bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
TO DETERMINE THE CLIENT RELATED FACTORS THAT INFLUENCE UPTAKE OF MATERNITY SERVICES BY WOMEN OF CHILDBEARING AGE ATTENDING LEVEL THREE HEALTH FACILITIES IN IMENTI SOUTH, MERU COUNTY
Authors: Muchunku Kawira Fridah , Karonjo Jane , Muya David
Published: June 2024

Numerous lives may be saved by maternal health care services despite the fact that millions of women of reproductive age die during pregnancy, delivery, and the postpartum period. More women are able to prevent short and long-term maternal disabilities and illnesses such as fistulas, infertility and depression. Kenya has developed a number of policies to improve maternal health. One such policy is the free maternity services policy that allows all pregnant mothers to have access to free maternity services in government facilities across the country. Free maternity services policy allows for provision of free delivery services to expectant women in health facilities run by the Kenyan Government. 189 nations ratified the Millennium Declaration and pledged to accomplish eight objectives by the turn of the twenty-first century. The study was a cross-sectional descriptive research design targeting population of 51,770 women of childbearing age in Imenti South Sub County. The sample size consisted of 100 respondents (women of childbearing aged between 18-49 years). The study employed qualitative and quantitative sampling methods. The sampling procedure was simple random sampling and purposive sampling. Data collection instruments were by questionnaires and observation schedule. Data was analyzed by use of descriptive statistics and results displayed using tables, bar charts, pie charts and presented using percentages, frequencies, means and standard deviations. Analysis was done using SPSS version 25. Uptake of maternity services. The negative attitude of health care workers greatly influenced Uptake of maternity services. Limited uptake was also linked to poor development of health infrastructure and usage of the facility, which ultimately influenced Uptake of maternity services. Awareness did not match Uptake of maternity services. The study concluded that social demographic factors, client related factors and health facility-related factors can influence the success or failure of Uptake of maternity services by women. It recommended a rights-based approach when designing and delivering free maternity services, strengthening client satisfaction programs and adopting a broader bottom-up approach when engaging rural women to ensure effective development of health infrastructure and usage of the facility. further suggestions for future research was recommended, including studies that explore attitudes and behaviours in varied settings, factors promoting positive attitudes and behaviours, and the effectiveness of interventions to address negative patient experiences in both three-level and other health facilities in Kenya.
Periodontopathogens interfere with the human renin-angiotensin system through surface-attached proteases
Authors: Waligórska Irena , Żak Krzysztof , Budziaszek Joanna , Bielecka Ewa , Kantyka Tomasz , Kozieł Joanna , Thøgersen Ida B. , Enghild Jan J. , Grudnik Przemysław , Potempa Jan , Książek Mirosław
Published: June 2024

The renin-angiotensin system (RAS) executes its functions through biologically active peptides, angiotensins (Ang). Angiotensinogen-derived precursor, Ang I is cleaved by angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) into proinflammatory Ang II, which increases blood pressure. In the alternate pathway performed by neprilysin and ACE II, Ang 1-7 is produced from Ang I with activities opposite to Ang II. Here, we show thatPorphyromonas gingivalis(Pg) andTannerella forsythia(Tf), endogenous oral pathogens, direct RAS into generation of Ang 1-7 through endopeptidases O, PgPepO and TfPepO, respectively. PepOs are thermophilic metalloproteases inhibited by cation chelators, but not by specific ACE and neprilysin inhibitors. PgPepO and TfPepO prefer large hydrophobic amino acids at the carbonyl side of scissile peptide bonds (P1’ position), and TfPepO, contrary to all known homologous proteases, hydrolyzes substrates away from both terminuses. Solved crystal structures show that exceptionally wide entrance to the catalytic cleft explains unique properties of TfPepO. Furthermore, the different nature of subsites S1’ and S2’ in the substrate binding site explains refractory of PepOs to inhibitors of human homologous proteases. Multiple immunoassays clearly show that PepOs are attached to the bacteria cell surface and are released in outer membrane vesicles. Moreover, PepO is responsible for Ang I hydrolysis byPgandTf. Finally, PepO deletion reduced only the virulence ofTfin theGalleria mellonellamodel. Thus, our data show thatPgandTfinterfere with RAS through a PepO protease.
Systematic Review of Hybrid Vision Transformer Architectures for Radiological Image Analysis
Authors: Kim Ji Woong , Urooj Khan Aisha , Banerjee Imon
Published: June 2024

Background

Vision Transformer (ViT) and Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) each possess distinct strengths in medical imaging: ViT excels in capturing long-range dependencies through self-attention, while CNNs are adept at extracting local features via spatial convolution filters. However, ViT may struggle with detailed local spatial information, critical for tasks like anomaly detection in medical imaging, while shallow CNNs may not effectively abstract global context.

