bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A cytokine-responsive promoter is required for distal enhancer function mediating the hundreds-fold increase in milk protein gene expression during lactation
Authors: Lee Hye Kyung , Liu Chengyu , Hennighausen Lothar
Published: February 2023

During lactation, specialized cells in the mammary gland produce milk to nourish the young. Milk protein genes are controlled by distal enhancers activating expression several hundred-fold during lactation. However, the role of promoter elements is not understood. We addressed this issue using theCsn2gene, which accounts for 10% of mRNA in mammary tissue. We identified STAT5 and other mammary transcription factors binding to three distal candidate enhancers and a cytokine-response promoter element. While deletion of the enhancers or the introduction of an inactivating mutation in a single promoter element had a marginable effect, their combined loss led to a 99.99% reduction ofCsn2expression. Our findings reveal the essential role of a promoter element in the exceptional activation of a milk protein gene and highlight the importance of analyzing regulatory elements in their native genomic context to fully understand the multifaceted functions of enhancer clusters and promoters.
Speeding up interval estimation forR2-based mediation effect of high-dimensional mediators via cross-fitting
Authors: Xu Zhichao , Li Chunlin , Chi Sunyi , Yang Tianzhong , Wei Peng
Published: February 2023

Mediation analysis is a useful tool in investigating how molecular phenotypes such as gene expression mediate the effect of exposure on health outcomes. However, commonly used mean-based total mediation effect measures may suffer from cancellation of component-wise mediation effects in opposite directions in the presence of high-dimensional omics mediators. To overcome this limitation, we recently proposed a variance-based R-squared total mediation effect measure that relies on the computationally intensive nonparametric bootstrap for confidence interval estimation. In the work described herein, we formulated a more efficient two-stage, cross-fitted estimation procedure for theR2measure. To avoid potential bias, we performed iterative Sure Independence Screening (iSIS) in two subsamples to exclude the non-mediators, followed by ordinary least squares regressions for the variance estimation. We then constructed confidence intervals based on the newly derived closed-form asymptotic distribution of theR2measure. Extensive simulation studies demonstrated that this proposed procedure is much more computationally efficient than the resampling-based method, with comparable coverage probability. Furthermore, when applied to the Framingham Heart Study, the proposed method replicated the established finding of gene expression mediating age-related variation in systolic blood pressure and identified the role of gene expression profiles in the relationship between sex and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol level. The proposed estimation procedure is implemented in R packageCFR2M.
Vaginal bacteria elicit acute inflammatory response in fallopian tube organoids: a model for pelvic inflammatory disease
Authors: Yu Bo , Nguyen Edward B. , McCartney Stephen , Strenk Susan , Valint Daniel , Liu Congzhou , Haggerty Catherine , Fredricks David N.
Published: February 2023

Objective

To facilitatein vitromechanistic studies in pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) and subsequent tubal factor infertility, as well as ovarian carcinogenesis, we sought to establish patient tissue derived fallopian tube (FT) organoids and to study their inflammatory response to acute vaginal bacterial infection.

Design

Experimental study.

Setting

Academic medical and research center.

Patients

FT tissues were obtained from four patients after salpingectomy for benign gynecological diseases.

Interventions

We introduced acute infection in the FT organoid culture system by inoculating the organoid culture media with two common vaginal bacterial species,Lactobacillus crispatusandFannyhessea vaginae.

Main Outcome Measures

The inflammatory response elicited in the organoids after acute bacterial infection was analyzed by the expression profile of 249 inflammatory genes.

Results

Compared to the negative controls that were not cultured with any bacteria, the organoids cultured with either bacterial species showed multiple differentially expressed inflammatory genes. Marked differences were noted between theLactobacillus crispatusinfected organoids and those infected byFannyhessea vaginae. Genes from the C-X-C motif chemokine ligand (CXCL) family were highly upregulated inF. vaginaeinfected organoids. Flow cytometry showed that immune cells quickly disappeared during the organoid culture, indicating the inflammatory response observed with bacterial culture was generated by the epithelial cells in the organoids.

Conclusion

Patient tissue derived FT organoids respond to acute bacterial infection with upregulation of inflammatory genes specific to different vaginal bacterial species. FT organoids is a useful model system to study the host-pathogen interaction during bacterial infection which may facilitate mechanistic investigations in PID and its contribution to tubal factor infertility and ovarian carcinogensis.
Horizontal gene transfer and CRISPR targeting drive phage-bacterial host interactions and coevolution in pink berry marine microbial aggregates
Authors: Kosmopoulos James C. , Campbell Danielle E. , Whitaker Rachel J. , Wilbanks Elizabeth G.
Published: February 2023

