bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Enterobacterial common antigen biosynthesis inYersinia pestisis tied to antimicrobial peptide resistance
Authors: Aoyagi Kari L. , Mathew Basil , Fisher Mark A.
Published: August 2023

Resistance to antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) plays an important role in allowingYersinia pestisto maintain a successful infection in the flea vectorXenopsylla cheopis. Mutants that are unable to modify lipid A in their outer membrane with aminoarabinose (Ara4N), showed increased sensitivity to AMPs such as polymyxin B (PB), as well as decreased survival in fleas. A deletion mutant ofwecE, a gene involved in biosynthesis of enterobacterial common antigen (ECA), also displayed hypersusceptibility to PB in vitro. Additional mutants in the ECA biosynthetic pathway were generated, some designed to cause accumulation of intermediate products that sequester undecaprenyl phosphate (Und-P), a lipid carrier that is also used in numerous other pathways, including for peptidoglycan, O-antigen, and Ara4N biosynthesis. Mutants that accumulate Und-PP-linked intermediates (ECA-lipid II) showed increased susceptibility to PB, reduced Ara4N-modified lipid A, altered cell morphology, and decreased ability to maintain flea infections. These effects are consistent with a model whereY. pestishas a sufficiently limited free Und-P pool such that sequestration of Und-P as ECA-lipid II prevents adequate Ara4N biosynthesis, ultimately resulting in AMP hypersusceptibility.
Using transition density models to interpret experimental optical spectra of exciton-coupled cyanine (iCy3)2dimer probes of local DNA conformations at or near functional protein binding sites
Authors: Heussman Dylan , Enkhbaatar Lulu , Sorour Mohammed I. , Kistler Kurt A. , von Hippel Peter H. , Matsika Spiridoula , Marcus Andrew H.
Published: August 2023

Exciton-coupled chromophore dimers are an emerging class of optical probes for studies of site-specific biomolecular interactions. Applying accurate theoretical models for the electrostatic coupling of a molecular dimer probe is a key step for simulating its optical properties and analyzing spectroscopic data. In this work, we compare experimental absorbance and circular dichroism (CD) spectra of ‘internally-labeled’ (iCy3)2dimer probes inserted site-specifically into DNA fork constructs to theoretical calculations of the structure and geometry of these exciton-coupled dimers. We compare transition density models of varying levels of approximation to determine conformational parameters of the (iCy3)2dimer-labeled DNA fork constructs. By applying an atomistically detailed transition charge (TQ) model, we can distinguish between dimer conformations in which the stacking and tilt angles between planar iCy3 monomers are varied. A major strength of this approach is that the local conformations of the (iCy3)2dimer probes that we determined can be used to infer information about the structures of the DNA framework immediately surrounding the probes at various positions within the constructs, both deep in the duplex DNA sequences and at sites at or near the DNA fork junctions where protein complexes bind to discharge their biological functions.
Deformed wing virus genotypes A and B do not elicit immunologically different responses in naïve honey bee hosts
Authors: Norton Amanda M , Buchmann Gabriele , Ashe Alyson , Watson Owen T , Beekman Madeleine , Remnant Emily J
Published: August 2023

Deformed wing virus(DWV), in association withVarroa destructor, is currently the leading factor associated with global honey bee deaths. With the exception of Australia, the virus and mite have a near global distribution, making it difficult to separate the effect of one from the other. Over time, the prevalence of the two main DWV genotypes (DWV-A and DWV-B) has changed, leading to the suggestion that the two strains elicit a different immune response by the host, the western honey beeApis mellifera. Here we use a honey bee population naïve to both the mite and the virus to investigate if honey bees show a different immunological response to DWV genotypes. We examined the expression of 19 immune genes by RT-qPCR and comprehensively analysed the small RNA response in honey bees after experimental injection with DWV-A and DWV-B. We found no evidence to indicate that DWV-A and DWV-B elicit a different immune response in honey bees. We found that RNA interference genes are up-regulated during DWV infection and that the small interfering RNA (siRNA) response is proportional to viral loads, yet does not inhibit the virus from accumulating to high loads. We also found that the siRNA response towards DWV was weaker than the response to another honey bee pathogen,Black queen cell virus. This suggests that DWV is comparatively better at evading antiviral host defences. There was no evidence for the production of virus-derived PIWI-RNAs in response to DWV infection. In contrast to previous studies, and in the absence ofV.destructor, we found no evidence that DWV has an immunosuppressive effect in honey bees. Overall, our results advance our understanding of the immunological effect DWV elicits in honey bees.
Investigation of the reasons for delayed presentation in proliferative diabetic retinopathy patients
Authors: Zhao Meng , Chandra Aman , Liu Lin , Zhang Lin , Xu Jun , Li Jipeng
Published: August 2023

Aim

To investigate reasons for delayed presentation in patients with proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR).

