bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gender inequalities in Korean family business: contradictions between show and tell
Authors: Kim Amee , Ng Poh Yen
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This paper explores how gender-related issues are communicated in Korean family-run conglomerates (chaebols) and the roles of women within these businesses. It also addresses to what extent the communication of chaebols about female employment and career development reflects the perception of gender representation in these organisations.

Design/methodology/approach

By paying attention to gendered discourse in Korean chaebols, this paper examines what is said and written about gender issues in glottographic statements (texts) and non-glottographic statements (charts and other visuals) of annual reports (ARs) published by five chaebols since 2010. The paper uses a Foucauldian framework to develop the archive of statements made within these ARs.

Findings

Although there is an increase in female-employee ratios, ARs show that number of women at the board or senior management level continue to be small. ARs tend to provide numbers related to female employment and retention in their non-glottographic statements, yet these numbers occasionally differ from and frequently are not explained by glottographic statements. The strategies used by chaebols to improve career prospects for their female staff are only vaguely described and rarely evaluated.

Originality/value

This paper looks beyond the existing discourse analysis on “talk and text” by also investigating claims made through graphic and linear/pictorial elements and their interplay with text. This approach opens new understandings of how gendered discourses are constructed and how they (unintentionally) fail to resolve issues and perceptions related to female employment and career development in Korea.
The influence of non-cognitive ability on the wage of rural migrant workers
Authors: Li Hao
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The study aims to study the effect of non-cognitive ability in human capital on the wages of rural migrant workers in China. The study also examines the mechanisms by which career choice, career development and social capital influence.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the new human capital theory, this paper empirically investigates the effects and mechanisms of rural migrant workers' non-cognitive ability on wages using the 2018 China Family Panel Studies database and Stata 17.0 for construct validation and hypothesis testing.

Findings

The results showed that non-cognitive ability has a significant positive effect on rural migrant workers' wages. Subsequently, the mechanism of non-cognitive ability was examined. In further analysis, the study found that non-cognitive ability has a greater effect on the wages of vulnerable individuals (females, low and medium skills) among the rural migrant workers.

Originality/value

The originality of this study is to break through the existing research perspectives, overcome the limitations of scholars' existing research perspectives focusing on the employment and competitiveness of rural migrant workers in China and explore the factors affecting the rural migrant workers' wages from the perspective of non-cognitive ability as a new entry point by combining psychology. At the same time, the study design is more rigorous, avoiding the measurement error of variables.
Mitigating the effects of a pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa: are fiscal and monetary policy complementary or contradictory?
Authors: Olaoye Olumide O. , Zerihun Mulatu F.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

The study examined the roles of fiscal and monetary policy in reducing poverty in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), while accounting for macroeconomic disruptions. In particular, the study examined the complementarity of fiscal and monetary policy to mitigate shocks and reduce poverty in SSA.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts the fixed effect (within regression) model to account for country-specific characteristics, and a cross-sectional dependence – consistent model to control for the potential cross-sectional in panel data modelling. The study used the dummy variable approach to account for the macroeconomic shocks. The authors assigned 1 to the following years – 2008, 2014 and 2020; and 0 otherwise to take care of the global financial crisis, commodity terms of trade shocks and the COVID-19 pandemic respectively.

Findings

The study found that fiscal policy (particularly, government spending on health and education) has the greater capacity to reduce the level of poverty in SSA. The results also indicate that fiscal policy and monetary policy can work in tandem to reduce the negative effects of a pandemic. However, the study found an optimal threshold level of monetary policy beyond which monetary policy reduces the effectiveness of fiscal policy to reduce poverty in SSA. The research and policy implications are discussed.

Originality/value

The study, unlike previous studies, accounts for the impact of macroeconomic shocks in the monetary/fiscal policy and poverty literature.
ESG equities and Bitcoin: responsible investment and risk management perspective
Authors: Kakinuma Yosuke
Published: September 2023

Purpose

While an increasing number of investors value socially responsible investment practices, Bitcoin has faced criticism for its carbon footprint resulting from excessive mining power consumption. By examining Bitcoin’s interconnectedness with environmental, social and governance (ESG) equities, this study aims to construct a socially responsible investment strategy for cypto investors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses wavelet analysis and a time-varying parameter vector autoregressive (TVP-VAR) model to uncover the interdependence between ESG equities and Bitcoin. This study computes the optimal ratio, showing that Bitcoin significantly reduces portfolio risk when combined with green stocks.

Findings

The results show that co-movements between green stocks and Bitcoin are low, indicating that they are suitable combinations for portfolio diversification. From an environmental perspective, this investment strategy offers a theoretical solution to mitigate the negative impacts associated with Bitcoin mining. It aims to address the dilemma faced by sustainability-conscious investors, who must navigate the economic payoff of Bitcoin against their commitment to green investment principles.

Practical implications

The findings can provide valuable insights for policymakers seeking to develop strategies that promote sustainable investments among crypto investors.

