bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Association of the timing and type of acute symptomatic seizures with post-stroke epilepsy and mortality
Authors: Schubert Kai Michael , Zieglgänsberger Dominik , Bicciato Giulio , Abraira Laura , Santamarina Estevo , Álvarez-Sabín José , Ferreira-Atuesta Carolina , Katan Mira , Sinka Lucia , Terziev Robert , Döhler Nico , Erdélyi-Canavese Barbara , Felbecker Ansgar , Siebel Philip , Winklehner Michael , von Oertzen Tim J , Wagner Judith N. , Gigli Gian Luigi , Nilo Annacarmen , Janes Francesco , Merlino Giovanni , Valente Mariarosaria , Zafra-Sierra María Paula , Mayor-Romero Luis Carlos , Conrad Julian , Evers Stefan , Alet Matias , Fukuma Kazuki , Ihara Masafumi , Landau Benjamin , Lochner Piergiorgio , Roell Frauke , Brigo Francesco , Bentes Carla , Peralta Ana Rita , Pinho e Melo Teresa , Keezer Mark R , Duncan John S , Sander Josemir W , Tettenborn Barbara , Koepp Matthias J , Galovic Marian
Published: December 2024

Background

Acute symptomatic seizures (ASyS) increase the risk of epilepsy and mortality after a stroke. The impact of the timing and type of ASyS remains unclear.

Methods

This multicenter cohort study included data from nine centers between 2002 and 2018, with final analysis in February 2024. The study included 4,552 adults (2,005 female; median age 73 years) with ischemic stroke and no seizure history. We examined ASyS occurring within seven days after stroke. Main outcomes were all-cause mortality and epilepsy. Validation in three separate cohorts included 74 adults with ASyS.

Results

The ten-year risk of post-stroke epilepsy ranged from 41% to 94%, and mortality from 36% to 100%, depending on ASyS type and timing. ASyS on stroke onset day had a higher epilepsy risk (aHR 2.3, 95% CI 1.3-4.0, p=0.003) compared to later ASyS. Status epilepticus had the highest epilepsy risk (aHR 9.6, 95% CI 3.5-26.7, p<0.001), followed by focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures (aHR 3.4, 95% CI 1.9-6.3, p<0.001). Mortality was higher in those with ASyS presenting as focal to bilateral tonic-clonic seizures on day 0 (aHR 2.8, 95% CI 1.4-5.6, p=0.004) and status epilepticus (aHR 14.2, 95% CI 3.5-58.8, p<0.001). The novel SeLECT-ASyS model, available as an app, outperformed a previous model in the derivation cohort (concordance statistic 0.68 vs. 0.58, p=0.02) and in the validation cohort (0.70 vs. 0.50, p=0.18).

Conclusions

ASyS timing and type significantly affect epilepsy and mortality risk after stroke, improving epilepsy prediction and guiding patient counseling.
Generative AI and genetic analyses indicate metformin as a drug repurposing candidate for normal tension glaucoma
Authors: Jiang Junhong , Hu Di , Zhang Qi , Lin Zenan
Published: December 2024

Background

The normal tension glaucoma (NTG) has limited drug options since current anti-glaucoma medications are mostly designed to decrease intraocular pressure (IOP). The emerging generative artificial intelligence (GAI) may provide an unprecedented approach for its drug repurposing research.

Methods

First, we iteratively interactivated with ChatGPT using 10 independent queries. Each query consists of two prompts, which asked ChatGPT to offer 20 drug repurposing candidates (DRCs) for NTG. The same process was employed to find DRCs with other two GAI models (i.e Google Gemini Advance and Anthropic Claude). The DRCs were quantified and ranked by their appearing frequency and orders. By tasking GAI and DrugBank database, the targets for the selected DRCs were identified. Then, the ChEMBL database was utilized to find the target-associated genes. The relevant instrumental variables (IVs) mapped to these genes were then identified with the GTEX dataset. In order to quantify the drugs’ effect, the mediation exposures (e.g. HbA1c for metformin) for the identified drugs were introduced to the single SNP mendelian randomization (SSMR) to filter the IVs with significant causal influence on the mediation traits. The filtered IVs were then utilized to measure the DRCs’ causal effect on NTG.

Results

Our results showed that three drugs (i.e. Metformin, Losartan, Mementine) appeared simultaneously in the suggesting lists generated by three GAI models. By utilizing GAI and DrugBank database, 8, 2 and 7 targets were identified for them, respectively. After searching ChEMBL and GTEx, the targets associated genes were identified for selecting corresponding IVs. Finaly, the SSMR kept 308 IVs for metformin, 11 for losartan, 180 for memantine. Applying the target-based MR, we found that, metformin may exert causal influence on NTG through targets GLP-1 and gluconeogenic enzymes, while no obvious causal links were detected in the study on losartan and mementine.

