bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Addressing Label Noise for Electronic Health Records: Insights from Computer Vision for Tabular Data
Authors: Yang Jenny , Triendl Hagen , Soltan Andrew A. S. , Prakash Mangal , Clifton David A.
Published: October 2023

The analysis of extensive electronic health records (EHR) datasets often calls for automated solutions, with machine learning (ML) techniques, including deep learning (DL), taking a lead role. One common task involves categorizing EHR data into predefined groups. However, the vulnerability of EHRs to noise and errors stemming from data collection processes, as well as potential human labeling errors, poses a significant risk. This risk is particularly prominent during the training of DL models, where the possibility of overfitting to noisy labels can have serious repercussions in healthcare. Despite the well-documented existence of label noise in EHR data, few studies have tackled this challenge within the EHR domain. Our work addresses this gap by adapting computer vision (CV) algorithms to mitigate the impact of label noise in DL models trained on EHR data. Notably, it remains uncertain whether CV methods, when applied to the EHR domain, will prove effective, given the substantial divergence between the two domains. We present empirical evidence demonstrating that these methods, whether used individually or in combination, can substantially enhance model performance when applied to EHR data, especially in the presence of noisy/incorrect labels. We validate our methods and underscore their practical utility in real-world EHR data, specifically in the context of COVID-19 diagnosis. Our study highlights the effectiveness of CV methods in the EHR domain, making a valuable contribution to the advancement of healthcare analytics and research.
Leveraging Artificial Intelligence and Data Science for Integration of Social Determinants of Health in Emergency Medicine: A Scoping Review
Authors: Apakama Donald , Abbott Ethan E , Richardson Lynne , Chan Lili , Carr Brendan G , Nadkarni Girish N
Published: October 2023

Objective

Social Determinants of Health (SDOH) are critical drivers of health disparities and patient outcomes. However, accessing and collecting patient level SDOH data can be operationally challenging in the emergency department clinical setting requiring innovative approaches. This scoping review examines the potential of artificial intelligence (AI) and data science for modeling, extraction, and incorporation of SDOH data specifically within emergency departments (ED), further identifying areas for advancement and investigation.

Methods

We conducted a standardized search across Medline (Ovid), Embase (Ovid), CINAHL, Web of Science, and ERIC databases for studies published between 2015-2022. We focused on identifying studies employing AI or data science related to SDOH within emergency care contexts or conditions. Two specialized reviewers in Emergency Medicine and clinical informatics independently assessed each article, resolving discrepancies through iterative reviews and discussion. We then extracted data covering study details, methodologies, patient demographics, care settings, and principal outcomes.

Results

Of the 1,047 studies screened, 26 met the inclusion criteria. Notably, 9 out of 26 studies were solely concentrated on ED patients. Conditions studied spanned broad Emergency Medicine complaints and conditions including sepsis, acute myocardial infarction, and asthma. The majority (n=16) explored multiple SDOH domains, with homelessness/housing insecurity and neighborhood/built environment predominating. Machine learning (ML) techniques were utilized in 23 of the studies, natural language processing (NLP) being the most common approach used (n=11). Rule-based (n=5), deep learning (n=2), and pattern matching (n=4) were the most common NLP techniques used. NLP models in the reviewed studies displayed significant predictive performance with outcomes, With F1-scores ranging between 0.40 - 0.75 and specificities nearing 95.9%.

Conclusion

Although in its infancy, the convergence of AI and data science techniques, especially ML and NLP, with SDOH in Emergency Medicine offers transformative possibilities for better usage and integration of social data into clinical care and research. With a significant focus on the ED and notable NLP model performance, there is an imperative to standardize SDOH data collection, refine algorithms for diverse patient groups, and champion interdisciplinary synergies. These efforts aim to harness SDOH data optimally, enhancing patient care and mitigating health disparities. Our research underscores the vital need for continued investigation in this domain.
Dynamic Hippo pathway activity underlies mesenchymal differentiation during lung alveolar morphogenesis
Authors: Chaudhry Fatima N. , Michki Nigel S. , Shirmer Dain L. , Mcgrath-Morrow Sharon , Young Lisa R. , Frank David B. , Zepp Jarod A.
Published: October 2023

