bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PCM1 conveys centrosome asymmetry to polarized endosome dynamics in regulating daughter cell fate
Authors: Zhao Xiang , Wang Yiqi , Mouilleau Vincent , Solak Ahmet Can , Garcia Jason , Chen Xingye , Wilkinson Christopher J. , Royer Loic , Dong Zhiqiang , Guo Su
Published: June 2024

Vertebrate radial glia progenitors (RGPs), the principal neural stem cells, balance self-renewal and differentiation through asymmetric cell division (ACD), during which unequal inheritance of centrosomes is observed. Mechanistically, how centrosome asymmetry leads to distinct daughter cell fate remains largely unknown. Here we find that the centrosome protein Pericentriolar Material 1 (Pcm1), asymmetrically distributed at the centrosomes, regulates polarized endosome dynamics and RGP fate.In vivotime-lapse imaging and nanoscale-resolution expansion microscopy of zebrafish embryonic RGPs detect Pcm1 on Notch ligand-containing endosomes, in a complex with the polarity regulator Par-3 and dynein motor. Loss ofpcm1disrupts endosome dynamics, with clonal analysis uncovering increased neuronal production at the expense of progenitors. Pcm1 facilitates an exchange of Rab5b (early) for Rab11a (recycling) endosome markers and promotes the formation of Par-3 and dynein macromolecular complexes on recycling endosomes. Finally, in human-induced pluripotent stem cell-derived brain organoids, PCM1 shows asymmetry and co-localization with PARD3 and RAB11A in mitotic neural progenitors. Our data reveal a new mechanism by which centrosome asymmetry is conveyed by Pcm1 to polarize endosome dynamics and Notch signaling in regulating ACD and progenitor fate.
Rapid rebalancing of co-tuned ensemble activity in the auditory cortex
Authors: Kang HiJee , Babola Travis A. , Kanold Patrick O.
Published: June 2024

Sensory information is represented by small varying neuronal ensembles in sensory cortices. In the auditory cortex (AC) repeated presentations of the same sound activate differing ensembles indicating high trial-by trial variability in activity even though the sounds activate the same percept. Efficient processing of complex acoustic signals requires that these sparsely distributed neuronal ensembles actively interact in order to provide a constant percept. Thus, the differing ensembles might interact to process the incoming sound inputs. Here, we probe interactions within and across ensembles by combiningin vivo2-photon Ca2+imaging and holographic optogenetic stimulation to study how increased activity of single cells level affects the cortical network. We stimulated a small number of neurons sharing the same frequency preference alongside the presentation of a target pure tone, further increasing their tone-evoked activity. We found that other non-stimulated co-tuned neurons decreased their tone-evoked activity when the frequency of the presented pure tone matched to their tuning property, while non co-tuned neurons were unaffected. Activity decrease was greater for non-stimulated co-tuned neurons with higher frequency selectivity. Co-tuned and non co-tuned neurons were spatially intermingled. Our results shows that co-tuned ensembles communicated and balanced their total activity across the larger network. The rebalanced network activity due to external stimulation remained constant. These effects suggest that co-tuned ensembles in AC interact and rapidly rebalance their activity to maintain encoding homeostasis, and that the rebalanced network is persistent.
Diversification of the Rho transcription termination factor in bacteria
Authors: Moreira Sofia M. , Chyou Te-yuan , Wade Joseph T. , Brown Chris M.
Published: June 2024

Correct termination of transcription is essential for gene expression. In bacteria, factor-dependent termination relies on the Rho factor, that classically has three conserved domains. Some bacteria also have a functional insertion region. However, the variation in Rho structure among bacteria has not been analyzed in detail. This study determines the distribution, sequence conservation, and predicted features of Rho factors with diverse domain architectures by analyzing 2,730 bacterial genomes. About half (49.8%) of the species analyzed have the typicalEscherichia colilike Rho while most of the other species (39.8%) have diverse, atypical forms of Rho. Besides conservation of the main domains, we describe a duplicated RNA-binding domain present in specific species and novel variations in the bicyclomycin binding pocket. The additional regions observed in Rho proteins exhibit remarkable diversity. Commonly, however, they have exceptional amino acid compositions and are predicted to be intrinsically disordered, to undergo phase separation, or have prion-like behavior. Phase separation has recently been shown to play roles in Rho function and bacterial fitness during harsh conditions in one species and this study suggests a more widespread role. In conclusion, diverse atypical Rho factors are broadly distributed among bacteria, suggesting additional cellular roles.
Translation-independent association of mRNAs encoding protomers of the 5-HT2A-mGlu2 receptor complex in living cells
Authors: Saha Somdatta , Gonzalez-Maeso Javier
Published: June 2024

