bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Automatic parameter estimation and detection of Saimaa ringed seal knocking vocalizations
Authors: Solana Adrià , Houegnigan Ludwig , Nadeu Climent , Young Mairi , Kunnasranta Mervi
Published: May 2024

The Saimaa ringed seal (Pusa hispida saimensis) is an endangered subspecies of ringed seal that inhabits Finland’s Lake Saimaa. Many efforts have been put into studying their ecology; however, these initiatives heavily rely on human intervention, making them costly. This study first analyzes an extensive dataset of acoustic recordings from Lake Saimaa with a focus on “knocking” vocalizations, the most commonly found Saimaa ringed seal call type. Then, the dataset is used to train and test a binary deep learning classification system to detect these vocalizations. Out of the 8996 annotated knocking events, the model is trained and tuned with 8096 samples and tested with the remaining 900 events. The system achieves a 97% F1-Score in the test set, demonstrating its capacity to identify knocking segments from noise and other events.
Theca cell mechanics and tissue pressure regulate mammalian ovarian folliculogenesis
Authors: Biswas Arikta , Lou Yuting , Ng Boon Heng , Tomida Kosei , Darpe Sukhada , Wu Zihao , Lu Thong Beng , Bonne Isabelle , Chan Chii Jou
Published: May 2024

The maturation of functional eggs within the ovaries is essential for successful reproduction and organismal functions in mammals. Yet, despite its biological and clinical importance, the underlying mechanisms regulating folliculogenesis remain enigmatic. Here, we report a novel role of the surface-anchoring theca cells (TCs) in regulating follicle growth through mechanical signalling. Direct mechanical measurements reveal that these TCs are highly contractile and exert compressive stress to the follicular interior, potentially through active assembly of fibronectin scaffold around the follicles. Abolishing TC contractility disrupts fibronectin assembly, increases follicle size, and decreases intrafollicular pressure and viscosity. We further reveal that the granulosa cells (GCs) within the follicles exhibit spatial patterns of YAP signalling and proliferation, which appear to be decoupled. Transient manipulation of tissue pressure through bulk follicle compression, laser ablation or pharmacological perturbation of TC contractility leads to changes in GC YAP signalling, proliferation, and oocyte-GC communications, while long term abrogation of TC contractility leads to impaired follicle growth. Altogether, our study unveils the unique role of TC-mediated tissue pressure in ensuring robust mammalian ovarian folliculogenesis.
A multivariate approach to joint testing of main genetic and gene-environment interaction effects
Authors: Mishra Saurabh , Majumdar Arunabha
Published: May 2024

Gene-environment (GxE) interactions crucially contribute to complex phenotypes. The statistical power of a GxE interaction study is limited mainly due to weak GxE interaction effect sizes. To utilize the individually weak GxE effects to improve the discovery of associated genetic loci, Kraft et al. [1] proposed a joint test of the main genetic and GxE effects for a univariate phenotype. We develop a testing procedure to evaluate combined genetic and GxE effects on a multivariate phenotype to enhance the power by merging pleiotropy in the main genetic and GxE effects. We base the approach on a general linear hypothesis testing framework for a multivariate regression for continuous phenotypes. We implement the generalized estimating equations (GEE) technique under the seemingly unrelated regressions (SUR) setup for binary or mixed phenotypes. We use extensive simulations to show that the test for joint multivariate genetic and GxE effects outperforms the univariate joint test of genetic and GxE effects and the test for multivariate GxE effect concerning power when there is pleiotropy. The test produces a higher power than the test for multivariate main genetic effect for a weak genetic and substantial GxE effect. For more prominent genetic effects, the latter performs better with a limited increase in power. Overall, the multivariate joint approach offers high power across diverse simulation scenarios. We apply the methods to lipid phenotypes with sleep duration as an environmental factor in the UK Biobank. The proposed approach identified six independent associated genetic loci missed by other competing methods.
Chromatin condensates tune nuclear mechano-sensing in Kabuki Syndrome by constraining cGAS activation
Authors: D’Annunzio Sarah , Santomaso Lucia , Michelatti Daniela , Bernardis Chiara , Vitali Giulia , Lago Sara , Testi Claudia , Pontecorvo Emanuele , Poli Alessandro , Pennacchio Fabrizio , Maiuri Paolo , Sanchez Elodie , Genevieve David , Petrolli Lorenzo , Tarenzi Thomas , Menichetti Roberto , Potestio Raffaello , Ruocco Giancarlo , Zippo Alessio
Published: May 2024

