bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Feasibility study of mobile phone photography as a possible outcome measure of systemic sclerosis-related digital lesions
Authors: Davison Adrian K , Dinsdale Graham , New Paul , Manning Joanne , Patrick Helen , Taxiarchi Vicky P , Dixon William G , Vail Andy , Murray Andrea K , Dickinson Mark , Taylor Christopher , Herrick Ariane L
Published: December 2022

Objective

Clinical trials assessing systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related digital ulcers have been hampered by a lack of reliable outcome measures of healing. Our objective was to assess the feasibility of patients collecting high-quality mobile phone images of their digital lesions as a first step in developing a smartphone-based outcome measure.

Methods

Patients with SSc-related digital (finger) lesions photographed one or more lesions each day for 30 days using their smartphone and uploaded the images to a secure Dropbox folder. Image quality was assessed using six criteria: blurriness, shadow, uniformity of lighting, dot location, dot angle and central positioning of the lesion. Patients completed a feedback questionnaire.

Results

Twelve patients returned 332 photographs of 18 lesions. Each patient sent a median of 29.5 photographs [interquartile range (IQR) 15–33.5], with a median of 15 photographs per lesion (IQR 6–32). Twenty-two photographs were duplicates. Of the remaining 310 images, 256 (77%) were sufficiently in focus; 268 (81%) had some shadow; lighting was even in 56 (17%); dot location was acceptable in 233 (70%); dot angle was ideal in 107 (32%); and the lesion was centred in 255 (77%). Patient feedback suggested that 6 of 10 would be willing to record images daily in future studies, and 9 of 10 at least one to three times per week.

Conclusion

Taking smartphone photographs of digital lesions was feasible for most patients, with most lesions in focus and central in the image. These promising results will inform the next research phase (to develop a smartphone monitoring application incorporating photographs and symptom tracking).
Dysfunction of the cardiac parasympathetic system in fatal familial insomnia: a heart rate variability study
Authors: Cui Yue , Huang Zhaoyang , Chu Min , Xie Kexin , Zhan Shuqin , Ghorayeb Imad , Garay Arturo , Chen Zhongyun , Jing Donglai , Wang Yingtao , Wu Liyong
Published: December 2022

Study Objectives

Although sympathetic hyperactivity with preserved parasympathetic activity has been extensively recognized in fatal familial insomnia (FFI), the symptoms of parasympathetic nervous system failure observed in some patients are difficult to explain. Using heart rate variability (HRV), this study aimed to discover evidence of parasympathetic dysfunction in patients with FFI and the difference of parasympathetic activity between patients with FFI and Creutzfeldt–Jakob disease (CJD).

Methods

This study enrolled nine patients with FFI, eight patients with CJD and 18 healthy controls (HCs) from May 2013 to August 2020. All participants underwent a nocturnal video-polysomnography with lead II electrocardiography, and the data were analyzed using linear and nonlinear indices of HRV during both wake and sleep states.

Results

Compared to the HC and CJD groups, the FFI group had a continuously higher heart rate with a lower amplitude of oscillations. The low frequency (LF)/high frequency (HF) ratio and ratio of SD1 to SD2 and correlation dimension D2 (CD2) were significantly different in the FFI group compared to the HC group. The root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), HF and SD1 in the FFI group were significantly lower than in the HC group. RMSSD, SD1, and CD2 in the FFI group were all significantly lower than in the CJD group.

Conclusions

Cardiovascular dysautonomia in FFI may be partly attributable to parasympathetic abnormalities, not just sympathetic activation. HRV may be helpful as a noninvasive, quantitative, and effective autonomic function test for FFI diagnosis.
Diversity of Pythium Species Recovered from Float-Bed Tobacco Transplant Production Greenhouses
Authors: Zhang Xuemei , Johnson Charles , Reed David
Published: December 2022

Pythium diseases are common in hydroponic crop production and often threaten the greenhouse production of cucumber, tomato, lettuce, and other crops. In tobacco transplant production, where float-bed hydroponic greenhouses are commonly used, Pythium diseases can cause up to 70% seedling loss. However, there have been few comprehensive studies on the composition and diversity of Pythium communities in tobacco greenhouses. In a 2017 survey, 360 Pythium isolates were collected from 41 tobacco greenhouses across four states (VA, MD, GA, and PA). Samples were collected from one to seven sites within each greenhouse. Twelve described Pythium species were identified (P. adhaerens, P. aristosporum, P. attrantheridium, P. catenulatum, P. coloratum, P. dissotocum, P. inflatum, P. irregulare, P. myriotylum, P. pectinolyticum, P. porphyrae, and P. torulosum) among the isolates obtained. Approximately 80% of the surveyed greenhouses harbored Pythium in at least one of four sites (bay water, tobacco seedlings, weeds, and center walkways) within the greenhouse. The structure of Pythium communities was diverse among the surveyed greenhouses: multiple Pythium species coexisted in the same sample, and multiple species were present within the same greenhouse at different sites. This diversity appeared to be influenced by the sampling sites within the surveyed tobacco greenhouses, sample type, and sampling time. Intraspecific variation may also exist among the P. dissotocum populations found in this study. These results uncovered the complexity and diversity of the Pythium communities within float tobacco transplant greenhouses, which could play a role in the variation in Pythium diseases observed in these production systems.
Postsurgical Outcomes with Meshes for Two-stage Prosthetic Breast Reconstruction in 20,817 Patients
Authors: Wells Michael W. , Chang Irene A. , Gatherwright James R. , Festekjian Jaco H. , Delong Michael R.
Published: December 2022

