bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
RCoxNet: deep learning framework for enhanced cancer survival prediction integrating random walk with restart with mutation and clinical data
Authors: Kumari Stuti , Gujral Sakshi , Panda Smruti , Gupta Prashant , Ahuja Gaurav , Sengupta Debarka
Published: September 2024

Cancer poses a significant global health challenge, characterized by a complex disease progression and disrupted growth regulation. A thorough understanding of cellular and molecular biological mechanisms is essential for developing novel treatments and improving the accuracy of patient survival predictions. While prior studies have leveraged gene expression and clinical data to forecast survival outcomes through current machine learning and deep learning approaches, gene mutation data—despite being a widely recognized metric—has rarely been incorporated due to its limited information, inadequate representation of gene relationships, and data sparsity, which negatively affects the robustness, effectiveness, and interpretability of current survival analysis approaches. To overcome the challenges of mutation data sparsity, we propose RCoxNet, a novel deep learning neural network framework that integrates the Random Walk with Restart (RWR) algorithm with a deep learning Cox Proportional Hazards model. By applying this framework to mutation data from cBioportal, our model achieved an average concordance index of 0.62 ± 0.05 across four cancer types, outperforming existing deep neural network models. Additionally, we identified clinical features critical for differentiating between predicted high- and low-risk patients, with the relevance of these features being partially supported by previous studies.
Jumping spiders are not fooled by the peripheral drift illusion
Authors: De Agrò Massimo , Vallortigara Giorgio , Falotico Egidio
Published: September 2024

In the peripheral drift illusion, a static circular sawtooth pattern is perceived as if it were rotating. It is believed that this effect is a byproduct of how the neural substrate responsible for motion perception is organized. The structure of the motion perception circuitry is widespread across the animal kingdom, vertebrates and invertebrates alike, which in turn causes the illusion effect to be experienced by virtually all animals. Among invertebrates, jumping spiders possess a unique visual system. For them, the tasks of visual computation are split across 4 pairs of eyes, with motion detection, target recognition, and shape discrimination computed in completely segregated brain areas and visual field sections. In such an organization, it is unlikely that the circuitry for motion perception common to other animals is shared by jumping spiders. Consequently, jumping spiders should be immune to the peripheral drift illusion. To test this hypothesis, we placed jumping spiders on top of an omnidirectional treadmill and presented them with circular visual stimuli in their visual periphery. These were either composed of a sawtooth pattern, and therefore inducing the illusion, or of a sine-wave pattern of equal luminance and spatial frequency but not illusion-inducing. The stimuli could either be static or rotate around their center, either clockwise or counterclockwise. As jumping spiders perform distinctive full-body pivots when detecting a moving object in their visual periphery, we registered the frequency of this behavior to assess the illusory percept. We found that the spiders responded consistently to all moving stimuli, but did not react to the static illusion, therefore it was not perceived as in motion. The absence of the illusory percept in spiders opens many questions about the nature of their motion perception circuitry and casts doubts on how the illusion is widespread in the animal kingdom outside the common model species usually inquired about.
A Red Fluorescent Lifeact Marker to Study Actin Morphology in Podocytes
Authors: Wiesner Eva , Binz-Lotter Julia , Tröder Simon E. , Unnersjö-Jess David , Rutkowski Nelli , Zevnik Branko , Benzing Thomas , Wedlich-Soldner Roland , Hackl Matthias J.
Published: September 2024

F-actin is a major component of the cellular cytoskeleton, responsible for maintaining cell shape, enabling movement and facilitating intracellular transport. In the kidney, glomerular podocytes are highly dependent on their actin cytoskeleton shaping their unique foot processes. Hereditary mutations in actin-binding proteins cause focal segmental glomerulosclerosis, while other organs remain largely unaffected.

So far, actin visualization in podocytes has been limited to electron microscopy or indirect immunofluorescent labeling of actin-binding proteins. However, the short F-actin-binding peptide Lifeact enables researchers to study actin dynamicsin vitroandin vivowith minimal interference with actin metabolism.

Here we introduce a new mouse model with conditional expression of a Lifeact.mScarlet-I fusion protein providing red labeling of actin. Cre recombinase-mediated activity allows cell-specific and mosaic expression in podocytes, enabling selective labeling of individual cells to contrast with non-expressing neighboring cells. Transgenic mice are born healthy and young animals display no kidney-related phenotype. By intravital imaging and super-resolution microscopy, we show subcellular localization of actin to the foot processes in a resolution previously only obtainable by electron microscopy.