The serotonin 2A receptor (5-HT2AR) and the metabotropic glutamate 2 receptor (mGluR2) form heteromeric G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) complexes through a direct physical interaction. Co-translational association of mRNAs encoding subunits of heteromeric ion channels has been reported, but whether complex assembly of GPCRs occurs during translation remains unknown. Ourin vitrodata reveal evidence of co-translational modulation in5-HT2ARandmGluR2mRNAs following siRNA-mediated knockdown. Interestingly, immunoprecipitation of either 5-HT2AR or mGluR2, using an antibody targeting epitope tags at their N-terminus, results in detection of both transcripts associated with ribonucleoprotein complexes containing RPS24. Additionally, we demonstrate that the mRNA transcripts of5-HT2ARandmGluR2associate autonomously of their respective encoded proteins. Validation of this translation-independent association is extendedex vivousing mouse frontal cortex samples. Together, these findings provide mechanistic insights into the co-translational assembly of GPCR heteromeric complexes, unraveling regulatory processes governing protein-protein interactions and complex formation.
AI-m6ARS: Machine learning-driven m6A RNA methylation site discovery with integrated sequence, conservation, and geographical descriptors
Authors: Uthayopas Korawich , de Sá Alex G. C. , Ascher David B.
Published: June 2024

N6-Methyladenosine (m6A) is a predominant type of human RNA methylation, regulating diverse biochemical processes and being associated with the development of several diseases. Despite its significance, an extensive experimental examination across diverse cellular and transcriptome contexts is still lacking due to time and cost constraints. Computational models have been proposed to prioritise potential m6A methylation sites, although having limited predictive performance due to inadequate characterisation and modelling of m6A sites. This work presents AI-m6ARS, a novel model that utilises integrated sequence, conservation, and geographical descriptive features to predict human m6A methylation sites. The model was trained using the Light Gradient Boosting Machine (LightGBM) algorithm, which was coupled with comprehensive feature selection to improve the data quality. AI-m6RS demonstrates strong predictive capabilities, achieving an impressive area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of 0.87 on cross-validation. Consistent results on unseen transcripts in a blind test highlight the AI-m6ARS generalisability. AI-m6ARS also demonstrates comparable performance to state-of-the-art models, but offers two significant benefits: the model interpretability and the availability of a user-friendly web server. The AI-m6ARS web server offers valuable insights into the distribution of m6A sites within the human genome, thereby facilitating progress in medical applications.

GRAPHICAL ABSTRACT
Single-nucleus proteomics identifies regulators of protein transport
Authors: Derks Jason , Jonson Tobias , Leduc Andrew , Khan Saad , Khoury Luke , Rafiee Mahmoud-Reza , Slavov Nikolai
Published: June 2024

The physiological response of a cell to stimulation depends on its proteome configuration. Therefore, the abundance variation of regulatory proteins across unstimulated single cells can be associatively linked with their response to stimulation. Here we developed an approach that leverages this association across individual cells and nuclei to systematically identify potential regulators of biological processes, followed by targeted validation. Specifically, we applied this approach to identify regulators of nucleocytoplasmic protein transport in macrophages stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). To this end, we quantified the proteomes of 3,412 individual nuclei, sampling the dynamic response to LPS treatment, and linking functional variability to proteomic variability. Minutes after the stimulation, the protein transport in individual nuclei correlated strongly with the abundance of known protein transport regulators, thus revealing the impact of natural protein variability on functional cellular response. We found that simple biophysical constraints, such as the quantity of nuclear pores, partially explain the variability in LPS-induced nucleocytoplasmic transport. Among the many proteins newly identified to be associated with the response, we selected 16 for targeted validation by knockdown. The knockdown phenotypes confirmed the inferences derived from natural protein and functional variation of single nuclei, thus demonstrating the potential of (sub-)single-cell proteomics to infer functional regulation. We expect this approach to generalize to broad applications and enhance the functional interpretability of single-cell omics data.
Coherent pair injection as a route towards the enhancement of supersolid order in many-body bosonic models
Authors: Grigoriou Emmanouil , Ning Zhiyao , Su Hang , Löckler Benjamin , Li Ming , Kamiya Yoshitomo , Navarrete-Benlloch Carlos
Published: June 2024

Over the past couple of decades, quantum simulators have been probing quantum many-body physics with unprecedented levels of control. So far, the main focus has been on the access to novel observables and dynamical conditions related to condensed-matter models. However, the potential of quantum simulators goes beyond the traditional scope of condensed-matter physics: Being based on driven-dissipative quantum optical platforms, quantum simulators allow for processes that typically are not considered in condensed-matter physics. These processes can enrich in unexplored ways the phase diagram of well-established models. Taking the extended Bose-Hubbard model as the guiding example, in this work we examine the impact of coherent pair injection, a process readily available in, for example, superconducting circuit arrays. The interest behind this process is that, in contrast to the standard injection of single excitations, it can be configured to preserve the U(1) symmetry underlying the model. We prove that this process favors both superfluid and density-wave order, as opposed to insulation or homogeneous states, thereby providing a route towards the access of lattice supersolidity.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Inference of the low-energy constants in
Δ
-full chiral effective field theory including a correlated truncation error
Authors: Svensson Isak , Ekström Andreas , Forssén Christian
Published: June 2024

