bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Astegolimab or Efmarodocokin Alfa in Patients With Severe COVID-19 Pneumonia: A Randomized, Phase 2 Trial*
Authors: Waters Michael , McKinnell James A. , Kalil Andre C. , Martin Greg S. , Buchman Timothy G. , Theess Wiebke , Yang Xiaoying , Lekkerkerker Annemarie N. , Staton Tracy , Rosenberger Carrie M. , Pappu Rajita , Wang Yehong , Zhang Wenhui , Brooks Logan , Cheung Dorothy , Galanter Joshua , Chen Hubert , Mohan Divya , Peck Melicent C. ,   for the COVID-astegolimab-interleukin (IL) (COVASTIL) Study Group
Published: December 2022

OBJECTIVES:

Severe cases of COVID-19 pneumonia can lead to acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS). Release of interleukin (IL)-33, an epithelial-derived alarmin, and IL-33/ST2 pathway activation are linked with ARDS development in other viral infections. IL-22, a cytokine that modulates innate immunity through multiple regenerative and protective mechanisms in lung epithelial cells, is reduced in patients with ARDS. This study aimed to evaluate safety and efficacy of astegolimab, a human immunoglobulin G2 monoclonal antibody that selectively inhibits the IL-33 receptor, ST2, or efmarodocokin alfa, a human IL-22 fusion protein that activates IL-22 signaling, for treatment of severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

DESIGN:

Phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (COVID-astegolimab-IL).

SETTING:

Hospitals.

PATIENTS:

Hospitalized adults with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.

INTERVENTIONS:

Patients were randomized to receive IV astegolimab, efmarodocokin alfa, or placebo, plus standard of care. The primary endpoint was time to recovery, defined as time to a score of 1 or 2 on a 7-category ordinal scale by day 28.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

The study randomized 396 patients. Median time to recovery was 11 days (hazard ratio [HR], 1.01 d; p = 0.93) and 10 days (HR, 1.15 d; p = 0.38) for astegolimab and efmarodocokin alfa, respectively, versus 10 days for placebo. Key secondary endpoints (improved recovery, mortality, or prevention of worsening) showed no treatment benefits. No new safety signals were observed and adverse events were similar across treatment arms. Biomarkers demonstrated that both drugs were pharmacologically active.

CONCLUSIONS:

Treatment with astegolimab or efmarodocokin alfa did not improve time to recovery in patients with severe COVID-19 pneumonia.
Torulaspora jiuxiensis sp. nov., a novel yeast species isolated from rotting wood
Authors: Chu Shuai-Bei , Hu Wen-Ting , Hui Feng-Li
Published: December 2022

Two strains of a novel ascomycetous yeast species were isolated from rotting wood samples collected in Jiuxi Mountain Forest Park in Yunnan Province, southwest China. Both strains formed one or two spherical ascospores in persistent asci. Phylogenetic analysis of the concatenated sequences of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region (ITS1-5.8S–ITS2) and the D1/D2 domain of the large subunit rRNA gene revealed that the novel strains represented a phylogenetically distinct species belonging to the genusTorulaspora. This novel species differed from the type strains of the closest known species,Torulaspora nypaeandTorulaspora maleeae, by 0.9 and 1.2 % nucleotide substitutions in the D1/D2 domain and 5.3 and 6 % nucleotide substitutions in the ITS region, respectively. The novel species can also be distinguished fromT. nypaeandT. maleeaein terms of the ability to assimilate ribitol, succinate and citrate, and its ability to grow at 37 °C. The species name ofTorulaspora jiuxiensissp. nov. is proposed with holotype CBS 16004T(Mycobank MB 844535).
A reverse genetics system for human rotavirus G2P[4]
Authors: Hamajima Rina , Lusiany Tina , Minami Shohei , Nouda Ryotaro , Nurdin Jeffery A. , Yamasaki Moeko , Kobayashi Nobumichi , Kanai Yuta , Kobayashi Takeshi
Published: December 2022

Rotaviruses (RVs) are an important cause of acute gastroenteritis in young children. Recently, versatile plasmid-based reverse genetics systems were developed for several human RV genotypes; however, these systems have not been developed for all commonly circulating human RV genotypes. In this study, we established a reverse genetics system for G2P[4] human RV strain HN126. Nucleotide sequence analysis, including that of the terminal ends of the viral double-stranded RNA genome, revealed that HN126 possessed a DS-1-like genotype constellation. Eleven plasmids, each encoding 11 gene segments of the RV genome, and expression plasmids encoding vaccinia virus RNA capping enzyme (D1R and D12L), Nelson Bay orthoreovirus FAST, and NSP2 and NSP5 of HN126, were transfected into BHK-T7 cells, and recombinant strain HN126 was generated. Using HN126 or simian RV strain SA11 as backbone viruses, reassortant RVs carrying the outer and intermediate capsid proteins (VP4, VP7 and VP6) of HN126 and/or SA11 (in various combinations) were generated. Viral replication analysis of the single, double and triple reassortant viruses suggested that homologous combination of the VP4 and VP7 proteins contributed to efficient virus infectivity and interaction between other viral or cellular proteins. Further studies of reassortant viruses between simian and other human RV strains will contribute to developing an appropriate model for human RV research, as well as suitable backbone viruses for generation of recombinant vaccine candidates.
Evaluation of inverse treatment planning for Gamma Knife radiosurgery using fMRI brain activation maps as organs at risk
Authors: Abramian David , Blystad Ida , Eklund Anders
Published: December 2022

Stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) can be an effective primary or adjuvant treatment option for intracranial tumors. However, it carries risks of various radiation toxicities, including radionecrosis and functional deficits. Current SRS inverse planning algorithms allow efficient inclusion of organs at risk (OARs) in the treatment planning process, which will be spared by setting a maximum radiation dose. In this work we propose using activation maps from functional MRI to map the eloquent regions of the brain and define functional OARs. We evaluate the effects of these functional OARs for Elekta Leksell Gamma Knife SRS inverse treatment planning on open data MRI from 5 subjects. Our results show that fMRI-derived functional OARs can effectively be used to reduce the radiation dose incident on the eloquent brain regions, while maintaining acceptable treatment planning metrics on the tumor targets.
Musculoskeletal misdiagnoses in children with brain tumors: A nationwide, multicenter case-control study
Authors: Hallundbæk Laura , Hagstrøm Søren , Mathiasen Rene , Herlin Troels , Hasle Henrik , Weile Kathrine Synne , Amstrup Jesper , Brix Ninna
Published: December 2022

Objective

Childhood brain tumors belong to the cancer type with the longest diagnostic delay, the highest health care utilization prior to diagnosis, and the highest burden of long-term sequelae. We aimed to clarify whether prior musculoskeletal diagnoses in childhood brain cancer were misdiagnoses and whether it affected the diagnostic delay.

Study design

In this retrospective, chart-reviewed case-control study we compared 28 children with brain tumors and a prior musculoskeletal diagnosis to a sex and age-matched control group of 56 children with brain tumors and no prior musculoskeletal diagnosis. Using the Danish registries, the cases were identified from consecutive cases of childhood brain cancers in Denmark over 23 years (1996-2018).

Results

Of 931 children with brain tumors, 3% (28/931) had a prior musculoskeletal diagnosis, of which 39% (11/28) were misdiagnoses. The misdiagnoses primarily included torticollis-related diagnoses which tended to a longer time interval from first hospital contact until a specialist was involved: 35 days (IQR 6-166 days) compared to 3 days (IQR 1-48 days), p = 0.07. When comparing the 28 children with a prior musculoskeletal diagnosis with a matched control group without a prior musculoskeletal diagnosis, we found no difference in the non-musculoskeletal clinical presentation, the diagnostic time interval, or survival.

Conclusion

Musculoskeletal misdiagnoses were rare in children with brain tumors and did not affect the diagnostic time interval or survival. The misdiagnoses consisted primarily of torticollis- or otherwise neck-related diagnoses.
Cerebrospinal fluid CXCL13 identifies a subgroup of people living with HIV with prominent intrathecal synthesis, immune activation, and neurocognitive impairment regardless of effective antiretroviral therapy
Authors: Trunfio Mattia , Mighetto Lorenzo , Napoli Laura , Atzori Cristiana , Nigra Marco , Guastamacchia Giulia , Bonora Stefano , Perri Giovanni Di , Calcagno Andrea
Published: December 2022

Background

Plasma C-X-C-motif chemokine ligand-13 (CXCL13) has been linked to disease progression and mortality in people living with HIV (PLWH) and is a candidate target for immune-based strategies for HIV cure. Its role in central nervous system (CNS) of PLWH has not been detailed. We described CSF CXCL13 levels and its potential associations with neurological outcomes.

Methods

Cross-sectional study enrolling PLWH without confounding for CXCL13 production. Subjects were divided according to CSF HIV-RNA in controllers (<20 cp/mL) and viremics. CSF CXCL13, and biomarkers of blood-brain barrier (BBB) impairment, intrathecal synthesis, and immune activation were measured by commercial immunoturbidimetric and ELISA assays. All subjects underwent neurocognitive assessment. Sensitivity analyses were conducted in subjects with intact BBB only.

Results

175 subjects were included. Prevalence of detectable CSF CXCL13 was higher in viremics (31.4%) compared to controllers (13.5%; OR 2.9 [1.4-6.3], p=0.006), but median CSF levels did not change (15.8 [8.2-91.0] vs 10.0 [8.1-14.2] pg/mL). In viremics (n=86), CXCL13 associated with higher CSF HIV-RNA, proteins, neopterin, Tourtelotte index, and CSF-to-serum albumin ratio. In controllers (n=89), CXCL13 associated with higher CD4+T-cells count, CD4/CD8 ratio, CSF proteins, neopterin, and several intrathecal synthesis markers. Detection of CSF CXCL13 in controllers increased the likelihood of HIV-associated neurocognitive disorders (58.3% vs 28.6%, p=0.041) and HIV-related CNS disorders (8.3% vs 0%, p=0.011). Sensitivity analyses confirmed all these findings.

