bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A 3D in vitro assay to study combined immune cell infiltration and cytotoxicity
Authors: Crawford Ashleigh J. , Johnston Adrian , Du Wenxuan , Hanna Eban A. , Schell David , Wan Zeqi , Chen Ting-Hsi , Wu Fan , Ren Kehan , Lim Yeongseo , Nair Praful , Wirtz Denis
Published: March 2024

Immune cell-mediated killing of cancer cells in a solid tumor is prefaced by a multi-step infiltration cascade of invasion, directed migration, and cytotoxic activities. In particular, immune cells must invade and migrate through a series of different extracellular matrix (ECM) boundaries and domains before reaching and killing their target tumor cells. These infiltration events are a central challenge to the clinical success of CAR T cells against solid tumors. The current standard in vitro cell killing assays measure cell cytotoxicity in an obstacle-free, two-dimensional (2D) microenvironment, which precludes the study of 3D immune cell-ECM interactions. Here, we present a 3D combined infiltration/cytotoxicity assay based on an oil-in-water microtechnology. This assay measures stromal invasion following extravasation, migration through the stromal matrix, and invasion of the solid tumor in addition to cell killing. We compare this 3D cytotoxicity assay to the benchmark 2D assay through tumor assembloid cocultures with immune cells and engineered immune cells. This assay is amenable to an array of imaging techniques, which allows direct observation and quantification of each stage of infiltration in different immune and oncological contexts. We establish the 3D infiltration/cytotoxicity assay as an important tool for the mechanistic study of immune cell interactions with the tumor microenvironment.

Graphical Abstract

The 3D combined infiltration/cytotoxicity assay captures three important steps of immune cell infiltration into the solid tumor microenvironment: (1) circulating immune cells extravasate and invade the stromal matrix, (2) immune cells migrate through the stromal matrix to reach the tumor core, and (3) immune cells that successfully navigate the stroma must cross a basement membrane boundary secreted by the cancer cells to contact and kill the cancer cells within a solid tumor.
Identifying and targeting key driver genes for collagen production within the 11q13/14 breast cancer amplicon
Authors: Araiza-Olivera Daniela , Prudnikova Tatiana Y. , Uribe-Alvarez Cristina , Cai Kathy Q. , Franco-Barraza Janusz , Dones Jesús M. , Raines Ronald T. , Chernoff Jonathan
Published: March 2024

Genetic studies indicate that breast cancer can be divided into several basic molecular groups. One of these groups, termed IntClust-2, is characterized by amplification of a small portion of chromosome 11 and has a median survival of only five years. Several cancer-relevant genes occupy this portion of chromosome 11, and it is thought that overexpression of a combination of driver genes in this region is responsible for the poor outcome of women in this group. In this study we used a gene editing method to knock out, one by one, each of 198 genes that are located within the amplified region of chromosome 11 and determined how much each of these genes contributed to the survival of breast cancer cells. In addition to well-known drivers such asCCND1andPAK1, we identified two different genes (SERPINH1andP4HA3), that encode proteins involved in collagen synthesis and organization. Using bothin vitroandin vivofunctional analyses, we determined thatP4HA3and/orSERPINH1provide a critical driver function on IntClust-2 basic processes, such as viability, proliferation, and migration. Inhibiting these enzymes via genetic or pharmacologic means reduced collagen synthesis and impeded oncogenic signaling transduction in cell culture models, and a small-molecule inhibitor of P4HA3 was effective in treating 11q13 tumor growth in an animal model. As collagen has a well-known association with tissue stiffness and aggressive forms of breast cancer, we believe that the two genes we identified provide an opportunity for a new therapeutic strategy in IntClust-2 breast cancers.
The Hill function is the universal Hopfield barrier for sharpness of input-output responses
Authors: Martinez-Corral Rosa , Nam Kee-Myoung , DePace Angela H. , Gunawardena Jeremy
Published: March 2024

The Hill functions, ℋh(x) =xh/(1 +xh), have been widely used in biology for over a century but, with the exception of ℋ1, they have had no justification other than as a convenient fit to empirical data. Here, we show that they are the universal limit for the sharpness of any input-output response arising from a Markov process model at thermodynamic equilibrium. Models may represent arbitrary molecular complexity, with multiple ligands, internal states, conformations, co-regulators, etc, under core assumptions that are detailed in the paper. The model output may be any linear combination of steady-state probabilities, with components other than the chosen input ligand held constant. This formulation generalises most of the responses in the literature. We use a coarse-graining method in the graph-theoretic linear framework to show that two sharpness measures for input-output responses fall within an effectively bounded region of the positive quadrant, Ωm⊂ (ℝ+)2, for any equilibrium model withminput binding sites. Ωmexhibits a cusp which approaches, but never exceeds, the sharpness of ℋmbut the region and the cusp can be exceeded when models are taken away from thermodynamic equilibrium. Such fundamental thermodynamic limits are called Hopfield barriers and our results provide a biophysical justification for the Hill functions as the universal Hopfield barriers for sharpness. Our results also introduce an object, Ωm, whose structure may be of mathematical interest, and suggest the importance of characterising Hopfield barriers for other forms of cellular information processing.
Macromolecular interactions and geometrical confinement determine the 3D diffusion of ribosome-sized particles in liveEscherichia colicells
Authors: Valverde-Mendez Diana , Sunol Alp M. , Bratton Benjamin P. , Delarue Morgan , Hofmann Jennifer L. , Sheehan Joseph P. , Gitai Zemer , Holt Liam J. , Shaevitz Joshua W. , Zia Roseanna N.
Published: March 2024