Background:

Use of acellular dermal matrices (ADMs) for tissue expander breast reconstruction remains controversial with an uncertain safety and efficacy profile. This study analyzes the rates and factors for reoperation and postoperative infection in patients who underwent tissue expander breast reconstruction with and without ADM.

Methods:

Patients who underwent breast reconstruction with and without ADM were identified from the National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database utilizing CPT codes. Covariates included patient demographics, preoperative comorbidities, and operative characteristics, while outcomes of interest were postoperative infection and reoperation. Univariate and multivariate analyses were performed to identify predictors of adverse outcomes.

Results:

There were 8334 patients in the ADM cohort and 12,451 patients who underwent tissue expander breast reconstruction without ADM. There were significantly fewer reoperations in the non-ADM cohort (5.4%) compared to the ADM cohort (7.7%) (P < 0.0001), with infection and hematoma as the most common etiologies in both cohorts. Surgical infections were also more prevalent in the ADM cohort (4.7%) compared with the non-ADM cohort (3.6%) (P < 0.0001). Univariate and multivariate analysis of the tissue expander breast reconstruction cohort revealed race, obesity, hypertension, smoking status, albumin, and operative time as predictive for infection risk, while race, obesity, hypertension, smoking, albumin, operative time, and age were significant for reoperation.

Conclusion:

Our study of 20,817 patients revealed significantly higher risk of infection and reoperation in patients who underwent breast reconstruction utilizing ADM versus without ADM. Patients considering ADM for breast reconstruction should engage in discussion with their surgeon about complications, aesthetics, and cost.
Clinical Analysis of Chronic Active Epstein–Barr Virus Infection Involving the Gastrointestinal Tract
Authors: Wei Ang , Li Zhigang , Ma Honghao , Zhang Liping , Zhang Jing , He Lejian , Lian Hongyun , Zhang Qing , Chen Sitong , Xu Jiatong , Wang Dong , Liu Wei , Zhang Rui , Wang Tianyou
Published: December 2022

Background:

Chronic active Epstein‒Barr virus infection (CAEBV) is an intractable and progressive disease. T cells or NK cells infected by EBV can proliferate and infiltrate into multiple organs. CAEBV combined with gastrointestinal involvement is a rare clinical disease that has not been well described, and sometimes it may clinically mimic gastroenteritis or inflammatory bowel disease.

Methods:

This was an observational study that included all pediatric CAEBV patients who were treated at Beijing Children’s Hospital, Capital Medical University, from June 2017 to June 2021. Patients were divided into the case group and the control group according to whether these patients had GI involvement. The children’s clinical manifestations, laboratory and ultrasound examinations, treatment and prognosis were observed.

Results:

Seventy-two patients were enrolled in this study. Fifteen patients had GI involvement, including 11 males and 4 females, accounting for 20.8%, with a median onset age of 3.71 (0.64–14.47) years. The most common clinical manifestation at onset was diarrhea (13/15). Gastrointestinal ultrasound showed pneumatosis intestinalis, mild to moderate swelling of the surrounding mesentery and omentum and enhancement on ultrasound. The endoscopic features were hyperemia, edema and ulcers of variable morphological characteristics. Pathological examination showed lymphocyte infiltration with EBV-encoded small RNA (+), and the common locations of involvement were the colon (n = 6) and gastric antrum (n=3). The median follow-up time was 13.26 (0.31–51.89) months. Ten patients survived, and 5 patients died (including 1 who died of intestinal perforation because of necrotizing enterocolitis). Compared with the control group, the case group had higher alanine aminotransferase levels, aspartate aminotransferase and whole blood EBV-DNA copies (P = 0.038, 0.040 and < 0.001) and lower natural killer cell activity (P < 0.001). The 3-year overall survival rate of the case group was significantly lower than that of the control group (59.3% ± 12.9% vs. 79.4% ± 4.9%, P = 0.021).

Conclusion:

The incidence of CAEBV with GI involvement was low. The most common location of involvement was the colon. CAEBV with GI involvement had a poor prognosis. Patients with high whole blood EBV-DNA copy levels early in their illness were more likely to develop GI involvement.
Nosocomial RSV-related In-hospital Mortality in Children <5 Years: A Global Case Series
Authors: Löwensteyn Yvette N. , Willemsen Joukje E. , Mazur Natalie I. , Scheltema Nienke M. , van Haastregt Nynke C. J. , Buuren Amber A. A. ten , van Roessel Ichelle , Scheepmaker Dunja , Nair Harish , van de Ven Peter M. , Bont Louis J. ,   on behalf of the RSV GOLD Study Group
Published: December 2022

Background:

According to the World Health Organization, the global burden of nosocomial infections is poorly characterized as surveillance systems are lacking. Nosocomial infections occur at higher rates in low- and lower-middle-income countries (LMICs) than in high-income countries (HICs). Current global RSV burden estimates are largely based on community-acquired infection. We aimed to characterize children with nosocomial RSV-related mortality and to understand the potential impact of RSV immunization strategies.

