bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Copper induces p53 unfolding in cancer cells, resulting in invasion and chemoresistance
Authors: von Grabowiecki Yannick , Bell Steven J , Richards Hannah L , Massey Ellie J , Newson Zoe , Tarrant Emma , Morrison Matthew S , Galvin Melanie , Simpson Kathryn L. , Le Quesne John , Aschauer Lydia , Muller Patricia AJ
Published: November 2024

Copper has been shown to play an important role in cancers, enhancing cell proliferation, remodelling the microenvironment and enhancing the function of oncogenes. Here we show that copper turns the tumour suppressor p53 protein into a pro-oncogenic protein.

Mutations in theTP53gene often lead to expression of various mutant p53 proteins. Mutant proteins often lose some or all wild type function and gain novel pro-tumourigenic functions, which can be partially attributed to protein unfolding. Here we show that copper accumulates in tumours, unfolds WTp53 and promotes chemoresistance. Unfolding of WT p53 results in interaction with mutant p53-specific interacting proteins TAp63 and Ago2 and promotes invasion. Interestingly, partially-functional p53 mutants that are frequently observed in lung cancers, are more affected by copper than WTp53. Our results suggest that small increases in copper impair WT p53 function and augment mutant p53 function, which could partially be restored by the chelator Trien.
Metabolic and neuroactivity imbalances in plasma from aniridia patients withPAX6haploinsufficiency
Authors: Cunha Dulce Lima , Kit Vivienne , Skinner Jane , Welch Ailsa A , Moosajee Mariya
Published: November 2024

PAX6 is a transcription factor crucial for the development of the eye, pancreas, and brain. Heterozygous variants resulting inPAX6haploinsufficiency are the main genetic cause of congenital aniridia, characterized by both anterior and posterior ocular defects and sight loss. The extra-ocular features ofPAX6haploinsufficiency are becoming more widely recognised, with systemic manifestations like obesity, diabetes, and neurological/behavioural disorders being reported. In this study, we uncovered the metabolomic profile of the blood plasma from 25PAX6-related aniridia patients compared to gender and age-matched controls. We found significant disruptions in lipid and energy metabolism, increased oxidative stress and neurotransmitters imbalances, as well as alterations linked to the gut microbiome. This study identified novel metabolic changes associated withPAX6haploinsufficiency, providing evidence for the systemic aetiology of congenital aniridia and emphasizing the need for multidisciplinary management and further exploration into ocular and systemic therapeutic approaches.
Menadione reduces the expression of virulence- and colonisation-associated genes inHelicobacter pylori
Authors: Thompson Stephen , Ojo Rebecca Omoyemi , Hoyles Lesley , Winter Jody
Published: November 2024

Novel treatment options are needed for the gastric pathogenHelicobacter pyloridue to its increasing antibiotic resistance. The vitamin K analogue menadione has been extensively studied due to interest in its antibacterial and anti-cancer properties. Here, we investigated the effects of menadione onH. pylorigrowth, viability, antibiotic resistance, motility and gene expression using clinical isolates. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of menadione was 313 µM for 11/13 isolates and 156 µM for 2/13 isolates. The minimum bactericidal concentrations were 1.25-2.5 mM, indicating that concentrations in the micromolar range were bacteriostatic rather than bactericidal. We were not able to experimentally evolve resistance to menadionein vitro. Sub-MIC menadione (16 µM for 24 h) did not significantly inhibit bacterial growth but significantly (p < 0.05) changed the expression of 1291/1615 (79.9 %) genes encoded by strain 322A. Expression of the virulence factor genescagAandvacAwas downregulated in the presence of sub-MIC menadione, while genes involved in stress responses were upregulated. Sub-MIC menadione significantly (p < 0.0001) inhibited the motility ofH. pylori, consistent with the predicted effects of the observed significant (p < 0.05) downregulation ofcheY, upregulation ofrpoN, and changes in expression of flagellar assembly pathway genes seen in the transcriptomic analysis. Through in-depth interrogation of transcriptomics data, we concluded that sub-MIC menadione elicits a general stress response inH. pyloriwith survival in the stationary phase likely mediated by upregulation ofsurEandrpoN. Sub-MIC menadione caused some modest increases inH. pylorisusceptibility to antibiotics, but the effect was variable with strain and antibiotic type and did not reach statistical significance. Menadione (78 µM) was minimally cytotoxic to human gastric adenocarcinoma (AGS) cells after 4 hours but caused significant loss of cell viability after 24 hours.

Given its inhibitory effects on bacterial growth, motility and expression of virulence and colonisation- associated genes, menadione at low micromolar concentrations may have potential utility as a virulence-attenuating agent againstH. pylori.