Alveologenesis, the final stage in lung development, substantially remodels the distal lung, expanding the alveolar surface area for efficient gas exchange. Secondary crest myofibroblasts (SCMF) exist transiently in the neonatal distal lung and are critical for alveologenesis. However, the pathways that regulate SCMF function, proliferation, and temporal identity remain poorly understood. To address this, we purified SCMFs from reporter mice, performed bulk RNA-sequencing, and found dynamic changes in Hippo-signaling components during alveologenesis. We deleted Hippo effectors, Yap/Taz, from Acta2-expressing SCMFs at the onset of alveologenesis, causing a significant arrest in alveolar development. Using scRNA-seq, we identified a distinct cluster of cells in mutant lungs with altered expression of marker genes associated with proximal mesenchymal cell types, airway smooth muscle (ASM), and alveolar duct myofibroblasts (DMF). Using lineage tracing, we show that neonatal Acta2-expressing SCMFs give rise to adult DMFs and that Yap/Taz mutants have an increase of persisting DMF-like cells in the alveolar ducts. Our findings identify plasticity in neonatal lung myofibroblasts and demonstrate that Yap/Taz are critical for maintaining lineage commitment along the proximal-distal axis.
Microglial depletion worsens lesion in female but not male C57BL/6J mice after P10 hypoxia-ischemia
Authors: Guez-Barber Danielle , Nicolayevsky Sofia E. , Johnson Kaya J.D. , Yun Sanghee , Eisch Amelia J.
Published: October 2023

Background

Rodent models for perinatal hypoxic ischemic (HI) encephalopathy have reported sex differences such as the same injury causing larger lesions in the brains of males compared to females. Microglia, the resident immune cells of the brain that have sex-dependent developmental trajectories and gene expression patterns, likely play a different role in females and males following HI. However, there is conflicting literature on whether depletion of microglia worsens or improves HI-induced lesions and whether this differs by sex. Here we tested the effect of pharmacologic microglia depletion on HI lesion size in male and female mice.

Methods

An initial cohort of C57BL/6J mouse pups underwent HI at postnatal day 10 (P10) using a modified Vannucci procedure or a Sham insult followed by brain collection at P13. Another cohort of mice received daily intraperitoneal injections from P7 to P12 of either 25mg/kg PLX3397 (PLX, a CSF1R inhibitor) or vehicle (Veh). These mice also underwent HI or Sham at P10, resulting in four groups (Veh-Sham, Veh-HI, PLX-Sham, PLX-HI). All groups included female and male mice. Behavioral testing was performed both pre-HI (forelimb grasping [P8, P9]) and post-HI (open field traversal [P12], behavior and appearance observations [P13]). P13 brain sections underwent immunohistochemistry for Iba1 or cresyl violet staining for lesion scoring.

Results

P13 HI hippocampal sections had more Iba1 signal than Sham, with more variance in Male-HI vs Female-HI mice. PLX led to >95% depletion of Iba1+ cells at P10 or P13, and effective elimination of microglia did not differ by sex. In the hippocampus, Female-PLX-HI mice had worse lesion scores than Female-Veh-HI mice; this was not true in male mice, where there was a trend in the opposite direction. Female-PLX-HI mice also had worse lesion scores than Male-PLX-HI mice. In contrast to this sex-dependent effect of PLX on lesion score, there was no difference among groups in developmental milestones.

Conclusion

PLX3397 injection P7-P9 or P7-P12 effectively depletes microglia by P10 or P13, respectively. Microglial depletion via PLX worsens HI-induced injury in female mice but not in male mice.
Aging Differentially Alters the Transcriptome and Landscape of Chromatin Accessibility in the Male and Female Mouse Hippocampus
Authors: Achiro Jennifer M. , Tao Yang , Gao Fuying , Lin Chia-Ho , Watanabe Marika , Neumann Sylvia , Coppola Giovanni , Black Douglas L. , Martin Kelsey C.
Published: October 2023

Aging-related memory impairment and pathological memory disorders such as Alzheimer’s disease differ between males and females, and yet little is known about how aging-related changes in the transcriptome and chromatin environment differ between sexes in the hippocampus. To investigate this question, we compared the chromatin accessibility landscape and gene expression/alternative splicing pattern of young adult and aged mouse hippocampus in both males and females using ATAC-seq and RNA-seq. We detected significant aging-dependent changes in the expression of genes involved in immune response and synaptic function, and aging-dependent changes in the alternative splicing of myelin sheath genes. We found significant sex-bias in the expression and alternative splicing of hundreds of genes, including aging-dependent female-biased expression of myelin sheath genes and aging-dependent male-biased expression of genes involved in synaptic function. Aging was associated with increased chromatin accessibility in both male and female hippocampus, especially in repetitive elements, and with an increase in LINE-1 transcription. We detected significant sex-bias in chromatin accessibility in both autosomes and the X chromosome, with male-biased accessibility enriched at promoters and CpG-rich regions. Sex differences in gene expression and chromatin accessibility were amplified with aging, findings that may shed light on sex differences in aging-related and pathological memory loss.