We sample the posterior probability distributions of the low-energy constants (LECs) in Δ-full chiral effective field theory (χEFT) up to third order. We use eigenvector continuation for fast and accurate emulation of the likelihood and Hamiltonian Monte Carlo to draw effectively independent samples from the posteriors. Our Bayesian inference is conditioned on the Granada database of neutron-proton (np) cross sections and polarizations. We use priors grounded in χEFT assumptions and a Roy-Steiner analysis of pion-nucleon scattering data. We model correlated EFT truncation errors using a two-feature Gaussian process, and find correlation lengths for np scattering energies and angles in the ranges 45–83 MeV and 24–39 degrees, respectively. These correlations yield a nondiagonal covariance matrix and reduce the number of independent scattering data with factors of 8 and 4 at the second and third chiral orders, respectively. The relatively small difference between the second- and third-order predictions in Δ-full χEFT suppresses the marginal variance of the truncation error and the effects of its correlation structure. Our results are particularly important for analyzing the predictive capabilities in nuclear theory.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
A simple protocol for determining the zone axis direction from selected-area electron diffraction spot patterns of cubic materials
Authors: Weirich Thomas E.
Published: June 2024

Using the well known Rn
ratio method, a protocol has been elaborated for determining the lattice direction for the 15 most common cubic zone axis spot patterns. The method makes use of the lengths of the three shortest reciprocal-lattice vectors in each pattern and the angles between them. No prior pattern calibration is required for the method to work, as the Rn
ratio method is based entirely on geometric relationships. In the first step the pattern is assigned to one of three possible pattern types according to the angles that are measured between the three reciprocal-lattice vectors. The lattice direction [uvw] and possible Bravais type(s) and Laue indices of the corresponding reflections can then be determined by using lookup tables. In addition to determining the lattice direction, this simple geometric analysis allows one to distinguish between the P, I and F Bravais lattices for spot patterns aligned along [013], [112], [114] and [233]. Moreover, the F lattice can always be uniquely identified from the [011] and [123] patterns.
Current developments and trends in quantum crystallography
Authors: Krawczuk Anna , Genoni Alessandro
Published: June 2024

Quantum crystallography is an emerging research field of science that has its origin in the early days of quantum physics and modern crystallography when it was almost immediately envisaged that X-ray radiation could be somehow exploited to determine the electron distribution of atoms and molecules. Today it can be seen as a composite research area at the intersection of crystallography, quantum chemistry, solid-state physics, applied mathematics and computer science, with the goal of investigating quantum problems, phenomena and features of the crystalline state. In this article, the state-of-the-art of quantum crystallography will be described by presenting developments and applications of novel techniques that have been introduced in the last 15 years. The focus will be on advances in the framework of multipole model strategies, wavefunction-/density matrix-based approaches and quantum chemical topological techniques. Finally, possible future improvements and expansions in the field will be discussed, also considering new emerging experimental and computational technologies.
Bis(8-hydroxyquinolinium) naphthalene-1,5-disulfonate tetrahydrate
Authors: Nazarov Yusufjon Eshkobilovich , Turaev Khayit Khudaynazarovich , Alimnazarov Bekmurod Khurramovich , Suyunov Jabbor Ruziboevich , Umirova Gulnora Abdurakhmonovna , Ibragimov Bakhtiyar Tulyaganovich , Ashurov Jamshid Mengnorovich
Published: June 2024

The interaction between 8-hydroxyquinoline (8HQ, C9H7NO) and naphthalene-1,5-disulfonic acid (H2NDS, C10H8O6S2) in aqueous media results in the formation of the salt hydrate bis(8-hydroxyquinolinium) naphthalene-1,5-disulfonate tetrahydrate, 2C9H8NO+·C10H6O6S2
2−·4H2O. The asymmetric unit comprises one protonated 8HQ+ cation, half of an NDS2– dianion symmetrically disposed around a center of inversion, and two water molecules. Within the crystal structure, these components are organized into chains along the [010] and [10\overline{1}] directions through O—H...O and N—H...O hydrogen-bonding interactions, forming a di-periodic network parallel to (101). Additional stabilizing interactions such as C—H...O, C—H...π, and π–π interactions extend this arrangement into a tri-periodic network structure
Museum experience in battlefield tourism: a netnographic approach
Authors: Akgül Onur , Eren Duygu
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the war museum experience by analyzing the comments and feedback provided by visitors on Google and TripAdvisor. This analysis intends to uncover the various aspects of war museum experiences.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 201 comments, in which visitors explicitly articulated their experiences at the museum, were subjected to analysis. The comments were examined using a netnography analysis. Four dimensions; object experience, cognitive experience, introspective experience and social experience were used to group the analyzed remarks.

