bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reducing Cofilin dosage makes embryos resilient to heat stress
Authors: Biel Natalie , Rashid Faizan , Natua Subhashis , Wang Ting-Yu , Chou Tsui-Fen , Nguyen Thu Vu Phuc , Golding Ido , Kalsotra Auinash , Sokac Anna Marie
Published: January 2025

In addition to regulating the actin cytoskeleton, Cofilin also senses and responds to environmental stress. Cofilin can promote cell survival or death depending on context. Yet, many aspects of Cofilin’s role in survival need clarification. Here, we show that exposing earlyDrosophilaembryos to mild heat stress (32°C) induces a Cofilin-mediated Actin Stress Response and upregulation of heat- and ER-stress response genes. However, these responses do not alleviate the negative impacts of heat exposure. Instead, heat stressed embryos show downregulation of hundreds of developmental genes, including determinants of the embryonic body plan, and are less likely to hatch as larvae and adults. Remarkably, reducing Cofilin dosage blunts induction of all stress response pathways, mitigates downregulation of developmental genes, and completely rescues survival. Thus, Cofilin intersects with multiple stress response pathways, and modulates the transcriptomic response to heat stress. Strikingly, Cofilin knockdown emerges as a potent pro-survival manipulation for embryos.
Prairie management practices influence biodiversity, productivity and surface-atmosphere feedbacks
Authors: Wang Ran , Gamon John A. , Hogan Katharine F. E. , Kellar P. Roxanne , Wedin David A.
Published: January 2025

Restoration efforts aim to reestablish grassland cover and maintain ecosystem services. However, there is a lack of systematic evaluation of the effects of grassland restoration options on integrated biodiversity, carbon, ecosystem function, and climate feedbacks.

Through a multi-year grassland restoration experiment in a tallgrass prairie site in Nebraska, USA, we investigated how different management practices affected biodiversity, productivity and the surface-atmosphere feedbacks using a combination of in situ measurements and airborne hyperspectral and thermal remote sensing.

Our findings suggested that certain management treatments altered species diversity, productivity and energy balance. Higher diversity plots had higher vegetation cover, albedo, canopy water content and lower surface temperature, indicating clear effects of management treatments on grassland ecosystem processes influencing surface-atmosphere feedbacks of mass and energy.

The coherent responses of multiple airborne remote sensing indices illustrate clear co-benefits of grassland restoration practices that enhance ecosystem productivity and biodiversity and mitigate climate change through surface atmosphere feedbacks, offering a new strategy to address the global challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change in prairie ecosystems.
TGF-β3 Promotes Trophoblast Development via ACSS2-Dependent Permissive Lipid Metabolism
Authors: Boffa Francesca , Moncada Margherita , Sterzo Martina Lo , Palazzese Luca , Scuderi Aaurora , Domenicone Marika , Capra Emanuele , Lazzari Barbari , Gioia Luisa , Alberio Ramiro , Iuso Domenico , Loi Pasqualino , Czernik Marta
Published: January 2025

Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-β) supports the in vitro maintenance of embryonic and trophoblast stem cells. Here, we demonstrated that, in a sheep embryo model, the transition from morula to blastocyst is positively regulated by TGF-β3, primarily through its promotion of trophoblast development. Our results indicate that morulae treated with TGF-β3 develop at a higher rate into blastocysts, characterized by an expanded trophoblast layer marked by CDX-2 expression. In blastocysts, TGF-β3 mediates transcriptional activation of genes involved in cell adhesion and lipid metabolism pathways, leading to remarkable in vitro outgrowth expansion and a substantial increase in trophoblast lipid droplet content. Functional analysis reveal that the positive effects of TGF-β3 are mitigated by inhibition of Acetyl-CoA Synthetase Short-Chain Family Member 2 (ACSS2), a key enzyme upregulated by TGF-β3 and a promoter of de novo lipgenensis. These findings suggest that TGF-β3 modulates lipid metabolism during blastocyst formation and may play a potential role in regulating implantation and placental development.
Niche construction: the case of industrial vinegar production
Authors: Smith Reginald D.
Published: January 2025

Niche construction is the process by which changes made to an environment by organisms also in turn drive their own evolution. While many examples of niche construction in the wild or human societies have been described, it is rare that a clear example of niche construction in an environment under human control can be demonstrated. Industrial vinegar production is a fermentation conducted by acetic acid bacteria. Importantly, the acetic acid bacteria produce acetic acid whose increasing acidity selects out acetic acid bacteria with lower tolerances for acidity. The remaining acetic acid bacteria continue to produce higher levels of acidity causing a directional selection that drives the acidity tolerance of the overall population higher while reducing the population’s genetic diversity. This niche construction will be described and modeled and its implications for the probable self-limiting constraints of niche construction in wild populations is discussed.
Ancient DNA reveals diverse community organizations in the 5th millennium BCE Carpathian Basin
Authors: Szécsényi-Nagy Anna , Virag Cristian , Jakab Kristóf , Rohland Nadin , Ringbauer Harald , Anders Alexandra , Raczky Pál , Hajdu Tamás , Kiss Krisztián , Szeniczey Tamás , Évinger Sándor , Keszi Tamás , Virág Zsuzsanna M. , Cheronet Olivia , Mallick Swapan , Akbari Ali , Pinhasi Ron , Reich David , Siklósi Zsuzsanna
Published: January 2025