Our novel mouse line provides the opportunity to study the actin cytoskeleton in podocytes and other cell types by intravital imaging and other conventional light microscopy techniques.
Metabolite-responsive Control of Transcription by Phase Separation-based Synthetic Organelles
Authors: Jerez-Longres Carolina , Weber Wilfried
Published: September 2024

Living natural materials have remarkable sensing abilities that translate external cues into functional changes of the material. The reconstruction of such sensing materials in bottom-up synthetic biology provides the opportunity to develop synthetic materials with life-like sensing and adaptation ability. Key to such functions are material modules that translate specific input signals into a biomolecular response. Here, we engineer a synthetic organelle based on liquid-liquid phase separation that translates a metabolic signal into the regulation of gene transcription. To this aim, we engineer the pyruvate-dependent repressor PdhR to undergo liquid-liquid phase separationin vitroby fusion to intrinsically disordered regions. We demonstrate that the resulting coacervates bind DNA harbouring PdhR-responsive operator sites in a pyruvate dose-dependent and reversible manner. We observed that the activity of transcription units on the DNA was strongly attenuated following recruitment to the coacervates. However, the addition of pyruvate resulted in a reversible and dose-dependent reconstitution of transcriptional activity. The coacervate-based synthetic organelles linking metabolic cues to transcriptional signals represent a materials approach to confer stimulus-responsiveness to minimal bottom-up synthetic biological systems and open opportunities in materials for sensor applications.
Overabundant endocannabinoids in neurons are detrimental to cognitive function
Authors: Zhu Dexiao , Zhang Jian , Ma Xiaokuang , Hu Mei , Gao Fei , Hashem Jack B. , Lyu Jianlu , Wei Jing , Cui Yuehua , Qiu Shenfeng , Chen Chu
Published: September 2024

2-Arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG) is the most prevalent endocannabinoid involved in maintaining brain homeostasis. Previous studies have demonstrated that inactivating monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), the primary enzyme responsible for degrading 2-AG in the brain, alleviates neuropathology and prevents synaptic and cognitive decline in animal models of neurodegenerative diseases. However, we show that selectively inhibiting 2-AG metabolism in neurons impairs cognitive function in mice. This cognitive impairment appears to result from decreased expression of synaptic proteins and synapse numbers, impaired long-term synaptic plasticity and cortical circuit functional connectivity, and diminished neurogenesis. Interestingly, the synaptic and cognitive deficits induced by neuronal MAGL inactivation can be counterbalanced by inhibiting astrocytic 2-AG metabolism. Transcriptomic analyses reveal that inhibiting neuronal 2-AG degradation leads to widespread changes in expression of genes associated with synaptic function. These findings suggest that crosstalk in 2-AG signaling between astrocytes and neurons is crucial for maintaining synaptic and cognitive functions and that excessive 2-AG in neurons alone is detrimental to cognitive function.
Decoding polyubiquitin regulation of KV7. 1 functional expression with engineered linkage-selective deubiquitinases
Authors: Shanmugam Sri Karthika , Kanner Scott A. , Zou Xinle , Amarh Enoch , Choudhury Papiya , Soni Rajesh , Kass Robert S. , Colecraft Henry M.
Published: September 2024

Protein posttranslational modification with distinct polyubiquitin linkage chains is a critical component of the ‘ubiquitin code’ that universally regulates protein expression and function to control biology. Functional consequences of diverse polyubiquitin linkages on proteins are mostly unknown, with progress hindered by a lack of methods to specifically tune polyubiquitin linkages on individual proteins in live cells. Here, we bridge this gap by exploiting deubiquitinases (DUBs) with preferences for hydrolyzing different polyubiquitin linkages: OTUD1 - K63; OTUD4 - K48; Cezanne - K11; TRABID - K29/K33; and USP21 - non-specific. We developed a suite of engineered deubiquitinases (enDUBs) comprised of DUB catalytic domains fused to a GFP- targeted nanobody and used them to investigate polyubiquitin linkage regulation of an ion channel, YFP-KCNQ1. Mass spectrometry of YFP-KCNQ1 expressed in HEK293 cells indicated channel polyubiquitination with K48 (72%) and K63 (24%) linkages being dominant. NEDD4-2 and ITCH both decreased KCNQ1 functional expression but with distinctive polyubiquitination signatures. All enDUBs reduced KCNQ1 ubiquitination but yielded unique effects on channel expression, surface density, ionic currents, and subcellular localization. The pattern of outcomes indicates K11, K29/K33, and K63 chains mediate net KCNQ1-YFP intracellular retention, but achieved in different ways: K11 promotes ER retention/degradation, enhances endocytosis, and reduces recycling; K29/K33 promotes ER retention/degradation; K63 enhances endocytosis and reduces recycling. The pattern of enDUB effects on KCNQ1-YFP differed in cardiomyocytes, emphasizing ubiquitin code mutability. Surprisingly, enDUB-O4 decreased KCNQ1-YFP surface density suggesting a role for K48 in forward trafficking. Lastly, linkage-selective enDUBs displayed varying capabilities to rescue distinct trafficking-deficient long QT syndrome type 1 mutations. The results reveal distinct polyubiquitin chains control different aspects of KCNQ1 functional expression, demonstrate ubiquitin code plasticity, and introduce linkage-selective enDUBs as a potent tool to help demystify the polyubiquitin code.
Josephson effect in a Fibonacci quasicrystal
Authors: Sandberg Anna , Awoga Oladunjoye A. , Black-Schaffer Annica M. , Holmvall Patric
Published: September 2024