Cells and tissue integrity is constantly challenged by the necessity to adapt and respond to mechanical loads. Among the cellular components, the nucleus possesses mechano-sensing and mechanotransduction capabilities, yet the molecular mechanisms involved remain poorly defined. We postulated that the mechanical properties of the chromatin and its compartmentalization into condensates contribute to the nuclear adaptation to external forces, while preserving its integrity. By interrogating the effects of MLL4 loss-of-function in Kabuki Syndrome, we found that the balancing of transcriptional and Polycomb condensates tunes the nuclear responsiveness to external mechanical forces. We showed that MLL4 acts as a chromatin mechano-sensor by clustering into condensates through its Prion-like domain, and its response was regulated by the chromatin context. Furthermore, the mechano-sensing activity of MLL4 condensates is instrumental to withstand the physical challenges that nuclei experience during cell confinement and migration by preserving their integrity. In Kabuki Syndrome persistent rupture of nuclear envelope triggers cGAS-STING activation, which leads to programmed cell death. Ultimately, these results demonstrate the critical role chromatin compartments play in mechano-responses and how they impact pathological conditions by stimulating cGAS-STING signaling.
TXTL-Powered K1F Internal Capsid Protein Engineering for Specific, Orthogonal and Rapid Phage-based Pathogen Detection
Authors: Wheatley Joseph P. , Liyanagedera Sahan B. W. , Fehér Tamás , Sagona Antonia P. , Kulkarni Vishwesh
Published: May 2024

The internal capsid proteins that reside within phage of the Podoviridae family hold high potential for being used as sensitive and reliable diagnostic tools. The concealed nature of the capsid interior ensures that any encapsulated signal or signal generating enzyme, e.g., fused to an internal capsid protein, is suppressed whilst the phage is unaccompanied by its host. Furthermore, the only naturally occurring mechanism for releasing the internal capsid proteins, and therefore exposing their amalgamated signal/enzyme, is for them to be passed through the tail and subsequently ejected out of the phage, a post-adsorption phenomenon which occurs when the host is present, thus presenting a precise model for signal/enzyme release only upon pathogen presence. Here, a small N terminal subunit of the NanoLuc luciferase is fused and incorporated into the K1F internal capsid structure using a simple, non-genomic method. This internalised subunit is exposed to the test solution containing its C terminal counterpart (natural complementation immediately forms the full NanoLuc enzyme) and substrate furimazine in an inducible manner which mimics the presence of the K1F host, E. coli K1 thereby presenting a novel method for rapidly detecting this disease causing pathogen. Finally, it is expected that by building upon this internal capsid protein engineering approach, which completely bypasses the time-inducing processes of intracellular nucleic acid transcription and translation, an unprecedentedly rapid detection device can be developed for an array of bacterial pathogens.
Ligand Gaussian accelerated Molecular Dynamics 3 (LiGaMD3): Improved Calculations of Binding Thermodynamics and Kinetics of Both Small Molecules and Flexible Peptides
Authors: Wang Jinan , Miao Yinglong
Published: May 2024

Binding thermodynamics and kinetics play critical roles in drug design. However, it has proven challenging to efficiently predict ligand binding thermodynamics and kinetics of small molecules and flexible peptides using conventional Molecular Dynamics (cMD), due to limited simulation timescales. Based on our previously developed Ligand Gaussian accelerated Molecular Dynamics (LiGaMD) method, we present a new approach, termed “LiGaMD3”, in which we introduce triple boosts into three individual energy terms that play important roles in small-molecule/peptide dissociation, rebinding and system conformational changes to improve the sampling efficiency of small-molecule/peptide interactions with target proteins. To validate the performance of LiGaMD3, MDM2 bound by a small molecule (Nutlin 3) and two highly flexible peptides (PMI and P53) were chosen as model systems. LiGaMD3 could efficiently capture repetitive small-molecule/peptide dissociation and binding events within 2 microsecond simulations. The predicted binding kinetic constant rates and free energies from LiGaMD3 agreed with available experimental values and previous simulation results. Therefore, LiGaMD3 provides a more general and efficient approach to capture dissociation and binding of both small-molecule ligand and flexible peptides, allowing for accurate prediction of their binding thermodynamics and kinetics.
Unraveling Genome- and Immunome-wide Genetic Diversity in Jaguars (Panthera onca): Implications for Targeted Conservation
Authors: Meißner René , Winter Sven , Elbers Jean Pierre , Plášil Martin , Futas Ján , Mohandesan Elmira , Sharif Muhammad Bilal , Hořín Petr , Prost Stefan , Burger Pamela A.
Published: May 2024

Our study examines the declining Jaguar populations in Central and South America, assessing the impact of habitat loss and fragmentation on genetic diversity and local adaptation. We investigated population structure and immunome variability in 25 jaguars to identify unique genetic diversity for informed, targeted conservation. Our genome-wide analyses revealed three distinct geographic populations corresponding to Central America, South American lowland, and South American highland regions. While the highland population displayed lower overall immunome-wide variability, specific innate (Natural killer cell complex, Toll-like receptor) and adaptive (Major histocompatibility complex-class-II) immune genes crucial for adaptive responses showed promising diversity. Nonetheless, South American highland and Central American jaguars are severely threatened. Therefore, we propose re-evaluating evolutionary significant units to prioritize conservation efforts, preserving crucial genetic and adaptive diversity essential for the species’ resilience and long-term survival.
Machine learning models can identify individuals based on a resident oral bacteriophage family
Authors: Mahmoudabadi Gita , Homyk Kelsey , Catching Adam , Mahmoudabadi Ana , Foley Helen , Tadmor Arbel D. , Phillips Rob
Published: May 2024