We present a comprehensive genetic investigation of Late Neolithic (LN) and Early Copper Age (ECA) populations living in the Carpathian Basin, leveraging whole genome data from 125 previously unreported individuals. Using population genetics, kinship analyses and the study of networks of identity-by-descent haplotype segment sharing, we elucidate the social and genetic dynamics of these communities between 4800-3900 cal BCE. Despite changes in settlement patterns, burial practices, and material culture, we document a high degree of genetic continuity. While one set of individuals we analyzed from a large community cemetery was genetically diverse, another site was more homogenous and closed, with numerous consanguineous relationships and evidence of patrilineality and patrilocality. These results document radically different kinship systems in contemporaneous ECA communities using similar material culture and living only about 100 km apart.
Changing Pattern of Paediatric Endocrinology Referrals over two decades: A Retrospective Study from a Tertiary Centre in Western India
Authors: Vaman Khadilkar , Bhade Karishma K. , Wagle-Patki Sonali , Khadilkar Anuradha V.
Published: January 2025

Introduction

Understanding the paediatric endocrinology referral pattern is important for primary care clinicians and paediatric endocrinologists to optimise patient care, facilitate continuous medical education and to upgrade resources. This study analysed the pattern of these referrals over a year, the change in referral trends 2 decades apart and the discrepancy between the referral reasons and final diagnoses.

Methods

A retrospective analysis was conducted on demographic details and referral reasons to paediatric endocrine clinic in a tertiary care hospital in Western India at 2-time intervals 2 decades apart (2002-03 and 2022-23). The referral reasons were categorised into 14 classes as per International classification of paediatric endocrinology diagnoses (ICPED) 2016.

Results

Data of 2595 patients (920 from 2002-03 and 1675 from 2022-23) was studied. The commonest reason for referral was Short Stature with no gender bias. Disorders of Puberty and Obesity were the 2nd and 3rd commonest reasons for referral. There was almost a 2-fold rise in the total number of referrals over 2 decades with a significant rise in females referred for Short Stature and Disorders of Puberty. There was a discrepancy between the final diagnosis and referral reason, predominantly in patients referred for Micropenis, Gynaecomastia and Obesity

Conclusion

We report paediatric endocrine referral pattern over two decades, revealing a shift in the number of referrals but not a major shift in the referral reasons. A gap exists in recognizing symptoms and possible cause at the primary care level. These findings highlight the need for focused medical education and awareness among primary care clinicians.
Modeling tumor dynamics and predicting response to chemo-, targeted-, and immune-therapies in a murine model of pancreatic cancer
Authors: Vishwanath Krithik , Choi Hoon , Gupta Mamta , Zhou Rong , Sorace Anna G. , Yankeelov Thomas E. , Lima Ernesto A.B.F.
Published: January 2025

We seek to establish a parsimonious mathematical framework for understanding the interaction and dynamics of the response of pancreatic cancer to the NGC triple chemotherapy regimen (mNab-paclitaxel, gemcitabine, and cisplatin), stromal-targeting drugs (calcipotriol and losartan), and an immune checkpoint inhibitor (anti-PD-L1). We developed a set of ordinary differential equations describing changes in tumor size (growth and regression) under the influence of five cocktails of treatments. Model calibration relies on three tumor volume measurements obtained over a 14-day period in a genetically engineered pancreatic cancer model (KrasLSLG12D-Trp53LSLR172H-Pdx1-Cre). Our model reproduces tumor growth in the control and treatment scenarios with an average concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) of 0.99±0.01. We conduct leave-one-out predictions (average CCC=0.74±0.06), mouse-specific predictions (average CCC=0.75±0.02), and hybrid, group-informed, mouse-specific predictions (average CCC=0.85±0.04). The developed mathematical model demonstrates high accuracy in fitting the experimental tumor data and a robust ability to predict tumor response to treatment. This approach has important implications for optimizing combination NGC treatment strategies.
Embodiment of a functionally altered virtual arm in children and adults
Authors: Johannsen Leif , Pi Claire Yuke , Thurlbeck Simon , Gilles Marco , Pan Sylvia Xueni , Cowie Dorothy
Published: January 2025