Methods

A questionnaire was designed to investigate consecutive PDR patients with delayed presentation who visited our center between January 2021 and December 2021. The questionnaire was divided into four sections: knowledge regarding diabetic retinopathy (DR), attitude toward DR treatment, difficulties adhering to follow-up plans, and medical care. The systemic disease status and severity of DR were recorded. Logistic analysis was undertaken to investigate DR treatment refusal and delay factors.

Results

A total of 157 patients were included in this study, with an average age of 50.0 ± 11.6 years. The overall glycemic control was poor, with a median glycated hemoglobin level (HbA1c) of 7.8% (IQR 2.5%). Among the 157 eyes, most required vitrectomy intervention (144, 91.7%); 17 developed neovascular glaucoma (NVG), while only 13 required additional photocoagulation. Among the 36 patients with undiagnosed DM, the reason for delayed DR presentation was a lack of awareness of DM status among these patients (36 cases, 100.0%). Most of the patients with a known history of DM exhibited inadequate DR knowledge (29, 24.0%), believed their good visual acuity did not require DR screening (98, 81.0%), and had poorly controlled diabetes (113, 93.3%). Factors related to refusing DR treatment were patients with an inability to receive regular diabetes treatment in internal medicine clinics (OR 6.78, 95% CI 1.73-26.59, p=0.006), patients who could not tolerate discomfort during ophthalmic examination and treatment (OR 15.15, 95% CI 2.70-83.33, p<0.001), and patients who did not have any retinal abnormalities detected and were not informed about the need for regular screening (OR 2.05, 95% CI 1.36-3.09, p<0.001).

Conclusions

This study investigated the factors contributing to delayed presentation among patients with PDR. Many individuals in the delayed population were found to have undiagnosed DM. Among patients already aware of their DM status, reasons for delay included insufficient knowledge about DR, negative attitudes toward screening and treatment, and difficulties seeking medical care in real-life situations.Furthermore, there needed to be more improvements in the detection, treatment, and follow-up of DR by internal medicine practitioners and ophthalmologists.
AutoHiC: a deep-learning method for automatic and accurate chromosome-level genome assembly
Authors: Jiang Zijie , Peng Zhixiang , Luo Yongjiang , Bie Lingzi , Wang Yi
Published: August 2023

An accurate genome at the chromosome level is the key to unraveling the mysteries of gene function and unlocking the mechanisms of disease. Irrespective of the sequencing methodology adopted, Hi-C aided scaffolding serves as a principal avenue for generating genome assemblies at the chromosomal level. However, the results of such scaffolding are often flawed and require extensive manual refinement. In this paper, we introduce AutoHiC, an innovative deep learning-based tool designed to identify and rectify genome assembly errors. Diverging from conventional approaches, AutoHiC harnesses the power of high-dimensional Hi-C data to enhance genome continuity and accuracy through a fully automated workflow and iterative error correction mechanism. AutoHiC was trained on Hi-C data from more than 300 species (approximately five hundred thousand interaction maps) in DNA Zoo and NCBI. Its confusion matrix results show that the average error detection accuracy is over 90%, and the area under the precision-recall curve is close to 1, making it a powerful error detection capability. The benchmarking results demonstrate AutoHiC’s ability to substantially enhance genome continuity and significantly reduce error rates, providing a more reliable foundation for genomics research. Furthermore, AutoHiC generates comprehensive result reports, offering users insights into the assembly process and outcomes. In summary, AutoHiC represents a breakthrough in automated error detection and correction for genome assembly, effectively promoting more accurate and comprehensive genome assemblies.
Assessing Racial and Ethnic Bias in Text Generation for Healthcare-Related Tasks by ChatGPT1
Authors: Hanna John J. , Wakene Abdi D. , Lehmann Christoph U. , Medford Richard J.
Published: August 2023

Large Language Models (LLM) are AI tools that can respond human-like to voice or free-text commands without training on specific tasks. However, concerns have been raised about their potential racial bias in healthcare tasks. In this study, ChatGPT was used to generate healthcare-related text for patients with HIV, analyzing data from 100 deidentified electronic health record encounters. Each patient’s data were fed four times with all information remaining the same except for race/ethnicity (African American, Asian, Hispanic White, Non-Hispanic White). The text output was analyzed for sentiment, subjectivity, reading ease, and most used words by race/ethnicity and insurance type. Results showed that instructions for African American, Asian, Hispanic White, and Non-Hispanic White patients had an average polarity of 0.14, 0.14, 0.15, and 0.14, respectively, with an average subjectivity of 0.46 for all races/ethnicities. The differences in polarity and subjectivity across races/ethnicities were not statistically significant. However, there was a statistically significant difference in word frequency across races/ethnicities and a statistically significant difference in subjectivity across insurance types with commercial insurance eliciting the most subjective responses and Medicare and other payer types the lowest. The study suggests that ChatGPT is relatively invariant to race/ethnicity and insurance type in terms of linguistic and readability measures. Further studies are needed to validate these results and assess their implications.
A multifaceted suite of metrics for comparative myoelectric prosthesis controller research
Authors: Williams Heather E. , Shehata Ahmed W. , Cheng Kodi Y. , Hebert Jacqueline S. , Pilarski Patrick M.
Published: August 2023