Data summary

RNAseq data reported on in this study are available to download from ArrayExpress under accession E-MTAB-14439. Supplementary materials associated with this publication are available fromhttps://figshare.com/projects/Menadione_reduces_the_expression_of_virulence-_and_colonisation-associated_genes_in_Helicobacter_pylori/219631.
FOXPGenes Regulate Purkinje Cell Diversity in Cerebellar Development and Evolution
Authors: Khouri-Farah Nagham , Guo Qiuxia , Perry Thomas A. , Dussault Ryan , Li James Y.H.
Published: November 2024

Mammalian cerebellar development is thought to be influenced by distinct Purkinje cell (PC) subtypes. However, the degree of PC heterogeneity and the molecular drivers of this diversity have remained unclear, hindering efforts to manipulate PC diversification and assess its role in cerebellar development. Here, we demonstrate the critical role ofFoxpgenes in cerebellar development by regulating PC diversification. We identified 11 PC subtypes in the embryonic mouse cerebellum through single-cell RNA sequencing. Using a novel unsupervised method, we mapped these subtypes in three-dimensional space, revealing discrete PC subtypes predictive of adult cerebellar organization, including longitudinal stripes and lobules. These subtypes exhibit unique combinations ofFoxp1,Foxp2, andFoxp4expression. Deletion ofFoxp2andFoxp1disrupts PC diversification, leading to altered cerebellar patterning, including the loss of a specificFoxp1-expressing subtype and the cerebellar hemisphere. TheFoxp1-expressing PC subtype is much more abundant in the fetal human cerebellum than in mice, but rare in the chick cerebellum, correlating with cerebellar hemisphere size in these species. This highlights the significance ofFoxp1-expressing PCs in cerebellar hemisphere development and evolution. Therefore, our study identifiesFoxpgenes as key regulators of PC diversity, providing new insights into the developmental and evolutionary underpinnings of the cerebellum.
Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungal genotype and nuclear organization as driving factors in host plant nutrient acquisition and stable carbon storage
Authors: Ferguson Robert , Mugambi Ken , Villeneuve-Laroche Matthew , Kallenbach Cynthia M. , Antunes Pedro M. , Corradi Nicolas
Published: November 2024

Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) are obligate root symbionts of most plants that improve plant growth by transferring nutrients into plant roots through networks of soil hyphae. These hyphal networks represent a carbon sink in soil; thus, it has been suggested that these fungi can also boost atmospheric carbon storage, highlighting their potential role in managing greenhouse emissions. In this study, we aimed to determine whether certain AMF genotypes and nuclear organizations (homokaryons vs heterokaryons) are associated with higher rates of host plant yield and carbon storage.

We compared Sudan-grass (Sorghum × drummondii) AMF inoculation across eight strains ofRhizophagus irregularis: four homokaryotic and four heterokaryotic strains. Sudan-grass was grown in a growth chamber, which included13C-CO2pulse labeling to track plant carbon into AMF.

AMF inoculation increased total and belowground biomass, as well as phosphorous, magnesium, and manganese uptake in the host. Heterokaryons led to greater belowground biomass, as well as less variable increases in shoot phosphorous. Mycorrhizal inputs to soil mineral-associated organic carbon − a highly persistent carbon pool with slow turnover − were overall greater in heterokaryons than in homokaryons but varied significantly among strains.

This indicates that the potential for carbon storage by mycorrhizal carbon inputs varies based on fungal genomic identity and nuclear organization. Overall, inoculation improved the yield of Sudan-grass and resulted in significant inter-strain variation in persistent carbon contributions to the soil. This work highlights the importance of considering genotype and nuclear identity in assessments of AMF as bio-stimulants and drivers of carbon storage.

Societal Impact Statement

It is crucial to develop strategies for reducing our continued excessive global increases in fertilizer applications and to offset CO2emissions. The pervasive underground hyphal networks of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) present an enticing bio-stimulant and carbon sink. We inoculated Sudan-grass plants with eight genotypically distinct strains of a model AMF species to determine if strain identity affects plant growth and carbon storage. We found that plant biomass, nutrient acquisition and stable soil carbon inputs varied among strains, emphasizing the importance of AMF strain identity in the selection of AMF inoculants for optimizing crop yield and carbon storage.
Proximity proteomics provides a new resource for exploring the function of Afadin and the complexity of cell-cell adherens junctions
Authors: Choi Wangsun , Goldfarb Dennis , Yan Feng , Major M. Ben , Fanning Alan S. , Peifer Mark
Published: November 2024

The network of proteins at the interface between cell-cell adherens junctions and the actomyosin cytoskeleton provides robust yet dynamic connections that facilitate cell shape change and motility. While this was initially thought to be a simple linear connection via classic cadherins and their associated catenins, we now have come to appreciate that many more proteins are involved, providing robustness and mechanosensitivity. Defining the full network of proteins in this network remains a key objective in our field. Proximity proteomics provides a means to define these networks. Mammalian Afadin and its Drosophila homolog Canoe are key parts of this protein network, facilitating diverse cell shape changes during gastrulation and other events of embryonic morphogenesis. Here we report results of several proximity proteomics screens, defining proteins in the neighborhood of both the N- and C-termini of mammalian Afadin in the premier epithelial model, MDCK cells. We compare our results with previous screens done in other cell types, and with proximity proteomics efforts with other junctional proteins. These reveal the value of multiple screens in defining the full network of neighbors and offer interesting insights into the overlap in protein composition between different epithelial cell junctions.

