bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Interpretable modelling of input-output computations in cortex
Authors: Bast Arco , Fruengel Rieke , de Kock Christiaan P.J. , Oberlaender Marcel
Published: August 2023

Neurons receive input from thousands of synapses, which they transform into action potentials (APs) via their complex dendrites. How the dendritic location of these inputs, their timing, strength, and presynaptic origin impact AP output remains generally unknown. Here we demonstrate how to reveal which properties of the input causally underlie AP output, and how this input-output computation is influenced by the morphology and biophysical properties of the dendrites. For this purpose, we derive analytically tractable, interpretable models of the input-output computation that layer 5 pyramidal tract neurons (L5PTs) – the major output cell type of the cerebral cortex – perform upon sensory stimulation. We find that this input-output computation is preserved across L5PTs despite morphological and biophysical diversity. We show that three features are sufficient to explainin vivoobserved sensory responses and receptive fields of L5PTs with high accuracy: the count of active excitatory versus inhibitory synapses preceding the response, their spatial distribution on the dendrites, and the AP history. Based on this analytically tractable and interpretable description of the input-output computation, we show how to dissect the contributions of different input populations in thalamus and cortex to sensory responses of L5PTs. Thus, our approach provides a roadmap for revealing cellular input-output computations across differentin vivoconditions.

Author Summary

Revealing how synaptic inputs drive action potential output is one of the major challenges in neuroscience research. An increasing number of approaches therefore seek to combine detailed measurements at synaptic, cellular and network scales into biologically realistic brain models. Indeed, such models have started to make empirically testable predictions about the inputs that underliein vivoobserved activity patterns. However, the enormous complexity of these models generally prevents the derivation of interpretable descriptions that explain how neurons transform synaptic input into action potential output, and how these input-output computations depend on synaptic, cellular and network properties. Here we introduce an approach to reveal input-output computations that neurons in the cerebral cortex perform upon sensory stimulation. We reduce a realistic multi-scale cortex model to the minimal description that accounts forin vivoobserved responses. Thereby, we identify the input-output computation that these cortical neurons perform under thisin vivocondition, and we show that this computation is preserved across neurons despite morphological and biophysical diversity. Our approach provides analytically tractable and interpretable descriptions of neuronal input-output computations during specificin vivoconditions.
Robust parameterization of a viral-immune kinetics model for sequential Dengue virus (DENV) infections with Antibody-Dependent Enhancement (ADE)
Authors: Macdonald Joshua , Gulbudak Hayriye
Published: August 2023

1

Dengue (DENV), a neglected tropical disease, is a globally distributed arboviral (genusFlavivirus) pathogen primarily spread byAedesmosquitoes and infecting approximately 390 million individuals annually. A challenge to successful control of DENV is that after primary infection (or vaccination) due to waning, secondarily infected patients (or vaccinated individuals) can have an elevated risk of severe Dengue due to a phenomenon known as antibody-dependent enhancement (ADE), that is: preexisting cross-reactive IgG antibody concentrations can increase dengue severity. In this study, we first robustly parameterize a unified within-host viral and immune kinetics model to viral kinetics data for serotypes DENV1, 2, and 3 collected at the Hospital for Tropical Diseases (Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam) while allowing independent variation in infection start time among hosts. Our model recapitulates the data well, including cross-reactive antibody concentration-dependent enhanced severity in secondary infections, and captures empirically observed differences between primary and secondary DENV infections, such as time to peak viral load, duration of viremia, and maximum viral titer. Our parameterization also captures meaningful differences in serotype-specific kinetic parameters that drive these differences. Subsequently, we (i) show that variation in initial IgG antibody concentration is sufficient to mechanistically explain the observed differences between primary and secondary infection in terms of the time course of events across serotypes and (ii) leverage our modeling results paired with long-term NS1-specific IgG antibody decay data from Recife, Northeast Brazil, to estimate the half-life of Dengue IgG antibodies and the time frame of the risk window for escalated disease severity due to ADE.
Trunk neural crest gene MOXD1 affects embryonic development
Authors: Fredlund Elina , Andersson Stina , Ferreira Manon , Mohlin Sofie
Published: August 2023