Upper limb robotic (myoelectric) prostheses are technologically advanced, but challenging to use. In response, substantial research is being done to develop user-specific prosthesis controllers that can predict a person’s intended movements. Most studies that test and compare new controllers rely on simple assessment measures such as task scores (e.g., number of objects moved across a barrier) or duration-based measures (e.g., overall task completion time). These assessment measures, however, fail to capture valuable details about: the quality of device arm movements; whether these movements match users’ intentions; the timing of specific wrist and hand control functions; and users’ opinions regarding overall device reliability and controller training requirements. In this work, we present a comprehensive and novel suite of myoelectric prosthesis control evaluation metrics that better facilitates analysis of device movement details—spanning measures of task performance, control characteristics, and user experience. As a case example of their use and research viability, we applied these metrics in real-time control experimentation. Here, eight participants without upper limb impairment compared device control offered by a deep learning-based controller (recurrent convolutional neural network-based classification with transfer learning, or RCNN-TL) to that of a commonly used controller (linear discriminant analysis, or LDA). The participants wore a simulated prosthesis and performed complex functional tasks across multiple limb positions. Analysis resulting from our suite of metrics identified 16 instances of a user-facing problem known as the “limb position effect”. We determined that RCNN-TL performed the same as or significantly better than LDA in four such problem instances. We also confirmed that transfer learning can minimize user training burden. Overall, this study contributes a multifaceted new suite of control evaluation metrics, along with a guide to their application, for use in research and testing of myoelectric controllers today, and potentially for use in broader rehabilitation technologies of the future.
MAGinator enables strain-level quantification ofde novoMAGs
Authors: Zachariasen Trine , Russel Jakob , Petersen Charisse , Vestergaard Gisle A. , Shah Shiraz , Turvey Stuart E. , Sørensen Søren J. , Lund Ole , Stokholm Jakob , Brejnrod Asker , Thorsen Jonathan
Published: August 2023

Motivation

Metagenomic sequencing has provided great advantages in the characterization of microbiomes, but currently available analysis tools lack the ability to combine strain-level taxonomic resolution and abundance estimation with functional profiling of assembled genomes. In order to define the microbiome and its associations with human health, improved tools are needed to enable comprehensive understanding of the microbial composition and elucidation of the phylogenetic and functional relationships between the microbes.

Results

Here, we present MAGinator, a freely available tool, tailored for the profiling of shotgun metagenomics datasets. MAGinator providesde novoidentification of subspecies-level microbes and accurate abundance estimates of metagenome-assembled genomes (MAGs). MAGinator utilises the information from both gene- and contig-based methods yielding insight into both taxonomic profiles and the origin of genes as well as genetic content, used for inference of functional content of each sample by host organism. Additionally, MAGinator facilitates the reconstruction of phylogenetic relationships between the MAGs, providing a framework to identify clade-level differences within subspecies MAGs.

Availability and implementation

MAGinator is available as a Python module athttps://github.com/Russel88/MAGinator

Contact

Trine Zachariasen,trine_zachariasen@hotmail.com
Cool temperature acclimation in toxigenicMicrocystis aeruginosaPCC 7806 and its non-toxigenic mutant
Authors: Stark Gwendolyn F. , Martin Robbie M. , Smith Laura E. , Wei Bofan , Hellweger Ferdi L. , Bullerjahn George S. , McKay R. Michael L. , Boyer Gregory L. , Wilhelm Steven W.
Published: August 2023

ForMicrocystis aeruginosaPCC 7806, temperature decreases from 26° C to 19° C double the microcystin quota per cell during growth in continuous culture. Here we tested whether this increase in microcystin providedM. aeruginosaPCC 7806 with a fitness advantage during colder-temperature growth by comparing cell concentration, cellular physiology, and the transcriptomics-inferred metabolism to a non-toxigenic mutant strainM. aeruginosaPCC 7806 ΔmcyB. Photo-physiological data combined with transcriptomic data revealed metabolic changes in the mutant strain during growth at 19° C, which included increased electron sinks and non-photochemical quenching. Increased gene expression was observed for a glutathione-dependent peroxiredoxin during cold treatment, suggesting compensatory mechanisms to defend against reactive oxygen species are employed in the absence of microcystin in the mutant. Our observations highlight the potential selective advantages of a longer-term defensive strategy in management of oxidative stress (i.e.,making microcystin)vsthe shorter-term proactive strategy of producing cellular components to actively dissipate or degrade oxidative stress agents.

