bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Truxima (rituximab-abbs) for Periocular Xanthogranuloma with Adult-Onset Asthma and Systemic IgG4-Related Disease
Authors: Barke Matthew R. , Vempuluru Vijitha S. , Lally Sara E. , Shields Carol L.
Published: May 2023

A 58-year-old female with a 3-year history of adult-onset asthma, bilateral blepharoptosis, dry eye, and yellow-orange xanthelasma-like plaques extensively involving both upper eyelids presented with a diagnosis of adult-onset asthma with periocular xanthogranuloma (AAPOX) and systemic IgG4-related disease. Over the next 8 years, she received 10 intralesional triamcinolone injections (40–80 mg) in the right upper eyelid, 7 intralesional triamcinolone injections (30–60 mg) in the left upper eyelid, underwent right anterior orbitotomy twice followed by 4 doses of rituximab (1000 mg intravenous infusion) without regression of the AAPOX. The patient was then treated with 2 monthly doses of Truxima (1000 mg intravenous infusion), a biosimilar to rituximab. At the most recent follow-up, 13 months later, the xanthelasma-like plaques and orbital infiltration had markedly improved. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first report of Truxima being used to treat AAPOX with systemic IgG4-related disease and to generate a sustained clinical response.
Multiple CD34-Negative Orbital Solitary Fibrous Tumors in a Pediatric Patient
Authors: Someda Steffani Krista , Miyazaki Hidetaka , Takahashi Yasuhiro
Published: May 2023

A 12-year-old Japanese male presented with a 2-month history of headache that was later on associated with diplopia, painless proptosis of the OS, and left ophthalmoplegia. Initial examination revealed a 7-mm OS protrusion, which worsened to 9 mm in less than a month. Preoperative visual acuity worsened from 1.0 to 0.2 with the development of left afferent pupillary defect. Left ocular motility was severely restricted in all directions. Magnetic resonance imaging showed two well-defined lesions adjacent to one another in the left orbit. The patient underwent surgical excision of the left orbital masses. Histopathology findings were consistent with solitary fibrous tumor of the orbit. Immunohistochemistry findings revealed CD34-negative but signal transducer and activator of transcription 6-positive for both specimens. The patient was monitored postoperatively and there was no recurrence of the tumor even after 6 months.
A Case of Orbital Sarcoidosis with Caseating Granulomatous Inflammation
Authors: Meer Elana , Ahmad Meleha , Pekmezci Melike , Kersten Robert C.
Published: May 2023

The authors report a rare case of orbital sarcoidosis with caseating granulomatous inflammation. A 55-year-old man presented with a 2-month history of progressively worsening diplopia and proptosis of the OS. Orbital CT demonstrated a diffuse orbital mass. Diagnostic anterior orbitotomy demonstrated caseating granulomas. Infectious testing, including special stains, cultures, and polymerase chain reaction testing, were negative for infectious causes. Chest CT demonstrated the presence of hilar lymphadenopathy with bronchoscopic biopsy showing noncaseating granulomas, supporting a diagnosis of sarcoidosis. The patient achieved clinical and symptomatic improvement at 8-month follow-up on methotrexate. While sarcoidosis is typically characterized by non-necrotizing granulomatous inflammation, sarcoid granulomas with necrosis have been previously described in pulmonary histopathology. This case emphasizes the importance of a comprehensive systemic workup, keeping systemic sarcoidosis on the differential, for necrotizing granulomatous inflammation of the orbit.
Approved and investigational fluorescent optical imaging agents for disease detection in surgery
Authors: Rehman Sonia , Brennan Paul M. , Lilienkampf Annamaria , Bradley Mark
Published: May 2023

Fluorescent optical imaging is becoming an increasingly attractive imaging tool that physicians can utilise as it can detect previously ‘unseen’ changes in tissue at a cellular level that are consistent with disease. This is possible using a range of fluorescently labelled imaging agents that, once excited by specific wavelengths of light, can illuminate damaged and diseased tissues. For surgeons, such agents can permit dynamic, intraoperative imaging providing a real-time guide as they resect diseased tissue.
Improving Data Integrity and Quality From Online Health Surveys of Women With Infant Children
Authors: Walker Lorraine O. , Murry Nicole , Longoria Kayla D.
Published: May 2023

Background

Online surveys have proven to be an efficient method to gather health information in studies of various populations, but these are accompanied by threats to data integrity and quality. We draw on our experience with a nefarious intrusion into an online survey and our efforts to protect data integrity and quality in a subsequent online survey.

Objectives

We aim to share lessons learned regarding detecting and preventing threats to online survey data integrity and quality.

Methods

We examined data from two online surveys we conducted, as well as findings of others reported in the literature, to delineate threats to and prevention strategies for online health surveys.