Materials:

RSV GOLD is a global registry of children younger than 5 years who died with laboratory-confirmed RSV infection. We compared clinical and demographic characteristics of children with nosocomial and community-acquired RSV in-hospital mortality.

Results:

We included 231 nosocomial and 931 community-acquired RSV-related in-hospital from deaths from 65 countries. Age at death was similar for both groups (5.4 vs. 6 months). A higher proportion of nosocomial deaths had comorbidities (87% vs. 57%; P < 0.001) or was born preterm (46% vs. 24%; P < 0.001) than community-acquired deaths. The proportion of nosocomial deaths among all RSV deaths was lower in LMICs than in upper-middle-income countries (UMICs) and HICs (12% vs. 18% and 26%, respectively).

Conclusions:

This is the first global case series of children dying with nosocomial RSV infection. Future infant-targeted immunization strategies could prevent the majority of nosocomial RSV-related deaths. Although nosocomial RSV deaths are expected to occur at highest rates in LMICs, the number of reported nosocomial RSV deaths was low in these countries. Hospital-based surveillance is needed to capture the full burden of nosocomial RSV mortality in LMICs.
Occurrence and Impacts of Gastrointestinal Symptoms in Team-Sport Athletes: A Preliminary Survey
Authors: Wilson Patrick B. , Fearn Robert , Pugh Jamie
Published: December 2022

Objectives:

Although gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms are prevalent in endurance athletes, scant research has examined GI symptoms in team-sport athletes, their impacts, and explanatory factors. This study aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of GI symptoms in team-sport athletes and identify potential risk factors.

Design:

An observational anonymous survey.

Setting:

Online.

Participants:

Hundred forty-three athletes (79 men and 64 women) from team-based sports, with soccer, rugby, and American football athletes comprising approximately 75% of the sample.

Assessments of Risk Factors:

Age, gender, body mass index, competition experience, trait anxiety, and resting GI symptoms.

Main Outcomes:

Gastrointestinal symptoms during training and competition.

Results:

Overall, past-month GI symptoms during training and competition were mild and relatively infrequent. However, 13.9% and 37.5% of men and women, respectively, reported that GI symptoms had ever impacted their performance. In comparison to men, women reported that nausea, bloating, and abdominal cramping were more likely to have affected performance (P < 0.05). Women also had higher trait anxiety and higher scores for resting GI symptoms, during-training GI symptoms, and during-competition GI symptoms (P < 0.001). Resting GI symptoms were the strongest predictor of training and competition GI symptoms (ρ = 0.46-0.67), although trait anxiety was also consistently correlated with competition GI symptoms (ρ = 0.29-0.38).

Conclusions:

This study suggests that female team-sport athletes experience a higher burden of GI symptoms than males, and that resting symptoms and anxiety predict competition symptoms. Interventions targeting anxiety could theoretically reduce GI symptoms in some team-sport athletes, but this should be confirmed through experimental designs.
Bronchial thermoplasty for the treatment of severe persistent asthma
Authors: Rodriguez Arnaldo Abraham , Chavez Dorys , Benzaquen Sadia
Published: December 2022

Purpose of review

Severe asthma is associated with frequent hospital visits and impact in quality of life as well as healthcare associated costs. Limited treatment modalities exist to assist in reduction of frequent exacerbations in patients with severe asthma who are already on maximum inhaler therapy. As supporting data becomes more robust, novel treatments have gained attention such as bronchial thermoplasty and immune-directed therapies.

Recent findings

Based on review of recent studies, bronchial thermoplasty poses itself as a potential intervention for severe asthma, demonstrating a decrease in asthma exacerbations with long term clinical effect and safety profile at the expense of temporary uncontrolled asthma symptoms for the first six weeks following the procedure.