Bacteriophages (phages), viruses that infect bacteria, are the most abundant components of microbial communities and play roles in community dynamics and host evolution. The study of phage-host interactions, however, is made difficult by a paucity of model systems from natural environments and known and cultivable phage-host pairs. Here, we investigate phage-host interactions in the ”pink berry” consortia, naturally-occurring, low-diversity, macroscopic aggregates of bacteria found in the Sippewissett Salt Marsh (Falmouth, MA, USA). We leverage metagenomic sequence data and a comparative genomics approach to identify eight compete phage genomes, infer their bacterial hosts from host-encoded clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR), and observe the potential evolutionary consequences of these interactions. Seven of the eight phages identified infect the known pink berry symbiontsDesulfofustissp. PB-SRB1,Thiohalocapsasp. PB-PSB1, andRhodobacteraceaesp. A2, and belong to entirely novel viral taxa, except for one genome which represents the second member of theKnuthellervirusgenus. We further observed increased nucleotide variation over a region of a conserved phage capsid gene that is commonly targeted by host CRISPR systems, suggesting that CRISPRs may drive phage evolution in pink berries. Finally, we identified a predicted phage lysin gene that was horizontally transferred to its bacterial host, potentially via a transposon intermediary, emphasizing the role of phages in bacterial evolution in pink berries. Taken together, our results demonstrate that pink berry consortia contain diverse and variable phages, and provide evidence for phage-host co-evolution via multiple mechanisms in a natural microbial system.

IMPORTANCE

Phages (viruses that infect bacteria) are important components of all microbial systems, where they drive the turnover of organic matter by lysing host cells, facilitate horizontal gene transfer (HGT), and co-evolve with their bacterial hosts. Bacteria resist phage infection, which is often costly or lethal, through a diversity of mechanisms. One of these mechanisms are CRISPR systems, which encode arrays of phage-derived sequences from past infections to block subsequent infection with related phages. Here, we investigate bacteria and phage populations from a simple marine microbial community known as “pink berries” found in salt marshes of Falmouth, Massachusetts, as a model of phage-host co-evolution. We identify eight novel phages, and characterize a case of putative CRISPR-driven phage evolution and an instance of HGT between phage and host, together suggesting that phages have large evolutionary impacts in a naturally-occuring microbial community.
Non-destructive DNA metabarcoding of arthropods using collection medium from passive traps
Authors: Sire Lucas , Schmidt Yáñez Paul , Bézier Annie , Courtial Béatrice , Mbedi Susan , Sparmann Sarah , Larrieu Laurent , Rougerie Rodolphe , Bouget Christophe , Monaghan Michael T. , Herniou Elisabeth A. , Lopez-Vaamonde Carlos
Published: February 2023

Background

Broad-scale monitoring of arthropods is often carried out with passive traps (e.g. Malaise traps) that can collect thousands of specimens per sample. The identification of individual specimens requires time and taxonomic expertise, limiting the geographical and temporal scale of research and monitoring studies. DNA metabarcoding of bulk-sample homogenates is faster and has been found to be efficient and reliable, but is destructive and prevents a posteriori validation of species occurrences and/or relative abundances. Non-destructive DNA metabarcoding from the collection medium has been applied in a limited number of studies, but further tests of efficiency are required in a broader range of circumstances to assess the consistency of the method.

Methods

We quantified the detection rate of arthropod species when applying non-destructive DNA metabarcoding with a short (127-bp) fragment of mitochondrial COI on two types of passive traps and collection media: 1) water with monopropylene glycol (H2O–MPG) used in window-flight traps (WFT, 53 in total); 2) ethanol with monopropylene glycol (EtOH–MPG) used in Malaise traps (MT, 27 in total). We then compared our results with those obtained for the same samples using morphological identification (for WFTs) or destructive metabarcoding of bulk homogenate (for MTs). This comparison was applied as part of a larger study of arthropod species richness in silver fir (Abies alba) stands across a range of climate-induced tree dieback levels and forest management strategies.

Results

Of the 53 H2O-MPG samples from WFTs, 16 produced no metabarcoding results, while the remaining 37 samples yielded 77 arthropod MOTUs in total. None of those MOTUs were shared species with the 389 morphological taxa (343 of which were Coleoptera) obtained from the same traps. Metabarcoding of 26 EtOH–MPG samples from MTs detected more arthropod MOTUs (233) and insect orders (11) than destructive metabarcoding of homogenate (146 MOTUs, 8 orders). Arachnida and Collembola were more diverse in EtOH-MPG samples, but Hymenoptera, Coleoptera and Lepidoptera were less represented than in homogenate. Overall, MOTU richness per trap similar for EtOH–MPG (21.81 MOTUs) than for homogenate (32.4 MOTUs). Arthropod communities from EtOH–MPG and homogenate metabarcoding were relatively distinct, with 162 MOTUs (53%) unique to the collection medium and only 71 MOTUs (23%) present in both treatments. Finally, collection medium did not reveal any significant changes in arthropod richness along a disturbance gradient in silver fir forests. We conclude that DNA metabarcoding of collection medium can be used to complement homogenate metabarcoding in inventories to favour the detection of soft-bodied arthropods like spiders.
Widespread natural selection on metabolite levels in humans
Authors: Timasheva Yanina , Lepik Kaido , Liska Orsolya , Papp Balázs , Kutalik Zoltán
Published: February 2023