Importance

Through comparisons of a microcystin-producing wildtype strainM. aeruginosaPCC 7806 and a non microcystin-producing mutant,M. aeruginosaPCC 7806ΔmcyB, our observations highlight defensive (microcystin production)vsactive (production of degradation enzymes and increased electron sinks) strategies for dealing with cold-temperature induced oxidative stress as well as associated physiological changes. This work increases our understanding of microcystin’s intracellular function, and the role it may play in bloom ecology. In combination with other studies, this work begins to experimentally establish a mechanistic foundation to better understand cold-to-warm seasonal transitions from toxigenic to non-toxigenic strains frequently observedin situ.
β1 integrins regulate cellular behaviors and cardiomyocyte organization during ventricular wall formation
Authors: Miao Lianjie , Castillo Micah , Lu Yangyang , Xiao Yongqi , Liu Yu , Burns Alan R , Kumar Ashok , Gunaratne Preethi , Michael DiPersio C. , Wu Mingfu
Published: August 2023

Aims

The mechanisms regulating the cellular behavior and cardiomyocyte organization during ventricular wall morphogenesis are poorly understood. Cardiomyocytes are surrounded by extracellular matrix (ECM) and interact with ECM via integrins. This study aims to determine whether and how β1 integrins regulate cardiomyocyte behavior and organization during ventricular wall morphogenesis in the mouse.

Methods and Results

We applied mRNA deep sequencing and immunostaining to determine the expression repertoires of α/β integrins and their ligands in the embryonic heart. Integrin β1 subunit (β1) and some of its ECM ligands are asymmetrically distributed and enriched in the luminal side of cardiomyocytes, while fibronectin surrounds cardiomyocytes, creating a network for them.Itgb1, which encodes the β1 integrin subunit, was deleted viaNkx2.5Cre/+to generate myocardial-specificItgb1knockout (B1KO) mice. B1KO hearts display an absence of trabecular zone but a thicker compact zone. The abundances of hyaluronic acid and versican are not significantly different. Instead, fibronectin, a ligand of β1, was absent in B1KO. We examined cellular behaviors and organization via various tools. B1KO cardiomyocytes display a random cellular orientation and fail to undergo perpendicular cell division, be organized properly, and establish the proper tissue architecture to form trabeculae. The reduction of Notch1 activation was not the cause of the abnormal cellular organization in B1KO hearts. Mosaic clonal lineage tracing shows thatItgb1regulates cardiomyocyte transmural migration and proliferation autonomously.

Conclusions

β1 is asymmetrically localized in the cardiomyocytes, and its ECM ligands are enriched in the luminal side of the myocardium and surrounding cardiomyocytes. β1 integrins are required for cardiomyocytes to attach to the ECM network. This engagement provides structural support for cardiomyocytes to maintain shape, undergo perpendicular division, and establish cellular organization. Deletion ofItgb1, leading to ablation of β1 integrins, causes the dissociation of cardiomyocytes from the ECM network and failure to establish tissue architecture to form trabeculae.
NRF2 Dysregulation in Mice Leads to Inadequate Beta-Cell Mass Expansion during Pregnancy and Gestational Diabetes
Authors: Baumel-Alterzon Sharon , Tse Isabelle , Heidery Fatema , Garcia-Ocaña Adolfo , Scott Donald K.
Published: August 2023

The late stages of the mammalian pregnancy are accompanied with increased insulin resistance due to the increased glucose demand of the growing fetus. Therefore, as a compensatory response to maintain the maternal normal blood glucose levels, maternal beta-cell mass expands leading to increased insulin release. Defects in beta-cell adaptive expansion during pregnancy can lead to gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM). Although the exact mechanisms that promote GDM are poorly understood, GDM strongly associates with impaired beta-cell proliferation and with increased levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here, we show that NRF2 levels are upregulated in mouse beta-cells at gestation day 15 (GD15) concomitant with increased beta-cell proliferation. Importantly, mice with tamoxifen-induced beta-cell-specific NRF2 deletion display inhibition of beta-cell proliferation, increased beta-cell oxidative stress and elevated levels of beta-cell death at GD15. This results in attenuated beta-cell mass expansion and disturbed glucose homeostasis towards the end of pregnancy. Collectively, these results highlight the importance of NRF2-oxidative stress regulation in beta-cell mass adaptation to pregnancy and suggest NRF2 as a potential therapeutic target for treating GDM.
Repair of DNA double-strand breaks leaves heritable impairment to genome function
Authors: Bantele Susanne , Mordini Irene , Biran Alva , Alcaraz Nicolas , Wenger Alice , Krietenstein Nils , Groth Anja , Lukas Jiri
Published: August 2023

