bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Testis morphogenesis and fetal Leydig cell development are mediated through ERK signaling activated by platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha
Authors: Li Shu-Yun , Matsuyama Satoko , Whiteside Sarah , Gu Xiaowei , Cool Jonah , Capel Blanche , DeFalco Tony
Published: July 2023

Platelet derived growth factor receptor alpha(Pdgfra) plays a crucial role in the morphogenesis and differentiation of the fetal testis, but the molecular signaling involved in these processes remains unclear. Here, we use XYPdgfra-null knock-in (KI) gonads to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlyingPdgfra-mediated testis cord formation and development of fetal Leydig cells (FLCs). The extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathway, a well-known mitogen-activated protein kinase signaling pathway, was significantly inhibited in XYPdgfraKI gonads, suggesting that ERK signaling is activated downstream of PDGFRA. Usingex vivowhole-organ culture, small interfering RNA (siRNA) cell culture methods, transwell assays and a genetic mouse model to disrupt ERK signaling in gonadal cells, we found that the ERK pathway promoted testis cord formation viaearly growth response 1(Egr1)-mediated cell migration and regulated the expression of steroidogenic enzymes in FLCs via activating the transcription factor cAMP responsive element binding protein 1 (CREB; official name CREB1). These findings highlight the significance of PDGFRA and its downstream signaling in fetal testis morphogenesis and cellular differentiation, thus providing insights into the etiology of and potential therapeutic targets for disorders related to gonadal development.
Methods for cell isolation and analysis of the highly regenerative tunicatePolycarpa mytiligera
Authors: gordon Tal , Hendin Noam , Wurtzel Omri
Published: July 2023

Polycarpa mytiligerais the only molecularly characterized solitary ascidian capable of regenerating all organs and tissue types. The cellular basis for regeneration inP. mytiligerais largely unknown, and methods for isolating live cells from this species for functional analyses are unavailable. Here, we developed a method for isolating live cells fromP. mytiligera, overcoming major experimental challenges, including the dissociation of its thick body wall and native cellular autofluorescence. We demonstrated the applicability of our approach for tissue dissociation and cell analysis using three flow cytometry platforms, and by using broadly used non-species-specific cell labeling reagents. In addition to live cell isolation, proof-of-concept experiments showed that this approach was compatible with gene expression analysis of RNA extracted from the isolated cells, and with ex vivo analysis of phagocytosis. The ability to purify live cells will promote future studies of cell function inP. mytiligeraregeneration.
Neuron-specific RNA-sequencing reveals different responses in peripheral neurons after nerve injury
Authors: Bolívar S , Sanz E , Ovelleiro D , Zochodne DW , Udina E
Published: July 2023

Peripheral neurons are heterogeneous and functionally diverse, but all share the capability to switch to a pro-regenerative state after nerve injury. Despite the assumption that the injury response is similar among neuronal subtypes, functional recovery may differ. Understanding the distinct intrinsic regenerative properties between neurons may help to improve the quality of regeneration, prioritizing the growth of axon subpopulations to their targets. Here, we present a comparative analysis of regeneration across four key peripheral neuron populations: motoneurons, proprioceptors, cutaneous mechanoreceptors, and nociceptors. Using Cre/Ai9 mice that allow fluorescent labelling of neuronal subtypes, we found that nociceptors showed the greater regeneration after a sciatic crush, followed by motoneurons, mechanoreceptors and, finally, proprioceptors. By breeding these Cre mice with Ribotag mice, we isolated specific translatomes and defined the regenerative response of these neuronal subtypes after axotomy. Only 20% of the regulated genes were common, revealing a diverse response to injury among neurons, which was also supported by the differential influence of neurotrophins among neuron subtypes. Among differentially regulated genes, we proposed MED12 as a specific regulator of the regeneration of proprioceptors. Altogether, we demonstrate that the intrinsic regenerative capacity differs between peripheral neuron subtypes, opening the door to selectively modulate these responses.
Diallel panel reveals a significant impact of low-frequency genetic variants on gene expression variation in yeast
Authors: Tsouris Andreas , Brach Gauthier , Friedrich Anne , Hou Jing , Schacherer Joseph
Published: July 2023