This study aimed to investigate whether human embodiment is dependent on the sensorimotor functions of one’s body. We hypothesised that body function constrains both the sense of ownership and sensorimotor control of the body movements. We studied these relationships in the context of control of unilateral goal-directed forward arm reaching movements made with a virtual arm. In addition, we expected that children possess more adaptable body representations compared to adults, facilitating greater acceptance of virtual bodies with altered sensorimotor contingencies. We tested 5-7 and 8-10-year-old children, and young adults. Participants took part in an animal feeding game within a Virtual Reality environment. At each age, we manipulated the visual gain of hand movements to alter reaching functionality in three groups: compared to a normal (100%) gain, reaching arm length was slightly reduced (80%); slightly increased (120%); or greatly increased (400%). Parameters representing reach kinematics, subjective perception of arm length, and subjective limb embodiment were assessed during and after reaching with normal and altered control gain. In addition to changes in their reach kinematics, changes in subjective embodiment and reaching affordance were recorded compared to baseline reaching without altered visual gain. We found that the altered reaching functionality reduced Subjective ratings of limb ownership during exposure to the 400% visual gain modification in the group of adults only. In contrast, changes in reach kinematics occurred in all the age groups of children and adults, with age group-specific adjustments in the motor control strategy, characterised by altered magnitude and spatiotemporal placement of peak velocity as well as smoothness of reaching. Finally, at all ages subjective reaching affordance estimates were enhanced following exposure to the two functionality conditions with increased arm length. Our results indicate that the sense of ownership, accuracy of body representations, and characteristics of sensorimotor control are related to bodily function. In addition, it appears that these relationships might be more plastic, or perhaps more tolerant to functional alterations in terms of perceived ownership, in children compared to adults.
Nucleus softens during herpesvirus infection
Authors: Tervonen Aapo , Leclerc Simon , Ruokolainen Visa , Tieu Katie , Lyonnais Sébastien , Niskanen Henri , Chen Jian-Hua , Gupta Alka , Kaikkonen Minna U , Larabell Carolyn A , Muriaux Delphine , Mattola Salla , Conway Daniel E , Ihalainen Teemu O , Aho Vesa , Vihinen-Ranta Maija
Published: January 2025

Mechanical properties of the nucleus are remodeled not only by extracellular forces transmitted to the nucleus but also by internal modifications, such as those induced by viral infections. During herpes simplex virus type 1 infection, the viral regulation of essential nuclear functions and growth of the nuclear viral replication compartments are known to reorganize nuclear structures. However, little is known about how this infection-induced nuclear deformation changes nuclear mechanobiology. Our analyses showed that the nucleus softens during the infection. To understand why this happens, we used microscopy and computational methods to study how the mechanical components of the nucleus are modified during the infection. We discovered that the viral replication compartment occupying the nuclear center has a low biomolecular density compared to the centrally located euchromatin in noninfected cells. The nuclear lamina was also modified such that in the infection the amount of lamin proteins increased and the nuclear envelope had more outward curved regions and moved less in infection compared to noninfected cells. The computational modeling of virus-induced changes in cellular forces showed that the most probable cause for the decreasing nuclear stiffness is the removal of lamina-associated domains or the decrease in outward forces, such as reduced intranuclear osmotic pressure and cytoskeletal pull. The simulations showed that an increase in the nuclear envelope tension can occur with a decrease in nuclear stiffness. Based on these findings, we propose a mechanical model that explains mechanistic coordination between the nuclear deformation in infection and decreased nuclear stiffness.
Quantifying the shape of cells - from Minkowski tensors to p-atic order
Authors: Happel Lea , Oberschelp Griseldis , Grudtsyna Valeriia , Jain Harish P. , Sknepnek Rastko , Doostmohammadi Amin , Voigt Axel
Published: January 2025

P-atic liquid crystal theories offer new perspectives on how cells self-organize and respond to mechanical cues. Understanding and quantifying the underlying orientational orders is therefore essential for unraveling the physical mechanisms that govern tissue dynamics. Due to the deformability of cells this requires quantifying their shape. We introduce rigorous mathematical tools and a reliable framework for such shape analysis. Applying this to segmented cells in MDCK monolayers and computational approaches for active vertex models and multiphase field models challenges previous findings and opens new pathways for understanding the role of orientational symmetries andp-atic liquid crystal theories in tissue mechanics and development.
Elucidating the molecular landscape of centronuclear myopathies in mouse models: an integrative multi-omics and network analysis
Authors: Simon Alix , Gineste Charlotte , Reiss David , Thompson Julie , Laporte Jocelyn
Published: January 2025