Results

Our first survey was launched inadvertently without available security features engaged in Qualtrics, resulting in a number of threats to data integrity and quality. These threats included multiple submissions, often within seconds of each other, from the same internet protocol (IP) address; use of proxy servers or virtual private networks, often with suspicious or abusive IP address ratings and geolocations outside the United States; and incoherent text data or otherwise suspicious responses. After excluding fraudulent, suspicious, or ineligible cases, as well as cases that terminated before submitting data, 102 of 224 (45.5%) eligible survey respondents remained with partial or complete data. In a second online survey with security features in Qualtrics engaged, no IP addresses were associated with any duplicate submissions. To further protect data integrity and quality, we added items to detect inattentive or fraudulent respondents and applied a risk scoring system in which 23 survey respondents were high risk, 16 were moderate risk, and 289 of 464 (62.3%) were low or no risk and therefore considered eligible respondents.

Discussion

Technological safeguards, such as blocking repeat IP addresses and study design features to detect inattentive or fraudulent respondents, are strategies to support data integrity and quality in online survey research. For online data collection to make meaningful contributions to nursing research, it is important for nursing scientists to implement technological, study design, and methodological safeguards to protect data integrity and quality and for future research to focus on advancing data protection methodologies.
Development and Internal Validation of a Multivariable Prediction Model to Predict Repeat Attendances in the Pediatric Emergency Department
Authors: Seers Tim , Reynard Charles , Martin Glen P. , Body Richard
Published: May 2023

Objective

Unplanned reattendances to the pediatric emergency department (PED) occur commonly in clinical practice. Multiple factors influence the decision to return to care, and understanding risk factors may allow for better design of clinical services. We developed a clinical prediction model to predict return to the PED within 72 hours from the index visit.

Methods

We retrospectively reviewed all attendances to the PED of Royal Manchester Children's Hospital between 2009 and 2019. Attendances were excluded if they were admitted to hospital, aged older than 16 years or died in the PED. Variables were collected from Electronic Health Records reflecting triage codes. Data were split temporally into a training (80%) set for model development and a test (20%) set for internal validation. We developed the prediction model using LASSO penalized logistic regression.

Results

A total of 308,573 attendances were included in the study. There were 14,276 (4.63%) returns within 72 hours of index visit. The final model had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.64 (95% confidence interval, 0.63–0.65) on temporal validation. The calibration of the model was good, although with some evidence of miscalibration at the high extremes of the risk distribution. After-visit diagnoses codes reflecting a nonspecific problem (“unwell child”) were more common in children who went on to reattend.

Conclusions

We developed and internally validated a clinical prediction model for unplanned reattendance to the PED using routinely collected clinical data, including markers of socioeconomic deprivation. This model allows for easy identification of children at the greatest risk of return to PED.
The Management of Low-Risk Myelodysplastic Syndromes—Current Standards and Recent Advances
Authors: Randall Michael P. , DeZern Amy E.
Published: May 2023

The myelodysplastic syndromes (MDSs) are a heterogeneous group of hematologic neoplasms with varied natural histories and prognoses. Specific to this review, treatment of low-risk MDS most often focuses on improving quality of life by correcting cytopenias, as opposed to urgent disease modification to avoid acute myeloid leukemia. These treatments include transfusion support with iron chelation when necessary, growth factors including novel maturation agents such as luspatercept, lenalidomide for del(5q) disease, and, increasingly, low-dose hypomethylating agents. Recent advances in the understanding of the genetic lesions that drive MDS have prompted a reassessment of how low-risk disease is defined and helped to identify a subset of low-risk MDS patients who may benefit from a more aggressive treatment paradigm, including hematopoietic stem cell transplantation.
Spectrum From Clonal Hematopoiesis to Myelodysplastic Neoplasm/Syndromes and Other Myeloid Neoplasms
Authors: Xie Zhuoer , Chen Evan C. , Mendez Lourdes M. , Komrokji Rami , Zeidan Amer M.
Published: May 2023

Clonal hematopoiesis (CH) confers a high risk of aging-related diseases and hematologic malignancy. There are still significant knowledge gaps in identifying high-risk patients with CH and managing such patients. In this review, we focus on 3 areas: (1) the natural history of CH; (2) the risks of progression of CH, including CH of indeterminate potential, clonal cytopenia of undetermined significance, and therapy-related CH, to myeloid malignancy; and (3) the challenges and unmet needs of CH management and research.
Double Opposing U Suture (DOUS) For Septal Multiple Axis Deviations
Authors: Bilkay Ufuk , Yeğin Mehmet Emre , Gür Ersin , Bilkay Özge
Published: May 2023

Septal cartilage deviations comprise the majority of deformities related to revision rhinoplasty operations. Therefore, the primary operation should be as eventless and durable as possible. Many techniques have been suggested, but most present with a monoplanar correction and fixation of the septum. This study aims to demonstrate a suture method that fixates and broadens the deviated septum. This method employs a single-stranded suture passing below the spinal periosteum, pulling the posterior and anterior portions of the septal base separately. It was utilized in 1578 patients, of which only 36 necessitated a revision of septoplasty in the past 11 years (2010-2021). With a revision rate of 2.29%, this method should be considered a preferable choice over many techniques described in the literature.
CONSTRUCTION OF SEPSIS DIAGNOSTIC MODELS AND IDENTIFICATION OF MACROPHAGE SUBPOPULATIONS BASED ON PYROPTOSIS-RELATED GENES
Authors: Sun Zefang , Zhang Tao , Ning Caihong , Shen Dingcheng , Pei Wenwu , Zhou Rui , Zhu Shuai , Huang Gengwen
Published: May 2023