Summary Statement

Afadin BioID reveals new adherens junction proteins.
Rad52 sorts and stacks Rad51 at the DNA junction to promote homologous recombination
Authors: Deveryshetty Jaigeeth , Mistry Ayush , Pangeni Sushil , Ghoneim Mohamed , Tokmina-Lukaszewska Monica , Kaushik Vikas , Taddei Angela , Ha Taekjip , Bothner Brian , Antony Edwin
Published: November 2024

Homologous recombination (HR) repairs double-stranded DNA breaks (DSBs). The DSBs are resected to yield single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) that are coated by Replication Protein A (RPA). Rad51 is a recombinase and catalyzes strand invasion and the search for homology. However, it binds to ssDNA with lower affinity than RPA. Thus, mediator proteins such as Rad52/BRCA2 are required to promote Rad51 binding to RPA-coated ssDNA, but the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood.Saccharomyces cerevisiaeRad52 interacts with Rad51 through two distinct binding modes. We here uncover that the Rad51-binding site in the disordered C-terminus of Rad52 (mode-1) sorts polydisperse Rad51 into discrete monomers. The second Rad51 binding site resides in the ordered N-terminal ring of Rad52 (mode-2), but this interaction occurs at only one position on the ring. In single molecule confocal fluorescence microscopy combined with optical tweezer analysis, we directly visualize filament formation using fluorescent-Rad51. Rad52 catalyzes Rad51 loading onto RPA-coated ssDNA, with a distinct preference for junctions, but no filament growth is observed. Deletion of the C-terminus of Rad52 results in loss of Rad51 sorting and abrogates Rad51 binding to RPA-coated DNA. While BRCA2 and Rad52 are structurally unrelated, many of these functional features are conserved. We describe a concertedSort & Stackmechanism for mediator proteins in promoting HR.
Fishnet mesh of centrin-Sfi1 drives ultrafast calcium-activated contraction of the giant cellSpirostomum ambiguum
Authors: Lannan Joseph , Floyd Carlos , Xu L. X. , Yan Connie , Marshall Wallace F. , Vaikuntanathan Surirayanarayanan , Dinner Aaron R. , Honts Jerry E. , Bhamla Saad , Elting Mary Williard
Published: November 2024

Spirostomumis a unicellular ciliate capable of contracting to a quarter of its body length in less than five milliseconds. When measured as fractional shortening, this is an order of magnitude faster than motion powered by actomyosin. Myonemes, which are protein networks found near the cortex of many protists, are believed to powerSpirostomumcontraction. Fast contraction, slow elongation, and calcium-triggering are hallmarks of myoneme-based motion. The biochemical basis of this motion and the molecular mechanism that supports such fast speeds are not well understood. Previous work suggests that myoneme structures in some protists are rich in centrin and Sfi1 homologs, two proteins that may underlie contraction. Centrin undergoes a significant conformational change in the presence of calcium, allowing it to bind to other centrin molecules. To understandSpirostomumcontraction, we measure changes in cortical structures and model contraction of the whole cell and of the underlying protein complexes. We provide evidence that centrin/Sfi1 structures are responsible for contraction, which we propose is powered by a modulated entropic spring. Using this model, we recapitulate organismal-scale contraction in mesh simulation experiments and demonstrate the importance of structural organization of myoneme in a fishnet-like structure. These results provide a cohesive, multiscale model for the contraction ofSpirostomum. Deeper understanding of how single cells can execute extreme shape changes holds potential for advancing cell biophysics, synthetically engineering contractile machinery, and cellular-inspired engineering designs.
Time and temperature-resolved transcriptomic analysis ofArabidopsissplicing-related mutants
Authors: Nardeli Sarah Muniz , El Arbi Nabila , Dikaya Varvara , Rojas-Murcia Nelson , Goretti Daniela , Schmid Markus
Published: November 2024

Temperature plays a crucial role in plant growth and development, influencing numerous physiological processes throughout the plant life cycle. Ambient temperature fluctuations can significantly affect transcriptomic adjustments, which are essential for plants to adapt to ever-changing environmental conditions. Despite the known impacts of extreme temperatures on plant physiology, there remains a knowledge gap regarding the specific effects of moderate changes in ambient temperatures on transcriptomic responses. This study employs strand-specific mRNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to assess how different splicing-related mutants respond to varying ambient temperatures, providing a valuable resource to the research community. Analysis of our time-resolved temperature-regulated alternative RNA splicing data reveals that common and exclusive use of the splicing machinery plays pivotal roles in thermoresponsive growth. Furthermore, our analyses demonstrate that moderate temperature changes are translated into widespread transcriptomic responses, including adjustments of the circadian clock and significant splicing changes in light and temperature genes. These results highlight the importance of these particular signaling pathways in adapting to new temperature regimes and suggest future experiments to study the role of alternative RNA splicing in temperature adaptation. Taken together, our results provide insights regarding the role of RNA splicing in plant responses to ambient temperature changes, highlighting the biological relevance of transcriptomic adjustments in enhancing plant resilience and adaptation to climate variability.

SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT

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This is the first comprehensive study on how mutants involved in multiple steps of the splicing process modulate splicing activity in response to low and high ambient temperature changes.

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We assessed early and acclimated transcriptomic responses and created a valuable resource to investigate the biological outputs.
Information Arbitrage in Bipartite Heat Engines
Authors: Leighton Matthew P. , Ehrich Jannik , Sivak David A.
Published: November 2024

Heat engines and information engines have each historically served as motivating examples for the development of thermodynamics. While these two types of systems are typically thought of as two separate kinds of machines, recent empirical studies of specific systems have hinted at possible connections between the two. Inspired by molecular machines in the cellular environment, which in many cases have separate components in contact with distinct sources of fluctuations, we study bipartite heat engines. We show that a bipartite heat engine can produce net output work only by acting as an information engine. Conversely, information engines can extract more work than the work consumed to power them only if they have access to different sources of fluctuations, i.e., act as heat engines. We illustrate these findings first through an analogy to economics and a cyclically controlled 2D ideal gas. We then explore two analytically tractable model systems in more detail: a Brownian-gyrator heat engine, which we show can be reinterpreted as a feedback-cooling information engine, and a quantum-dot information engine, which can be reinterpreted as a thermoelectric heat engine. Our results suggest design principles for both heat engines and information engines at the nanoscale and ultimately imply constraints on how free-energy transduction is carried out in biological molecular machines.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Gameful experience and consumers’ intention to continue using running apps: the roles of brand attitude and negative online reviews
Authors: Song Hemin , Kim Kyungyeol Anthony , Guo Yuchen , Zhang James J.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Given the potential benefits of gamification in running apps, it is necessary to explore the impact of users’ gameful experience on their intention to continue using running apps. This study aims to empirically investigate this relationship along with the roles of brand attitude as a mediator and negative online reviews as a moderator.

Design/methodology/approach

The study surveyed 332 running app users in China. The reliability and validity of measures were confirmed by confirmatory factor analysis (CFA). The proposed hypotheses were verified by Process Macro.

Findings

The results show that (1) gameful experience positively impacts intention to continue using running apps, (2) brand attitude mediates the relationship between gameful experience and intention to continue using running apps and (3) negative online reviews moderate the relationship between gameful experience and brand attitude but not the relationship between brand attitude and intention to continue using running apps. Specifically, the effect of gameful experience on brand attitude decreases as users’ perception of negative online reviews increases.

Originality/value

These findings have both theoretical and practical implications for understanding the relationship among users’ gameful experience, brand attitude and intention to continue using running apps, as well as for developing effective gamification strategies to enhance user engagement and retention in running apps.
Board characteristics and profitability in sharia-compliant and non-sharia-compliant firms: beyond mere ceremony?
Authors: Taufik Muhammad , Budiarsyah Gun Gun
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study compares the profitability of sharia-compliant firms (SCFs) and non-sharia-compliant firms (NSCFs) and explores the causal links among board of directors (BODs) characteristics (size, gender, meeting frequency, tenure, turnover and compensation), sharia compliance, capital structure and profitability. Specifically, sharia compliance and capital structure serve as moderators.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 72 SCFs and 65 NSCFs were investigated during 2011–2019, resulting in 1,644 data. A t-test was used to compare profitability, and causal relationships were explored through panel data regression.

Findings

SCFs outperform NSCFs in profitability in 24 of 36 t-tests. Surprisingly, 87 out of 864 instances of sharia violations were found in SCFs. Despite purifying sharia-compliant stocks from violations, the board negatively affected sharia compliance. Furthermore, sharia compliance contradicts the board’s tendency to increase profitability, implying a ceremonial screening, which reveals the board’s reluctance to incorporate sharia compliance into their management style. In contrast, boards in NSCFs rely more on their internal strengths and capacities to influence profitability, as they understand the adverse impact of debt.

Practical implications

The findings of this study are beneficial for evaluating Islamic loopholes for both boards that are apathetic to sharia compliance and regulators who are not transparent in Islamic financial screening.

Originality/value

Academic literature concentrates on comparing Islamic banks with conventional banks, while the comparison of corporate governance and management styles in SCF vs. NSCF is minimal. Additionally, a novel measurement, the Stapel scale, is proposed for finding the purity of Islamic stocks, which is most suitable when regulators and firms conduct Islamic loopholes.
An integrative approach to assessing buyer-supplier relationships: scale development and validation
Authors: Pikos Anna , Latusek Dominika , Ebrahimpour Maling
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The research investigated relations between factors used to evaluate the quality of buyer-supplier relationships (BSRs): perceived performance of the supplier, satisfaction with supplier, and trust in the supplier; and to develop an instrument to evaluate BSRs (a BSRs evaluation scale).