Centronuclear myopathies (CNM) are rare inherited muscle disorders characterized by muscle atrophy, weakness, and altered muscle fiber structure, primarily due to mutations in genes like MTM1, DNM2, and BIN1. The pathomechanisms implicated in CNM are only partially understood, and no curative therapies are available for patients. This study exploits a unique multi-omics dataset and network-based analyses to elucidate the molecular pathways involved in CNM. First, we performed Weighted Gene Co-expression Network Analysis (WGCNA) to identify gene modules correlated with CNM phenotypes. We find that modules correlated to a positive muscular phenotype were enriched for genes involved in muscle contraction, RNA processes and oxidative phosphorylation, while modules associated with impaired muscle structure and function were enriched in immune response, innervation, vascularization processes, and fatty acid oxidation. Next, we integrated transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic data from theMtm1-/ymouse model with public knowledge bases using a multilayer network approach and explored the network using a random walk with restart approach. This study revealed novel metabolites that could be targeted through dietary supplementation as potential therapeutic strategies. Our findings demonstrate how multi-omics network analyses can reveal new aspects of CNM pathomechanisms and identify avenues for intervention.
Crystal structure of MutYX: A novel clusterless adenine DNA glycosylase with a distinct C-terminal domain and 8-Oxoguanine recognition sphere
Authors: Trasviña-Arenas C.H. , Hashemian Mohammad , Malek Melody , Merrill Steven , Fisher Andrew J. , David Sheila S.
Published: January 2025

The [4Fe-4S] cluster is an important cofactor of the base excision repair (BER) adenine DNA glycosylase MutY to prevent mutations associated with 8-oxoguanine (OG). Several MutYs lacking the [4Fe-4S] cofactor have been identified. Phylogenetic analysis shows that clusterless MutYs are distributed in two clades suggesting cofactor loss in two independent evolutionary events. Herein, we determined the first crystal structure of a clusterless MutY complexed with DNA. On the basis of the dramatic structural divergence from canonical MutYs, we refer to this as representative of a clusterless MutY subgroup “MutYX”. Interestingly, MutYX compensates for the missing [4Fe-4S] cofactor to maintain positioning of catalytic residues by expanding a pre-existing α-helix and acquisition of the new α-helix. Surprisingly, MutYX also acquired a new C-terminal domain that uniquely recognizes OG using residue Gln201 and Arg209. Adenine glycosylase assays and binding affinity measurements indicate that Arg209 is the primary residue responsible to specificity for OG:A lesions, while Gln201 bridges OG and Arg209. Surprisingly, replacement of Arg209 and Gln201 with Ala increases activity toward G:A mismatches. The MutYX structure serves as an example of devolution, capturing structural features required to retain function in the absence of a metal cofactor considered indispensable.
Zymoseptoria triticishow local differences in within-field diversity and effector variation
Authors: Herreno Andrea Tobian , Huang Pu , Siepe Isabella , Stam Remco
Published: January 2025

Zymoseptoria triticiis a cosmopolitan hemibiotrophic wheat pathogen with a high mutation rate and a mixed reproduction system, leading to challenges in traditional farming management. For successful integration of pest management, especially for early diagnostics of new aggressive or fungicide-resistant lineages, it is critical to understand population diversity in the field. We look at whole-genome sequence data for three datasets to differentiate within field diversity in fields of similar size: one dataset from a newly sampled field population from the United Kingdom and two publicly available datasets from fields from the United States and Switzerland.

Inspection of population structure and diversity features, such as minor allele frequency distribution and clonality, show no within-field structure, the most abundant SNPs are present in low frequency, and European fields have higher clonality. Knowing that effectors play particularly important roles in (a)virulence, we specifically assess effector diversity characteristics. Whereas on a whole-genome scale, we can see separation of the populations at the regional scale, we do not find such separation for the effectors. Moreover, we find that multiple effector haplotypes can be found interspersed within the field and even occur within what has been considered clonal isolates or isolates from a single lesion.

Our analyses highlight that within-fieldZ. triticidiversity is higher than previously reported. Our finding that multiple effector haplotypes can be found within a single lesion might explain the large resistance gene-breaking potential ofZ. tritici.
Visual field specializations in mouse dLGN
Authors: Cha Kuwook , Rangel Olguin Aline Giselle , Sharif-Naini Reza , Cook Erik P. , Krishnaswamy Arjun
Published: January 2025

Neural circuits throughout the visual system process features differently depending on where they appear in the visual field. While such location-specific processing exists in retina and in superior colliculus, the dorsal lateral geniculate nucleus (dLGN) is thought to lack this specialization. Here, we show systematic visual field biases in dLGN’s representation of spatial frequency, orientation, direction, and temporal frequency. Using axon-localized calcium indicators and widefield imaging, we discovered that dLGN boutons show systematic gradients in feature selectivity across the visual cortex (V1), while its retinal inputs lack such gradients for these features. Selective disruption of V1 feedback to dLGN perturbed gradient structure and magnitude. These results suggest that dLGN circuits transform uniformly distributed retinal feature inputs into spatially-biased representations along with cortical feedback. dLGN feature biases would allow a functional stream to detect ethologically salient visual inputs.
Exploring black hole mimickers: Electromagnetic and gravitational signatures of AdS black shells
Authors: Giri Suvendu , Danielsson Ulf , Lehner Luis , Pretorius Frans
Published: January 2025