Background: Numerous studies have shown that pyroptosis is associated with sepsis progression, which can lead to dysregulated host immune responses and organ dysfunction. Therefore, investigating the potential prognostic and diagnostic values of pyroptosis in patients with sepsis is essential. Methods: We conducted a study using bulk and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) from the Gene Expression Omnibus database to examine the role of pyroptosis in sepsis. Univariate logistic analysis, least absolute shrinkage, and selection operator regression analysis were used to identify pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs), construct a diagnostic risk score model, and evaluate the selected genes' diagnostic value. Consensus clustering analysis was used to identify the PRG-related sepsis subtypes with varying prognoses. Functional and immune infiltration analyses were used to explain the subtypes' distinct prognoses, and scRNA-seq data were used to differentiate immune-infiltrating cells and macrophage subsets and study cell-cell communication. Results: A risk model was established based on 10 key PRGs (NAIP, ELANE, GSDMB, DHX9, NLRP3, CASP8, GSDMD, CASP4, APIP, and DPP9), of which four (ELANE, DHX9, GSDMD, and CASP4) were associated with prognosis. Two subtypes with different prognoses were identified based on the key PRG expressions. Functional enrichment analysis revealed diminished nucleotide oligomerization domain–like receptor pathway activity and enhanced neutrophil extracellular trap formation in the subtype with a poor prognosis. Immune infiltration analysis suggested a different immune status between the two sepsis subtypes, with the subtype with a poor prognosis exhibiting stronger immunosuppression. The single-cell analysis identified a macrophage subpopulation characterized by gasdermin D (GSDMD) expression that may be involved in pyroptosis regulation, which was associated with the prognosis of sepsis. Conclusion: We developed and validated a risk score for sepsis identification based on 10 PRGs, four of which also have potential value in the prognosis of sepsis. We identified a subset of gasdermin D macrophages associated with poor prognosis, providing new insights into the role of pyroptosis in sepsis.
PASSIVE LEG RAISING–INDUCED CHANGES IN PEAK VELOCITY VARIATION OF LEFT VENTRICULAR OUTFLOW TRACT TO PREDICT FLUID RESPONSIVENESS IN POSTOPERATIVE CRITICALLY ILL ELDERLY PATIENTS
Authors: Wan Jing-jie , Chen Jun , Xu Li , Peng Ke , Xie Jin
Published: May 2023

Background: Accurate prediction of fluid responsiveness is important for postoperative critically ill elderly patients. The objective of this study was to evaluate the predictive values of peak velocity variation (ΔVpeak) and passive leg raising (PLR)-induced changes in ΔVpeak (ΔVpeakPLR) of the left ventricular outflow tract to predict fluid responsiveness in postoperative critically ill elderly patients. Method: Seventy-two postoperative elderly patients with acute circulatory failure who were mechanically ventilated with sinus rhythm were enrolled in our study. Pulse pressure variation (PPV), ΔVpeak, and stroke volume were collected at baseline and after PLR. An increase of >10% in stroke volume after PLR defined fluid responsiveness. Receiver operating characteristic curves and gray zones were constructed to assess the ability of ΔVpeak and ΔVpeakPLR to predict fluid responsiveness. Results: Thirty-two patients were fluid responders. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curves (AUC) for baseline PPV and ΔVpeak to predict fluid responsiveness was 0.768 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.653–0.859; P < 0.001) and 0.899 (95% CI, 0.805–0.958; P < 0.001) with gray zones of 7.63% to 12.66% that included 41 patients (56.9%) and 9.92% to 13.46% that included 28 patients (38.9%). ΔPPVPLR predicted fluid responsiveness with an AUC of 0.909 (95% CI, 0.818–0.964; P < 0.001), and the gray zone was 1.49% to 2.93% and included 20 patients (27.8%). ΔVpeakPLR predicted fluid responsiveness with an AUC of 0.944 (95% CI, 0.863–0.984; P < 0.001), and the gray zone was 1.48% to 2.46% and included six patients (8.3%). Conclusions: Passive leg raising–induced changes in peak velocity variation of blood flow in the left ventricular outflow tract accurately predicted fluid responsiveness with a small gray zone in postoperative critically ill elderly patients.
PREHOSPITAL PLASMA IS NONINFERIOR TO WHOLE BLOOD FOR RESTORATION OF CEREBRAL OXYGENATION IN A RHESUS MACAQUE MODEL OF TRAUMATIC SHOCK AND HEMORRHAGE
Authors: Morgan Clifford G. , Neidert Leslie E. , Ozuna Kassandra M. , Glaser Jacob J. , Pusateri Anthony E. , Tiller Michael M. , Cardin Sylvain
Published: May 2023