Metagenomic studies have revolutionized the study of novel phages. However these studies trade depth of coverage for breadth. We show that the targeted sequencing of a small region of a phage terminase family can provide sufficient sequence diversity to serve as an individual-specific barcode or a “phageprint’’, defined as the relative abundance profile of the variants within a terminase family. By collecting ∼700 oral samples from ∼100 individuals living on multiple continents, we found a consistent trend wherein each individual harbors one or two dominant variants that coexist with numerous low-abundance variants. By tracking phageprints over the span of a month across ten individuals, we observed that phageprints were generally stable, and found instances of concordant temporal fluctuations of variants shared between partners. To quantify these patterns further, we built machine learning models that, with high precision and recall, distinguished individuals even when we eliminated the most abundant variants and further downsampled phageprints to 2% of the remaining variants. Except between partners, phageprints are dissimilar between individuals, and neither country-of-residence, genetics, diet nor cohabitation seem to play a role in the relatedness of phageprints across individuals. By sampling from six different oral sites, we were able to study the impact of millimeters to a few centimeters of separation on an individual’s phageprint and found that such limited spatial separation results in site-specific phageprints.
Molecular surveillance to monitor the prevalence of tetracycline resistance inNeisseria gonorrhoeae
Authors: Oliveira Roster Kirstin I. , Mittelstaedt Rachel , Reyes Jordan , Aatresh Aishani V. , Grad Yonatan H.
Published: May 2024

Doxycycline post-exposure prophylaxis (Doxy-PEP) reduces bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) but may select for tetracycline resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae and co-resistance to other antibiotics, including ceftriaxone.. The implementation of doxy-PEP should be accompanied by monitoring doxycycline resistance, but the optimal strategy to detect changes in the prevalence of resistance has not been established. We used a deterministic compartmental model of gonorrhea transmission to evaluate the performance of two strategies in providing early warning signals for rising resistance: (1) phenotypic testing of cultured isolates and (2) PCR for tetM in remnants from positive Nucleic Acid Amplification Tests (NAATs) used for gonorrhea diagnosis. For each strategy, we calculated the resistance proportion with 90% simulation intervals as well as the time under each sampling strategy to achieve 95% confidence that the resistance proportion exceeded a resistance threshold ranging from 11-30%. Given the substantially larger available sample size, PCR for tetM in remnant NAATs detected increased high-level tetracycline resistance with high confidence faster than phenotypic testing of cultured specimens. Our results suggest that population surveillance using molecular testing for tetM can complement culture-based surveillance of tetracycline resistance in N. gonorrhoeae and inform policy considerations for doxy-PEP.
Identification of distinct trajectories in preclinical type 2 diabetes and their associations with outcomes
Authors: Huang Zhengxing
Published: May 2024

Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is increasingly prevalent and significantly impacts patients' lives. However, the phenotypic and genetic heterogeneity of the preclinical stage of T2DM, along with the subsequent effects on various clinical outcomes, remain unclear, impeding progress in disease screening and prevention. To address this gap, we employed a robust machine learning algorithm (Subtype and Stage Inference, SuStaIn) with cross-sectional clinical data from the UK Biobank (20,305 preclinical-T2DM participants and 20,305 controls) to identify underlying subtypes and their progression trajectories for preclinical-T2DM. Our analysis revealed one subtype distinguished by elevated circulating leptin levels and decreased leptin receptor levels, coupled with increased BMI, diminished lipid metabolism, and heightened susceptibility to psychiatric conditions such as anxiety disorder, depression disorder, and bipolar disorder. Conversely, individuals in the second subtype manifested typical abnormalities in glucose metabolism, including rising glucose and HbA1c levels, with observed correlations with neurodegenerative disorders. Over ten-year follow-up observations of these individuals reveal differential deterioration in brain and heart organs, and statistically significant difference in disease risk and clinical outcomes between the two subtypes. Our findings indicate a heterogenous pathobiological basis underlying the progression of preclinical-T2DM, with clinical implications for understanding human health from a multiorgan perspective, and improving disease risk screening, prediction, and prevention efforts.
Gut microbiota development in very preterm infants following fortification of human milk
Authors: Yang Lin , Hui Yan , Sangild Per Torp , Kot Witold Piotr , Aunsholt Lise , Zachariassen Gitte , Jiang Ping-Ping , Nielsen Dennis Sandris
Published: May 2024

Background

Very preterm infants (VPIs) are born with an immature gut, being sensitive to gut microbiota dysbiosis-related disease like necrotizing enterocolitis. While human milk is the best source of nutrition for VPIs, it requires fortification to meet their nutrient requirements for optimal growth. However, the optimal type of fortifier remains uncertain. Bovine colostrum (BC), rich in protein and bioactive components, may be an alternative to conventional fortifiers (CF). We aimed to investigate the distinct impacts of different bovine fortifiers, BC and CF, on the gut microbiota of VPIs. The gut microbiota of 225 VPIs who were fed human milk fortified with either BC or CF, were profiled by 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing of fecal samples collected before, one and two weeks of fortification.