Conclusions

CSF CXCL13 identified a subgroup of PLWH presenting increased CNS IgG synthesis, and immune activation. In controllers, CSF CXCL13 associated with increased likelihood of neurocognitive impairment and HIV-related CNS disorders.

Graphical abstract
Re-evaluating progression and pathways followingMycobacteria tuberculosisinfection within the spectrum of tuberculosis disease
Authors: Horton Katherine C. , Richards Alexandra S. , Emery Jon C. , Esmail Hanif , Houben Rein M. G. J.
Published: December 2022

Background

Traditional understanding of the risk of progression fromMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) infection to tuberculosis (TB) disease overlooks nuance across a spectrum of disease.

Methods

We developed a deterministic model ofMtbinfection and minimal (pathological damage but not infectious), subclinical (infectious but no reported symptoms), and clinical (infectious and symptomatic) TB disease, informed by a rigorous evaluation of data from a systematic review of TB natural history. Using a Bayesian approach, we calibrated the model to data from historical cohorts that followed tuberculin-negative individuals to tuberculin conversion and TB disease, as well as data from cohorts that followed progression and regression between disease states, disease state prevalence ratios, disease duration, and mortality. We estimated incidence, pathways, and ten-year outcomes followingMtbinfection for a simulated cohort.

Results

90.8% (95% uncertainty interval, UI, 90.2-91.3) of individuals self-cleared within 10 years of infection, while 9.3% (95% UI 8.4-10.0) progressed to TB disease. Of those, 68.1% (95% UI 65.1-71.1) developed infectious disease, and 32.7% (95% UI 29.7-35.7) progressed to clinical disease. While 93% of progression to minimal disease occurred within two years of infection, only 63% and 38% of subclinical and clinical disease, respectively, occurred within this period. Multiple progression pathways from infection were necessary to calibrate the model, and 48.8% (95% UI 45.0-52.6) of those who developed infectious disease undulated between disease states.

Conclusions

We identified highly heterogeneous pathways across disease states afterMtbinfection, highlighting the need for clearly defined disease thresholds to inform more effective prevention and treatment efforts to end TB.
Musculoskeletal Advertising Focuses on Whites and Overlooks Minority Communities
Authors: Rankin Kelsey A. , Oris Robert John , Wijesekera Adithi , Wiznia Daniel H.
Published: December 2022

Introduction

Demographic disparities in musculoskeletal (MSK) health exist in the US. Racial representation in advertising has been shown to influence buying patterns. By focusing advertising toward majority groups, direct-to-consumer advertising may exacerbate MSK disparities by neglecting underrepresented minorities. To better understand how race is represented across MSK advertisements and how this may influence patterns in MSK health, we reviewed advertisements in popular magazines, using online databases for collection.

Methods

8 magazine types were chosen. Racial distribution was analyzed using Pearson’s chi-squared and chi-squared goodness of fit tests. Fisher’s exact test was used when >20% of cells had n<5. Significance was set at p<0.05.

Results

Of advertisements that featured a model, white models were overrepresented (p<0.001), and Hispanic and Asian models were underrepresented (p<0.001). Only 7.3% of advertisements featured multiple models of different races or ethnicities, while 92.7% did not. African American models were overrepresented as athletes (p<0.001) and underrepresented in pain relief ads (p<0.001).

Discussion

There is poor representation of minorities in MSK advertisements. Even when controlling for US population demographics, white models were overrepresented, and models of minority races are underrepresented. African American models were typecast as athletes and underrepresented in pain relief ads.
Unsuspected transcriptional regulations during rice defense response revealed by a toolbox of marker genes for rapid and extensive analysis of expression changes upon various environments
Authors: Rémi Pélissier , Andy Brousse , Anjara Ramamonjisoa , Aurélie Ducasse , Elsa Ballini , Morel Jean-Benoit
Published: December 2022

Since rice (Oryza sativa) is an important crop and the most advanced model for monocotyledonous species, acceding to its physiological status is important for many fundamental and applied purposes. Although this physiological status can be obtained by measuring the transcriptional regulation of marker genes, the tools to perform such analysis are often too expensive, non flexible or time consuming. Here we manually selected 96 genes considered as biomarkers of important processes taking place in rice leaves based on literature analysis. We monitored their transcriptional regulation under several treatments (disease, phytohormone inoculation, abiotic stress…) using Fluidigm method that allows to perform ~10 000 RT-QPCR reactions in one single run. This technique allowed us to verify a large part of known regulations but also to identify new, unsuspected regulations. Together, our set of genes, coupled to our data analysis protocol with Fluidigm brings a new opportunity to have a fast and reasonably cheap access to the physiological status of rice leaves in a high number of samples.
TBC1D15 potentiates lysosomal regeneration from damaged membranes
Authors: Bhattacharya Anshu , Mukherjee Rukmini , Kuncha Santosh Kumar , Brunstein Melinda , Rathore Rajeshwari , Junek Stephan , Münch Christian , Dikic Ivan
Published: December 2022