Conclusions

Our results offered novel evidences to support the metformin’s repurposing in NTG patients. Moreover, we firstly proposed a novel paradigm consisting of GAI and genetic tools, which could serve as an effective pipeline for drug repurposing investigations of other diseases.
Advance Transfer Learning Approach for Identification of Multiclass Skin Disease with LIME Explainable AI Technique
Authors: Mahmud Muhammad Zawad , Reza Md Shihab , Alve Shahran Rahman , Islam Samiha , Fahmid Nafis
Published: December 2024

In dermatological diagnosis, accurately and appropriately classifying skin diseases is crucial for timely treatment, thereby improving patient outcomes. Our goal is to develop transfer learning models that can detect skin disease from images. We performed our study in the “Skin Cancer: MNIST HAM10000” dataset. This dataset has seven categories, including melanocytic nevi, melanoma, benign keratosis (solar lentigo/seborrheic keratosis), basal cell carcinoma, actinic keratoses, intraepithelial carcinoma (Bowen’s disease), vascular lesions, and more. To leverage pre-trained feature extraction, we use five available models—ResNet50, InceptionV3, VGG16, VGG19, and MobileNetV2. Overall results from these models show that ResNet50 is the least time-intensive and has the best accuracy (99%) in comparison to other classification performances. Interestingly, with a notable accuracy of 97.5%, MobileNetV2 also seems to be adequate in scenarios with less computational power than ResNet50. Finally, to interpret our black box model, we have used LIME as an explainable AI technique (XAI) to identify how the model is classifying the disease. The results emphasize the utility of transfer learning for optimizing diagnostic accuracy in skin disease classification, blending performance and resource efficiency as desired. The findings from this study may contribute to the development of automated tools for dermatological diagnosis and enable clinicians to reduce skin conditions in a timely manner.
Hydrogel encapsulation of a designed fluorescent protein biosensor for continuous measurements of sub-100 nanomolar nicotine
Authors: Nichols Aaron L. , Marotta Christopher B. , Wagenaar Daniel A. , Mayo Stephen L. , Dougherty Dennis A. , Lester Henry A.
Published: December 2024

The reinforcing and addictive properties of nicotine result from concentration- and time-dependent activation, desensitization, and upregulation of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors. However, time-resolved [nicotine] measurement in people who consume nicotine is challenging, as current approaches are expensive, invasive, tedious, and discontinuous. To address the challenge of continuous nicotine monitoring in human biofluids, we report the encapsulation of a purified, previously developed fluorescent biosensor protein, iNicSnFR12, into acrylamide hydrogels and polyethylene glycol diacrylate (PEGDA) hydrogels. We optimized the hydrogels for optical clarity and straightforward slicing. With fluorescence photometry of the hydrogels in a microscope and an integrated miniscope, [nicotine] is detected within a few min at the smoking- and vaping-relevant level of 10 - 100 nM (1.62 – 16.2 ng/ml), even in a 250 µm thick hydrogel at the end of 400 µm dia multimode fiber optic. Concentration-response relations are consistent with previous measurements on isolated iNicSnFR12. Leaching of iN-icSnFR12 from the hydrogel and inactivation of iNicSnFR12 are minimal for several days, and nicotine can be detected for at least 10 months after casting. This work provides the molecular, photophysical, and mechanical bases for personal, wearable continuous [nicotine] monitoring, with straightforward extensions to existing, homologous “iDrugSnFR” proteins for other abused and prescribed drugs.
Glucose-6-phosphatase is required for organelle reorganization, energy metabolism and motility ofDrosophilasperm
Authors: Hedjazi Sheida , Miyamoto Tetsuya , Ahn Ji-Eun , Sitcheran Raquel M. , Amrein Hubert
Published: December 2024

Glucose-6-Phosphatase (G6Pase), a key enzyme in gluconeogenesis and glycogenolysis in the mammalian liver and kidney, converts glucose-6-phosphate to glucose for maintaining systemic blood glucose homeostasis during nutrient deprivation. However, its function has remained elusive in insects, which have no need for G6Pase in sugar homeostasis since they convert glucose-6-phosphate to trehalose, their main circulating sugar, via trehalose phosphate synthase (TPS1). In this study we identify an unexpected and essential requirement for G6Pase inDrosophilamale fertility, specifically to produce motile sperm. InG6Pmutant males, spermatogenesis and spermiogenesis appear to proceed normally, leading to the production and transfer of mature sperm. However, once inside the female reproductive tract,G6Pmutant sperm exhibit severely reduced tail beat frequency and only rarely enter an egg. Moreover, when compared to wild type sperm,G6P-deficient sperm are depleted more rapidly from the spermatheca and seminal receptacle, the female sperm storage organs. Immunohistochemical analyses show thatG6Pmutant spermatocytes present with an enlarged and stressed endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and a diminished Golgi apparatus. Additionally, the acrosome, a Golgi derived organelle that is critical for sperm capacitation, exhibits diminished expression of the transmembrane protein SNEAKY, which is essential to breakdown the sperm plasma membrane after fertilization. Metabolic analyses show impairment of both basal and compensatory glycolysis, as well as ATP production, in testes ofG6Pmutant males. Taken together, our investigations unveil a novel and crucial function for G6Pase in male fertility, highlighting its importance in regulating energy homeostasis in reproductive tissues.
Dynamic ensembles of SARS-CoV-2 N-protein reveal head-to-head coiled-coil-driven oligomerization and phase separation
Authors: Hernandez Guillem Gras , Martins Maria L. , Fernandes Nuno P. , Veloso Tiago , Lopes Joao , Gomes Tiago , Cordeiro Tiago
Published: December 2024