Highlights

Aging amplifies sex differences in the transcriptome and chromatin accessibility of mouse hippocampus

Aging is associated with widespread changes in the transcriptome of mouse hippocampus, including in genes involved in immune response and synaptic function

Myelin sheath-related genes in aged hippocampus show female-biased expression

Alternative splicing of myelin sheath-related genes changes with aging in the hippocampus

Sex-bias is evident in alternative splicing of nuclear and primary cilia genes

Aging in the hippocampus is associated with increased chromatin accessibility in both males and females

LINE-1 derived sequences are more accessible and LINE-1 transcripts are upregulated in the aged hippocampus of both males and females

Promoter and CpG-rich regions show male-biased accessibility
Analysis of a shark reveals ancient, Wnt dependent, habenular asymmetries in jawed vertebrates
Authors: Lanoizelet Maxence , Michel Léo , Lagadec Ronan , Mayeur Hélène , Guichard Lucile , Logeux Valentin , Séverac Dany , Martin Kyle , Klopp Christophe , Marcellini Sylvain , Castillo Hector , Pollet Nicolas , Candal Eva , Debiais-Thibaud Mélanie , Boisvert Catherine , Billoud Bernard , Schubert Michael , Blader Patrick , Mazan Sylvie
Published: October 2023

The origin of left-right asymmetries in the vertebrate habenula remains largely unknown. Using a transcriptomic approach, we show that in a cartilaginous fish, the catsharkScyliorhinus canicula, habenulae exhibit marked asymmetries both in their medial and their lateral component. Comparisons across gnathostomes suggest that asymmetries in the catshark lateral habenulae reflect an ancestral gnathostome trait, independently lost in tetrapods and neopterygians. Analysis of the mechanisms underlying their formation highlights an essential role of Wnt signaling. Wnt activity is submitted to a dynamic, asymmetric regulation during habenula development, with a Nodal dependent left repression at a stage when precursors for lateral habenulae have exited cell cycles. Pharmacological treatments during this time window reveal that Wnt signaling promotes lateral right neuronal identities in the right lateral habenula, while its repression by Nodal in the left one promotes lateral left neuronal identities. Based on comparisons with the zebrafish and the mouse, we propose that habenular asymmetry formation and diversification in gnathostomes involve the same developmental logic, relying on a conserved temporal regulation of neurogenesis, shaping neuronal identities on both sides, and its modification by a dynamic Wnt activity, right-restricted in the ancestral state and prone to variations in time and space during evolution.
3D RNA profile of habenulae in the catsharkScyliorhinus canicula: a reference in jawed vertebrates
Authors: Michel L. , Mayeur H. , Quillien A , Heier N. , Clairet J. , Dejean S. , Blader P. , Lagadec R. , Mazan S.
Published: October 2023

We report the generation of a spatially resolved RNA profile of the habenulae in a chondrichthyan, the catsharkScyliorhinus canicula. The digital profiles obtained for candidate markers of the broad territories previously characterized in this species reflect their broad characteristics, including left- or right asymmetric distributions. We use spatial autocorrelation and autocorrelation as measures to analyze these data and identify novel territory markers. These analyses lead to a refined molecular characterization of catshark habenulae and lead to extended lists of markers for the major territories previously identified. They confirm the marked asymmetry of the catshark habenulae, both in its lateral and medial components. In addition, they highlight a bilateral lateral to medial organization in radial bands, which may reflect a temporal regulation of neurogenesis. These data lead to a novel reference to explore the lmode of evolution of habenulae and of their asymmetries across gnathostomes.
KatG catalase deficiency confers bedaquiline hyper-susceptibility to isoniazid resistantMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: Ofori-Anyinam N , Hamblin M , Coldren ML , Li B , Mereddy G , Shaikh M , Shah A , Ranu N , Lu S , Blainey PC , Ma S , Collins JJ , Yang JH
Published: October 2023

Multidrug-resistant tuberculosis (MDR-TB) is a growing source of global mortality and threatens global control of tuberculosis (TB) disease. The diarylquinoline bedaquiline (BDQ) recently emerged as a highly efficacious drug against MDR-TB, defined as resistance to the first-line drugs isoniazid (INH) and rifampin. INH resistance is primarily caused by loss-of-function mutations in the catalase KatG, but mechanisms underlying BDQ’s efficacy against MDR-TB remain unknown. Here we employ a systems biology approach to investigate BDQ hyper-susceptibility in INH-resistantMycobacterium tuberculosis. We found hyper-susceptibility to BDQ in INH-resistant cells is due to several physiological changes induced by KatG deficiency, including increased susceptibility to reactive oxygen species and DNA damage, remodeling of transcriptional programs, and metabolic repression of folate biosynthesis. We demonstrate BDQ hyper-susceptibility is common in INH-resistant clinical isolates. Collectively, these results highlight how altered bacterial physiology can impact drug efficacy in drug-resistant bacteria.
Allosteric regulation of a molecular motor throughde novoprotein design
Authors: Cross Jessica A. , Dawson William M. , Shukla Shivam R. , Weijman Johannes F. , Mantell Judith , Dodding Mark P. , Woolfson Derek N.
Published: October 2023

