bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Hydrogen peroxide damage to scavenging function and ultrastructure of liver sinusoidal endothelial cells is prevented by n-acetyl-cysteine but not GSH
Authors: Kruse Larissa D. , Holte Christopher , Zapotoczny Bartlomiej , Struck Eike C. , Schürstedt Jasmin , Hübner Wolfgang , Huser Thomas , Szafranska Karolina
Published: August 2024

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are prevalent in the liver during intoxication, infection, inflammation, and ageing. Changes in liver sinusoidal endothelial cells (LSECs) are associated with various liver diseases. We investigated how oxidative stress induced by H2O2affects isolated rat LSECs at different concentrations (0.5-1000µM) and exposure times (10-120 min). Our findings show that H2O2exposure affects several LSEC functions in a dose- and time-dependent manner: (1) cell viability, reducing potential, and scavenging function decreased as H2O2concentration and exposure time increased; (2) intracellular ROS levels rose with higher H2O2concentrations; (3) fenestrations exhibited a dynamic response, initially closing but partially reopening at H2O2concentrations above 100µM after about 1 h; (4) scavenging function was affected after just 10 min of exposure, with the impact being irreversible and primarily affecting degradation rather than receptor-mediated uptake; (5) the tubulin network was disrupted in high H2O2concentration while the actin cytoskeleton appears to remain largely intact. Finally, we found that reducing agents and thiol donors such as N-Acetyl Cysteine (NAC) and Glutathione (GSH) could protect cells from ROS-induced damage but could not reverse existing damage. Pretreatment with NAC, but not GSH, reduced the negative effects of ROS exposure suggesting that LSEC does not store an excess amount of GSH but rather can readily produce it in the occurrence of oxidative stress conditions. The observed thresholds in dose and time-dependent changes as well as the treatments with NAC/GSH confirm the existence of ROS depleting system in LSEC.

Abstract Figure

Highlights

ROS by H2O2irreversibly depletes LSEC endocytic/scavenging functionin vitro

H2O2exposure causes dynamic, dose-dependent defenestration of LSEC within 0.5 h

Partial refenestration can occur after about 1h of exposure to H2O2

NAC/GSH mitigate H2O2-induced ROS effects in LSEC

LSEC do not store excess GSH but produce GSH when exposed to oxidative stress
Photoperiodicity in Glucose Metabolism in the Human Brain
Authors: Pak Kyoungjune , Shin Seunghyeon , Kim Keunyoung , Kim Jihyun , Nam Hyun-Yeol , Nummenmaa Lauri , Nuutila Pirjo , Liu Xingdang , Sun Lihua
Published: August 2024

Photoperiodicity in the human brain function, which is a critical factor for social well-being, has been widely debated. In this study, 432 healthy males underwent fasting-state brain [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) scanning twice: first at the baseline and then at the 5-year follow-up. We analyzed the effect of day length on brain glucose uptake separately for the baseline and follow-up studies and examined changes in glucose consumption as a function of the day length deviation for each participant between the repeated PET scans. Glucose uptake in the cuneus was consistently predicted by the day length on the day of scanning and by within-participant day length deviations. This longitudinal large-scale PET study provides a landmark evidence for photoperiodicity in glucose metabolism in the human brain. The cuneus may be an essential part of the visual cortex, translating environmental photoperiodic changes into temporal cues that influence cognitive function and social behavior.

Significance statement

Photoperiodicity in the human brain function has been widely debated. The current study provides a landmark evidence in this regard by demonstrating how the photoperiod shapes glucose metabolism in the brain of healthy males, highlighting the crucial role of the cuneus in processing visual information related to photoperiodic changes in the environment. Understanding photoperiodicity in the function of the human brain offers insights into how humans adapt to their environments for social well-being and underscores the potential health implications of changes in the exposure of natural light.
Biomechanical Evaluation of Temporomandibular Joint Implants Under Complete Mastication Cycle
Authors: Ghosh Rajdeep , Chandra Girish , Verma Vivek , Kaur Kamalpreet , Roychoudhury Ajoy , Mukherjee Sudipto , Chawla Anoop , Mukherjee Kaushik
Published: August 2024

Background

To ensure the long-term success of temporomandibular joint implants, it is imperative to understand their biomechanical performances under the mastication cycle.

Purpose

This study aims to compare the biomechanical performance of two commercially available stock implants under a complete mastication cycle. This study has been further extended to understand the influence of bone-implant interface conditions on pre-clinical testing of implants.

Methods

In the present study, patient-specific QCT-based finite element models of a human mandible were developed. The left temporomandibular joint was virtually replaced by stock implants (narrow and standard). A complete mastication cycle involving six clenching tasks was simulated. A comparative biomechanical assessment between the intact and the implanted mandibles was performed based on maximum principal stress and strain distributions on the mandible.