Findings

The findings indicate that the majority of the participants' museum experiences at the Canakkale Gallipoli Epic Promotion Center were introspective experiences, that the visitors felt extremely strong emotions as a result of the technological systems used in the museum and that they perceived the museum as being in a combat zone. Additionally, it was noted that the appearance of the artifacts in the museums really impressed the tourists and that the museum had provided them with thorough information about the war.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study are the number of visitors to the museum and the number of reviews written on Google and TripAdvisor about the visit experience. Especially since the majority of the reviews on Google do not include comments and only consist of ratings, the number of comments on the museum experience is limited.

Originality/value

While there exists a range of studies examining the experiences of tourists at historical places, there is a scarcity of research that specifically focuses on analyzing the impacts of these experiences from the visitors' standpoint. Given the absence of any existing study examining the experiences of war museum visitors using the netnographic approach within this particular context, this research is believed to possess originality and is anticipated to address the existing gap in the relevant literature. Furthermore, this work holds significant theoretical and practical ramifications for curators and scholars. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, since this research is the first to comprehensively analyze the experiences of war museum visitors using the netnographic approach and no similar studies have been found in existing literature, the findings of this study are considered original.
Digital capabilities and market competitiveness: the two-fold mediation of internal and external drivers
Authors: Rehman Fazal Ur
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study evaluates the two-way relationship between digital capabilities and market competitiveness along with the twofold mediation of circular economy, business model innovation (BMI) and energy policies based on the dynamic capability and ecological modernization theories.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were compiled through questionnaire-based survey from the top management of new ventures and evaluated through partial least squares structural equation modeling to find results.

Findings

The study discovered a two-way relationship between digital capabilities and market competitiveness among new ventures along with the twofold mediation of circular economy and BMI. Surprisingly, the energy policies have no twofold mediation.

Practical implications

The findings have important implications for policy and guide the practitioners to focus on digital efficiencies to attain higher competitive advantage in the light of environmental initiatives.

Originality/value

Although past research has paid wide attention to the defined factors, but to the best of the author’s knowledge, this is the first study in these domains.
Key competencies for identifying construction activities that produce recyclable materials: an exploratory study
Authors: Omer Mazen M. , Rahman Rahimi A. , Fauzi Muhammad Ashraf , Almutairi Saud
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Construction activities generate overwhelming waste that is typically disposed of in landfills, which has significant environmental consequences and hinders national progress. However, with the appropriate competencies, there is an opportunity to identify construction activities that produce recyclable materials, offering a path to a sustainable future. This study aims to assess the competencies for identifying construction activities that produce recyclable materials. To attain that aim, the study seeks to identify the key competencies and assess the index level of the competencies.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was conducted, and 20 competencies were identified and categorized into knowledge, skills, and abilities. A questionnaire survey was developed based on the competencies and completed by 101 individuals. The collected data were analyzed using normalized mean analysis, confirmatory factor analysis, and fuzzy synthetic evaluation (FSE).

Findings

The results revealed that the key competencies are problem-solving skills, communication skills, skills in providing vocational training, and knowledge of the environmental impacts of construction activities. The FSE ranks the constructs in order of skills, knowledge, and abilities. Also, the FSE illustrated that the overall index level is inclined to be important.

Practical implications

This study leads to saving natural resources, using raw materials efficiently, protecting from environmental pollution, and mitigating resource depletion by providing the index level of the competencies.

Originality/value

The findings can guide professionals in effective waste management, policymakers in creating new policies and regulations, and researchers in compiling a list of competencies for identifying construction activities that produce recyclable materials.
Combining Lean Six Sigma and agile approach to optimize order management: action research in a Brazilian company
Authors: Senna do Amaral Caio , Varanda Cotaet Omar , Santos Bochetti Fabiana Aparecida , Tobal Berssaneti Fernando
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the combined application of Lean Six Sigma and agile approach for optimizing operational processes of order management in the seed industry.

Design/methodology/approach

This study is based on an action research case conducted in a multinational Brazilian Seeds Business enterprise. This paper reports on the application of the Lean Six Sigma define-measure-analyze-improve-control (DMAIC), using the steps of DMAIC cycle as a sprint of agile approach. The methodology involves outlining an operational process through sequential activities, each associated with a cycle time, equivalent number of full-time employee and number of orders. Performance metrics for the order management process include continuous monitoring of these activities, using monitoring systems, management software and manual records to collect data.

Findings

The findings reveal significant improvements in critical-to-quality measures related to customer care, planning and logistics. The implementation of the DMAIC methodology and agile approach resulted in tangible enhancements in cycle time, defects per opportunities and overall process efficiency. The results allow the classification of defects, the identification of their causes and, consequently, the presentation of a control plan to mitigate these problems. Furthermore, the study identifies key causes of operational issues and proposes a prioritized action plan.

