bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A SLiM-dependent conformational change in baculovirus IE1 controls its focus formation ability
Authors: Nagamine Toshihiro , Sako Yasushi
Published: March 2023

The baculovirus IE1 gene encodes a multifunctional protein that is essential for both DNA replication and RNA transcription of the virus. Prior to viral DNA replication, IE1 promotes early gene transcription when localized inhr-dependent foci. During viral DNA replication, the IE1 foci expand and fuse to generate the virogenic stroma (VS) with IE1 forming the VS reticulum. To explore the IE1 structural features essential for this coordinated localization, we constructed various IE1 mutants based on three putative domains (N, I, and C). We determined that a BDI motif located in the intrinsic disorder region (IDR) between the N and I domains acts as a nuclear localization signal, whereas BDII and HLH in the C domain are required for VS localization in infected cells or for chromosomal association in uninfected mitotic cells. Deletion of the SLiM (shortlinearmotif) located in the I domain restrains both nuclear- and VS localization. Intra-molecular fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) probes of IE1 mutants revealed a conformational change of the I-C two-domain fragment during infection, which was inhibited by aphidicolin, suggesting that IE1 undergoes a stage-dependent conformational change. Further, homo-dimerization of the I domain and stage-dependent conformational changes require an intact SLiM. Mutational analysis of SLiM revealed that VS localization and chromosomal association were retained following S291A and S291E substitutions, buthr-dependent focus formation differed between the two mutations. These results suggest that coordinated IE1 localization is controlled by SLiM-dependent conformational changes and that are dependent on the SLiM phosphorylation state.

Importance

SLiMs (shortlinearmotifs) are compact non-globular protein interaction interfaces that mediate various cellular functions and as such are often mimicked by viruses to rewire cellular pathways. Here, we found that an unusual type of viral SLiM acts as a conformational switch rather than a cellular mimic. Prior to viral DNA replication, the baculovirus IE1 protein promotes early gene transcription within its focus. During viral DNA replication, the IE1 foci expand and fuse to form the virogenic stroma where late virus replication events occur. Our results indicate that IE1 undergoes a conformational change that is dependent on the infection stage and SLiM phosphorylation. This work provides new insights into the role SLiMs play in heterotypic and homotypic protein-protein interactions.
Localisation and tissue tropism of the symbiont Microsporidia MB in the germ line and somatic tissues of Anopheles arabiensis
Authors: Makhulu Edward E. , Onchuru Thomas O. , Gichuhi Joseph , Otieno Fidel G. , Wairimu Anne W. , Muthoni Joseph .N. , Koekoemoer Lizette , Herren Jeremy K.
Published: March 2023

TheAnophelessymbiont,Microsporidia MB, is maternally inherited and has a strong malaria transmission-blocking phenotype inAnopheles arabiensis. Microsporidia MBis also vertically transmitted, sexually transmitted and avirulent. These characteristics are expected to promote its spread through mosquito populations, enhancing the potential ofMicrosporidia MBas a candidate for the development of a symbiont-mediated malaria transmission blocking strategy. We found that the patterns ofMicrosporidia MBlocalisation over the development ofAn. arabiensisindicate accumulation in tissues linked to its transmission, specifically the male and female gonadal tissues. Transovarial vertical transmission ofMicrosporidia MBoccurs in the femaleAn. arabiensisovary whenMicrosporidia MBbecomes localised to the cytoplasm of the developing oocyte. In maleAn. arabiensis, Microsporidia MBis localised in the testis and vas deferens. Notably, a high intensity ofMicrosporidia MBcan also be observed in theAn. arabiensisadult but not larval gut. The levels ofMicrosporidia MBfound in the female ovary are linked to the progression of oogenesis, increasing after blood feeding initiates the development of eggs. The levels ofMicrosporiodia MBin the male and female gonadal and gut tissue do not increase as mosquitoes age. Altogether, the high specificity ofMicrosporidia MBtissue localisation patterns and changes in infection prevalence and intensity suggest adaptation to maximise transmission and avirulence inAnopheles arabiensis.