Results

As compared to contralateral occlusion, ipsilateral clenching resulted in higher strains in the mandible. However, contralateral occlusion produced a larger von Mises stress on the implant than ipsilateral occlusion. Furthermore, intercuspal biting was found to have produced the highest strain (1750-1880 µε) and stress (16.02-16.54 MPa) in the mandible. As compared to immediate post-operative non-osseointegrated conditions, an overall reduction of stress (narrow implant: 0.14 MPa; standard implant: 0.12 MPa) and strain (narrow implant: 30 µε; standard implant: 20 µε) was observed in post-operative osseointegrated phase.

Conclusions

Although stresses and strains in mandible and implants are reduced in osseointegrated condition, standard temporomandibular joint implant produced higher stresses in cortical bone compared to narrow implant during non-osseointegrated conditions, which suggests the possible preference of narrow implant over standard ones.
Novel high throughput 3D ECM remodeling assay identifies MEK as key driver of fibrotic fibroblast activity
Authors: Liao Chen-Yi , Hundscheid Jasmijn HM , Crawford Justin , ten Dijke Peter , Coorneaert Beatrice , Danen Erik HJ
Published: August 2024

In fibrotic tissues, activated fibroblasts remodel the collagen-rich extracellular matrix (ECM). Intervening with this process represents a candidate therapeutic strategy to attenuate disease progression. Models that generate quantitative data on 3D fibroblast-mediated ECM remodeling with the reproducibility and throughput needed for drug testing are lacking. Here, we develop a model that fits this purpose and produces combined quantitative information on drug efficacy and cytotoxicity. We use microinjection robotics to design patterns of fibrillar collagen-embedded fibroblast clusters and apply automated microscopy and image analysis to quantify ECM remodeling between-, and cell viability within clusters of TGFβ-activated primary human skin or lung fibroblasts. We apply this assay to compound screening and reveal actionable targets to suppress fibrotic ECM remodeling. Strikingly, we find that after an initial phase of fibroblast activation by TGFβ, canonical TGFβ signaling is dispensable and, instead, non-canonical activation of MEK-ERK signaling drives ECM remodeling. Moreover, we reveal that higher concentrations of two TGFβ receptor inhibitors while blocking canonical TGFβ signaling, in fact stimulate this MEK-mediated profibrotic ECM remodeling activity.
Foundation model for efficient biological discovery in single-molecule data
Authors: Li Jieming , Zhang Leyou , Johnson-Buck Alexander , Walter Nils G.
Published: August 2024

Modern data-intensive techniques offer ever deeper insights into biology, but render the process of discovery increasingly complex. For example, exploiting the unique ability of single-molecule fluorescence microscopy (SMFM)1–5. to uncover rare but critical intermediates often demands manual inspection of time traces and iterativead hocapproaches that are difficult to systematize. To facilitate systematic and efficient discovery from SMFM data, we introduce META-SiM, a transformer-based foundation model pre-trained on diverse SMFM analysis tasks. META-SiM achieves high performance—rivaling best-in-class algorithms—on a broad range of analysis tasks including trace selection, classification, segmentation, idealization, and stepwise photobleaching analysis. Additionally, the model produces high-dimensional embedding vectors that encapsulate detailed information about each trace, which the web-based META-SiM Projector (https://www.simol-projector.org) casts into lower-dimensional space for efficient whole-dataset visualization, labeling, comparison, and sharing. Combining this Projector with the objective metric of Local Shannon Entropy enables rapid identification of condition-specific behaviors, even if rare or subtle. As a result, by applying META-SiM to an existing single-molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET) dataset6, we discover a previously unobserved intermediate state in pre-mRNA splicing. META-SiM thus removes bottlenecks, improves objectivity, and both systematizes and accelerates biological discovery in complex single-molecule data.
A new tool in a toolbox: Addressing challenges in high-throughput microbiota surveys across diverse wild insects
Authors: Buczek Mateusz , Kolasa Michał R. , Prus-Frankowska Monika , Lipowska Małgorzata , Nowak Karol H. , Azarbad Hamed , Franco Diego Castilo , Marszałek Marzena , Roslin Tomas , Michalik Anna , Łukasik Piotr
Published: August 2024

With their significant effects on the biology of higher organisms, host-associated microbiota has attracted the research community’s attention. The rapid progress in sequencing techniques has greatly facilitated microbial community characterization. However, the most popular surveying technique, marker gene amplicon sequencing, has multiple caveats that are not often addressed satisfactorily, including the uncertainty about the identity of the surveyed wild-caught specimens, variable and sometimes very low abundance of microbes in some samples, or reagent- and cross-contamination. As a result, researchers often obtain incomplete, biased, and sometimes totally incorrect microbial community profiles.