Introduction: Traumatic shock and hemorrhage (TSH) is a leading cause of preventable death in military and civilian populations. Using a TSH model, we compared plasma with whole blood (WB) as prehospital interventions, evaluating restoration of cerebral tissue oxygen saturation (CrSO2), systemic hemodynamics, colloid osmotic pressure (COP) and arterial lactate, hypothesizing plasma would function in a noninferior capacity to WB, despite dilution of hemoglobin (Hgb). Methods: Ten anesthetized male rhesus macaques underwent TSH before randomization to receive a bolus of O(−) WB or AB(+) plasma at T0. At T60, injury repair and shed blood (SB) to maintain MAP > 65 mm Hg began, simulating hospital arrival. Hematologic data and vital signs were analyzed via t test and two-way repeated measures ANOVA, data presented as mean ± SD, significance = P < 0.05. Results: There were no significant group differences for shock time, SB volume, or hospital SB. At T0, MAP and CrSO2 significantly declined from baseline, though not between groups, normalizing to baseline by T10. Colloid osmotic pressure declined significantly in each group from baseline at T0 but restored by T30, despite significant differences in Hgb (WB 11.7 ± 1.5 vs. plasma 6.2 ± 0.8 g/dL). Peak lactate at T30 was significantly higher than baseline in both groups (WB 6.6 ± 4.9 vs. plasma 5.7 ± 1.6 mmol/L) declining equivalently by T60. Conclusions: Plasma restored hemodynamic support and CrSO2, in a capacity not inferior to WB, despite absence of additional Hgb supplementation. This was substantiated via return of physiologic COP levels, restoring oxygen delivery to microcirculation, demonstrating the complexity of restoring oxygenation from TSH beyond simply increasing oxygen carrying capacity.
Larger pollen loads increase risk of heat stress in foraging bumblebees
Authors: Naumchik Malia , Youngsteadt Elsa
Published: May 2023

Global declines in bumblebee populations are linked to climate change, but specific mechanisms imposing thermal stress on these species are poorly known. Here we examine the potential for heat stress in workers foraging for pollen, an essential resource for colony development. Laboratory studies have shown that pollen foraging causes increased thoracic temperatures (
T
th
) in bees, but this effect has not been examined in bumblebees nor in real-world foraging situations. We examine the effects of increasing pollen load size on
T
th
of
Bombus impatiens
workers in the field while accounting for body size and microclimate. We found that
T
th
increased by 0.07°C for every milligram of pollen carried (
p
= 0.007), resulting in a 2°C increase across the observed range of pollen load sizes. Bees carrying pollen were predicted to have a
T
th
1.7–2.2°C hotter than those without pollen, suggesting that under certain conditions, pollen loads could cause
B. impatiens
workers to heat from a safe
T
th
to one within the range of their critical thermal limits that we measured (41.3°C to 48.4°C). Bumblebees likely adopt behavioural or physiological strategies to counteract the thermal stress induced by pollen transport, and these may limit their foraging opportunities as environmental temperatures continue to increase.
Multimodal duetting in katydids under bat predation risk: a winning strategy for both sexes
Authors: Saha Kasturi , Joshi Kunjan , Balakrishnan Rohini
Published: May 2023

Duetting is a behaviour observed in some animal species, in which both males and females participate in signalling to find mates. It may have evolved as an adaptation to reduce the costs associated with mate-finding behaviours, such as predation risk. Duetting systems allow estimation of sex-specific predation risks of signalling and searching in the same species, giving insights into the selective forces acting on these behaviours. Using an acoustic–vibratory duetting katydid,
Onomarchus uninotatus
, and its bat predator,
Megaderma spasma
, we estimated the sex-specific predation costs of different mate-finding behaviours, such as walking, flying and signalling, by conducting experiments with untethered live katydids and bats. We found that acoustic–vibratory duetting benefits both the sexes as a low-risk mate-finding strategy.
Simulating contact networks for livestock disease epidemiology: a systematic review
Authors: Leung William T. M. , Rudge James W. , Fournié Guillaume
Published: May 2023

Contact structure among livestock populations influences the transmission of infectious agents among them. Models simulating realistic contact networks therefore have important applications for generating insights relevant to livestock diseases. This systematic review identifies and compares such models, their applications, data sources and how their validity was assessed. From 52 publications, 37 models were identified comprising seven model frameworks. These included mathematical models (
n
= 8; including generalized random graphs, scale-free, Watts–Strogatz and spatial models), agent-based models (
n
= 8), radiation models (
n
= 1) (collectively, considered ‘mechanistic’), gravity models (
n
= 4), exponential random graph models (
n
= 9), other forms of statistical model (
n
= 6) (statistical) and random forests (
n
= 1) (machine learning). Overall, nearly half of the models were used as inputs for network-based epidemiological models. In all models, edges represented livestock movements, sometimes alongside other forms of contact. Statistical models were often applied to infer factors associated with network formation (
n
= 12). Mechanistic models were commonly applied to assess the interaction between network structure and disease dissemination (
n
= 6). Mechanistic, statistical and machine learning models were all applied to generate networks given limited data (
n
= 13). There was considerable variation in the approaches used for model validation. Finally, we discuss the relative strengths and weaknesses of model frameworks in different use cases.
Structural damping renders the hawkmoth exoskeleton mechanically insensitive to non-sinusoidal deformations
Authors: Wold Ethan S. , Lynch James , Gravish Nick , Sponberg Simon
Published: May 2023