Design/methodology/approach

We applied the psychometric testing of the BSRs measurement using exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. We applied structural equation modeling (SEM) to understand the interrelations of factors underlying BSRs.

Findings

The BSRs evaluation scale consists of three factors: perceived performance of the supplier, satisfaction with the supplier, and trust in the supplier. The results provide empirical evidence of the validity, reliability, and generalizability of the presented measurement.

Originality/value

The study developed a novel measurement instrument that integrates BSRs’ multidimensional constructs. It explains and confirms the significant roles of satisfaction with the supplier, trust in the supplier, and perceived performance of the supplier in shaping the BSRs’ quality. Furthermore, we provide evidence that in BSRs goodwill- and competence-based trust integrate into a single factor.
Board gender diversity and ESG performance: pathways to financial success in Malaysian emerging market
Authors: Kampoowale Isha , Kateb Ines , Salleh Zalailah , Alahdal Waleed M.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study examines the relationship between board gender diversity (BGD) and financial performance (FP) in the Malaysian emerging market, focusing on the mediating role of Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a dataset of 976 observations from Malaysian publicly listed companies from 2016 to 2023, this study explores BGD as the independent variable with FP measured through both accounting and market metrics. ESG performance serves as a mediating variable. The analysis employs Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) to examine direct and mediating effects, supplemented by the Baron and Kenny approach and Two-Stage Least Squares (2SLS) regression for robustness.

Findings

The findings indicate that higher BGD positively and significantly impacts all three performance measures: Tobin's Q (TQ), Return on Assets (ROA) and Return on Equity (ROE). ESG performance positively influences these measures. The SEM analysis reveals a significant positive impact of BGD on ESG performance, which fully mediates the relationship between BGD and TQ/ROA and partially mediates the relationship between BGD and ROE.

Practical implications

The results have significant implications for policymakers, board members, scholars and investors, stressing the importance of gender diversity and ESG performance in improving FP. The findings suggest that enhancing board effectiveness through BGD can promote sustainable practices and align corporate strategies with broader sustainability goals, which eventually helps to improve companies’ FP.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature by highlighting the mediating role of ESG performance in the relationship between BGD and FP and emphasizing the importance of gender diversity in corporate sustainability. It addresses this gap by providing insights into how ESG performance enhances the impact of BGD on FP.
The OPAD-perception framework: measuring perceptions of online personalized advertising
Authors: Guo Lijie , Wilkinson Daricia , Namara Moses , Patil Karishma , Knijnenburg Bart P.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The paper aims to develop and validate an instrument to measure users’ perceptions of online personalized advertising.

Design/methodology/approach

First, we identified 12 different aspects of online personalized advertisement and formulated candidate items through a literature review. A card sorting study and expert review were conducted to generate the initial scale items. We then conducted one survey (n = 308) to create a reliable measurement instrument and another (n = 296) to validate the instrument. Finally, we tested how the dimensions of the OPAD-Perception Framework can be used to differentiate between different levels of ad sensitivity, control/no control over the ad personalization process, and different levels of granularity of ad explanation.

Findings

The resulting OPAD-Perception Framework contains 49 Likert-formatted questions measuring ten distinct dimensions of online personalized advertising: reliability, usefulness, transparency, interactivity, targeting accuracy, accountability, creepiness, willingness to rely on, self-actualization, and persuasion.

Originality/value

The OPAD-Perception Framework can serve as a powerful tool to measure users’ attitudes toward online personalized advertising. This will enable advertisers and social media platforms to better support users’ privacy expectations and provide user-friendly interfaces for controlling the ad personalization process.
Investigating the collective memory of traditional markets in Downtown Amman
Authors: Abu-Obeid Natheer , Al Taki Maha Maher
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate the collective memory of urban cultural heritage sites for selected traditional markets in Down town Amman city – Jordan. The study also introduces the concepts urban artifacts and architectural archetypes as an urban/architectural framework for investigating the collective memory of traditional markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The study followed a qualitative research methodology with a (bottom-up) approach focusing on narrative and structured interviews. The interviews were conducted with 20 participants in each market. This was in addition to archival data collection and site observations.

Findings

The study revealed that the users of the two markets do have a shared collective memory manifested in multiple forms of cultural expressions. It also revealed the significant role of collective memory in fostering recognition of the urban and cultural significance of the two markets in the form of architectural archetypes and urban artifacts.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes in further developing the understanding of architectural heritage in the context of collective memory, and understanding architectural heritage in the context of the city through the concept of urban artifacts.

Practical implications

The study demonstrates that preservation of collective memory can influence people’s attitudes and behaviors as they develop a collective responsibility toward the cultural heritage site.