Objective

This study aims to explore and evaluate hybrid architectures that integrate ViT and CNN to lever-age their complementary strengths for enhanced performance in medical vision tasks, such as segmentation, classification, and prediction.

Methods

Following PRISMA guidelines, a systematic review was conducted on 28 articles published between 2020 and 2023. These articles proposed hybrid ViT-CNN architectures specifically for medical imaging tasks in radiology. The review focused on analyzing architectural variations, merging strategies between ViT and CNN, innovative applications of ViT, and efficiency metrics including parameters, inference time (GFlops), and performance benchmarks.

Results

The review identified that integrating ViT and CNN can mitigate the limitations of each architecture, offering comprehensive solutions that combine global context understanding with precise local feature extraction. We benchmarked the articles based on architectural variations, merging strategies, innovative uses of ViT, and efficiency metrics (number of parameters, inference time(GFlops), performance).

Conclusion

By synthesizing current literature, this review defines fundamental concepts of hybrid vision transformers and highlights emerging trends in the field. It provides a clear direction for future research aimed at optimizing the integration of ViT and CNN for effective utilization in medical imaging, contributing to advancements in diagnostic accuracy and image analysis.

Summary Statement

We performed systematic review of hybrid vision transformer architecture using PRISMA guideline and perfromed through meta-analysis to benchmark the architectures.

ACM Reference Format

Ji Woong Kim, Aisha Urooj Khan, and Imon Banerjee. 2018. Systematic Review of Hybrid Vision Transformer Architectures for Radiological Image Analysis.J. ACM37, 4, Article 111 (August 2018), 16 pages. https://doi.org/XXXXXXX.XXXXXXX
Determinants of SARS-CoV-2 within-host evolutionary rates in persistently infected individuals
Authors: Ghafari Mahan , Kemp Steven A. , Hall Matthew , Clarke Joe , Ferretti Luca , Thomson Laura , Studley Ruth , Rourke Emma ,   COVID-19 Infection Survey Group,   The COVID-19 Genomics UK (COG-UK) Consortium, Walker Ann Sarah , Golubchik Tanya , Lythgoe Katrina
Published: June 2024

Understanding the within-host evolutionary dynamics of SARS-CoV-2, particularly in relation to variant emergence, is crucial for public health. From a community surveillance study, we identified 576 persistent infections, more common among males and those over 60. Our findings show significant variation in evolutionary rates among individuals, driven by nonsynonymous mutations. Longer-lasting infections accumulated mutations faster, with no link to demographics, vaccination status, virus lineage, or prior infection. The nonsynonymous rate was particularly high within the N-terminal and receptor binding domains ofSpike. ORF6was under strong purifying selection, making it a potential therapeutic target. We also identified 379 recurring mutations, with half having a negative fitness effect and very low prevalence at the between-host level, indicating some mutations are favoured during infection but disadvantageous for transmission. Our study highlights the highly heterogenous nature of within-host evolution of SARS-CoV-2 which may in turn help inform future intervention strategies.

Abstract Figure
UniTox: Leveraging LLMs to Curate a Unified Dataset of Drug-Induced Toxicity from FDA Labels
Authors: Silberg Jake , Swanson Kyle , Simon Elana , Zhang Angela , Ghazizadeh Zaniar , Ogden Scott , Hamadeh Hisham , Zou James
Published: June 2024

Drug-induced toxicity is one of the leading reasons new drugs fail clinical trials. Machine learning models that predict drug toxicity from molecular structure could help researchers prioritize less toxic drug candidates. However, current toxicity datasets are typically small and limited to a single organ system (e.g., cardio, renal, or liver). Creating these datasets often involved time-intensive expert curation by parsing drug label documents that can exceed 100 pages per drug. Here, we introduce UniTox1, a unified dataset of 2,418 FDA-approved drugs with drug-induced toxicity summaries and ratings created by using GPT-4o to process FDA drug labels. UniTox spans eight types of toxicity: cardiotoxicity, liver toxicity, renal toxicity, pulmonary toxicity, hematological toxicity, dermatological toxicity, ototoxicity, and infertility. This is, to the best of our knowledge, the largest such systematic humanin vivodatabase by number of drugs and toxicities, and the first covering nearly all FDA-approved medications for several of these toxicities. We recruited clinicians to validate a random sample of our GPT-4o annotated toxicities, and UniTox’s toxicity ratings concord with clinician labelers 87–96% of the time. Finally, we benchmark a graph neural network trained on UniTox to demonstrate the utility of this dataset for building molecular toxicity prediction models.
Linguistic inputs must be syntactically parsable to fully engage the language network
Authors: Kauf Carina , Kim Hee So , Lee Elizabeth J. , Jhingan Niharika , She Jingyuan Selena , Taliaferro Maya , Gibson Edward , Fedorenko Evelina
Published: June 2024