Importance

Microsporidia MBis a symbiont with strong malaria transmission-blocking phenotype inAnopheles arabiensis. It spreads in mosquito populations through mother-to-offspring and sexual transmission. The ability ofMicrosporidia MBto blockPlasmodiumtransmission together with its ability to spread withinAnophelespopulations and its avirulence to the host makes it a very attractive candidate for developing a key strategy to stop malaria transmissions. Here, we report the basis ofMicrosporidia MBtransmission. We find thatMicrosporidia MBaccumulates inAnopheles arabiensistissues linked to its sexual and vertical transmission. Its prevalence and intensity in the tissues over the mosquito life cycle suggest adaptation to maximise transmission and avirulence inAnopheles arabiensis. These findings provide the foundation for understanding the factors that affectMicrosporidia MBtransmission efficiency. This will contribute to the establishment of strategies to maximizeMicrosporidia MBtransmission forAnophelesmosquito population replacement and malaria transmission blocking.
Media Selection and Fed-Batch Fermentation Strategy for dsRNA Plasmid Production inEscherichia coliGT115
Authors: Pancoro Adi , Taufik Intan , Wijayana Sena
Published: March 2023

Application of plasmid encoding synthetic dsRNA targeted IMNV genome (Infectious Myonecrosis Virus) can reduce viral replication in the shrimp industry by activating RNA interference (RNAi) response. Application of dsRNA plasmid as antiviral for IMNV in shrimp-farm need a huge quantity of plasmid. Bioreactor can be used for large-scale plasmid production to achieve high plasmid yield. Plasmid production in the bioreactor can be improved by selection of the host organism, the recombinant plasmid vector, the fermentation media, and the fermentation strategy. This research aim is to determine the fermentation media and fermentation strategy to produce recombinant dsRNA plasmid with high plasmid yield. Selection of fermentation media was conducted in a baffled flask with three different media. Then, the optimum media was used for optimization in bioreactor production with the addition of feeding media. As a result, plasmid production in TB media has a higher biomass growth rate and plasmid production rate than production in M9+Mod and LB+ media. Plasmid production in TB media in baffled-flask resulted in plasmid yield in 2.318 mg/L, 14-fold higher than M9+Mod (0.165 mg/L), and 34-fold higher than LB (0.068 mg/L). In bioreactor production, plasmid production in fed-batch fermentation in bioreactor resulted plasmid yield in 1.018 mg/L, 5-fold higher than batch fermentation (1.882 mg/L). Plasmid was confirmed in agarose gel electrophoresis at ∼5750 bp and insert gene at 700 bp. The cultivation technique developed should be workable for the pilot scale. Downstream processing in plasmid production should be able to achieve plasmid with high concentration and purity.
MAPTexpression is mediated by long-range interactions withcis-regulatory elements
Authors: Rogers Brianne B. , Anderson Ashlyn G. , Lauzon Shelby N. , Davis M. Natalie , Hauser Rebecca M. , Roberts Sydney C. , Rodriguez-Nunez Ivan , Trausch-Lowther Katie , Barinaga Erin A. , Taylor Jared W. , Mackiewicz Mark , Roberts Brian S. , Cooper Sara J. , Rizzardi Lindsay F. , Myers Richard M. , Cochran J. Nicholas
Published: March 2023

Background

Tauopathies are a group of neurodegenerative diseases driven by abnormal aggregates of tau, a microtubule associated protein encoded by theMAPTgene.MAPTexpression is absent in neural progenitor cells (NPCs) and increases during differentiation. This temporally dynamic expression pattern suggests thatMAPTexpression is controlled by transcription factors and cis-regulatory elements specific to differentiated cell types. Given the relevance ofMAPTexpression to neurodegeneration pathogenesis, identification of such elements is relevant to understanding genetic risk factors.

Methods

We performed HiC, chromatin conformation capture (Capture-C), single-nucleus multiomics (RNA-seq+ATAC-seq), bulk ATAC-seq, and ChIP-seq for H3K27Ac and CTCF in NPCs and neurons differentiated from human iPSC cultures. We nominated candidate cis-regulatory elements (cCREs) forMAPTin human NPCs, differentiated neurons, and pure cultures of inhibitory and excitatory neurons. We then assayed these cCREs using luciferase assays and CRISPR interference (CRISPRi) experiments to measure their effects onMAPTexpression. Finally, we integrated cCRE annotations into an analysis of genetic variation in AD cases and controls.

Results

Using orthogonal genomics approaches, we nominated 94 cCREs forMAPT, including the identification of cCREs specifically active in differentiated neurons. Eleven regions enhanced reporter gene transcription in luciferase assays. Using CRISPRi, 5 of the 94 regions tested were identified as necessary forMAPTexpression as measured by RT-qPCR and RNA-seq. Rare and predicted damaging genetic variation in both nominated and confirmed CREs was depleted in AD cases relative to controls (OR = 0.40, p = 0.004), consistent with the hypothesis that variants that disruptMAPTenhancer activity, and thereby reduceMAPTexpression, may be protective against neurodegenerative disease.