Ectoderm-derived neural crest is a transient structure arising during early embryogenesis in vertebrates. Neural crest consists of four derivatives based on their anterior- to posterior location along the body axis; cranial, vagal, trunk and sacral, respectively. We recently showed that trunk neural crest-specific geneMOXD1functions as a tumor suppressor in trunk neural crest-derived childhood cancer form neuroblastoma and is essential for proper development of healthy adrenal glands. However, the role of MOXD1 during early embryogenesis is not known. Here, we conditionally knocked outMOXD1in trunk neural crest cells before they become lineage-committed, using a CRISPR/Cas9 approach in chick embryos. Assessment of embryo growth showed that knockout ofMOXD1delayed development with knockout embryos being smaller. RNA sequencing of trunk-derived neural crest cells from control and knockout embryos showed enrichment of genes connected to gland development, copper ion metabolism and neuroblastoma progression. In conclusion, MOXD1 is important during early and prolonged embryonic development with effects on gland formation, possibly mediated via its role in copper metabolism.
ω-Phonetoxins inhibit voltage-gated calcium CaV2.2 ion channel splice isoforms of dorsal root ganglia
Authors: Castro-Junior Célio , Gomez Marcus Vinícius , Borges Marcia Helena , Lipscombe Diane , Andrade Arturo
Published: August 2023

Cell-specific alternative splicing ofCacna1bpre-mRNA generates functionally distinct voltage-gated CaV2.2 channels. CaV2.2 channels mediate the release of glutamate from nociceptor termini in the dorsal horn spinal cord and they are implicated in chronic pain. One alternatively spliced exon inCacna1b, e37a, is highly expressed in dorsal root ganglia, relative to other regions of the nervous system, and it is particularly important in inflammatory hyperalgesia. Here we studied the effects of two ω-phonetoxins, PnTx3-4 and Phα1β, derived from the spiderPhoneutria nigriventeron CaV2.2 channel isoforms of dorsal root ganglia (CaV2.2 e37a and CaV2.2 e37b). Both PnTx3-4 and Phα1β are known to have analgesic effects in rodent models of pain and to inhibit CaV2.2 channels. CaV2.2 e37a and CaV2.2 e37b isoforms expressed in a mammalian cell line were inhibited by PnTx3-4 and Phα1β with similar potency and with similar timecourse, although CaV2.2 e37a currents were slightly, but consistently more sensitive to toxin inhibition compared to CaV2.2 e37b. The inhibitory effects of PnTx3-4 and Phα1β on CaV2.2-e37a and CaV2.2-e37b channels were voltage-dependent, and both occlude the inhibitory effects of ω-conotoxin GVIA, consistent with a common site of action. The potency of PnTx3-4 and Phα1β on both major splice isoforms in dorsal root ganglia constribute to understanding the analgesic actions of these ω-phonetoxins.
Linking genomic prediction for muscle fat content in Atlantic salmon to underlying changes in lipid metabolism regulation
Authors: Harvey Thomas N. , Dvergedal Hanne , Grønvold Lars , Jin Yang , Ødegård Jørgen , Korsvoll Sven Arild , Knutsen Tim , Hvidsten Torgeir R. , Sandve Simen R.
Published: August 2023

Muscle fat content is an important production trait in Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar) because it influences the flavor, texture, and nutritional properties of the fillet. Genomic selection can be applied to alter muscle fat content, however how such selection changes the underlying molecular physiology of these animals is unknown. Here, we examine the link between genomic prediction and underlying molecular physiology by correlating genomic breeding values for fat content to liver gene expression in 184 fish. We found that Salmon with higher genomic breeding values had higher expression of genes in lipid metabolism pathways. This included key lipid metabolism geneshmgcrab,fasn-b,fads2d5, andfads2d6, and lipid transportersfatp2f,fabp7b, andapobc. We also found several regulators of lipid metabolism with negative correlation to genomic breeding vales, includingpparg-b,fxr-a, andfxr-b. A quantitative trait loci analysis for variation in gene expression levels (eQTLs) for 167 trait associated genes found that 71 genes had at least one eQTL, and that most were trans eQTLs. Closer examination revealed distinct eQTL clustering on chromosomes 3 and 6, indicating the presence of putative common regulator in these regions. Taken together, these results suggest that increased fat content in high genomic breeding value salmon is associated with elevated lipid synthesis, elevated lipid transport, and reduced glycerolipid breakdown; and that this is at least partly achieved by selection on genetic variants that impact the function of top-level transcription factors involved in liver metabolism. Our study sheds light on how genomic selection alters lipid content in Atlantic salmon, and the results could be used to prioritize SNPs to improve the efficiency of genomic selection in the future.
SARS-CoV-2 RNA Persists in the Central Nervous System of Non-Human Primates Despite Clinical Recovery
Authors: Li Hailong , McLaurin Kristen A. , Mactutus Charles F. , Rappaport Jay , Datta Prasun K. , Booze Rosemarie M.
Published: August 2023