Upon DNA breakage, a genomic locus undergoes alterations in 3-D chromatin architecture to facilitate signaling and repair. While cells possess mechanisms to repair damaged DNA, it is unknown whether the surrounding chromatin is restored to its naïve state. We show that a single DNA double-strand break (DSB) within a topologically-associated domain (TAD) harboring conformation-sensitive genes causes lasting chromatin alterations, which persist after completion of DNA repair and feature structural changes, chromatin compaction and loss of local RNA species. Unexpectedly, these newly-acquired features of post-repair chromatin are transmitted to daughter cells and manifest as heritable impairments of gene expression. These findings uncover a hitherto concealed dimension of DNA breakage, which we term post-repair chromatin fatigue, and which confers heritable impairment of gene function beyond DNA repair.
2,2′-Dithiobispyrazine: about the disulfide bond
Authors: Wzgarda-Raj Kinga , Dominikowska Justyna , Husik Natallia , Rybarczyk-Pirek Agnieszka J.
Published: August 2023

X-ray diffraction studies reveal that pyrazine-2-thiol undergoes condensation to 2,2′-dithiobispyrazine [systematic name: 2-(pyrazin-2-yldisulfanyl)pyrazine], C8H6N4S2 (I), under aerial conditions. In the molecule of I, the pyrazine rings are arranged in an almost perpendicular manner, with an absolute value of the C—S—S—C torsion angle of −91.45 (6)°. A search in the Cambridge Structural Database confirmed that such a conformation is typical for disulfide compounds. Three different rotamers of disulfide I were studied using quantum theoretical studies. The rotamer of lowest energy was observed in the crystalline state in the structure stabilized by hydrogen-bond, chalcogen-bond and stacking interactions. Further quantum chemical computations confirm that 2,2′-dithiobispyrazine can react according to the SN2 mechanism.
A bibliometric analysis of library automation software research from 2001-2022: evidence from the Web of Science (WoS)
Authors: Naveed Muhammad , Ali Nusrat , Khan Shakeel Ahmad , Shahzad Khurram
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to conduct a bibliometric analysis to discover the published information on the subject of “Library Automation Software.”

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on bibliometric research to analyze the growth of literature on the subject area “Library Automation Software.” The data were retrieved from the leading database Web of Science to analyze the scholarly publications on the topic during 2001–2022. To analyze the bibliometric data on the subject, the VOSviewer, Biblioshiny and MS Excel software were used.

Findings

Results manifest that the topic of “Library Management Systems” has been greatly used by several authors as a title to publish their research work. The USA emerged as the most productive country. The most used keywords to retrieve literature on the topic were “Library Automation,” “Library Management Systems,” “KOHA,” “Integrated Library Systems” and “Open Source Software.”

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first bibliometric study in Pakistan that has been conducted to measure the productivity of literature at the international level on library automation.
Safeguarding human rights to health: a systematic review of supply chain impediments to safe medicines in developing nations
Authors: Loomba Arvinder P.S.
Published: August 2023

Purpose

A key feature of human rights in health is access to safe, effective and affordable medicines. Pharmacovigilance is advocated for monitoring intended/unintended effects of medicines to assure their safety. The purpose of this paper is to synthesize knowledge about supply chain impediments to safe medicines in developing nations and contribute to future development of research in this field.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper conducts a structured literature review based on Preferred Reporting Items for the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. It aims at profiling supply chain impediments to safe medicines in developing nations by reviewing 46 recent pharmacovigilance-specific papers published between 2005 and 2020.

Findings

Analysis of reviewed articles identified criticality of supply chain impediments that affect constituents across pharmaceutical in developing nations, which still struggle to maintain robust national pharmacovigilance systems due to lack of awareness, policy and practices.

Research limitations/implications

Research results can be applied by pharmaceutical industry decision-makers and drug safety professionals in developing nations. Because the review is qualitative in nature, its implication ought to be tested after actual implementation.

Practical implications

This review can help identify underinvestigated impediments and methods to aid in developing new pharmacovigilance knowledge areas in developing nation context.

Social implications

The review uncovers gaps in global health equity dialogue in developing nations. It also recognizes that macrolevel supply chain impediments exist due to unfair disease burden and health inequities in developing nations.

Originality/value

The paper examines supply chain impediments to safe medicines in developing nations with insights for future pharmacovigilance research. Identifying and classifying supply chain impediments through this review is the first step toward creating effective interventions for these impediments to safe medicines.
Thermo-elastohydrodynamic lubrication performance study of step seal under transient condition
Authors: Wei Jian , Sun XiaoYue , Tian Jing , Liu CaiHong
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to study the impact of transient velocity changes on sealing performance during reciprocating sealing processes.

Design/methodology/approach

Establish a model of transient mixed lubrication, solve the transient Reynolds equation, consider the effect of temperature rise at the seal interfaces, and determine the behavior of the seal interfaces, such as film thickness and fluid pressure. Evaluation with friction and leakage rate, calculate the variation of sealing performance with reciprocating velocity under different working conditions, and verify it through bench experiments.

Findings

Within a reciprocating stroke, the frictional force decreases with increasing velocity, and the frictional force of the outstroke is greater than that of the instroke; at the time of the stroke transition, the fluid pressure is smallest and the rough peak contact pressure is greatest. At present, the dynamic pressure effect of fluids is the largest, and the friction force also increases, which increases the risk of material wear and failure. Friction and leakage increase with increasing pressure and root mean square roughness. As temperature increases, friction increases and leakage decreases. In studying the performance variations of seal components through a reciprocating sealing experiment, it was found that the friction force decreases with increasing velocity, which is consistent with the calculated results and more similar to the calculated results considering the temperature rise.