Conclusions

We identified both proximal and distal regulatory elements forMAPTand confirmed the regulatory function for several regions, including three regions centromeric toMAPTbeyond the well-described H1/H2 haplotype inversion breakpoint. This study provides compelling evidence for pursuing detailed knowledge of CREs for genes of interest to permit better understanding of disease risk.
Smart self-propelled particles: a framework to investigate the cognitive bases of movement
Authors: Lecheval Valentin , Mann Richard P.
Published: March 2023

Abstract

Decision-making and movement of single animals or group of animals are often treated and investigated as separate processes. However, many decisions are taken while moving in a given space. In other words, both processes are optimised at the same time and optimal decision-making processes are only understood in the light of movement constraints. To fully understand the rational of decisions embedded in an environment (and therefore the underlying evolutionary processes), it is instrumental to develop theories of spatial decision-making. Here, we present a framework specifically developed to address this issue by the means of artificial neural networks and genetic algorithms. Specifically, we investigate a simple task in which single agents need to learn to explore their square arena without leaving its boundaries. We show that agents evolve by developing increasingly optimal strategies to solve a spatially-embedded learning task while not having an initial arbitrary model of movements. The process allows the agents to learn how to move (i.e. by avoiding the arena walls) in order to make increasingly optimal decisions (improving their exploration of the arena). Ultimately, this framework makes predictions of possibly optimal behavioural strategies for tasks combining learning and movement.
Identifying the proximate mechanisms that generate variation in nutritional plasticity for fecundity inDrosophila melanogaster
Authors: Alves André N. , Chakraborty Avishikta , Wansbrough Mia , Walter Greg M. , Piper Matthew D. W. , Sgrò Carla M. , Mirth Christen K.
Published: March 2023

Nutrition is an important determinant of an animal’s survival and fitness. Phenotypic plasticity allows a genotype to adjust life history traits to changes in its nutritional environment, and it varies among individuals. The origin of this variation comes from differences in proximate mechanisms regulating trait expression. To understand how variation in plasticity is achieved, we made use of aDrosophila melanogasterisogenic panel to characterize nutritional plasticity for fecundity by feeding flies diets differing in their yeast content and counting the number of eggs produced. We then identified lines with the highest and lowest plastic responses to diet, and dissected the potential proximate mechanisms responsible for these differences in plasticity, including morphology, behaviour, and physiology. Our results suggest that variation in plasticity is not due to differences in ovariole number, but due to both increased food intake, and higher efficiency at converting food into eggs. Our results show that, in this population ofD. melanogaster, variation in behaviour and physiology, but not morphology, underlies differences in plasticity for fecundity. Further, they set the stage for future studies aiming to understand how the proximate mechanisms that generate genetic variation in plasticity contribute to a population’s persistence when faced with environmental changes.
It's complicated: the interplay ofKif1cmRNA localization in cell protrusions, assembly of protein binding partners on the KIF1C protein, and cell migration
Authors: Sarfraz Nadia , Braselmann Esther
Published: March 2023

Distinct subcellular localizations of mRNAs have been described across a wide variety of cell types. While common themes emerge for neuronal cells, functional roles of mRNA localization in space and time are much less understood in nonneuronal cells. Emerging areas of interest are cell models with protrusions, often linked with cell mobility in cancer systems. In this issue ofGenes & Development, Norris and Mendell (pp. 191–203) systematically investigate a link between mRNA localization to cell protrusions in a mouse melanoma cell system and a mechanistic link to downstream consequences for cell mobility. The study first identifies a model mRNA of interest in an unbiased way that exhibits a set of phenotypes associated with cell mobility. The candidate mRNA that fulfills all requirements isKif1cmRNA. Further systematic investigation linksKif1cmRNA localization to assembly of a protein–protein network on the KIF1C protein itself. What's clear is that this work will inspire a further mechanistic dissection of theKif1cmRNA/KIF1C protein interplay in this important nonneuronal model cell system. More broadly, this work suggests that a broad set of model mRNAs should be investigated to understand mRNA dynamics and downstream functional consequences across a variety of cell models.
Implementation of risk management and corporate sustainability in the Canadian oil and gas industry
Authors: Jagoda Kalinga , Wojcik Patrick
Published: March 2023

Purpose

With the increasingly complex global environment companies are facing increased regulations. Financial and social risks are often overlooked but the key in establishing the necessary framework for risk management. Under pressure(s) from the media, public and government, the current companies within the oil and gas fields have taken precautionary steps to reduce their carbon footprint and have allowed technological innovations to take a proactive role in maintaining efficiency and sustainability. The purpose of this paper is to propose a framework outlining how organizations are implementing risk assessment and analysis to determine sustainable operations and methods in developing low-risk outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a case study approach to develop and illustrate the risk management framework.