Originality/value

Research on ethical investment practices in the cryptocurrency market remains in the early stages of development. Ethical investors can benefit from including Bitcoin in their ESG equity portfolios.
A robust human target following system in corridor environment based on wall detection
Authors: Li Ruifeng , Wu Wei
Published: September 2023

Purpose

In corridor environments, human-following robot encounter difficulties when the target turning around at the corridor intersections, as walls may cause complete occlusion. This paper aims to propose a collision-free following system for robot to track humans in corridors without a prior map.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to following a target and avoiding collisions robustly, the proposed system calculates the positions of walls in the environment in real-time. This allows the system to maintain a stable tracking of the target even if it is obscured after turning. The proposed solution is integrated into a four-wheeled differential drive mobile robot to follow a target in a corridor environment in real-world.

Findings

The experimental results demonstrate that the robot equipped with the proposed system is capable of avoiding obstacles and following a human target robustly in the corridors. Moreover, the robot achieves a 90% success rate in maintaining a stable tracking of the target after the target turns around a corner with high speed.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a human target following system incorporating three novel features: a path planning method based on wall positions is introduced to ensure stable tracking of the target even when it is obscured due to target turns; improvements are made to the random sample consensus (RANSAC) algorithm, enhancing its accuracy in calculating wall positions. The system is integrated into a four-wheeled differential drive mobile robot effectively demonstrates its remarkable robustness and real-time performance.
A multi-model approach for the extension of the use and gratification theory in video game streaming
Authors: Xu Xiao-Yu , Tayyab Syed Muhammad Usman , Jia Qingdan , Huang Albert H.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

Video game streaming (VGS) is emerging as an extremely popular, highly interactive, inordinately subscribed and very dynamic form of digital media. Incorporated environmental elements, gratifications and user pre-existing attitudes in VGS, this paper presents the development of an extended model of uses and gratification theory (EUGT) for predicting users' behavior in novel technological context.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed model was empirically tested in VGS context due to its popularity, interactivity and relevance. Data collected from 308 VGS users and structural equation modeling (SEM) was employed to assess the hypotheses. Multi-model comparison technique was used to assess the explanatory power of EUGT.

Findings

The findings confirmed three significant types elements in determining VGS viewers' engagement, including gratifications (e.g. involvement), environmental cues (e.g. medium appeal) and user predispositions (e.g. pre-existing attitudes). The results revealed that emerging technologies provide potential opportunities for new motives and gratifications, and highlighted the significant of pre-existing attitudes as a mediator in the gratification-uses link.

Originality/value

This study is one of its kind in tackling the criticism on UGT of considering media users too rational or active. The study achieved this objective by considering environmental impacts on user behavior which is largely ignored in recent UGT studies. Also, by incorporating users pre-existing attitudes into UGT framework, this study conceptualized and empirically verified the higher explanatory power of EUGT through a novel multi-modal approach in VGS. Compared to other rival models, EUGS provides a more robust explanation of users' behavior. The findings contribute to the literature of UGT, VGS and users' engagement.
Social and digital media monitoring for nonviolence: a distributed cognition perspective of the precariousness of peace work
Authors: Canevez Richard Noel , Winter Jenifer Sunrise , Bock Joseph G.
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the technologization of peace work through “remote support monitors” that use social and digital media technologies like social media to alert local violence prevention actors to potentially violent situations during demonstrations.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a distributed cognition lens, the authors explore the information processing of monitors within peace organizations. The authors adopt a qualitative thematic analysis methodology composed of interviews with monitors and documents from their shared communication and discussion channels. The authors’ analysis seeks to highlight how information is transformed between social and technical actors through the process of monitoring.

Findings

The authors’ analysis identifies that the technologization of monitoring for violence prevention to assist nonviolent activists produces two principal and related forms of transformation: appropriation and hidden attributes. Monitors “appropriate” information from sources to fit new ends and modes of representation throughout the process of detection, verification and dissemination. The verification and dissemination processes likewise render latent supporting informational elements, hiding the aggregative nature of information flow in monitoring. The authors connect the ideas of appropriation and hidden attributes to broader discourses in surveillance and trust that challenge monitoring and its place in peace work going forward.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to focus on the communicative and information processes of remote support monitors. The authors demonstrate that adoption of social and digital media information of incipient violence and response processes for its mitigation suggests both a social and technical precarity for the role of monitoring.
Research on the weak demand signal identification model of innovative product based on domain ontology construction
Authors: Zhao Dongyuan , Tang Zhongjun , Sun Fengxia
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This paper investigates the semantic association mechanisms of weak demand signals that facilitate innovative product development in terms of conceptual and temporal precedence, despite their inherent ambiguity and uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

To address this challenge, a domain ontology approach is proposed to construct a customer demand scenario-based framework that eliminates the blind spots in weak demand signal identification. The framework provides a basis for identifying such signals and introduces evaluation indices, such as depth, novelty and association, which are integrated to propose a three-dimensional weak signal recognition model based on domain ontology that outperforms existing research.