The SARS-CoV-2 nucleocapsid (N) protein is essential for the viral lifecycle, facilitating RNA packaging, replication, and host-cell interactions. Its ability to self-assemble and undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) is critical for these functions but remains poorly understood. Using an integrated approach combining small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, computational modeling, and complementary biophysical assays, we uncover key mechanisms underpinning N-protein's dynamic self-assembly. We show that the N-protein's interdomain linker (IDL) contains a conserved coiled-coil (CC) motif that drives transient interactions between protein subunits, enabling the formation of progressively larger complexes at higher concentrations. SAXS analysis and ensemble modeling reveal that the IDL exists in a concentration-dependent equilibrium between monomeric, dimeric, and trimeric states. The CC motif facilitates parallel, head-to-head oligomerization of N-protein dimers, transitioning between compact (closed) and extended (open) configurations depending on the interaction network within the IDL. This linker-driven assembly modulates LLPS, impacting the size, stability, and dynamics of biomolecular condensates. Here, we present the most comprehensive conformational landscape analysis of the N-protein to date, providing a detailed model of its self-assembly and LLPS. Our findings highlight how the structural plasticity of the IDL and CC-mediated interactions are pivotal to its roles in the SARS-CoV-2 lifecycle.
A distinct mechanism of RNA recognition by the transcription factor GATA1
Authors: Ugay Daniella A. , Batey Robert T. , Wuttke Deborah S.
Published: December 2024

Several human transcription factors (TFs) have been reported to directly bind RNA through non-canonical RNA-binding domains; however, most of these TFs remain to be further validated asbona fideRNA-binding proteins (RBPs). Our systematic analysis of RBP discovery datasets reveals a varied set of candidate TF-RBPs that encompass most TF families. These candidate RBPs include members of the GATA family, which are essential factors in embryonic development. Investigation of the RNA-binding features of GATA1, a major hematopoietic TF, reveals robust non-sequence specific binding to RNAsin vitro. Moreover, RNA binding by GATA1 is competitive with DNA binding, which occurs through a shared binding surface spanning the DNA-binding domain and arginine-rich motif (ARM) like domain. We show that the ARM-like domain contributes both substantially to high-affinity DNA binding and electrostatically to plastic RNA recognition, suggesting that the separable RBD assigned to the ARM-domain in GATA1 is an oversimplification of a more complex recognition network. These biochemical data demonstrate a unified integration of DNA- and RNA-binding surfaces within GATA1, whereby the ARM-like domain provides an electrostatic surface for RNA binding but does not fully dominate GATA1-RNA interactions, which may also apply to other TF-RBPs. This competitive DNA/RNA binding activity using overlapping nucleic acid binding regions points to the possibility of RNA-mediated regulation of GATA1 function during hematopoiesis. Our study highlights the multifunctionality of DNA-binding domains in RNA recognition and supports the need for robust characterization of predicted non-canonical RNA-binding domains such as ARM-like domains.
The molecular basis of integrated stress response silencing
Authors: Yang Zhi , Haakonsen Diane L. , Heider Michael , Witus Samuel R. , Zelter Alex , Beschauner Tobias , MacCoss Michael J. , Rapé Michael
Published: December 2024

Chronic stress response activation impairs cell survival and causes devastating degenerative diseases. To counteract this, cells deploy dedicated silencing factors, such as the E3 ligase SIFI that terminates the mitochondrial stress response. How a single enzyme can sense stress across cells and elicit timely stress response inactivation is poorly understood. Here, we report the structure of human SIFI, which revealed how this 1.3MDa complex can target hundreds of proteins for accurate stress response silencing. SIFI attaches the first ubiquitin to substrates using flexible domains within an easily accessible scaffold, yet builds linkage-specific ubiquitin chains at distinct, sterically restricted elongation modules in its periphery. Ubiquitin handover via a ubiquitin-like domain couples versatile substrate modification to precise chain elongation. Stress response silencing therefore exploits a catalytic mechanism that is geared to process many diverse proteins and hence allows a single enzyme to monitor and, if appropriate, modulate a complex cellular state.
TET knockout cells transit between pluripotent states and exhibit precocious germline entry
Authors: Pantier Raphaël , Barbieri Elisa , Brito Sara Gonzalez , Thomson Ella , Tatar Tülin , Colby Douglas , Zhang Man , Chambers Ian
Published: December 2024

TET1, TET2 and TET3 are DNA demethylases with critical roles in development and differentiation. To assess the contributions of TET proteins to cell function during early development, single and compound knockouts ofTetgenes in mouse pluripotent embryonic stem cells (ESCs) were generated. Here we show that TET proteins are not required to transit between naïve, formative and primed pluripotency. Moreover, ESCs with double-knockouts ofTet1andTet2or triple-knockouts ofTet1, Tet2andTet3are phenotypically indistinguishable. These TET-deficient ESCs exhibit differentiate defects; they fail to activate somatic gene expression and retain expression of pluripotency transcription factors. Therefore, TET1 and TET2, but not TET3 act redundantly to facilitate somatic differentiation. Importantly however, TET-deficient ESCs can differentiate into primordial germ cell-like cells (PGCLCs), and do so at high efficiency in the presence or absence of PGC-promoting cytokines. Moreover, acquisition of a PGCLC transcriptional programme occurs more rapidly in TET-deficient cells. These results establish that TET proteins act at the juncture between somatic and germline fates: without TET proteins, epiblast cell differentiation defaults to the germline.
The VGCC auxiliary subunit α2δ1 is an extracellular GluA1 interactor and regulates LTP, spatial memory, and seizure susceptibility
Authors: Leana-Sandoval Gerardo , Kolli Ananth V. , Sandoval Matthew A. , Saavedra Emily , Li Kathy H. , Chen Lulu Y. , Burlingame Alma L. , Ramírez-Franco Jorge , Díaz-Alonso Javier
Published: December 2024