Originality/value

This is the first focused study to introduce the traditional markets of Downtown Amman within the theoretical framework of collective memory. The study also introduces a new scientific investigation of urban cultural heritage in the context of urban artifacts.
Managing operational resilience during the implementation of digital transformation in healthcare organisational practices
Authors: Altman Ferreira Paulo Sergio
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The aim of this study is to investigate ways in which healthcare organisations can successfully maintain operational resilience within intricate and varied engagements during digital transformation processes.

Design/methodology/approach

The present research applied cultural-historical activity theory as the theoretical framework and the ethnographic account as an approach and strategy to interpret and understand the operational resilience of digital transformation tools in daily practices. Fieldwork was based on the research technique of shadowing, whereby the researcher closely accompanied the participants to record their conduct, activities and exchanges.

Findings

Research results propose that effective operational resilience management in the implementation of digital transformation projects is based on (1) identifying and interpreting internal contradictions in everyday interactions as opportunities for capability developments; (2) navigating through multiple sites in fast and improvised movements, which derives in distributed and emergent practices; (3) interplaying between dyadic interactions and networked dependencies, which is achieved through the articulation of varied interests and (4) implementing novel intermediary tools, roles and regulations that facilitate the reduction of disturbances.

Originality/value

The propositions of the present study indicate that the management of operational resilience extends beyond conventional adaptive and socio-technical models in healthcare services. The study emphasises the significance of expressing and converting differing interests into mutual advantages. It additionally demonstrates the intricacy of this obstacle, as it entails navigating through uncertain information, concealed interpretations and conflicting interests.
A rock physics modelling approach for time‐lapse monitoring and characterization of fluid–rock interactions in hydrocarbon reservoirs
Authors: Sengupta Moumita , Ghosh Ranjana
Published: November 2024

One of the research gaps is to understand the development of seismic characteristics of gas‐saturated rock along with the change in rock properties because of chemical reactions. We suggest a method to explain the change in elastic properties brought on by CO2 injection in a rock by capturing the physico‐chemical interactions observed in the laboratory in a theory of rock physics. To explain the laboratory‐measured physical characteristics and velocity of a dynamic rock–fluid system, we include a time‐dependent component in the existing cemented‐sand model. We demonstrate theoretically the rate of change of elastic moduli of the dry frame by incorporating the measured rate of change of cement due to chemical dissolution. We adapt the theory such that it can be applied to the field data and calibrate the theory using water‐saturated well log data from the Ankleshwar field, an established oil field in the Cambay basin, western India. Theoretical time‐lapse logs of velocity and density are then produced using the theory over a range of CO2 saturations, assuming cementing material in grain contacts and geochemical interactions comparable to those observed in the laboratory rock. Then, using theoretical logs, corresponding time‐lapse synthetic seismic data are produced for different saturation. These data clearly demonstrate that, for a uniform model, velocity decreases by up to 18% as CO2 saturation increases from 0% to 20% (ignoring the chemical effect), and that, for a specific saturation, say 20%, chemical effects result in a 17% decrease in velocity from the present to the end of 60 years. However, for the patchy model, velocity decreases maximum by 14% and 16% due to varying saturation and chemical reaction. Moreover, for a particular saturation of CO2, say 20%, velocity differs by 16% for different types of models. This research contributes to making strategy for CO2‐sequestration in a designated field.
International High‐Tech SMEs Amid Geopolitical Pressures
Authors: Sinani Evis , Zilja Flladina
Published: November 2024

In the wake of increased geopolitical tensions, we investigate the impact of geopolitical risk on the investments of international high‐tech small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). Prior research on SME internationalization has primarily emphasized the importance of home and host‐country institutions and political risk, with limited attention given to geopolitical risk as a distinct contextual factor. Drawing on international relations literature, we posit that geopolitical risk, captured by diplomatic relations between home and host countries, creates political legitimacy concerns for international high‐tech SMEs, discouraging their international investments. This effect is contingent on SME innovation (through patents) and the scope of international diversification. Analysing data from international high‐tech SMEs and their subsidiaries for the period 2009–2022, we find consistent evidence for our hypotheses.
Ethical Leadership: A Bibliometric Review and Research Framework with Methodological Implications
Authors: Pletz Viktoria , Tiberius Victor , Meyer Natanya
Published: November 2024

Bibliometric science mappings, such as co‐citation analysis and bibliographic couplings, can be used as systematic literature reviews pre‐structured though citation‐related clusters, which can help better understand the inner logic of a research field. We conduct these two science mappings on the field of ethical leadership and integrate the primary results in a research framework that presents a comprehensive overview of the theoretical foundations, antecedents, and effects of ethical leadership, showcasing voice behavior as a current focal research theme. We use our findings to discuss the research, its practical and particularly methodological implications, and to propose future research opportunities.
Development of detachment fault system associated with a mature metamorphic core complex: Insight from the Kaiping Sag, northern South China Sea rifted margin
Authors: Li Gengbiao , Ye Qing , Peng Guangrong , Liu Zhaoqian , Zhang Lili , Hao Shihao , Xu Xinming , Mei Lianfu
Published: November 2024