We study electromagnetic and gravitational properties of anti–de Seitter (AdS) black shells (also referred to as AdS black bubbles)—a class of quantum gravity motivated black hole mimickers, that in the classical limit are described as ultracompact shells of matter. We find that their electromagnetic properties are remarkably similar to black holes. We then discuss the extent to which these objects are distinguishable from black holes, both for intrinsic interest within the black shell model, and as a guide for similar efforts in other subclasses of exotic compact objects (ECOs). We study photon rings and lensing band characteristics, relevant for very large baseline interferometry (VLBI) observations, as well as gravitational wave observables—quasinormal modes in the eikonal limit and the static tidal Love number for nonspinning shells—relevant for ongoing and upcoming gravitational wave observations.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Structural and magnetic phase transitions in Eu1–x
La
x
Fe3(BO3)4 (x = 0, 0.18)
Authors: Smirnova Ekaterina S. , Frolov Kirill V. , Sidorova Ekaterina V. , Sorokin Timofei A. , Alekseeva Olga A. , Guskov Anton V. , Gagarin Pavel G. , Gudim Irina A.
Published: January 2025

The crystal structures and hyperfine magnetic parameters of EuFe3(BO3)4 and mixed Eu0.82La0.18Fe3(BO3)4 were studied over a wide temperature range in order to analyze correlations of the structural and magnetic features and the phase transitions in multiferroic compounds of the rare-earth iron borate family. The chemical compositions of the crystals are reported from X-ray fluorescence analysis. The crystal structures of EuFe3(BO3)4 and Eu0.82La0.18Fe3(BO3)4 were determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction in the temperature range 25–500 K. A structural phase transition is observed in EuFe3(BO3)4 below 89 K which is related to distortions in the interatomic distances and angles. The most significant of which are for R—O, R—B, R—Fe, Fe—O and Fe—Fe distances, and the angles between the BO3 triangles and the ab plane. There is no structural phase transition in lanthanum-doped EuFe3(BO3)4 based on specific heat measurements (2.2–101.3 K) and structure analysis (25–500 K), and the temperature dependences of the interatomic distances and angles are smooth. The lengths of the superexchange paths needed for the appearance of a structural phase transition in RFe3(BO3)4 have been proposed. Negative thermal expansion is observed for both compounds below 90 K, resulting from a growth of the interatomic Fe—Fe distances in the iron chains during cooling. The largest atomic displacement parameters are observed for O atoms (O2), indicating that they have the highest mobility. The magnetic properties of EuFe3(BO3)4 and Eu0.82La0.18Fe3(BO3)4 were analyzed using Mössbauer spectroscopy in the temperature range 4.5–298 K. Néel temperatures (T
N) of 34.57 (1) and 32.22 (1) K are obtained based on Mössbauer spectroscopy for the pure and doped crystals, respectively. The maximum specific heat capacity temperature dependence related to the magnetic phase transition for the doped crystal is observed at 31.2 K. A violation of the strict arrangement of antiferromagnetic ordering in the ab plane in the La-doped crystals at low temperatures is suggested. The magnetic contributions of the two structural positions of the iron ions to the Mössbauer spectra could not be distinguished in either pure and doped compounds, regardless of whether they are in the paramagnetic and antiferromagnetic regions.
The role of personal values in the relationship between job demands and well-being among entrepreneurs
Authors: Bui Huy Nhuong , Le Mai Thi Thu , Nguyen Ngoc Lan , Cox Susie , Pham Thuy Thi Thanh , Bui Mai Thi Thanh
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aims to investigate whether personal values can moderate the relationship between entrepreneurs’ job demands and their well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

The data from an email survey involving 307 entrepreneurs in the two largest cities in Vietnam were analysed.

Findings

The analysis results indicated that the values of self-transcendence, openness to change and self-enhancement, which were identified as personal resources in this study, can help entrepreneurs maintain positive well-being even when they face challenging job demands in their business ventures. In contrast, conservation values reinforce the negative influence of job demands on their well-being.

Practical implications

Practically, entrepreneurs are encouraged to develop certain personal values, and policymakers should endorse these values through policy proposals and amendments that facilitate entrepreneurship through education and reduced bureaucracy.

Originality/value

This study further extends Conservation of Resources theory based on the mechanism that entrepreneurs use their personal values as resources to mitigate the negative impacts of the job demands of entrepreneurship on their well-being.
Exploring weight inclusive vs. weight-normative approaches in high school nutrition education
Authors: Hinchey Deb , Garnett Bernice , Gamble Janet , Pope Lizzy
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Teaching about nutrition is a crucial component of high school health education, with the potential to shape students' perceptions about food, weight and bodies and improve health outcomes. Weight-inclusive approaches have demonstrated success in improving body acceptance, decreasing dieting behaviors and anti-fat attitudes and improving health outcomes and may decrease weight-based bullying. However, little is known about nutrition education in high school settings. This study sought to understand how high school health teachers in Vermont are teaching about the connections between nutrition, weight and bodies and what influences their nutrition-focused curricular decisions. The goal is to inform the development of a novel weight-inclusive curriculum for high school health teachers in Vermont and beyond.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used case study methodology: qualitative interviews with eight teachers and document analysis of curricular materials.