The crowded bacterial cytoplasm is comprised of biomolecules that span several orders of magnitude in size and electrical charge. This complexity has been proposed as the source of the rich spatial organization and apparent anomalous diffusion of intracellular components, although this has not been tested directly. Here, we use biplane microscopy to track the 3D motion of self-assembled bacterial Genetically Encoded Multimeric nanoparticles (bGEMs) with tunable size (20 to 50 nm) and charge (−2160 to +1800 e) in liveEscherichia colicells. To probe intermolecular details at spatial and temporal resolutions beyond experimental limits, we also developed a colloidal whole-cell model that explicitly represents the size and charge of cytoplasmic macromolecules and the porous structure of the bacterial nucleoid. Combining these techniques, we show that bGEMs spatially segregate by size, with small 20-nm particles enriched inside the nucleoid, and larger and/or positively charged particles excluded from this region. Localization is driven by entropic and electrostatic forces arising from cytoplasmic polydispersity, nucleoid structure, geometrical confinement, and interactions with other biomolecules including ribosomes and DNA. We observe that at the timescales of traditional single molecule tracking experiments, motion appears sub-diffusive for all particle sizes and charges. However, using computer simulations with higher temporal resolution, we find that the apparent anomalous exponents are governed by the region of the cell in which bGEMs are located. Molecular motion does not display anomalous diffusion on short time scales and the apparent sub-diffusion arises from geometrical confinement within the nucleoid and by the cell boundary.
Deep Conformal Supervision: a comparative study
Authors: Vahdani Amir M. , Faghani Shahriar
Published: March 2024

Background

Trustability is crucial for Al models in clinical settings. Conformal prediction as a robust uncertainty quantification framework has been receiving increasing attention as a valuable tool in improving model trustability. An area of active research is the method of non-conformity score calculation for conformal prediction.

Method

We propose deep conformal supervision (DCS) which leverages the intermediate outputs of deep supervision for non-conformity score calculation, via weighted averaging based on the inverse of mean calibration error for each stage. We benchmarked our method on two publicly available datasets focused on medical image classification; a pneumonia chest radiography dataset and a preprocessed version of the 2019 RSNA Intracranial Hemorrhage dataset.

Results

Our method achieved mean coverage errors of 16e-4 (CI: le-4, 41e-4) and 5e-4 (CI: le-4, 10e-4) compared to baseline mean coverage errors of 28e-4 (CI: 2e-4, 64e-4) and 21e-4 (CI: 8e-4, 3e-4) on the two datasets, respectively.

Conclusion

In this non-inferiority study, we observed that the baseline results of conformal prediction already exhibit small coverage errors. Our method shows a relative enhancement, particularly noticeable in scenarios involving smaller datasets or when considering smaller acceptable error levels, although this improvement is not statistically significant.
Quantum vortex phases of charged pion condensates induced by rotation in a magnetic field
Authors: Guo Tao , Xiao Yanmei
Published: March 2024

Using the relativistic complex scalar field model with a repulsive self-interaction, we discuss the ground state structure of charged pion condensation under the coexistence of parallel rotation and magnetic field. Our previous study found that the density distribution profile of the condensates is a supergiant quantum vortex phase and change with rotational speed and coupling constant. In this work, we further discover vortex lattice structures in the condensates under conditions of small rotation and strong coupling constant. This mechanism can be thought of as electrical superconductivity: Vortex lattices are created to better adapt to changes in rotation and interaction. Furthermore, large rotation and weak coupling constant are more likely to cause the vortex lattices to be destroyed and form a giant quantum vortex similar to a doughnut. We expect this phenomenon can be observed in the relativistic noncentral heavy ion collisions with large rotation and strong magnetic field.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
VerSoX B07-B: a high-throughput XPS and ambient pressure NEXAFS beamline at Diamond Light Source
Authors: Grinter David C. , Ferrer Pilar , Venturini Federica , van Spronsen Matthijs A. , Large Alexander I. , Kumar Santosh , Jaugstetter Maximilian , Iordachescu Alex , Watts Andrew , Schroeder Sven L. M. , Kroner Anna , Grillo Federico , Francis Stephen M. , Webb Paul B. , Hand Matthew , Walters Andrew , Hillman Michael , Held Georg
Published: March 2024