Acute lysosomal membrane damage reduces the cellular population of functional lysosomes. However, these damaged lysosomes have a remarkable recovery potential independent of lysosomal biogenesis and remain unaffected in TFEB/TFE3-depleted cells. We combined proximity labelling based proteomics, biochemistry and high-resolution microscopy to unravel a new lysosomal membrane regeneration pathway which is dependent on ATG8, lysosomal membrane protein LIMP2, the Rab7 GAP TBC1D15, and proteins required for autophagic lysosomal reformation (ALR) including Dynamin2, Kinesin5B and Clathrin. Upon lysosomal damage, LIMP2 act as a lysophagy receptor to bind ATG8, which in turn recruits TBC1D15 to damaged membranes. TBC1D15 hydrolyses Rab7-GTP to segregate the damaged lysosomal mass and provides a scaffold to assemble and stabilize the ALR machinery, potentiating the formation of lysosomal tubules and subsequent Dynamin2-dependent scission. TBC1D15-mediated lysosome regeneration was also observed in a cell culture model of oxalate nephropathy.
Structural connectome architecture shapes the maturation of cortical morphology from childhood to adolescence
Authors: Liang Xinyuan , Sun Lianglong , Liao Xuhong , Lei Tianyuan , Xia Mingrui , Duan Dingna , Zeng Zilong , Li Qiongling , Xu Zhilei , Men Weiwei , Wang Yanpei , Tan Shuping , Gao Jia-Hong , Qin Shaozheng , Tao Sha , Dong Qi , Zhao Tengda , He Yong
Published: December 2022

Cortical thinning is an important hallmark of the maturation of brain morphology during childhood and adolescence. However, the connectome-based wiring mechanism that underlies cortical maturation remains unclear. Using neuroimaging, connectome, transcriptome, and computational modeling, we mapped cortical thinning patterns primarily located in lateral frontal and parietal heteromodal nodes during childhood and adolescence, which is structurally constrained by white matter network architecture and is particularly represented using a network-based diffusion model. Furthermore, connectome-based constraints are regionally heterogeneous, with the largest constraints residing in frontoparietal nodes, and are associated with gene expression signatures of microstructural neurodevelopmental events. These results are highly reproducible while using another independent dataset. Our findings advance our understanding of network-level mechanisms and the associated genetic basis that underlies the maturational process of cortical morphology during childhood and adolescence.
The impact of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) treatment on the tensile strength of pineapple leaf fiber reinforced with tapioca-based bio resin
Authors: Ezeamaku Uchenna Luvia , Ezekannagha Chinyere , Eze Ochiagha I. , Odimegwu Nkiru , Nwakaudu Angela , Okafor Amarachukwu , Ekuma Innocent , Onukwuli Okechukwu Dominic
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The impact of potassium permanganate (KMnO4) treatment on the tensile strength of an alkali-treated pineapple leaf fiber (PALF) reinforced with tapioca-based bio resin (cassava starch) was studied.

Design/methodology/approach

The PALF was exposed to sodium hydroxide (NaOH) treatment in varying concentrations of 2.0, 3.7, 4.5 and 5.5g prior to the fiber treatment with KMnO4. The treated and untreated PALFs were reinforced with tapioca-based bio resin. Subsequently, they were subjected to Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and tensile test analysis.

Findings

The FTIR analysis of untreated PALF revealed the presence of O-H stretch, N-H stretch, C=O stretch, C=O stretch and H-C-H bond. The tensile test result confirmed the highest tensile strength of 35N from fiber that was reinforced with 32.5g of cassava starch and treated with 1.1g of KMnO4. In comparison, the lowest tensile strength of 15N was recorded for fiber reinforced with 32.5g of cassava starch without KMnO4 treatment.

Originality/value

Based on the results, it could be deduced that despite the enhancement of bioresin (cassava starch) towards strength-impacting on the fibers, KMnO4 treatment on PALF is very vital for improved tensile strength of the fiber when compared to untreated fibers. Hence, KMnO4 treatment on alkali-treated natural fibers preceding reinforcement is imperative for bio-based fibers.
Reflection on future directions: a systematic review of reported limitations and solutions in interactive information retrieval user studies
Authors: Jiang Tianji , Liu Jiqun
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how users behave and evaluate how systems with users are essential for interactive information retrieval (IIR) research. User study methodology serves as a primary approach to answering IIR research questions. In addition to designing user study procedures, understanding the limitations of varying study designs and discussing solutions to the limitations is also critical for improving the methods and advancing the knowledge in IIR.