Research limitations/implications

The limitation of this research is its restriction to a single case. The external validity of the results and generalizability to other organizational contexts may be compromised due to the lack of case diversity. The fact that the research focuses on a single company, even if it is a large multinational company, may limit the applicability of the findings to different sectors, sizes and organizational structures, which may be an opportunity for future research.

Practical implications

The findings suggest that the integrated approach of DMAIC and agile methodology contributes to a culture of continuous improvement and operational efficiency. The systematic collection and analysis of data enhance evidence-based decision-making, providing a robust foundation for strategic and operational choices. Moreover, the successful integration of methodologies presents a comprehensive framework applicable to diverse organizational challenges.

Originality/value

The paper applies action research to understand and address operational challenges, emphasizing practical solutions. The integration of DMAIC and agile enhances the depth of process analysis, enabling the identification, implementation and control of improvements. This study offers a significant contribution both to practitioners, providing practical implications, and to academics, enriching the Lean Six Sigma and agile body of knowledge.
COVID-19 in correctional facilities in Ontario, Canada: a retrospective epidemiological analysis from 15 January 2020 to 31 December 2022
Authors: Zygmunt Austin , Warsame Kahiye , Mather Richard G. , McKinnon Lori , Philipneri Anne , Li Stone , Menon Sandya
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The physical environment of correctional facilities promote infectious disease transmission and outbreaks. The purpose of this study is to compare the COVID-19 burden between the correctional facility (incarcerated individuals and staff members) and non-correctional facility population in Ontario during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

All individuals in Ontario with a laboratory confirmation of SARS-CoV-2 between 15 January 2020 and 31 December 2022 and entered into the provincial COVID-19 data were included. Cases were classified as a correctional facility case (living or working in a correctional facility) or a non-correctional facility case. COVID-19 vaccination status was obtained from the provincial COVID-19 vaccine registry. Statistics Canada census data were used to calculate COVID-19 incidence and hospitalization rates for incarcerated cases and the non-correctional facility population.

Findings

Between 15 January 2020 and 31 December 2022, there were 1,550,045 COVID-19 cases in Ontario of which 8,292 (0.53%) cases were reported in correctional (63.8% amongst incarcerated individuals, 18.6% amongst staff and 17.7% amongst an unknown classification) and 1,541,753 (99.47%) were non-correctional facility cases. Most cases in correctional facilities were men (83.8%) and aged 20–59 years (93.1%). COVID-19 incidence and hospitalization rates were generally higher among incarcerated individuals compared to the non-correctional facility population throughout the study period. COVID-19 incidence peaked in January 2022 for both the correctional facility population (21,543.8 per 100,000 population) and the non-correctional facility population (1915.1 per 100,000 population). The rate of COVID-19 hospitalizations peaked for the correctional facility population aged 20–59 in March 2021 (70.7 per 100,000 population) and in April 2021 for the non-correctional facility population aged 20–59 (19.8 per 100,000 population). A greater percentage of incarcerated individuals (73.0%) were unvaccinated at time of their COVID-19 diagnosis compared to the non-correctional facility population (49.3%). Deaths amongst correctional facility cases were rare (0.1%, 6 / 8,292) compared to 1.0% of non-correctional facility cases (n = 15,787 / 1,541,753).

Originality/value

During the COVID-19 pandemic, individuals incarcerated in correctional facilities in Ontario had higher COVID-19 incidence and hospitalization rates compared to the non-correctional facility population. These results support prioritizing incarcerated individuals for public health interventions to mitigate COVID-19 impacts in correctional facilities.
Formal long-term care, individualisation and filial responsibility: a multi-level analysis of 21 European countries
Authors: Kääriäinen Juha , Tanskanen Antti O. , Danielsbacka Mirkka
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Due to the rapid ageing of the continent's population, a significant surge in long-term care expenses for the elderly is expected across Europe in the coming years. Could a potential solution to this challenge involve the increased informal care provided by adult children? In this context, we examined a general view or moral duty of European citizens regarding whether adult children should assume responsibility for providing long-term care to the elderly.

Design/methodology/approach

Our multilevel analysis draws on individual-level data from the 2017 European Value Study and country-level data from various European sources encompassing participants from 21 member countries of the European Union.

Findings

The findings reveal that in nations where public long-term care services are sufficiently available and of superior quality, there is a negative sentiment towards the notion that adult children should bear the responsibility for elderly care. In total, 71% of the country-level variance in our dependent variable was explained by the availability and quality of formal long-term care in a country. Furthermore, various individual-level attributes contribute to shaping attitudes towards care-giving responsibility. We observed that women, middle-aged individuals, those without religious affiliations, those with modern gender role attitudes and non-immigrants tended to hold unfavourable attitudes towards the responsibility of adult children in long-term care provision.