Results

Fortifier type affected the microbial community structure to a modest extent, but only explaining 1% of the variance, and no specific taxa differed between the BC and CF groups. This fortifier-derived impact was predominantly observed in VPIs born via caesarean section. Birth mode exhibited transient effects on microbial community structure shortly after birth, with caesarean section-born VPIs dominated byFirmicutes, while vaginally-born VPIs were dominated byProteobacteria. This birth mode-derived difference diminished with age and disappeared around one month after birth. The fecal pH, increased by BC, was positively correlated withStaphylococcusandCorynebacterium, and negatively withBifidobacteriumabundance. The change in relative abundance ofStaphylococcuswas negatively correlated with weight gain.

Conclusion

Collectively, fortification of human milk with BC or CF does influence the gut microbiota of VPIs but only to a modest extent during early life. Conversely, birth mode appears to be a significant temporary factor influencing the gut microbiota during this period.

Our findings are consistent with existing literature and support the idea that the choice of fortifier has limited effects on gut microbiota development in the first month of life of VPIs.
Study of the
B−→K−ηηc
decay due to the
DD¯
bound state
Authors: Li Xin-Qiang , Liu Li-Juan , Wang En , Wei Le-Le
Published: May 2024

We study the B−→K−ηηc decay by taking into account the S-wave contributions from the pseudoscalar meson-pseudoscalar meson interactions within the unitary coupled-channel approach, where the DD¯ bound state is dynamically generated. In addition, the contribution from the intermediate resonance K0*(1430)−, with K0*(1430)−→K−η, is also considered. Our results show that there is a clear peak around 3720 MeV in the ηηc invariant mass distribution, which could be associated with the DD¯ bound state. The future precise measurements of the B−→K−ηηc process at the Belle II and LHCb experiments could be, therefore, used to check the existence of the DD¯ bound state, and to deepen our understanding of the hadron-hadron interactions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Minimal mass of thermal dark matter and the viability of millicharged particles affecting 21-cm cosmology
Authors: Chu Xiaoyong , Pradler Josef
Published: May 2024

Thermal freeze-out offers an attractive explanation of the dark matter density free from fine-tuning of initial conditions. For dark matter with a mass below tens of MeV, photons, electrons, and neutrinos are the only available direct Standard Model annihilation products. Using a full three-sector abundance calculation, we determine the minimal mass of dark matter, allowing for an arbitrary branching into electrons/photons and neutrinos that is compatible with current cosmological observations. The analysis takes into account the heat transfer between the various sectors from annihilation elastic scattering, representing the first fully self-consistent analysis that tracks the respective sectors’ temperatures. We thereby provide accurate thermal annihilation cross sections, particularly for velocity-dependent cases, and deduce the sensitivity of current and upcoming CMB experiments to MeV thermal dark matter. In the latter context, we also establish the fine-tuned parameter region where a tiny admixture of neutrinos in the final states rules in MeV-scale p-wave annihilating DM into electrons. Finally, we show that a sub-% millicharged dark matter with an interaction strength that interferes with 21-cm cosmology is still allowed when freeze-out is supplemented with annihilation into neutrinos. For all cases considered, we provide concrete particle physics models and supplement our findings with a discussion of other relevant experimental results.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics undergraduates’ knowledge and interest in quantum careers: Barriers and opportunities to building a diverse quantum workforce
Authors: Rosenberg Jessica L. , Holincheck Nancy , Colandene Michele
Published: May 2024

Efforts to build the workforce in support of the second quantum revolution are growing, including the creation of education programs that will prepare students for jobs in this area. We surveyed 186 undergraduate students with majors across the science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) disciplines and followed up with group interviews to understand their perspectives. The project was designed to understand what these STEM students know about quantum and quantum career opportunities and their level of interest in pursuing a career related to quantum. We found that most of the students know very little about quantum. Nevertheless, except for students in the life sciences, there was an interest in quantum careers. Across STEM majors, women were less likely to express interest in quantum careers than men, but this difference disappeared when we examined only physical and computer science majors. Of the few students who had knowledge of quantum concepts, most learned about this topic from online media, especially online videos. Some students reported learning about quantum in high school classes, where it was taught as an extension beyond the usual topics of the course. The undergraduate STEM students in our study identified multiple ways they would like to learn more about quantum, including short videos, seminars, courses, certificates, and degree programs.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
The impact of fiscal shocks on economic growth and income inequality in Ghana: is there a trade-off?
Authors: Mustapha Zenabu , Takyi Paul Owusu , Ayibor Raphael Edem , Adusah-Poku Frank
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The study examines the impact of fiscal policy shocks on economic growth and income inequality in Ghana. This has become necessary because of the interdependence between growth and income inequality and the role fiscal policy plays in this relationship in the development process of a country. Thus, a study that investigates how government expenditure shock and tax revenue shock influence the relationship between economic growth and income inequality could assist policymakers to adopt the best policy mix to ensure income equity and sustained economic growth in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