Human language comprehension is remarkably robust to ill-formed inputs (e.g., word transpositions). This robustness has led some to argue that syntactic parsing is largely an illusion, and that incremental comprehension is more heuristic, shallow, and semantics-based than is often assumed. However, the available data are also consistent with the possibility that humans always perform rule-like symbolic parsing and simply deploy error correction mechanisms to reconstruct ill-formed inputs when needed. We put these hypotheses to a new stringent test by examining brain responses to a) stimuli that should pose a challenge for syntactic reconstruction but allow for complex meanings to be built within local contexts through associative/shallow processing (sentences presented in a backward word order), and b) grammatically well-formed but semantically implausible sentences that should impede semantics-based heuristic processing. Using a novel behavioral syntactic reconstruction paradigm, we demonstrate that backward- presented sentences indeed impede the recovery of grammatical structure during incremental comprehension. Critically, these backward-presented stimuli elicit a relatively low response in the language areas, as measured with fMRI. In contrast, semantically implausible but grammatically well-formed sentences elicit a response in the language areas similar in magnitude to naturalistic (plausible) sentences. In other words, the ability to build syntactic structures during incremental language processing is both necessary and sufficient to fully engage the language network. Taken together, these results provide strongest to date support for a generalized reliance of human language comprehension on syntactic parsing.

Significance statement

Whether language comprehension relies predominantly on structural (syntactic) cues or meaning- related (semantic) cues remains debated. We shed new light on this question by examining the language brain areas’ responses to stimuli where syntactic and semantic cues are pitted against each other, using fMRI. We find that the language areas respond weakly to stimuli that allow for local semantic composition but cannot be parsed syntactically—as confirmed in a novel behavioral paradigm—and they respond strongly to grammatical but semantically implausible sentences, like the famous ‘Colorless green ideas sleep furiously’ sentence. These findings challenge accounts of language processing that suggest that syntactic parsing can be foregone in favor of shallow semantic processing.
FOXP2-immunoreactive, corticothalamic pyramidal cells in neocortical layers 6a and 6b are tightly regulated by neuromodulatory systems
Authors: Qi Guanxiao , Yang Danqing , Messore Fernando , Bast Arco , Yáñez Felipe , Oberlaender Marcel , Feldmeyer Dirk
Published: June 2024

TheFOXP2/Foxp2gene is involved in fine motor control in many vertebrate species; in humans, it is one of the candidate genes thought to play a prominent role in language production. Several studies suggest that in the neocortex,Foxp2is exclusively expressed in a subset of corticothalamic (CT) pyramidal cells (PCs) in layer 6 (L6). However, the morphological and intrinsic electrophysiological, synaptic and neuromodulatory properties ofFoxp2-expressing L6 PCs remain largely unknown. Here we systematically characterise these properties for FOXP2-positive (FOXP2+) PCs across L6 in the rat somatosensory cortex. We find that L6 FOXP2+ PCs are distinct in all of these properties from those of L6 FOXP2-negative (FOXP2–) neuronal cell types. We show that L6 FOXP2+ PCs project exclusively to thalamus. In upper L6 (L6a), FOXP2+ PCs innervate either the first-order thalamus or both first and higher-order thalamic nuclei. FOXP2+ PCs in deep L6 (L6b) project almost exclusively to higher-order thalamus. Synaptic connections established by L6a and L6b FOXP2+ PCs exhibit low synaptic release probability, whereas L6 corticocortical PCs have a high release probability. Both L6a and L6b FOXP2+ PCs respond strongly to acetylcholine (ACh), which in the absence of TTX results in firing of action potential (AP) trains. Notably, L6b but not L6a FOXP2– PCs are highly sensitive to ACh. In addition, L6b FOXP2+ PCs close to the white matter border show strong responses to dopamine that develop into prolonged AP firing. Our data suggest that FOXP2 is a marker for CT PCs in L6 that are strongly controlled by neurotransmitters such as ACh and dopamine. These findings are in line with a pivotal role for both L6a and L6b CT PCs as modulators of thalamic activity.
Visually Evoked 40 Hz Gamma Activity Enhanced by Transcranial Electrical Stimulation
Authors: Hainke Laura , Spitschan Manuel , Priller Josef , Taylor Paul , Dowsett James
Published: June 2024