Here, we present a versatile, cost-effective, and high-throughput quantitative multi-target amplicon sequencing workflow for the characterization of host-associated microbial communities, combining laboratory and bioinformatic steps and addressing most of the known methodological issues. Optimized for the study of the microbiota of wild insects, it can be easily adapted for other sample types. Outputs include contamination-controlled data on the absolute abundance and identity of microbes present in insect samples, both at genotype- and OTU-level, as well as host barcodes alongside information on parasite infections. Using 1384 samples from Zackenberg Valley, NE Greenland, we demonstrate the potential of the workflow to study insect and symbiont diversity patterns across a large portion of a diverse natural community.
Center-surround inhibition by expectation: a neuro-computational account
Authors: Huang Ling , Shen Shiqi , Sun Yueling , Ou Shipei , Zhang Ruyuan , de Lange Floris P. , Zhang Xilin
Published: August 2024

Expectation is beneficial for adaptive behavior through quickly deducing plausible interpretations of information. The profile and underlying neural computations of this process, however, remain unclear. When participants expected a grating with a specific orientation, we found a center-surround inhibition profile in orientation space, which was independent from attentional modulations by task-relevance. Using computational modeling, we showed that this center-surround inhibition could be reproduced by either a sharpening of tuning curves of expected orientation or a shift of tuning curves of unexpected orientations. Intriguingly, these two computations were further supported by orientation-adjustment and orientation-discrimination experiments. Finally, the ablation studies in convolutional neural networks revealed that predictive coding feedback played a critical role in the center-surround inhibition in expectation. Altogether, our study reveals for the first time that expectation results in both enhancement and suppression, optimizing plausible interpretations during perception by enhancing expected and attenuating similar but irrelevant and potentially interfering representations.
Immunophenotypic changes in peripheral blood of colorectal cancer patients: a potential diagnostic marker for CD4+ monocytes
Authors: Thin Khin Aye , Cross Andrew , Angsuwatcharakon Phonthep , Mutirangura Apiwat , Puttipanyalears Charoenchai , Pike Thomas , Jones Robert , Skaife Paul , Edwards Steven W
Published: August 2024

Colorectal cancer (CRC) can induce stresses on the immune system that can affect both the numbers and function of these cells and the ability of the tumours to evade immune-surveillance. Changes in immune functions can also occur during ageing and these may affect both the ability to fight infections and to protect against cancers. As the incidence of CRC is age-related, the aim of this work was to identify changes in immune cell subtypes that are specific to CRC and not merely due to age-related changes. The immunophenotypes of peripheral blood lymphocytes and monocytes of CRC patients and age-matched healthy controls (HC) were analysed using flow cytometry and surface marker staining. Compared to HC, a lower L:M ratio was observed starting from the early stages of CRC, while numbers of B lymphocytes were lower and CD4+ monocytes were higher in CRC patients. In most patients with CRC, the numbers of helper T cells were lower, while cytotoxic T cells and NK T cells together with CD4+ NKT and CD8+ NKT cells were higher: classical monocytes were lower while intermediate monocytes were higher throughout the stages of CRC, and HLA-DRlowmonocytes were also higher. NKbrightcells were higher while NKdimcells were lower in patients with large tumours. Most of the increased numbers of T cells and monocytes in CRC relate to immunosuppressive phenotypes that may aid tumour evasion. The increase in CD4+ monocytes is likely related to increased numbers of intermediate monocytes, and a threshold of 11.6% CD4+ monocytes can be used as diagnostic marker for CRC with a 60% sensitivity and 88% specificity.
The KU70-SAP domain has an overlapping function with DNA-PKcs in limiting the lateral movement of KU along DNA
Authors: Zhu Yimeng , Lee Brian J. , Fujii Shingo , Jonchhe Sagun , Zhang Hanwen , Li Angelina , Wang Kyle J. , Rothenberg Eli , Modesti Mauro , Zha Shan
Published: August 2024

The non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) pathway is critical for DNA double-strand break repair and is essential for lymphocyte development and maturation. The Ku70/Ku80 heterodimer (KU) binds to DNA ends, initiating NHEJ and recruiting additional factors, including DNA-dependent protein kinase catalytic subunit (DNA-PKcs) that caps the ends and pushes KU inward. The C-terminus of Ku70 in higher eukaryotes includes a flexible linker and a SAP domain, whose physiological role remains poorly understood. To investigate this, we generated a mouse model with knock-in deletion of the SAP domain (Ku70ΔSAP/ΔSAP).Ku70ΔSAPsupports KU stability and its recruitment to DNA damage sitesin vivo. In contrast to the growth retardation and immunodeficiency seen inKu70−/−mice,Ku70ΔSAP/ΔSAPmice show no defects in lymphocyte development and maturation. Structural modeling of KU on long dsDNA, but not dsRNA suggests that the SAP domain can bind to an adjacent major groove, where it can limit KU’s rotation and lateral movement along the dsDNA. Accordingly, in the absence of DNA-PKcs that caps the ends, Ku70ΔSAPfails to support stable DNA damage-induced KU foci. InDNA-PKcs−/−mice,Ku70ΔSAPabrogates the leaky T cell development and reduces both the qualitative and quantitative aspects of residual V(D)J recombination. In the absence of DNA-PKcs, purified Ku70ΔSAPhas reduced affinity for DNA ends and dissociates more readily at lower concentration and accumulated as multimers at high concentration. These findings revealed a physiological role of the SAP domain in NHEJ by restricting KU rotation and lateral movement on DNA that is largely masked by DNA-PKcs.