Unraveling the genetic sources of gene expression variation is essential to better understand the origins of phenotypic diversity in natural populations. Genome-wide association studies identified thousands of variants involved in gene expression variation, however, variants detected only explain part of the heritability. In fact, variants such as low-frequency and structural variants (SVs) are poorly captured in association studies. To assess the impact of these variants on gene expression variation, we explored a half-diallel panel composed of 323 hybrids originated from pairwise crosses of 26 naturalSaccharomyces cerevisiaeisolates. Using short- and long-read sequencing strategies, we established an exhaustive catalog of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and SVs for this panel. Combining this dataset with the transcriptomes of all hybrids, we comprehensively mapped SNPs and SVs associated with gene expression variation. While SVs impact gene expression variation, SNPs exhibit a higher effect size with an overrepresentation of low-frequency variants compared to common ones. These results reinforce the importance of dissecting the heritability of complex traits with a comprehensive catalog of genetic variants at the population level.
Five inhibitory receptors display distinct vesicular distributions in T cells
Authors: Lu Jiahe , Veler Alisa , Simonetti Boris , Raj Timsse , Chou Po Han , Cross Stephen J. , Phillips Alexander M. , Ruan Xiongtao , Huynh Lan , Dowsey Andrew W. , Ye Dingwei , Murphy Robert F. , Verkade Paul , Cullen Peter J. , Wülfing Christoph
Published: July 2023

T cells can express multiple inhibitory receptors. Upon induction of T cell exhaustion in response to persistent antigen, prominently in the anti-tumor immune response, many are expressed simultaneously. Key inhibitory receptors are CTLA-4, PD-1, LAG3, TIM3 and TIGIT, as investigated here. These receptors are important as central therapeutic targets in cancer immunotherapy. Inhibitory receptors are not constitutively expressed on the cell surface, but substantial fractions reside in intracellular vesicular structures. It remains unresolved to which extent the subcellular localization of different inhibitory receptors is distinct. Using quantitative imaging of subcellular distributions and plasma membrane insertion as complemented by proximity proteomics and a biochemical analysis of the association of the inhibitory receptors with trafficking adaptors, the subcellular distributions of the five inhibitory receptors were discrete. The distribution of CTLA-4 was most distinct with preferential association with lysosomal-derived vesicles and the sorting nexin 1/2/5/6 transport machinery. With a lack of evidence for the existence of specific vesicle subtypes to explain divergent inhibitory receptor distributions, we suggest that such distributions are driven by divergent trafficking through an overlapping joint set of vesicular structures. This extensive characterization of the subcellular localization of five inhibitory receptors in relation to each other lays the foundation for the molecular investigation of their trafficking and its therapeutic exploitation.
The density of regulatory information is a major determinant of evolutionary constraint on non-coding DNA inDrosophila
Authors: Sabarís Gonzalo , Ortíz Daniela M. , Laiker Ian , Mayansky Ignacio , Naik Sujay , Cavalli Giacomo , Stern David L. , Noon Ella Preger-Ben , Frankel Nicolás
Published: July 2023

The density and distribution of regulatory information in non-coding DNA of eukaryotic genomes is largely unknown. Evolutionary analyses have estimated that ∼60% of nucleotides in intergenic regions of theD. melanogastergenome is functionally relevant. This estimate is difficult to reconcile with the commonly accepted idea that enhancers are compact regulatory elements that generally encompass less than 1 kilobase of DNA. Here, we approached this issue through a functional dissection of the regulatory region of the geneshavenbaby(svb). Most of the ∼90 kilobases of this large regulatory region is highly conserved in the genusDrosophila, though characterized enhancers occupy a small fraction of this region. By analyzing the regulation ofsvbin different contexts ofDrosophiladevelopment, we found that the regulatory architecture that drivessvbexpression in the abdominal pupal epidermis is organized in a dramatically different way than the information that drivessvbexpression in the embryonic epidermis. While in the embryonic epidermissvbis activated by compact and dispersed enhancers,svbexpression in the pupal epidermis is driven by large regions with enhancer activity, which occupy a great portion of thesvb cis-regulatory DNA. We observed that other developmental genes also display a dense distribution of putative regulatory elements in their regulatory regions. Furthermore, we found that a large percentage of conserved non-coding DNA of theDrosophilagenome is contained within putative regulatory DNA. These results suggest that part of the evolutionary constraint on non-coding DNA ofDrosophilais explained by the density of regulatory information.
Guided Differentiation of Pluripotent Stem Cells into Heterogeneously Differentiating Cultures of Cardiac Cells
Authors: McIntire Erik , Barr Kenneth A. , Gonzales Natalia M. , Allen Olivia L. , Gilad Yoav
Published: July 2023