Quasiperiodicity has recently been proposed to enhance superconductivity and its proximity effect. Simultaneously, there has been significant experimental progress in the fabrication of quasiperiodic structures, including in reduced dimensions. Motivated by these developments, we use microscopic tight-binding theory to investigate the DC Josephson effect through a ballistic Fibonacci chain attached to two superconducting leads. The Fibonacci chain is one of the most-studied examples of quasicrystals, hosting a rich multifractal spectrum, containing topological gaps with different winding numbers. We study how the Andreev-bound states (ABS), current-phase relation, and the critical current depend on the quasiperiodic degrees of freedom, from short to long junctions. While the current-phase relation shows a traditional 2π sinusoidal or sawtooth profile, we find that the ABS develop quasiperiodic oscillations and that the Andreev reflection is qualitatively altered, leading to quasiperiodic oscillations in the critical current as a function of junction length. Surprisingly, despite earlier proposals of quasiperiodicity enhancing superconductivity compared to crystalline junctions, we do not, in general, find that it enhances the critical current. However, we find significant current enhancement for reduced interface transparency because of the modified Andreev reflection. Furthermore, by varying the chemical potential, e.g., by an applied gate voltage, we find a fractal oscillation between superconductor-normal metal-superconductor (SNS) and superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) behavior. Finally, we show that the winding of the subgap states leads to an equivalent winding in the critical current, such that the winding numbers, and thus the topological invariant, can be determined.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
How do young-oriented values facilitate conspicuous consumption travel behaviour through information searching and content generation?
Authors: Wang Shan , Lai Ivan Ka Wai , Wong Jose Weng Chou
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study explores how the effects of youth-oriented values influence the behavioural attitudes towards online conspicuous activities during travel, leading to their further conspicuous consumption travel behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

This study applied a mixed-methods approach. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 20 young tourists to extract the youth-oriented value measurement scale. A systematic survey was conducted in a renovated heritage site in China. PLS-SEM analysis was performed on 322 responses to test the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

The results of semi-structured interviews supplement seven new items and form a measurement scale of youth-oriented values with 16 items in three dimensions (self-identification, peer-identification and eagerness to change). The results of PLS-SEM analysis reveal that all three youth-oriented values significantly influence attitudes towards information searching and content generation, and these two behavioural attitudes are positively related to continuous conspicuous consumption travel. The openness trait moderates the relationship between self-identification and content generation.

Originality/value

The study contributes to youth tourism research in conspicuous consumption travel behaviour. It provides insights to tourism operators to formulate strategies to develop the young tourist market in a cultural heritage tourism context.
Assessing the effects of sustainable supply chain management practices on operational performance: the role of business regulatory compliance and corporate sustainability culture
Authors: Awuah-Gyawu Meshach , Abdul Muntaka Samed , Owusu-Bio Matilda Kokui , Otchere Fianko Alexander
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study examines the mediating and moderating effects of business regulatory compliance (BRC) on the association between sustainable supply chain management practices (SSCMP) and operational performance (PERFOP), and how corporate sustainability culture (CSC) serves as a boundary condition to BRC.

Design/methodology/approach

This research draws data from 245 firms operating in multiple industries in Ghana. Ordinary Least Square (OLS) was employed to test the direct effects, while Hayes Process Macros was employed to test the indirect and conditional effects among the study variables using a structural equation modelling approach.

Findings

The results showed that SSCMP has a direct positive effect on PERFOP. The study further revealed that BRC mediates the relationship between SSCMP and PERFOP. This study found that BRC negatively moderates the association between SSCMP and PERFOP, suggesting that high levels of BRC generate unintended adverse effect on the SSCMP- PERFOP link. However, the results revealed that CSC serves as a boundary condition to BRC.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study that emphasizes how the resource-based view and regulatory focus theory interact to explain how different degrees of CSC and BRC impact SSCMP performance outcomes. This study advances research in the sustainability literature, in response to calls for further research in this domain. This study draws decision-makers attention on the need to make sustainability practices an integral part of corporate culture in order to set a business tone that stimulates easy compliance to sustainability requirements.
Assessing attitudes and impact of AI integration in higher education
Authors: Baca Granit , Zhushi Genc
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the integration of AI in student engagement and its benefits in the learning environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employed a quantitative research method, analyzing data from a sample of 720 students. The econometric data analysis used the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.