In select patients with severe asthma, bronchial thermoplasty is a well tolerated and effective treatment to reduce asthma exacerbation.
Unresectable Metastatic Testicular Germ Cell Tumor With Low-grade Neuroglial Neoplasm, Stable After Radiation and Chemotherapy
Authors: Tabibi Seena , Kamanda Sonia , Llosa Nicolas , Pratilas Christine A. , Duncan Brynn B. , Esteves Rodrigo Salgado , Matoso Andres
Published: December 2022

We present an 18-year-old male patient who presented with a 16 cm testicular tumor alongside multiple lesions in the lungs, right pelvis with involvement of the ischio/pubic bone, and enlarged pelvic lymph nodes on imaging, suspicious for metastatic disease. Histologic and immunohistochemical examinations revealed an embryonic type neuroectodermal tumor (somatic-type malignancy, 10%) arising in a malignant mixed germ cell tumor composed of teratoma (50%), embryonal carcinoma (10%) and yolk sac tumor (30%). After treatment with chemotherapy and radiation, repeat imaging demonstrated a right pelvic sidewall mass that decreased in size from 40 mm at 11 months after the initial diagnosis to 18 mm at 22 months after the initial diagnosis. A right pelvis medial thigh wall mass that had a lytic bone component showed a slight increase in size from 151 mm at 11 months after the initial diagnosis to 154 mm at 22 months after the diagnosis. On biopsies performed at 3, 10, and 26 months after the initial diagnosis, this lytic lesion consistently demonstrated a neoplasm composed of low-grade neuroglial differentiation. This is the first case in the medical literature where a residual malignant germ cell tumor consisting of low-grade neuroglial neoplasm is in a site that is not amenable to resection without significant morbidity. The tumor initially regressed with the traditional first-line chemo-radiotherapy regimen but regrew and stabilized with a second regimen of chemotherapy. The clinical course of this case invites consideration for an active surveillance approach in cases with similar characteristics.
Mechanical regulation of the early stages of angiogenesis
Authors: Barrasa-Ramos Sara , Dessalles Claire A. , Hautefeuille Mathieu , Barakat Abdul I.
Published: December 2022

Favouring or thwarting the development of a vascular network is essential in fields as diverse as oncology, cardiovascular disease or tissue engineering. As a result, understanding and controlling angiogenesis has become a major scientific challenge. Mechanical factors play a fundamental role in angiogenesis and can potentially be exploited for optimizing the architecture of the resulting vascular network. Largely focusing onin vitrosystems but also supported by somein vivoevidence, the aim of this Highlight Review is dual. First, we describe the current knowledge with particular focus on the effects of fluid and solid mechanical stimuli on the early stages of the angiogenic process, most notably the destabilization of existing vessels and the initiation and elongation of new vessels. Second, we explore inherent difficulties in the field and propose future perspectives on the use ofin vitroand physics-based modelling to overcome these difficulties.
Skill and self-knowledge: empirical refutation of the dual-burden account of the Dunning–Kruger effect
Authors: McIntosh Robert D. , Moore Adam B. , Liu Yuxin , Della Sala Sergio
Published: December 2022

For many intellectual tasks, the people with the least skill overestimate themselves the most, a pattern popularly known as the Dunning–Kruger effect (DKE). The dominant account of this effect depends on the idea that assessing the quality of one's performance (metacognition) requires the same mental resources as task performance itself (cognition). Unskilled people are said to suffer a
dual burden
: they lack the cognitive resources to perform well, and this deprives them of metacognitive insight into their failings. In this
Registered Report
, we applied recently developed methods for the measurement of metacognition to a matrix reasoning task, to test the dual-burden account. Metacognitive sensitivity (information exploited by metacognition) tracked performance closely, so less information was exploited by the metacognitive judgements of poor performers; but metacognitive efficiency (quality of metacognitive processing itself) was unrelated to performance. Metacognitive bias (overall tendency towards high or low confidence) was positively associated with performance, so poor performers were appropriately less confident—not more confident—than good performers. Crucially, these metacognitive factors did not cause the DKE pattern, which was driven overwhelmingly by performance scores. These results refute the dual-burden account and suggest that the classic DKE is a statistical regression artefact that tells us nothing much about metacognition.
Does higher perceived risk of morbidity and mortality decrease risk-taking?
Authors: Boon-Falleur Mélusine , Dormont Brigitte , Chevallier Coralie
Published: December 2022

Previous studies have shown that people change their behaviour in response to negative shocks such as economic downturns or natural catastrophes. Indeed, the optimal behaviour in terms of inclusive fitness often varies according to a number of parameters, such as the level of mortality risk in the environment. Beyond unprecedented restrictions in everyday life, the COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly affected people's environment. In this study, we investigated how people form their perception of morbidity and mortality risk associated with COVID-19 and how this perception in turn affects psychological traits, such as risk-taking and patience. We analysed data from a large survey conducted during the first wave in France on 3353 nationally representative people. We found that people use public information on COVID-19 deaths in the area where they live to form their perceived morbidity and mortality risk. Using a structural model approach to lift endogeneity concerns, we found that higher perceived morbidity and mortality risk increases risk aversion. We also found that higher perceived morbidity and mortality risk leads to less patience, although this was only observed for high levels of perceived risk. Our results suggest that people adapt their behaviour to anticipated negative health shocks, namely the risk of becoming sick or dying of COVID-19.
Age, empathy, familiarity, domestication and call features enhance human perception of animal emotion expressions
Authors: Greenall Jasmin Sowerby , Cornu Lydia , Maigrot Anne-Laure , de la Torre Monica Padilla , Briefer Elodie F.
Published: December 2022