Adverse neurological and psychiatric outcomes, collectively termed the post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection (PASC), persist in adults clinically recovered from COVID-19. Effective therapeutic interventions are fundamental to reducing the burden of PASC, necessitating an investigation of the pathophysiology underlying the debilitating neurological symptoms associated with the condition. Herein, eight non-human primates (Wild-Caught African Green Monkeys,n=4; Indian Rhesus Macaques,n=4) were inoculated with the SARS-CoV-2 isolate USA-WA1/2020 by either small particle aerosol or via multiple routes. At necropsy, tissue from the olfactory epithelium and pyriform cortex/amygdala of SARS-CoV-2 infected non-human primates were collected for ribonucleic acidin situhybridization (i.e., RNAscope). First, angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) and transmembrane serine protease 2 (TMPRSS2) mRNA are downregulated in the pyriform cortex/amygdala of non-human primates clinically recovered from SARS-CoV-2 inoculation relative to wildtype controls. Second, abundant SARS-CoV-2 mRNA was detected in clinically recovered non-human primates; mRNA which is predominantly harbored in pericytes. Collectively, examination of post-mortem pyriform cortex/amygdala brain tissue of non-human primates clinically recovered from SARS-CoV-2 infection revealed two early pathophysiological mechanisms potentially underlying PASC. Indeed, therapeutic interventions targeting the downregulation of ACE2, decreased expression of TMPRSS2, and/or persistent infection of pericytes in the central nervous system may effectively mitigate the debilitating symptoms of PASC.
Regulation of the Drosophila transcriptome by Pumilio and CCR4-NOT deadenylase
Authors: Haugen Rebecca J. , Barnier Catherine , Elrod Nathan D. , Luo Hua , Jensen Madeline K. , Ji Ping , Smibert Craig A. , Lipshitz Howard D. , Wagner Eric J. , Freddolino P. Lydia , Goldstrohm Aaron C.
Published: August 2023

The sequence-specific RNA-binding protein Pumilio controls development ofDrosophila; however, the network of mRNAs that it regulates remains incompletely characterized. In this study, we utilize knockdown and knockout approaches coupled with RNA-Seq to measure the impact of Pumilio on the transcriptome ofDrosophilacells. We also used an improved RNA co-immunoprecipitation method to identify Pumilio bound mRNAs inDrosophilaembryos. Integration of these datasets with the content of Pumilio binding motifs across the transcriptome revealed novel direct Pumilio target genes involved in neural, muscle, wing, and germ cell development, and cellular proliferation. These genes include components of Wnt, TGF-beta, MAPK/ERK, and Notch signaling pathways, DNA replication, and lipid metabolism. Additionally, we identified the mRNAs regulated by the CCR4-NOT deadenylase complex, a key factor in Pumilio-mediated repression, and observed concordant regulation of Pumilio:CCR4-NOT target mRNAs. Computational modeling revealed that Pumilio binding, binding site number, density, and sequence context are important determinants of regulation. Moreover, the content of optimal synonymous codons in target mRNAs exhibits a striking functional relationship to Pumilio and CCR4-NOT regulation, indicating that the inherent translation efficiency and stability of the mRNA modulates their response to these trans-acting regulatory factors. Together, the results of this work provide new insights into the Pumilio regulatory network and mechanisms, and the parameters that influence the efficacy of Pumilio-mediated regulation.
The anti-tumor effect of trifluridine via induction of aberrant mitosis is unaffected by mutations modulating p53 activity
Authors: Wakasa Takeshi , Iimori Makoto , Nonaka Kentaro , Harada Akihito , Ohkawa Yasuyuki , Kikutake Chie , Suyama Mikita , Kobunai Takashi , Matsuoka Kazuaki , Tsunekuni Kenta , Kataoka Yuki , Ochiiwa Hiroaki , Miyadera Kazutaka , Sagara Takeshi , Oki Eiji , Ohdo Shigehiro , Maehara Yoshihiko , Kitao Hiroyuki
Published: August 2023

The fluorinated thymidine analogue trifluridine (FTD) is a chemotherapeutic drug commonly used to treat cancer; however, the mechanism by which FTD induces cytotoxicity is not fully understood. In addition, the effect of gain-of-function (GOF) missense mutations of theTP53gene (encoding p53), which promote cancer progression and chemotherapeutic drug resistance, on the chemotherapeutic efficacy of FTD is unclear. Here, we revealed the mechanisms by which FTD induced aberrant mitosis and contributed to cytotoxicity in both p53-null and p53-GOF missense mutant cells. In p53-null mutant cells, FTD induced DNA double-stranded breaks, single-stranded DNA accumulation, and the associated DNA damage repair responses during G2 phase. Nevertheless, FTD-induced DNA damage and the related responses were not sufficient to trigger strict G2/M checkpoint arrest. Thus, these features were carried over into mitosis, resulting in chromosome breaks and bridges, and subsequent cytokinesis failure. Improper mitotic exit eventually led to cell apoptosis, caused by the accumulation of extensive DNA damage and the presence of micronuclei encapsulated in the disrupted nuclear envelope. Upon FTD treatment, the behavior of the p53-GOF-missense-mutant, isogenic cell lines, generated by CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, was similar to that of p53-null mutant cells. Thus, our data suggest that FTD treatment overrode the effect on gene expression induced by p53-GOF mutants and exerted its anti-tumor activity in a manner that was independent of p53 function.
Cryptosporidiuminfection of human small intestinal epithelial cells induces type III interferon and impairs infectivity of Rotavirus
Authors: Greigert Valentin , Saraav Iti , Son Juhee , Dayao Denise , Antia Avan , Tzipori Saul , Witola William H. , Stappenbeck Thaddeus S. , Ding Siyuan , Sibley L. David
Published: August 2023