Many enzymes are allosterically regulated. Our ability to manipulate these structural changes is limited. Here we install an allosteric switch into the kinesin-1 microtubule motorin vitroand in cells. Kinesin-1 is a heterotetramer that accesses open active and closed auto-inhibited states. The equilibrium between these centres on a flexible elbow within a complex coiled-coil architecture. We target the elbow to engineer a closed state that can be opened with ade novodesigned peptide. The alternative states are modelled computationally and confirmed by biophysical measurements and electron microscopy. In cells, peptide-driven activation increases kinesin transport, demonstrating a primary role for conformational switching in regulating motor activity. The designs are enabled by our understanding of ubiquitous coiled-coil structures, opening possibilities for controlling other protein activities.

One Sentence Summary

De novopeptide and protein design are used to engineer an allosteric switch into kinesin-1 motorsin vitroand directly in cells.
A topological perspective on the dual nature of the neural state space and the correlation structure
Authors: Vaupel Melvin , Hermansen Erik , Dunn Benjamin A.
Published: October 2023

When analysing neural activity, one often studies either the neural correlations or the state space of population vectors. However, the reason for choosing one over the other is seldom discussed. Here, with methods from the mathematical field of topology, we compare these approaches and propose using both for unsupervised inference of neural representations. If the recorded neurons have convex receptive fields on a single covariate space, there is a duality between the topological signatures derived from correlations on the one hand and population vectors on the other hand. However, in the presence of multiple neural modules with non convex receptive fields, this duality breaks down. We explain how to leverage complementary information derived from both approaches to sucessfully characterize the represented covariate spaces directly from the data also under these challenging circumstances. Furthermore, we prove appropriate reconstruction results and showcase applications to multiple neural datasets from various brain regions and diverse neural modules.
An in vitro analog of learning that food is inedible inAplysia: decreased responses to a transmitter signaling food after pairing with transmitters signaling failed swallowing
Authors: Levy Miryam , Jing Jian , Susswein Abraham J.
Published: October 2023

An in vitro analog of learning that a food is inedible provided insight into mechanisms underlying the learning.Aplysialearn to stop responding to a food when they attempt but fail to swallow it. Pairing a cholinergic agonist with an NO donor or histamine in theAplysiacerebral ganglion produced significant decreases in fictive feeding in response to the cholinergic agonist alone. Acetylcholine (ACh) is the transmitter of chemoreceptors sensing food touching the lips. Nitric oxide (NO) and histamine (HA) signal failed attempts to swallow food. Reduced responses to the cholinergic agonist after pairing with NO or HA indicate that learning partially arises via a decreased response to ACh in the cerebral ganglion.
Improved precision in As speciation analysis with HERFD-XANES at the As K-edge: the case of As speciation in mine waste. Corrigendum
Authors: Saurette Emily M. , Finfrock Y. Zou , Verbuyst Brent , Blowes David W. , McBeth Joyce M. , Ptacek Carol J.
Published: October 2023

The name of an author in the article by Saurette et al. (2022) [J. Synchrotron Rad.
29, 1198–1208] is corrected.
Cementing a place in Africa: PPC’s internationalisation drive
Authors: Macleod Ian , Saville Adrian David , Onaji-Benson Theresa
Published: October 2023

Learning outcomes

The study enables students to critique the internationalisation strategy of an African business including elements of macroeconomic analysis, company fit with jurisdictions, non-market strategies and mode of entry.

Case overview/synopsis

Roland van Wijnen was the chief executive officer of Pretoria Portland Cement Company Limited (PPC), a 130-year-old cement maker based in South Africa. He joined after the business had embarked on an international expansion strategy that had taken the business to countries of Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Ethiopia in a matter of years. This expansion caused the deflation of the Johannesburg-listed company’s share price. The company failed to appreciate a number of success factors in each jurisdiction. The challenges included cultural misalignments, macroeconomic analysis and mode of market entry. The case dilemma involved the choices that van Wijnen faced in re-evaluating the international footprint of the business.

Complexity academic level

Undergraduate or postgraduate level.

Supplementary material

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 5: International business.
Information systems success in libraries: a meta-analysis of ISSM and future direction
Authors: Ali Irfan , Warraich Nosheen Fatima
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the relationships between the information system success model constructs including information quality (IQ), system quality (SysQ) and service quality (ServQ) with user satisfaction (US) and intention to use (IU).

Design/methodology/approach

A meta-analysis approach was used to achieve the objectives. For this purpose, the PRISMA-P guideline was used, and a search strategy was designed to search in three indexing databases including Google Scholar, Scopus and LISTA.

Findings

The findings of this research revealed that IQ, SysQ and ServQ are positively related to US and IU regarding library systems. The strength of the relationship between IQ and IU, IQ and US, ServQ and US and SysQ and US was high.