Vocalizations constitute an effective way to communicate both emotional arousal (bodily activation) and valence (negative/positive). There is strong evidence suggesting that the convergence of vocal expression of emotional arousal among animal species occurs, hence enabling cross-species perception of arousal, but it is not clear if the same is true for emotional valence. Here, we conducted a large online survey to test the ability of humans to perceive emotions in the contact calls of several wild and domestic ungulates produced in situations of known emotional arousal (previously validated using either heart rate or locomotion) and valence (validated based on the context of production and behavioural indicators of emotions). Participants (1024 respondents from 48 countries) were able to rate above chance levels the arousal level of vocalizations of three of the six ungulate species and the valence of four of them. Percentages of correct ratings did not differ a lot across species for arousal (49–59%), while they showed much more variation for valence (33–68%). Interestingly, several factors such as age, empathy, familiarity and specific features of the calls enhanced these scores. These findings suggest the existence of a shared emotional system across mammalian species, which is much more pronounced for arousal than valence.
Phylogenomic diversity of Vibrio species and other Gammaproteobacteria isolated from Pacific oysters (Crassostrea gigas) during a summer mortality outbreak
Authors: Worden Paul J. , Bogema Daniel R. , Micallef Melinda L. , Go Jeffrey , Deutscher Ania T. , Labbate Maurizio , Green Timothy J. , King William L. , Liu Michael , Seymour Justin R. , Jenkins Cheryl
Published: December 2022

The Pacific oyster (PO), Crassostrea gigas, is an important commercial marine species but periodically experiences large stock losses due to disease events known as summer mortality. Summer mortality has been linked to environmental perturbations and numerous viral and bacterial agents, indicating this disease is multifactorial in nature. In 2013 and 2014, several summer mortality events occurred within the Port Stephens estuary (NSW, Australia). Extensive culture and molecular-based investigations were undertaken and several potentially pathogenic

Vibrio

species were identified. To improve species identification and genomically characterise isolates obtained from this outbreak, whole-genome sequencing (WGS) and subsequent genomic analyses were performed on 48 bacterial isolates, as well as a further nine isolates from other summer mortality studies using the same batch of juveniles. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) identified most isolates to the species level and included members of the

Photobacterium

,

Pseudoalteromonas

,

Shewanella

and

Vibrio

genera, with

Vibrio

species making up more than two-thirds of all species identified. Construction of a phylogenomic tree, ANI analysis, and pan-genome analysis of the 57 isolates represents the most comprehensive culture-based phylogenomic survey of Vibrios during a PO summer mortality event in Australian waters and revealed large genomic diversity in many of the identified species. Our analysis revealed limited and inconsistent associations between isolate species and their geographical origins, or host health status. Together with ANI and pan-genome results, these inconsistencies suggest that to determine the role that microbes may have in Pacific oyster summer mortality events, isolate identification must be at the taxonomic level of strain. Our WGS data (specifically, the accessory genomes) differentiated bacterial strains, and coupled with associated metadata, highlight the possibility of predicting a strain’s environmental niche and level of pathogenicity.
The effect of polymorphism on polymer properties: crystal structure, stability and polymerization of the short-chain bio-based nylon 52 monomer 1,5-pentanediamine oxalate
Authors: Li Zihan , Li Shushu , Yang Pengpeng , Fang Xincao , Wen Qingshi , Li Ming , Zhuang Wei , Wu Jinglan , Ying Hanjie
Published: December 2022

The compound 1,5-pentanediamine (PDA) is prepared by biological methods using biomass as raw material. The salt of 1,5-pentanediamine oxalate (PDA-OXA) was used directly as the monomer for the preparation of a new bio-based nylon 52 material. High-performance polymer materials require initial high-quality monomers, and crystallization is an essential approach to preparing such a monomer. In this work, three crystal forms of PDA-OXA, the anhydrate, dihydrate and trihydrate, were found and the single crystals of two hydrates were obtained. Their crystal structures were determined using single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. The thermal behaviors were characterized by thermodynamic analysis, and the lattice energy was calculated to further explore the relationship between the thermal stability and crystal structure. Detailed computational calculations, Hirshfeld analyses and lattice energy calculations were performed to quantify both the contribution of intra- and intermolecular interactions to the supramolecular assembly, as well as the influence on the stability of the structure. The structure–property relationship between the PDA-OXA crystal forms was established. Moreover, the phase transformation mechanism between the crystalline forms of PDA-OXA has been established, and the control strategy of specific crystal forms was developed from the water activity–temperature phase diagram and relevant thermodynamic data. Finally, the influence of the polymorphism of the monomer and the polymerization methods on the properties of the polymer was investigated. The nylon 52 product obtained showed good appearance, high hardness and thermal stability, the polymer made using the anhydrate as the monomer has better thermodynamic properties than that prepared from the dihydrate, indicating practical industrial application prospects.
Drosophila melanogaster frataxin: protein crystal and predicted solution structure with identification of the iron-binding regions
Authors: Rodrigues Andria V. , Batelu Sharon , Hinton Tiara V. , Rotondo John , Thompson Lindsey , Brunzelle Joseph S. , Stemmler Timothy L.
Published: December 2022