Highlight

Ku70 is a conserved non-homologous end-joining (NHEJ) factor. Using genetically engineered mouse models and biochemical analyses, our study uncovered a previously unappreciated role of the C-terminal SAP domain of Ku70 in limiting the lateral movement of KU on DNA ends and ensuring end protection. The presence of DNA-PKcs partially masks this role of the SAP domain.
Automated non-invasive laser speckle imaging of the chick heart rate and extraembryonic blood vessels and their response to nifedipine and amlodipine drugs
Authors: Readhead Carol , Mahler Simon , Dong Zhenyu , Sato Yuki , Yang Changhuei , Bronner Marianne E.
Published: August 2024

Using our recently developed laser speckle contrast imaging (LSCI) to visualize blood vessels and monitor blood flow, here we test the utility of the chick embryo for drug screening. To this end, we examined the effects of antihypertensive agents Nifedipine and Amlodipine, belonging to the L-type calcium channel antagonist family, on blood flow visualized noninvasively through the intact shell. Guided by the live view mode, the drugs were injected through the shell and ventral to HH16-19 chick embryos. Our results show a significant reduction in the chick heart rate, blood flow, and vascular size within 5-20 minutes after Nifedipine or Amlodipine injection. For moderate Nifedipine concentrations, these parameters returned to initial values within 2-3 hours. In contrast, Amlodipine showed a rapid reduction in heart rate and blood flow dynamics at a more than ten times higher concentration than Nifedipine. These findings show that our LSCI system can monitor and distinguish the chick heart’s response to injected drugs from the same family. This serves as proof-of-concept, paving the way for a rapid, cost effective, and quantitative test system for screening drugs that affect the cardiovascular system of live chick embryos. Live noninvasive imaging may also provide insights into the development and functioning of the vertebrate heart.

Graphical Abstract

Highlights

Non-invasive Laser Speckle Contrast Imaging (LSCI) of the chick chorioallantoic membrane (CAM) in whole incubated eggs

Simultaneous recording images of the CAM, dynamics of blood flow, and heart rate

Live view mode to identify size, heart position, and location of the embryo in the egg

Automated system for data acquisition and analysis

Longitudinal quantification of the impact of a calcium channel antagonists, nifedipidine and amlodipine on the embryonic heart rate, CAM’s blood flow, size and number of vessels
Protein target search diffusion-association/dissociation free energy landscape around DNA binding site with flanking sequences
Authors: Wan Biao , Yu Jin
Published: August 2024

Proteins including transcription factors (TFs) and regulating enzymes search DNA for specific sites by alternating 3D diffusion in cell nucleus space and 1D diffusion on DNA. The search dynamics and free energy landscape of the protein along DNA depend essentially on the protein-DNA interactions, which simultaneously determine the protein-DNA association strength and relative population profiling along DNA, e.g., measured from protein binding microarray (PBM) to genome-wide mapping. Here we present a minimal structure-based model of protein diffusional search along DNA amid protein binding and unbinding events on the DNA, taking into account protein-DNA electrostatic interactions and hydrogen-bonding (HB) interactions or contacts at the interface. We accordingly constructed the protein diffusion-association/dissociation free energy surface and mapped it to 1D as the protein slides along DNA, maintaining the protein-DNA interfacial HB contacts that presumably dictate the DNA sequence information detection. Upon DNA helical path correction, the protein 1D diffusion rates along DNA can be physically derived to be consistent with experimental measurements. We also show that the sequence-dependent protein sliding or stepping patterns along DNA are regulated by collective interfacial HB dynamics, which also determines the ruggedness of the 1D diffusion free energy landscape. In comparison, protein association or binding with DNA are generically dictated by the protein-DNA electrostatic interactions, with an interaction zone of nanometers around DNA. Extra degrees of freedom (DOFs) of the protein such as rotations and conformational fluctuations can be well accommodated within the electrostatic interaction zone. As such we demonstrate that the protein binding or association free energy profiling along DNA smoothens over the 1D diffusion free energy landscape, which leads to population variations for an order of magnitude upon a marginal free energetic smoothening around the specific or consensus sites. We further show that the protein unbinding or dissociation from a comparatively high-binding affinity DNA site is dominated by lateral diffusion to the flanking low-affinity sites. The results suggest that experimental characterizations on the relative protein-DNA binding affinities or population profiling on the DNA are systematically and physically impacted by the extra DOFs of protein motions aside from translation as well as from flanking DNA sequences due to protein 1D diffusion and non-specific binding/unbinding.
Would you agree if N is three? On statistical inference for small N
Authors: Psarou Eleni , Katsanevaki Christini , Maris Eric , Fries Pascal
Published: August 2024