Design/methodology/approach

Given this unresolved gap, we apply the faceted framework developed by Liu and Shah (2019) in systematically reviewing 131 IIR user studies recently published (2016–2021) on multiple IR and information science venues.

Findings

Our study achieve three goals: (1) extracting and synthesizing the reported limitations on multiple aspects of user study (e.g. recruitment, tasks, study procedures, system interfaces, data analysis methods) under associated facets; (2) summarizing the reported solutions to the limitations; (3) clarifying the connections between types of limitations and types of solutions.

Practical implications

The bibliography of user studies can be used by students and junior researchers who are new to user-centered IR studies as references for study design. Our results can facilitate the reflection and improvement on IR research methodology and serve as a checklist for evaluating customized IIR user studies in varying problem spaces.

Originality/value

To our knowledge, this work is the first study that systematically reviews the study limitations and solutions reported by IIR researchers in articles and empirically examines their connections to different study components.
Data mining topics in the discipline of library and information science: analysis of influential terms and Dirichlet multinomial regression topic model
Authors: You Sukjin , Joo Soohyung , Katsurai Marie
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore to which extent data mining research would be associated with the library and information science (LIS) discipline. This study aims to identify data mining related subject terms and topics in representative LIS scholarly publications.

Design/methodology/approach

A large set of bibliographic records over 38,000 was collected from a scholarly database representing the fields of LIS and the data mining, respectively. A multitude of text mining techniques were applied to investigate prevailing subject terms and research topics, such as influential term analysis and Dirichlet multinomial regression topic modeling.

Findings

The findings of this study revealed the relationship between the LIS and data mining research domains. Various data mining method terms were observed in recent LIS publications, such as machine learning, artificial intelligence and neural networks. The topic modeling result identified prevailing data mining related research topics in LIS, such as machine learning, deep learning, big data and among others. In addition, this study investigated the trends of popular topics in LIS over time in the recent decade.

Originality/value

This investigation is one of a few studies that empirically investigated the relationships between the LIS and data mining research domains. Multiple text mining techniques were employed to delineate to which extent the two research domains would be associated with each other based on both at the term-level and topic-level analysis. Methodologically, the study identified influential terms in each domain using multiple feature selection indices. In addition, Dirichlet multinomial regression was applied to explore LIS topics in relation to data mining.
Beyond all boundaries: women empowerment and the Russian sportswear market
Authors: Muravsky Daniel , Muravskaia Snezhana , Akkalaeva Diana , Shkaruba Sofia
Published: December 2022

Learning outcomes

The case demonstrated the importance of cultural peculiarities and mechanisms of customer learning in localizing global marketing campaigns. It introduced the consequences of unexpected spillover of viral marketing and PR scandals on the competition. It helps in developing the students’ ability to determine and assess the impact of viral marketing campaigns from the perspectives of various stakeholders of the organization.

Case overview/synopsis

In 2017, Nike Russia created one of the most successful and influential ad campaigns in the Russian women's sportswear market by encouraging young girls to try new sports. At the same time, Reebok launched a successful worldwide “be more human” campaign aimed at empowering women all around the globe. Two years later, Reebok Russia tried to localize the successful campaign while adjusting the message to be more assertive. As a result, the company met a country-wide outrage from both feminists and anti-feminists. The case centers around Nikolay Borisov, the CEO of Nike Russia, who was unexpectedly drawn into a provocative public discussion on the use of the female empowerment agenda for cause-related marketing. The case dilemma was set during mid-February 2019 and involved Borisov’s assessment of the impact of the competitor’s viral campaign on the market and choice of a reaction strategy to public outrage.

Complexity academic level

This case is appropriate for an undergraduate or graduate-level program curriculum for courses dedicated to or including topics related to positioning, doing business in emerging markets, corporate social responsibility and consumer behavior. Before engaging with the case, the students should be aware of basic management and economics-related concepts and terms, such as strategy, positioning, CSR and viral marketing.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 8: Marketing.
Revival of jet airways – will it emerge as a phoenix?
Authors: Bhawsar Pragya
Published: December 2022

Learning outcomes

The case intends for students to delve into aspects related to changes in the business environment, dynamics of competition in the airline industry, factors responsible for the collapse of an airline that had once remained a highflyer, and aspects related to change management in reviving a business that has undergone a trauma of crisis.

Case overview/synopsis

Jet Airways was all set to fly by the July-September quarter of 2022. The protagonist, Sanjiv Kapoor, had recently joined as the CEO of Jet Airways. Jet Airways was founded in 1993 when the Indian Government decided to liberalize the Indian skies. Flying highs and lows in its journey of 25 years, Jet Airways got grounded on 17 April 2019 because of a lack of funds. There were unsettled claims of ₹370bn against financial creditors and employees. Though liquidation of assets would have been a route to settle claims, it was decided to sell assets of the defunct airline by means of a formal resolution process. On 17 October 2020, the Committee of Creditors (CoC) approved the resolution plan of the consortium of Jalan and Kalrock Capital, which were the new promoters of the airline and were working to bring Jet Airways to its glory. These promoters appointed Kapoor to share the responsibility of Jet 2.0. Kapoor had to lead the change at Jet 2.0. Kapoor examined the idea of “look forward and reason back” as multiple challenges existed amongst opportunities for the carrier in its second chance at life. The case documented the entire saga of the rise, fall and revival of Jet Airways.