Natural selection acts ubiquitously on complex human traits, predominantly constraining the occurrence of extreme phenotypes (stabilizing selection). These constrains propagate to DNA sequence variants associated with traits under selection. The genetic imprints of such evolutionary events can thus be detected via combining effect size estimates from genetic association studies and the corresponding allele frequencies. While this approach has been successfully applied to high-level traits, the prevalence and mode of selection acting on molecular traits remains poorly understood. Here, we estimate the action of natural selection on genetic variants associated with metabolite levels, an important layer of molecular traits. By leveraging summary statistics of published genome-wide association studies with large sample sizes, we find strong evidence of stabilizing selection for 15 out of 97 plasma metabolites, with an overrepresentation of amino acids among such cases. Mendelian randomization analysis revealed that metabolites under stronger stabilizing selection display larger effects on key cardiometabolic traits, suggesting that maintaining a healthy cardiometabolic profile may be an important source of selective constraints on the metabolome. Metabolites under strong stabilizing selection in humans are also more conserved in their concentrations among diverse mammalian species, suggesting shared selective forces across micro and macroevolutionary time scales. Finally, we also found evidence for both disruptive and directional selection on specific lipid metabolites, potentially indicating ongoing evolutionary adaptation in humans. Overall, this study demonstrates that variation in metabolite levels among humans is frequently shaped by natural selection and this may be acting indirectly through maintaining cardiometabolic fitness.
A novel chimeric RNA originating from BmCPV S4 andBombyx moriHDAC11 transcripts regulates virus proliferation
Authors: Pan Jun , Wei Shulin , Qiu Qunnan , Tong Xinyu , Shen Zeen , Zhu Min , Hu Xiaolong , Gong Chengliang
Published: February 2023

Polymerases encoded by segmented negative-strand RNA viruses cleave 5’-m7G-capped host transcripts to prime viral mRNA synthesis (‘‘cap-snatching’’) to generate chimeric RNA, and trans-splicing occurs between viral and cellular transcripts.Bombyx moricytoplasmic polyhedrosis virus (BmCPV), an RNA virus belonging to Reoviridae, is a major pathogen of silkworm (B. mori). The genome of BmCPV consists of 10 segmented double-stranded RNAs (S1-S10) from which viral RNAs encoding a protein are transcribed. In this study, chimeric silkworm-BmCPV RNAs, in which the sequence derived from the silkworm transcript could fuse with both the 5’ end and the 3’ end of viral RNA, were identified in the midgut of BmCPV-infected silkworms by RNA_seq and further confirmed by PCR and Sanger sequencing. A novel chimeric RNA, HDAC11-S4 RNA 4, derived from silkworm histone deacetylase 11 (HDAC11) and the BmCPV S4 transcript encoding viral structural protein 4 (VP4), was selected for validation byin situhybridization and Northern blotting. Interestingly, our results indicated that HDAC11-S4 RNA 4 was generated in a BmCPV RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp)-independent manner and could be translated into a truncated BmCPV VP4 with a silkworm HDAC11-derived N-terminal extension. Moreover, it was confirmed that HDAC11-S4 RNA 4 inhibited BmCPV proliferation, decreased the level of H3K9me3 and increased the level of H3K9ac. These results indicated that during infection with BmCPV, a novel mechanism, different from that described in previous reports, allows the genesis of chimeric silkworm-BmCPV RNAs with biological functions.

Graphical abstract
A Cas9-fusion proximity-based approach generates anIrak1-Mecp2tandem duplication mouse model for the study of MeCP2 duplication syndrome
Authors: Maino Eleonora , Scott Ori , Rizvi Samar Z. , Visuvanathan Shagana , Zablah Youssif Ben , Li Hongbin , Sengar Ameet S. , Salter Michael W. , Jia Zhengping , Rossant Janet , Cohn Ronald D. , Gu Bin , Ivakine Evgueni A.
Published: February 2023

MECP2 duplication syndrome (MDS) is a neurodevelopmental disorder caused by tandem duplication of theMECP2locus and its surrounding genes, includingIRAK1. Current MDS mouse models involve transgenic expression ofMECP2only, limiting their applicability to the study of the disease. Herein, we show that an efficient and precise CRISPR/Cas9 fusion proximity-based approach can be utilized to generate anIrak1-Mecp2tandem duplication mouse model. TheMecp2 Dupmodel displays a neurological phenotype in keeping with MDS and demonstrates an abnormal immune response to infection not previously observed in other mouse models, possibly stemming from concurrentIrak1overexpression. TheMecp2 Dupmouse line thus provides an innovative tool to investigate disease mechanisms and potential therapeutic development.
Two decades of workplace ecological behaviour: a systematic literature review
Authors: Farooq Khalid , Yusliza Mohd Yusoff
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This research offered a systematic and comprehensive literature review in analysing current studies on employee ecological behaviour (EEB) strategies and settings to determine various emphasised workplace ecological behaviour areas and contribute a precise mapping for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