Non-human primate studies traditionally use two or three animals. We previously used standard statistics to argue for using either one animal, for an inference about that sample, or five or more animals, for a useful inference about the population. A recently proposed framework argued for testing three animals and accepting the outcome found in the majority as the outcome that is most representative for the population. The proposal tests this framework under various assumptions about the true probability of the representative outcome in the population, i.e. its typicality. On this basis, it argues that the framework is valid across a wide range of typicalities. Here, we show (1) that the error rate of the framework depends strongly on the typicality of the representative outcome, (2) that an acceptable error rate requires this typicality to be very high (87% for a single type of outlier), which actually renders empirical testing beyond a single animal obsolete, (3) that moving from one to three animals decreases error rates mainly for typicality values of 70-90%, and much less for both lower and higher values. Furthermore, we use conjunction analysis to demonstrate that two out of three animals with a given outcome only allow to infer a lower bound to typicality of 9%, which is of limited value. Thus, the use of two or three animals does not allow a useful inference about the population, and if this option is nevertheless chosen, the inferred lower bound of typicality should be reported.
Low depth virtual distillation of quantum circuits by deterministic circuit decomposition
Authors: Karim Akib , Zhang Shaobo , Usman Muhammad
Published: August 2024

Virtual distillation using measurements of multiple copies of a quantum circuit have recently been proposed as a method of noise mitigation of expectation values. Circuit decompositions known as B gates were found only for 1-local Hamiltonians, however practical problems for chemistry require n-local Hamiltonians, which cannot be corrected with B gates. We discover low depth circuit decompositions for expectation values for n-local Pauli strings by combining multiple projections to recover the correct measurement statistics or expectation values. Our method adds linear entangling gates with the number of qubits, but it requires extra measurements. Furthermore, in applications to find ground states such as the variational quantum eigensolver (VQE) algorithm, the variational principle is required which states that the energy cannot go below the ground-state energy. We find that the variational principle is violated when using B gates and is preserved if we use our low depth decomposition on all expectation values. We perform a demonstration on real devices, and we show that our decomposition can mitigate real experimental noise in VQE for the H2 molecule with a two-qubit tapered mapping, H3 with three qubits, and H2 with four qubits. Our decomposition provides a way to perform duplicate circuit virtual distillation on real devices at significantly lower depth and for arbitrary observables.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Accounting for digital promises: restoring and transforming promissory narratives
Authors: Carlsson-Wall Martin , Laurell Christofer , Lindqvist Parbratt Oliver , Ots Mart
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The paper investigates the relationship between accounting and promises in the context of digital change.

Design/methodology/approach

Relying on emergent literature on accounting and promises, a qualitative field study has been conducted covering 57 interviews with municipal directors, digitalization strategists, administration managers and CFOs in a Swedish region consisting of 13 municipalities.

Findings

The paper provides insights into how municipalities draw on accounting in attempts to reconstruct promissory narratives of the digital. By highlighting two contrasting cases, we show how this can involve practices of either restoration or transformation. Likewise, we find that attempts to restore promises can sometimes have unanticipated effects, in our case a transformation of the promise instead.

Originality/value

We introduce a “promise” lens to the literature on accounting and digital change and empirically describe how accounting is implicated in shaping promises in the context of public sector digital change.
Self-reported tuberculosis in Ecuador’s prisons: an analysis of its prevalence and determinants in 2022
Authors: Hernández-Vásquez Akram , Vargas-Fernández Rodrigo
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Despite the growing prison population in South America and the high prevalence of infectious diseases, there is limited evidence on the factors associated with self-reported tuberculosis (TB) in this population. This study aims to identify the factors associated with self-reported TB among inmates in all prisons across Ecuador.

Design/methodology/approach

The 2022 Prison Census was used. The presence of TB was self-reported based on the question: Has any doctor diagnosed you with any of the following diseases: Tuberculosis? Prevalence ratios (PR) were obtained using crude and multivariable models along with their 95% confidence intervals (CI) using a generalized linear model with random effect at the prison level to assess the association among the study variables.

Findings

The prevalence of self-reported TB was 4.7%. Socio-demographic factors (prisoners aged between 18 and 29 years and indigenous), clinical factors (human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection, diabetes and attempted suicide) and imprisonment characteristics (re-offender, having a medical check-up on admission and being incarcerated for 6 months or more) increased the prevalence of self-reported TB compared with their counterparts.

Originality/value

This study provides a detailed understanding of the factors contributing to the prevalence of self-reported TB in the prison population of Ecuador. The findings highlight the need for strategies focused on TB control through diagnosis and treatment, management of HIV, diabetes and malnutrition, as well as the restructuring of prison facilities. Implementing these measures is crucial for addressing the identified factors and improving inmate health conditions.
Employment demand and generation under MGNREGA in India: examining external and internal shocks with special reference to climate change and COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Mohanty Alok Ranjan , Nayak Narayan Chandra , Sahoo Bimal Kishore
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Despite India achieving many milestones under MGNREGA, the external and internal shocks result in below potential outcomes in employment demand and generation. This study examines how these shocks matter and how the migration-prone regions perform.