The beamline optics and endstations at branch B of the Versatile Soft X-ray (VerSoX) beamline B07 at Diamond Light Source are described. B07-B provides medium-flux X-rays in the range 45–2200 eV from a bending magnet source, giving access to local electronic structure for atoms of all elements from Li to Y. It has an endstation for high-throughput X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and near-edge X-ray absorption fine-structure (NEXAFS) measurements under ultrahigh-vacuum (UHV) conditions. B07-B has a second endstation dedicated to NEXAFS at pressures from UHV to ambient pressure (1 atm). The combination of these endstations permits studies of a wide range of interfaces and materials. The beamline and endstation designs are discussed in detail, as well as their performance and the commissioning process.
Increased spatial coherence length from an asymmetric crystal reflection at grazing exit
Authors: Macrander Albert , Shi Xianbo , Grizzoli Walan , Huang Xianrong , Pereira Nino , Wojcik Michael , Assoufid Lahsen
Published: March 2024

Coherent X-ray imaging is an active field at synchrotron sources. The images rely on the available coherent flux over a limited field of view. At many synchrotron beamlines a double-crystal monochromator (DCM) is employed in a standard nondispersive arrangement. For coherent diffraction imaging it is advantageous to increase the available field of view by increasing the spatial coherence length (SCL) of a beam exiting such a DCM. Here, Talbot interferometry data together with ray-tracing simulations for a (+ − − +) four-reflection experimental arrangement are presented, wherein the first two reflections are in the DCM and the final fourth reflection is asymmetric at grazing exit. Analyses of the interferometry data combined with the simulations show that compared with the beam exiting the DCM a gain of 76% in the SCL was achieved, albeit with a factor of 20 reduction in flux density, which may not be a severe penalty at a synchrotron beamline. Previous efforts reported in the literature to increase the SCL that employed asymmetric crystal diffraction at grazing incidence are also discussed. A much reduced SCL is found presently in simulations wherein the same asymmetric crystal is set for grazing incidence instead of grazing exit. In addition, the present study is compared and contrasted with two other means of increasing the SCL. These are (i) focusing the beam onto an aperture to act as a secondary source, and (ii) allowing the beam to propagate in vacuum an additional distance along the beamline.
Lithium and sodium 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propenoate hydrate
Authors: Bieler Irén , Wagner Christoph , Merzweiler Kurt
Published: March 2024

Treatment of 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propenoic acid (caffeic acid or 3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) with the alkali hydroxides MOH (M = Li, Na) in aqueous solution led to the formation of poly[aqua[μ-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propenoato]lithium], [Li(C9H7O4)(H2O)]
n
, 1, and poly[aqua[μ-3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propenoato]sodium], [Na(C9H7O4)(H2O)]
n
, 2. The crystal structure of 1 consists of a lithium cation that is coordinated nearly tetrahedrally by three carboxylate oxygen atoms and a water molecule. The carboxylate groups adopt a μ3-κ3
O:O′:O′ coordination mode that leads to a chain-like catenation of Li cations and carboxylate units parallel to the b axis. Moreover, the lithium carboxylate chains are connected by hydrogen bonds between water molecules attached to lithium and catechol OH groups. The crystal structure of 2 shows a sevenfold coordination of the sodium cation by one water molecule, two monodentately binding carboxylate groups and four oxygen atoms from two catechol groups. The coordination polyhedra are linked by face- and edge-sharing into chains extending parallel to the b axis. The chains are interlinked by the bridging 3-(3,4-dihydroxyphenyl)propenoate units and by intermolecular hydrogen bonds to form the tri-periodic network.
A systematic review of business models in healthcare: research directions for emerging and developed economies
Authors: Yadav Sunil Kumar , Singh Shiwangi , Prusty Santosh Kumar
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Business models (BMs) are becoming increasingly crucial for value creation in the healthcare sector. The study explores the conceptualization and application of BM concepts within the healthcare sector and investigates their evolution in emerging economies (EEs) and developed economies (DEs). This study aims to uncover these two contexts' shared characteristics and unique variances through a comparative analysis.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper systematically investigates and consolidates the literature on healthcare by employing the antecedents, decisions and outcomes (ADO) framework and finally examines 71 shortlisted articles published between 2003 and 2022.

Findings

The recognition of the BM within healthcare is increasing, both in EEs and DEs. EEs prioritize value creation and capture through cost efficiency, while DEs focus on innovation. Key theories employed include a resource-based view, the network theory and the theory of innovation. Case studies are commonly used as a methodology. Further research is needed to explore the decisions and outcomes of BMs.