Findings

Findings indicate that weight-normative activities and values dominate curriculum and that multiple levels exert influence on teacher curricular decisions. Findings confirm a need for the development and implementation of a weight-inclusive nutrition curriculum, professional development for health teachers and policy-level interventions as strategies to improve health outcomes.

Research limitations/implications

Limitations of the data collection include a small within-case sample size and limited availability of documents to review. However, the triangulation of gathered and publicly available data ultimately supported an in-depth case study.

Originality/value

The findings from this study inform future directions for both curriculum and professional development for high school health teachers, which is essential for improving health outcomes, reducing stigma and moving toward justice. This is original work.
Stock market development and foreign direct investment: the moderating role of government effectiveness
Authors: Mapendo Joseph James , Senadjki Abdelhak , Choong Yuen Onn
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study examines the influence of the stock market on foreign direct investment in developing countries and how government effectiveness moderates this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The study involved four East African Community countries and a panel dataset from 1995 to 2020. The study utilized feasible generalized least squares (FGLS) as a primary model and panel-corrected standard errors (PCSE) for a robustness check.

Findings

The impact of the stock market on foreign direct investment (FDI) is mixed. While value traded, market capitalization and the number of listed companies positively affect FDI, stock turnover has a negative impact. Government effectiveness also positively influences FDI and significantly moderates the relationship with the stock market.

Research limitations/implications

The sample is only limited to stock markets and East African Community countries, and due to the unavailability of data, only four countries were captured.

Practical implications

Stock markets and government effectiveness are crucial for attracting FDI by enhancing the attractiveness of host countries for investment. The policymakers should improve institutional quality, support stock market development, bolster investment appeal and provide an alternative capital source.

Social implications

Policy formulation should encourage institutional quality practices and support the stock market development that serves as an alternative source of capital.

Originality/value

This paper examines how stock markets impact FDI inflows and investigates the moderating role of government effectiveness in this relationship. The findings reveal that both stock market development and government effectiveness enhance a host country’s attractiveness for inward FDI.
The growth of social innovation research in higher education institutions (HEIs)
Authors: Bui L.A. Phuong , Le Hang Nguyen Tue , Hazenberg Richard
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the development of “social innovation (SI)” research within Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) context.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper explores academic databases (Web of Science/Scopus/Sage), to identify relevant papers focused on SI. Using a systematic literature review (SLR) with narrative-assessment approach, the “VOSviewer” tool is used to analyse relationships between themes/subthemes related to SI in HEIs. Additionally, Excel’s polynomial-trendline feature is used to track publication numbers over time.

Findings

This research identified five themes related to HEIs and SI trends, each exposing important aspects of higher education and SI, including “Sustainable Development; Social Entrepreneurship; Digital Transformation; Research; and Innovation Culture.” This research also identifies best practices of global universities and their SI programmes across 19 topics, including changes in publication volume since 1996.

Practical implications

The SLR reveals research gaps related to HEIs and SI trends that require further investigation. Each of these areas gives scholars/practitioners opportunities for in-depth investigation.

Social implications

The findings of this study encourage global HEIs to implement SI, become acquainted with the present themes and the programmes conducted by HEIs, recognise the importance of SI trends and fill HE provision gaps around SI.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to knowledge on the promotion of SI in HEIs and sustainable development, while identifying gaps for further research.
Assessing changes in thinking about troubleshooting in physical computing: a clinical interview protocol with failure artifacts scenarios
Authors: Morales-Navarro Luis , Fields Deborah , Kafai Yasmin B. , Barapatre Deepali
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how a clinical interview protocol with failure artifact scenarios can capture changes in high school students’ explanations of troubleshooting processes in physical computing activities. The authors focus on physical computing, as finding and fixing hardware and software bugs is a highly contextual practice that involves multiple interconnected domains and skills.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper developed and piloted a “failure artifact scenarios” clinical interview protocol. Youth were presented with buggy physical computing projects over video calls and asked for suggestions on how to fix them without having access to the actual project or its code. Authors applied this clinical interview protocol before and after an eight-week-long physical computing (more specifically, electronic textiles) unit. They analyzed matching pre- and post-interviews from 18 students at four different schools.

Findings

The findings demonstrate how the protocol can capture change in students’ thinking about troubleshooting by eliciting students’ explanations of specificity of domain knowledge of problems, multimodality of physical computing, iterative testing of failure artifact scenarios and concreteness of troubleshooting and problem-solving processes.