Cryptosporidiosis is a major cause of severe diarrheal disease in infants from resource poor settings. The majority of infections are caused by the human-specific pathogenC. hominisand absence of in vitro growth platforms has limited our understanding of host-pathogen interactions and development of effective treatments. To address this problem, we developed a stem cell-derived culture system forC. hominisusing human enterocytes differentiated under air-liquid interface (ALI) conditions. Human ALI cultures supported robust growth and complete development ofC. hominisin vitro including all life cycle stages.C. hominisinfection induced a strong interferon response from enterocytes, likely driven by an endogenous dsRNA virus in the parasite. Prior infection withCryptosporidiuminduced type III IFN secretion and consequently blunted infection with Rotavirus, including live attenuated vaccine strains. The development of hALI provides a platform for further studies on human-specific pathogens, including clinically important coinfections that may alter vaccine efficacy.
A systematic review of the literature on agri-food business models: critical review and research agenda
Authors: Miranda F. Javier , García-Gallego José Manuel , Chamorro-Mera Antonio , Valero-Amaro Víctor , Rubio Sergio
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study is to identify the way in which research on new business models in agri-food sector has been developed, in order to identify the main lines of work followed and determine a future research agenda in this field.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review of the literature is carried out, by applying the PRISMA method to identify and classify the main articles published on agri-food business models in journals included in the Web of Science Core Collection database.

Findings

The systematic literature review has identified three main forms of business models in the agri-food sector: sustainable business models, technology-based business models and cooperative business models. The three types of new business models are complementary and can sometimes be adopted together. The identification of these types of business models and the variants included in each of them is a valid starting point for new developments in this field.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study are those typical of any literature review and derived from the methodology used. The establishment of criteria relating to time, language, type of publication or database chosen means that this review may have left out relevant studies in this field of research. It is therefore recommended that new reviews be carried out with different criteria in the coming years in order to supplement the results obtained in this study.

Originality/value

Some research gaps were identified that should be further explored in the future. First, the relationship between digitisation and technological innovation in agri-food business models and the level of implementation of sustainable objectives in these business models has not been researched thoroughly. In addition, and despite the fact that the crisis caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has boosted innovation in agri-food business models, the authors have detected a lack of papers focused on solving problems arising from the shortage of raw materials or labour, possible energy crises or external dependence on local markets when it comes to meeting demand. The war in Ukraine has demonstrated the limitations of international markets, mainly the European market, when it comes to dealing with problems arising from this type of crisis.
The antecedent cognitions of brand love and its impact on brand loyalty: the moderating role of sustainability marketing
Authors: Khalid Afia , Awan Raheel Amir , Ali Rizwan , Sarmad Imran
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the moderating effect of sustainability marketing on brand loyalty of brands that advertise their sustainable development agenda goals. The study highlights the mediating effect of brand love having cognitive antecedents of brand authenticity, popularity and congruence with private and social self of the consumer.

Design/methodology/approach

A mall intercept survey was used to collect data from consumers who use brands that embrace sustainable marketing strategies. Only those brands were selected which are popular as well as advertise sustainable practices in their brand communication (mainstream and social media). The data was self-administered by trained research assistants, who gathered data from a sample of 350 respondents.

Findings

The findings revealed that the popularity and authenticity of a brand play an essential role in developing brand love and later influences brand loyalty behavior. A larger effect is seen on brand love when there is congruence of private and social self with the brand. The brand has even a stronger relationship with brand loyalty when moderated by sustainability marketing.