Research limitations/implications

The study adopts stringent filtration and keyword criteria, potentially excluding relevant research. Future researchers are encouraged to broaden their selection criteria to encompass a more extensive range of relevant studies.

Practical implications

Beyond comparing and highlighting gaps in BMs between EEs and DEs, benchmarking DE's healthcare business models (HBMs) helps healthcare organizations in EEs align their practices, mitigate risks and establish efficient healthcare systems tailored to their specific contexts. The study adopts stringent filtration and keyword criteria, potentially excluding relevant research. Future researchers are encouraged to broaden their selection criteria to encompass a more extensive range of relevant studies.

Originality/value

The study analyzes HBMs using an SLR framework perspective and provides practical implications for academicians and practitioners to enhance their decision-making.
Evaluating the impact of material service life on embodied energy of residential villas in the United Arab Emirates
Authors: Rauf Abdul , Attoye Daniel Efurosibina , Crawford Robert H.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Recently, there has been a shift toward the embodied energy assessment of buildings. However, the impact of material service life on the life-cycle embodied energy has received little attention. We aimed to address this knowledge gap, particularly in the context of the UAE and investigated the embodied energy associated with the use of concrete and other materials commonly used in residential buildings in the hot desert climate of the UAE.

Design/methodology/approach

Using input–output based hybrid analysis, we quantified the life-cycle embodied energy of a villa in the UAE with over 50 years of building life using the average, minimum, and maximum material service life values. Mathematical calculations were performed using MS Excel, and a detailed bill of quantities with >170 building materials and components of the villa were used for investigation.

Findings

For the base case, the initial embodied energy was 57% (7390.5 GJ), whereas the recurrent embodied energy was 43% (5,690 GJ) of the life-cycle embodied energy based on average material service life values. The proportion of the recurrent embodied energy with minimum material service life values was increased to 68% of the life-cycle embodied energy, while it dropped to 15% with maximum material service life values.

Originality/value

The findings provide new data to guide building construction in the UAE and show that recurrent embodied energy contributes significantly to life-cycle energy demand. Further, the study of material service life variations provides deeper insights into future building material specifications and management considerations for building maintenance.
“Is my voicing up linked to social pain I bear”: examining the correlates of internal whistleblowing
Authors: Sethi Seep , Madan Poornima
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Undertaking the theoretical lens of “The need to belong” theory, the present study intends to explore the aftermath of internal whistleblowing and the behavioral outcomes that follow by linking it to the literature on workplace ostracism, loneliness and intentions to quit.

Design/methodology/approach

The respondents were hotel employees in the Delhi NCR region of northern India. A hypothesized sequential mediation model was tested on a sample of employees from a hotel using a three-wave time-lagged multistudy design.

Findings

The findings of the study established that internal whistleblowing leads to intentions to quit via workplace ostracism and loneliness at work.

Originality/value

The unique contribution of this study lies in understanding the underlying mechanisms and discussing the behavioral outcomes that follow post-whistleblowing. HR managers need to develop a work environment that protects whistleblowers and has a zero-tolerance policy against employees engaging in any form of retaliation or unethical business practices. Managers must be more proactive and sensitive to the social cues that will make them aware of the presence of acts of ostracism. Upon encountering such acts, managers can consider counseling employees engaging in such unhealthy practices.
Working together: effects of gender composition on job satisfaction and commitment
Authors: Olafsdottir Katrin , Einarsdottir Arney
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to estimate the effects of gender composition in the workplace on employee job satisfaction and commitment.

Design/methodology/approach

The data were collected on both the organizational and employee levels at three different points in time in organizations with more than 70 employees. Multi-level mixed-effects ordered logistics regressions were used to account for the multi-level nature of the data and the ordered nature of the dependent variables.

Findings

Employees in gender-balanced workplaces show higher levels of job satisfaction and commitment than those in female-dominated or male-dominated workplaces. The relationship is also based on the gender of the individual, as men show a significantly lower level of both job satisfaction and commitment when working in male-dominated workplaces than others, while for women, the effect is only significant for commitment.

Practical implications

Aiming for a balance in the gender composition of the workplace may improve employee attitudes, especially for men. The results also indicate that further research is warranted into why job satisfaction and commitment are significantly lower among men in male-dominated workplaces.

Originality/value

The relationship between gender and job satisfaction and commitment is well established, but less is known about the effects of gender composition on job satisfaction and commitment. Previous papers have focused on job satisfaction. This paper extends prior studies by estimating the effects of gender composition on both job satisfaction and commitment using multi-level regressions on a rich dataset.
Artificial intelligence for education and its emphasis on assessment and adversity quotient: a review
Authors: Mudkanna Gavhane Jyoti , Pagare Reena
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to analyze importance of artificial intelligence (AI) in education and its emphasis on assessment and adversity quotient (AQ).