In principle, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) can differentiate into any cell type in the body. The challenge is to find a way to rapidly expand the dimensionality of cell types and cell states we can characterize. To address this, we developed a guided differentiation protocol to produce heterogeneous differentiating cultures of cardiac cell types (cardiac HDCs) in 16 days. Cardiac HDCs are three-dimensional, rhythmically contracting cell aggregates that harbor a temporally and functionally diverse range of cardiac-relevant cell types. We characterize cardiac HDCs from 47 iPSC lines using single-cell RNA-sequencing to identify cardiomyocytes, epicardial cells, cardiac fibroblasts, endothelial cells, and hematopoietic cells, along with both ectodermal and endodermal derivatives. This guided differentiation approach prioritizes simplicity by minimizing the reagents and steps required, thereby enabling rapid and cost-effective experimental throughput. We expect cardiac HDCs to provide a scalable cardiac model for population-level studies of gene regulatory variation and gene-by-environment interactions.
Cross-transmission of resistant gastrointestinal nematodes between wildlife and transhumant sheep
Authors: Beaumelle Camille , Toïgo Carole , Papet Rodolphe , Benabed Slimania , Beurier Mathieu , Bordes Léa , Brignone Anaïs , Curt-Grand-Gaudin Nadine , Garel Mathieu , Ginot Justine , Jacquiet Philippe , Miquel Christian , Poirel Marie-Thérèse , Serafino Anna , Vannard Eric , Bourgoin Gilles , Yannic Glenn
Published: July 2023

Wild and domestic ungulates can be infected with the same species of gastrointestinal parasitic nematodes. These parasites have free-living stages in the environment that contribute to the ease of transmission among different host species. In addition, gastrointestinal nematodes have developed resistance to anthelmintics which is now considered a major problem for the livestock sector. In a context where wild and domestic ungulates share the same pastures, the maintenance and circulation of resistant gastrointestinal nematodes between species have rarely been explored.

In the European Alps, domestic sheep are driven to high-altitude summer pastures and live in sympatry with wild ungulates for several months each year. In this study, we investigated the nemabiome of domestic sheep and Alpine ibex,Capra ibex, in three different areas of the French Alps to evaluate parasite circulation between the two host species. The Alpine ibex is a protected mountain ungulate that is phylogenetically related to sheep and hosts nematode species common to sheep.

Using internal transcribed spacer 2 (ITS-2) nemabiome metabarcoding, we found sheep and ibex share similar gastrointestinal nematodes, except for a few species such asMarshallagia marshalliandTrichostrongylus axei. This suggests that the long-term co-occurrence of sheep and ibex on mountain pastures has promoted the exchange of gastrointestinal nematodes between the two hosts. Based on the sequencing of the isotype 1 of the beta tubulin gene, associated with benzimidazole resistance, we found resistant nematodes in all sheep flocks and in all ibex populations. Our results demonstrated that ibex can host and shed resistant strains before transhumant sheep arrive on pastures, and thus could act as a refuge or even contribute to maintaining resistant gastrointestinal nematodes. The relative role of ibex in the maintenance and circulation of resistant strains in sheep remain to be determined.
Allelic variations in a serine protease effector withinClavibacter michiganensispopulations determine pathogen host range
Authors: Verma Raj Kumar , Roman-Reyna Veronica , Coaker Gitta L. , Jacobs Jonathan M. , Teper Doron
Published: July 2023

Plant pathogenic bacteria often have a narrow host range, which can vary among different isolates within a population. Here we investigated the host range of the tomato pathogenClavibacter michiganensis(Cm). We determined the genome sequences of 40 tomato Cm isolates and screened them for pathogenicity on tomato and eggplant. Our screen revealed that out of the tested isolates, five were unable to cause disease on any of the hosts, 33 were exclusively pathogenic on tomato, and two were capable of infecting both tomato and eggplant. Through comparative genomic analyses, we identified that the five non-pathogenic isolates lacked thechp/tomApathogenicity island, which has previously been associated with virulence in tomato. In addition, we found that the two eggplant-pathogenic isolates encode a unique allelic variant of the serine proteasechpG(chpGC), an effector that is recognized in eggplant. Introduction ofchpGCinto achpGinactivation mutant in the eggplant-non-pathogenic strain Cm101, failed to complement the mutant, which retained its ability to cause disease in eggplant and failed to elicit hypersensitive response (HR). Conversely, introduction of thechpGvariant from Cm101 into an eggplant pathogenic isolate (CmC48), eliminated its pathogenicity on eggplant, and enabled CmC48 to elicit HR. Our study demonstrates that allelic variation in thechpGeffector gene is a key determinant of host range plasticity within Cm populations.
Chromosome organization shapes replisome dynamics inCaulobacter crescentus
Authors: Zhang Chen , Joseph Asha Mary , Casini Laurent , Collier Justine , Badrinarayanan Anjana , Manley Suliana
Published: July 2023

DNA replication in bacteria takes place on highly compacted chromosomes, where segregation, transcription, and repair must occur simultaneously. Within this dynamic environment, colocalization of sister replisomes has been observed in many bacterial species, driving the hypothesis that a physical linker may tether them together. However, replisome splitting has also been reported in many of the same species, leaving the principles behind replisome organization a long-standing puzzle. Here, by tracking the replisome β-clamp subunit in liveCaulobacter crescentus, we find that rapid DNA segregation can give rise to a second focus which resembles a replisome, but does not replicate DNA. Sister replisomes can remain colocalized, or split apart to travel along DNA separately upon disruption of chromosome inter-arm alignment. Furthermore, chromosome arm-specific replication-transcription conflicts differentially modify replication speed on the two arms, facilitate the decoupling of the two replisomes. With these observations, we conclude that the dynamic chromosome organization flexibly shapes the organization of sister replisomes, and we outline principles which can help to reconcile previously conflicting models of replisome architecture.
Shared etiology of Mendelian and complex disease supports drug discovery
Authors: Lalagkas Panagiotis N. , Melamed Rachel D.
Published: July 2023