Originality/value

This study provides a reference for the study of transient sealing performance.
Religious tourism scholarship: current state and future research directions
Authors: Ohlan Ramphul , Ohlan Anshu
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the knowledge domain and development trends that appear in the scholarly corpus on religious tourism.

Design/methodology/approach

The most common themes evolving in the religious tourism research field are figured out by conducting keyword and trend analyses using the bibliographic data collected from 988 research articles published in Social Science Citation-indexed journals listed in the Web of Science database between 1992 and 2022.

Findings

It has been found that the number of publications has increased exponentially. European countries are the major contributors to religious tourism research. Research has mainly clustered around the areas of spiritual experience, identity, cultural heritage, pilgrimage, tourist attitude, behavior and satisfaction. Judaism, Hinduism and Buddhism are religions that have received relatively little research attention.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should focus on the sustainability of religious tourism sites, mitigating the adverse impact of the commercialization of religious tourism products and recovering religious tourism activities from the COVID-19 impact.

Practical implications

The findings are useful for corporate practitioners, site managers and entrepreneurs to take advantage of the valuable opportunities this segment offers. These findings are useful for scholars and policymakers in acquiring the latest knowledge of developments in this field.

Social implications

The insights obtained by using a holistic approach are valuable for religious tourists who want to understand the importance of visiting religious sites.

Originality/value

This study identifies key themes that have evolved in religious tourism. In so doing, it presents an agenda for pushing this research corpus forward.
Expanding public sector performance measurement and management research with actor-centred approaches in new institutionalism
Authors: Leca Bernard , Laguecir Aziza
Published: August 2023

Purpose

In his 2022 paper, in the Journal of Public Budgeting, Accounting and Financial Management, Sven Modell reviews and reflects on the public sector's institutional research dealing with performance measurement and management (PMM) over the past decade. Modell suggests potential extensions of this body of research. This paper seeks to contribute to the path that Modell initiated. It offers directions in which institutional theory might contribute further to research on agentic aspects of PMM in the public sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper is a rejoinder emphasizing how institutional theory could further nurture reflection on PMM research in the public sector. The authors draw upon Modell's article and ongoing research in the institutional theory field.

Findings

Modell insists that institutional research on PMM in the public sector should explore the constitutive effects of PMM practices while conceiving such practices as institutionally embedded phenomena. The authors seek to extend this approach by considering the role of agency in institutional processes. To do this, the authors build on recent institutional research on agency, discussing how those new conceptualizations could nurture and develop the understanding of PMM practices in the public sector. The authors further discuss implications for coupling and decoupling as sites of agency. Such literature is relevant for examining emerging themes in public-sector accounting because it allows the authors to better conceptualize the underlying mechanisms of agency in the context of public service provision characterized by institutional complexity.

Originality/value

This paper details several implications of the current developments in new institutional theory in examining agency in the relationship between institutions and PMM, pointing at the case of decoupling. In so doing, the authors seek to stimulate a constructive exchange between public-sector accounting and a broader institutionalist body of research and suggest ways of extending the PMM research agenda.
Evaluation and optimization of supply factor efficiency for public digital cultural services in China
Authors: Wang Zijian , Shi Qingong , Ding Qunzhe
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This investigation is designed to quantify and appraise the efficiency of resource distribution in the provision of public digital cultural services in China. By acknowledging and incorporating the realities of China's social development, the authors offer recommendations for enhancement derived from the study’s data analysis results. The research zeroes in on the dissection and analysis of the integral elements that structure the provision of public digital cultural services, and it concentrates on the associated data computation. The conclusions drawn herein are expected to serve as a significant point of reference for ongoing academic investigations and practical explorations in affiliated domains.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, the authors utilize a hybrid methodology to meticulously evaluate the efficiency of the components that underpin the provision of public digital cultural services (PDCS) in China. The authors embark on deconstructing the various constituents within the PDCS supply framework, conducting in-depth analyses and providing cogent interpretations of each integral element. Subsequently, the authors deploy the well-regarded SBM super-efficiency model to ascertain the operational efficiency of these components. Ultimately, through a comprehensive interpretation of the measured data and the integration of extant societal development conditions, the authors put forth relevant recommendations.

Findings

The provision of PDCS in China as of 2021 had been characterized by overall good efficiency, significant regional disparity and a disconnect between inputs and outputs with weak correlations to economic and demographic data.