This systematic literature review method involved 106 peer-reviewed articles published in reputable academic journals (between 2000 and the first quarter of 2021). This study was confined to a review of empirical papers derived from digital databases encompassing the terms ‘Employee green behaviour’, ‘Green behaviour at workplace’, ‘Employee ecological behaviour’, ‘Employee Pro-environmental behaviour’ and ‘Pro-environmental behaviour at workplace’ in the titles.

Findings

This study identified relevant journal articles (classified as EEB at work) from the current body of knowledge. Notably, much emphasis was identified on EEB over the past two decades. Overall, most studies employing quantitative approaches in both developed and emerging nations. Notably, ecological behaviour application garnered the most significant attention from scholars among the four focus areas in the literature review: (i) EEB concepts, models, or reviews, (ii) EEB application, (iii) EEB determinants and (iv) EEB outcomes.

Practical implications

Significant literature gaps indicate this field to be a relatively novel phenomenon. Thus, rigorous research on the topic proves necessary to develop a holistic understanding of the subject area.

Originality/value

This study expands the current body of knowledge by providing the first comprehensive systematic review on EEB themes, methods, applications, determinants, contextual focus, outcomes and recommending future research agenda.
Does investment committee mitigate the risk of financial distress in GCC? The role of investment inefficiency
Authors: Al-Dhamari Redhwan , Al-Wesabi Hamid , Farooque Omar Al , Tabash Mosab I. , El Refae Ghaleb A.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to empirically examine how the voluntary formation of a specialised investment committee (IC) and IC characteristics affect financial distress risk (FDR) and whether such impact is influenced by the level of investment inefficiency.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a large sample of Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) non-financial companies during 2006–2016. A principal component analysis is done to aggregate and derive a factor score for IC characteristics (i.e. independence, size and meeting) as a proxy for the effectiveness of IC. This study also uses three measurements of FDR to corroborate the findings and partitions sample firms into overinvesting and underinvesting companies to examine the potential impact of investment inefficiency on the IC–FDR nexus.

Findings

Using feasible generalised least square estimation method, the authors document that the likelihood of financial distress occurrence decreases for firms with separate ICs. The authors also find that firms with effective ICs enjoy lower FDR. In other words, the probability of financial distress minimises if the IC is large, meets frequently and has a high number of independent directors. However, the authors find neither any moderation nor any mediation effect of investment inefficiency for the impact of IC and IC attributes on FDR. The additional analysis indicates the expected benefits of an actively performing IC are amplified for firms with risk of both over- and underinvestment. These findings are robust to alternative measures of FDR and investment inefficiency, sub-sample analysis and endogeneity concerns.

Originality/value

This study, to the best of researchers’ knowledge, is the first to provide evidence in GCC firms’ perspective, suggesting that the existence of an effective IC is associated with a lower risk of financial distress, and to some extent, the economic benefits of IC are aggrandised for companies with a high probability of over- and underinvestment problems. These results are unique and contribute to a small but growing body of literature documenting the need for effective ICs and their economic consequences on investment efficiency in the FDR environment. The findings of this study carry valuable practical implications for regulatory bodies, policymakers, investors and other interested parties in the GCC region.
The relationship between macroeconomic variables on residential property price: case study in Malaysia before and during COVID-19
Authors: Zulkarnain Siti Hafsah , Nawi Abdol Samad
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to analyse numerous aspects affecting residential property price in Malaysia against macroeconomics issues such as gross domestic product (GDP), exchange rate, unemployment and wage.

Design/methodology/approach

The hedonic pricing model has been adopted as econometric model for this research to investigate the relationship between residential property price against macroeconomics indicator. The data for residential property price and macroeconomic variables were collected from 1991 to 2019. Multiple linear regression had been adopted to find the relationship between the dependent and independent variables.

Findings

The result shows that the GDP has a significant positive impact on residential property price, while exchange rate has no significant impact although it was positive. In addition, the unemployment rate has a significant impact on the residential property price and has a negative relationship. Similar to the wage that shows the negative relationship with residential property prices. Moreover, during the pandemic COVID-19 in Malaysia, this research shows a more transparent view of the relationship between residential property price and the macroeconomic issues of GDP, exchange rate, unemployment and wage.