Drugs targeting disease causal genes are more likely to succeed for that disease. However, complex disease causal genes are not always clear. In contrast, Mendelian disease causal genes are well-known and druggable. Here, we seek an approach to exploit the well characterized biology of Mendelian diseases for complex disease drug discovery, by leveraging evidence of pathogenic processes shared between monogenic and complex disease. One way to find shared disease etiology is clinical association: some Mendelian diseases are known to predispose patients to specific complex diseases (comorbidity). Previous studies link this comorbidity to pleiotropic effects of the Mendelian disease causal genes on the complex disease. In previous work studying incidence of 90 Mendelian and 65 complex diseases, we found 2,908 pairs of clinically associated (comorbid) diseases. Using this clinical signal, we can match each complex disease to a set of Mendelian disease causal genes. We hypothesize that the drugs targeting these genes are potential candidate drugs for the complex disease. Our analysis shows that the candidate drugs are enriched among currently investigated or indicated drugs for the relevant complex diseases (odds ratio=1.84, p=5.98e-22). By combining comorbidity with genetic similarity, we recommend drugs further enriched for those investigated or indicated. Our findings suggest a novel way to take advantage of the rich knowledge about Mendelian disease biology to improve treatment of complex diseases.
Assessing the effect of innovation diffusion and technology readiness theories on attitude, behavioral intention and implementation of smart learning
Authors: Alhammadi Khadija , Marashdeh Hazem , Hussain Matloub
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study assesses the impact of innovation diffusion theory (IDT), technology readiness index (TRI) and technology acceptance model (TAM) on the actual use of smart learning. This impact also accounts for the country-digital culture by moderating the effects of resistance to change (RTC) and mediating the role of attitude.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors gather data from 301 respondents from various academic institutions in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) by operationalizing established theoretical constructs. The authors adopt a covariance-based structural equation modeling (SEM) approach.

Findings

The results reveal that IDT and TRI significantly and positively affect attitudes toward implementing smart learning. Besides, the attitude fully mediates the relationship between IDT, TRI constructs and behavioral intention (BI). Moreover, this study proves that RTC plays a major role in converging BI to place smart learning into actual use.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation of the authors' work is that this work employs cross-sectional data from UAE only, and the data were gathered during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

Practical implications

The stakeholders and administrators in government can benefit from the study findings to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of the implementation of smart learning, which will contribute to achieving stakeholders and administrators' strategic objectives.

Originality/value

The originality of this work stems from the incorporation of IDT, TRI and TAM constructs in the case of smart learning in UAE in post-COVID-19 scenarios.
Manipal Hospital, Jaipur: building resilience amid healthcare crisis
Authors: Vohra Veena , Sharma Ashu , Yaduvanshi Deepak
Published: July 2023

Learning outcomes

The learning outcomes are as follows: identify and evaluate the impact of risk factors for health-care organizations during crisis; evaluate the role of different organizational factors in building resilient health-care organizations; define organizational resilience in a health-care context; and apply the effect-strategy-impact resilience framework.

Case overview / synopsis

September 2022 found Ranjan Thakur, the Hospital Director at Manipal Hospital, Jaipur (MHJ) reflecting on MHJ’s resilience toward future health-care crises. MHJ was established in the capital city Jaipur of the Indian state of Rajasthan in 2014, as a 225-bed multispecialty unit of the nationally renowned Manipal Health Enterprises Ltd. As the Hospital Director, Thakur had been responsible for navigating his team and the hospital through the multiple health-care related challenges exacerbated by the multiple waves of the Covid-19 pandemic in a large Indian state with a sizable rural and semiurban population. Though Thakur and his team of doctors had worked through the vulnerabilities of their health-care ecosystem, mapping the risks and mitigating the same, Thakur asked himself if they had done enough. He wondered how a health-care institution such as theirs could sustain effective health-care delivery during future crises situations to deliver high-quality health care to the vulnerable communities. Had they effectively mapped MHJ’s vulnerabilities and built resilience into the hospital’s functioning? The backdrop of the case is public health in the state of Rajasthan (Jaipur), and the case is rich in detailing social factors such as behavior issues of patients, doctors and nurses; operational factors such as standardization of treatment and standard operating procedures, availability of resources, clinical concerns; leadership and management of the hospital through the pandemic. This case can be used by instructors to teach organizational resilience building in the health-care context.