Findings

This study provides a theoretical framework for analyzing and reducing risk within the oil and gas sector through explaining various means of innovation and sustainability. Risk integration and mitigation are modeled and quantified within an evolutionary framework. The case study illustrates the risk management techniques currently used in a corporate setting.

Originality/value

Using innovation and sustainable technologies, organizations can take a proactive role in reducing risk in the oil and gas industry in northern Alberta. Providing shareholders with an innovative framework dealing with strategic implications to reduce risk in compliance with operational costs.
Critical analysis for big data studies in construction: significant gaps in knowledge
Authors: Madanayake Upeksha Hansini , Egbu Charles
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to identify the gaps and potential future research avenues in the big data research specifically in the construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts systematic literature review (SLR) approach to observe and understand trends and extant patterns/themes in the big data analytics (BDA) research area particularly in construction-specific literature.

Findings

A significant rise in construction big data research is identified with an increasing trend in number of yearly articles. The main themes discussed were big data as a concept, big data analytical methods/techniques, big data opportunities – challenges and big data application. The paper emphasises “the implication of big data in to overall sustainability” as a gap that needs to be addressed. These implications are categorised as social, economic and environmental aspects.

Research limitations/implications

The SLR is carried out for construction technology and management research for the time period of 2007–2017 in Scopus and emerald databases only.

Practical implications

The paper enables practitioners to explore the key themes discussed around big data research as well as the practical applicability of big data techniques. The advances in existing big data research inform practitioners the current social, economic and environmental implications of big data which would ultimately help them to incorporate into their strategies to pursue competitive advantage. Identification of knowledge gaps helps keep the academic research move forward for a continuously evolving body of knowledge. The suggested new research avenues will inform future researchers for potential trending and untouched areas for research.

Social implications

Identification of knowledge gaps helps keep the academic research move forward for continuous improvement while learning. The continuously evolving body of knowledge is an asset to the society in terms of revealing the truth about emerging technologies.

Originality/value

There is currently no comprehensive review that addresses social, economic and environmental implications of big data in construction literature. Through this paper, these gaps are identified and filled in an understandable way. This paper establishes these gaps as key issues to consider for the continuous future improvement of big data research in the context of the construction industry.
Stochastic natural frequency analysis of skewed sandwich plates
Authors: Kumar R.R. , Karsh P.K. , Vaishali Vaishali , Pandey K.M. , Dey S.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the first three stochastic natural frequencies of skewed sandwich plates, considering uncertain system parameters. To conduct the sensitivity analysis for checking the criticality of input parameters.

Design/methodology/approach

The theoretical formulation is developed based on higher-order-zigzag theory in accordance with the radial basis function (RBF) and stochastic finite element (FE) model. A cubic function is considered for in-plane displacement over thickness while a quadratic function is considered for transverse displacement within the core and remains constant in the facesheet. RBF is used as a surrogate model to achieve computational efficiency and accuracy. In the present study, the individual and combined effect of ply-orientation angle, skew angle, number of lamina, core thickness and material properties are considered for natural frequency analysis of sandwich plates.

Findings

Results presented in this paper illustrates that the skewness in the sandwich plate significantly affects the global dynamic behaviour of the structure. RBF surrogate model coupled with stochastic FE approach significantly reduced the computational time (more than 1/18 times) compared to direct Monte Carlo simulation approach.

Originality/value

The stochastic results for dynamic stability of sandwich plates show that the inevitable source uncertainties present in the input parameters result in significant variation from the deterministic value demonstrates the need for inclusive design paradigm considering stochastic effects. The present paper comprehensively establishes a generalized new RBF-based FE approach for efficient stochastic analysis, which can be applicable to other complex structures too.
Literacy educators’ practices of solidarity within an educational network
Authors: Rogers Rebecca
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to share findings from an interview study with literacy educators who are working together to imagine and build a transformative, humanizing and expansive education.

Design/methodology/approach

Appreciative inquiry is a design and process that seeks ways to discover the potential of educators while also affirming what exists and using these insights to strengthen collective efforts (Cooperrider and Srivastva, 1987).

Findings

The educators’ narratives of solidarity provide us a window to see the collaborative transformative practices that create networks for educational justice. A model of expansive learning and solidarity is introduced.

Research limitations/implications

While the focus in this paper has been on one social justice network, the author’s intention has been to describe and interpret the broader processes of expansive learning, collaborative transformative practices and narratives of solidarity.