Muscles act through elastic and dissipative elements to mediate movement, which can introduce dissipation and filtering which are important for energetics and control. The high power requirements of flapping flight can be reduced by an insect's exoskeleton, which acts as a spring with frequency-independent material properties under purely sinusoidal deformation. However, this purely sinusoidal dynamic regime does not encompass the asymmetric wing strokes of many insects or non-periodic deformations induced by external perturbations. As such, it remains unknown whether a frequency-independent model applies broadly and what implications it has for control. We used a vibration testing system to measure the mechanical properties of isolated
Manduca sexta
thoraces under symmetric, asymmetric and band-limited white noise deformations. The asymmetric and white noise conditions represent two types of generalized, multi-frequency deformations that may be encountered during steady-state and perturbed flight. Power savings and dissipation were indistinguishable between symmetric and asymmetric conditions, demonstrating that no additional energy is required to deform the thorax non-sinusoidally. Under white noise conditions, stiffness and damping were invariant with frequency, suggesting that the thorax has no frequency-dependent filtering properties. A simple flat frequency response function fits our measured frequency response. This work demonstrates the potential of materials with frequency-independent damping to simplify motor control by eliminating any velocity-dependent filtering that viscoelastic elements usually impose between muscle and wing.
Synergistic attraction of Western black-legged ticks,
Ixodes pacificus
, to CO
2
and odorant emissions from deer-associated microbes
Authors: Long Justin , Maskell Keiran , Gries Regine , Nayani Saif , Gooding Claire , Gries Gerhard
Published: May 2023

Foraging ticks reportedly exploit diverse cues to locate their hosts. Here, we tested the hypothesis that host-seeking Western black-legged ticks,
Ixodes pacificus
, and black-legged ticks,
I. scapularis
, respond to microbes dwelling in sebaceous gland secretions of white-tailed deer,
Odocoileus virginianus
, the ticks' preferred host. Using sterile wet cotton swabs, microbes were collected from the pelage of a sedated deer near forehead, preorbital, tarsal, metatarsal and interdigital glands. Swabs were plated on agar, and isolated microbes were identified by 16S rRNA amplicon sequencing. Of 31 microbial isolates tested in still-air olfactometers, 10 microbes induced positive arrestment responses by ticks, whereas 10 others were deterrent. Of the 10 microbes prompting arrestment by ticks, four microbes—including
Bacillus aryabhattai
(isolates A4)—also attracted ticks in moving-air Y-tube olfactometers. All four of these microbes emitted carbon dioxide and ammonia as well as volatile blends with overlapping blend constituents. The headspace volatile extract (HVE) of
B. aryabhattai
(HVE-A4) synergistically enhanced the attraction of
I
.
pacificus
to CO
2
. A synthetic blend of HVE-A4 headspace volatiles in combination with CO
2
synergistically attracted more ticks than CO
2
alone. Future research should aim to develop a least complex host volatile blend that is attractive to diverse tick taxa.
Genomic features and virulence characteristics of a rare Burkholderia thailandensis strain causing human infection
Authors: Li Jin , Zhong Qiu , Li Jian , Chong Hui-Min , Wang Li-Xin , Xing Yun , Lu Wei-Ping
Published: May 2023

Introduction.

Burkholderia thailandensis

is a clinically rare opportunistic pathogen in the genus

Burkholderia

, and the genomic features and virulence characteristics of

B. thailandensis

strains that cause human infection remain unclear.

Gap Statement.

B. thailandensis

strains with different virulence induce different host innate immune responses in vitro.

Aim. This work aimed to understand the sequence diversity, phylogenetic relationship, and virulence of

B. thailandensis

BPM causing human infection.

Methodology. The comparative molecular and genomic analyses, and mouse infection studies were applied to analyse the virulence and genomic features of

B. thailandensis

BPM originating from China.

Results. The whole genome sequence analysis showed that the genomes of BPM and other avirulent

B. thailandensis

strains were broadly similar, comprising two highly syntenic chromosomes with comparable numbers of coding regions (CDs), protein family distributions, and horizontally acquired genomic islands. By examining species-specific genomic regions, we obtained molecular explanations for previously known differences in virulence and discovered the potential specific virulence-associated genes of BPM, which likely work together to confer the virulence of BPM. Significantly reduced LD50 and survival rates during mouse infection experiments were found in BPM compared to the avirulent

B. thailandensis

E264 (BtE264).