Research limitations/implications

Brand love has the potential for long-term influences, only if sustainability marketing is used as a backbone. Brand managers should target an authenticity-seeking segment of consumers, who once convinced can lead to repeat business and brand loyalty and reduce dissonance. As sustainability marketing provides multiple benefits, genuine branding strategies should be devised that amalgamate into a single message spun around sustainability concerns and connecting the ethos of authenticity, popularity and self-expression. Future research may take into consideration more categories than this study on clothing, and consumer goods, adopting a mixed-methods approach. Moreover, a range of potential antecedents of brand love can be determined along with potential outcomes when aligned with external efforts such as sustainability, corporate social responsibility and international investment.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study investigating the moderating role of sustainability marketing on the relationship between brand love and brand loyalty and the mediating role of brand love between brand authenticity, popularity, social/private-self-expression and brand loyalty. It is also the first study documenting how sustainability marketing reinforces the brand loyalty for popular brands in developing countries like Pakistan. This study fills a research gap as it expands the existing literature on sustainability marketing and brand love that is generally focused on brand dimensions and not the brand communications and thus has not reached similar results.
A better start: board diversity matters in assessing stock price crash risk
Authors: Cho Kyungshick , Cho Jaeyoung , Bian Yiyang
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The determinants that contribute to reducing stock price crash risk have garnered attention from scholars and practitioners. However, our understanding of the relationship between board diversity and stock crash risk, as well as the contextual factors that influence this relationship, remains limited. To address this gap, this study aims to investigate how different attributes of board diversity affect stock price crash risk, particularly under conditions of higher performance hazard and ownership concentration.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a two-stage least squares fixed-effects estimator, the authors analyze a panel data set of 1,792 firm-year observations across 282 firms listed on the KOSPI200 from 2010 to 2019.

Findings

Relation-oriented diversity reduces future stock price crash risk, particularly when firms experience performance shortfalls and have concentrated ownership structures, but task-oriented diversity has no significant effects. The results imply that only relation-oriented diversity strengthens governance mechanisms by curtailing managerial bad news withholding behaviors, and the role of relation-oriented diversity in reducing stock crash risk becomes more crucial when firms have higher performance hazard and concentrated ownership.

Originality/value

This study makes crucial contributions as follows: the authors contribute to the stock crash risk literature by shifting the focus from how to when board diversity matters in assessing stock crash risk; the authors extend the board diversity research and enhance scholarly understanding of the effects of board diversity on corporate governance by highlighting that not all aspects of board diversity improve firm governance mechanisms; and the authors widen the lens from a single attribute to multiple attributes of diversity to reveal the effects of diversity on boards in assessing future crash risk.
How to carry out organisational debriefing for team learning
Authors: Hebles Melany , Yániz-Alvarez-de-Eulate Concepción , Villardón-Gallego Lourdes
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The debriefing is a procedure based on intra-team feedback, which has frequently been applied in university formation in health but has been less used in business. The aim of this research is to analyse best practices in the actual implementation of debriefing in organisations, based on criteria the guidelines for carrying out each stage established in the procedure.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve these goals, working teams from different organisations carried out 19 group-debriefing sessions on an authentic work problem. These sessions were observed and analysed following a qualitative approach.

Findings

After observing a debriefing session in 19 organisations, four categories related to its implementation have been identified: Self-analysis, information, planning and orientation of the development of the team.

Research limitations/implications

It is important to mention some limitations to this work. The major limitation was the lack of published literature related to the debriefing in the area of organisational management. The qualitative and exploratory nature of the study limits the generalisation of the results.

Practical implications

The research has practical implications as the characterisation and description of each phase favours the transfer to implement the debriefing technique adequately in different types of organisations.

Social implications

It has been observed that all forms of debriefing have a common purpose in learning and, team and employee development, due to the powerful transferability and usefulness of debriefing in different contexts. Therefore, knowing the correct use of debriefing is a breakthrough in this area. In addition, including this type of practice will not just facilitate a better performance, it will also help teams to learn to work in a team from their own experiences.

Originality/value

It has been characterised by the process of debriefing from the correct implementation of each phase through the analysis of the narratives that arise in the debriefing sessions carried out.
Distributed team cognition and collaborative problem-solving in project management
Authors: Fernandes Roberto Godoy , Silva Luciano Ferreira da , Vils Leonardo
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to verify how distributed cognition enhances collaborative problem-solving in the context of projects.

Design/methodology/approach

Using qualitative research and in-depth interviews, a sample of 32 project managers with experience in traditional and agile methods acting in Brazil and internationally participated in the research process. The analysis process, utilising coding techniques, involved stages: open, axial, coding and selective coding. These stages encompassed the evaluation of categories based on a hierarchy, in order to determine an appropriate level of abstraction that properly explains theoretical findings.

Findings

The results indicate that distributed team cognition is significant for collaborative problem-solving. The data from the interviews allowed the proposal of a model of cognition, and the identification of the elements that support it.

Practical implications

Understand how aspects of distributed team cognition can impact the behaviours of the project professional and contribute to problem-solving in the project environment.