Activity-dependent synaptic accumulation of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) and subsequent long-term synaptic strengthening underlie different forms of learning and memory. The AMPAR subunit GluA1 amino-terminal domain is essential for synaptic docking of AMPAR during LTP, but the precise mechanisms involved are not fully understood. Using unbiased proteomics, we identified the epilepsy and intellectual disability-associated VGCC auxiliary subunit α2δ1 as a candidate extracellular AMPAR slot. Presynaptic α2δ1 deletion in CA3 affects synaptic AMPAR incorporation during long-term potentiation, but not basal synaptic transmission, at CA1 synapses. Consistently, mice lacking α2δ1 in CA3 display a specific impairment in CA1-dependent spatial memory, but not in memory tests involving other cortical regions. Decreased seizure susceptibility in mice lacking α2δ1 in CA3 suggests a regulation of circuit excitability by α2δ1/AMPAR interactions. Our study sheds light on the regulation of activity-dependent AMPAR trafficking, and highlights the synaptic organizing roles of α2δ1.

Significance statement

Activity-dependent accumulation of AMPA receptors (AMPARs) at excitatory synapses and subsequent synaptic strengthening underlies long-term potentiation (LTP), forms of learning and memory, and some epilepsies. The “slot model” posits that postsynaptic scaffolding contain “slots” for AMPAR complexes, and that increased synaptic activity augments the availability of slots to accommodate more receptors, thereby strengthening synapses and enabling LTP. The presence of the GluA1 AMPAR subunit amino-terminal domain (ATD) has recently emerged as an additional requirement for LTP. Here we identify the auxiliary voltage-gated calcium channel subunit α2δ1 as a GluA1 ATD interacting protein and provide evidence supporting a role for α2δ1 as an extracellular AMPAR slot regulating activity dependent synaptic AMPAR clustering, excitability, and cognitive function.
Decoding task representations that support generalization in hierarchical task
Authors: Lee Woo-Tek , Hazeltine Eliot , Jiang Jiefeng
Published: December 2024

Task knowledge is encoded hierarchically such that complex tasks are composed of simpler tasks. This compositional organization also supports generalization to facilitate learning of related but novel complex tasks. To study how the brain implements composition and generalization in hierarchical task learning, we trained human participants on two complex tasks that shared a simple task and tested them on a novel complex task whose composition could be inferred via the shared simple task. Behaviorally, we observed faster learning of the novel complex task than control tasks (i.e., behavioral generalization effect). Using electroencephalogram (EEG) data, we could decode the constituent simple tasks when a complex task was performed (i.e., EEG composition effect). Crucially, the shared simple task, although not part of the novel complex task, could be reliably decoded from the novel complex task. The decoding strength was also correlated with EEG composition effect and behavioral generalization effect. The findings demonstrate how generalization in task learning is implemented via task reinstatement.

Significance Statement

Humans can generalize knowledge of existing tasks to accelerate the learning of new tasks. We hypothesize that generalization is achieved by decomposing a complex task into simple (sub)tasks and reusing the simple tasks to infer the structure of a new complex task and build it. Using electroencephalogram data, we showed that constituent simple tasks can be decoded from of humans learning new complex tasks. Crucially, when the structure of a new complex task can be inferred from simple tasks, the simple tasks can be decoded from the new complex task, even when they are not part of the new complex task. These findings demonstrate the importance of the reinstatement of simple tasks in task learning through generalization.
Molecular evolution of a reproductive barrier in maize and related species
Authors: Cryan Elli , Phinney Garnet , Seetharam Arun S. , Evans Matthew M.S. , Kellogg Elizabeth A. , Zhan Junpeng , Meyers Blake C. , Kliebenstein Daniel J. , Ross-Ibarra Jeffrey
Published: December 2024

Three cross-incompatibility loci each control a distinct reproductive barrier in both domesticated maize (Zea maysssp.mays) and its wild teosinte relatives. These three loci,Teosinte crossing barrier1(Tcb1),Gametophytic factor1(Ga1), andGa2, each play a key role in preventing hybridization between incompatible populations and are proposed to maintain the barrier between domesticated and wild subspecies. Each locus encodes both a silk-active and a matching pollen-active pectin methylesterase (PMEs). To investigate the diversity and molecular evolution of these gametophytic factor loci, we identified existing and improved models of the responsible genes in a new genome assembly of maize line P8860 that contains active versions of all three loci. We then examined fifty-two assembled genomes from seventeen species to classify haplotype diversity and identify sites under diversifying selection during the evolution of these genes. We show thatGa2, the oldest of these three loci, was duplicated to formGa1at least 12 million years ago.Tcb1, the youngest locus, arose as a duplicate ofGa1before or around the time of diversification of theZeagenus. We find evidence of positive selection during evolution of the functional genes at an active site in the pollen-expressed PME and predicted surface sites in both the silk- and pollen-expressed PMEs. The most common allele at theGa1locus is a conservedga1allele (ga1-Off), which is specific haplotype containing three full-length PME gene copies, all of which are non-coding due to conserved stop codons and are between 610 thousand and 1.5 million years old. We show that thega1-Offallele is associated with and likely generates 24-nt siRNAs in developing pollen-producing tissue, and these siRNAs map to functionalGa1alleles. In previously-published crosses, thega1-Offallele was associated with reduced function of the typically dominant functional alleles for the Ga1 and Tcb1 barriers. Taken together, this seems to be an example of a type of epigenetic trans-homolog silencing known as paramutation functioning at a locus controlling a reproductive barrier.
Competing magnetic states on the surface of multilayer ABC-stacked graphene
Authors: Braz Lauro B. , Nag Tanay , Black-Schaffer Annica M.
Published: December 2024