Findings

Empirical analysis is carried out based on customer comments of new energy vehicles on car platform such as “Auto Home” and “Bitauto”. Results demonstrate that in terms of recognition quantity, the three-dimensional weak demand signal recognition model, based on domain ontology, can accurately identify six demand weak signals. Conversely, the keyword analysis method exhibits a recognition quantity of four weak signals; in terms of recognition quality, the three-dimensional weak demand signal recognition model based on domain ontology can exclude non-demand signals such as “charging technology”, while keyword analysis methods cannot. Overall, the model proposed in this paper has higher sensitivity.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a novel method for identifying weak demand signals that considers the frequency of the signal's novelty, depth and relevance to the target demand. To verify its effectiveness, customer review data for new energy vehicles is used. The results provide a theoretical reference for formulating government policies and identifying weak demand signals for businesses.
Effects of gender diversity in strategic orientation and strategy execution
Authors: Arun Korhan , Yildirim Özmutlu Saniye
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the impact of gender in leadership on strategic orientation and the relative impact of these strategic orientations on organizational performance with the leadership of each gender.

Design/methodology/approach

Cross-sectional survey-based data were collected from 1,260 logistics companies, and 503 responses were found suitable for further data evaluation. Structural equation modeling (SEM) and regression analysis were used to analyze the data and test the hypotheses.

Findings

Results show that managers' gender affects only the aggressiveness subdimension (p = 0.018 and ß = 0.114) in strategic orientation decisions and that male managers tend to be more aggressive-oriented than female managers. Strategic orientation is more effective on organizational performance. More clearly, when female executives use the same strategic orientation as their male counterparts, organizational performance is higher than that of male executives.

Research limitations/implications

Managers' power is related to social norms about their valuable contribution to the organization and roles are associated with experiences. Thus, at different levels of management, different results will be obtained.

Practical implications

Organizations should only define leadership roles in masculine terms with information or research that explains how women leaders can contribute to the organization's outcomes.

Social implications

The lack of fit model should not be expected when determining executive-level female leaders' performance.

Originality/value

There is a significant potential in studying strategic decision-making and whether the ability to provide effective organizational outcomes is related to a person's gender. Even if previous literature suggests that gender stereotypes affect perceptions of men's and women's fit for executive positions, the strategic conception of organizational decisions is immune to gender, but strategy execution is not.
Studies on Indian IPO: systematic review and future research agenda
Authors: Chatterjee Manali , Bhattacharjee Titas , Chakraborty Bijitaswa
Published: September 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to review, discuss and synthesize the literature focusing on the Indian initial public offering (IPO) market. Understanding the Indian IPO market can help answer broader corporate finance questions. The growing number of IPOs in the Indian context, coupled with the increasing importance of the Indian economy in the global market, makes this review an essential topic.

Design/methodology/approach

The systematic literature review methodology was adopted to review 111 papers published between 2002 and 2021. The authors used the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses approach during the review process. Additionally, the authors use a bibliometric review methodology to examine the pattern and trend of research in this area of interest. Furthermore, the authors conduct a critical review and synthesis of the top 20 papers based on citations. The authors also use a co-citation network and manual content analysis method to identify key research themes.

Findings

This review helps in identifying major themes of research in this area of interest. The authors find that majority of the research has focused on IPO performance whereas post-IPO performance needs critical attention as well. The authors develop a comprehensive framework and future research agenda based on their discussion.

Research limitations/implications

Meta-analysis of the literature can be conducted to gain better insights into the findings of prior studies.

Practical implications

This review paper develops a comprehensive overview on Indian IPO market which can be of interest not only to Indian scholarship. India as an economy is increasingly gaining attention at the global level. Hence, the future research objectives as illustrated in the study can be of interest for the global scholarship also.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first comprehensive review paper that examines, synthesizes and outlines the future research agenda on Indian IPO studies. This review can be useful for researchers, business policymakers, finance professionals and anyone else interested in the Indian IPO market.
Skin biopsy and neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease
Authors: Ren Xiao , Tan Dandan , Deng Jianwen , Wang Zhaoxia , Hong Daojun
Published: September 2023