Originality/value

The findings of this research found that macroeconomics issue cannot be eliminated due to Malaysia is a developing country, and there will always be an issue that will happen, but the issues can be reduced to maximise the advantages, e.g. during COVID-19, the solution to fight against COVID-19 were crucial and weaken the macroeconomics issues.
A Choquet integral-based TODIM method for q-rung trapezoidal fuzzy numbers and its application in group decision-making
Authors: Wan Benting , Huang Juelin
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a multi-attribute group decision-making (MAGDM) method under the q-rung orthopair trapezoidal fuzzy environment, which calculates the interaction between the criteria depending on the proposed q-rung orthopair trapezoidal fuzzy aggregation Choquet integral (q-ROTrFACI) and employ TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese of Interactive and Multi-criteria Decision Making) to consider the risk psychology of decision-makers, to determine the optimal ranking of alternatives.

Design/methodology/approach

In MAGDM, q-rung orthopair trapezoidal fuzzy numbers (q-ROTrFNs) are efficient to indicate the quantitative vagueness of decision-makers. The q-ROTrFACI operator is defined and some properties are proved. Then, a novel similarity measure is developed by fusing the area and coordinates of the q-rung orthopair trapezoidal fuzzy function. Based on the above, a Choquet integral-based TODIM (CI-TODIM) method to consider the risk psychology of decision-makers is proposed and two cases are provided to prove superiority of the method.

Findings

The paper investigates q-ROTrFACI operator to productively solve problems with interdependent criteria. Then, an approach is proposed to determine the center point of q--ROTrFNs and a q-rung orthopair trapezoidal fuzzy similarity is constructed. Furthermore, CI-TODIM method is devised based on the proposed q-ROTrFACI operator and similarity in q-rung orthopair trapezoidal fuzzy context. The illustration example of business models' solutions and hypertension health management are given to demonstrate the effectiveness and superiority of proposed method.

Originality/value

The paper develops a novel CI-TODIM method that effectively solves the MAGDM problems under the premise of fully considering the priority of criteria and the risk preference of decision-makers, which provides guiding advantages for practical decision-making and enriches the application of decision-making theory.
Exploring colliding logics of supply chains and business ecosystems in purchasing and supply management
Authors: Andersen Poul Houman , Laursen Linda Nhu , Møller Morten Munkgaard
Published: February 2023

Purpose

A shift in supply management is underway. Nonlinear connections of buyers and sellers in business ecosystems challenge conventional supply management practice. Digital technologies and network connectivity lower the costs of connecting and collaborating with loosely related external parties. This paper aims to explore how this challenges conventional purchasing and supply management (PSM) practice.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper builds on the extended case research method. It is based on a theoretical conceptualization, which is explored through a case study.

Findings

The authors find that both supply management’s contribution to value creation, value appropriation and collaborative interfaces change with the emergence of multifaceted business systems.

Research limitations/implications

The paper is developed within a specific industrial context, and the findings are not directly transferrable to other contexts. However, the authors believe that on an analytical level, there is value in transferring the insights into other manufacturing contexts.

Practical implications

Managers must challenge the taken-for-granted thinking that follows from linear supply management practices and start rehearsing the role of PSM when dealing with supplies from business ecosystem lead firms.

Originality/value

This research takes up a novel issue, highly relevant for PSM practitioners as well as for theory. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, nothing has been written about the colliding business logics of conventional PSM and that of business ecosystems.
Small-sized asset owners’ OCIO selections and evaluations
Authors: Park Deahyeon , Ryu Doo Jin
Published: February 2023

This study analyzes small-sized asset owners’ optimal choice problems in selecting an outsourced chief investment officer (OCIO). While large-sized asset owners can select OCIOs through procurement auctions, it is difficult for small-sized asset owners to use this method. Instead, they access OCIO services by participating in an investment pool or utilizing OCIO funds. In this study, the authors compare the two OCIO selection methods. The authors construct an agent-based model for OCIO selection to reflect the heterogeneity in production efficiency and preferences. The results of this study imply that when the market has enough investment pools, the utility of all small-sized asset owners increases. To enhance the growth in the OCIO market, the investment pool should represent the preferences of small-sized asset owners and enable individual owners to find an appropriate OCIO.
Earnings performance of financial and non-financial IPOs in India: an empirical analysis based on market timing
Authors: Dhanda Sunaina , Singh Shveta
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to see if market timing predicts the first reporting of earnings performance after the issue, i.e. the issue-year earnings performance. Furthermore, this study examines the behaviour of financial and non-financial issuers’ performance in the light of varied market timings.

Design/methodology/approach

This study focuses on 785 NSE-listed initial public offerings that took place between April 2010 and December 2021. This study evaluates market timing by using moving averages. Using multiple regression analysis, the research further investigates the impact of market timing on issue-year earnings performance for financial and non-financial issuers on the basis of an interaction (moderation) effect.