We study interaction-mediated magnetism on the surface of ABC-multilayer graphene driven by its zero-energy topological flat bands. Using the random-phase approximation, we treat onsite Hubbard repulsion and find multiple competing magnetic states, due to both intra- and intervalley scattering, with the latter causing an enlarged magnetic unit cell. At half-filling and when the Hubbard repulsion is weak, we observe two different ferromagnetic orders. Once the Hubbard repulsion becomes more realistic, new ferrimagnetic orders arise with distinct incommensurate intra- or intervalley scattering vectors depending on interaction strength and doping, leading to a multitude of competing magnetic states.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Remarks on the origin of almost-Gaussian scaling in asymptotically safe quantum gravity
Authors: Becker Maximilian , Kurov Alexander , Saueressig Frank
Published: December 2024

The gravitational asymptotic safety program envisions the high-energy completion of gravity through an interacting renormalization group fixed point, the Reuter fixed point. The predictive power of the construction is encoded in the spectrum of the stability matrix which is obtained from linearizing the renormalization group flow around this fixed point. A key result of the asymptotic safety program is that parts of this spectrum exhibit an almost-Gaussian scaling behavior, entailing that operators which are classically highly UV irrelevant do not induce new free parameters. In this article, we track down the origin of this property by contrasting the structure of the stability matrix computed from the Wetterich equation and the composite-operator equation within the realm of f(R) truncations. We show that the almost-Gaussian scaling is not linked to the classical part of the beta functions. It is a quantum-induced almost-Gaussian scaling originating from the quantum corrections in the flow equation. It relies on a subtle interplay among the analytic structure of the theory’s two-point function and the way the Wetterich equation integrates out fluctuation modes. As a byproduct we determine the parts of the eigenmode spectrum that is robust with respect to changing the regularization procedure.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Being left behind: disclosure strategies to manage the Juukan Gorge cave blast
Authors: Kaur Amanpreet , Lodhia Sumit , Lesue Alexander
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how disclosures through different communication media were used by the Australian mining company Rio Tinto to manage its reputation after the Juukan Gorge Cave Blast.

Design/methodology/approach

Case study research was used with a focus on a single case, Rio Tinto and the Juukan Gorge incident. Data on sustainability disclosures were collected from Rio Tinto’s website, corporate reports and social media platforms (Facebook, X and LinkedIn) for the 2020 and 2021 periods. Gioia methodology was applied to analyse disclosure strategies and an extended Reputation Risk Management (RRM) framework was used as a conceptual lens.

Findings

The findings reveal a slow and inappropriate initial response from the company resulting in negative reputational consequences for the company’s senior executives. Although the company’s initial response was to avoid responsibility and mitigate offensiveness, it gradually accepted full responsibility and adopted reparation strategies such as corrective action, mortification and stakeholder engagement to rebuild its reputation. The temporal analysis suggests that Rio Tinto was “left behind” as a result of its initial response, limiting the effectiveness of its subsequent RRM strategies.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study contribute to an improved understanding of communication strategies for managing a reputation crisis. The extended RRM framework developed in this study provides a comprehensive list of various disclosure strategies that can be used in future studies that analyse disclosure post an environmental or social incident.

Practical implications

The findings of the study provide insights into the effectiveness of different communication strategies when communicating to stakeholders with varied interests. This study highlights that the timing of the response is critical to restoring lost reputation and a slow response which emphasises financial stakeholders at the expense of the affected communities can be detrimental to RRM, no matter how well-intentioned subsequent strategies are.

Social implications

This research focuses on a marginal stakeholder group, Indigenous people and communities. The findings offer insights to society into whether corporate strategies to manage a reputation crisis promote and support equity and inclusivity.

Originality/value

This study focuses on a community-based stakeholder, Indigenous groups, a context that has unique cultural intricacies and requires a transition beyond a corporate perspective on RRM.
Measuring organic food consumption experience: scale development and validation
Authors: Liang Austin Rong-Da , Wang Tung-Sheng , Yeh Yu-Chen , Hsiao Teng-Yuan
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop organic food consumption experience (OFCE) scales based on structural/functional theory.

Design/methodology/approach

In the first step, the construct and item generation of OFCE were developed by a literature review, and 58 items were created for the item pool. In the second step, qualitative interviews were used to evaluate and maintain 35 items. In the third step, an online survey collected 543 valid samples to test reliability and validity with exploratory factor analysis in phase 3A. The AHP method was also used to confirm the construct and items in phase 3B. In the final step, 1,017 valid samples were collected by face-to-face survey to test the formal scale with confirmatory factor analysis.