Neuronal intranuclear inclusion disease (NIID) is a rare neurodegenerative disease with variable clinical phenotypes. There is a considerable delay in the definite diagnosis, which primarily depends on postmortem brain pathological examination. Although CGG repeat expansion in the 5′‐untranslated region of NOTCH2NLC has been identified as a disease‐associated variant, the pathological diagnosis is still required in certain NIID cases. Intranuclear inclusions found in the skin tissue of patients with NIID dramatically increased its early detection rate. Skin biopsy, as a minimally invasive method, has become widely accepted as a routine examination to confirm the pathogenicity of the repeat expansion in patients with suspected NIID. In addition, the shared developmental origin of the skin and nerve system provided a new insight into the pathological changes observed in patients with NIID. In this review, we systematically discuss the role of skin biopsy for NIID diagnosis, the procedure of skin biopsy, and the pathophysiological mechanism of intranuclear inclusion in the skin.
Management and outcomes with 5‐year mortality of patients with mildly elevated high‐sensitivity troponin T levels not meeting criteria for myocardial infarction
Authors: Alazrag Weaam , Idris Hanan , Saad Yousef ME , Etaher Aisha , Ren Shiquan , Ferguson Ian , Juergens Craig , Chew Derek P , Otton James , Middleton Paul M , French John K
Published: September 2023

Objectives

To examine management and outcomes of patients presenting to EDs with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome, who have mild non‐dynamically elevated high‐sensitivity troponin T (HsTnT) levels, not meeting the fourth universal definition of myocardial infarction (MI) criteria (observation group).

Methods

Consecutive patients presenting to the ED with symptoms suggestive of acute coronary syndrome at Liverpool Hospital, Sydney, Australia, those having ≥2 HsTnT levels after initial assessment were adjudicated according to the fourth universal definition of MI, as MI ruled‐in, MI ruled‐out, or myocardial injury in whom MI is neither ruled‐in nor ruled‐out (>1 level ≥15 ng/L, called observation group); follow‐up was 5 years.

Results

Of 2738 patients, 547 were in the observation group, of whom 62% were admitted to hospital, 52% to cardiac services, whereas 97% of MI ruled‐in patients and 21% of MI ruled‐out patients were admitted; P < 0.001. Non‐invasive testing occurred in 42% of observation group patients (36% had echo‐cardiography), and 16% had coronary angiography. Of observation group patients, MI rates were 1.5% during hospitalisation and 4% during the following year, similar to that in those with MI ruled‐in, among those with MI ruled‐out, the MI rate was 0.2%. The 1‐year death rate was 13% among observation group patients and 11% MI ruled‐in patients (P = 0.624), whereas at 5 years among observation group patients, type 1 MI and type 2 MI were 48%, 26% and 58%, respectively (P = 0.001).

Conclusion

Very few unselected consecutive patients attending ED, with minor stable HsTnT elevation, had MI, although most had chronic myocardial injury. Late mortality rates among observation group patients were higher than those with confirmed type 1 MI but lower than those with type 2 MI.
How does social media use affect thriving at work? The roles of knowledge sharing and locus of control
Authors: Zhu Man , Li Sitan , Gao Hongyan , Zuo Lijuan
Published: September 2023

Employees' social media use in the workplace has become a common phenomenon. Thriving at work is a positive psychological state, and conventional wisdom and preliminary research on thriving at work indicate the benefits of thriving for both employees and organizations. However, few studies have linked social media use and employees' sense of thriving. Based on the socially embedded model of thriving at work, this paper explores the relationship between social media use and thriving at work, as well as the mediating role of knowledge sharing and the moderating role of locus of control. Mplus is used to analyze the data of 397 Chinese employees collected at two time points; the results show a significant positive impact of social‐related social media use on thriving at work. However, work‐related social media use was found to have no effect on thriving at work, though knowledge sharing mediates the relationship between social media use and thriving at work. In addition, locus of control moderates the relationship between work‐related social media use and thriving at work.
The role of impulsivity in the relationship between affect and alcohol consumption in young adults
Authors: Dali Gezelle , Logge Warren , Riordan Benjamin , Conner Tamlin S. , Manning Victoria , Millan E. Zayra , McNally Gavan P. , Haber Paul S. , Morley Kirsten C.
Published: September 2023

Background

Theoretical models of alcohol use posit that individuals consume alcohol to ameliorate negative affect or to heighten positive affect. It is important, however, to consider the influence of factors that may determine an individual's tendency to consume excessive amounts of alcohol under positive and negative circumstances. Thus, the current study examined a large sample of young adults to clarify whether positive and negative affect predict total alcohol consumption on drinking days and whether facets of impulsivity moderate these relationships.

Methods

Six‐hundred ninety‐three young adults (Mage = 19.71 years, SD = 2.04; female = 62.9%) completed the Behavioral Inhibition System/Behavioral Activation System (BIS/BAS) scales at baseline followed by daily measures of positive and negative affect and self‐reported alcohol use for 13 days. Generalized linear mixed models were specified to assess the role of pre‐consumption affect on total drinks consumed across drinking days and to determine the moderating effect of each BIS/BAS subscale.

Results

Participants were significantly more likely to drink in greater quantities on occasions preceded by higher positive affect but not negative affect. While fun‐seeking positively predicted total drinks consumed, there were no significant interaction effects between the BIS/BAS subscales and affect on total drinks consumed.