Originality/value

The elements observed affects the collaborative problem-solving by presenting a model of distributed cognition, which is composed by directed communication, collective interaction, trust building and collaborative behaviour.
The nexus between arms imports, military expenditures and economic growth of the top arms importers in the world: a pooled mean group approach
Authors: Chary Shreesh
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper explores whether data back the claim that imports of armaments are inherently bad for economic growth. Regardless of one's point of view, the production and trade of weaponry is a significant industry with serious economic implications that warrant investigation. The financial repercussions of military spending have been extensively studied, but the economic effects of arms importation remain unknown.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts a pooled mean group approach to investigate the nexus between arms imports, military expenditure and per capita GDP for a balanced panel of twenty-five of the top arms importers in the world from 2000 to 2021.

Findings

The authors find that arms imports and military spending negatively impact GDP per capita in the short run, but military spending is beneficial over the long run. The authors also used the Dumitrescu Hurlin Granger causality test, which revealed a unidirectional causation between per capita GDP and military expenditure, and a unidirectional causal relationship from military spending to arms imports.

Research limitations/implications

This paper is deficient in a few aspects: first, it looks at only those countries comprising the top 70% of arms imports. Second, it omits many political, technological and legal factors that impact arms imports and military expenditures.

Originality/value

This paper looks into the impact of defense spending and arms imports on economic growth for twenty-five nations with the highest share of arms imports in recent times. It is a significant addition to the literature as it resolves the debate of whether or not the military expenditure is wasteful and whether arms imports significantly harm the nation's economic growth.
Network effects—do they matter for digital technologies diffusion?
Authors: Anacka Helena , Lechman Ewa
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The main research target of this paper is to capture the network effects using the case of mobile cellular telephony, identified in European telecommunication markets, and its determinants enhancing the process of digital technologies diffusion.

Design/methodology/approach

This research relies on panel and dynamic panel regression analysis. The empirical sample covers 30 European countries, and the period for the analysis is set for 2000–2019.

Findings

This work contributes by examining the network effects identified on European telecommunication markets that drive the process of digital technologies diffusion, but it also extends the understanding of the latter by tracing major determinants of fast network expansion, e.g. prices of access to and use of, per capita income, urbanisation, population density, accessibility of fixed telephony infrastructure. The main findings support the initial supposition that the installed base strongly enhances diffusion of new technologies, while other factors, for example, prices, are not of prime importance.

Research limitations/implications

This research has certain managerial implications. The unveiled network effects driving adoption of technological innovations constitute a significant determinant of implementation of differentiation strategy by telecommunication companies. Due to network effects consumers' propensity to join the network is valued higher than the prices of services offered, which is crucial not only from the perspective of the company's pricing strategy but also enables telecommunication companies to introduce to the market new products and/or services concentrating on increasing its quality and usability rather than future prices.

Originality/value

This is the first work that empirically verifies the intercompanies and interpersonal diffusion of cellular telephony, hypothesising that this process relies on unique network effects.
Work more, pay more? The impact of customer participation on customer pay-what-you-want payments
Authors: Van Vaerenbergh Yves , Costers Annelies , Van den Broeck Anja
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The optimal level of customer participation is an important factor in service design. However, researchers know little about the impact of customer participation for their willingness to pay and hence organizations’ financial outcomes. This paper examines the impact of customer participation in a pay-what-you-want (PWYW) pricing system, allowing customers to pay any price they want for a product or service.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper reports the results of three experiments, in which the authors manipulated the level of customer participation (Study 1: Low versus high, Study 2: Medium versus high, Study 3: Low versus medium versus high) and measured customers' PWYW payments (Studies 1–3), customer satisfaction (Studies 1–3), perceived equity (Study 3) and perceived enjoyment (Study 3). Studies 1 and 3 were scenario-based experiments, while study 2 was a field experiment. Study 3 was preregistered.

Findings

The results support a direct effect of customer participation in service production on customer PWYW payments, yet only when comparing low to high levels of customer participation. High levels of customer participation lead to a decrease in perceived equity and an increase in perceived enjoyment, which in turn spilled over to customer PWYW payments through customer satisfaction.

Originality/value

This research provides causal evidence at the individual level of analysis for the relationship between customer participation in service production and financial results. The paper also provides insights into its underlying mechanisms.
Linking big data analytics capability and sustainable supply chain performance: mediating role of knowledge development
Authors: Fantazy Kamel , Tipu Syed Awais Ahmad
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Drawing on the dynamic capability view, this study aims to examine the relationships between big data analytics capability (BDAC) and sustainable supply chain performance (SSCP) by exploring the mediating effects of knowledge development (KD) in terms of knowledge acquisition, information distribution, shared meaning and achieved memory.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected by questionnaire survey from 300 manufacturing organizations. Structural equation modeling was used to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

It was found that all the dimensions of KD were positively related to BDAC and SSCP. Although no direct association was established between BDAC and SSCP, the empirical findings indicated that all the dimensions of KD fully mediated the relationship between BDAC and SSCP. This highlights that organizations need to harness KD because developing BDAC alone may not be sufficient.