Friedreich's ataxia (FRDA) is a hereditary cardiodegenerative and neurodegenerative disease that affects 1 in 50 000 Americans. FRDA arises from either a cellular inability to produce sufficient quantities or the production of a nonfunctional form of the protein frataxin, a key molecule associated with mitochondrial iron–sulfur cluster biosynthesis. Within the mitochondrial iron–sulfur cluster (ISC) assembly pathway, frataxin serves as an allosteric regulator for cysteine desulfurase, the enzyme that provides sulfur for [2Fe–2S] cluster assembly. Frataxin is a known iron-binding protein and is also linked to the delivery of ferrous ions to the scaffold protein, the ISC molecule responsible for the direct assembly of [2Fe–2S] clusters. The goal of this report is to provide structural details of the Drosophila melanogaster frataxin ortholog (Dfh), using both X-ray crystallography and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, in order to provide the foundational insight needed to understand the structure–function correlation of the protein. Additionally, NMR iron(II) titrations were used to provide metal contacts on the protein to better understand how it binds iron and aids its delivery to the ISC scaffold protein. Here, the structural and functional similarities of Dfh to its orthologs are also outlined. Structural data show that bacterial, yeast, human and Drosophila frataxins are structurally similar, apart from a structured C-terminus in Dfh that is likely to aid in protein stability. The iron-binding location on helix 1 and strand 1 of Dfh is also conserved across orthologs.
“Football is war” – FIFA's reactions to a real war and the response of football fans
Authors: Halabi Abdel K. , O’Connell Brendan
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The commentary examines the possible rational for Federation Internationale de Football Association(FIFA) sending a series of tweets on the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Design/methodology/approach

The commentary counts and analyses the number of tweets sent by FIFA media between 1 February and 1 March, 2020 and indicates that these concerning the war in Ukraine represent a radical departure from past topics. Stakeholder engagements with the tweets on the war were recorded and these far surpassed other regular topics.

Findings

FIFA's stance in condemning the war and taking direct action against Russia was effective in generating far greater stakeholder engagements in Twitter than other football-related posts. While the tweets were favourably received by many fans, not all of that response was positive, and in fact, some were extremely hostile.

Originality/value

An analysis of tweets and their responses provides a relatively new and powerful mechanism for gauging stakeholder engagements. The authors also contribute to the literature on communication strategies of sporting bodies by demonstrating how the integration of social issues into social media posts is likely to exhibit a strong response, albeit not always favourable. When sporting bodies (such as FIFA) depart from their core mission, they risk alienating some stakeholders when they delve into controversial social and/or political issues.
Sustaining Traditionalism: an investigation into the vernacular transformation of the Khasi tribal houses of Sylhet
Authors: Monzur Nadia , Jany Md Rafsun
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims at understanding the reasons causing the decline in the practice of traditional, regional architectural methods of creating house forms in the Khasia Punji at Jaflong, Sylhet area.

Design/methodology/approach

Two main types of traditional and modern house forms were identified and studied in order to document and analyze the aspects of changes in the construction method and material uses, while the interviews together with observational, qualitative and descriptive study formed an insight into the changing socio-cultural dynamics and evolving lifestyle of the tribe. Apart from physical surveys, the primary data on settlement patterns over twenty years' time were reviewed through satellite imaging while the characteristics of local house forms were also collected from tourist photographs through time recorded in Google database.

Findings

The findings of this research have pointed out that in the case of the Khasi tribe, the shift in temporal context, accompanied by a shift in technological, socio-cultural and economic aspects, is fueling the transformation in the formal expression, material and methods of the house building.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations were posed in setting up more constructive and informative interview sessions with the Khasi people due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) situation which limited the survey outcomes in general.

Practical implications

The scope of this study is to understand the changes and advances in socio-cultural, technological aspects of a society and their impact on the intricate patterns of life and customs that are evidently reflected in the transformation of built environments.

Originality/value

This research attempts to understand the causes behind the transformation of vernacular house forms, taking place in the Khasi village of Jaflong, Sylhet.
Burden or opportunity? The role of employees' regulatory focus in shaping the motivational processes of empowering leadership
Authors: Li Liyuan , Zhang Ying , Zheng Xiaoming
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The potential contradictory impact of empowering leadership may obfuscate its effectiveness. Empowering leadership is characterized not only by increased employees' autonomy but also by additional responsibilities and work demands, which may trigger different motivational processes for employees and lead to different perceptions of job stressors. This research aims to explore such contradictory impacts of empowering leadership on employees' perceived stressors by clarifying the complex motivational processes (intrinsic/extrinsic) experienced by employees when facing empowering leadership, as well as the boundary condition of employees' regulatory focus based on regulatory focus theory and self-determination theory (SDT).

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine the proposed theoretical model using a two-wave survey, with the data being collected from 294 employees working at a hotel in China.