Detachment fault system associated with a mature metamorphic core complex (MCC) is still not well understood. Using high‐resolution 3D seismic data, we analyse the geometries and kinematic development of detachment fault system associated with a mature and exhumated MCC in the northern South China Sea rifted margin, with an emphasis on the MCC‐associated faults within the supra‐detachment basin. Faults within the supra‐detachment basin can be classified into three stages, the pre‐MCC, syn‐MCC and post‐MCC faults, based on their formation time relative to the MCC. The NE to NEE‐striking pre‐MCC faults developed in the early syn‐rift 1 stage, and the NW to WNW‐striking post‐MCC faults were both dominated by the regional tectonics and are perpendicular to the extension directions. While the syn‐MCC faults, synchronous with the MCC development in the late syn‐rift 1 stage, show overall EW‐striking, consistent with the long axis of the KP MCC. These syn‐MCC faults were well developed and are significant in shaping the basin architecture. Besides, the syn‐MCC faults are regularly distributed in the four zones overlying the convex‐upward master detachment fault surface, and are defined in this study as a synthetic fault zone, an upper collapse synformal‐graben fault zone, a lower collapse antiformal‐graben fault zone and an antithetic fault zone respectively. These four fault zones show distinct features and evolutionary patterns, and have a closed relationship with the rolling‐hinge process of the KP MCC. An evolutionary model is established for the development of MCC‐associated detachment fault system which should have global implications.
Supervision and Monitoring in Informal Child Protection in Rural Context
Authors: Abdullah Alhassan
Published: November 2024

Like in most African countries, community leaders (including clan and family heads) in rural communities in Ghana undertake core child protection duties, including facilitating kinship placements, resolution of child maltreatment and trafficking issues, and spearheading community‐wide education programmes. The child protection activities carried out by community leaders are legitimized and sanctioned in the child welfare legislation of African countries, such as the Child and Family Welfare Policy in Ghana. As the role of the community leaders is being regularized and legitimized in most African countries, it has become necessary to understand how the child protection activities of these community leaders are supervised, regulated, and monitored by professional child protection workers. Through in‐depth narrative interviews with 12 community leaders in two rural communities in Ghana, this study explored community leaders' motivations for undertaking child protection practices, and how their child protection activities are supervised and monitored by professional child protection workers. The findings revealed child protection workers utilize training of trainers' programmes, and stakeholder policy engagements as supervision mechanisms to monitor the child protection duties of the community leaders. The study findings highlight key gaps in the monitoring and supervision duties performed by professional child protection workers, including (1) the lack of coordinated structure and framework for monitoring, and (2) the limited focus on outcome in monitoring. Implications for child protection practice have been discussed.
Neuroendocrine neoplasm of the minor papilla diagnosed with endoscopic ultrasonography‐guided fine‐needle biopsy and curatively resected by endoscopic papillectomy
Authors: Shionoya Kento , Yamamoto Kenjiro , Itoi Takao
Published: November 2024

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Understanding a Third‐Party Communicative Situation in Korean‐Learning Infants
Authors: Choi Youjung , Lee Hyuna , Song Hyun‐joo , Luo Yuyan
Published: November 2024

The present study tested 14‐month‐old monolingual infants (N = 64, 52% female, 75% Korean, and 25% American) in a looking‐time task adapted from previous referent identification research. In three experiments, Korean‐learning infants watched a speaker, who could only see one of two identical balls, ask a recipient, “gong jom jul‐lae?” (“Will you give me Ø ball?” because Korean lacks an article system). They expected the recipient to reach for the ball visible to the speaker, but not the one hidden from her, only when the speaker was introduced separately to facilitate perspective‐taking. Korean infants were also found to hold these expectations when the speaker said, “jeo gong jom jul‐lae?” (“Will you give me that ball?”), presumably because the added demonstrative “jeo” rendered the speech more informative. A group of American English‐learning infants performed similarly, but not as robustly as did their Korean peers, when the speaker requested “Give me that ball.” These findings shed new light on how infants use their emergent perspective‐taking and language skills to interpret a speaker's intended referent and expand the previous focus on English‐learning infants.
Winter fleshy‐fruited plants are the catalysts for spring populations of an invasive fruit fly
Authors: Deconninck Gwenaëlle , Boulembert Méghan , Eslin Patrice , Couty Aude , Dubois Françoise , Gallet‐Moron Emilie , Pincebourde Sylvain , Chabrerie Olivier
Published: November 2024

Winter is a critical bottleneck period for many insects and is particularly pivotal for pest species, being a major regulator of their populations. In winter, insect fruit pests such as the invasive fly, Drosophila suzukii, not only have to cope with harsh environmental conditions but also need to find alternative resources when cultivated fruit are scarce.