Complexity academic level

Undergraduate and Post Graduate Students

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
Ahmed Mujtaba Razzak: an immigrant entrepreneur with big dreams
Authors: Urban Boris , Townsend Stephanie
Published: December 2022

Learning outcomes

At the end of the case discussion, students should be able to:

▪ Evaluate the relevance of community and networks to immigrant entrepreneurs.

▪ Appreciate the entrepreneurial journey of immigrant entrepreneurs in the South African context.

▪ Consider the challenges of the socio-economic environment affecting businesses in South Africa.

▪ Make an informed decision regarding how creating a family entrepreneurial ecosystem can mitigate business risk.

▪ Critically evaluate which strategies could exploit any further opportunities and grow the businesses.

Case overview/synopsis

In April 2022, Ahmed Mujtaba Razzak, director of Montage Interior Solutions, a design, building and construction company based in Mayfair, Johannesburg, was preparing for the official opening of the company’s newly-built Clifton Mall. Ahmed, whose family had immigrated to South Africa from Pakistan in 2004, had big goals for the mall: he wanted it not only to be profitable for his family, but also to help uplift the lives of the shop owners and the members of the surrounding community, many of whom were also from Pakistani immigrant families. Thus, instead of having to rent the units, shop owners were able to buy them under sectional title. The model promised the benefits of unit ownership for the shop owners and a quicker return on investment for Montage. As he prepared for the opening, Ahmed wondered whether he had set everything up for the venture to be able to achieve his goals.

The case study provided a deeper understanding of different challenges, approaches and strategies used in immigrant start-ups. The case study included various business and entrepreneurship themes focused on immigrant start-ups, strategy and diversification, family business and business growth. It also considered both individual and contextual factors influencing immigrant entrepreneurship, insofar as family and the business are “inextricably intertwined”, where the effects of social exchange between generations meant that successful enterprising families showed tremendous respect for the sensitive relations between the business and the family.

Complexity academic level

Postgraduate Diploma, MBA, Masters, Executive Education

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 3: Entrepreneurship.
Double jeopardy: the paradox and promise of coaching women leaders from a critical feminist perspective
Authors: Bierema Laura L. , Sim Eunbi , He Weixin , Cox Alexandra B.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to interrogate the “double-jeopardy” in widely adopted women’s leadership development interventions aimed at “fixing” women, explore critical feminist coaching (CFC) perspectives and practices and offer more equitable and just alternatives for developing women leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper includes a literature review of post-feminist and critical feminist perspectives and a critical examination of coaching for women leaders from each perspective.

Findings

Postfeminist approaches in organizations are little scrutinized because of the dominant postfeminist discourse that women's subordination and oppression have been “resolved” through neoliberal, individualistic interventions, such as postfeminist coaching programs. Infusing the message of “fixing women” through emphasizing “4 C’s” – confidence, control, courage and competition – postfeminist coaching programs have been submitting women leaders to “double jeopardy.” The authors critique this postfeminist coaching paradox from a critical feminist perspective foregrounding “4 R’s” – reflecting, reforming, raising and rebuilding – promising more equitable, just development.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first attempt to describe CFC and presentation of a conceptual and practical model of the process. The authors define postfeminist coaching as the disavowal of feminist values and failure to challenge gender hegemony in the coaching process. The authors propose a model of CFC defined as the explicit embrace of feminist values and challenge of gender hegemony in the coaching process. The authors offer alternatives for developing women leaders amid paradoxical, complex, capitalist systems, with a critical lens challenging postfeminism.
Linking workplace loneliness to workplace territoriality: a self-protection perspective
Authors: Nie Qi , Chen Xiao , Yu Guangyu
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Drawing upon the self-protection theory, the purpose of this study is to examine whether and how workplace loneliness leads to workplace territoriality.

Design/methodology/approach

Three-wave data from 243 employee–colleague dyads in China were collected to provide stronger empirical evidence supporting the hypotheses presented in this study. Path analysis and the bootstrapping method were used to test the predictions of this study.

Findings

The results of this study showed that employees’ workplace loneliness was positively related to their territorial behavior; employees' self-serving cognitions mediated the relationship between workplace loneliness and territorial behavior; and self-sacrificial leadership negatively moderated the relationship between workplace loneliness and self-serving cognitions and the indirect relationship between employee workplace loneliness and territorial behavior through self-serving cognitions.

Practical implications

The findings of this study suggest that organizations should pay attention to employees’ self-serving cognitions and cultivate self-sacrificial leadership to manage the territorial behavior derived from workplace loneliness.