Practical implications

This study offers a unique, contextualized perspective of educators working together to create social justice literacies and the kinds of learning communities that are necessary to do so.

Social implications

Identifying the conditions necessary to build and sustain a network of social justice educators can promote the expansion of such networks.

Originality/value

Few studies have focused on literacy educators' narratives of solidarity and the thematic contours of solidarity in educational contexts. Further, this paper links the concepts of agency and solidarity.
Development of inclusive education theoretical model
Authors: Srivastava Anugamini Priya , Shree Sonal
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Inclusive organizations believe in integrating all toward synergistic outcomes. However, the extent to which inclusive education plays their role toward inclusive organizations requires more explorations. Therefore, the purpose of this paper is to provide a theoretical model exploring authentic leadership (AL) as a predictor of inclusive organization in an Indian school context.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper theoretically develops a model to explore and establish inclusive classroom (IC) settings in emerging nations.

Findings

The study further provides academic optimism (AO), a latent term comprising collective efficacy, faculty trust and academic emphasis as its dimensions to intervene the linkage between AL and IC. Since teaching pedagogies help teachers to express their real intentions, this study also posits art-based innovation pedagogy as a future-oriented art pedagogy to strengthen the effect of teachers’ AO on IC.

Originality/value

This study will benefit the practitioners and academicians to re-design their policies and practices in developing nation education system.
The coexistence of blockchains and business models (innovation): a systematic review
Authors: Purusottama Ambara , Simatupang Togar Mangihut , Sunitiyoso Yos
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Blockchain (BC) is a technological innovation that emphasizes the opposite paradigm compared to the available technology. This paradigm enables changing the firm’s business models (BMs) and has been elaborated by many experts. However, the discussion is scattered in various sources, particularly academic journals. This study aims to investigate the literature on the coexistence of BCs and BMs and depict the currently available situation that has not been discussed.

Design/methodology/approach

This study investigated articles focusing on the coexistence of BCs and BMs through heterogeneous academic databases, namely, Emerald, ProQuest, Taylor & Francis, ScienceDirect and Scopus. The systematic approach and development of inclusion criteria used in this study resulted in 52 key articles for further review. This systematic review followed the PRISMA framework and a timeframe between 2012 and 2022.

Findings

This study classifies literature based on specific themes, the integration of BC (interaction and evolution) and BM innovation (innovativeness, new value system and system logic), including the research design. As expected, the literature on BCs and BMs appears to be focused on particular themes since this topic appears to have grown. This study identifies gaps in the literature and describes future research to accommodate the study discrepancy.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitation of this study is the research bias. Such a bias might occur due to the misinterpretations of researchers in this study. In the process of devising databases and keywords, this study identified the potential for misinterpretation. This study sought to use rigid protocols through a manual approach to mitigate the potential bias. A research bias also has the potential to arise in the literature classification. A literature categorization is performed back and forth, by referring to the theory or concept of a particular topic. The next limitation is limited access to scientific databases. This study drew upon several reputable scientific journal databases. However, the researcher considered the journal selection to be built upon a journal’s accessibility, multi-disciplinary nature and data size compared to other journals. It allows the analysis results to be biased, as they do not represent all available databases. However, the study used the available formal access to maintain the integrity of this research.

Originality/value

This study conducts a systematic review that discusses the coexistence of BCs and BMs. Furthermore, it provides a profound understanding of the discussion carried out through certain themes and the outlook for the future.
Towards a conceptual-based, student-centred pedagogy
Authors: Miechie Miechie , Michelle Tan Yuen Sze , Adler Douglas J.
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to report on the approaches teacher candidates (TCs) took to craft the object of learning and the critical aspects when applying variation theory, in planning science lessons. It addresses the difficulty TCs often face in determining what students could learn when crafting the objects of learning and the critical aspects.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 27 science TCs from an initial teacher education (ITE) were introduced to variation theory and collaborated in groups of four to five to plan lessons. Data included recordings of the lesson planning session and fieldnotes, TCs’ lesson plans and individual semi-structured interviews. Phenomenography as a methodology was employed to capture the variation in the TCs’ approaches in crafting the objects of learning and the critical aspects, resulting in categories of description that illustrated the complexity of the lesson planning process the TCs engaged with.

Findings

Arranged in hierarchical order, the three categories of description include TCs: analysing content knowledge in order to promote conceptual learning; reflecting on personal experiences and beliefs about teaching and learning; and drawing on external resources to develop knowledge about students.

Practical implications

The ways the TCs engaged with lesson planning constituted valuable resources to build their capacity to differentiate between superficial content engagement and deep conceptual learning.