Originality/value

There are relatively many studies on the general attitude of the population towards filial obligation. However, so far there have been very few studies available that examine the population's attitude towards the obligation of adult children to commit to their parents' long-term care. Our research explains the variation of the phenomenon in Europe with both country-level and individual-level factors.
Probing the impact of intellectual capital on SME efficiency: the role of business model innovation
Authors: Khattak Muhammad Sualeh , Wu Qiang , Ahmad Maqsood , Anwar Muhammad
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study explores the mechanism by which intellectual capital (IC) [i.e. human capital (HC), structural capital (SC) and relational capital (RC)] influences small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) efficiency in the presence of business model innovation (BMI) as a mediator.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collection is conducted through a survey completed by 319 owners and top managers of SMEs operating in the manufacturing sector in three cities in Pakistan. A simple random sampling method is used. A structural equation modeling artificial neural network (SEM-ANN)-based approach is applied to evaluate the role of IC predictors. The mediation results are authenticated using PROCESS.

Findings

The results indicate that HC, SC and RC significantly influence SME efficiency and BMI. Furthermore, BMI fully mediates the relationship between human capital and SME efficiency, while partially mediating the relationship between structural capital and SME efficiency, as well as between SC and SME efficiency.

Originality/value

This study pioneers research into the link between IC and SME efficiency. It contributes to the literature by defining IC as an antecedent of SME efficiency. It further contributes to the literature by defining IC as an antecedent and BMI as an intervening variable of SME efficiency.
How does TAM affect impulsive buying on halal fashion products via shopping mobile apps?
Authors: Anwar Moh Muhlis
Published: June 2024

Purpose

By using Technology Acceptance Model, the purpose of this study is to investigate how the perceived usefulness and ease-of-use of shopping mobile apps affects consumer’s flow experience, attitude, impulsive buying tendency (IBT) and urge to impulsive buying on halal fashion products.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative study was done on 357 Indonesian online shoppers to find out how perceived usefulness and ease of use of mobile shopping apps affect impulsive buying tendencies and urges on halal fashion products. Flow experience and attitude were used as mediating variables, and the research hypotheses were tested using Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

This study confirmed significant positive relationships between perceived usefulness and ease of use of mobile apps, flow experience, attitude, IBT and urge to impulsive buying. The results of this study show that perceived usefulness and ease of use influence flow experience. Ease of use also influences attitude, but perceived usefulness did not impact attitude. In addition, flow experience did not impact attitude. However, both flow experience and attitude influence IBT. Furthermore, IBT significantly mediated flow experience and attitude into urge to impulsive buying.

Research limitations/implications

This study only captured consumers in one country, so its results cannot be generalized to other nations. Random sampling may limit result generalization. In this study, three mobile shopping applications were investigated and the results would have been different if more mobile shopping applications were investigated.

Originality/value

The study gives a better understanding of how the perceived usefulness and ease of use of mobile shopping apps affect a consumer's tendency and urge to impulsive buying on halal fashion products by using flow experience as mediating variable.
Home country influence in cross-border mergers and acquisitions by emerging market firms: a systematic review
Authors: He Geer , Padrón-Hernández Ivar
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Emerging market firms (EMFs) are increasingly expanding their global presence through cross-border mergers and acquisitions (CBMAs). While such deals are distinct from those by advanced market firms, there is a need for a comprehensive understanding of how emerging home markets form this distinctiveness. This study aims to remedy this gap.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conduct a systematic literature review of 84 empirical papers. Through a broad search string and seven exclusion criteria, the authors carefully select studies on country-level home factors of CBMAs by EMFs.

Findings

After summarizing paper volumes, journals and context factors of home/host countries and industries, the authors highlight different strands of institutional theory as the prevailing perspective and pre-M&A issues as the foremost theme. CBMAs by EMFs are influenced by distinct home-exclusive factors, and the mechanisms linking home-country factors to CBMAs by EMFs show significant inconsistencies across studies.

Originality/value

This review focuses on home country influence and thus goes beyond general characteristics of CBMAs by EMFs. The authors highlight more diverse types of home country factors and CBMA outcomes and, more importantly, take a closer look at involved mechanisms. Doing so, the authors identify gaps and disparities that have limited the understanding of home country influence in CBMAs by EMFs. To correct this, the authors offer a comprehensive roadmap for future research, contributing to EMF studies in particular and CBMA and international business research in general.
Marketing the “faast” way: the corn dough revolution
Authors: Karikari Serwaa , Hu Haiyan
Published: June 2024

Research methodology

The case portrays an actual organization, real people and an authentic marketing situation. Both primary and secondary data were used to develop the case. Interviews with the company’s founders were a major source of primary data. Email exchanges with the company’s leadership were used to verify and elucidate details within the case and instructor’s manual. Other primary data included direct observations of how maize was milled, sold in the marketplaces and cooked into various staple foods. Secondary data about the company were obtained from the company’s website, social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram) and articles in the press. Information on the company’s operating environment was derived from published government reports. The authors also drew on secondary data about the statistics, practices and issues involved in maize production and the agro-processing industry in Ghana.