Originality/value

This study highlights the positive effects of workplace loneliness on self-serving cognitions and subsequent workplace territoriality and shows that self-sacrificial leadership plays a buffering role in this process.
An approach based on deep learning for Indian sign language translation
Authors: Mistree Kinjal Bhargavkumar , Thakor Devendra , Bhatt Brijesh
Published: December 2022

Purpose

According to the Indian Sign Language Research and Training Centre (ISLRTC), India has approximately 300 certified human interpreters to help people with hearing loss. This paper aims to address the issue of Indian Sign Language (ISL) sentence recognition and translation into semantically equivalent English text in a signer-independent mode.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents an approach that translates ISL sentences into English text using the MobileNetV2 model and Neural Machine Translation (NMT). The authors have created an ISL corpus from the Brown corpus using ISL grammar rules to perform machine translation. The authors’ approach converts ISL videos of the newly created dataset into ISL gloss sequences using the MobileNetV2 model and the recognized ISL gloss sequence is then fed to a machine translation module that generates an English sentence for each ISL sentence.

Findings

As per the experimental results, pretrained MobileNetV2 model was proven the best-suited model for the recognition of ISL sentences and NMT provided better results than Statistical Machine Translation (SMT) to convert ISL text into English text. The automatic and human evaluation of the proposed approach yielded accuracies of 83.3 and 86.1%, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

It can be seen that the neural machine translation systems produced translations with repetitions of other translated words, strange translations when the total number of words per sentence is increased and one or more unexpected terms that had no relation to the source text on occasion. The most common type of error is the mistranslation of places, numbers and dates. Although this has little effect on the overall structure of the translated sentence, it indicates that the embedding learned for these few words could be improved.

Originality/value

Sign language recognition and translation is a crucial step toward improving communication between the deaf and the rest of society. Because of the shortage of human interpreters, an alternative approach is desired to help people achieve smooth communication with the Deaf. To motivate research in this field, the authors generated an ISL corpus of 13,720 sentences and a video dataset of 47,880 ISL videos. As there is no public dataset available for ISl videos incorporating signs released by ISLRTC, the authors created a new video dataset and ISL corpus.
Comparing the value-relevance of AAOIFI versus IFRS accounting numbers in the Takaful industry
Authors: Mejri Mariem , Ben Othman Hakim , Abdou Hussein A. , Hussainey Khaled
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to compare the value relevance of accounting numbers prepared under the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions (AAOIFI) standards with those produced under the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) for Takaful companies (TC).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors assess the value relevance of accounting numbers using the Easton and Harris (1991) and Ohlson (1995) return and price models. They also use 54 insurance companies from 10 developing countries in Asia and the Middle East from 2006 to 2015.

Findings

The analysis shows that book value is significantly related to stock price under AAOIFI and IFRS. It also shows that TC adopting AAOIFI accounting standards have a more significant effect on stock price. This suggests that AAOIFI standards are more value relevant than IFRS.

Practical implications

TC and their stakeholders can use the findings to determine which accounting standards (IFRS or AAOIFI) produce the more relevant accounting information. This study is useful for investors that consider Islamic ethical practices to make their investment decisions for the standards-setting bodies that focus on establishing accounting standards for the Takaful industry.

Originality/value

The authors investigate a new aspect of the topic of value relevance. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, they believe this is the first paper examining the value relevance of TC’ accounting information prepared under AAOIFI and IFRS.
Research on the relationship between environmental regulation, technological innovation and employment: focused on China
Authors: Li Chang , Hwang YunSeop , Yu Cheon
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between formal environmental regulation (FER) and informal environmental regulation (IER), technological innovation and employment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses data from the 30 provinces of China during 2003–2015. The impacts of formal and IER and technological innovation on employment are estimated by generalized least squares, and the eastern region of China is analyzed separately.

Findings

First, both formal and IERs have different degrees of significant impact on employment, and the relationship is not a simple linear. FER has an inverted U-shaped relationship with employment, but IER has a U-shaped relationship. However, in the test including technological innovation, the results of the national sample and the eastern sample are different. In the eastern sample, the relationship between informal regulation and employment has an inverted U-shaped curve. Second, the results of model 3 and model 6 show that technological innovation has a significant negative effect on employment both in the national and the eastern region sample.

Research limitations/implications

This paper puts forward corresponding policy implications: first, in designing environmental regulations, it is necessary to consider not only the stringency but also the type of regulation. Second, environmental regulations need to be differentiated by region. Finally, when designing environmental regulations, it is necessary to consider more flexible employment policies that are contingent on the stringency of regulations, in order to prevent employment decline due to technological innovations.