Background

Non-invasive Visual Stimulation (VS) and Transcranial Electrical Stimulation (TES) can modulate neuronal oscillations, including gamma activity at 40 Hz, which is relevant for cognition and disrupted in dementia. Combining both techniques may increase effects, but simultaneously recording Electroencephalography (EEG) activity poses several challenges, so this approach is untested.

Objectives

We predicted that combined TES and VS in the lower gamma band would increase Steady-State Visually Evoked Potential (SSVEP) amplitude during and after stimulation, but only when targeting visual areas and at closely matching stimulation frequencies.

Methods

We administered combined VS and TES and simultaneously measured effects on EEG gamma activity in healthy participants. In experiment 1 (N=25), VS and TES frequencies were closely matched at ∼40 Hz, and TES sites varied between occipito-central, centro-occipital (reversed polarity), and centro-frontal. In experiment 2 (N=25), occipito-central TES was applied at ∼40 Hz, and VS frequency varied between 35, 40, and 45 Hz. Every 5-minute VS+TES trial was preceded and followed by a VS-only baseline trial. Electrical artifacts were removed using adaptive template subtraction.

Results

TES enhanced gamma SSVEP amplitudes most when applied to occipital and central sites, compared to frontal. Enhancement only occurred when TES and VS frequencies closely matched at ∼40 Hz, not when VS was slower (35 Hz) or faster (45 Hz) than TES. The effect was present during, not after, TES.

Conclusion

Multimodal visual and electrical stimulation evokes stronger oscillatory gamma activity than visual alone. Non-invasive gamma stimulation against cognitive decline in dementia may benefit from this optimised approach.
Previously uncharacterized aliphatic amino acid positions modulate the apparent catalytic activity of the EAL domain of ZMO_1055 and other cyclic di-GMP specific EAL phosphodiesterases
Authors: Cao Lianying , Yang Yong-Fu , Bai Feng-wu , Römling Ute
Published: June 2024

The ubiquitous second messenger cyclic di-GMP is the most abundant diffusible nucleotide signalling system in bacteria deciding the life style transition between sessility and motility. GGDEF diguanylate cyclases and EAL phosphodiesterases conventionally direct the turnover of this signaling molecule. Thereby, those domains are subject to micro- and macroevolution with the evolutionary forces that promote alterations in these proteins currently mostly unknown. While the highly conserved signature amino acids involved in divalent ion binding and catalysis equally as signal transduction modules have been readily identified, more subtle amino acid substitutions that modulate the catalytic activity have been rarely recognized and their molecular mechanism characterized. Our previous work identified the A526V substitution to be involved in downregulation of the apparent catalytic activity of theZymomonas mobilisZM4 PAS-GGDEF-EAL ZMO1055 phosphodiesterase and leading to a self-flocculation phenotype mediated by elevated production of the exopolysaccharide cellulose inZ. mobilisZM401. As A526 is located at a position that has previously not been recognized to affect the catalytic activity of the EAL domain, we further investigated the molecular mechanisms and the functional conservation of this substitution. Using a number of model systems, our results indicate that the alanine at position 526 is highly conserved in ZMO1055 homologs and beyond with the A526V mutation to alter the apparent phosphodiesterase activity in subgroups of EAL domains. Thus we hypothesize that single amino acid substitutions that lead to alterations in the catalytic activity of cyclic di-GMP turnover domains amplify the signaling output and thus significantly contribute to the flexibility and adaptability of the cyclic di-GMP signaling network. In this context, ZMO1055 seems to be a current evolutionary target.
Molecular basis of Ad5-nCoV Vaccine-Induced Immunogenicity
Authors: Dong Dongyang , Song Yutong , Wu Shipo , Wang Busen , Peng Cheng , Kong Weizheng , Zhang Zheyuan , Hou Li-Hua , Li Sai
Published: June 2024