Originality/value

No previous research has explored how KD dimensions such as knowledge acquisition, information distribution, shared meaning and achieved memory mediate the relationship between BDAC and SSCP. This paper addresses this gap in the literature and contributes to the existing debate to better understand the conditions in which BDAC affects SSCP. Pointers for future research are also identified.
Adoption of competence management practices by industries in an emerging country: an analysis via fuzzy TOPSIS
Authors: Santos João Vyctor Brás dos , Sigahi Tiago F.A.C. , Rampasso Izabela Simon , Moraes Gustavo Hermínio Salati Marcondes de , Ávila Lucas Veiga , Leal Filho Walter , Anholon Rosley
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine competence management practices in Brazilian industries using ISO 10015 as a framework of analysis, which establishes guidelines for competence management and people development.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted with 22 high-qualified human resources management (HRM) professionals (81.8% of participants hold a PhD) with extensive experience in the Brazilian industrial sector (an average of 20.4 years). The experts assessed 13 practices (P) elaborated based on the ISO 10015:2020, considering two categories: large industries (LI) and small and medium-sized industries (SMI). Data analysis was performed using Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, frequency analysis, Fuzzy TOPSIS and sensitivity analysis.

Findings

The practice “individual competences are correctly defined by organizations at all hierarchical levels” was deemed the best practice for LIs, while the practice “clear definition of activities and their specificities when structuring competence management and people development programs” was considered the best practice for SMIs. The practice “organizations map employees' future competence and development needs on a regular basis” received the lowest rating for both LIs and SMIs. When compared to LIs, SMIs have more severe deficiencies in applying competence management practices. The study's findings can be of great value in assisting managers in implementing structured competence management systems and people development initiatives.

Practical implications

The findings of this study can be used by managers of businesses of all sizes and economic sectors to analyze their critical points in order to identify opportunities to improve their competence management systems and people development programs.

Originality/value

This study fills a knowledge gap by analyzing the adoption of competence management practices in Brazil, answering the call for HRM research in developing countries. By using ISO 10015 as a framework of analysis, this study also addresses the literature gap regarding this important and relatively new management tool.
Does Co‐worker Incivility Increase Perceived Knowledge Hiding? The Mediating Role of Work Engagement and Turnover Intentions and the Moderating Role of Cynicism
Authors: Agarwal Upasna A. , Singh Sanjay Kumar , Cooke Fang Lee
Published: August 2023

Drawing upon the conservation of resources theory, we investigate the serial mediation relationship between co‐worker incivility, work engagement, turnover intentions and knowledge hiding. We also examine the moderating effects of employee cynicism in the incivility–knowledge–hiding relationship through work engagement. We found that the negative relationship between co‐worker incivility and knowledge hiding is complex and mediated by work engagement and turnover intentions. Incivility, as a negative workplace stressor, triggers a negative work‐related state of mind (work engagement) and withdrawal cognition (turnover intentions), which in turn lead to knowledge hiding (behaviour). Finally, the mediated relationship between incivility and knowledge hiding through work engagement was moderated by cynicism, such that the association is more robust when cynicism is high.
The combined effect of bromadiolone and ivermectin (iBr) in controlling both rodents and their fleas
Authors: LIU Ming , WAN Xinrong , LIU Wei , MA Xingan , ZHANG Zhibin
Published: August 2023

Rodent pests not only cause severe agricultural loss but also spread zoonotic pathogens to human beings. Anticoagulant rodenticides are widely used to decrease the population densities of rodents but often lead to the spillover of ectoparasites because fleas and ticks may gather on surviving rodents. Therefore, it is necessary to kill fleas and ticks before culling rodents to minimize the risk of pathogen transmission. In this study, we used a mixture of ivermectin (an antiparasitic drug) and bromadiolone (an anticoagulant rodenticide) to control both rodent and flea/tick abundances. We found that in a laboratory test, 0.01% ivermectin bait was not lethal for greater long‐tailed hamsters after 7 days of treatment, while 0.1% ivermectin bait was lethal for approximately 33% of treated rodents. In a field test, bait containing 0.001%, 0.005%, 0.01%, and 0.05% ivermectin decreased the number of fleas per vole of Brandt's voles to 0.42, 0.22, 0.12, and 0.2, respectively, compared with 0.77 in the control group, indicating that 0.01% ivermectin bait performed best in removing fleas. In another laboratory test, bait containing a 0.01% ivermectin and 0.005% bromadiolone mixture caused the death of all voles within 6–14 days after the intake of the bait. In the field test, the bait containing 0.01% ivermectin and 0.005% bromadiolone reduced the average number of fleas per vole to 0.35, which was significantly lower than the 0.77 of the control group. Our results indicate that a 0.01% ivermectin and 0.005% bromadiolone mixture could be used to control both rodents and fleas to minimize the spillover risk of disease transmission when using traditional rodenticides.
Simulating the effects of behavioral and physical heterogeneity on nonpoint source pollution
Authors: Arrueta Lourdes , Jackson‐Smith Douglas , Kalcic Margaret
Published: August 2023