Design/methodology/approach

This study, employing district-level data from 2018 to 2021, investigates how climate change and COVID-19 have affected the employment demand and supply. We applied RE-GLS and IV-2SLS regressions to examine the effects of shocks on employment demand and generation, respectively. The difference in difference panel model is employed to test the spatial effects of the pandemic. Further, we used RE-GLS and extended regression model to examine how external shocks interacting with migration affect unemployment rates.

Findings

It was found that the pandemic increased employment demand and generation. This reflects the adverse effects of the pandemic and the swift action by the government. However, the responses were possibly different during climate shocks. The wage differential increased employment demand. However, demand decreased due to poor support from the support staff. The employment generation was higher in migration-prone districts, indicating that seasonal migration, being a lean-season phenomenon, continues to occur despite employment generation.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature in several ways. It captures spatial variations while examining the impact of climate change and COVID-19. It investigates the performance of MGNREGA in migration-prone areas. In effect, the findings provide policymakers with greater insight into the issues.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-02-2024-0132.
From resistance to acceptance: developing health task measures to boost mHealth adoption among older adults: mixed-methods approach and innovation resistance
Authors: Leung Wilson K.S. , Law Sally P.M. , Cheung Man Lai , Chang Man Kit , Lai Chung-Yin , Liu Na
Published: August 2024

Purpose

There are two main objectives in this study. First, we aim to develop a set of constructs for health task management support (HTMS) features to evaluate which health-related tasks are supported by mobile health application (mHealth app) functions. Second, drawing on innovation resistance theory (IRT), we examine the impacts of the newly developed HTMS dimensions on perceived usefulness, alongside other barrier factors contributing to technology anxiety.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a mixed-method research design, this research seeks to develop new measurement scales that reflect how mHealth apps support older adults’ health-related needs based on interviews. Subsequently, data were collected from older adults and exploratory factor analysis was used to confirm the validity of the new scales. Partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyze survey data from 602 older adults.

Findings

The PLS-SEM results indicated that medical management task support, dietary task support, and exercise task support were positively associated with perceived usefulness, while perceived complexity and dispositional resistance to change were identified as antecedents of technology anxiety. Perceived usefulness and technology anxiety were found to positively and negatively influence adoption intention, respectively.

Originality/value

This study enriches the information systems literature by developing a multidimensional construct that delineates how older adults’ health-related needs can be supported by features of mHealth apps. Drawing on IRT, we complement the existing literature on resistance to innovation by systematically examining the impact of five types of barriers on technology anxiety.
Understanding subjective well-being across a multi-generational workforce in public relations: a qualitative study
Authors: Candello Elizabeth , Mohammadpour Mark
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The current inquiry advances the public relations field and practice in several ways. First, this research addresses a clear gap in research on subjective well-being, specifically among PR professionals across career stages and generations. Second, the findings reveal important generational similarities and differences in how PR practitioners talk about well-being. This provides an empirical basis for developing tailored, multi-generational approaches to supporting well-being in PR workplaces. Lastly, this research provides practical implications for PR professionals to understand generational perspectives and to implement flexible policies to improve well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study explored subjective well-being (SWB) across generations of public relations professionals. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 PR practitioners at various career levels – entry, mid-level and senior.

Findings

Analysis revealed several similarities but a key disparity among cohorts. Senior-level professionals specifically reported struggling with work–life balance and the perceived ability to be autonomous, while entry-level professionals expressed commitment to setting boundaries on their time. These findings highlight a need for the PR industry to establish flexible workplace standards that enable employees at different career stages to collaborate and support one another’s well-being.

Practical implications

Our findings will appeal to your readers who seek to cultivate employee subjective well-being and understand generational issues via qualitative methods. By conducting a qualitative study in an understudied area, PR industry leaders and managers can support employee well-being across generations and career stages.

Originality/value

Our study is the first to examine generational dispositions as it relates to SWB across the public relations industry.
Manipulating stock prices based on insider information
Authors: Thu Quang Luu
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the trading behavior of insider investors before and after information releases, identifying information-based manipulation in the stock market and the characteristics of companies whose stock prices are manipulated.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper employs logit regression method and an event study approach, utilizing hand-collected data from 2010 to 2022, with information categorized into negative and positive types.

Findings

The results show no evidence of insider trading or negative information-based manipulation in both high and low transparency firms. However, in highly transparent companies, the Board of Directors (BOD) avoids direct manipulation by using relatives to evade market supervisors. In low transparency companies, both the BOD and family members (FM) exploit positive information to benefit personally by buying shares before releasing favorable news, causing a sharp stock increase, and selling afterward. Continued buying by the BOD and FM also suggests likely positive news announcements.