Findings

The results show that both intrinsic and extrinsic motivation mediate the relationship between empowering leadership and employees' perceived stressors and demonstrate the moderating role of an employee's regulatory focus. Specifically, a high promotion focus strengthens the relationship between empowering leadership and intrinsic motivation, while a high prevention focus strengthens the relationship between empowering leadership and extrinsic motivation.

Practical implications

Managers should consider the attributes of front-line service employees (e.g. are they promotion-focused or prevention-focused?) when demonstrating empowering leadership to prevent employees from misinterpreting that leadership as a source of stress.

Originality/value

This research helps to reconcile previously conflicting findings on empowering leadership by clarifying the complex motivational processes behind it. Furthermore, this research adopts a regulatory focus perspective to suggest that the reason why employees respond to their leaders differently is inherently associated with each employee's motivational tendencies.
Information enhancement or hindrance? Unveiling the impacts of user-generated photos in online reviews
Authors: Li Hengyun , Zhang Lingyan , Guo Rui (Ami) , Ji Haipeng , Yu Bruce X.B.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the promoting effects of the quantity and quality of online review user-generated photos (UGPs) on perceived review usefulness. The research further tests the hindering effect of human facial presence in review photos on review usefulness.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on review samples of restaurants in a tourist destination Las Vegas, this study used an integrated method combining a machine learning algorithm and econometric modeling.

Findings

Results indicate that the number of UGPs depicting a restaurant’s food, drink, menu and physical environment has positive impacts on perceived review usefulness. The quality of online review UGPs can also enhance perceived review usefulness, whereas facial presence in these UGPs hinders perceived review usefulness.

Practical implications

Findings suggest that practitioners can implement certain tactics to potentially improve consumers’ willingness to share more UGPs and UGPs with higher quality. Review websites could develop image-processing algorithms for identifying and presenting UGPs containing core attributes in prominent positions on the site.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to present a comprehensive analytical framework investigating the enhancing or hindering roles of review photo quantity, photo quality and facial presence in online review UGPs on review usefulness. Using the heuristic-systematic model as a theoretical foundation, this study verifies the additivity effect and attenuation effect of UGPs’ visual elements on judgements of online review usefulness. Furthermore, it extends scalable image data analysis by adopting a deep transfer learning algorithm in hospitality and tourism.
Empowering principals to conduct classroom observations in a centralized education system: does it make a difference for teacher self-efficacy and instructional practices?
Authors: Bellibaş Mehmet Şükrü
Published: December 2022

Purpose

In 2014, Turkish policymakers implemented a policy change in the school inspection system that encouraged school principals to conduct classroom observations and provide feedback to teachers as a means to improve teaching. However, the question of whether or to what extent such feedback has an impact on teaching has not previously been researched. The study presented in this article scrutinizes the relationship between classroom observation feedback from principals and teachers’ classroom practices, as well as the mediating role of teachers’ self-efficacy in terms of instructional practices, student engagement and classroom management.

Design/methodology/approach

Confirmatory factor analysis and structural equation modeling are employed to examine the relationship among principals’ feedback, teacher self-efficacy and teachers’ instructional practices using data from the Teaching and Learning International Survey (TALIS), compiled by the OECD in 2018.

Findings

These analyses indicate a small but significant direct correlation between principals’ feedback and teachers’ instructional practices, as well as an indirect relationship mediated by teacher self-efficacy in instructional practices.

Research limitations/implications

The findings support the policy shift in Turkey by concluding that classroom observation feedback from principals makes contributions to the improvement of instructional practices.

Originality/value

This study establishes a connection between teachers’ classroom practices and leadership behaviors, which has not been extensively researched in developing nations.
Effect of risky decision-making and job satisfaction on turnover intention and turnover behavior among information technology employees
Authors: Ladelsky Limor Kessler , Lee Thomas William
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Turnover in high-tech companies has long been a concern for managers and executives. Recent meta-analyses from the general turnover literature consistently show that job satisfaction is a major attitudinal antecedent to turnover intention and turnover behavior. Additionally, the available research on information technology (IT) employees focuses primarily on turnover intentions and not on a risky decision-making perspective and actual turnover (turnover behavior). The paper aim is to focus on that.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses hierarchical ordinary least squares, process (Preacher and Hayes, 2004) and logistic regression.

Findings

The main predictor of actual turnover is risky decision-making, whereas job satisfaction is the main predictor of turnover intention.

Originality/value

The joint effects of risk and job satisfaction on turnover intention and behavior have not been studied in the IT domain. Hence, this study extends our understanding of turnover in general and particularly among IT employees by studying the combined effect of risk and job satisfaction on turnover intentions and turnover behavior. The study’s theoretical and practical implications are likewise discussed.
Auto-encoder-based algorithm for the selection of key characteristics for products to reduce inspection efforts
Authors: Greipel Jonathan S. , Frank Regina M. , Huber Meike , Steland Ansgar , Schmitt Robert H.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

To ensure product quality within a manufacturing process, inspection processes are indispensable. One task of inspection planning is the selection of inspection characteristics. For optimization of costs and benefits, key characteristics can be defined by which the product quality can be checked with sufficient accuracy. The manual selection of key characteristics requires substantial planning effort and becomes uneconomic if many product variants prevail. This paper, therefore, aims to show a method for the efficient determination of key characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors present a novel Algorithm for the Selection of Key Characteristics (ASKC) based on an auto-encoder and a risk analysis. Given historical measurement data and tolerances, the algorithm clusters characteristics with redundant information and selects key characteristics based on a risk assessment. The authors compare ASKC with the algorithm Principal Feature Analysis (PFA) using artificial and historical measurement data.