Originality/value

The conclusions about the influence of environmental regulation on employment reached are not consistent in China. Most existing research studies seldom consider environmental regulations into categories and focus only on the whole environmental regulation. This paper pays attention to the influences of different types of environmental regulations on employment. It analyzes the eastern region separately to explore whether there is a difference in the effects of environmental regulations. Furthermore, this considers the effect of technological innovation as a mediator.
A q-rung orthopair fuzzy combined compromise solution approach for selecting sustainable third-party reverse logistics provider
Authors: Mishra Arunodaya Raj , Rani Pratibha , Saha Abhijit , Pamucar Dragan , Hezam Ibrahim M.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Reverse logistics (RL) is a type of supply chain management that moves goods from the end customer to the original manufacturer for reuse, remanufacturing and disposal purposes. Owing to growing environmental legislations and the development of new technologies in marketing, RL has attracted more significance among experts and academicians. Outsourcing RL practices to third-party reverse logistics provider (3PRLP) has been identified as one of the most important management strategies due to complexity of RL operations and the lack of available resource. Current sustainability trends have made 3PRLP assessment and selection process more complex. In order to select the 3PRLP, the existence of several aspects of sustainability motivates the experts to establish a new multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) approach.

Design/methodology/approach

With the growing complexity and high uncertainty of decision environments, the preference values of 3PRLPs are not always expressed with real numbers. As the generalized version of fuzzy set, intuitionistic fuzzy set and Fermatean fuzzy set, the theory of q-rung orthopair fuzzy set (q-ROFS) is used to permit decision experts (DEs) to their assessments in a larger space and to better cope with uncertain information. Given that the combined compromise solution (CoCoSo) is an innovative MCDA approach with higher degree of stability and reliability than several existing methods.

Findings

To exhibit the potentiality and applicability of the presented framework, a case study of S3PRLPs assessment is taken from q-rung orthopair fuzzy perspective. The assessment process consists of three sustainability aspects namely economic, environment and social dimensions related with a total of 14 criteria. Further, sensitivity and comparative analyses are made to display the solidity and strength of the presented approach. The results of this study approve that the presented methodology is more stable and efficient in comparison with other methods.

Originality/value

Thus, the objective of the study is to develop a hybrid decision-making methodology by combining CoCoSo method and discrimination measure with q-ROFS for selecting an appropriate sustainable 3PRLP (S3PRLP) candidate under uncertain environment. In the proposed method, a novel procedure is proposed to obtain the weights of DEs within q-ROFS context. To calculate the criteria weights, a new formula is presented based on discrimination measure, which provides more realistic weights. In this respect, a new discrimination measure is proposed for q-ROFSs.
Faculty's subjective well-being: insights from a Mexican business school
Authors: Segarra Paulina , Villanueva Cristian E. , Martínez Lorena
Published: December 2022

Purpose

In this article, the authors aim to achieve a deeper understanding of the aspects that influence academic faculty's subjective well-being (SWB). For this purpose, the authors focus on scholars who work in a business school that not only is located in Latin America, but is in a transition process, changing from being solely a teaching-oriented to a research-oriented model due to Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation purposes.

Design/methodology/approach

Twenty in-depth semi-structured interviews were conducted with professors at a private business school in Mexico. The interviews took place between November 2018 and late 2020.

Findings

Scholars of business schools who are transitioning from being teaching-oriented to becoming research-oriented in order to comply with AACSB requirements face heightened institutional pressures that can generate negative effects on professors' SWB; especially on three dimensions: health, a sense of lack of self-efficacy and apprehension due to the lack of resources.

Research limitations/implications

This paper studied a particular context; however, even when the findings of this article are relevant, they cannot be generalized, as each context will have its own peculiarities.

Originality/value

More attention needs to be given to scholars' SWB, particularly of those working in business schools located in the Global South. This is especially relevant since faculty members of business schools in emerging economies are aiming to compete in the international arena; therefore, they face heightened institutional pressures since they need to be more academically productive without neglecting teaching and administrative tasks and despite having less access to resources than their counterparts working in business schools in developed economies. The authors believe that hearing researchers' stories about their concerns and desires can raise awareness and lead to better work conditions.
The importance of shared cognitions of team member expertise when building a high-performing team
Authors: Byrne Nathan , Eddy Erik
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Organizations are increasingly using team-based work structures to solve complex challenges and issues. Such teams require team members to have shared cognitions – a shared, accurate and complimentary understanding of team processes – to enhance team performance. The purpose of the current research is to explore the impact of shared cognitions on team processes and team performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The current research focused on shared cognitions of teammate knowledge and expertise while working in a team environment. Using an experimental design with 20 teams collaborating on six problem-solving questions, the authors test hypotheses pertaining to the relationship between shared cognitions about team member expertise and team processes and team performance.

Findings

Analysis of variance finds that teams with a greater level of shared cognitions of team member expertise have enhanced team process and greater team performance than teams without shared cognitions.

Originality/value

Recommendations are made for future research and practice based on such findings. The authors discuss ways in which the findings of this study can contribute to greater team process and performance in schools, organizations and athletic teams, noting the additional ability to apply such findings in virtual settings.