Conclusion. Taken together, the results of this study provide basic information on the genomic features and virulence characteristics of the virulent

B. thailandensis

strain BPM, which is helpful for understanding its evolution as it relates to pathogenesis and environmental adaptability.
Identification of a non-exported Plasmepsin V substrate that functions in the parasitophorous vacuole of malaria parasites
Authors: Ressurreição Margarida , Fréville Aline , van Ooij Christiaan
Published: May 2023

Malaria parasites alter multiple properties of the host erythrocyte by exporting proteins into the host cell. Many exported proteins contain a five-amino acid motif called the Plasmodium Export Element (PEXEL) that is cleaved by the parasite protease Plasmepsin V (PM V). The presence of a PEXEL is considered a signature of protein export and has been used to identify a large number of exported proteins. The export of proteins becomes essential midway through the intraerythrocytic cycle – preventing protein export blocks parasite development 18-24 h after invasion. However, a genetic investigation revealed that the absence of the PEXEL protein PFA0210c causes parasite development to arrest immediately after invasion. We now show that this protein (renamed PV6) is cleaved by PM V but not exported into the host erythrocyte and instead functions in the parasitophorous vacuole. Furthermore, we show that the lysine residue that becomes the N terminus of PV6 after processing by PM V prevents export. This is the first example of a nativePlasmodium falciparumPM V substrate that remains in the parasitophorous vacuole. We also provide evidence that the parasite produces at least one additional essential, non-exported PM V substrate. These results reveal that the presence of a PEXEL, and hence processing of a protein by PM V, does not always target a protein for export and that PM V has a broader function in parasite growth beyond processing exported proteins. Furthermore, we utilized this finding to investigate possible requirements for protein export further.
Protein–macrocycle polymorphism: crystal form IV of the Ralstonia solanacearum lectin–sulfonato-calix[8]arene complex
Authors: Mockler Niamh M. , Ramberg Kiefer O. , Crowley Peter B.
Published: May 2023

Controlled protein assembly and crystallization is necessary as a means of generating diffraction-quality crystals as well as providing a basis for new types of biomaterials. Water-soluble calixarenes are useful mediators of protein crystallization. Recently, it was demonstrated that Ralstonia solanacearum lectin (RSL) co-crystallizes with anionic sulfonato-calix[8]arene (sclx8) in three space groups. Two of these co-crystals only grow at pH ≤ 4 where the protein is cationic, and the crystal packing is dominated by the calixarene. This paper describes a fourth RSL–sclx8 co-crystal, which was discovered while working with a cation-enriched mutant. Crystal form IV grows at high ionic strength in the pH range 5–6. While possessing some features in common with the previous forms, the new structure reveals alternative calixarene binding modes. The occurrence of C
2-symmetric assemblies, with the calixarene at special positions, appears to be an important result for framework fabrication. Questions arise regarding crystal screening and exhaustive searching for polymorphs.
Dynamical analysis of a rotating rigid body containing a viscous incompressible fluid
Authors: He Ji-Huan , Amer T.S. , Amer W.S. , Elkafly H.F. , Galal A.A.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the dynamical properties of a rotating rigid body (RB) containing a viscous incompressible fluid.

Design/methodology/approach

The Reynolds number is assumed to be small so that the governing equations can be easily obtained, and the asymptotic technique is used to solve the problem.

Findings

The effects of the various body parameter values on the motion’s behavior are theoretically elucidated, which can be used for optimization of the charged RB.

Originality/value

This paper finds the missing piece of the puzzle when it comes to the rotating RB containing a viscous fluid; it clearly elucidates graphically how the body parameters affect its dynamical properties.
Stimulating innovation performance through knowledge-oriented leadership and knowledge sharing: the moderating role of market turbulence
Authors: Le Phong Ba , Do Yen Hai
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Due to the vital role of innovation for firms to respond to the change and achieve competitive advantage, the purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of knowledge-oriented leadership (KOL) on innovation performance (IP) via the mediating role of knowledge sharing (KS). This study also clarifies the KS-IP relationship by exploring the moderating role of market turbulence.

Design/methodology/approach

Analysis of moment structures and structural equation modeling are applied to examine the relationship among the latent factors in the proposed research model using data collected from 281 participants in 112 manufacturing and service firms in Vietnam.

Findings

The findings revealed that KOL serves as a key precursor to foster IP, directly or indirectly, through knowledge-oriented leaders’ effect on tacit and explicit KS behaviors. In addition, the paper highlights the moderating role of market turbulence in strengthening the impact of KS activities on IP.

Research limitations/implications

By highlighting the important role KOL practice for stimulating KS behaviors, this paper provides a valuable understanding and novel approach for firms to improve IP. The research findings support the idea that market turbulence significantly contributes to increasing the effects of KS behaviors on IP.