In response to coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), numerous vaccines have been developed to protect against SARS-CoV-2 infection. Ad5-nCoV (Convidecia) is a vaccine listed for emergency use by the WHO and has been administrated to millions of people globally. It comprises a series of human adenovirus 5 (Ad5) replication-incompetent vectored vaccines that transduce the spike protein (S) gene of various SARS-CoV-2 strains. Despite promising clinical data demonstrating its safety and effectiveness, the underlying molecular mechanism of its high immunogenicity and incidence of adverse reactions remains less understood. Here we combined cryo-ET, fluorescence microscopy and mass spectrometry to characterize thein situstructures, density and site-specific glycan compositions of the Ad5-nCoV_Wu and Ad5-nCoV_O vaccine-induced S antigens, which encode the unmodified SARS-CoV-2 Wuhan-Hu-1 S gene and optimized Omicron S gene, respectively. We found that the vaccine-induced S are structurally intact, antigenic and densely distributed on the cell membrane. Compared to Ad5-nCoV_Wu induced S, the Ad5-nCoV_O induced S demonstrate significantly better stability and is less likely to induce syncytia among inoculated cells. Our work demonstrated that Ad5-nCoV is a prominent platform for antigen induction and cryo-ET can be a useful technique for vaccine characterization and development.
CIEVaD: a lightweight workflow collection for rapid and on demand deployment of end-to-end testing of genomic variant detection
Authors: Krannich Thomas , Ternovoj Dimitri , Paraskevopoulou Sofia , Fuchs Stephan
Published: June 2024

The identification of genomic variants has become a routine task in the thriving age of genome sequencing. Particularly small genomic variants of single or few nucleotides are routinely investigated for their impact on an organism’s phenotype. Hence, precise and robust detection of the variants’ exact genomic location and change in nucleotide composition is vital in many biological applications. Although a plethora of methods exist for the many key steps of variant detection, thoroughly testing the detection process and evaluating its results is still a cumbersome procedure. In this work, we present a collection of trivial to apply and highly modifiable workflows to facilitate the generation of synthetic test data as well as to evaluate the accordance of a user-provided set of variants with the test data.

Availability

The workflows are implemented in Nextflow and are freely available and open-source athttps://github.com/rki-mf1/cievadunder the GPL-3.0 license.
Colibactin-induced damage in bacteria is cell contact independent
Authors: Lowry Emily , Mitchell Amir
Published: June 2024

The bacterial toxin colibactin, produced primarily by the B2 phylogroup ofEscherichia coli,underlies some cases of colorectal cancers. Colibactin crosslinks DNA and induces genotoxic damage in both mammalian and bacterial cells. While the mechanisms facilitating colibactin delivery remain unclear, results from multiple studies supported a delivery model that necessitates cell-cell contact. We directly tested this requirement in bacterial cultures by monitoring the spatiotemporal dynamics of the DNA damage response using a fluorescent transcriptional reporter. We found that in mixed-cell populations, DNA damage saturated within twelve hours and was detectable even in reporter cells separated from colibactin producers by hundreds of microns. Experiments with distinctly separated producer and reporter colonies revealed that the intensity of DNA damage decays similarly with distance regardless of colony contact. Our work reveals that cell contact is inconsequential for colibactin delivery in bacteria and suggests that contact-dependence needs to be reexamined in mammalian cells as well.

Importance

Colibactin is a bacteria-produced toxin that binds and damages DNA. It has been widely studied in mammalian cells due to its potential role in tumorigenesis. However, fundamental questions about its impact in bacteria remain underexplored. We usedE. colias a model system to study colibactin toxicity in neighboring bacteria and directly tested if cell-cell contact is required for toxicity, as has previously been proposed. We found that colibactin can induce DNA damage in bacteria hundreds of microns away and that the intensity of DNA damage presents similarly regardless of cell-cell contact. Our work further suggests that the requirement for cell-cell contact for colibactin-induced toxicity also needs to be reevaluated in mammalian cells.
ATP-dependent citrate lyase Drives Left Ventricular Dysfunction by Metabolic Remodeling of the Heart
Authors: Liu Shijie , Gammon Seth T. , Tan Lin , Gao Yaqi , Kim Kyoungmin , Williamson Ian K. , Pham Janet , Davidian Angela , Khanna Radhika , Gould Benjamin D. , Salazar Rebecca , Vitrac Heidi , Dinh An , Lien Evan C. , de L. Vitorino Francisca N. , Gongora Joanna M. , Martinez Sara A. , Lawrence Czer S. C. , Kransdorf Evan P. , Leffer David , Hanson Blake , Garcia Benjamin A. , Vander Heiden Matthew G. , Lorenzi Philip L. , Taegtmeyer Heinrich , Piwnica-Worms David , Martin James F. , Karlstaedt Anja
Published: June 2024

Background

Metabolic remodeling is a hallmark of the failing heart. Oncometabolic stress during cancer increases the activity and abundance of the ATP-dependent citrate lyase (ACL,Acly), which promotes histone acetylation and cardiac adaptation. ACL is critical for the de novo synthesis of lipids, but how these metabolic alterations contribute to cardiac structural and functional changes remains unclear.