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes a systematic literature review of over 141 journal papers and psychometric tests to evaluate AQ. Thematic analysis of quantitative and qualitative studies explores domains of AI in education.

Findings

Results suggest that assessing the AQ of students with the help of AI techniques is necessary. Education is a vital tool to develop and improve natural intelligence, and this survey presents the discourse use of AI techniques and behavioral strategies in the education sector of the recent era. The study proposes a conceptual framework of AQ with the help of assessment style for higher education undergraduates.

Originality/value

Research on AQ evaluation in the Indian context is still emerging, presenting a potential avenue for future research. Investigating the relationship between AQ and academic performance among Indian students is a crucial area of research. This can provide insights into the role of AQ in academic motivation, persistence and success in different academic disciplines and levels of education. AQ evaluation offers valuable insights into how individuals deal with and overcome challenges. The findings of this study have implications for higher education institutions to prepare for future challenges and better equip students with necessary skills for success. The papers reviewed related to AI for education opens research opportunities in the field of psychometrics, educational assessment and the evaluation of AQ.
Revisiting university students' intention to accept AI-Powered chatbot with an integration between TAM and SCT: a south Asian perspective
Authors: Awal Md. Rabiul , Haque Md. Enamul
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to explore students’ intention to use and actual use of the artificial intelligence (AI)-based chatbot such as ChatGPT or Google Bird in the field of higher education in an emerging economic context like Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study uses convenience sampling techniques to collect data from the respondents. It applies partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) for analyzing a total of 413 responses to examine the study’s measurement and structural model.

Findings

The results explore that perceived ease of use (PEOU) negatively affects intention to adopt AI-powered chatbots (IA), whereas university students’ perceived usefulness (PU) influences their IA positively but insignificantly. Furthermore, time-saving feature (TSF), academic self-efficacy (ASE) and electronic word-of-mouth (EWOM) have a positive and direct impact on their IA. The finding also reveals that students' IA positively and significantly affects their actual use of AI-based chatbot (AU). Precisely, out of the five constructs, the TSF has the strongest impact on students’ intentions to use chatbots.

Practical implications

Students who are not aware of the chatbot usage benefits might ignore these AI-powered language models. On the other hand, developers of chatbots may not be conscious of the crucial drawbacks of their product as per the perceptions of their multiple users. However, the findings transmit a clear message about advantages to users and drawbacks to developers. Therefore, the results will enhance the chatbots’ functionality and usage.

Originality/value

The findings of the study alert the teachers, students and policymakers of higher educational institutions to understand the positive outcomes and to accept AI-powered chatbots such as OpenAI’s ChatGPT. Outcomes also notify the AI-product developers to boost the chatbot’s quality in terms of timeliness, user-friendliness, accuracy and trustworthiness.
CSR attribution: Is it the cornerstone of CSR success?
Authors: Hassan Hosny Sara Osama , AbdelAziz Gamal Sayed
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The current study aims to propose and empirically investigate a conceptual model of the most relevant antecedents and consequences of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) attribution, thus providing a practical and concise model as well as examining brand attachment as a mediator explaining the relationship between CSR attribution and its consequences.

Design/methodology/approach

A between-subjects experimental design was employed. The study included two experimental conditions; intrinsic and extrinsic CSR attribution and a control condition. An online self-administered survey was utilised for data collection. The sample was a convenience sample of 336 university students. Both one-way between-groups ANOVA and Partial Least Squares-Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM) were utilised for hypotheses testing.

Findings

The most significant antecedents of CSR attribution in order of importance are the firm's approach to CSR communication, past corporate social performance, CSR type and the firm's call for customers' participation in its CSR. CSR attribution exerted a significant direct positive impact on brand attachment and trust. Three significant indirect consequences of CSR attribution were PWOM intention, purchase intention and brand loyalty intention. Whereas trust played a significant mediating role between CSR attribution and its three indirect consequences, brand attachment exerted significant mediation only between CSR attribution and brand loyalty intention. Brand attachment might mediate the relationship between CSR attribution and purchase intention. However, brand attachment failed to play a mediating role between CSR attribution and PWOM intention.

Originality/value

Several studies marginally investigated CSR attribution. Despite the vital role of CSR attribution in how consumers receive firms' CSR engagement, the availability of CSR attribution-centric studies is limited. By introducing a model of the most relevant antecedents and consequences of CSR attribution, this study aids in understanding the psychological mechanism underlying consumers' CSR attribution and provides valuable implications.
Tourists’ satisfaction with Islamic attributes of destination: a systematic mapping study
Authors: Basendwah Mohammed , Rahman Suraiyati , Al-Sakkaf Mohammed Alawi
Published: March 2024

Purpose

In the last decade, the concept of Islamic attributes of destination (IAD) has emerged due to Muslim tourists’ need to visit a destination that complies with Sharia law. Since then, the IAD concept has been popular to increase the destination’s attractiveness and travel satisfaction for Muslim tourists. This concept evolved from evaluating the Muslim tourists’ perception of IAD to non-Muslim tourists and from assessing the Islamic attributes in Muslim-majority destinations to non-Muslim majority destinations. Furthermore, the literature showed several measurement scales to assess tourists’ satisfaction with IAD, and scholars were varied in the methods of analysis used to assess tourists’ satisfaction with IAD. The purpose of this study is to perform a systematic mapping study on satisfaction with IAD by answering five research questions.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses framework to guide the search process and search for relevant studies between 2012 and 2022 from two scientific databases, Scopus and Web of Science.