Conclusions

These findings challenge existing affect regulation models and have implications for ecological momentary interventions aimed at addressing hazardous drinking behaviors.
Size of emerald ash borer in North Carolina,USA: Preliminary evidence for a sawtooth cline?
Authors: Nalepa Christine A. , Bohannon G. Ryan , Oten Kelly L. F.
Published: September 2023

We test the hypothesis of Marshall et al. (2013) that in the United States there is a converse Bergmann's cline in body size ofAgrilus planipennis(emerald ash borer, EAB), with the largest females ( = 12.6 mm length) collected at the most southern latitudes tested (37° N).

In 2020, we employed three techniques to collect EAB at a North Carolina (NC) site located at 35.64° N (purple prism traps [PPTs], log emergence,Cerceris fumipennisbiosurveillance). The study was repeated in 2021, but with green funnel traps replacing log emergence. EAB collected byC. fumipennisin three altitudinally disparate regions of NC were also measured.

Overall, EAB collected in 2020 averaged 12.02 mm, with those emerged from logs significantly smaller than those from PPTs. Length of females collected fromC. fumipennisat three elevations was not significantly different and averaged 12.01 mm. In 2021, females collected from funnel traps, PPTs andC. fumipenniswere not significantly different and larger ( = 12.41 mm) than in 2020; eliminating the smaller log‐emerged EAB from the 2020 data set did not change the outcome.

Mean EAB size in NC never reached the reported 12.6 mm at 37° N, regardless of the technique or altitude tested. Our expansion of the latitudinal range in which EAB body size has been studied may shift the proposed converse Bergmann's cline to that of a sawtooth or other non‐linear model, likely associated with a transition in EAB voltinism at or near NC latitudes.
Real‐world treatment persistence of four commonly prescribed biologic therapies for moderate to severe psoriasis in Australia
Authors: Sullivan John , Hannam Sarah , Puig Andrea , Maranta Debra , McGeachie Andrew B. , Baker Christopher
Published: September 2023

Background/Objectives

Australian data comparing biologic treatments for moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis are lacking. We compared persistence on therapy across four biologic therapies (adalimumab, guselkumab, secukinumab and ustekinumab) used to treat chronic plaque psoriasis. The impact of prior biologic use on persistence was also investigated.

Methods

This retrospective cohort analysis of the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) 10% sample included data from adult patients prescribed ≥1 biologic of interest by a dermatologist from 1 September 2015 to 31 December 2021. Persistence was defined as continued use until 180 days without a prescription. The index date was the date of the first claim of the biologic. Persistence was evaluated using Kaplan–Meier methods, log‐rank tests, adjusted analyses using Cox's regressions, and propensity score matching.

Results

In total, 878 patients, with 1131 index prescriptions, were included. Guselkumab median persistence was not reached in the study period (PBS listed from February 2019). In the adjusted analysis, persistence to guselkumab was significantly greater than to adalimumab (n = 105; median 16 months, HR 2.71 (95% CI 1.94–3.8), p < 0.001), ustekinumab (n = 336; median 19 months, HR 2.91 (95% CI 2.22–3.82), p < 0.001) and secukinumab (n = 305; median 30 months, HR 1.8 (95% CI 1.36–2.38), p < 0.001). Bio‐naïve patients had longer persistence on treatment than bio‐experienced patients.

Conclusions

The nationally representative PBS dataset can provide real‐world insights into the persistence on biologic therapies for psoriasis in Australia, where eligibility criteria for reimbursed treatment are stringent. Persistence is an indirect marker of sustained treatment effectiveness and tolerability. Both unadjusted and adjusted analyses found longer persistence for guselkumab compared to adalimumab, secukinumab or ustekinumab.
Evolving payoff currencies through the construction of causal theories
Authors: Hong Ze , Henrich Joseph
Published: September 2023

Payoff‐biased cultural learning has been extensively discussed in the literature on cultural evolution, but where do payoff currencies come from in the first place? Are they products of genetic or cultural evolution? Here we present a simulation model to explore the possibility of novel payoff currencies emerging through a process of theory construction, where agents come up with “channels” via which different cultural traits contribute to some ultimate payoff and use such “channels” as intermediate payoff currencies to make trait‐updating decisions. We show that theory‐building as a strategy is mostly favored when the noise associated with the ultimate‐level payoff is high, selective pressures are strong, and the probability of arriving at the right theory is high. This approach provides insights into both the emergence of payoff currencies and the role of cognition for causal model building. We close by discussing the implications of our model for the broader question of causal learning in social contexts.
Single cells and bacterial biofilm populations in chronic wound infections
Authors: Lichtenberg Mads , Kirketerp‐Møller Klaus , Kvich Lasse A. , Christensen Mads Holm , Fritz Blaine , Jakobsen Tim Holm , Bjarnsholt Thomas
Published: September 2023