Methods

We utilized human heart tissue samples from healthy donor hearts and patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Further, we used CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing to inactivateAclyin cardiomyocytes of MyH6-Cas9 mice.In vivo,positron emission tomography andex vivostable isotope tracer labeling were used to quantify metabolic flux changes in response to the loss of ACL. We conducted a multi-omics analysis using RNA-sequencing and mass spectrometry-based metabolomics and proteomics. Experimental data were integrated into computational modeling using the metabolic network CardioNet to identify significantly dysregulated metabolic processes at a systems level.

Results

Here, we show that in mice, ACL drives metabolic adaptation in the heart to sustain contractile function, histone acetylation, and lipid modulation. Notably, we show that loss of ACL increases glucose oxidation while maintaining fatty acid oxidation.Ex vivoisotope tracing experiments revealed a reduced efflux of glucose-derived citrate from the mitochondria into the cytosol, confirming that citrate is required for reductive metabolism in the heart. We demonstrate that YAP inactivation facilitates ACL deficiency. Computational flux analysis and integrative multi-omics analysis indicate that loss of ACL induces alternative isocitrate dehydrogenase 1 flux to compensate.

Conclusions

This study mechanistically delineates how cardiac metabolism compensates for suppressed citrate metabolism in response to ACL loss and uncovers metabolic vulnerabilities in the heart.
Dead reckoning: charting a new (metaphorical) course for accounting
Authors: Hutchinson Robert , Amador Carlos
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Metaphor is the foundation upon which all scientific disciplines, from basic to applied, construct the mental models used in theory development and organizing research phenomena. The authors posit that a navigational science metaphor might provide a useful framework, or at least an additional “waypoint,” with which to evaluate extant accounting theory and further discourse in accounting research and practice. This study aims to critically examine the base metaphors of accounting theory and practice through the lens of navigational science.

Design/methodology/approach

The supreme dominance of the Positive Accounting Theory paradigm (Watts and Zimmerman, 1986) is critically evaluated using a navigational metaphor as a literary device for cognitive estrangement.

Findings

The authors suggest that accounting, as both a practical and academic field, might benefit from the multifarious approach of navigational science in the computation of longitude, particularly with regards to the use of external (societal) referents, moving toward a more “heteroglossic” model of accounting (vid. Macintosh and Baker, 2002) as a means of “situating” accounting research and practice with regards to said external referents (cf. Bayou et al., 2011).

Originality/value

This work brings together existing streams of literary theory and epistemology in accounting, and views them through the lens of a navigational science metaphor. Cognitive estrangement, a well-established device for reorganizing perplexing problems in any science, is used to reimagine an accounting science as navigational situating.
Electronic procurement adoption and procurement performance: does institutional quality matter?
Authors: Charnor Isaac Tetteh , Quartey Evelyn Kukuwa
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Electronic procurement has received primacy as one of the significant reforms to help fight corruption and inefficiencies in the public sector across countries. The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of electronic procurement adoption on procurement performance. Additionally, the paper examines the moderating role of institutional quality in the relationship between electronic procurement and procurement performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied an explanatory design and a quantitative research approach. Also, the study relied on UTAUT and institutional theory to develop a test research model using 121 responses from public entities in Ghana. Hypothesised paths were investigated using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The findings revealed that electronic procurement adoption positively and significantly affects procurement performance. Also, the findings indicated that institutional quality positively and significantly affects electronic procurement adoption and procurement performance, respectively. Lastly, the findings proved that institutional quality moderates the relationship between electronic procurement adoption and procurement performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study focused on public procurement entities in the Greater Accra Region – Ghana. The study contributes to adopting electronic procurement, institutional quality, and procurement performance literature. The study also extends the UTAUT and the institutional theory to African public entities. The study reechoes the importance of institutional quality in developing economies to enhance electronic procurement adoption.