Case overview/synopsis

This case features Sahel Grains Ltd, an agro-processing company based in Ghana, West Africa, striving to grow its maiden product, Faast Mmori. This ready-to-cook corn dough provides a more hygienic and convenient way of preparing local meals, compared to the traditional method, which involves taking maize grain to the local mill facilities and paying to have it milled before cooking. Alternatively, consumers purchase corn dough from the markets to make traditional meals. Since the company launched the product in Kumasi in 2018, sales have grown with the augmented street sales promotion and expanded distribution in premium supermarkets such as Shoprite and Citydia. However, starting in November 2020, the sales seemed to plateau with dwindling new customers, and the monthly dough sales in Kumasi dropped for the first time in December 2020. Although the sales regained positive growth, they then started to lose momentum.

In this scenario, Kofi, the CEO and co-founder, is considering marketing strategies to catalyze growth. Students assume the role of Kofi and are asked to recommend growth strategies to move the company forward. In doing so, they must scan the market environment and analyze the product’s market positioning. More importantly, they are challenged to develop strategies for managing growth.

Complexity academic level

This case is intended for undergraduate students in an introductory course in marketing, management, entrepreneurship and business in general. It introduces students to key marketing concepts, such as market environment scanning, positioning, product life cycle and market growth strategy.
Field‐realistic exposure to the novel insecticide flupyradifurone reduces reproductive output in a bumblebee (Bombus impatiens)
Authors: Richardson Leeah I. , Siviter Harry , Jha Shalene , Muth Felicity
Published: June 2024

Novel insecticides are continuously being developed for application in response to increased legal restriction of previously developed insecticides and resistance in target insects. These novel insecticides, such as flupyradifurone (FPF), remain relatively untested on non‐target organisms, including bumblebees. Further, existing tests on honeybees tend to focus on adult mortality and thus sub‐lethal effects, such as impacts on reproductive output, are neglected, despite their importance for population‐level impacts.

To address if the novel insecticide FPF has sub‐lethal effects on bumblebee reproduction and behaviour, we established microcolonies and chronically exposed them to field‐realistic concentrations over a 14‐day period.

We found that exposure to FPF reduced the bumblebees' reproductive output in terms of the number of larvae produced and the mean mass of each larval instar. FPF‐treated bees also stored less sucrose and constructed fewer honeypots. However, adult bumblebee mortality was similar between control and FPF‐exposed microcolonies.

Our results show that field‐realistic FPF exposure leads to increased larval mortality and/or delayed larval development, as well as reduced nectar storage, without affecting adult mortality.

Policy implications. Insecticides that impair bumblebee reproduction can have long‐term population‐level consequences, even if adult bees do not experience increased mortality. Despite this fact, sub‐lethal effects, such as impacts on reproduction, are not mandatorily assessed within the regulatory process. Our findings highlight the importance of determining sub‐lethal effects of pesticides across developmental stages, as well as using pollinator species other than honeybees within the regulatory process.
Comprehensive analysis of EphA2 in pan‐cancer: A prognostic biomarker associated with cancer immunity
Authors: Li Yuchun , Fei Hanxiao , Xiao Zhiwen , Lu Xiuxia , Zhang Hua , Liu Mengmeng
Published: June 2024

Background

Several studies have reported a significant relationship between Ephrin receptor A2 (EphA2) and malignant progression in numerous cancers. However, there is a lack of comprehensive pan‐cancer analysis on the prognostic value, mutation status, methylation landscape, and potential immunological function of EphA2.

Method

Using The Cancer Genome Atlas, Genotype Tissue Expression Database and GEO data, we analysed the differences in EphA2 expression between normal and tumour tissues and the effects of EphA2 on the prognosis of different tumours. Furthermore, using GSCALite, cBioPortal, TISDB, ULCLAN and TIMER 2.0 databases or platforms, we comprehensively analysed the potential oncogenic mechanisms or manifestations of EphA2 in 33 different tumour types, including tumour mutation status, DNA methylation status and immune cell infiltration. The correlation of EphA2 with immune checkpoints, tumour mutational burden, DNA microsatellite instability and DNA repair genes was also calculated. Finally, the effects of EphA2 inhibitors on the proliferation of human glioma and lung cancer cells were verified in cellular experiments.