Practical implications

The characteristics of information-based manipulation in companies, as provided by this study, help individual investors avoid investing in stocks that are highly susceptible to manipulation.

Originality/value

Empirical research on information-based manipulation is scarce due to limited secondary data. Our study uses transaction data from insider investors in a frontier market with low transparency and high information asymmetry. This enables us to analyze information-based stock price manipulation. We identify manipulation by comparing insiders' trading behavior with their market information releases, resulting in stock price fluctuations greater than 5%.
Fashion niche market strategies: a systematic literature review
Authors: Nilmini Bhagya Kalavila Pathirage , Medagedara Karunaratne Priyanka Virajini , Ranathunga Gayathri Madubani , Ranaweera Achini
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study systematically explores the literature on global niche market strategies within the fashion industry to allow the mapping of niche practices and examine the benefits, success factors and characteristics of a niche strategy. Additionally, it identifies data gaps and necessitates a detailed examination to uncover areas with inadequate information.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilized the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA 2020) method for systematic review and included 70 studies to analyze their findings.

Findings

This systematic literature review pinpoints niche strategies shaping the future of the fashion industry while developing sectors of the textile and apparel industry, fashion technology, fashion retail business, fashion media and communication, luxury fashion, sustainable fashion, adaptive clothing and transgender fashion within the fashion supply chain. A niche market strategy utilizes both pull and push marketing in the fashion industry. Scholarly literature commonly underscores the understanding of the consumer as a pivotal factor in the success of fashion niche market strategy.

Practical implications

This review offers a comprehensive overview of fashion niche strategy practices, aiming to inspire fashion industry professionals. It also serves as a guide for fashion industry professionals, summarizing best practices across various fashion industry sectors to help develop effective niche strategy competencies for firms.

Originality/value

This review thoroughly analyzes niche strategy implementation in the fashion industry, presenting an important resource for individuals new to this sector. It highlights the significance of niche strategies in improving the comprehension of emerging participants in the fashion business.
Biomechanical design of lightweight full contacted insole based on structural anisotropy bespoke
Authors: Tu Zhengxin , Xu Jinghua , Zhang Shuyou , Tan Jianrong
Published: August 2024

Purpose

A biomechanical design method of lightweight full contacted insole based on structural anisotropy bespoke (SAB) is proposed, which can better redistribute the stress distribution of SAB designed personalized insole.

Design/methodology/approach

The reconstructed joint biomechanics are simulated using finite element analysis (FEA) to develop a lightweight full contact insole. Innovatively, the anisotropic properties of the triply periodic minimal surface (TPMS) structure, which contribute to reducing insole weight, are considered to optimize stress distribution. Additionally, porosity and manufacturing time are included as design objectives. To validate the lightweight insole design, FEA is employed to simulate the stress distribution of the ergonomic insole, which can be fabricated by additive manufacturing (AM) with TPU.

Findings

With a little 0.924% loss in porosity, the maximum stress of lightweight SAB designed insoles is extremely decreased by 19.2917%.

Originality/value

The biomechanical design of the lightweight full contact insole based on SAB can effectively redistribute stress, avoid stress concentration and improve the mechanical properties of the ergonomic individual insole.
Diversity effects and compensatory dynamics drive productivity and stability in temperate old‐growth forests
Authors: Dolezal Jiri , Fibich Pavel , Altman Jan , Takahashi Koichi , Hara Toshihiko
Published: August 2024

Understanding mechanisms stabilizing ecosystem functions, such as primary production, is crucial for forecasting global environmental responses. While biological diversity is expected to enhance stability through compensatory reactions to environmental changes, empirical evidence is lacking, especially in old‐growth forests vital for biodiversity conservation and climate change mitigation. Moreover, whether increased niche complementarity and stronger intraspecific than interspecific competition are key mechanisms promoting compensatory dynamics and stabilizing ecosystem functions in diverse forests remains unexplored.

This study investigates productivity and stability in temperate old‐growth forests over 20 years at community and individual levels. Analysing 4380 trees in a 4‐ha plot in northern Japan with over 35 tree species, structural equation models evaluated the effects of biodiversity and average asynchrony in species fluctuations (compensatory dynamics) on productivity stability across 100 m2 grid quadrats. Functional traits and taxonomic diversity represented species complementarity and the insurance effect. Temporal growth correlations between conspecific and heterospecific neighbours and neighbourhood effects on growth performance indicated intra‐ and interspecific interactions at the individual level.

Communities with greater stability exhibited higher diversity and asynchronous species fluctuations, suggesting that compensatory dynamics buffer community productivity against environmental variability. The inverse relationship between tree size variation and stability indicates that communities with less pronounced size and abundance hierarchies have more efficient compensatory mechanisms, ensuring stable forest functioning.