It employs sacrifice ratio from structural VAR model using quarterly time series data from 1996 to 2019 on Ghana.

Findings

Our results show that government expenditure shock impacts economic growth, exchange rate and education positively and significantly in the long run. Also, tax revenue shock has a positive impact on income inequality, economic growth and education. The findings further show that there exists a trade-off between economic growth and income inequality in the long run.

Originality/value

The relationships between fiscal policy shocks, economic growth and income inequality have been extensively discussed among scholars. Understanding how these three macroeconomic variables are determined and their interrelationships are crucial for policymakers. This is because fiscal policy aids in both economic growth and income inequality. In the empirical literature, the emphasis has been on independently estimating the growth effects of fiscal policy or the distribution effects of fiscal policy, leaving out the existence of possible trade-off between economic growth and income inequality following a fiscal shock. To the best of our knowledge, no empirical study has been done on Ghana to empirically examine the trade-off between economic growth and income inequality as we do in this paper.
Graphics based business process harnessing tools, advancing digital maturity of business
Authors: Telukdarie Arnesh , Tshukudu Christian , Sishi Mike
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The advancement of digital maturity at a business level has proven to be challenging, with limited time, resources and skills in extracting and mapping business processes. In order to advance digitalization, the mapping of all business activities is essential. To close this gap, this research is aimed at enabling the operational level extraction and classification of business activities using a graphical methodology. This objective is accomplished through the development of a digital tool that leverages Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC) principles.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is focused on facilitating rapid extraction of business activities with the adoption of a graphical methodology. Business activities are captured through a digital tool in a structured, interlinked and hierarchical manner.

Findings

Notably, this work is novel as it introduces a new graphical tool to replace traditional tools in the domain of Business Process Mapping (BPM). This graphical tool is distinguished by a unique feature; that is a self-configuring database with the flexibility to capture all process options, providing innovative solutions to the challenges faced in digitalizing business processes.

Originality/value

This work is original in that a new graphical interface is developed to replace traditional tools in the space of BP data gathering. The unique challenge of an auto configuring database with flexibility to capture all process options is presented.
Raised under bad stars: negotiating a culture of disaster preparedness
Authors: Starosta Daniel
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The ways communities have regarded disasters and natural hazards in the cultural sphere can provide a lens to inform the understanding of their ability to withstand shocks and the factors that led to such conditions. Only by tracing the complexities of creating, transmitting and preserving a culture of preparedness among disaster-vulnerable communities can researchers and practitioners claim to be working toward policy that is informed by the communities’ own experience and design policy or programming on their behalf.

Design/methodology/approach

In efforts to prevent, respond to and recover from disasters, what alternatives are available to top-down strategies for imposing expert knowledge on lay publics? How is the context of communities’ socioecological context understood in the development of programs and policy on their behalf? What can be learned from community narratives and cultural practices to inform disaster risk reduction?

Findings

I collected examples of how different communities perceive, prevent and respond to disaster through art, music and literature and analyzed how these were embedded into local narratives and how historical context influenced such approaches. My findings show that communities use cultural practices to contextualize experiences of hazards into their collective narrative; that is, storytelling and commemoration make disasters comprehensible. By incorporating such findings into existing policies and programs, institutions may be able to more effectively apply them to affected communities or build new ones around their actual needs and experiences.

Originality/value

By framing disasters as an anthropological inquiry, practitioners can better recognize the influence of a place’s nuance in the disaster management canon–guided by these details, not despite them.
Damping accumulative NDAGM(1,N, α) power model and its applications
Authors: Li Ye , Wang Chengyun , Liu Junjuan
Published: May 2024

Purpose

In this essay, a new NDAGM(1,N,α) power model is recommended to resolve the hassle of the distinction between old and new information, and the complicated nonlinear traits between sequences in real behavior systems.

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, the correlation aspect sequence is screened via a grey integrated correlation degree, and the damped cumulative generating operator and power index are introduced to define the new model. Then the non-structural parameters are optimized through the genetic algorithm. Finally, the pattern is utilized for the prediction of China’s natural gas consumption, and in contrast with other models.