Findings

The results show that facilitating conditions and performance expectations positively affect students’ attitudes toward AI, whereas the negative impact of perceived risk is statistically weak and only marginally significant at the 90% level. On the other hand, the main findings are that attitudes significantly influence the use of AI, which consequently increases students’ productivity, performance, and self-efficacy.

Research limitations/implications

Through the integration of new variables in the TAM and UTAUT models, steps are suggested for institutions to take to increase the acceptance and efficiency of AI.

Originality/value

This study introduces a novel approach to AI integration within higher education, presenting an innovative model that significantly enhances the discourse on AI’s tangible impacts on educational processes.
Innovators and transformers: a benchmarking study of online carbon emission calculators for freight transport
Authors: Schramm Hans-Joachim , Lehner Michael
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Carbon emissions commonly serve as an indicator for environmental friendliness, and so more and more carbon emission calculators (CECs) are offered that allow an estimation of the environmental footprint of freight transport operations. Unfortunately, their exact measurement is challenging due to the availability or poor quality of necessary input data and a multitude of possible calculation methods that may result in highly inaccurate to very misleading figures.

Design/methodology/approach

A structured online search was conducted to identify suitable online carbon emission calculators (OCECs) for further assessment in the form of a benchmark case that includes different modes of transport from road and rail to air and sea between China and Europe. Further comparison resulted in a ranking of OCECs along the categories of transparency (routing system, data sources and calculation method), completeness (input options) and accuracy (data output).

Findings

Different predefined inputs and calculation methods employed by the OCECs assessed inevitably result in a wide spread of more or less reliable carbon footprint measurement results.

Practical implications

All potential users of CECs, including policymakers, actors from the transport industry and other stakeholders, are well advised to question greenhouse gas (GHG) emission statements that are not backed by transparent procedures and internationally recognized calculation standards.

Originality/value

This study, including a benchmark case and a ranking, offers a guideline for potential users of CEC to avoid major pitfalls coming along with the present carbon footprint measurement of freight transport operations.
Market resilience in turbulent times: a proactive approach to predicting stock market responses during geopolitical tensions
Authors: Maddodi Srivatsa , Kunte Srinivasa Rao
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The Indian stock market can be tricky when there's trouble in the world, like wars or big conflicts. It's like trying to read a secret message. We want to figure out what makes investors nervous or happy, because their feelings often affect how they buy and sell stocks. We're building a tool to make prediction that uses both numbers and people's opinions.

Design/methodology/approach

Hybrid approach leverages Twitter sentiment, market data, volatility index (VIX) and momentum indicators like moving average convergence divergence (MACD) and relative strength index (RSI) to deliver accurate market insights for informed investment decisions during uncertainty.

Findings

Our study reveals that geopolitical tensions' impact on stock markets is fleeting and confined to the short term. Capitalizing on this insight, we built a ground-breaking predictive model with an impressive 98.47% accuracy in forecasting stock market values during such events.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this model's originality lies in its focus on short-term impact, novel data fusion and high accuracy. Focus on short-term impact: Our model uniquely identifies and quantifies the fleeting effects of geopolitical tensions on market behavior, a previously under-researched area. Novel data fusion: Combining sentiment analysis with established market indicators like VIX and momentum offers a comprehensive and dynamic approach to predicting market movements during volatile periods. Advanced predictive accuracy: Achieving the prediction accuracy (98.47%) sets this model apart from existing solutions, making it a valuable tool for informed decision-making.
The relationship between self-efficacy and sustainable Lean management systems within the healthcare arena
Authors: Geiselman Erin L. , Hendricks Susan M. , Swenty Constance F.
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to improve the understanding of the social contexts of sustainable Lean culture in healthcare by examining self-efficacy (SE) as a fundamental construct related to the value of perceived readiness, prior education of Lean and the importance of leadership’s system-level support.

Design/methodology/approach

A descriptive correlational study was conducted to identify the relationships between SE and Lean readiness factors, SE and prior Lean training, SE and clinical vs administrative roles and SE and perceived system-level support in a large health system.

Findings

There was a statistically significant difference in self-reported readiness to use Lean tools between individuals who had received Lean training during their academic education and those who had not; however, their level of education did not impact SE. Lastly, and perhaps most important, the learner who embodies SE also has system-level support.

Research limitations/implications

Future directions of this research, in addition to assessing team readiness as other studies suggest, would be to evaluate individual team member readiness by gauging SE and addressing deficits prior to the deployment of process improvement (PI) projects to promote success and sustainability.