Chronic wounds and chronic ulcers are an increasing problem associated with high health care burden and patient burden. The arrested healing of chronic wounds has, in part, been attributed to the presence of biofilms. Substantial research has documented the presence of biofilms in chronic wounds, and many mechanisms of host–pathogen interactions have been uncovered to explain the arrested healing. However, the paradigm of whether biofilms are only observed in chronic infections was recently challenged when biofilms were also observed in acute infections. Here, we characterize the distribution of bacteria in lower leg wounds with particular emphasis on Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus by confocal laser scanning microscopy combined with PNA‐FISH staining and routine culture of bacteria. We show that 40% of wounds contained either P. aeruginosa or S. aureus biofilms and demonstrate the presence of scattered single cells in tissues stained with a universal bacterial PNA‐FISH probe. Thus, we demonstrate that chronic wounds do not only harbor bacteria organized in biofilms, but also carry populations of scattered single cells and small cell clusters of only a few bacteria. Our findings may influence diagnostic tools being developed to only target biofilms, where single‐cell subpopulations thus may be overlooked and possibly lead to false‐negative results.
Can organizations get away with greenwashing? CSR attributions and counterproductive sustainability behaviors
Authors: Ahmad Ifzal , Jamali Dima Rachid , Khattak Muhammad Nisar
Published: September 2023

Over the past couple of decades, research on the perks of corporate social responsibility has reported that it is a source of competitive advantage and can increase the bottom‐line performance of the organization. However, a somewhat small proportion of this research is focused on the ‘greenwash’ side, which posits that not all CSR would lead to positive impacts. By extending this line of research, the current study is aimed at investigating the differential impacts of CSR by developing a scale for the three‐dimensional model of CSR attributions coined by Ahmad in 2017, that is, Embedded, P‐Social, and P‐Instrumental CSR, and testing the same with counterproductive sustainability behaviors. The attribution theory was used to explain the relationship between the study variables. Data (N = 311) were collected from the tourism and hospitality sectors. It was found that Embedded and P‐Social CSR practices would be attributed to more genuine CSR and would lead to a reduction in counterproductive sustainability behaviors. Furthermore, the P‐Instrumental CSR would be attributed to more selfish and instrumental practices and hence would be considered as greenwashing, which will consequently lead to enhancing counterproductive sustainability behaviors. The study further tested the mediating role of employees' organizational trust, which was also supported by the results. Several theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
PACAP‐38 related modulation of the cranial parasympathetic projection: A novel mechanism and therapeutic target in severe primary headache
Authors: Akerman Simon , Goadsby Peter J. , Romero‐Reyes Marcela
Published: September 2023

Background and Purpose

Little is known of how cranial autonomic symptoms (CAS) in cluster headache and migraine may contribute to their severe headache phenotype. This strong association suggests the involvement of the cranial parasympathetic efferent pathway. To investigate its contribution, we studied the role of pituitary adenylate cyclase activating polypeptide‐38 (PACAP‐38), a potent sensory and parasympathetic neuropeptide, in modulating pre‐ and post‐ganglionic cranial parasympathetic projection neurons, and their influence on headache‐related trigeminal‐autonomic responses.

Experimental Approach

Using PACAP‐38 and PACAP‐38 responsive receptor antagonists, electrophysiological, behavioural and facial neurovascular‐blood flow was measured in rats to probe trigeminal‐ and parasympathetic‐neuronal, periorbital thresholds and cranial‐autonomic outcomes, as they relate to primary headaches.

Key Results

Sumatriptan attenuated the development of PACAP‐38 mediated activation and sensitization of trigeminocervical neurons and related periorbital allodynia. PACAP‐38 also caused activation and enhanced responses of dural‐responsive pre‐ganglionic pontine‐superior salivatory parasympathetic neurons. Further, the PACAP‐38 responsive receptor antagonists dissected a role of VPAC1 and PAC1 receptors in attenuating cranial‐autonomic and trigeminal‐neuronal responses to activation of the cranial parasympathetic projection, which requires post‐ganglionic parasympathetic neurotransmission.

Conclusion and Implications

Given the prevailing view that sumatriptan acts to some degree via a peripheral mechanism, our data support that PACAP‐38 mediated receptor activation modulates headache‐related cranial‐autonomic and trigeminovascular responses via peripheral and central components of the cranial parasympathetic projection. This provides a mechanistic rationale for the association of CAS with more severe headache phenotypes in cluster headache and migraine, and supports the cranial parasympathetic projection as a potential novel locus for treatment by selectively targeting PACAP‐38 or PACAP‐38 responsive VPAC1/PAC1 receptors.
N‐acetyltransferase 10 promotes the progression of oral squamous cell carcinoma through N4‐acetylcytidine RNA acetylation of MMP1 mRNA
Authors: Liu Yi , Huang Hui , Zhang Cun‐bao , Fan Hua‐nan
Published: September 2023