Originality/value

The study reports on the potential of framing ITE discourse using variation theory to support TCs’ engaging with science teaching that is more conceptual-based, while increasing their sensitivity to students’ common conceptions that constrained the learning of canonical science.
Impact assessment of funding on technology acquisition by small businesses
Authors: Madichie Nnamdi O. , Mpiti Nosiphiwe , Rambe Patient
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the influence of funding on the technology acquisition by small businesses in a metropolitan municipality, Mangaung, which governs Bloemfontein and surrounding towns in the Free State province of South Africa.

Methodology/design/approach

A case study using survey research strategy of 110 small businesses in a South African municipality informed the research design for this study. The structured questionnaires were quantitatively analysed yielding both descriptive and regression results to address the research objectives.

Findings

The findings suggest that the prime sources of public funding for hair salon businesses are the National Youth Development Agency and the Small Enterprise Development Agency. The results also demonstrate that public funding has a negative and significant impact on technology acquisition, perhaps suggesting the complexity of debt financing and the exorbitant interest rates charged on principals borrowed by foreign nationals.

Originality/value

The study recommends the judicious acquisition of inexpensive technologies (e.g. social media platforms) and cautionary utilisation of complex technologies and personal savings before resorting to external borrowing.
Lean construction implementation in the Moroccan construction industry
Authors: Bajjou Mohamed Saad , Chafi Anas
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Lean construction provides innovative practices to manage construction projects while reducing waste and improving performance. This paper aims to explore the current level of awareness of lean construction practices among Moroccan construction professionals to assess the potential benefits derived from lean construction practices and to identify the critical barriers hindering a successful implementation.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper opted for a quantitative approach by using a structured questionnaire survey. A total of 330 valid responses were collected from Moroccan construction practitioners involved in private and public construction organisations.

Findings

The results show that 61 per cent of the respondents are familiar with lean construction practices. The findings have also pointed out that the lean construction approach adds a positive impact, specifically on quality, safety and environmental level. In addition, the main barriers hindering a successful lean construction deployment in Morocco are lack of knowledge about lean construction philosophy, unskilled human resources and insufficient financial resources.

Originality/value

This study provides a new insight into the implementation of lean construction in Morocco. It contributes to the body of knowledge, as it uncovers for the first time the level of awareness, the potential benefits derived from lean construction practices and the barriers to implementing lean construction in the Moroccan construction industry. Exploring the current state of lean construction implementation can help practitioners, companies and researchers in the Moroccan construction industry to focus their effort and resources on the significant issues necessary to assist a successful implementation of lean construction. Furthermore, the findings of this study could prove valuable to other countries in Africa, especially those sharing similarities to the Moroccan context.
Identifying opportunities for artificial intelligence in the evolution of training and development practices
Authors: Maity Souvik
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The fast pace of innovation and disruption in business processes and technology today requires employees of organizations to be continuously up-skilled and be able to adapt to changing practices. Training needs are becoming more personalized. Micro-learning and byte-sized training modules, easily accessible to employees, as and when required, are some of the major organizational needs. Training and development programs should be designed keeping in mind factors of employee engagement, involvement and extent of training transfer. The purpose of this paper is to explore whether artificial intelligence (AI) can lead training and development processes in organizations in the years to come.

Design/methodology/approach

The author has interviewed 27 HR and training professionals, in person, from across eight organizations in the FMCG, oil and natural gas and clothing and apparel industries. All these organizations have an annual turnover of greater than US$14.5m. A formal questionnaire was not followed since this research explores a new field in academia. Open-ended questions were used in the interviews, of which eight were common across all interviews. The mean interview duration was 25 min 33 s. The objective being to capture ideas and identify future trends, the analysis was done on a percentage basis and served as the foundation for a new training and development needs model for organizations.

Findings

Among the 27 HR/training professionals interviewed, 92.6 percent respondents believed that their organization/department requires knowledge management practices while 40.7 percent require the training content delivered to a fixed category of employees, to be updated continuously. Personalized learning was mentioned as a requirement by 63 percent of the respondents. In total, 92.6 percent HR/training professionals believed training programs should involve high employee engagement. In total, 51.9 percent would prefer on-the-go learning tools for their employees, while 33.33 percent respondents believed an intuitive e-learning interface would be useful for their organization/department. The findings also led to the foundation of an SIP model, which shall be useful in providing direction to AI systems in training and development practices.

Research limitations/implications

The paper opens up avenues for further research to be conducted in identifying the areas of impact of AI in training and development. It paves the way for researchers to quantify training effectiveness and measure it with the help of AI.