Practical implications

This contributes to the ongoing scholarship of Lean management systems, providing clinical and non-clinical leaders with a contextual understanding of their supportive role in the SE of teams.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates the value of understanding SE of individual team members and how it can contribute to overall improved team outcomes, directly impacting the sustainability of Lean change culture and its promotion of improved patient safety, cost efficiencies and access to care.
Business model structuration in Industry 4.0: an analysis of the value-based strategies of smart service providers in Brazil
Authors: Ventura Marcos Antonio de Araujo , Silva e Meirelles Dimária
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study examines the use of a dynamic value-based approach to analyze the business model structuration of smart service providers in Brazil, mapping their value creation, configuration and appropriation strategies, and determining how well-defined their current business models are.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a qualitative study based on semi-structured interviews with entrepreneurs (or CEOs and directors of technology) of seven business ventures in three different phases of business model structuration: (1) academic: companies or innovation and research centers linked to universities; (2) startups: technology-based companies originating from the technological needs of clients, be they new branches of the traditional business of incumbents or new entrants and (3) autonomous service providers whose offerings are related to master’s or doctoral projects.

Findings

We propose a typology of business model structuration with four stages. At first (individual or initial business model), albeit with high skilling of owners, only manual or adaptation services are offered. In the second stage (platform business model), although services offered are oriented toward the entire process automatization of the client (Factory integrated), technologies are restricted to the client company (or even one department) and these clients' needs are mainly data processing and connectivity. In the third stage (scaling digital business model), although the services offered are oriented toward greater digitalization through an entire array of field devices connected to the internet (IoT) and organized in a more formalized structure, the business model is still being constructed, companies in this stage are mainly startups. In the fourth stage (innovation ecosystem business model), the entire manufacturing process is digitized, with integration and network connectivity, both between service providers and the extended supply chain of their clients, and new technologies are customized and developed through the interaction of a whole innovation ecosystem.

Research limitations/implications

Mapping value-based strategies aids in understanding business model structuration in Industry 4.0. Future research should focus on parameterizing the dimensions founded of each value strategy.

Originality/value

This study advances the comprehension of the business model in |Industry 4.0 by providing a value-based strategy perspective of business model structuration. Practically, by focusing on smart service providers, it contributes to a greater understanding of smart service providers in Brazil and their strategic challenges.
Parallels between the Physical Vacuum and concept of Qi in Medical Qigong: comprehending oneness
Authors: Zhu Wanfeng , Sice Petia Venkova , Zhang Wenchun , Krajewska Krystyna , Zhao Zhangyang
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to bring into the public domain converging ways of thinking about reality and human systems, exploring parallels between the theory of Physical Vacuum and the concept of Qi in Medical Qigong science.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach adopted in this paper includes: review of the relevant literature; dialogues between the first two authors over an eight-month period; review of the findings and discussion of interpretations by all.

Findings

There is evidence for the existence of an ideal information field. This field is a real space-time torsion structure. Qi is a torsion field. It spreads with superluminal velocity and connects the whole Universe. Any entity is in a constant dynamic connection with everything else in the Universe.

Research limitations/implications

This paper offers limited discussion of the wider area of scientific discoveries.

Social implications

The findings may impact future interdisciplinary research, health/well-being practices and public policy.

Originality/value

There is no known to us publication interpreting the parallels between the theory of the Physical Vacuum and the concept of Qi.
Facilitating digital accessibility for students with disabilities into information services at Jordanian academic libraries
Authors: Abu Qaadan Asmaa , Hamad Faten , Fakhouri Hussam
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study examines the digital accessibility of information services for students with disabilities at the University of Jordan. Despite advancements in disability rights and technology, academic libraries often lag in providing fully accessible digital services.

Design/methodology/approach

The mixed-methods research involved quantitative surveys from 173 students with disabilities and a qualitative interview with the head of the information application department, in addition to a focus group interview with 10 students with disabilities. Quantitative analysis included means, standard deviations and four-way ANOVA to identify significant differences in perceptions. Qualitative insights highlighted specific issues and recurring themes, revealing significant gaps in digital accessibility.

Findings

The results revealed a weak level of digital accessibility of students with disabilities to information services in academic libraries in Jordan is very low. The findings indicate a need for improvements in library infrastructure, staff training and policy development. The study also offers insights into challenges in a developing country context and provides recommendations for enhancing library inclusivity and support structures, emphasizing the importance of aligning services with international accessibility standards.

Practical implications

The findings will primarily be beneficial for library managers to understand their library’s deficiencies and responsibility towards the local community and the enhancement of digital inclusion. This understanding will aid in planning training programs and workshops for employees on supporting students with disabilities. Additionally, it serves as a valuable resource for collaboration between libraries and educators to organize educational sessions for academic librarians in Jordan and other developing nations.