Findings

By altering the unknown parameters of the model, theoretical deduction has been carried out on the newly constructed model. It has been discovered that the new model can be interchanged with the traditional grey model, indicating that the model proposed in this article possesses strong compatibility. In the case study, the NDAGM(1,N,α) power model demonstrates superior integrated performance compared to the benchmark models, which indirectly reflects the model’s heightened sensitivity to disparities between new and old information, as well as its ability to handle complex linear issues.

Practical implications

This paper provides a scientifically valid forecast model for predicting natural gas consumption. The forecast results can offer a theoretical foundation for the formulation of national strategies and related policies regarding natural gas import and export.

Originality/value

The primary contribution of this article is the proposition of a grey multivariate prediction model, which accommodates both new and historical information and is applicable to complex nonlinear scenarios. In addition, the predictive performance of the model has been enhanced by employing a genetic algorithm to search for the optimal power exponent.
Students-staff classroom co-creation as model of employability skills development in a Nigerian university
Authors: Babalola Samuel Oluwasanmi
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The paper explored students-staff classroom co-creation and students' involvement in out-of-class engagements as means of fostering employability skills in higher education institutions (HEIs). The paper aimed to present an alternative but equally effective means that HEIs can leverage to foster relevant 21st Century employability skills among undergraduates using day-to-day in-class and out-of-class activities and other non-formal campus activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopted descriptive survey design. A total of 350 undergraduates who participate in out-of-class activities were purposively selected from seven (7) faculties. An instrument designed by the author was used to gather data for the study. The instrument was subjected to Cronbach Alpha analysis for item-by-item consistency and it yielded the reliability co-efficient of 0.88. Data collected from the respondents were analyzed using descriptive statistics of frequency count, mean and standard deviation.

Findings

Interactive classrooms, where students and lecturers co-create to provide solutions to problems enhance students' self-esteem, problem solving, analytical, communication and leadership skills amongst others. It was also found that students who got involved in one or more out-of-class activity on campus acquire specific competencies such as networking, collaboration, communication, leadership, multidisciplinary thinking, etc.

Research limitations/implications

Due to a limited sample size, it might be inappropriate to generalize findings. Researchers are encouraged to test this proposition further.

Practical implications

The paper highlights the need for HEIs to leverage student-staff co-creation and out-of-class engagement in their bid to produce employable graduates.

Originality/value

This paper clearly presents alternative but effective means of fostering employability in HEIs.
Understanding service ecosystem dynamics: a typology
Authors: As’ad Nabila , Patrício Lia , Koskela-Huotari Kaisa , Edvardsson Bo
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The service environment is becoming increasingly turbulent, leading to calls for a systemic understanding of it as a set of dynamic service ecosystems. This paper advances this understanding by developing a typology of service ecosystem dynamics that explains the varying interplay between change and stability within the service environment through distinct behavioral patterns exhibited by service ecosystems over time.

Design/methodology/approach

This study builds upon a systematic literature review of service ecosystems literature and uses system dynamics as a method theory to abductively analyze extant literature and develop a typology of service ecosystem dynamics.

Findings

The paper identifies three types of service ecosystem dynamics—behavioral patterns of service ecosystems—and explains how they unfold through self-adjustment processes and changes within different systemic leverage points. The typology of service ecosystem dynamics consists of (1) reproduction (i.e. stable behavioral pattern), (2) reconfiguration (i.e. unstable behavioral pattern) and (3) transition (i.e. disrupting, shifting behavioral pattern).

Practical implications

The typology enables practitioners to gain a deeper understanding of their service environment by discerning the behavioral patterns exhibited by the constituent service ecosystems. This, in turn, supports them in devising more effective strategies for navigating through it.

Originality/value

The paper provides a precise definition of service ecosystem dynamics and shows how the identified three types of dynamics can be used as a lens to empirically examine change and stability in the service environment. It also offers a set of research directions for tackling service research challenges.
The governance role of R&D specialist auditors: Evidence from discretionary R&D expenditure
Authors: Lee Eugenia Y. , Ha Wonsuk
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine whether auditors who specialize in research and development (R&D) activities help reduce managers’ opportunistic adjustment of R&D expenditure for real earnings management (REM).

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of US firms during the 2001–2017 period, the authors identify auditors’ R&D specialization as their prior experience of auditing R&D expenses spent by each client’s peers. The authors measure R&D-based REM as the negative deviation from the predicted level of R&D expenditure.

Findings

The authors find that clients of R&D specialist auditors are less likely to engage in REM through a discretionary reduction of R&D expenditure. This effect is more pronounced when clients face higher competition, have larger investment opportunities and entail higher audit risks.