Originality/value

This study contributes to bridging research gaps in the literature and advances the insights of how KOL directly and indirectly fosters IP via mediating roles of tacit and explicit KS processes under the effects of market turbulence.
Exploring the impact of ambient air quality standards on firm innovation: evidence from listed industrial companies in China
Authors: Huang Min , Li Xiaobo
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the impact of the new ambient air quality standards (AAQS) on firm innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

Taking listed companies from 2009 to 2014 as the research object, the authors focus on the quasinatural experiment of the pilot policy of the new AAQS and apply the time-varying difference-in-differences (DID) method to conduct the empirical test.

Findings

The authors find that the new AAQS has a negative effect on firm innovation, and this negative impact may be caused by the increased environmental expenditures following the implementation of the new AAQS. Furthermore, the authors find that firm profitability and state ownership weaken this negative effect, but the effect of the degree of industrial pollution is statistically insignificant.

Originality/value

The study is an initial effort to explore the causal effect of the new AAQS on firm innovation. This study enriches the literature on the impact of environmental regulations on firm innovation and provides some reference value for the formulation of environmental regulation policies in developing countries.
Examination the effects of organizational innovation and knowledge management strategy in information technology companies in R&D departments on service quality and product innovation
Authors: Sonmez Cakir Fatma , Kalaycioglu Ozan , Adiguzel Zafer
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The purpose of the article is to examine the concepts of knowledge management strategies, innovation and service quality in information technology companies that have research and development (R&D) departments in the technoparks of research universities.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was carried out in information technology companies with R&D departments in the technoparks of universities. Due to the “innovation” focus of the research, 302 engineers were selected by random sampling from engineers working in information technology companies in technoparks, and the prepared scale was sent to them via e-mail. In total, 302 units of data were subjected to path analysis and mediation effect analysis using the SmartPLS program.

Findings

In the research, it is supported by hypotheses that both knowledge management strategies and organizational innovation have a positive effect on the success of service quality and product innovation in information technology companies with R&D departments. At the same time, it can be explained as a result of analysis that innovation capability has both an independent and an intermediary variable effect.

Research limitations/implications

Considering the limitations of the research, it is not correct to generalize the results of the analysis because the research was conducted only in information technology companies located in technoparks, and the data were collected from engineers working in these companies. For this reason, it is recommended that similar studies that are planned to be conducted in the future should do their research by taking this situation into account. At the same time, it is recommended to carry out future studies in different sectors and to bring the results obtained to the literature by comparing them.

Practical implications

The importance of information is increasing in technology-oriented companies where competition is increasing. Companies that cannot go beyond imitation or offer similar products and/or services cannot compete with their competitors in a competitive environment. The fact that companies can be successful in a competitive environment is supported by hypotheses as a result of the analysis that they need to develop organizational innovation and knowledge, as well as develop innovation capability at the same time.

Originality/value

The research is an original study in terms of examining the R&D departments of information technology companies operating in the technoparks of universities. Innovation and knowledge management strategies are examined within the scope of the research model by collecting data from information technology companies with R&D departments.
The moderating effects of strategy on the relation of working capital management with profitability
Authors: Vlismas Orestes
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore the moderating effects of strategy on the relationship between working capital management (WCM) and profitability.

Design/methodology/approach

A data sample of 72,444 firm-year observations of US-listed firms during 2000–2020 was used. The research hypotheses were tested using a panel regression analysis and an appropriate research instrument that signifies a firm’s strategic positioning.

Findings

The prospecting (defending) strategy has a decreasing (increasing) moderating effect on the relationship between WCM and profitability. The empirical findings are not affected by the level of earnings management, the presence of motives to meet earnings targets or the intensity of unreported intangible assets. Additionally, the reported empirical results remain robust within the context of propensity score matching regression analysis, in the presence of nonlinear effects of WCM on profitability, when alternative measures of WCM are used, and between firms with an increase or decrease in future profitability or different levels of efficiency on net WCM investments.

Research limitations/implications

This study may stimulate future research exploring the moderating effects of various variables on the relationship between WCM and operating performance.

Practical implications

The findings highlight the importance of strategy for improving the performance evaluation of WCM policies and the prediction accuracy of the consequences of a strategy on short-term operating performance.

Originality/value

Prior empirical research has documented either a negative or positive relationship between WCM and profitability, which implies the presence of moderating effects of various factors. This study provides empirical evidence of the moderating effects of strategy on the relationship between WCM and profitability.
Examining the viability of lean production practices in the Industry 4.0 era: an empirical evidence based on B2B garment manufacturing sector
Authors: Saha Palash , Talapatra Subrata , Belal H.M. , Jackson Victoria , Mason Amanda , Durowoju Olatunde
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the influence of the interrelationship between the deployment of Industry 4.0 (I4.0) technologies and the application of lean production (LP) practices on the degree of organizational sustainability performance (SP) enhancement of the Bangladeshi ready-made garment (RMG) sector.