Results

EphA2 is differentially expressed in different tumours, and patients with overexpression have poorer overall survival. In addition, gene mutations, gene copy number variation and DNA/RNA methylation of EphA2 have been identified in various tumours. Moreover, EphA2 is positively associated with immune infiltration involving macrophages and CD8+ T cells. Further, EphA2 mRNA expression is significantly associated with immune checkpoint in various cancers, especially programmed death‐ligand 1. Finally, the EphA2 inhibitor ALW‐II‐41‐27 shows potent anti‐tumour activity.

Conclusion

Our first pan‐cancer study of EphA2 provides insight into the prognostic and immunological roles of EphA2 in different tumours, suggesting that EphA2 might be a potential biomarker for poor prognosis and immune infiltration in cancer.
Development of a digital droplet PCR approach for the quantification of soil micro‐organisms involved in atmospheric CO2 fixation
Authors: Le Geay Marie , Mayers Kyle , Küttim Martin , Lauga Béatrice , Jassey Vincent E. J.
Published: June 2024

Carbon‐fixing micro‐organisms (CFMs) play a pivotal role in soil carbon cycling, contributing to carbon uptake and sequestration through various metabolic pathways. Despite their importance, accurately quantifying the absolute abundance of these micro‐organisms in soils has been challenging. This study used a digital droplet polymerase chain reaction (ddPCR) approach to measure the abundance of key and emerging CFMs pathways in fen and bog soils at different depths, ranging from 0 to 15 cm. We targeted total prokaryotes, oxygenic phototrophs, aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria and chemoautotrophs, optimizing the conditions to achieve absolute quantification of these genes. Our results revealed that oxygenic phototrophs were the most abundant CFMs, making up 15% of the total prokaryotic abundance. They were followed by chemoautotrophs at 10% and aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic bacteria at 9%. We observed higher gene concentrations in fen than in bog. There were also variations in depth, which differed between fen and bog for all genes. Our findings underscore the abundance of oxygenic phototrophs and chemoautotrophs in peatlands, challenging previous estimates that relied solely on oxygenic phototrophs for microbial carbon dioxide fixation assessments. Incorporating absolute gene quantification is essential for a comprehensive understanding of microbial contributions to soil processes. This approach sheds light on the complex mechanisms of soil functioning in peatlands.
Fitting in? Physician practice style after forced relocation
Authors: Chen Alice J. , Richards Michael R. , Shriver Rachel
Published: June 2024

Objective

This study aims to examine how variation in physicians' treatment decisions for newborn deliveries responds to changes in the hospital‐level norms for obstetric clinical decision‐making.

Data Sources

All hospital‐based births in Florida from 2003 through 2017.

Study Design

Difference‐in‐differences approach is adopted that leverages obstetric unit closures as the source of identifying variation to exogenously shift obstetricians to a new, nearby hospital with different propensities to approach newborn deliveries less intensively.

Data Extraction

Births attributed to physicians continuously observed 2 years before the closure event and 2 years after the closure event (treatment group physicians) or for identical time periods around a randomly assigned placebo closure date (control group physicians).

Principal Findings

All of the physicians meeting our inclusion criteria shifted their births to a new hospital less than 20 miles from the hospital shuttering its obstetric unit. The new hospitals approached newborn births more conservatively, and treatment group physicians sharply became less aggressive in their newborn birth clinical management (e.g., use of C‐section). The immediate 11‐percentage point (33%) increase in delivering newborns without any procedure behavior change is statistically significant (p value <0.01) and persistent after the closure event; however, the physicians' payer and patient mix are unchanged.

Conclusions

Obstetric physician behavior change appears highly malleable and sensitive to the practice patterns of other physicians delivering newborns at the same hospital. Incentives and policies that encourage more appropriate clinical care norms hospital‐wide could sharply improve physician treatment decisions, with benefits for maternal and infant outcomes.
Beyond methane, new frontiers in anaerobic microbial hydrocarbon utilizing pathways
Authors: Sarno Natalie , Hyde Emily , De Anda Valerie , Baker Brett J.
Published: June 2024

Alkanes, single carbon methane to long‐chain hydrocarbons (e.g. hexadecane and tetradecane), are important carbon sources to anaerobic microbial communities. In anoxic environments, archaea are known to utilize and produce methane via the methyl‐coenzyme M reductase enzyme (MCR). Recent explorations of new environments, like deep sea sediments, that have coupled metagenomics and cultivation experiments revealed divergent MCRs, also referred to as alkyl‐coenzyme M reductases (ACRs) in archaea, with similar mechanisms as the C1 utilizing canonical MCR mechanism. These ACR enzymes have been shown to activate other alkanes such as ethane, propane and butane for subsequent degradation. The reversibility of canonical MCRs suggests that these non‐methane‐activating homologues (ACRs) might have similar reversibility, perhaps mediated by undiscovered lineages that produce alkanes under certain conditions. The discovery of these alternative alkane utilization pathways holds significant promise for a breadth of potential biotechnological applications in bioremediation, energy production and climate change mitigation.