Practical implications

The objective of the paper is to explore the opportunities for AI in training and development practices. Having identified the opportunities, it shall drive the practice of using AI across industries.

Originality/value

The thoughts in the paper have been ideated by the authors organically. Relevant data points from referred sources have been cited to back up those thoughts.
Staff acting resiliently at two hospital wards
Authors: Thude Bettina Ravnborg , Juhl Andreas Granhof , Stenager Egon , von Plessen Christian , Hollnagel Erik
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to understand how the hospital staff (nurses and physicians) at two hospital wards have coped with everyday work having leaders in conflict or longer periods without one or the other leader and whether the way the staff handled the challenges was resilient.

Design/methodology/approach

Through semi-structured interviews with the staff at the two wards, the authors analysed how the staff were working, if they had cooperation and interdisciplinary cooperation, how they would handle uncertainties and how they coped with the absence of their leaders.

Findings

The staff at both wards were handling the everyday work in a resilient way. The authors argue that to increase the resilience in an organisation, leaders should acknowledge the need to establish strong emotional ties among staff and at the same time ensure role structures that make sense in the everyday work.

Originality/value

This study reports on original work and shows what decision makers could do to increase resilience in an organisation. This paper shows that the organisational context is important for the staff to act resiliently. As leaders come and go, it can be important for the stability of the organisation to promote the staff in acting resiliently independent of the leader situation.
SWAT mobilization trends: testing assumptions of police militarization
Authors: Koslicki Wendy
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to empirically test common explanations for the growth of police militarization and to determine whether federal funding, such as Byrne grants, had a significant effect on the growth and normalization of SWAT teams.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing from data spanning the years 1986-1998, an interrupted time series analysis is used to assess whether federal funding has a significant influence on the growth of SWAT teams and their mobilization for narcotics grants.

Findings

The findings of this analysis suggest that, at the time where federal funding was at its peak (the year 1990), there was a significant decrease in SWAT team creation compared to the years prior. There was likewise a significant decrease in SWAT mobilization for narcotics warrant in the years following 1990.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this study is that unmeasured exogenous factors in the year 1990 may have influenced militarization trends. However, given the counterintuitive findings of this study, it is essential that more nuanced research is conducted regarding police militarization to gain a clearer understanding of trends in police culture. As this study finds that militarization is not significantly driven by federal funding, future research must incorporate other factors to explain police organizational change.

Originality/value

This paper provides an advanced empirical analysis that is one of the first to directly test commonly held explanations for police militarization. This analysis adds complexity to the issue of US police militarization and demonstrates that further research is essential in this area.
The effects of differential timing in the adoption of BWCs on civilian complaints
Authors: Alda Erik
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The study examined the effects of body-worn cameras (BWCs) on civilian complaints against police using a non-representative national sample of police organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical approach employed a staggered difference in differences design (DiD) that exploited the variation in the timing of adoption of BWCs by police agencies from 2007 to 2016. The study considered two scenarios: (1) a model without any explanatory variables; and (2) a model with explanatory variables. Furthermore, in each model the author two different comparison groups: (1) agencies that never adopted this technology and (2) agencies that adopted BWCs at a later time.

Findings

The model without explanatory variables suggest strong and statistically significant reductions in complaints. The simple average estimates show reductions in civilian complaints between 13% and 14%, depending on the model. This is the equivalent of an average reduction of about 30 civilian complaints per capita. The dynamic effects suggested that the length of exposure to BWCs matters in reducing civilian complaints, showing a significant reduction of 47% in civilian complaints. The models with explanatory variables also show slightly lower declines in civilian complaints.

Originality/value

The surge in the adoption of BWCs by police agencies sparked a parallel surge of studies examining their effectiveness on various outcomes. Most research to date has use experimental designs on a single police agency or a small group of agencies. Few studies have employed a large sample of agencies or periods longer than six to 12 months. Evidence on the effects of BWCs on a range of outcomes from larger multi-agency studies and longer periods of analysis will support the already robust specialized literature and inform policymakers about the effectiveness of this technology over time.
Storytelling as a portal to deeper wisdom in the curriculum studies of education and nursing
Authors: Holmes Kimberley , Sealock Kara
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore storytelling in post-secondary instruction and to reflect upon the authors’ experiences as instructors in two diverse areas of study. Both nursing and education promote a theory-based approach that is disconnected from the practical application of skills required.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose that using storytelling in the undergraduate classroom promotes an emotional engagement with the material, creates authentic human connections and demonstrates a practical application of content. The sharing of personal narratives creates a portal through which we understand the meaningful human element of the work, and the collective essence of our world. The authors believe that these outcomes are essential for the development of an empathetic and compassionate professional who understands the significance of the emotional, social and cognitive component of holistic learning that is required for the eventual acquisition of mastery in our disciplines.