Findings

The search revealed 387 studies. In total, 31 articles met the eligibility criteria. This study indicates the journal considered research studies on tourists’ satisfaction with IAD the most, the method of analysis used in the previous studies, the Islamic destination attributes considered in the previous studies, the research distribution by counties, the research trend and the future direction.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first systematic mapping study that delivers a summary of empirical research studies on tourists’ satisfaction with IAD.
Food supply chain resilience in major disruptions
Authors: Found Pauline Anne , Mogale Dnyaneshwar , Xu Ziran , Yang Jianhao
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Corona Virus Disease (Covid-19) is a global pandemic that emerged at the end of 2019 and caused disruptions in global supply chains, particularly in the food supply chains that exposed the vulnerability of today’s food supply chain in a major disruption which provided a unique research opportunity. This review explores the current research direction for food supply chain resilience and identifies gaps for future research in preparing for future major global pandemics.

Design/methodology/approach

This article presents a review of food supply chain resilience followed a systematic literature review of the business and management-based studies related to the food supply chain in Covid-19 published between December 2019 and December 2021 to identify the immediate issues and responses that need to be addressed in the event of future disruptions in food supply chains due to new global health threats.

Findings

The study revealed the need for more literature on food supply chain resilience, particularly resilience to a major global pandemic. The study also uncovered the sequence of events in a major pandemic and identified some strategies for building resilience to potential future risks of such an event.

Research limitations/implications

The limitations of this study are apparent. Firstly, the selection of databases is not comprehensive. Due to time limitations, authoritative publishers such as Springer, Emerald, Wiley and Taylor & Francis were not selected. Secondly, a single author completed the literature quality testing and text analysis, possibly reducing the credibility of the results due to subjective bias. Thirdly, the selected literature are the studies published during the immediate event of Covid-19, and before January 2022, other research studies may have been completed but were still in the state of auditing at this time.

Originality/value

This paper is the first study that provides a detailed classification of the immediate challenges to the food supply chain faced in both upstream and downstream nodes during a major global disruption. For researchers, this clearly shows the immediate difficulties faced at each node of the food supply chain, which provides research topics for future studies.
Affective commitment in entrepreneurial students: person-oriented factors and subjective firm performance
Authors: Campos Valverde Nathalie , Leiva Juan Carlos , Mora Ronald
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This study aims to address the effects of self-esteem and affective commitment on firm performance and whether these effects vary according to the gender and age of active entrepreneurial students.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a subsample from the Global University Entrepreneurial Spirit Students’ Survey (GUESSS) of entrepreneur students running their own businesses to perform a structural equation model (SEM) analysis to test the relationship between self-esteem (SE), affective commitment (AC) and firm performance (FP) moderated by the gender and age of entrepreneur students.

Findings

The results confirm that higher levels of entrepreneur SE are related to a higher assessment of AC and FP. A major effect of SE on AC was also observed among male respondents. Age was not related to an increase in AC. The effect of SE on AC and FP was lower among older students.

Originality/value

This study makes valuable contributions to the fields of entrepreneurship, psychology, gender and organizational behavior. This study presents empirical support for the theoretical framework using SEM, presenting initial insights into the mechanisms that shape AC in entrepreneurial students and its implications for FP.
A daily investigation of the influence of different types of being envied on the envied employees
Authors: Wang Feng , Fu Rong , Yang Fu , Yingwei Ren
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Although the targets of envy have received increasing attention in management research, how envied employees respond to envy remains ambiguous and merits further investigation. Drawing upon regulatory focus theory, this paper aims to reconcile these inconsistent findings by developing and testing a model that elucidates how different types of being envied (i.e. benignly or maliciously) can elicit either favorable or unfavorable motivational and behavioral reactions.

Design/methodology/approach

An experience sampling study was conducted on 131 employees across 10 consecutive workdays in China. Focusing on within-person effects, multilevel mediation models using multilevel structural equation modeling were applied.

Findings

Results indicated that on days when employees are benignly envied, they engage in more organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) due to increased daily promotion focus. On the contrary, on days when employees are maliciously envied, they participate in more counterproductive work behavior (CWB) due to decreased daily promotion focus.