Complexity academic level

Graduate- and executive-level courses in managing change during crisis in health-care context; health-care management/leadership.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 7: Management Science.
Are libraries ready to serve gamification tools for teaching and learning? A review based on computational mapping
Authors: Saikia Swagota , Gul Sumeer , Verma Manoj Kumar
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Gamification is an emerging technique of applying game elements to difficult and tedious learning activities to make them fun and exciting. This study aims to review the scientific landscape of the library’s readiness to adopt gamification with context to application in teaching and learning purposes based on computational tools. The present research also aims to study the growth of literature on gamification, to identify the most contributing authors, countries, affiliations and journals and collaboration status with different geographical settings. The study will also identify the most influential paper on the area with the highest citation and Altmetric Attention Score (AAS) as well as analyzing the keywords for locating the research trend in the subject area.

Design/methodology/approach

The study has adopted Scientometric and Altmetric approach by considering the research outputs of a decade (2013–2022) from Scopus database. First, the required data has been searched using appropriate keywords forming the search strategy by running title–abstract–keywords considering the limitation in the system. The exported data is systematically visualized for performing science mapping like the collaboration of authors, countries, organizations and co-occurrence of keywords using VOSviewer. For finding the Altmetrics score and Mendeley readership of the influential research works, the system Dimension.ai is further used.

Findings

The study found 928 records indicating an exponential growth over the years with total 2,750 authors. Samuel Kai Wah Chu from the University of Hong Kong, China, is the most contributed author. Spain and the USA are highly productive countries, but there needs to be a strong collaboration pattern among authors. It is found that gamification is widely applied in education discipline than any other. Some of the libraries have already implemented gamification tools for learning purposes in their services. The research on gamification still lacks social media attention and needs to be promoted more through various social media platforms for greater visibility.

Originality/value

The study explores the global scientific literature to identify the library’s awareness of implementing gamification tools in their services for teaching and learning purposes. As per the author’s knowledge, no such study has been conducted until date with such aims and objectives through the application of both Scientometrics and Altmetrics approaches.
The client's essential stakeholder collaboration activities at the front-end phase of a hospital construction project
Authors: Tampio Kari-Pekka , Haapasalo Harri , Lehtinen Jere
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The research problem in this study is how a client (as a project owner) should organise early stakeholder involvement and integration in the front-end phase of a project. This study aims to create normative managerial statements as propositions from the client's perspective and to combine them into a set of activities enabling efficient organisation in the front-end phase of a hospital construction project.

Design/methodology/approach

Action design research (ADR) was carried out in a large hospital construction project where the first author acted as an “involved researcher” and the other authors acted as “outside researchers”.

Findings

The authors created seven normative managerial propositions that were verified by the case project stakeholders and developed a managerial framework describing the client's essential stakeholder involvement and integration activities in the front-end phase of a hospital construction project based on these propositions. The authors have also depicted the subphases of the front-end phase: value definition phase in the client permanent organisation, value proposition phase in the client Programme Management Office (PMO) and finally development phase in the alliance organisation ending on the final investment decision.

Practical implications

The collaborative contract delivery model enables the early involvement and integration of stakeholders. It has been somewhat surprising to note the extent to which collaborative contracts change the client role in the project front-end. The results offer practical activities for how clients can manage front-end activities in collaborative contracts.

Originality/value

The case project offered a platform to analyse how the collaborative contract delivery model changes the emphasis of activities in the front-end of a project. One of the key benefits of collaborative contracts is that development, design and delivery occur partially in parallel, thereby enabling contributions from production to be included in the design and development. The benefit of having a real-life case under study provides the possibility to triangulate and analyse rich data, however limited by the qualitative case method.
Can a nation brand be built with an online tourism brand?
Authors: Sarı Ömer , Meydan Uygur Selma
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Nation branding efforts are carried out by means of communication. The element, which is the object of communication tools, must have an analogical connection with nation branding. The object of analogy should have attractive features that will strengthen the nation brand. Online tourism content, which has the quality to add value to nation branding, can produce a strong analogy. Online tourism content can easily be internalized in a positive way, as it creates attractive connotations such as memories, entertainment, holidays, etc. in the mind of the audience. In this direction, the research aims to reveal that the online tourism brand is a strategic transmission tool of nation branding.

Design/methodology/approach

The research study was carried out with the semiotics method. Content analysis has been made for the videos of GoTürkiye, Turkey's tourism brand, on YouTube.

Findings

Research findings show that content covering a large part of Turkey has been created. Messages to be given in the content; it is that Turkey has authentic and attractive elements and hosts international events. The content on GoTürkiye's YouTube has reached a significant number of views.

Practical implications

The research aims to reveal how to build an online nation brand through online tourism brands. In this respect, it is thought that the results can guide the politicians or marketers responsible for nation branding.