Findings

This study finds that there is a significant presence of market timing in India, which predicts issue-year earnings performance. This study also demonstrates that hot market issuers’ performance is heavily influenced by market timing for non-financial issuers only. However, financial companies are not influenced by market timing.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study will assist the potential investors, analysts and stakeholders about performance of public issuers in India. Lower earnings performance for hot market non-financial issuers implies that the issuers’ market performance may not be supported by earnings figures. A market performance that is not synchronous with earnings will not last long. The findings of this study hold implications to the regulators as well to keep an eye on issuers’ earnings performance alongside the stock performance. Apart from that, the observations in context of financial and non-financial issuers provide insight about the variation in performance of public issues on the basis of background.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the only study to examine earnings performance in the context of market timing in India. This study holds significance in terms of methodology for anticipating the presence of market timing and the study of interaction effects. Moreover, it is one of the few studies that has focused on comparing financial and non-financial issuers around the world.
Green project management practices, green knowledge acquisition and sustainable competitive advantage: empirical evidence
Authors: Malik Mehwish , Ali Murad , Latan Hengky , Chiappetta Jabbour Charbel Jose
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This study aims to envisage the impact of green project management (GPM) practices on sustainable competitive advantage (SCA). Moreover, this study also accessed the mediating role of green knowledge acquisition (GKA) as a mechanism between GPM and SCA.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative field survey, the data were collected from the multi-sector manufacturing enterprises (n = 265) in Pakistan. The measurement and structural model were tested through Analysis of Moment Structure by conducting a covariance structure analysis.

Findings

The findings suggest that GPM practices are positively related to SCA. In addition to this direct effect, GKA play a significant role in explaining the associations between GPM practices and SCA. The findings bring essential insights for the enterprises, policymakers, practitioners and project managers to promote GPM practices for low-carbon projects to achieve SCA.

Research limitations/implications

The data used in this study is cross-sectional in nature. The geographic location is limited to firms in Pakistan, while well-validated subjective measures are used to make the survey more convenient for participants.

Practical implications

The practitioners in general, while project managers in particular, are recommended to implement GPM practices and GKA to achieve high performance of SCA.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies to examine GPM practices and its effect on SCA directly and via GKA in a single model.
Energizing and depleting? The daily effects of organizationally focused citizenship behaviors
Authors: Kelemen Thomas , Matthews Samuel , Henry Sarah , Zhang Yejun , Bradley Bret
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Prior research suggests that organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) can have both positive and negative effects on employees; however, it is unclear about the mediating mechanisms of this relationship and how the effects of challenging and supportive OCB may differ. Drawing on the dual-pathway model of proactivity and OCB research, the authors derive a theoretical model that attempts to reveal how different types of employees' daily organizationally focused citizenship behaviors can affect employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine the relationships using a daily-diary study using experience sampling methodology (ESM). The survey includes 72 employees who completed three surveys a day for 10 working days resulting in 614 daily observations.

Findings

The authors find that advocacy participation increases perceptions of prosocial impact, which in turn increases daily job satisfaction; the authors also find that advocacy participation decreases ego depletion, which then reduces daily job stress. Daily voice likewise increases perceptions of prosocial impact, which in turn increases daily job satisfaction; however, unlike advocacy participation, voice increases ego depletion, which then increases daily job stress.

Originality/value

The study is one of the first studies to simultaneously examine the personal perceptions and emotions of engaging in daily organizationally focused OCB and recognize the fact that different types of prosocial behavior have differential outcomes. The authors also extend prior research by documenting the mechanisms by which OCB impacts employees.
How emotions impact the interactive value formation process during problematic social media interactions
Authors: Frau Moreno , Cabiddu Francesca , Frigau Luca , Tomczyk Przemysław , Mola Francesco
Published: February 2023

Purpose

Previous research has studied interactive value formation (IVF) using resource- or practice-based approaches but has neglected the role of emotions. This article aims to show how emotions are correlated in problematic social media interactions and explore their role in IVF.

Design/methodology/approach

By combining a text mining algorithm, nonparametric Spearman's rho and thematic qualitative analysis in an explanatory sequential mixed-method design, the authors (1) categorize customers' comments as positive, neutral or negative; (2) pinpoint peaks of negative comments; (3) classify problematic interactions as detrimental, contradictory or conflictual; (4) identify customers' main positive (joy, trust and surprise) and negative emotions (anger, dissatisfaction, disgust, fear and sadness) and (5) correlate these emotions.

Findings

Despite several problematic social interactions, the same pattern of emotions appears but with different intensities. Additionally, value co-creation, value no-creation and value co-destruction co-occur in a context of problematic social interactions (peak of negative comments).