Originality/value

This study is a unique addition to the literature, as it provides a collective and comprehensive conclusion regarding different information systems’ (ISs) success in libraries. Therefore, it fills the literature gap. The findings also work as guidelines for system developers, designers and library high-ups to consider IQ, SysQ and ServQ while designing and developing ISs for libraries.
Mini-channel embedded film cooled flat plate: conjugate heat transfer analysis and enhancement study
Authors: Jaiswal Ajay Kumar , Sinha Mahapatra Pallab
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Maintaining the turbine blade’s temperature within the safety limit is challenging in high-pressure turbines. This paper aims to numerically present the conjugate heat transfer analysis of a novel approach to mini-channel embedded film-cooled flat plate.

Design/methodology/approach

Numerical simulations were performed at a steady state using SST k – ω turbulence model. Impingement and film cooling are classical approaches generally adopted for turbine blade analysis. The existing film cooling techniques were compared with the proposed design, where a mini-channel was constructed inside the solid plate. The impact of the blowing ratio (M), Biot number (Bi) and temperature ratio (TR) on overall cooling performance was also studied.

Findings

Overall cooling effectiveness was always shown to be higher for mini-channel embedded film-cooled plates. The effectiveness increases with increasing the blowing ratio from M = 0.3 to 0.7, then decreases with increasing blowing ratio (M = 1 and 1.4) due to lift-off conditions. The mini-channel embedded plate resulted in an approximately 21% increase in area-weighted average overall effectiveness at a blowing ratio of 0.7 and Bi = 1.605. The lower uniform temperature was also found for all blowing ratios at a low Biot number, where conduction heat transfer significantly impacts total cooling effectiveness.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study presents a novel approach to improve the cooling performances of a film-cooled flat plate with better cooling uniformity by using embedded mini-channels. Despite the widespread application of microchannels and mini-channels in thermal and fluid flow analysis, the application of mini-channels for blade cooling is not explored in detail.
Understanding householders’ perceptions of threats following the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires in Australia
Authors: Adedokun Olufisayo , Egbelakin Temitope
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Of all the deaths associated with disasters, bushfires account for 40% of these fatalities. The resulting fatalities are consequent upon householders’ decision-making, leading to late or non-evacuation from at-risk communities. However, while decision-making is a function of risk perception, this paper aims to investigate householders’ perceptions of bushfire risks following the catastrophic Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020.

Design/methodology/approach

An inductive research approach was adopted. Thirty semi-structured interviews were conducted to elicit qualitative data from southeastern NSW, Australia householders. The data were collected via face-to-face and online Zoom. Each interview was recorded, transcribed using Otter.AI and thematically analyzed with NVivo 12 Pro (Braun and Clarke, 2006, 2019). In addition, inter-rater reliability was done by engaging an independent researcher to code the de-identified data independently. The codes were cross-checked for reliability and adjusted where necessary.

Findings

It was found that bushfire risk perceptions were high among the householders in bushfire at-risk communities following the 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. High levels of perceptions were recorded among the participants regarding the likelihood of bushfire occurrence, concern for bushfires, severity of bushfires and vulnerability to bushfire threats.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s results do not reflect all householders in the southeastern part of NSW. It was limited to 30 householders who indicated their intentions to participate and are living in the study area. Therefore, future studies should be undertaken with more participants from broader geographical areas, including emergency responders like firefighters, recovery officers and non-government organizations in charge of recovery operations. This study will add to the prioritization of risk perceptions.

Practical implications

All else being equal, elevated bushfire risk perceptions among participants can potentially decrease the fatalities linked with bushfires and their subsequent ripple effects. This holds particularly true when residents opt for early self-evacuation from at-risk communities.

Social implications

The paper contributes to developing a better understanding of the bushfire risk perceptions underlying the evacuation decision-making of the residents in bushfire at-risk communities in south-eastern NSW of Australia.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the existing knowledge on bushfire risks by providing insights into residents’ perceptions after the catastrophic 2019/2020 Black Summer bushfires. As a qualitative study, it describes bushfire risk perceptions on four themes: likelihood, concern, severity and vulnerability, which is uncommon in many bushfire studies.
Does integrated store service quality turn omnichannel shoppers into price-insensitive, cross-category purchasers, and loyal webroomers? Moderating role of perceived relationship investment and alternative retailer attractiveness
Authors: Natarajan Thamaraiselvan , Veera Raghavan Deepak Ramanan
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Building on stimulus organism response theory, this study aims to examine the influence of Integrated store service quality (ISSQ) on omnichannel shoppers’ attachment to the integrated store with the mediating role of omnichannel customer engagement (CE) dimensions (absorptive attention, enthusiastic participation and social connection). This research demonstrates the effect of customers’ attachment to the integrated store on the willingness to pay more for omnichannel services and products of the retailer, their cross-buying behaviors in future purchases and loyal webrooming intentions. The moderating role of perceived relationship investment and alternative retailer attractiveness (ARA) in a few proposed relationships was also tested.