Originality/value

To the best of the researcher’s knowledge, this is the first study that examines the moderating role of institutional quality in the relationship between electronic procurement adoption and procurement performance.
Literature review: Industry 5.0. Leveraging technologies for environmental, social and governance advancement in corporate settings
Authors: Rehman Ali , Umar Tariq
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This research paper explores the transformative potential of Industry 5.0 for environmental, social and governance (ESG) factors within corporate settings. This study aims to elucidate the role of Industry 5.0 and its related technologies in influencing ESG factors, explore potential risks linked to ESG and present strategies for mitigation through Industry 5.0.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is the literature review that introduces Industry 5.0 as a pivotal factor in implementing and mitigating ESG and its related risks. It outlines Industry 5.0's characteristics, driven by advanced technologies.

Findings

Literature reviews suggest that Industry 5.0 has the potential to significantly influence ESG factors within corporate settings. It can promote sustainability, enhance working conditions and offer operational advantages.

Practical implications

The practical implications of this research paper are twofold. First, it provides valuable insights to policymakers, organizations and regulatory bodies, guiding them in adapting their frameworks to embrace Industry 5.0. This adaptation is essential for achieving ESG goals and facilitating sustainable development. Second, it highlights the critical role of Industry 5.0 in mitigating ESG-related risks, offering a robust structure for sustainable development.

Originality/value

This research paper contributes to the existing body of knowledge by highlighting the transformative potential of Industry 5.0 in the context of ESG. It offers a comprehensive exploration of the historical evolution of corporate governance, the integration of sustainability and the growing focus on ESG. It also highlights the originality and value of Industry 5.0 as a critical mitigating factor for ESG-related risks, presenting a holistic approach to sustainable corporate practices.
A new stress tensor approach for application to the conductor surface
Authors: Petkovć Bojana , Ziolkowski Marek , Toepfer Hannes , Haueisen Jens
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to derive a new stress tensor for calculating the Lorentz force acting on an arbitrarily shaped nonmagnetic conductive specimen moving in the field of a permanent magnet. The stress tensor allows for a transition from a volume to a surface integral for force calculation.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper derives a new stress tensor which consists of two parts: the first part corresponds to the scaled Poynting vector and the second part corresponds to the velocity term. This paper converts the triple integral over the volume of the conductor to a double integral over its surface, where the subintegral functions are continuous through the different compartments of the model. Numerical results and comparison to the standard volume discretization using the finite element method are given.

Findings

This paper evaluated the performance of the new stress tensor computation on a thick and thin cuboid, a thin disk, a sphere and a thin cuboid containing a surface defect. The integrals are valid for any geometry of the specimen and the position and orientation of the magnet. The normalized root mean square errors are below 0.26% with respect to a reference finite element solution applying volume integration.

Originality/value

Tensor elements are continuous throughout the model, allowing integration directly over the conductor surface.
Empowering women through digital technology: unraveling the nexus between digital enablers, entrepreneurial orientation and innovations
Authors: Abdelwahed Nadia A. Abdelmegeed , Bano Safia , Al Doghan Mohammed A. , Aljughiman Abdulaziz Ahmed , Shah Naimatullah , Soomro Bahadur Ali
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Women's empowerment plays a pivotal role in achieving sustainable and sustainable development in developed and developing contexts. The present paper explores the effect of technology orientation (TO), entrepreneurial orientation (EO), and digital technology self-efficacy (DTSE) on digital innovation (DI) and women's empowerment (WE) among Saudi women.

Design/methodology/approach

This is a cross-sectional study which applies a deductive approach. The study collected data from women in Saudi Arabia actively involved in entrepreneurship and utilizing digital technology. The survey questionnaire is used as a prevalent tool to get responses. Finally, the study concludes based on 316 valid samples.

Findings

The structural equation modeling through SmartPls4, the results exert an insignificant effect of TO on both DI and women empowerment. The study confirmed a positive significant impact of EO on DI but not on WE. Moreover, the DTSE construct is found to be a significant and robust analyst of DI and WE. With regard to mediating effects, DI mediates the relationship between EO, DTSE and WE, but not between TO and WE.

Practical implications

The study's findings contribute to more comprehensive and effective initiatives that foster innovation, gender equality, and WE in entrepreneurial networks. The study would assist policymakers and planners in developing robust strategies focusing on digitalization to boost DI and WE through enhanced DTSE. The study would also offer guidelines for policymakers to achieve sustainable development goals (SDGs) generally and specifically for Saudi Vision 2030, which is particularly ambitious to promote WE.