Originality/value

Beyond tests and surveys used to assess debugging, which traditionally focus on correctness or student beliefs, the “failure artifact scenarios” clinical interview protocol reveals student troubleshooting-related thinking processes when encountering buggy projects. As an assessment tool, it may be useful to evaluate the change and development of students’ abilities over time.
Exploring the influence of core self-evaluation on students’ academic self-efficacy: a qualitative study considering anxiety and interpersonal responses
Authors: Zeb Irum , Khan Aashiq , Yan Zhang
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study explores the influence of core self-evaluation (CSE) on students’ academic self-efficacy, anxiety and interpersonal responses. It investigates how internal beliefs impact academic success among Chinese higher education students.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research design was employed, using semi-structured interviews with 30 students from various disciplines at H University. The thematic analysis was utilized to interpret the data.

Findings

The findings suggest that students with higher levels of CSE exhibit greater academic confidence and can manage academic-related stress and depression. Positive interpersonal responses enhanced academic self-efficacy, confidence and inner motivation, serving as a buffer against the negative effects of anxiety. Moreover, students’ perceptions of their emotional stability and control contributed significantly to their academic confidence and resilience.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited by its qualitative nature and the sample size, which is restricted to one university. These limitations may affect the generalizability of the findings. Future research could employ a mixed-methods approach to corroborate these findings across different cultural settings and educational systems.

Practical implications

The study highlights the importance of a supportive educational environment that fosters positive self-evaluations and interpersonal responses to enhance students' academic self-efficacy. Educational institutions should consider integrating psychological support mechanisms and opportunities for developing interpersonal skills within their curricula.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the limited literature on the impact of core self-evaluation in Chinese higher education, particularly highlighting the complex relationship between personal beliefs, emotional management and social interactions in shaping academic outcomes.
Exploring renting models for clothing items – resource interaction for value creation
Authors: Andersson Wänström Agnes , Hjelmgren Daniel , Landqvist Maria , Lind Frida
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore renting models for clothing items and their value creation logics with a basis in resource interaction.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper relies on a multiple case study of renting models pursued by start-up companies in the Swedish context. The cases cover fashion wear as well as outdoor clothing. The theoretical frame builds on the industrial marketing and purchasing approach to business markets with a special focus on resource interaction and value creation.

Findings

The multiple case study provides the basis for identifying three categories of renting models: membership, subscription and individual item renting. The three models use different patterns of resource mobilisation, resource utilisation and resource combination to build their value creation logics.

Research limitations/implications

A plethora of different business models for sharing resources will be needed in reaching sustainable development in the fashion context. Renting models is one such model for sharing resources that increase product usage but struggles with economic sustainability.

Practical implications

The paper offers implications for actors in the fashion industry and capital systems by considering renting models not as tech start-ups but as sustainable start-up business models in which investments require longer time frames before showing results.

Originality/value

Few studies have treated the variety of renting models for clothing items. Thereby this paper extends the literature by providing a categorization of such models and how they create value.
Influence of oil price fluctuations on inflation uncertainty
Authors: Aladwani Jassim
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to achieve a comprehensive understanding of how the intricate interconnections between oil price fluctuations, supply chain disruptions and shifting demand patterns collectively shape inflation dynamics within the Chinese economy, especially during critical periods such as the Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical events like the Russia–Ukraine conflict. The importance of assessing the impact of oil price volatility on China’s inflation becomes particularly pronounced amidst these challenging circumstances.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the Markov Regime-Switching generalized autoregressive conditional heteroskedasticity (MRS-GARCH) family of models under student’s t-distributions to measure the uncertainty of oil prices and the inflation rate during the period spanning from 1994 to 2023 in China.

Findings

The results indicate that the MRS-GJR-GARCH-in-mean (MRS-GARCH-M) models, when used under student’s t-distributions, exhibit superior performance in modeling the volatility of both oil prices and the inflation rate. This finding underscores the effectiveness of these models in capturing the intricacies of volatility dynamics in the context of oil prices and inflation. The study has identified compelling evidence of regime-switching behavior within the oil price market. Subsequently, the author conducted an analysis by extracting the forecastable component, which represents the expected variation, from the best-fitted models. This allowed us to isolate the time series of oil price uncertainty, representing the unforecastable component. With this unforecastable component in hand, the author proceeded to estimate the impact of oil price fluctuations on the inflation rate. To accomplish this, the author used an autoregressive distributed lag model, which enables us to explore the dynamic relationships and lags between these crucial economic variables. The study further reveals that fluctuations in oil prices exert a noteworthy and discernible influence on the inflation rate, with distinct patterns observed across different economic regimes. The findings indicate a consistent positive impact of oil prices on inflation rate uncertainty, particularly within export-oriented and import-oriented industries, under both of these economic regimes.