Practical implications

Organizations and managers should take a more holistic view of workplace envy when considering that envied employees may use OCB to deal with benign envy. Conversely, considering that CWB may emerge from employees who are maliciously envied, it is crucial for managers to be vigilant in discouraging and addressing malicious envy in the workplace.

Originality/value

This paper takes an initial foray into incorporating the concepts of benign envy and malicious envy into the literature on being envied and provides a novel perspective to explain why being envied can lead to both functional and dysfunctional responses.
Consumer knowledge in marketing: a critical review and research agenda
Authors: Garrido-Castro Elisa , Torres-Peña Francisco-José , Murgado-Armenteros Eva-María , Torres-Ruiz Francisco Jose
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to critically review consumer knowledge in marketing and propose a future research agenda. Despite the many works that have examined this variable, given its strong influence on behaviour, it has generally been studied in association with other constructs, and no studies have focused on it in a specific way. Its definition, measurement and approaches to its role and usefulness are superficial and underdeveloped. After structuring and analysing the existing literature, the authors establish, (I) which aspects are of little use to the discipline, and (II) which research lines have the most potential and should be developed and studied in greater depth, to advance and complete the existing consumer knowledge framework.

Design/methodology/approach

A search was undertaken for documents in the main databases in which the term “consumer knowledge” appears in a marketing or consumer context, and a critical and reflexive approach was taken to analyse the main contributions and to structure them by content blocks.

Findings

Five main content blocks were identified. A set of research gaps were detected, mainly related to the lax conceptualisation of the topic, measurement problems and the scarcity of more useful works connected with business management, and several research lines are proposed that complement the existing framework to make it more complete and operational.

Originality/value

This paper offers a critical review and proposes a research agenda for one of the most used but little studied variables in the field of marketing, which may help academics and professionals in the discipline to continue developing useful theories and models.
Long‐term follow‐up results from KEYNOTE‐041: Phase 1b study of pembrolizumab in Japanese patients with advanced melanoma
Authors: Yokota Kenji , Takenouchi Tatsuya , Fujisawa Yasuhiro , Fukushima Satoshi , Uchi Hiroshi , Inozume Takashi , Kiyohara Yoshio , Uhara Hisashi , Nakagawa Kazuhiko , Furukawa Hiroshi , Han Shirong , Watanabe Masaru , Noguchi Kazuo , Yamazaki Naoya
Published: March 2024

Pembrolizumab demonstrated an acceptable safety profile and promising antitumor activity in Japanese patients with advanced melanoma in the phase 1b KEYNOTE‐041 (Study of Pembrolizumab [MK‐3475] in Participants With Advanced Melanoma) trial. To evaluate the long‐term efficacy and safety of pembrolizumab in Japanese patients with advanced melanoma in KEYNOTE‐041. The current analysis reports results of additional follow‐up of approximately 12 months since the initial analysis. Eligible patients had locally advanced (unresectable stage III) or metastatic (stage IV) melanoma not amenable to local therapy and had received two or fewer prior systemic therapies. Pembrolizumab 2 mg/kg was given every 3 weeks for up to 2 years or until confirmed progression or unacceptable toxicity. Primary end points included safety, tolerability, and overall response rate (ORR) per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors version 1.1 by independent central review. The data cutoff for this analysis was August 30, 2017. Forty‐two patients were followed up for a median of 22.3 months (range, 2.63–30.82 months). The ORR was 24.3% (nine of 37 evaluable patients [95% confidence interval (CI), 11.8%–41.2%]). Two patients with partial response at the time of the initial analysis achieved complete response. The median overall survival (OS) was 25.1 months (95% CI, 13.1–not reached] and the 30‐month OS rate was 46.3% (95% CI, 29.8%–61.3%). The median duration of response was not reached. Treatment‐related adverse events (TRAEs) were reported in 78.6% of patients; the incidence of grade 3 to 5 TRAEs was 23.8%. No additional treatment‐related deaths occurred since the initial analysis. Pembrolizumab provided durable antitumor activity and an acceptable safety profile in Japanese patients with advanced melanoma.
Stem decomposition of temperate tree species is determined by stem traits and fungal community composition during early stem decay
Authors: Yang Shanshan , Poorter Lourens , Sterck Frank J. , Cornelissen Johannes H. C. , van Logtestijn Richardus S. P. , Kuramae Eiko E. , Kowalchuk George A. , Hefting Mariet M. , Goudzwaard Leo , Chang Chenhui , Sass‐Klaassen Ute
Published: March 2024

Dead trees are vital structural elements in forests playing key roles in the carbon and nutrient cycle. Stem traits and fungal community composition are both important drivers of stem decay, and thereby affect ecosystem functioning, but their relative importance for stem decomposition over time remains unclear.