The absence of negative temporal correlations in biomass production among heterospecific neighbours suggests the limited significance of interspecific competition in compensatory dynamics. Conversely, positive correlations among conspecific neighbours and their suppressed growth in dense conspecific patches highlight the importance of conspecific negative density‐dependent mechanisms in sustaining tree species diversity and ensuring stable productivity.

Synthesis: The study underscores the critical role of tree species richness in stabilizing ecosystem functioning via asynchronous growth in one of the world's most diverse temperate forests. Stronger intraspecific than interspecific competition helps prevent single‐species dominance, maintaining diversity and productivity stability. Despite occasional destabilization from size‐asymmetric interspecific competition, species‐trait complementarity enhances stability by promoting overall biomass production. This study highlights the importance of overall diversity for the stability of forest productivity, with implications for nature conservation and ecosystem functionality.
Prevalence and predictors of radiographic pneumonia in children with wheeze: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Shah Sonal N. , Monuteaux Michael C. , Neuman Mark I.
Published: August 2024

Background

Diagnostic uncertainty exists surrounding the identification of radiographic pneumonia in children with wheeze. It is important to determine the prevalence and clinical predictors of pneumonia in this population to limit chest radiography (CXR) and promote judicious antibiotic use.

Objectives

The objectives were to (1) estimate the prevalence of radiographic pneumonia in children with wheeze and (2) systematically review the diagnostic accuracy of clinical findings for the identification of radiographic pneumonia.

Methods

Data sources were MEDLINE, PubMed Central, Cochrane Library, CINAHL, and Web of Science (January 1995 to September 2023). For study selection, two reviewers identified high‐quality studies reporting on clinical characteristics associated with radiographic pneumonia in wheezing children (age 0–21 years). Using Covidence software, data regarding study characteristics, methodologic quality, and results were extracted. Data were pooled using random‐effects meta‐analysis.

Results

A total of 8333 unique titles and abstracts were reviewed. Twelve studies, representing 7398 patients, were included. Fifteen percent of children with wheeze undergoing CXR had pneumonia. Findings associated with radiographic pneumonia included temperature ≥ 38.4°C (positive likelihood ratio [LR+] 2.1, 95% CI 1.2–3.6, specificity 85%), oxygen saturation < 92% (LR+ 3.6, 95% CI 1.4–8.9, specificity 89%), and grunting (LR+ 2.7, 95% CI 1.6–4.4, pooled specificity 91%). Factors associated with the absence of radiographic pneumonia included lack of fever (negative likelihood ratio [LR−] 0.67, 95% CI 0.52–0.85) and oxygen saturation ≥ 95% (LR− 0.64, 95% CI 0.42–0.98). Tachypnea and auscultatory findings were not associated with radiographic pneumonia.

Discussion

Heterogeneity across studies limits generalizability. Additionally, all included studies overestimate the rate of radiographic pneumonia given the fact that all subjects had a CXR performed due to clinical suspicion of pneumonia.

Conclusions

Radiographic pneumonia occurs in 15% of wheezing children undergoing CXR for pneumonia. Auscultatory findings and tachypnea do not differentiate children with and without pneumonia, and the rate of radiographic pneumonia is very low in the absence of fever and hypoxemia.
Whole tomato lipidic extract improved sperm quality in obese rats induced by a high‐carbohydrate diet
Authors: Luis Heriberto Vázquez Mendoza , Patrick Mailloux Salinas , Elihu Campos Pérez , Bravo Guadalupe , Julian Arias Chávez David
Published: August 2024

Background

Obesity represents a risk in the development of metabolic and oxidative stress (OS), as well as in male infertility. There is still no pharmacological treatment for obesity‐induced male infertility, but the use of natural antioxidants has been proposed as a treatment.

Objective

The aim of this work is to evaluate the effect of a whole tomato lipid extract on rats that decreased their fertility and spermatogenesis after being induced obese with a high carbohydrate diet.

Materials and methods

One hundred fourteen male Wistar rats of 12 weeks of age were used. Two groups were randomly formed non‐obese control group (C, n = 54) and obese group (Ob, n = 54) that received 30% w/v sucrose solution for 3 months. Subsequently, the C and Ob group were divided into two groups: vehicle (C‐Vh and Ob‐Vh) that received corn oil as vehicle and tomato lipid extract (C‐Ex and Ob‐Ex) that received whole tomato lipid extract. The groups that received a hypercaloric diet had a gain in visceral and retroperitoneal adipose tissue, an increase in total cholesterol and triglyceride levels, increased OS in the testis, and lesions in testicular histology, as well as a reduction in testicular size and sperm quality parameters (motility, viability, and concentration).

Results

Treatment with whole tomato lipid extract significantly decreased the weight of gonadal adipose tissue and OS, maintained testicular size, showed a significant increase in sperm quality parameters and improved histology of seminiferous tubules.

Conclusions

These results demonstrate a greater therapeutic and beneficial effect of the tomato lipid extract on sperm quality parameters in obese rats and therefore on fertility.