Originality/value

The idea of how to build an online nation branding through online tourism brands remains unclear. In this respect, the research demonstrates its original value in proposing a model that will contribute to online nation branding.
Mathematical depiction of costing perspectives allied with the dynamics of processed food supply chain
Authors: Sharma Janpriy , Tyagi Mohit , Bhardwaj Arvind
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to ground the assessment of the various costing perspectives associated with the dynamics of processed food supply chains (FSCs), for questing the avenues of profitability within a food processing enterprise.

Design/methodology/approach

This study underpins the development of the relation hierarchical model, binding the cluster of the key costing enactors, with the various incurred costs in the food supply chain performance system. The developed model is seeded by the inputs gathered from the case enterprises under consideration, which is further contemplated by extending the fundamentals of bipolar fuzzy sets with the methodology of ELECTRE-II.

Findings

Secured primacies owing to the mutual correspondence between the costing cluster reveal the impact of procurement cost in the dynamics of FSC. Furthermore, an inference is grounded relative to the other entities of total costs like investment, production, transportation, distribution and retailing by considering the perspective of a case enterprise. It yields that procurement costing procedurals need to be deliberated supremely, considering the vitality of the costing perspective associated with the other procedurals of the case enterprise.

Originality/value

The framework developed in the presented work clusters the various costing enactors along with the costings in processed FSCs, binding its holistic perspective rather than the discrete approach. The present research work provides an origin to explore the various miniatures more precisely succeeding to secure primacies for upscaling the profit-cost notions. As costing determines the avenues bundled with the production and consumption of various food commodities.
The digital competence of the rural teacher of primary education in the mentoring process: a study by teaching speciality and gender
Authors: Guillén-Gámez Francisco David , Colomo-Magaña Ernesto , Ruiz-Palmero Julio , Tomczyk Łukasz
Published: July 2023

Purpose

To know the digital competence of rural teachers to carry out the tutoring process with members of the educational community through digital resources (teacher-student, teacher-families and teacher-teaching team). As specific objectives, gender, teaching specialties, interaction between gender*teaching speciality, and significant predictors were analysed.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was quantitative, with a non-experimental, cross-sectional, descriptive and inferential design.

Findings

The results showed an explorer-expert teacher, where the generalist teachers had a superior competence compared to the rest of the specialties. Gender and teaching speciality were significant predictors in the communication that the teacher has with all the agents involved, while the interaction of both predictors was only significant between the teacher-teaching team and teacher-families.

Research limitations/implications

Another issue worth considering relates to the development of the classification tree for the use of digital resources in tutorial action. Due to lack of space, the proposal has focused on gender and particular subjects, but it would be interesting to focus on the dimensions of the instrument with regard to tutorial action with the different agents (students, teaching staff and families).

Originality/value

After reviewing the literature, the authors can conclude that very little quantitative research is focused on the level of self-perception of digital competence of teachers in rural schools. Furthermore, the teaching speciality of teachers has up until now hardly been taken into account as a variable that can determine the levels of digital competence. Not many studies have analysed the use of digital resources to communicate with the different members of the educational community.
Trends in the thematic landscape of HR analytics research: a structural topic modeling approach
Authors: Thakral Priyanka , Srivastava Praveen Ranjan , Dash Sanket Sunand , Jasimuddin Sajjad M. , Zhang Zuopeng (Justin)
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The growth of the global labor force and business analytics has significantly impacted human resource management (HRM). Human resource (HR) analytics is an emerging field that creates value for employees and organizations. By examining the existing studies on HR analytics, the paper systematically reviews the literature to identify active research areas and establish a roadmap for future studies in HR analytics.

Design/methodology/approach

A portfolio of 503 articles collected from the Scopus database was reviewed. The study has adopted a Latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) topic modeling approach to identify significant themes in the literature.

Findings

The HR analytics research domain is classified into four categories: HR functions, statistical techniques, organizational outcomes and employee characteristics. The study has also developed a framework for organizations adopting HR analytics. Linking HR with blockchain technology, explainable artificial intelligence and Metaverse are the areas identified for future researchers.

Practical implications

The framework will assist practitioners in identifying statistical techniques for optimizing various HR functions. The paper discovers that by implementing HR analytics, HR managers and business partners can run reports, make dashboards and visualizations and make evidence-based decision-making.

Originality/value

The previous studies have not applied any machine learning techniques to identify the topics in the extant literature. The paper has applied machine learning tools, making the review more robust and providing an exhaustive understanding of the domain.
Attribute-based product reputation as a market signal: examining product safety recalls in the US auto industry
Authors: Cavazos David , Rutherford Mathew , Shahzad Ali
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study examines how firm product reputation functions as an internal and external expectations-setting mechanism shaping firm and external stakeholder behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Longitudinal analysis of 17,879 recalls from 15 automobile manufacturers operating in the United States between 1967 and 2016.