Originality/value

It serves as a valuable resource for collaboration between libraries and educators to organize educational sessions for academic librarians in Jordan and other developing nations. This research adds value to existing literature by highlighting the context in one developing country.
Networked business models on a nascent market for sustainable innovation
Authors: Bankel Amanda , Govik Lisa
Published: September 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore networked business models on a nascent market for a sustainable innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

The study takes a qualitative approach through a comparative case study of three solar photovoltaic (PV) parks in Sweden. Data was collected from 14 interviews with multiple supply chain and network actors as well as secondary data. Industrial marketing and purchasing is applied for theoretical framing.

Findings

The study demonstrates transactional, relational, environmental and social drivers for participating in the network. The study reveals the duplicity of the nascent market, which encourages supply chain actors to develop their individual business models to take a larger market share or become future competitors to current collaborators. On the nascent market with few developed regulations, the network enables actors to influence regulations on local and regional levels.

Research limitations/implications

The study is limited to the nascent solar PV industry in Sweden, which is characterized by institutional turbulence, market uncertainties and few established supply networks.

Practical implications

Practitioners need to consider multifarious drivers for participating in networked business models, where the economic driver may be the least motivating.

Originality/value

This study provides several multiactor business models and classifies them into specific applications and general applications. The study provides unique insight into the complexity of interactions among supply chain actors in networked business models on a nascent market for sustainable innovation. Due to the scarcity of available partners on the nascent market, actors need to look beyond their on-going relationships and their network horizon, or actors’ roles evolve to include activities that was not part of their individual business models.
Trophic cascades regulate arthropods density and plant damage across forest strata
Authors: Gonçalves‐Souza Thiago
Published: September 2024

Research Highlight: Sivault, E., Kollross, J., Jorge, L., Finnie, S., Diez Mendez, D., Fernandez Garzon, S., Maraia, H., Lenc, J., Libra, M., Masashi, M., Nakaji, T., Nakamura, M., Sreekar, R., Sam, L., Abe, T., Weiss, M., & Sam, K. (2024). Insectivorous birds and bats outperform ants in the top‐down regulation of arthropods across strata of a Japanese temperate forest. Journal of Animal Ecology. https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2656.14146. Top‐down predators exert strong effects on prey populations. Theoretical and empirical studies investigating the cascading effects of predators on biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem functionality have been central to advancing ecology and conservation biology. Yet, how intraguild predation and niche overlap drive the strength and direction of trophic cascades across forest strata is still barely understood. In a study published in this issue, Sivault et al. (2024) investigated the impacts of excluding vertebrate (birds and bats) and invertebrate (ants) predators on arthropod herbivores and plant damage in understory and canopy forest strata. The study finds that birds and bats (but not ants) have negative impacts on herbivore density, which, in turn, benefits plants by reducing leaf damage. Additionally, the effects of vertebrate predators are similar across strata. The authors also show that herbivore density and herbivory are greater in the understory compared to the canopy strata. Sivault et al. (2024) demonstrate that intraguild predation and niche overlap dictate the strength and direction of trophic cascades in forest ecosystems. In addition, these findings shed new light on forest ecology and conservation, especially considering the potential negative effects of climate change on top predators.
Natural forest colonisation as a management strategy to restore soil functioning of abandoned agricultural lands
Authors: Acuña‐Míguez B. , Rincón A. , Valladares F. , Cordero I. , Bravo‐Oviedo A.
Published: September 2024

Land abandonment promotes forest expansion into abandoned agricultural lands in Europe. This process leads to changes that affect several ecosystem services, but it is considered a low‐cost strategy to restore soil functions in past agricultural lands. Soil microbial communities play a key role in restoring functions. However, the relationship among forest expansion, microbial communities, and soil functioning is unclear.

In this study, we used a Juniperus thurifera expansion gradient on abandoned agricultural lands in Alto Tajo National Park (Spain) to discover the changes elicited by the soil microbial communities and their functions along this gradient considering two microhabitats, under the canopy and open areas. Specifically, our objectives were (i) to analyse how soil properties (organic matter and pH), microbial communities (using PLFAs‐NFLAs) and enzymatic activities (related to C, N and P cycling) varied along the forest expansion gradient and between microhabitats and (ii) to decipher the pathways by which soil properties control the carbon and nutrient cycling in soils.

The forest expansion gradient had a direct negative effect on phosphatase activity. The microhabitat showed a positive direct effect on organic matter content, pH, actinomycetes and arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi biomass and on soil C and P cycling. Moreover, the biomass of gram‐positive bacteria determined the biomass of other microbial groups.