The pathogenesis of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains unclear. Therefore, clarifying its pathogenesis and molecular‐level development mechanism has become the focus of OSCC research. N‐acetyltransferase 10 (NAT10) is a crucial enzyme involved in mRNA acetylation, regulating target gene expression and biological functions of various diseases through mediating N4‐acetylcytidine (ac4C) acetylation. However, its role in OSCC progression is not well understood. In this study, we showed that NAT10 was significantly upregulated in OSCC tissues compared to normal oral tissues. Moreover, lentivirus‐mediated NAT10 knockdown markedly suppressed cell proliferation, migration, and invasion in two OSCC cell lines (SCC‐9 and SCC‐15). Interestingly, MMP1 was found to be significantly upregulated in OSCC tissues and was a potential target of NAT10. N‐acetyltransferase 10 knockdown significantly reduced both the total and ac4C acetylated levels of MMP1 mRNA and decreased its mRNA stability. Xenograft experiments further confirmed the inhibitory effect of NAT10 knockdown on the tumorigenesis and metastasis ability of OSCC cells and decreased MMP1 expression in vivo. Additionally, NAT10 knockdown impaired the proliferation, migration, and invasion abilities in OSCC cell lines in an MMP1‐dependent manner. Our results suggest that NAT10 acts as an oncogene in OSCC, and targeting ac4C acetylation could be a promising therapeutic strategy for OSCC treatment.
Cholesterol biogenesis is a PTEN‐dependent actionable node for the treatment of endocrine therapy‐refractory cancers
Authors: Kaysudu Irmak , Gungul Taha Bugra , Atici Sena , Yilmaz Sevval , Bayram Engin , Guven Gozde , Cizmecioglu Nihal Terzi , Sahin Ozgur , Yesiloz Gurkan , Haznedaroglu Berat Zeki , Cizmecioglu Onur
Published: September 2023

PTEN and PIK3CA mutations are the most prevalent PI3K pathway alterations in prostate, breast, colorectal, and endometrial cancers. p110β becomes the prominent PI3K isoform upon PTEN loss. In this study, we aimed to understand the molecular mechanisms of PI3K dependence in the absence of PTEN. Using online bioinformatical tools, we examined two publicly available microarray datasets with aberrant PI3K activation. We found that the rate‐limiting enzyme of cholesterol biogenesis, SQLE, was significantly upregulated in p110β‐hyperactivated or PTEN‐deficient mouse prostate tumors. Concomitantly, the expression of cholesterol biosynthesis pathway enzymes was directly correlated with PI3K activation status in microarray datasets and diminished upon PTEN re‐expression in PTEN‐null prostate cancer cells. Particularly, PTEN re‐expression decreased SQLE protein levels in PTEN‐deficient prostate cancer cells. We performed targeted metabolomics and detected reduced levels of cholesteryl esters as well as free cholesterol upon PTEN re‐expression. Notably, PTEN‐null prostate and breast cancer cell lines were more sensitive to pharmacological intervention with the cholesterol pathway than PTEN‐replete cancer cells. Since steroid hormones use sterols as structural precursors, we studied whether cholesterol biosynthesis may be a metabolic vulnerability that enhances antihormone therapy in PTEN‐null castration‐resistant prostate cancer cells. Coinhibition of cholesterol biosynthesis and the androgen receptor enhanced their sensitivity. Moreover, PTEN suppression in endocrine therapy‐resistant luminal‐A breast cancer cells leads to an increase in SQLE expression and a corresponding sensitization to the inhibition of cholesterol synthesis. According to our data, targeting cholesterol biosynthesis in combination with the hormone receptor signaling axis can potentially treat hormone‐resistant prostate and breast cancers.
mTOR signaling and Alzheimer's disease: What we know and where we are?
Authors: Davoody Samin , Asgari Taei Afsaneh , Khodabakhsh Pariya , Dargahi Leila
Published: September 2023

Despite the great body of research done on Alzheimer's disease, the underlying mechanisms have not been vividly investigated. To date, the accumulation of amyloid‐beta plaques and tau tangles constitutes the hallmark of the disease; however, dysregulation of the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) seems to be significantly involved in the pathogenesis of the disease as well. mTOR, as a serine–threonine protein kinase, was previously known for controlling many cellular functions such as cell size, autophagy, and metabolism. In this regard, mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) may leave anti‐aging impacts by robustly inhibiting autophagy, a mechanism that inhibits the accumulation of damaged protein aggregate and dysfunctional organelles. Formation and aggregation of neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid‐beta plaques seem to be significantly regulated by mTOR signaling. Understanding the underlying mechanisms and connection between mTOR signaling and AD may suggest conducting clinical trials assessing the efficacy of rapamycin, as an mTOR inhibitor drug, in managing AD or may help develop other medications. In this literature review, we aim to elaborate mTOR signaling network mainly in the brain, point to gaps of knowledge, and define how and in which ways mTOR signaling can be connected with AD pathogenesis and symptoms.
Breakdown of oscillatory effective networks in disorders of consciousness
Authors: Bai Yang , Gong Anjuan , Wang Qijun , Guo Yongkun , Zhang Yin , Feng Zhen
Published: September 2023

Introduction

Combining transcranial magnetic stimulation with electroencephalography (TMS‐EEG), oscillatory reactivity can be measured, allowing us to investigate the interaction between local and distant cortical oscillations. However, the extent to which human consciousness is related to these oscillatory effective networks has yet to be explored.