This study aimed to disentangle the relative roles of climatic, landscape and local factors affecting fruit infestation rates of winter and spring host plants by D. suzukii. We assessed infestation in Aucuba japonica, Elaeagnus × submacrophylla (syn. Elaeagnus × ebbingei), Mahonia aquifolium, M. japonica and Viscum album fruit in the north of France, between January and July 2022.

Drosophila suzukii emerged from fruit of all plant species except M. aquifolium. The fly was the only species that emerged from fruit of A. japonica, E. × submacrophylla and M. japonica, but co‐occurred in V. album fruit with D. subobscura.

Climatic factors (e.g. cumulative precipitation, the number of frost hours), landscape composition (e.g. grassland, shrubland and water cover) and local variables (e.g. resource abundance, vegetation architecture) influenced D. suzukii infestation, with effects varying between host plants.

The fruiting succession of these five plants effectively provides a resource continuum from March to June, in which E. × submacrophylla, in particular, plays a pivotal role before commercial fruit become available (e.g. strawberries, cherries). Non‐crop plants should be considered in integrative pest management strategies as they could catalyse D. suzukii populations early in the season.
Multiple foundresses and multiple hosts: The influences of kinship and host quality on group reproduction in a quasi‐social parasitoid
Authors: Malabusini Serena , Lupi Daniela , Mortazavi Nasimeh , Golparvar Zahra , Follador Alessia , De Milato Silvia , Hardy Ian C. W.
Published: November 2024

For most foraging parasitoids, it is disadvantageous to share a host. In the genus Sclerodermus females can benefit from being among groups of foundresses, which cooperate in brood production over several weeks, but intra‐group conflicts also arise.

We provided groups of females, with varying degrees of relatedness, with two hosts, in varying host size combinations, and observed behaviours and performance.

Foundress death, likely caused by host defensive behaviour, was common during the initial phase, especially when foundresses were closer kin. At least one host was always oviposited on and in 60% of cases both were. When host size differed and only one was oviposited on, there was no preference for larger hosts. Oviposition was most rapid when both hosts were large and females were non‐siblings. Offspring production was greatest when broods developed on two large hosts and was not influenced by foundress kinship.

Aggregation of foundresses across hosts may be promoted by variation in host size and by kinship. Foundresses were most commonly observed alone on a host but also shared hosts; all females on a single host was uncommon. Foundresses commonly moved between the hosts, most frequently when both hosts were large. Movement was not, overall, influenced by kinship.

Overall, the behavioural repertoire of Sclerodermus indicates that they are able to assess and exploit locally available alternative reproductive opportunities and may attune some of their decisions according to inter‐group relatedness.
No relationship between outputs of simple humus balance calculators (VDLUFA and STAND) and soil organic carbon trends
Authors: Rainford Shauna‐kay , Leifeld Jens , Siegl Sonja , Hagenbucher Steffen , Riedel Judith , Gross Thomas , Niggli Urs , Keel Sonja G.
Published: November 2024

Simple humus balance calculators were developed for farmers and consultants to determine the best crop rotation and amount of organic fertilizer required to improve soil quality and prevent nutrient leaching in croplands. Although the potential of these tools to infer the impact of different agricultural practices on soil organic carbon (SOC) dynamics in croplands is not well studied, they have been integrated in several farm‐level climate or environmental impact assessment calculators. Here we examine the correlation between humus balance values estimated with two different tools developed in Germany/Central Europe and observed changes in SOC content at 14 long‐term sites in Switzerland. The first tool was developed by the Association of German Agricultural Investigation and Research Institutes and is referred to as the VDLUFA. The humus balance calculator STAND is a descendent of the VDLUFA that accounts for pedoclimatic factors in Central Europe. Crop rotations were distinguished based on cultivation practice, whereby those with mixed fertilization were supplied with mineral fertilizer alone and in combination with organic materials, while those with organic fertilization include unfertilized and organic fertilizer treatments. An analysis of 133 short‐term observations (i.e. individual crop rotations of five and 6‐year duration) and 26 long‐term observations (i.e. several crop rotations with a total duration of ≥10 years) showed that humus balance values (kg C ha−1 year−1) of short‐term crop rotations were not or only poorly correlated with the observed change in SOC content (%) (R2 = 0.06 in STAND and R2 = 0.05 in VDLUFA for crop rotations with organic fertilization, and R2 < 0.01 for crop rotations with mixed fertilization). The correlation did not improve when the humus balance values of long‐term observations with mixed fertilization were compared with decadal SOC development (R2 = 0.04 for STAND and R2 = 0.06 for the VDLUFA). Stronger correlations were found only for long‐term observations with organic fertilization (R2 = 0.68 for STAND and R2 = 0.64 for the VDLUFA). These findings underline that while the studied humus balance calculators are able to distinguish the effect of different fertilizers (organic vs. mineral) on a farm's humus supply on the longer term, neither are suited for predicting SOC trends over single crop rotations. Although this study was carried out in Switzerland, the results should apply to any region with temperate climate and similar soil properties.