Synthesis and Applications: Though its effectiveness is variable, passive restoration can be more effective than active restoration. Our research indicates that passive tree colonisation of past agricultural land is enough to achieve soil functionality similar to a mature forest for most variables studied. However, some variables would need more time to reach mature forest levels, such as total microbial biomass and organic matter content. Therefore, to support ecosystem recovery, the management of this applied forest ecology strategy requires continuous monitoring of newly established trees and soil to elucidate the time needed to achieve mature soil properties.
Spatiotemporal interactions between jaguars (Panthera onca) and their potential prey in Amazonian islands
Authors: Duarte Herbert O. B. , Rosalino Luís Miguel , de Toledo José Júlio , Hilário Renato Richard , Carvalho William Douglas
Published: September 2024

Although large carnivores usually prefer large prey, in some situations, they may shift their predation patterns towards smaller but abundant prey. The jaguar (Panthera onca) is a large carnivore capable of changing its diet according to prey and habitat availability. Here, we assessed the temporal and spatiotemporal interactions between jaguars and their prey in the Maracá‐Jipioca Islands (Northeastern Amazon, Brazil) through camera traps. We assessed overlapping activity patterns and tested for spatiotemporal segregation/avoidance between jaguars and nine potential prey species. We used a time‐to‐encounter approach, which consists in calculating the minimum time between prey and jaguar's detections, and vice versa, for each record of preys' species at a specific camera trap station, which translates into aggregation or avoidance behaviors. We found that these insular jaguars are more active in daylight periods when most of their prey are active and in locations used by species that cannot become nocturnal to avoid predators due to morphology constraints. Four prey species (great egret, white‐tailed deer, muscovy duck, and black‐and‐white tegu) presented moderate activity overlapping with jaguars. Agoutis and white‐tailed deer seek to spatiotemporally segregate from jaguars, although jaguars did not show spatiotemporal aggregation with any of the evaluated prey. Understanding the spatiotemporal dynamics is essential to establish the islands' trophic network composition and structure. This is fundamental information to efficiently allocate efforts for reducing costs and maximizing benefits in managing this population aiming to protect and conserve it, and consequently, the related ecosystems.
Advances and challenges in the fractionation of edible oils and fats through supercritical fluid processing
Authors: Gigi A. A. , Praveena Ug. , Pillai Prasanth S. , Ragavan K. V. , Anandharamakrishnan C.
Published: September 2024

Petrochemical solvents are widely used for the extraction and fractionation of biomolecules from edible oils and fats at an industrial scale. However, owing to its safety concerns, toxicity, price fluctuations, and sustainability, alternative solvents and technologies have been actively explored in recent years. Technologies, such as ultrasound and microwave‐assisted extraction, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction, supercritical fluid fractionation, and sub‐critical water extraction, and solvents, like ionic liquids and deep eutectic solvents, are reported for extraction and fractionation of biomolecules. Among them, supercritical carbon dioxide extraction and fractionation are some of the most promising green technologies with the potential to replace petrochemical‐based conventional techniques. The addition of cosolvents, such as water, ethanol, and acetone, improves the extraction of amphiphilic and polar compounds from edible oils and fats. Supercritical fluid processing has diverse applications, including concentration of solutes, selective separation of desired molecules, and separation of undesirable compounds from the feed material. Temperature, pressure, particle size, porosity, flow rate, solvent‐to‐feed ratio, density, viscosity, diffusivity, solubility, partition coefficient, and separation factor are the fundamental factors governing the extraction and fractionation of desired biomolecules from lipids. Supercritical fluids stand alone compared to conventional fluids, because of their tunable solvent properties. Overall, it is to be noted that supercritical fluid‐based methods have lots of scope to replace conventional solvent‐based methods and progress toward the creation of sustainable food‐processing techniques. This review critically evaluates the parameters responsible for the extraction and fractionation of biomolecules from edible oils and fats under supercritical conditions.
Detecting zombie firms in a sample of Finnish small firms
Authors: Laitinen Erkki K.
Published: September 2024

The objective of the study was to develop a method to detect zombie firms in a sample of mainly very small companies. The original sample consisted of 70,809 active and 134 bankrupt Finnish companies (or firms in insolvency proceedings) for 2018–2020. In the sample firms, the median number of employees was only 2. First, a logistic regression model to measure bankruptcy risk was estimated using three financial ratios as independent variables reflecting profitability, liquidity and solvency. Zombie firms were defined as active companies which are technically bankrupt but are still operating in the market. Second, following this definition, the model was used to assess the bankruptcy risk of active firms, and a zombie company was operationally defined as an active company whose bankruptcy risk exceeds the median for bankrupt companies in three consecutive years. In this way, over 2000 zombie companies were detected making in total 3.5% of the active companies.
Estimating effective population size using close‐kin mark–recapture
Authors: Babyn Jonathan , Ruzzante Daniel , Bravington Mark , Mills Flemming Joanna
Published: September 2024

Close‐kin mark–recapture (CKMR) is a method that allows estimating population census size, among other parameters, through the observed number of pairs that are close‐kin including parent–offspring pairs (POPs) and half‐sibling pairs (HSPs). CKMR models are capable of estimating abundance, fecundity and survival at age using POPs and HSPs from different cohorts. The link between effective population size (Ne) and the number of ‘within‐cohort’ sibling pairs has been noted before but how to actually achieve such an estimate with CKMR has not been previously demonstrated.