Aims

We tend to investigate the link between oscillatory effective networks and brain consciousness, by monitoring the global transmission of TMS‐induced oscillations in disorders of consciousness (DOC).

Results

A cohort of DOC patients was included in this study, which included 28 patients with a minimally conscious state (MCS) and 20 patients with vegetative state/unresponsive wakefulness syndrome (VS/UWS). Additionally, 25 healthy controls were enrolled. The oscillatory reactivity to single‐pulse TMS of the frontal, sensorimotor and parietal cortex was measured using event‐related spectral perturbation of TMS‐EEG. The temporal–spatial properties of the oscillatory reactivity were illustrated through life time, decay gradients and accumulative power. In DOC patients, an oscillatory reactivity was observed to be temporally and spatially suppressed. TMS‐EEG of DOC patients showed that the oscillations did not travel as far in healthy controls, in terms of both temporal and spatial dimensions. Moreover, cortical theta reactivity was found to be a reliable indicator in distinguishing DOC versus healthy controls when TMS of the parietal region and in distinguishing MCS versus VS/UWS when TMS of the frontal region. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between the Coma Recovery Scale‐Revised scores of the DOC patients and the cortical theta reactivity.

Conclusions

The findings revealed a breakdown of oscillatory effective networks in DOC patients, which has implications for the use of TMS‐EEG in DOC evaluation and offers a neural oscillation viewpoint on the neurological basis of human consciousness.
Negative formaldehyde release from textiles washed with a formaldehyde‐containing laundry soap according to manufacturer instructions: An application of chromotropic acid testing
Authors: Battis Nicholas , Ekstein Samuel F. , Shaik Javed A. , Hylwa Sara
Published: September 2023

Background

Formaldehyde is a common preservative used to prevent microbial growth in water. It can be found in personal care products and household cleaning products, including laundry detergents. Formaldehyde has frequently been recognised as a cause of allergic contact dermatitis, but whether it remains present in textiles washed with formaldehyde‐containing laundry detergents is unknown.

Objectives

This study aimed to utilise the chromotropic acid method (CAM) to assess formaldehyde release from textiles washed with a laundry detergent known to contain formaldehyde.

Materials and Methods

Textiles were laundered with a detergent containing calcium formate at four concentrations (0×, 0.5×, 1× and 5× the recommended amount per manufacturer label) and kept wet or allowed to dry. Select textiles were subjected to an additional rinse cycle. Textiles were then tested utilising the CAM. A sample of the pure laundry detergent was also tested using the CAM.

Results

The CAM was positive only for wet textiles washed at 5× the recommended concentration of detergent and pure detergent. All dry textiles were negative.

Conclusions

Formaldehyde release was not detected from any textiles washed following the manufacturer's recommendations. Once dry, it is likely safe for formaldehyde‐allergic patients to wear textiles washed with formaldehyde‐containing detergents.
A disease model predicting placebo response and remission status of patients with ulcerative colitis using modified Mayo score
Authors: Moein Anita , Langenhorst Jurgen , Plan Elodie L. , Jin Jin Y. , Kågedal Matts , Kassir Nastya
Published: September 2023

The Mayo Clinical Score is used in clinical trials to describe the clinical status of patients with ulcerative colitis (UC). It comprises four subscores: rectal bleeding (RB), stool frequency (SF), physician's global assessment, and endoscopy (ENDO). According to recent US Food and Drug Administration guidelines (Ulcerative colitis: developing drugs for treatment, Guidance Document, https://www.fda.gov/regulatory‐information/s. 2022), clinical response and remission should be based on modified Mayo Score (mMS) relying on RB, SF, and ENDO. Typically, ENDO is performed at the beginning and end of each phase, whereas RB and SF are more frequently available. Item response theory (IRT) models allow the shared information to be used for prediction of all subscores at each observation time; therefore, it leverages information from RB and SF to predict ENDO. A UC disease IRT model was developed based on four etrolizumab phase III studies to describe the longitudinal mMS subscores, placebo response, and remission at the end of induction and maintenance. For each subscore, a bounded integer model was developed. The placebo response was characterized by a mono‐exponential function acting on all mMS subscores similarly. The final model reliably predicted longitudinal mMS data. In addition, remission was well‐predicted by the model, with only 5% overprediction at the end of induction and 3% underprediction at the end of maintenance. External evaluation of the final model using placebo arms from five different studies indicated adequate performance for both longitudinal mMS subscores and remission status. These results suggest utility of the current disease model for informed decision making in UC clinical development, such as assisting future clinical trial designs and evaluations.