Originality/value

In this study, the authors provide an exhaustive deconstruction and interpretation of the public digital cultural services supply system, thereby proposing a framework for evaluating the efficiency of supply element allocation. Additionally, the authors have determined a set of distinct measurable indicators that are readily accessible for open collection. Notably, this analytical and evaluative framework designed for element analysis and measurement may also find application in efficiency evaluation research of the supply systems of other related cultural endeavors.
Does good governance and trade openness contribute to poverty reduction in BRICS? An empirical analysis
Authors: Chhabra Megha , Giri Arun Kumar , Kumar Arya
Published: August 2023

Institutions are critical economic pillars that influence not only growth but also the distributional outcomes that affect the speed of poverty reduction. High variability in the extent of policy and trade benefits creates large disparities and makes the role of institutions more pervasive. In this light, this study aims to investigate the impact of governance and trade openness on poverty reduction in BRICS countries from 1991 to 2019. For this purpose, the study uses the dynamic common correlated effect method with a recursive mean adjustment approach to analyse the relationship among the heterogeneous panel variables with cross‐sectional dependence. The system generalised method of moments (GMM) instrument variable approach confirms the consistency of the results. Further, the study applies the Dumitrescu–Hurlin causality test to determine the causal relationship between variables. The findings show that trade openness and economic growth effectively reduce poverty in BRICS. Trade benefits the poor by raising their income. However, the negative effects of governance on poverty reduction dilute these benefits through a weakened trickle‐down effect. In addition, income inequality creates a negative impact on poverty reduction, which widens the poverty gap in the BRICS countries even further. The consistency of the results is confirmed by the system GMM instrument variable approach. As a result, it is recommended to ensure better regulatory practices that improve the quality of governance and address any structural inequalities directly.
Moral economics
Authors: Bowles Samuel
Published: August 2023

An adequate normative economics – one that is consistent with recent developments in our discipline (and in philosophy and psychology) and that resonates with widely held moral intuitions – will have to address the following challenges. First, utility cannot be both the basis of our predictions of economic behaviour and the evaluation of the outcomes of this behaviour. Second, we need to conceive of individual well‐being and other desiderata in ways that are interpersonally comparable and that go beyond efficiency and fairness. Third, the representation of the economy as a ‘morality‐free zone’ (requiring that contracts, including employment contracts, are complete) must give way to a recognition of the unaccountable exercise of power by private actors, even in a perfectly competitive equilibrium, and the way that this may violate democratic principles and limit the freedom and compromise the dignity of other actors. Fourth, the commitment to ‘liberal neutrality’ (thereby sidestepping the evaluation of preferences) and the related assumption of ‘unrestricted preferences’ in mechanism design and public policy must be abandoned, making room for a concern about the nature of our preferences and the ways that institutions shape our values.
The effects of certain intermediary target materials and their proximity to ballistic gelatin on jacketed hollow point bullet expansion
Authors: Paolucci John C. , Diaczuk Peter
Published: August 2023

Expanding bullets are preferred by law enforcement because of their wounding potential and ability to avoid over‐penetration which could result in unintended targets being struck by bullets that perforate their intended targets. Expansion failure for jacketed hollow point (JHP) bullets is commonly attributed to several causes including damage to the bullet's cavity, velocity loss, bullet destabilization and materials from intermediate targets filling the bullet's cavity which can cause expansion failure when the bullet subsequently impacts a soft, fluid‐based target such as human tissue or ballistic gelatin. In this study, JHP bullets were fired into ballistic gelatin after passing through selected intermediate targets representing items common to shooting incidents. Velocity loss and bullet destabilization were not factors that contributed to the JHP bullets that experienced expansion failure; however, materials obstructing the bullets' cavities and damage to the bullets' cavities were considered causes for some of the JHP bullet expansion failures. It was determined through this research that most of the target materials caused JHP bullet expansion failure when shored against the ballistic gelatin, but when placed at distances of 7 ft. from the ballistic gelatin, bullets fired through the same target materials did expand. This original and unique study produced findings that are of significant value to shooting incident reconstruction experts and other forensic professionals as shooting incidents can call into question a victim's proximity to a wall or door when a bullet(s) perforated such a target material.
Genome‐wide analysis of Panonychus citri microRNAs with a focus on potential insecticidal activity of 4 microRNAs to eggs and nymphs
Authors: Li Chuan‐Zhen , Liu Yu‐Hang , Pan Deng , Xia Meng‐Hao , Zhang Qiang , Li Yu‐Chuang , Yuan Guo‐Rui , Wang Jin‐Jun , Dou Wei
Published: August 2023