To increase the effectiveness of conservation programs focused on reducing agricultural nutrient runoff and targeting management interventions, some have called for greater attention to the role of diversity in both management and physical context. To examine the independent and interactive effects of behavioral and physical heterogeneity on phosphorus loads, a sensitivity analysis was conducted using six different assumptions about distributions of phosphorus fertilizer application rates and soil test phosphorus (STP) levels for hydrologic response units in a SWAT model for the Maumee River Watershed. Results indicated that changing assumptions about behavior and STP levels can significantly affect estimated dissolved reactive phosphorus (DRP) loads and the level of disproportionality, which is a measure of the unequal distribution of pollutant loading. Placing the highest fertilizer application rates on fields with the most excessive STP produced 14% greater estimated DRP load and higher levels of disproportionality compared to a baseline model, where homogeneity in farmer fertilizer behavior and STP were assumed. In contrast, placing the lowest fertilizer application rates on the fields with the most excessive STP led to estimated DRP loads and level of disproportionality that were similar to the baseline model. Results from this analysis suggest that simplistic or uniform assumptions about behavior or STP levels may mask serious environmental risks in agricultural watershed models.
Evaluating wetland hydrological performance under three different conservation programs in Nebraska, United States, during 2018–2021
Authors: Jahangeer Jahangeer , Zhang Ligang , Tang Zhenghong
Published: August 2023

Assessing hydrological dynamics of wetlands is essential for understanding ecological services. This study utilized open‐access Sentinel‐2 satellite data to enhance conservation management by enabling near‐real‐time monitoring and assessment of hydrological dynamics in conserved lands across Nebraska, United States. Using machine learning and Google Earth Engine, this research classifies surface water cover rate for different conserved land sites in Nebraska in 2018–2021. The results of the study confirmed successful inundation performance in conserved wetland sites under Wildlife Management Areas (WMA), Wetlands Reserve Program (WRP), and Waterfowl Production Areas (WPA). The WMA sites had the highest inundated area rate of 16.41%, indicating active hydrological inundation of the core conserved land areas. The WRP and WPA sites reached a mean annual surface water cover rate of 8.07% and 7.51%, respectively, demonstrating occasional flooding or periodic inundation of core wetland areas but limited inundation coverages of the surrounding areas. The findings confirmed that wetland conservation practices are functioning very well on the sites with higher inundation rates, but hydrological restoration at the watershed scale could boost conservation performance for the entire conserved land areas. The findings of this research provide robust evidence for obtaining surface water inundation data, which is crucial for sustainable conservation assessment and achieving long‐term goals in wetland monitoring, protection, and management.
Nicotinamide riboside intervention alleviates hematopoietic system injury of ionizing radiation‐induced premature aging mice
Authors: Li Wenxuan , Wang Xinyue , Dong Yinping , Huo Qidong , Yue Tongpeng , Wu Xin , Lu Lu , Zhang Junling , Zhao Yu , Dong Hui , Li Deguan
Published: August 2023

Radiotherapy destroys cancer cells and inevitably harms normal human tissues, causing delayed effects of acute radiation exposure (DEARE) and accelerating the aging process in most survivors. However, effective methods for preventing premature aging induced by ionizing radiation are lacking. In this study, the premature aging mice of DEARE model was established after 6 Gy total body irradiation (TBI). Then the therapeutic effects and mechanism of nicotinamide riboside on the premature aging mice were evaluated. The results showed that 6 Gy TBI induced premature aging of the hematopoietic system in mice. Nicotinamide riboside treatment reversed aging spleen phenotypes by inhibiting cellular senescence and ameliorated serum metabolism profiles. Further results demonstrated that nicotinamide riboside supplementation alleviated the myeloid bias of hematopoietic stem cells and temporarily restored the regenerative capacity of hematopoietic stem cells probably by mitigating the reactive oxygen species activated GCN2/eIF2α/ATF4 signaling pathway. The results of this study firstly indicate that nicotinamide riboside shows potential as a DEARE therapeutic agent for radiation‐exposed populations and patients who received radiotherapy.