be sufficient to lead adult meditators to share their resources with unknown others. This study presents the first meta-analysis of brief LKM and provides insights into the use of meditation in social marketing programs.
Enteral nutrition practices among very preterm infants in neonatal units: a cross-country comparative study
Authors: Alyahya Wesam , AlSharfa Rayhana , Alduhbaki Noor , Al-Zahir Batool , Alqalaf Marwa , Alawfi Jumanah , Altwejri Hussah , Alessa Hanoof , Purayidathil Tunny , Khattab Rabie
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The objective of this study was to delineate and compare enteral nutrition (EN) practices among neonatal units across the Arabian Gulf countries.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional study was conducted by recruiting 255 clinicians working in neonatal units in the Arabian Gulf countries.

Findings

Out of 255 invited clinicians, 73 (29%) participated in the survey. Neonatal units used varied EN strategies, where feeding practices exhibited variability. The majority (74%) of units had a local standard feeding protocol, while 18% followed international protocols, and 8% did not adhere to a specific protocol. When maternal milk was not used, the main alternatives were preterm formula (67%) and predigested formula (14%). The age at which the first EN was commenced and the reported advancement rate showed significant variations among different units (p < 0.001). The initiation of fortification was primarily driven by reaching a specific enteral volume (commonly reported as 100 mL/kg/day) and addressing poor postnatal growth. Fortification practices did not differ significantly among professions, except for the initial fortification strength, where none of the dietitians and only 8.3% of neonatologists preferred full strength, compared to 28.6% and 21.4% of medical residents and nurses, respectively (p = 0.033).

Originality/value

This study marks the first exploration of EN practices in neonatal units, examining their local and cross-country variations. It provides valuable insights to guide local trials and foster global collaboration among neonatal units to establish a unified knowledge base, standardized practices and promote research and innovation, ultimately contributing to optimal feeding practices for very preterm infants.
Salvianic acid A sodium facilitates cardiac microvascular endothelial cell proliferation by enhancing the hypoxia‐inducible factor‐1 alpha/vascular endothelial growth factor signalling pathway post‐myocardial infarction
Authors: Liu Jichun , Wu Fei , Li Zhenhan , Zheng Shengwei , Huang Yanqiang , Chen Hao
Published: April 2024

Cardiac microvascular endothelial cells (CMECs) are important cells surrounding the cardiomyocytes in the heart that maintain microenvironment homeostasis. Salvianic acid A sodium (SAAS) has been reported to prevent myocardial infarction (MI) injury. However, the role of SAAS on CMEC proliferation remains unclear. CEMCs exposed to oxygen glucose deprivation (OGD) were used to explore the angiogenic abilities of SAAS. In vivo, C57BL/6 mice were divided into three groups: sham, MI and SAAS + MI groups. Compared to OGD group, SAAS led to a reduction in the apoptotic rate and an increase of the proliferation in vitro. Additionally, SAAS increased the protein levels of Bcl2, HIF‐1α and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) with the reduction of Bax. In terms of the specific mechanisms, SAAS might inhibit HIF‐1α ubiquitination and enhance the HIF‐1α/VEGF signalling pathway to increase CMEC proliferation. Furthermore, SAAS increased the density of vessels, inhibited myocardial fibrosis and improved cardiac dysfunction in vivo. The present study has revealed that SAAS could potentially be used as an active substance to facilitate CMEC proliferation post‐MI.
Validation of the lead‐in method in a practical shooting scenario
Authors: Keldson Maddie , Liscio Eugene
Published: April 2024

The ability to determine bullet trajectories after a shooting incident can allow investigators to reconstruct the locations of individuals and the sequence of events that took place. By using trajectory rods, investigators can be provided with an immediate visual estimate as to what the path of the projectile may have been. In certain instances, the use of the probing method with trajectory rods is not appropriate due to their being a single, thin target material, or no secondary bullet impact site. In these cases, other methods such as the lead‐in or the ellipse method may be useful. Overall, the lead‐in method has not been well studied in the application to practical scenarios, such as those including bullet impacts on vehicle metal surfaces. This study has explored the accuracy of the lead‐in method when a bullet impacts a typical vehicle metal surface using three firearm calibers, three blind participants, and two non‐blind participants. The results of this study have shown that each caliber has its own characteristic error curve. In general, it was found that the lower the impact angle, the less errors were made by the participants. As the impact angle increases, the measurement errors increased, due to the smaller lead‐in area present. The errors were found to have a wide range, with some being as low as 1° and some being as high as 13.9°. Further, it was found there was no significant effect on the errors of blind versus non‐blind participants.