Practical implications

This study shows that auditors’ specialized knowledge can facilitate stronger monitoring of clients’ real decisions, providing implications for auditors’ knowledge acquisition and transfer in specific types of transactions.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by documenting the governance role played by R&D specialist auditors in clients’ real economic decisions. Moreover, the study identifies R&D as a distinct area of auditor specialization.
Impact of goal congruence on higher education institutions’ performance quality
Authors: Singh Mahesh , Paliwal Jaiprakash , Rao Manoj Kumar , Raibagkar Shirish
Published: May 2024

Purpose

In India, national accreditation agencies stipulate that internal quality control in higher education institutions (HEIs) is to be institutionalized through internal quality assurance cells that are responsible for implementing and controlling quality systems. As the concept of goal congruence is central to a control process, this study aims to examine whether goal congruence is observed in such institutions. The impact of the absence of goal congruence on the quality of performance in higher education was also examined.

Design/methodology/approach

This cross-sectional study measured the impact of goal congruence or the lack thereof on the performance quality of HEIs as defined in the evaluation criteria of the apex accreditation agency, the National Assessment and Accreditation Council. Two hypotheses were tested using t-tests and regression analysis. Focus group discussions were conducted to elicit participants’ suggestions.

Findings

The results showed a lack of goal congruence between HEIs’ quality goals and their faculty’s personal goals, which adversely impacts the quality of their performance, as indicated by an average disagreement of 81% on a ten-statement scale. Goal congruence as an independent variable explained 63% of the variability in HEIs’ performance quality, and the results were statistically significant, indicating that lack of goal congruence is an important contributor to poor performance among HEIs.

Originality/value

Accreditation of HEIs is a global practice; hence, the findings of this study and the importance of goal congruence apply not only to India but also to HEIs globally.
The power (and caveats) of body mapping as a visual methodology with vulnerable youth
Authors: Jama Pateka Pamella , Wood Lesley , Ndlovu Nkomo Annah
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the NEET (Not in Education, Employment and Training) experiences of young people living in impoverished settings.

Design/methodology/approach

Methodologically, this study was informed by a qualitative analysis of visual and textual data related to a body mapping exercise with eleven young people who were participants in a four-day start-up workshop in a larger action research project.

Findings

The findings reveal that, although being NEET negatively affects young people’s self-esteem, confidence, hope for the future and general well-being, body mapping can help them discover latent assets useful for reducing their insecurities.

Originality/value

Researchers using this method need to be well prepared to deal with possible emotional trauma, and to this end, we provide some guidelines for the effective implementation of body mapping.
Developing a framework for integrating blockchain technology into earthquake risk mitigation and disaster management strategies of smart cities
Authors: Habib Ahed , Alnaemi Abdulrahman , Habib Maan
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Earthquakes pose a significant challenge to human safety and the durability of infrastructure, highlighting the urgent need for innovative disaster management strategies. This study addresses the gap in current earthquake disaster management approaches, which are often related to issues of transparency, centralization and sluggish response times. By exploring the integration of blockchain technology into seismic hazard management, the purpose of the research is to overcome these limitations by offering a novel framework for integrating blockchain technology into earthquake risk mitigation and disaster management strategies of smart cities.

Design/methodology/approach

This study develops an innovative approach to address these issues by introducing a blockchain-based seismic monitoring and automated decision support system for earthquake disaster management in smart cities. This research aims to capitalize on the benefits of blockchain technology, specifically its real-time data accessibility, decentralization and automation capabilities, to enhance earthquake disaster management. The methodology employed integrates seismic monitoring data into a blockchain framework, ensuring accurate, reliable and comprehensive information. Additionally, smart contracts are utilized to handle decision-making and enable rapid responses during earthquake disasters, offering an effective alternative to traditional approaches.

Findings

The study results highlight the system’s potential to foster reliability, decentralization and efficiency in earthquake disaster management, promoting enhanced collaboration among stakeholders and facilitating swift actions to minimize human and capital loss. This research lays the foundation for further exploration of blockchain technology’s practical applications in other disaster management contexts and its potential to transform traditional practices.

Originality/value

Current methodologies, while contributing to the reduction of earthquake-related impacts, are often hindered by limitations such as lack of transparency, centralization and slow response times. In contrast, the adoption of blockchain technology can address these challenges and offer benefits over various aspects, including decentralized control, improved security, real-time data accessibility and enhanced inter-organizational collaboration.
Marketing odyssey for a digitally native brand: a case study of Sunbird Straws
Authors: Modi Shailavi , Balaji Vedha , Datta Pallavi , Singh Yugantar
Published: May 2024

Research methodology

The case study incorporated a combination of primary and secondary data collection approach. The authors interviewed Dr Varghese, the co-founder of Sunbird Straws and the protagonist in this case study. In addition, secondary data was obtained from various sources such as newspaper articles, journal publications and company reports.