Findings

This study defines OFCE as the internal and subjective responses that result from a series of interactions between consumers, the shopping environment and organic food. Meanwhile, six dimensions are named: organic food quality, store interactions, organic certification, convenience concerns, health benefits, caring for family and sense of responsibility. In addition, there are significant differences between organic food businesses and consumers regarding their perceptions of OFCE.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is among the first studies to develop OFCE scales. In addition, the results of the study can potentially help organic food marketers develop new promotion strategies.
Unveiling structural and emotional drivers of dynamic capabilities in family firms: the contingent role of firm size
Authors: Forés Beatriz , Fernández-Yáñez José María , Camisón-Zornoza César , Kallmuenzer Andreas , Valeri Marco
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study investigates the influence of family involvement in firm ownership on the deployment of dynamic capabilities, differentiating between the more structural aspects of family ownership (i.e. ownership dispersion) and the more emotional aspects (i.e. wealth concentration).

Design/methodology/approach

We test our hypotheses on a large base of Spanish family-owned tourism firms. The idiosyncratic characteristics of this economic sector, mainly composed of family-owned firms, make it an excellent context for the purposes of this research.

Findings

Building on this contextual approach, our study finds that both sides of family ownership have ambivalent effects on the development of dynamic capabilities considering the size of family business.

Originality/value

Competitive pressures force companies to capitalize on dynamic capabilities, as they empower firms to increase their distinctiveness through new products, processes and business management models. However, research remains particularly ambiguous regarding the commitment to innovation and learning capabilities for family businesses, where different aspects of family ownership might alter innovation processes.
Exploring the effect of ODA on poverty: insights from least developed countries
Authors: Narayan Diviya , Singh Baljeet
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the long run impact of official development assistance (ODA) on Poverty levels in a sample of 33 least developed countries (LDCs) from 1991 to 2018.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed second-generation panel econometric techniques like Westerlund (2007), Pedroni (2004) cointegration tests and the augmented mean group (Eberhardt and Bond, 2009); (Eberhardt and Teal, 2010) and fully modified ordinary least squares (Phillips and Hansen, 1990) estimations to ascertain the long-run nexus between the variables of interest.

Findings

Our findings revealed that ODA has a significant and positive impact on poverty expansion in LDCs. This indicates that ODA perpetuates poverty in LDCs in the long run. While gross domestic product (GDP) per capita and trade openness significantly contributed to reducing poverty levels. Our findings have several policy implications.

Originality/value

This paper sheds light on a panel of LDCs on which research on the ODA–poverty nexus is sparse in prevailing literature. Although studies have documented the impact of single country episodes on LDCs, research on the panel of LDCs remains largely unexplored. This is surprising given the heightened economic and social issues faced by these cross-sections. Additionally, a sustained downturn in ODA flows to LDCs and the commitment to meet SDG Goal 1 underscore the need for comprehensive analysis on LDCs. Hence, our study aims to address the critical gap in the prevailing literature and contribute to the field.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2024-0390
From abstraction to objectivity: the process of converting organizational values to media artifacts
Authors: Hajkazemi Mahboobeh , Abooyee Ardakan Mohammad , Mohammadesmaeili Neda , Kianie Mojtaba
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study addresses a gap in organizational culture literature by detailing the creation of cultural artifacts, specifically media artifacts, that align with values and strategies in a dynamic environment, thereby enhancing organizational change management.

Design/methodology/approach

Participatory observations and semi-structured interviews were conducted with nine design professionals from six companies and eleven media artifact audiences from a telecommunication company. Data were analyzed using Braun and Clarke’s thematic analysis.

Findings

Two main findings emerged: “Significant Factors in Designing Media Artifacts,” which encompasses seven themes, and “The Process of Designing Media Artifacts,” which comprises seven process steps.

Originality/value

The study clarifies the term “media artifacts” by identifying two key categories: “Significant Factors in Designing Media Artifacts,” focusing on elements aiding designers and “The Process of Designing Media Artifacts,” outlining the necessary steps and interpretations for creating these artifacts.
Employee experiences, internal employer branding and personal initiative: the mediation effects of employee fun and growth
Authors: Chen Shuyuan , Ahlstrom David
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study examined the cross-level effect of internal employer branding on the employees’ personal initiative through their experiences of both growth and fun as the mediators guided in self-determination theory.

Design/methodology/approach

This study developed a multi-level design and used multi-source data. Data were collected from 619 employees and 73 managers from 73 firms in Taiwan, which yielded 73 employees–organization dyads. Internal employer branding was treated as an organization-level variable and was rated by a human resources/senior manager from each firm. Employee fun, growth and personal initiative were all treated as individual variables and were rated by five to ten employees from each firm.

Findings

This study provides evidence to support both the direct and indirect positive effects of internal employer branding on existing employees’ personal initiatives through growth and fun.

Practical implications

The findings provide practical implications for the internal employer branding and employee experience management.

Originality/value

This study addresses the effects of internal employer branding on employees’ experiences and identifies the key psychological state of growth and fun as crucial motivational mechanisms between internal employer branding and personal initiative.
Christianity and entrepreneurship
Authors: Collier Mathew James , Sarpong David
Published: December 2024

Purpose

We explore the intersection of Catholic social teaching (CST) and entrepreneurship studies which has seemingly evaded scholars’ attention.