Originality/value

This study provides new insights into the effect of customers' emotions during IVF by studying the links between positive and negative emotions and their effects on different sorts of problematic social interactions.
Auditor – client match: timing of auditor change following mismatch and improvement through the change
Authors: Lai Kam-Wah , Leung Patrick W.
Published: February 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to first investigate auditor change following mismatch by focusing on the number of times mismatch occurred prior to auditor change and on clients mismatched continuously with auditors for two or more years. Subsequently, it studies the relation of mismatch in the current year with auditor change for clients mismatched in the past year. These issues are important because of the call for regulatory intervention in auditor selection. If market forces achieve improvement in matching, then those forces should be relied upon in auditor selection.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adapts the literature to estimate mismatch and uses logistic regressions on an auditor change model to study the timing of auditor change by mismatched clients and on a mismatch model to examine improvement in matching following auditor change.

Findings

This paper finds that the more frequent mismatches occurred in the past four years, the higher the likelihood of switching in the current year. Clients mismatched continuously for two or more years are more likely to change auditors. This paper also reports that mismatched clients who switch auditors are less likely to be mismatched again after the switch.

Research limitations/implications

Because market forces reduce mismatch through auditor change, free choice by clients and auditors should be allowed, and regulatory intervention should be introduced cautiously. As investors and other users of financial statements have an interest in seeing that clients get the appropriate auditors for the audit, they will be assured that market forces could achieve the purpose. Thus, the results of this paper address public concern in the regulatory regime and support current audit market practices.

Originality/value

Prior studies assume a one-year time frame for auditor change to follow mismatch. This paper relaxes this assumption, to better reflect audit market practices, by showing that clients who are more often mismatched with auditors or those mismatched continuously for two or more years could also change auditors. Furthermore, prior studies find that mismatching motivates auditor change, but they do not show that matching improves after the change. This paper extends the literature by shedding new light to show that auditor change improves auditor–client matching.
Attitude and post-retirement work intentions: a mediator-moderator effect of job satisfaction and education
Authors: Tarkar Preeti
Published: February 2023

Purpose

The research paper investigated the intentions of superannuated persons toward the post-retirement work. This study aims to examine the role of attitude, job satisfaction and education in post-retirement work intensions.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was administered for collecting the data. It was submitted to the 300 government retirees. Data was analyzed by using Process macro. Intention toward work was used as an outcome variable. Attitude as a predictor variable, job satisfaction as a mediator and education as a moderator variable were used. The impact of attitude on intentions toward work was examined through job satisfaction and education.

Findings

The findings of the research showed the significance of experimented model. Therefore, the positive effect of attitude in determining the intentions has been proved and the effect of mediator-moderator was also significant.

Originality/value

The study is related to retired persons only and suggested that the level of education plays a major role in determining work intentions after retirement. This study addressed a research gap about how the interaction of job satisfaction and education affects the association among attitude and work intentions of superannuated persons.
Gender Differences in the Relationship Between Labour Market Outcomes and Well‐being*
Authors: Biddle Nicholas , Jahromi Maria
Published: February 2023

The COVID‐19 pandemic has had widespread impacts on the labour market and on individuals' well‐being. This paper examines gender differences in the relationship between labour market outcomes and well‐being over the pandemic. We draw on longitudinal data from the ANUpoll survey that has been conducted before COVID‐19 and at several points throughout the pandemic. We find higher levels of well‐being among those who are employed relative to most other labour market outcomes, controlling for individual random effects. These gaps in well‐being are greatly reduced or disappear after controlling for financial circumstances and health. We also observe gender differences in the relationship between well‐being and labour market outcomes, in particular: (i) life satisfaction is more closely related to labour market outcomes for females relative to males, and (ii) there is a stronger association between being unemployed and not actively looking and serious mental distress for males relative to females. Well‐being tends to be lower during lockdowns and during the Omicron wave in January 2022, particularly among females. Our findings have implications for ongoing and future pandemic policies. Where restrictions that reduce employment are necessary, we show that during a pandemic financial support has the potential to reduce or in some cases potentially close the gap in well‐being between those who are employed and those in other employment activities.
Prognostic value of diffuse reduction of spleen density on postoperative survival of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma: A retrospective study
Authors: Zheng Jiuyi , He Bangjie , Deng Liming , Zhu Xuewen , Li Rizhao , Chen Kaiyu , Zheng Chongming , Wang Daojie , Wang Yi , Yu Chang , Chen Gang
Published: February 2023

Purpose

It is difficult to predict the prognosis of patients with pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) before radical operation. The purpose of this study was to explore the connection between the diffuse reduction of spleen density on computed tomography (DROSD) and the postoperative prognosis of patients with PDAC.

Patients and methods

A total of 160 patients with PDAC who underwent radical surgery in the First Affiliated Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University were enrolled. Cox regression analysis was used to cast the overall survival (OS) and evaluate the prognostic factors. Nomogram was used to forecast the possibility of 1‐year, 3‐year, and 5‐year OS. The prediction accuracy and clinical net benefit are performed by concordance index (C‐index), calibration curve, time‐dependent receiver operating characteristics (tdROC), and decision curve analysis.