Design/methodology/approach

The research is descriptive, quantitative and cross-sectional investigation. A purposive sampling technique was used for selecting the study respondents. The data was collected from n = 589 Indian omnichannel shoppers who have experience shopping in the brick and mortar store of channel-integrated stores using a validated self-administered questionnaire. The proposed conceptual model was tested using PLS-SEM.

Findings

The results indicate that omnichannel CE dimensions (absorptive attention, enthusiastic participation and social connection) positively mediate the relationship between ISSQ and customer attachment to the store. Customer attachment to the store significantly impacts their willingness to pay more, cross-buying behaviors and loyal webrooming intentions. The moderating effect of the customer-perceived relationship investment and ARA revealed that it significantly impacted the relationship between ISSQ and willingness to pay more, cross-buying behaviors and loyal webrooming intentions. This research also demonstrated the direct impact of ISSQ on willingness to pay more, cross-buying behaviors, loyal webrooming intentions and the indirect impact through different CE dimensions and attachment with the store.

Research limitations/implications

The study is conducted in the Indian population, where omnichannel retailing is still nascent.

Originality/value

This study addresses the need to investigate the impact of CE and their attachment to stores driven by the in-store service quality of integrated stores on the various postpurchase consumer behaviors. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to show that ISSQ might affect their willingness to pay more, cross-buying behaviors and loyal webrooming intentions through different CE dimensions and their attachment to the store. The moderating effect of customer-perceived ARA and their perception of retailers’ investment in a relationship on proposed hypotheses was also tested.
Bank-specific factors, market conditions and the riskiness of Islamic and conventional banks: evidence from recent quantile approaches
Authors: Aydemir Resul , Atan Huzeyfe Zahit , Guloglu Bulent
Published: October 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate how bank-specific factors affect the riskiness of conventional and Islamic banks in response to shocks in major financial indices as market conditions change.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a multivariate quantile model using daily equity returns data to analyze financial risk spillovers in the values at risk that may occur between major financial indices and the equity prices of conventional and Islamic banks worldwide. Then, using both quantile and quantile-on-quantile models, the authors examine the effects of bank-specific variables such as leverage ratio, bank size, return on equity and capital adequacy ratio on the initial impact of shocks in major global financial indices on bank equity price returns at different quantiles of shocks and bank-specific variables.

Findings

The findings reveal that major financial indices can predict bank stock returns. Moreover, the authors find that the effect of bank-specific factors on the riskiness of banks is heterogeneous in that it depends on the bank type (Islamic vs conventional), the level of banking variable (high vs low) and, more importantly, market conditions.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that compares the dual banking system with stock market performance while considering bank-specific variables as market conditions change. The results of this study reveal that the effect of bank-specific variables on bank performance varies according to different quantiles of shocks and bank-specific variables. Islamic banks may echo or differ from conventional banks depending on the specific factor under investigation.
Voicing the organization on social media: towards a nuanced understanding of coworker voice and sources of control
Authors: Andersson Rickard , Heide Mats , Simonsson Charlotte
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This article aims to (1) increase the knowledge of how coworkers experience voicing the organization on external social media and (2) deepen and nuance the knowledge of the sources of voice control involved in such communication processes. The study helps understand coworker voicing on social media as situated identity expressions through which coworkers negotiate and contest the organizational identity, thereby co-constituting a polyphonic organization.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws upon a constitutive perspective on communication and a communication-centered perspective on identity and organizational identification to investigate the voicing of organizational members of the Swedish Police Force on social media. The article is based on a qualitative study where interviews with police officers and communication professionals at the Swedish Police Authority constitute the main empirical material. A content analysis of selected social media accounts provided important background information to the interviews and enriched the understanding of coworker voice.

Findings

This analysis shows that coworkers voice the organization differently. Furthermore, the study of how coworkers experience this voicing indicates that these variations in how coworkers voice the organization depend on how strongly they identify or disidentify with organizational identity and image expressions voiced by significant others. Based on the analysis, this study presents four voice positions highlighting coworkers' varying degrees of identification/disidentification when voicing their organization on social media and reflecting upon their experiences of voicing. Furthermore, the analysis also demonstrates four sources of voice control: (1) management, (2) colleagues, (3) significant non-members and (4) the status and position of the coworker's voice. These four sources of voice control influence coworkers' voices on social media.

Practical implications

This study also contributes with practical implications, for example that the traditional idea of monophonic organizations must be revised and also embrace a polyphonic, bottom-up approach to strengthening internal trust and organizational identity. This comes naturally with the price of less control and predictability by management but with the benefits of increased coworker engagement and pride.