Design/methodology/approach

We integrate and expand upon prior work to explicate an integrative framework for examining CST and entrepreneurship studies.

Findings

We articulate the mechanisms through which CST and entrepreneurship studies may extend our understanding of the economic paradigm of entrepreneurship studies.

Originality/value

We explicate the economic paradigm of entrepreneurship studies and present the key reasons for Catholicism’s and CST’s exclusion to demonstrate why this is unjustified. Beyond expounding what we mean by CST, we extend the economic paradigm by an application to show why the economic paradigm is flawed and call for more CST-focussed entrepreneurship studies.
The ethnographic crime scene: Tracing the violence within market relations on the Thai‐Myanmar border
Authors: Campbell Stephen
Published: December 2024

In a world of proliferating displacement crises and restricted mobility pathways, low‐wage labor migration has become, for many, a more feasible refuge than formal asylum. The refugee‐as‐displaced‐migrant has thus become emblematic of our time. But how do contemporary displacement crises, and violent ones at that, shape the predicament of the migrant‐refugee in countries of arrival? And how might the particularities of the displaced migrant's vulnerable condition be read as clues, both to violence committed abroad and to the profitable leveraging of said violence in countries of arrival? In this article, I engage these questions through an investigation into how displacement‐inducing violence lingers, as traces, in the lives of Myanmar migrant‐refugees in Thailand. Unfreedom, I find, is internal to ostensibly free market relations. Advancing this claim, I turn to a growing anthropology of borders to grasp the nation's geopolitical perimeter as a social relation that border crossers cannot easily discard—a relation that conditions social life, even at sites far from a given country's territorial margins. I show, in sum, how employers and other regulatory actors in countries of arrival internalize, across borders, displacement‐inducing violence perpetrated elsewhere.
Prevalence of HPV infection in the general population of young and adult males in Italy
Authors: Grande Giuseppe , Graziani Andrea , De Toni Luca , Finocchi Federica , Presciutti Adriano , Corrò Sara , Ferlin Alberto , Garolla Andrea
Published: December 2024

Background

The most prevalent sexually transmitted disease in the world has the human papillomavirus (HPV) as its etiological agent.

Objectives

To evaluate the prevalence of previous and actual HPV infection and the clinical manifestations in unselected males.

Materials and Methods

A total of 718 males participating to a surveillance program were asked to complete a study visit at our unit, including semen collection, balanopreputial sulcus swab, and blood collection for total anti‐HPV immunoglobulin G (IgG). When HPV‐DNA was detected, we performed HPV fluorescence in situ hybridization, oral and anal swab, and penoscopy. Because previous studies demonstrated a very high risk for HPV infection in subjects with history of HPV‐induced lesions, with a partner with diagnosed HPV infection or reporting couple infertility or sexual promiscuity and an increase of the risk in males having sex with males, in subjects with unprotected sexual intercourses or in heavy smokers, patients were therefore stratified according to the presence of these known risk factors (RFs).

Results

Actual HPV infection was detected in 401/718 subjects (55.85%). Oral HPV‐DNA was reported in 80 subjects and anal HPV infection in 52 subjects. Anti‐HPV IgG antibodies have been detected in 288 subjects. The overall prevalence of HPV exposition, considering actual and/or previous infection was 77.99%. Among infected men, high‐risk HPV genotypes were detected in 66.08%.

A total of 514 subjects were considered as the RF population, while 150 were classified in the non‐RF population. There was a significantly higher prevalence of condylomatosis (odds ratio [OR] 4.07) and of seminal infection (OR 6.22) in the RF group.

Discussion and Conclusion

These data represent an alert for the healthcare system to perform informative and screening campaigns for HPV infection in males and to promote HPV vaccination both in young people and for adult males with RF for HPV infections.
Early HBcrAg and Anti‐HBc Levels Identify Patients at High Risk for Severe Flares After Nucleos(t)ide Analogue Cessation—A Pooled Analysis of Two Clinical Trials
Authors: Dongelmans Edo J. , Feld Jordan J. , Boonstra André , Brakenhoff Sylvia M. , Wong David , Yim Colina , Claassen Mark , Honkoop Pieter , Hansen Bettina E. , de Man Robert A. , Fung Scott , Berg Thomas , van Bömmel Florian , Janssen Harry L. A. , Sonneveld Milan J.
Published: December 2024

Background

Severe flares (ALT ≥ 10×ULN) are a well‐recognised adverse outcome after nucleos(t)ide analogue (NA) cessation and may lead to liver failure. Thus, identification of patients at risk for these flares is of major importance.

Methods

Data were used from two prospective studies on NA cessation conducted in the Netherlands and Canada. Patients were eligible based on EASL criteria. HBcrAg and anti‐HBc levels were measured at end of treatment (EOT) and week 6 (FUW6). Logistic regression was used to study the association with severe flares.