We show it is possible to use the number of ‘within‐cohort’ sibling pairs along with POPs and ‘different‐cohort’ HSPs to estimate Ne. These can be combined with an estimate of annual variance in number of offspring to estimate the lifetime variance of total reproductive success which can be used to find Ne. We show that the variance in number of offspring produced by adults in a given year is related to the within‐cohort comparisons.

Our approach is demonstrated on an individual‐based simulation where we show that the CKMR Ne estimate offers similar results to Ne estimated from methods like linkage disequilibrium.

Our methods allow estimating Ne using CKMR while also estimating demographic parameters.
The African introgression of Murciano Granadina goats has a Moroccan origin and displays remarkable levels of inter‐individual variability
Authors: Petretto E. , Luigi‐Sierra M. G. , Vacca G. M. , Martínez A. , Delgado J. V. , Fernández Álvarez J. , Castelló A. , Pazzola M. , Jordana J. , Dettori M. L. , Amills M.
Published: September 2024

There is evidence that Murciano Granadina (MG), the most important caprine dairy breed in Spain, has been introgressed by African goats, but the precise geographic origin of such introgression has not been identified yet. Moreover, an accurate estimate of the magnitude of this African introgression is lacking, since current estimates are based on small numbers of sampled individuals. The aim of our work was to tackle these two issues by genotyping 500 MG goats with the Goat SNP50 BeadChip and comparing their genotypes with those of reference populations from Spain (Bermeya), France (Saanen), Morocco (Barcha, Draa, Ghazalia, Noire de Atlas, Nord, Moroccan), Egypt (Barki, Oasis, Saidi), Algeria (Arabia, Makatia, M'Zabite, Kabyle), Tunisia (Tunisian native breeds) and Sudan (Desert, Nilotic, Taggar). The population of 500 MG goats was subdivided into 10 datasets of 50 individuals to ensure that sample sizes of the target (MG) and reference populations are balanced. Performance of an unsupervised ADMIXTURE analysis demonstrated that MG goats have a North African ancestry, with an average proportion of 4.4 ± 2.3%. Next, we did a supervised ADMIXTURE analysis that revealed that the Moroccan genetic component reaches a proportion of 4.01 ± 3.9% in MG goats, while the Algerian (0.001 ± 0.001%), Egyptian (0.2 ± 0.1%), Sudanese (0.1 ± 0.1%) and Tunisian (0.3 ± 0.4%) components are present in extremely small proportions. The historical circumstances of this introgression event are currently unknown, but several plausible scenarios are outlined. Moreover, our results show considerable inter‐individual heterogeneity regarding the magnitude of the Moroccan introgression of MG goats (0%– 12% depending on the MG data set under analysis). This result implies that reliable estimates about the introgression of autochthonous livestock by exotic breeds can only be obtained by extensively sampling target populations.
Same but Different: Intersexual and Age‐Related Habitat Use of the Threatened West African Trionyx triunguis Clade—A Four‐Country Comparative Study
Authors: Eniang Edem A. , Ajong Stephanie N. , Segniagbeto Gabriel Hoinsoudé , Edem Eniang Inemesit , Gbewaa Sulemana Bawa , Petrozzi Fabio , Fa Julia E. , Dendi Daniele , Behangana Mathias , Walde Andrew D. , Amadi Nioking , Akani Godfrey C. , Gonedele‐Bi Sery , Pacini Nic , McGovern Pearson , Luiselli Luca
Published: September 2024

Biological communities are structured by a variety of biotic and abiotic relationships, whose understanding forms the basis for effective conservation. Among the myriad factors influencing community dynamics, resource partitioning stands out, potentially enriching ecosystem complexity but also carrying risks for conservation if disregarded. In this study, we investigated intersexual and ontogenetic niche differences among populations of the West African softshell turtle Trionyx triunguis in Liberia, Cote d'Ivoire, Ghana and Nigeria. We observed that these distinct populations exhibited similar habitat preferences, favouring large rivers with abundant riverbank and aquatic vegetation, and muddy substrates. Disparities in habitat preferences were evident among populations and across various life stages, indicating the adaptability of the species. We found that the species was active throughout the year, but most of our sightings and captures occurred during the wet season. In light of the species' vulnerability to overhunting, our research findings provide important data on the ecology of this species that can assist in its effective conservation across all life stages.