Design/methodology/approach

Previously, researchers have applied the resource-based view (RBV) or dynamic capability view (DCV) to describe the interaction of resources and capacities (technologies, management practices, SP) to analyze their effectiveness. However, in light of several contemporary academic discussions, this study contends that these organizational views are inappropriate for explicating SP. Hence, as the foundation of this study’s theoretical framework, the authors used the practice-based view (PBV), which is recommended as a useful window to evaluate the function of practices that are common and simple to emulate in execution. To test the theoretical framework and research hypothesis, this study used partial least square (PLS) analysis. For that, the authors carried out a systematic survey to collect data from 80 Bangladeshi RMG factories.

Findings

The results of this research imply that LP is a crucial factor in enhancing organizational SP. Moreover, the results also indicate that the adoption of I4.0 technologies along with LP can assist in delivering the lean objectives more efficiently and, therefore, the combined application of LP practices and I4.0 technologies play a significant role in enhancing organizational SP.

Originality/value

Though the present literature indicates the probable significant association between LP and SP or I4.0 technologies and SP, no study, with the best of the authors’ knowledge, has empirically examined the combined impacts of correlation between LP and I4.0 on SP. This is also a unique study to apply the PBV theory to explain the organizational SP through the combination of common resources and technologies.
Deploying artificial intelligence for anti-money laundering and asset recovery: the dawn of a new era
Authors: Pavlidis Georgios
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to critically examine the digital transformation of anti-money laundering (AML) and countering the financing of terrorism (CFT) in light of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) San Jose principles, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) principles for artificial intelligence (AI) and the proposed European Union (EU) Artificial Intelligence Act. The authors argue that AI tools can revolutionize AML/CFT and asset recovery, but there is a need to strike a balance between optimizing AML efficiency and safeguarding fundamental rights.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper draws on reports, legislation, legal scholarships and other open-source data on the digital transformation of AML/CFT, particularly the deployment of AI in this context.

Findings

A new regulatory framework with robust safeguards is necessary to mitigate the risks associated with the use of new technologies in the AML context.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to examine the use of AI in the AML/CFT context in light of the FATF San Jose principles, the OECD AI principles and the proposed EU AI Act.
Development and validation of an individual entrepreneurial potential new measurement scale
Authors: Ephrem Akilimali Ndatabaye , Murimbika McEdward
Published: May 2023

Purpose

As good as existing measurements of entrepreneurial potential (EP) may appear in the literature, they are fragmented, suffer from the lack of theory integration and clarity, are inadequately specified and assessed and the dimensions are unordered by importance. These limitations of EP metrics have hindered entrepreneurial practice and theory advancement. There is a risk of atomistic evolution of the topic among “siloed” scholars and room for repetitions without real progress. The purpose of this paper was to take stock of existing measurements from which the authors developed a new instrument that is brief and inclusive.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors followed several steps to develop and validate the new instrument, including construct domain name specification, literature review, structured interviews with entrepreneurs, face validation by experts, semantic validation and statistical validation after two waves of data collected on employee and entrepreneur samples.

Findings

A clear operational definition of EP is proposed and serves as a starting point towards a unified EP theory. The new EP instrument is made up of 34 items classified into seven dimensions, which in order of importance are proactive innovativeness, management skill, calculated risk-taking, social skill, financial literacy, entrepreneurial competencies prone to cognitive and heuristic biases and bricolage. The authors provide evidence for reliability and validity of the new instrument.

Research limitations/implications

Although a model is not the model, the authors discuss several ways in which the new measurement model can be used by different stakeholders to promote entrepreneurship.

Originality/value

The authors discuss the domain representativeness of the new scale and argue that the literature can meaningfully benefit from a non-fuzzy approach to what makes the EP of an individual. By developing a new EP instrument, the authors set an important pre-condition for advancing entrepreneurial theory and practice.
When and how big data analytics and work practices impact on financial performance: an intellectual capital perspective from banking industry
Authors: Hussain Azhar , Nisar Qasim Ali , Khan Waqas , Niazi Umair Imran , Malik Maida
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study aims to determine the role of intellectual capital (IC) on financial performance (FP), the mediating effect of high-performance work practices (HPWPs) and the moderating role of big data analytics on the banking sector operating in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

This study collected quantitative and cross-sectional data using structured questionnaire forms distributed to selected targeted respondents using a convenient sampling technique. The 518 useable questionnaires were analysed using the SmartPLS software through a structural equation modelling technique to test the proposed research hypotheses.

Findings

The study results revealed that IC has shown an impact on FP. The role of HPWP significantly mediates between IC and FP, while the moderating role of big data analytics remains insignificant.

Practical implications

This study highlights IC's role in enhancing FP in the Pakistani banking sector. It will bring a higher quality IC in the banking sector, and they will be better positioned to serve the community. Policymakers need to invest in IC and HPWP and utilise BDA, which will boost FP and uplift the quality of the banking sector.

Originality/value

This study extends the concept of IC and adds the theoretical role of HPWPs and big data analytics in the literature on IC, along with the contextual application. The study also develops a unique role of the integrated IC model theory with a relationship to the banking sector of Pakistan.