Case overview/synopsis

On a rosy and vibrant morning in 2017, Dr Saji Varghese, a professor at Christ University in Bangalore, stumbled upon a curved coconut leaf on the campus resembling a straw. This sparked his motivation to transform coconut leaves into a natural straw, prompting him to initiate experiments with coconut leaves in his kitchen. The process of boiling and straining leaves became his method for crafting an eco-friendly straw. After numerous attempts, he successfully produced straws from coconut leaves, introducing a distinctive and creative concept incubated at IIM Bangalore. These unique straws, crafted by Varghese, prioritised environmental friendliness and were also crafted entirely from biodegradable materials, free from harmful chemicals. These straws demonstrated durability in hot and cold beverages for up to 3 h, maintaining their integrity without becoming soggy or leaking. As the business flourished, it reached a critical juncture. The primary challenge centred around product marketing, mainly due to consumer unfamiliarity with such sustainable straws. This was a product that also fell under the category of low involvement for consumers. Raising awareness about the product and persuading consumers to purchase presented a significant hurdle. In response, Varghese assigned his team to develop cost-effective marketing strategies. Given the start-up nature of the business, advertising budgets were constrained, and the objective was to achieve a positive return on advertising spend for every investment in advertising the product. In addition, the focus was on increasing the likelihood of selling the straws on both business-to-business and business-to-consumer levels. In this case study, Varghese’s role and predicament exemplify the delicate equilibrium that entrepreneurs frequently grapple with, striking a balance between marketing strategy and return on ad spent to steer the trajectory of their businesses. It offered a valuable examination of the nuanced decisions marketers encounter as they strive for both profitability and customer-centric products.

Complexity academic level

The case study is relevant to the marketing discipline. All undergraduate and postgraduate-level marketing courses in higher education institutions can use this case study. It can also be used in integrated marketing communication or digital marketing classes. It can be used further in the hospitality and management fields. Also, online courses in marketing can include this case study.
Using multi‐scale spatial models of dendritic ecosystems to infer abundance of a stream salmonid
Authors: Lu Xinyi , Kanno Yoichiro , Valentine George P. , Rash Jacob M. , Hooten Mevin B.
Published: May 2024

Understanding patterns of species abundance is essential for planning landscape‐level conservation. The complex hierarchies of dendritic ecosystems result in different levels of heterogeneity at distinct geographic scales. Species responses to dynamic environmental drivers may also vary spatially depending on their interactions with landscape features. Monitoring abundance by explicitly quantifying their spatial and temporal variation is important for strategic management.

We analysed brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis) count data collected from 173 sites in western North Carolina between 1989 and 2015. We developed a Bayesian hierarchical model that used single‐ and multi‐pass electro‐fishing data and characterized their respective capture probabilities. We quantified spatial variation using a multi‐scale process model representative of the nested stream habitats, and we investigated differences in population temporal trends and responses to seasonal weather patterns by space and life stage.

Trout abundance was lower on the Atlantic slope of the Eastern Continental Divide than in the interior, on average, and the Atlantic slope juveniles were more adversely affected by high winter flows. However, Atlantic slope populations of both lifestages demonstrated positive temporal trends, whereas Interior juveniles demonstrated a negative trend. We found higher spatial variation than temporal variation in abundance when conditioned on the covariates, where the primary source of spatial heterogeneity was revealed at the segment level, compared to watershed or network levels.

Our multi‐scale spatial model outperformed simpler models in abundance estimation and out‐of‐sample prediction. The inferred per‐pass capture probabilities indicated that single‐pass surveys were as efficient as multi‐pass surveys.

Synthesis and applications. Our study suggested conservation priority should involve multiple criteria, including present‐day abundance, temporal trend and sensitivity to environmental drivers. Based on the inferred scale‐specific variations in trout abundance, we recommend that future surveys strategically combine single‐pass surveys with multi‐pass surveys to optimize abundance estimation. Our approach is widely applicable to other species and ecosystems occupying dendritic habitats.
Cows, Communities, and Religious Responses to the 1865–66 British Rinderpest Outbreak*
Authors: Hardwick Joseph
Published: May 2024

The devastating outbreak of rinderpest in the British Isles in 1865–66 — the so‐called “cattle plague” — was a significant event in Victorian Britain, one that did much to shape British agriculture, animal disease control, and veterinary medicine. This article argues that the cattle plague also had long‐term significance for the relationship between the Church of England and non‐human animals. During eighteenth‐century rinderpest outbreaks, Anglican clergy had rarely considered the suffering animals. In 1865–66 and afterwards, services in Anglican churches increasingly involved animal themes, issues, and presences. From this time, it became usual for Anglicans to mark moments of severe animal disease with special prayers and services. The crisis also encouraged changes in how Church of England clergy, and ministers in other Christian denominations, spoke about animals in sermons. During the outbreak of rinderpest, there was a sharpened awareness of the extent to which cows and humans had common interests and inhabited a shared community. A heightened appreciation of the bonds and interdependencies between people and farmed animals, the article suggests, had much significance for ecological thinking among nineteenth‐century ministers of religion. The article argues for the distinctive status of cattle in modern Christianity.