Originality/value

This study contributes new knowledge and a nuanced understanding of coworker voice on social media and the sources of control that influence coworkers' voices.
Internal control, debt risk, CEO education and earnings management evidence from China
Authors: Chi Guotai , Gooda Ahmed R.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore how earnings management techniques are affected by corporate financial debt risk (FDR), internal control (IC) effectiveness and CEO education.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a sample from listed firms in China from 2010 to 2017, comprising different industries, including agriculture, forestry, livestock farming and fishing; mining; manufacturing; electric power, gas and water production and supply; construction; transport and storage; information technology; the real estate industry; social services; and communication and cultural. The regression analysis is used to test the hypotheses. The two-stage least squares technique is used to check for endogeneity issues.

Findings

The study finds that firms are less likely to manage real earnings when they have more robust IC and FDR. Likewise, companies with weak ICs are more likely to manipulate real earnings. Besides, the study finds an influence of CEO education on the relationship between IC, FDR and real earnings management (REM). These results can be applied to the sectors in the sample covered by the research, and the authors do not overlook the energy industry sector for the importance of its role in the economy.

Research limitations/implications

There are some limitations for the researcher when performing any research, and this study is no exception. Researchers are urged to take these circumstances into consideration when generalizing or comparing the results because the methods used to calculate the measurement variables in each study may differ somewhat from those used in other research. In addition, expanding the current research design to incorporate additional nations may be an area of interest for future research and could aid in evaluating the effects of nation-specific elements (such as inflation, culture, legal systems and political considerations) on the usefulness of IC and decreasing FDR. Second, the current study focuses on the impact of IC and FDR on REM; this paper does not dissect the “black box” of IC and consider how each element affects earnings management. Future research may need to focus specifically on how effective IC would affect earnings management and precisely what IC mechanisms would discourage the management of earnings.

Practical implications

Helping companies listed in China to make decisions and improve investors’ vision of the results of real companies’ businesses, as well as helping management to avoid falling into debt risk and the consequent effects and manipulation of earnings.

Originality/value

By highlighting the significance of IC and debt risk in enhancing information quality in China, the results contribute to the body of work examining the relationship between IC, FDR and REM. In addition, this study uses a CEO’s education to moderate this link.
Do internet marketing capabilities interact with the effect of procedural capabilities for public procurement participation on SMEs’ sales performance?
Authors: Changalima Ismail Abdi , Israel Baraka , Amani David , Panga Faustine Peter , Mwaiseje Shadrack Samwel , Mchopa Alban Dismas , Kazungu Isaac , Ismail Ismail Juma
Published: October 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the influence of procedural capabilities for public procurement participation on small and medium enterprises’ (SMEs) sales performance in Tanzania. Also, the study establishes the interaction effect of internet marketing capabilities on the relationship between procedural capabilities and sales performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted confirmatory factor analysis and PROCESS macro for simple interaction analysis to analyse cross-sectional data that were obtained through questionnaire from surveyed SMEs’ managers. The included SMEs are those that are involved in supplying goods, services and works to public entities in Dodoma, Tanzania.

Findings

The findings reveal that procedural capabilities for participation in public procurement enhance SMEs to improve sales performance. Also, there is a significant and positive relationship between internet marketing capabilities and sales performance. Lastly, internet marketing capabilities strengthen the relationship between procedural capabilities and sales performance.

Social implications

This study is a wake-up call to SMEs to better comprehend public procurement procedures and e-business practices to use the available public procurement opportunities. It is argued that SMEs should invest in technology to market their businesses through social media and online platforms. According to the study, SMEs may benefit from improving their sales performance by fully utilising their internet marketing capabilities and participating in public procurement opportunities.

Originality/value

This study adds to the two main streams of literature that emphasise harnessing public procurement opportunities for SMEs (through public procurement participation) and leveraging internet marketing capabilities for SMEs to improve their sales performance.
Adoption of cognitive computing decision support system in the assessment of health-care policymaking
Authors: Behera Rajat Kumar , Bala Pradip Kumar , Panigrahi Prabin Kumar , Dasgupta Shilpee A.
Published: October 2023

Purpose

Despite technological advancements to enhance patient health, the risks of not discovering the correct interactions and trends in digital health are high. Hence, a careful policy is required for health coverage tailored to needs and capacity. Therefore, this study aims to explore the adoption of a cognitive computing decision support system (CCDSS) in the assessment of health-care policymaking and validates it by extending the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted to collect data from different stakeholders, referred to as the 4Ps, namely, patients, providers, payors and policymakers. Structural equation modelling and one-way ANOVA were used to analyse the data.

Findings

The result reveals that the behavioural insight of policymakers towards the assessment of health-care policymaking is based on automatic and reflective systems. Investments in CCDSS for policymaking assessment have the potential to produce rational outcomes. CCDSS, built with quality procedures, can validate whether breastfeeding-supporting policies are mother-friendly.