Findings

Applying the behavioral theory of the firm (BTF) and signaling theory, this study’s findings suggest that product safety reputation creates variability in the likelihood of both voluntary and government-ordered recalls.

Research limitations/implications

Performance expectations set by past product performance influence managerial decision-making such that products with a higher reputation for quality are more likely to be voluntarily recalled than are their less reputable counterparts. Similarly, regulators are more likely to order the recall of higher reputation products, suggesting that past product performance also influences enforcement behavior. Finally, the scope and severity of product defects are shown to interact with product reputation to influence the likelihood of government-ordered recall.

Practical implications

Firms and firm stakeholders make distinct decisions based on performance variations within firm product portfolios.

Social implications

Overall firm reputation is important, but there are distinct dynamics that result in product performance variability within firm product portfolios that have important implications on issues such as product safety recalls.

Originality/value

This study's findings reveal that as an internal signal, managers' expectations of product performance can change their behavior following product safety defects. Specifically, voluntary product recalls are more likely for higher-reputation products than those with lower reputations for product safety. This suggests that firm behavior regarding product safety recalls is not consistent within their own product lines. Externally, this study’s findings suggest that product reputation also influences relationships with key stakeholders. Product reputation for quality was shown to be associated with an increased likelihood of government sanctions. Regulators will also be more likely to initiate punitive sanctions against higher-reputation products as the severity and scope of safety defects increase. Under such circumstances, higher-reputation products are more likely to face government sanctions than lower-reputation products. Hence, government regulatory behavior is subject to influence from performance signals such as product reputation.
Seclusion in the context of recovery-oriented practice: the perspectives and experiences of psychologists in Ireland
Authors: Stíobhairt Antaine , Cassidy Nicole , Clarke Niamh , Guerin Suzanne
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the roles of psychologists in seclusion in adult mental health services in Ireland, their perspectives on seclusion and its use in recovery-oriented practice and related professional practice issues.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative hermeneutic phenomenological study was conducted from a social constructivist perspective. Semi-structured interviews with 17 psychologists were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis.

Findings

Twenty-four themes were identified, which were clustered into four overarching themes. Participants viewed themselves and psychology in Ireland more broadly as peripheral to seclusion. They believed that seclusion possessed no inherent therapeutic value but viewed it as an uncomfortable and multi-faceted reality. Participants regarded seclusion and recovery as largely inconsistent and difficult to reconcile, and they perceived systemic factors, which had a pervasive negative impact on seclusion and recovery in practice.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the perceived complexity of seclusion and its interface with recovery, and the need to conscientiously balance conflicting priorities that cannot be easily reconciled to ensure ethical practice. The findings suggest psychologists are well-suited to participate in local and national discussions on using seclusion in recovery-oriented practice.

Originality/value

This study offers a unique insight into psychologists’ perceptions of seclusion and considers the implications of these views. Participants’ nuanced views suggest that psychologists can make valuable contributions to local and national discussions on these topics.
PROPERTY‐LED INFORMALITY: Shifting Informal Land Development from Popular Housing to Middle‐Class and Elite Speculation in Belo Horizonte
Authors: Tonucci João
Published: July 2023

Recent decades have seen a rising interest in the peripheral nature of urbanization processes. While research has put the spotlight on large‐scale, transnational and financialized real estate actors, less attention has been paid to informal land developers. Addressing that knowledge gap, this article underscores the key role of land developers in informal urbanization through a case study of Belo Horizonte, Brazil. A mixed‐methods approach provides new evidence of the widespread, variegated and spatially uneven development of irregular and clandestine subdivisions over the last two decades, revealing a heterogeneous landscape of informal developers. The study shows that informal development has been shifting from the typical popular and peripheral subdivision, which provided precarious yet affordable housing for working‐class families, to new forms of speculative investment for the middle and upper classes, such as country homes and gated communities in peri‐urban and rural areas. I argue that this shift is explained by both national and local changing regulatory frameworks and processes of economic restructuring, urban neoliberalism and housing financialization in the periphery. In light of this, I propose the notion of ‘property‐led informality’ to refer to a regime of informal urbanization increasingly dominated by commodified, rentiership and speculative land dynamics in the sprawling metropolises of the global South.
The role of general work engagement and well‐being for vacation effects and for vacation fade‐out
Authors: Brosch Eva‐Kristina , Binnewies Carmen , Gröning Christopher , Forthmann Boris
Published: July 2023