Panonychus citri McGregor (Acari: Tetranychidae), a destructive citrus pest, causes considerable annual economic losses due to its short lifespan and rapid resistance development. MicroRNA (miRNA)‐induced RNA interference is a promising approach for pest control because of endogenous regulation of pest growth and development. To search for miRNAs with potential insecticidal activity in P. citri, genome‐wide analysis of miRNAs at different developmental stages was conducted, resulting in the identification of 136 miRNAs, including 73 known and 63 novel miRNAs. A total of 17 isomiRNAs and 12 duplicated miRNAs were characterized. MiR‐1 and miR‐252‐5p were identified as reference miRNAs for P. citri and Tetranychus urticae. Based on differential expression analysis, treatments with miR‐let‐7a and miR‐315 mimics and the miR‐let‐7a antagomir significantly reduced the egg hatch rate and resulted in abnormal egg development. Overexpression or downregulation of miR‐34‐5p and miR‐305‐5p through feeding significantly decreased the adult eclosion rate and caused molting defects. The 4 miRNAs, miR‐let‐7a, miR‐315, miR‐34‐5p, and miR‐305‐5p, had important regulatory functions and insecticidal properties in egg hatching and adult eclosion. In general, these data advance our understanding of miRNAs in mite biology, which can assist future studies on insect‐specific miRNA‐based green pest control technology.
Bacterial cellulose nanofibers used as nanofillers improved the fresh‐keeping performance of gelatin‐based edible coating for fresh‐cut apples
Authors: Li Nan , Zhang Runguang , Yang Xingbin , Lin Dehui
Published: August 2023

In this study, bacterial cellulose nanofibers (BCNs) (0%, 1%, 2%, and 3%) were used as nanofillers to prepare gelatin‐based edible films, and their physical properties and fresh‐keeping performance were investigated. The microstructure observation showed that the BCNs were well dispersed in the gelatin‐based edible films and the surface roughness of the films increased with the increase of BCNs content. X‐ray diffraction and thermogravimetric analysis showed that the crystallinity and thermal stability of the film were significantly increased with the increase of BCNs. Fourier‐transform infrared spectroscopy analysis suggested that hydrogen bond interactions occurred between BCNs and gelatin polymers, leading to improved mechanical properties with the increase of BCNs content. Furthermore, the barrier performance was also improved with the increase of BCNs content, where gelatin‐based edible films with 2% BCNs showed the best mechanical property. Meanwhile, the gelatin‐based film‐forming solutions (FFSs) containing different BCNs were coated on the fresh‐cut apples and the corresponding fresh‐keeping performance was investigated. The results showed that the fresh‐keeping parameters of fresh‐cut apples coated with FFSs containing BCNs were better as compared with those of pure gelatin FFSs. Moreover, the fresh‐keeping parameters were improved with the increase of BCNs, especially the FFSs containing 2% BCNs that showed the best fresh‐keeping parameters. Therefore, BCNs, used as nanofillers, are an excellent enhancer to improve the fresh‐keeping performance of the gelatin‐based edible coating, showing a promising potential application in the food preservation field.
The significance of historical troponin elevation in acute heart failure: Not as reassuring as previously assumed
Authors: Harrison Nicholas E. , Ehrman Robert , Pang Peter , Armitage Sarah , Abidov Aiden , Perkins Daniel , Peacock Johnathon , Montelauro Nicholas , Gupta Sushane , Favot Mark J. , Levy Phillip
Published: August 2023

Background

Historical cardiac troponin (cTn) elevation is commonly interpreted as lessening the significance of current cTn elevations at presentation for acute heart failure (AHF). Evidence for this practice is lacking. Our objective was to determine the incremental prognostic significance of historical cTn elevation compared to cTn elevation and ischemic heart disease (IHD) history at presentation for AHF.

Methods

A total of 341 AHF patients were prospectively enrolled at five sites. The composite primary outcome was death/cardiopulmonary resuscitation, mechanical cardiac support, intubation, new/emergent dialysis, and/or acute myocardial infarction (AMI)/percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI)/coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) at 90 days. Secondary outcomes were 30‐day AMI/PCI/CABG and in‐hospital AMI. Logistic regression compared outcomes versus initial emergency department (ED) cTn, the most recent electronic medical record cTn, estimated glomerular filtration rate, age, left ventricular ejection fraction, and IHD history (positive, negative by prior coronary workup, or unknown/no prior workup).

Results

Elevated cTn occurred in 163 (49%) patients, 80 (23%) experienced the primary outcome, and 29 had AMI (9%). cTn elevation at ED presentation, adjusted for historical cTn and other covariates, was associated with the primary outcome (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] 2.39, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.30–4.38), 30‐day AMI/PCI/CABG, and in‐hospital AMI. Historical cTn elevation was associated with greater odds of the primary outcome when IHD history was unknown at ED presentation (aOR 5.27, 95% CI 1.24–21.40) and did not alter odds of the outcome with known positive (aOR 0.74, 95% CI 0.33–1.70) or negative IHD history (aOR 0.79, 95% CI 0.26–2.40). Nevertheless, patients with elevated ED cTn were more likely to be discharged if historical cTn was also elevated (78% vs. 32%, p = 0.025).

Conclusions

Historical cTn elevation in AHF patients is a harbinger of worse outcomes for patients who have not had a prior IHD workup and should prompt evaluation for underlying ischemia rather than reassurance for discharge. With known IHD history, historical cTn elevation was neither reassuring nor detrimental, failing to add incremental prognostic value to current cTn elevation alone.