Findings

Based on the authors’ experiences, the authors have found that storytelling creates a bridge between the curriculum theory and the implementation of that theory in the living world within the respective disciplines.

Practical implications

As instructors at the University of Calgary, in the Faculty of Education and Nursing, the authors see many intersections in the work and the instructional methodologies that the authors implement in the undergraduate classrooms to allow for authentic learning experiences. These cross-curricular connections have caused us to reflect on the use of storytelling in the humanities to promote emotions, create connections and demonstrate a practical and authentic application of theoretic concepts in both the undergraduate education and nursing programs.

Originality/value

This is an original piece of duo-ethnographic work composed by two researchers who were reflecting on praxis.
Efficacy and safety of the selective TYK2 inhibitor, deucravacitinib, in Japanese patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis: Subgroup analysis of a randomized, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled, global phase 3 trial
Authors: Imafuku Shinichi , Tada Yayoi , Hippeli Lauren , Banerjee Subhashis , Morita Akimichi , Ohtsuki Mamitaro
Published: March 2023

Deucravacitinib is an oral, selective, allosteric tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor that demonstrated superior efficacy versus placebo and apremilast in a global phase 3 trial (POETYK PSO‐1; NCT03624127) in patients with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (N = 666). This report describes efficacy and safety in Japanese patients from this study (N = 66) who were randomly assigned to treatment with deucravacitinib 6 mg once daily (n = 32), placebo (n = 17), or apremilast 30 mg twice daily (n = 17). Patients randomized to placebo crossed over to deucravacitinib at Week 16. Patients randomized to apremilast who did not achieve ≥50% reduction from baseline in Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI 50) score at Week 24 switched to deucravacitinib. The proportion of Japanese patients achieving ≥75% reduction from baseline in PASI (PASI 75) score was numerically higher with deucravacitinib versus placebo and apremilast at Week 16 (78.1% vs. 11.8% and 23.5%, respectively) and versus apremilast at Week 24 (78.1% vs. 29.4%). A numerically higher proportion of patients achieved a static Physician's Global Assessment score of 0 or 1 (clear or almost clear) with at least a two‐point improvement from baseline (sPGA 0/1) with deucravacitinib versus placebo or apremilast at Week 16 (75.0% vs. 11.8% and 35.3%) and versus apremilast at Week 24 (75.0% vs. 29.4%). Findings for other clinical and patient‐reported outcomes also favored deucravacitinib. Response rates were maintained through 52 weeks in the deucravacitinib group. Incidence rates for adverse events per 100 person‐years (PY) in the Japanese patients were comparable across treatment groups through Week 52 (deucravacitinib, 336.8/100 PY; placebo, 321.0/100 PY; apremilast, 358.6/100 PY). The most frequently reported adverse event with deucravacitinib was nasopharyngitis. The efficacy and safety of deucravacitinib in Japanese patients was consistent with those in the global population in POETYK PSO‐1.
Exploring the potential common psychotherapeutic factors: use of cognitive behavioural therapy, mindful yoga and positive psychology in enhancing the well‐being of students with SENs in Hong Kong
Authors: Chan Hiu Wo , Wong Daniel Fu Keung , Kwok Sylvia Lai Yuk Ching , Lo Herman Hay Ming , Ng Ting Kin
Published: March 2023

This study examined the effects of cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), mindful yoga and positive psychology interventions and identified common psychotherapeutic elements that exert critical treatment effects on Hong Kong Chinese students with special educational needs (SENs). Forty‐seven participants received CBT intervention while 42 and 41 participants received mindful yoga and positive psychology interventions, respectively (N = 130). Mixed ANOVAs revealed no significant interaction effect between time and intervention condition on any outcome variables. However, within‐subjects ANOVA revealed significant improvements in some dimensions within each intervention, including areas of behavioural problems, positive feelings and positive relationships. Changes in negative automatic thoughts were also found to lessen negative emotions in all three interventions. This study ascertained the differential effects of the selected approaches in ameliorating negative emotion, reducing behavioural problems and enhancing positive relationships among students with SENs in various treatment approaches. In addition, this study highlighted several common psychotherapeutic elements, which could potentially serve as important factors and constitute the formulation of an integrative psychotherapeutic framework for enhancing the well‐being of students with SENs in Hong Kong. Finally, implications for practice and the possible development of an integrative intervention model were discussed.