Findings

The authors find that ASKC delivers superior results than PFA. Findings show that the algorithms enable the cost-efficient selection of key characteristics while maintaining the informative value of the inspection concerning the quality.

Originality/value

This paper fills an identified gap for simplified inspection planning with the method for the efficient selection of key features via ASKC.
Do goal orientations really influence performance?
Authors: Sousa Carlos M.P. , Coelho Filipe , Silva Susana C.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The creativity of retail employees seems to be of the utmost importance for ensuring the performance of organizations in service settings. This paper contributes to the existing theory by investigating the direct and indirect effects of goal orientations on the creativity and performance of retail employees. The authors propose a framework depicting the relationships between goal orientations and employee creativity and performance, including the intervening effects of self-efficacy and customer orientation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted with retail frontline employees of a large retail bank in Portugal. The sample consists of 267 valid responses. Structural equations are used by applying the maximum likelihood method to test the conceptual framework.

Findings

Results are broadly supportive of the hypotheses. Learning orientation is, directly and indirectly, related to creativity, but only indirectly to performance. As to performance orientation, it is indirectly related to creativity through self-efficacy and customer orientation, and directly as well as indirectly, to performance. The authors investigate the extent to which the effects of goal orientations on creativity and performance are mediated by self-regulatory mechanisms, namely self-efficacy, and customer orientation.

Originality/value

The results recognize that learning and performance goals are neither mutually exclusive nor contradictory, which collide with past empirical evidence showing that learning goals are generally associated with more favorable outcomes and performance goals with more negative or equivocal ones. These outcomes underscore the need and relevance for managers to foster both goal orientations to promote the creativity and performance of retail employees, representing a particularly salient issue in retail businesses characterized by significant interpersonal interactions.
Culinary inheritance: a new paradigm of innovating knowledge teaching
Authors: Wu Shu-Hua , Wu Tung-Pao , Ku Edward C.S. , Chen Joyce Hsiu Yu
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study examines how professional technicians' teaching styles and students' learning readiness affect cooking skills performance in culinary inheritance.

Design/methodology/approach

This study constructed a learning performance model from the situated cognition perspective using a sample of students at universities and vocational colleges on a professional technician course. A total of 4,000 questionnaires were mailed to students, of which 2,018 were returned.

Findings

Students regard technical professors as teaching experts and expect them to care for their learning, while professional technicians' knowledge sharing significantly increases students' learning performance. The findings provide insight into professional technicians' teaching styles for academics.

Originality/value

This study focuses on the situated cognition perspective and its correlation with students' learning performance and discusses professional technicians' knowledge sharing as an important influencing factor.
The impact of board gender diversity on the financing costs of microfinance institutions: a global evidence
Authors: Mia Md Aslam , Hossain Tanzina , Nesa Zinnatun , Saifullah Md Khaled , Akter Rozina , Hossain Md Imran
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Considering the existing evidence on the impact of female board members on the default risks of an organization, the purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of board gender diversity, alongside institutional characteristics and macroeconomic factors, on the financing costs of microfinance institutions (MFIs).

Design methodology approach

This study collected unbalanced panel data of 1,190 unique MFIs between 2010 and 2018 from the World Bank. The collected data, which covers a total of 95 developing and emerging countries, was thereafter analyzed using the pooled ordinary least squares and random effects model. To overcome endogeneity and omitted variable bias (e.g. time-invariant variables), the authors have also used the generalized method of moments and fixed effects model, respectively. Different proxies of board gender diversity and sub-sample analysis by regions were further undertaken to examine the robustness of the obtained results.

Findings

The findings of this study revealed that board gender diversity has a statistically significant negative effect on the financing costs of MFIs. This suggests that a gender-diverse board can generate cheaper funding for MFIs by minimizing their default risks through effective monitoring and strategic management. Furthermore, the negative impact of board gender diversity on financing costs appears to be more pronounced when there is a minimum of two female board members in the boardroom of MFIs. The results of this study remain consistent and valid regardless of alternate model specifications (e.g. sub-sample analysis, use of alternative proxies of board gender diversity and application of different estimators) and endogeneity issues. Ultimately, the findings in this study reiterate the importance of promoting and implementing gender diversity in the boardroom to minimize the financing costs of MFIs.

Originality value

This study investigated the relationship between board gender diversity and financing costs of MFIs by using relatively recent and global data. The minimum number of female board members required to significantly reduce the financing costs of MFIs was also identified.