Results

Seventy‐eight patients were analysed with a mean age of 49 years, 16 (21%) Caucasian and a majority (65%) were treated with Tenofovir. Overall, 22 patients (28%) developed a severe flare, and 29 (37%) patients were retreated. At EOT, higher HBcrAg levels (aOR: 1.97, p = 0.05; ≥ 4log: 47% severe flare vs. < 3log: 19%, p = 0.036), lower anti‐HBc (aOR: 0.29, p = 0.036; < 2log: 50% vs. ≥ 3log: 11%, p = 0.029) and higher HBcrAg/anti‐HBc‐ratio (aOR: 3.17, p = 0.015; ≥ 2: 58% vs. < 1.5: 14%, p < 0.001) were associated with an increased risk of severe flares, adjusted for HBsAg. At FUW6, higher HBcrAg (aOR: 2.91, p = 0.035; ≥ 5log: 83%, < 3log: 4%, p < 0.001), lower anti‐HBc (aOR: 0.46, p = 0.29; < 2log: 50% vs. ≥ 3log: 0%, p = 0.003) and higher HBcrAg/anti‐HBc‐ratio (aOR: 2.19, p = 0.048; ≥ 1.75: 52% vs. < 1.75: 8%, p < 0.001) were associated with an increased risk of severe flares, adjusted for HBV DNA and ALT.

Conclusion

Higher HBcrAg, lower anti‐HBc and higher HBcrAg/anti‐HBc ratio at EOT and during the first weeks of post‐treatment follow‐up are associated with an increased risk of hepatic flares after NA withdrawal and could therefore potentially be used to select patients eligible for therapy cessation and to identify patients requiring retreatment.

Trial Registration: This study was a post hoc and follow‐up study of two previously registered clinical trials (NCT01911156 & NTR7001). No new patients were prospectively included
Gill morphology of two killifish species acclimated to the extreme euryhaline environment: A histological and ultrastructural analysis (Actinopterygii: Aphaniidae)
Authors: Motamedi Mina , Ahmadi Sanaz , Teimori Azad
Published: December 2024

Killifishes (family Aphaniidae) in southern Iran demonstrate long‐time acclimation to extreme euryhaline environments. This study provides a detailed histological and ultrastructural characterization of gill morphology in two sympatric endemic aphaniids, Aphaniops furcatus and Aphaniops hormuzensis, inhabiting an ecologically extreme environment in southern Iran. Specimens were collected from the Khurgu hot‐sulphuric spring in the Hormozgan River System which drains into the Persian Gulf, and examined using haematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Both species exhibited gill structures typical of teleosts, with primary and secondary lamellae essential for efficient gas exchange. In A. furcatus, gills displayed variations linked to size and gender, with numerous secondary lamellae and a variety of epithelial cells, including squamous, chloride, mucus, blood, and pillar cells. Air exposure led to interlamellar cell masses (ILCM) growth, reducing the lamellae surface area. In A. hormuzensis, gill arches featured a double row of primary filaments with secondary lamellae facilitating oxygen exchange, supported by pillar cells and dense distribution of mucous cells throughout the epithelium. The study highlights the adaptive mechanisms of A. furcatus in response to fluctuating environmental conditions and underscores the evolutionary conservation of gill morphology among teleosts. These findings provide crucial insights into respiratory efficiency and ecological adaptability, emphasizing eco‐evolutionary acclimation to extreme aquatic habitats.
Addressing the role of technology in internationalization at a distance: Voices of students' in international distance learning from Ghana—sub‐Saharan Africa
Authors: Kumi‐Yeboah Alex , Kim YangHyun , Mohammed Zacharia , Amponsah Samuel
Published: December 2024

The past two decades have witnessed a surge of distance learning in higher education across the world. Scholars have argued that this is due to the increasing use and recognition of technologies to act as a means, channel and source for internationalization of knowledge. Further, internationalization at a distance (IaD) has seen a rapid increase in universities in Ghana, sub‐Saharan Africa, due to increased use of digital technologies and high demand for foreign education. Yet, there remains limited research about the role of technologies in facilitating and mediating IaD in countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. Moreover, few studies have explored students' experiences in IaD regarding prospects and challenges in Ghana, sub‐Saharan Africa. Therefore, the purpose of this research is to explore students' experiences and voices regarding the role of technologies in facilitating and mediating distance learning including students' critical reflections on the technological shift of IaD in higher education (including the COVID‐19 pandemic period) in Ghana. Data were collected following a qualitative research design via an in‐depth semistructured interview of 28 students (16 females and 12 males) enrolled in IaD learning program in three foreign universities (two in the United Kingdom and one in the United States). Data analyses were done via a constant comparative approach. Findings showed that students experienced enhanced quality of learning through the varied use of technologies such as Zoom, Team and Google Hangouts. However, students faced challenges such as unequal access to technologies, intermittent Internet connections/outages, high cost of tuition and lack of social and teaching engagement. These findings in many ways contribute to a new understanding and knowledge building of students' experiences and challenges of IaD in sub‐Saharan Africa.

Practitioner notes

What is already known about this topic?

The number of students in internationalization at a distance (IaD) education programs is increasing alongside the development of digital technologies and the expansion of digital infrastructure.

Increasing demands for higher education in sub‐Saharan Africa have led to an increase in the number of students from Ghana in IaD.

What this paper adds?

Ghanaian students in IaD benefited from the use of various digital technologies, improving their engagement and facilitating the acquisition of digital skills.

They faced barriers in accessing digital technologies and Internet connectivity.

Implications for practice and/or policy

Pretraining programs and workshops to enhance students' digital skills before starting distance education could be beneficial for Global South students in IaD.

Education provider should support the access to digital technologies and Internet connectivity of Global South students in IaD.