Results

In multivariable Cox analysis, DROSD is independently related to OS. Advanced age, TNM stage, neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, and severe complications were also independent prognostic factors. The calibration curves of nomogram showed optimal agreement between prediction and observation. The C‐index of nomogram is 0.662 (95%CI, 0.606–0.754). The area under tdROC curve for a 3‐year OS of nomogram is 0.770.

Conclusion

DROSD is an independent risk factor for an OS of PDAC. We developed a nomogram that combined imaging features, clinicopathological factors, and systemic inflammatory response to provide a personalized risk assessment for patients with PDAC.
Demolition and Discontent: Governing the Authoritarian City
Authors: Norton Sean T.
Published: February 2023

The presence of large cities increases the probability of authoritarian breakdown, but the literature has offered
little empirical insight as to how challenges to authoritarian rule develop in urban space. I develop a theory of cities as complex sociopolitical spaces that are difficult to govern, particularly in the absence of democratic institutions. This complexity makes both co‐optation and coercion difficult, meaning the very tactics that authoritarian cities use to control discontent can become its proximate cause. Using a large, city‐financed housing project in Moscow targeted at rewarding regime supporters, I utilize a Bayesian semi‐parametric model to demonstrate that even a seemingly well‐targeted co‐optive exchange contributed to a surprising defeat for the regime in a subsequent municipal election. My results suggest that the relative illegibility of cities plays an important part in the development of opposition to authoritarian rule.
IceAgeSafari in Central Europe along the Rhine Valley migration channel – Mid‐Late Pleistocene spotted, brown, stripped hyena palaeobiogeography and evolution
Authors: Diedrich Cajus G.
Published: February 2023

At the beginning of the Middle Pleistocene (MIS 21, 800,000 BP), three distinct hyenas remained to appear in Europe with the spotted hyena (Crocuta), brown hyena (Parahyaena) and striped hyena (Hyaena). Each developed in monophyletic lineages, whereas rare brown hyenaParahyaena brunnea mosbachensis(Geib, 1915) and striped hyenaHyaena hyaena priscaDe Serres, Dubreuil and Jeanjean, (1828) did not change in their dentition morphology much to their modern forms. Those warm period extinct hyenas did not migrate from Africa over the Rhine Graben migratory channel to Central Europe after the late Mid‐Pleistocene Holsteinian Interglacial (MIS 9). The spotted hyenas took over the niche of European hyenas with their appearance in warm and cold periods. Those used more and more cave entrances as dens between Spain and Siberia. Their more rapid dental change coevolved from the largest “giant hyena”Crocuta brevirostrisBoule, (1893) (Early Pleistocene, MIS 40‐20), overCrocuta intermediaDe Serres, Dubreuil and Jeanjean, 1828 (Early Mid‐Pleistocene, MIS 19‐12),C. praespelaeaSchütt, 1971 (Early Mid‐Pleistocene, MIS 11‐6), toCrocuta crocuta spelaea(Goldfuss, 1823) (Early Mid‐Pleistocene, MIS 5‐3), which is genetically a subspecies to Modern African extantCrocuta crocuta crocutaErxleben, 1777 (MIS 2‐1). Spotted hyenas developed a perfect thick‐skin cutter M1 by elongation and bone crusher conical P4 teeth. This adaptation to their main thick‐skin big game guilt: elephants, rhinos and hippos.
Lactic acidosis after allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplantation potentially related to letermovir
Authors: Manczak Bérénice , Verdier Marie‐Clémence , Dewulf Joseph P. , Lemaitre Florian , Haufroid Vincent , Hantson Philippe
Published: February 2023

A 53‐year‐old woman with a history of acute myeloid leukaemia received a second allogeneic haematopoietic stem cell transplant and was prescribed, among other medications, acyclovir and letermovir (480‐mg daily oral dose) for prophylaxis of, respectively, herpes simplex and cytomegalovirus infection. The patient was admitted in the intensive care unit for dyspnoea and oliguria. Laboratory investigations revealed acute kidney injury but also a severe and progressive lactic acidosis. Liver function tests were within normal range. The combination of lactic acidosis, hypoglycaemia and acylcarnitine profile in plasma raised the suspicion of mitochondrial toxicity. Letermovir therapy was interrupted, and determination of plasma letermovir pharmacokinetics revealed a prolonged terminal half‐life (38.7 h) that was not significantly influenced by continuous venovenous haemofiltration. Exploration for genetic polymorphisms revealed that the patient was SLCO1B1*5/*15 (c.521T>C homozygous carrier and c.388A>G heterozygous carrier) with a predicted nonfunctional organic anion transporting polypeptide 1B1 protein. The relationship between letermovir accumulation and development of lactic acidosis requires further observations.