Our study examines individual differences in vacation‐related well‐being gains by investigating general work engagement and general well‐being as moderators. We examined the effect of vacation on employees' affective well‐being (negative activation and vigor) concerning three different vacation effects (change in affective well‐being over time): “vacation effect (during)” (before‐during vacation), “vacation effect (after)” (before‐after vacation), and “fade‐out effect” (during‐after vacation). A sample of 144 employees completed at least four out of five questionnaires: general (4 weeks before), pre‐vacation (3 days before), on‐vacation, Post‐1 (first day after), and Post‐2 (2 weeks after). Regarding vacation effects, affective well‐being was higher during and after vacation than before. After work resumed, gains in affective well‐being faded out (Exception: Negative activation did not differ from its level during vacation). Work engagement moderated vacation effects (during) and fade‐out effects: Employees with lower levels of work engagement benefitted more while on vacation but experienced a greater fade‐out. Lower levels of general well‐being were related to increases in affective well‐being during and after vacation. Well‐being did not moderate fade‐out effects. Our findings underscore the importance of work engagement and general well‐being for vacation‐related well‐being gains and the importance of work engagement for the sustainability of vacation effects.
Takeshima Bunwa and Tsushima's confirmation of Takeshima (Ulleungdo) as Korean territory in the seventeenth century
Authors: Jo Kyu‐hyun
Published: July 2023

Takeshima Bunwa, a collection of epistolary discussions on Ulleungdo between Suyama Shoemon, Hanshi of Tsushima, and Kishima Hyosuke, a fellow Hanshi from Tsushima, confirms that Tsushima was certain that Korea had more convincing historical sources proving that Ulleungdo is Korean territory and that Ulleungdo and Dokdo constitute a unitary territory. Dokdo is not subject to contention as Japan claims, and because Ulleungdo is a representation of Dokdo as a liveable space, Ulleungdo‐Dokdo is the proper name for the Korean territory.
SCAN case studies
Authors: Glencross Hedley
Published: July 2023

SCAN case study. A case study involving a urine sample is presented, which is intended to highlight the role cytology plays in the overall diagnostic process. Included in the study is a wide‐ranging clinical scenario, the cytological impression together with the histological correlation, the immediate treatment, the follow‐up and the prognosis for the patient concerned.
Using swim‐up traps to assess Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) spawning habitat and the phenology and density of emergent fry
Authors: Smith Antony , Milner Nigel , Papadopoulos Alexander , Seymour Mathew , Carvahlo Gary
Published: July 2023

The Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) is a species of cultural, economic and conservation importance, but hitherto, investigations of critical early life stages have been few. Here, at a lake in the United Kingdom, we used swim‐up traps to investigate the phenology of fry emergence and associations between fry density and habitat. The first emergence occurred on 4 or 5 March 2020 and 2021, with numbers peaking and remaining stable in the following 2 weeks. Emergence in 2021 had finished by 27 March but on the same date in 2020 emergence was ongoing when COVID‐19 ended sampling. Substrate particle size ranged 31–94 mm and was negatively correlated with fry density. Likewise, density was negatively correlated with water depth and aquatic plant cover, but there was no relationship with flow velocity. Traps were effective and non‐destructive for assessing the location and productivity of spawning sites for this locally threatened species.
What matters for lagging regions? The role of self‐employment and industrial diversity in distressed areas
Authors: Keeler Zachary T. , Stephens Heather M.
Published: July 2023

Previous research suggests that having more self‐employed or entrepreneurs can contribute to higher levels of economic growth in distressed areas. Additionally, self‐employment in certain industries may be more beneficial to growth. Other research has linked industrial diversity to entrepreneurship and regional growth, especially in urban areas. However, the relationship between industrial diversity, self‐employment, and growth in lagging or distressed regions is less clear. To examine these linkages in distressed areas, we first identify a group of distressed counties based on historic data. Then, using detailed industry‐level self‐employment data, we appraise whether having more self‐employed from certain industries is associated with regional growth. We also analyze the relationship between industrial diversity and overall growth and the propensity to be self‐employed. The results suggest that having more self‐employment overall and in some key industries is associated with more employment growth in distressed counties. We also find that the relationship between economic diversity and self‐employment varies by industry and region.
“What use is the legislation to me?” Contestations around the meanings of gender equality in legislation and its strategic use to drive structural change in university organizations
Authors: Tildesley Rebecca , La Barbera MariaCaterina , Lombardo Emanuela
Published: July 2023

Multiple meanings of gender equality in the implementation process provide feminist actors in institutions with opportunities to contest these meanings to address resistance against gender equality policy implementation and drive structural change in organizations. Taking legislation as a key discursive resource and Spanish universities as a case study, this article analyzes how the meaning of gender equality is constructed in the relevant legislation and how feminist actors interpret and use it in their implementation efforts. Despite a women approach predominating in the legislation, feminist actors contest and reinterpret these meanings to push for a more transformative gender approach in their institutions. They strategically use the legislation, molding it to their preferred approach, to negotiate the meaning of gender equality and to drive structural gender equality actions and demand institutional compliance.