Research limitations/implications

Health-care policies are used by lawmakers to safeguard and improve public health, but it has always been a challenge. With the adoption of CCDSS, the overall goal of health-care policymaking can achieve better quality standards and improve the design of policymaking.

Originality/value

This study drew attention to how CCDSS as a technology enabler can drive health-care policymaking assessment for each stage and how the technology enabler can help the 4Ps of health-care gain insight into the benefits and potential value of CCDSS by demonstrating the breastfeeding supporting policy.
Spirotetramat reduces fitness of the spotted‐wing Drosophila, Drosophila suzukii
Authors: Yang Jing , Flaven‐Pouchon Justin , Wang Yiwen , Moussian Bernard
Published: October 2023

With climate change, the spotted‐wing Drosophila (SWD, Drosophila suzukii) invades a great number of fruit production regions worldwide. A plethora of insecticides are being applied for management of this pest. As expected, SWD develops resistance against some potent insecticides or is rather insensitive to some others. Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify and characterize alternative insecticides to control SWD populations. Here, we have studied the effects of the orally applied inhibitor of the fatty acid synthesis pathway spirotetramat on SWD fitness with respect to fecundity and surface barrier function at different stages. In our experiments, we applied spirotetramat mixed with baker's yeast and showed that females and males were not repelled by effective concentrations of this insecticide. We found that spirotetramat, by trend, lowers egg numbers laid by fed females. These eggs rapidly desiccate, and only a few larvae hatch. Spirotetramat is lethal to larvae and reduces survival of adult flies under low‐humidity conditions. Taken together, based on our data, we propose to use yeast supplemented with spirotetramat and additional SWD‐specific attractants in traps in non‐crop areas in order to eradicate SWD populations before they infest crop production sites.
Toxicity assessment of microcystin‐leucine arginine in planarian Dugesia japonica
Authors: JIN Baijie , LI Xiangjun , ZHANG Qingling , ZHOU Wen , LIU Yingyu , DONG Zimei , CHEN Guangwen , LIU Dezeng
Published: October 2023

Microcystin‐leucine arginine (MC‐LR), a representative cyanobacterial toxin, poses an increasing and serious threat to aquatic ecosystems. Despite investigating its toxic effects in various organisms and cells, the toxicity to tissue regeneration and stem cells in vivo still needs to be explored. Planarians are ideal regeneration and toxicology research models and have profound implications in ecotoxicology evaluation. This study conducted a systemic toxicity evaluation of MC‐LR, including morphological changes, growth, regeneration, and the underlying cellular and molecular changes after MC‐LR exposure, which were investigated in planarians. The results showed that exposure to MC‐LR led to time‐ and dose‐dependent lethal morphological changes, tissue damage, degrowth, and delayed regeneration in planarians. Furthermore, MC‐LR exposure disturbed the activities of antioxidants, including total superoxide dismutase, catalase, glutathione peroxidase, glutathione S‐transferase, and total antioxidant capacity, leading to oxidative stress and DNA damage, and then reduced the number of dividing neoblasts and promoted apoptosis. The results demonstrated that oxidative stress and DNA damage induced by MC‐LR exposure caused apoptosis. Excessive apoptosis and suppressed neoblast activity led to severe homeostasis imbalance. This study explores the underlying mechanism of MC‐LR toxicity in planarians and provides a basis for the toxicity assessment of MC‐LR to aquatic organisms and ecological risk evaluation.
Practical guidelines and the EMLN R package for handling ecological multilayer networks
Authors: Frydman Noa , Freilikhman Shirly , Talpaz Itamar , Pilosof Shai
Published: October 2023

Network analysis provides a powerful framework to study the complexity underlying the structure, dynamics and function of ecological systems. By now, analysing single‐layered networks is a common practice with clear guidelines and well‐established computational tools. Nevertheless, ecological communities are multilayered because they vary over space and time and contain multiple types of interactions. In recent years, the analysis of ecological multilayer networks (EMLNs) has allowed researchers to include such multilayered complexity. However, there is a paucity of practical guidelines and standardised tools to handle EMLN data, even before downstream analysis.

In this article, we accomplish three objectives: (1) We provide practical guidelines for handling EMLN data. (2) We developed the EMLN R package to standardise the workflow of creating, storing and working with EMLN objects. The package also enables conversion between multiple formats for downstream analysis with other standard packages. (3) We provide EMLN data sets for research and training purposes.

A dedicated website with explanations, detailed examples and code accompanies our paper. This website is a gateway for novice and experienced network ecologists who want to include EMLNs in their research.

By simplifying the analysis of multilayer networks and promoting standardised approaches, we facilitate the analysis of EMLNs. This paves the road towards gaining deeper insights into functioning and resilience of natural ecosystems.