To address this issue, we used a common garden decomposition experiment in a Dutch larch forest hosting fresh logs from 13 common temperate tree species. In total, 25 fresh wood and bark traits were measured as indicators of wood accessibility for decomposers, nutritional quality and chemical or physical defence mechanisms. After 1 and 4 years of decay, we assessed the richness and composition of wood‐inhabiting fungi using amplicon sequencing and determined the proportional wood density loss.

Average proportional wood density loss for the first year was 18.5%, with further decomposition occurring at a rate of 4.3% year−1 for the subsequent 3 years across tree species. Proportional wood density loss varied widely across tree species in the first year (8.7–24.8% year−1) and subsequent years (0–11.3% year−1). The variation was directly driven by initial wood traits during the first decay year, then later directly driven by bark traits and fungal community composition. Moreover, bark traits affected the composition of wood‐inhabiting fungi and thereby indirectly affected decomposition rates. Specifically, traits promoting resource acquisition of the living tree, such as wide conduits that increase accessibility and high nutrient concentration, increased initial wood decomposition rates. Fungal community composition, but not fungal richness explained differences in wood decomposition after 4 years of exposure in the field, where fungal communities dominated by brown‐rot and white‐rot Basidiomycetes were linked to higher wood decomposition rate.

Synthesis: Understanding what drives deadwood decomposition through time is important to understand the dynamics of carbon stocks. Here, using a tailor‐made experimental design in a temperate forest setting, we have shown that stem trait variation is key to understanding the roles of these drivers; initially, wood traits explained decomposition rates while subsequently, bark traits and fungal decomposer composition drove decomposition rates. These findings inform forest management with a view to selecting tree species to promote carbon storage.
‘It's the Programmes, Stupid’
Authors: Younge Pat , Hughes Rosaleen
Published: March 2024

Public Service Broadcasting (PSB) is an eco‐system where the whole is more than the sum of its parts. The BBC is the cornerstone, but ITV, C4, C5 and independent production companies also play a crucial part. The essence of PSB lies in the values which underpin the content, ranging from popular sport and light entertainment to more niche minority strands. The BBC licence fee generates considerable value for the British economy throughout the nations and regions of the UK. This is multiplied by the intellectual property framework for independent production companies. The system is now under threat from the financial squeeze on the BBC licence fee, failure to deliver ‘due prominence’ to commercial PSBs, new technology and changing patterns of consumption. It is essential that a broad range of programmes remain freely available to avoid the cultural, social and political divisions of a two‐tier system of national broadcasting.
The Case for a Strong BBC. Cultural Sovereignty and Public Service Broadcasting in the Netflix Era
Authors: Thompson Mark
Published: March 2024

PSBs across the world are facing financial, technological and political pressures, yet audiences still need and want the benefits of public service media. If they are to survive, PSBs need to produce an agile response to the changing patterns of media consumption and the claims that markets can provide. Whilst the big streamers have produced great global content, they are unable to cover the range of the PSBs in reflecting the diversity and variety of British life and culture, nor take the same risks in nurturing new talent across the sector. Politicians must use the forthcoming BBC Charter renewal in 2027 to address the revolution in audience behaviour and changes in technology to reshape the choices available to the British public and beyond. The creative industries are a powerhouse of talent and contribute to some of our best prospects for global reach and economic growth. We must ensure they have a healthy future.
BBC Northern Ireland and the Public Service Challenge: Some Reflections
Authors: Collins Bob
Published: March 2024

Broadcasting in Northern Ireland reflects the abiding influence of conflict between the nationalist and unionist communities and the perception of Northern Ireland as a place somewhat apart. Decisions about broadcast content are made in an environment where each community expects to see itself and can be disturbed to find the other. But there are other communities, as well as many people, who do not think in binary terms. Broadcasting needs to respond to that and to the changing demography, with its more varied and nuanced views. BBCNI lacks both the governance and the resources to respond to this challenge. Key decisions are made in London, where the task ahead is not well understood and priorities can appear oriented towards a different audience.
Selection of robust starters from household dahi and assessment of their sensitivity to bacteriophage isolated from dairy effluents
Authors: Chandran Archana , Vaiyapuri Murugadas , Rathish Ramachandran Latha , John Lijo , Mahony Jennifer , Athrayil Kalathil Beena
Published: March 2024

Identifying the predominant strains of lactic acid bacteria (LAB) in dahi that are resistant to bacteriophages is essential for developing robust starter cultures. Dahi samples from two agroecological zones of Kerala were collected for isolation of LAB. Limosilactobacillus fermentum emerged as the dominant starter culture species based on sequence‐based identification and technological property characterisation. Dairy effluents were screened for phages targeting L. fermentum, and 10 of 11 strains of L. fermentum showed resistance to one lytic phage isolated as part of this study. The strain ADMT 15 showed sensitivity to the phage and on subsequent genome sequencing the phage revealed its close relationship to members of the Herelleviridae phage family.