Originality/value

This study offers original value by analyzing the impact of crude oil price volatility on inflation in China. It provides unique insights into the relationship between energy market fluctuations and macroeconomic stability in one of the world’s largest economies. By focusing on crude oil – a critical but often overlooked component – this research enhances understanding of how energy price dynamics influence inflationary trends. The findings can inform policymakers and stakeholders about the significance of energy market stability for maintaining economic stability and guiding inflation control measures in China.
How should leaders “sustain the legacy” of urban catholic schools? An exploration of catholic school and system leader perspectives
Authors: Miller Andrew F. , Moreno Vera Maria , Giunco Kierstin
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Diocesan systems of Catholic schools in the USA have been trying to make urban elementary schools more sustainable in an era of declining enrollment. This paper sought to better understand how system and school leaders conceptualize what it takes to “sustain the legacy” of these schools.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted a qualitative analysis of interview data collected from 44 Catholic system and school leaders, comparing leaders’ perspectives about what they believed urban Catholic school principals should be doing to contribute to sector reform initiatives.

Findings

We found system and school leaders agreed principals should take responsibility for “sustaining the legacy” of urban Catholic schools, but they disagreed about the ultimate purpose of sustaining these schools. These disagreements shaped the decisions each group believed principals should prioritize.

Originality/value

We demonstrate in this paper that a systemic reform lens is useful when attempting to make sense of whether or how certain conditions within diocesan systems as currently designed may account for ongoing and persistent organizational crises within the Catholic sector.
Empirical study on the determinants of Muslim tourists’ visit to Japan: do Muslim–friendly facilities and culture matter?
Authors: Rahmawati Yessi , Alhassan Usman , A’la Al Ma’rifatul , Rosyidi Luthfi Nur
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study empirically assessed the determinants of halal tourism to Japan while focusing on Muslim-friendly facilities and Japanese cultural sites.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses data from 2013 to 2018 and the Spatial Econometrics–Random Effect estimation technique, which allows for controlling for regional dependency. Furthermore, it extends the traditional Gunn and Tripartite Model which describes tourism attractiveness by considering the influence of historical sites on inbound tourism alongside regional gross domestic product (RGDP) and infrastructural availability.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal the existence of spatial autocorrelation among the prefectures in Japan in attracting tourists. The empirical results show that the availability of Mosques or prayer rooms positively influences Muslim tourists inflow in Japan. However, we find no significant impact of halal restaurants on tourism demand. Furthermore, our findings confirm the effectiveness of the components of the Tripartite and Urban Tourism Attractiveness models. Specifically, we find that historical sites and regional GDP significantly influence Muslim tourists visit to Japan.

Originality/value

Our study makes novel contributions to the literature on halal tourism. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to apply the spatial econometric technique to study the determinants of tourism demand. The application of spatial econometrics allows us to provide evidence of regional dependence in formulating policies that affect tourism. Secondly, we offer a unique augmentation of Gunn’s tripartite model by including the effect of Muslim-friendly facilities as determinants of tourism demand. Lastly, this is the first study to offer insight on halal tourism in Japan by studying all the Japanese prefectures at the macro-level. Previous studies only consider small samples of tourists in specific prefectures, raising concerns about their external validity.
Privileges, and Permissions: Theorising Intersectionality and Cultures of Control in the Care of People Living With Dementia in Acute Hospital Settings
Authors: Mwale Shadreck , Northcott Andy , Featherstone Katie
Published: January 2025

A longstanding body of public enquiries and research identifies people living with dementia experience systemic inequalities within hospital settings, concluding a focus on improving care cultures is required. Drawing on a 3‐year multi‐sited hospital ethnography, this paper examines everyday cultures of care in NHS acute hospital wards to interrogate how ethnicity, gender and social class intersects to shape the care of people living with dementia. Drawing on Collins' concept of intersectionality and the relational nature of power, the analysis reveals that while cared for by diverse teams of healthcare professionals, a patients' age, ethnicity, gender and social class, as interconnected categories, influences the tightening of ward rules for some people living with dementia and the granting of significant privileges for others. Focussing on walking within the ward, with a large number of people living with dementia classified as ‘wandering’, we explore ways in which intersectional identities informed who was granted privileges to leave the bedside and ‘wander’ the ward, and who experienced further control. The paper concludes that institutional racism and attitudes to gender, social class and ageing permeate the routine organisation and delivery of care within NHS acute hospital wards to significantly impact people living with dementia, and in turn, increases the consideration of care pathways that emphasise their discharge to institutional settings.
More than bureaucratic objects: the mothers of the disappeared in Mexico and the potentialities of their investigation files
Authors: Vargas Isaac
Published: January 2025

The crisis of disappearances in Mexico started in 2006, when then‐president Felipe Calderón launched the war on drugs framed by a military perspective. Since then, more than 111,000 disappearances have been reported nationwide. Faced with this panorama of violence and uncertainty, a bureaucratic body has emerged which attempts to manage the search by, and mourning of, families who are still waiting for the return of their loved ones. This article addresses the way in which the official investigation carried out by the authorities plays a central role in the search process. Through the voices of thirteen mothers whose daughters and sons have disappeared, the investigation files adopt the category of a person‐object, which represents a type of presence of the victim. Thus, one of the central arguments is based on a reflection of how missing persons, through objects, continue to participate both in the daily lives of their relatives and in claims for justice against the Mexican state apparatus.