Originality/value

The study fills the gaps by offering a bunch of predictors, i.e., TO, EO, DTSE and DI, which predict WE in the Saudi context.
Identification of regional growth poles: the case of Vietnam
Authors: Le Minh Son
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to identify the location of regional growth poles in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

A potential gravity model is constructed to estimate how attractive a location is in relation to other locations within a specifically defined region using spatial interpolation tools.

Findings

We present the calculated and visualized potential gravitational energy (or attractiveness) for every province showcasing regional growth poles in Vietnam.

Research limitations/implications

Graphical evidence need to be supported by statistical analysis to establish causal effects of driving factors on growth measures.

Originality/value

This is the first study to use a potential gravity model to study growth poles in Vietnam.
The nexus of financial education, literacy and mobile fintech: unraveling pathways to financial well-being
Authors: Zhang Yu , Fan Lu
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study examines the antecedents and outcomes of using mobile fintech applications, including mobile banking, mobile payments, mobile transfer and mobile financial money management tools.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper examines the antecedents (i.e. financial education and financial literacy) and outcomes (i.e. desirable financial behaviors and financial well-being) of the utilization of mobile fintech. Using data from the 2018 National Financial Capability Study and structural equation modeling techniques, this study provides empirical evidence to show significant direct and indirect relationships among these factors.

Findings

The structural equation modeling results revealed that financial education was positively associated with both financial literacy and mobile fintech utilization. Interestingly, financial literacy was negatively associated with mobile fintech utilization and served as a negative mediator between financial education and mobile fintech utilization, while it positively correlated with desirable financial behaviors, enhancing financial well-being. Utilization of mobile fintech was negatively associated with desirable financial behaviors and indirectly and negatively associated with financial well-being. The alternative model highlighted a direct and negative association between mobile fintech usage and financial well-being, and a direct positive association between financial literacy and financial well-being.

Originality/value

This study makes contributions to the literature on financial well-being by examining pathways of antecedents and outcomes of mobile fintech utilization. The findings provide new insights into the rapid evolution of mobile fintech innovations and provide important policy and practical implications.
Evaluation of the resilience of nonbuilt areas to the postearthquake crisis: application to the city of Boudouaou (Northern Algeria)
Authors: Kheliouen Mohamed Yacine , Bouder Abdelmadjid
Published: June 2024

Purpose

To strengthen the resilience of Algerian cities subject to major hazards, this study aims to propose an evaluation of the capacity of the road network and open space (unbuilt spaces of the city) to respond to the postearthquake crisis for the evacuation and rescue of victims after a destructive earthquake.

Design/methodology/approach

The presented method was practiced by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and the Algerian Center for Applied Research in Earthquake Engineering (CGS) for the seismic microzoning study of the city of Algiers. The criterion, “Emergency evacuation and rescue facility” was applied to the city of Boudouaou as a tool for the evaluation of the road network and open space, and the analysis used Geographic Information System (GIS) data based on experimental indices conducted in Japan.

Findings

The assessment presents vulnerability maps showing the location of urban areas of high vulnerability to accessibility for evacuation and rescue of disaster victims at the time of the earthquake. The paper offers managers the possibility of decreasing the vulnerability rate of the city by preventive remedies, such as providing refuge areas for disaster victims and widening streets to facilitate the passage of rescue workers in vulnerable areas before the arrival of the earthquake.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, being the first to present an evaluation of the road network and open space in the face of seismic risk in the region studied, the article demonstrates the importance of urban resilience in reducing human and material losses during a destructive earthquake.
Breaking barriers and bridging gaps: the influence of entrepreneurship policies on women’s entry into entrepreneurship
Authors: Raza Ali , Yousafzai Shumaila , Saeed Saadat
Published: June 2024

Purpose

How does the interplay between entrepreneurship policies and both formal and informal gender equality affect women’s inclination towards self-employment in contrast to men?

Design/methodology/approach

This study introduces and validates a comprehensive multi-level model underpinned by symbolic interactionism, institutional theory, and the nuances of gendered institutions. Employing innovative analytical techniques and leveraging data from 66 countries, we scrutinize how formal and informal gendered institutional arrangements either inhibit or facilitate an environment favorable to women’s entrepreneurial activities.

Findings

Significantly, our research delves into the nuanced effects of specific entrepreneurship policies across diverse nations. While these policies can bridge the gendered resource gap, a profound understanding of broader gender dynamics is crucial for fostering an inclusive entrepreneurial landscape.

Originality/value

Our insights advocate for a more integrated approach to bolster women’s participation in entrepreneurship, thus furthering their socio-economic progression.
Sustainability dimensions in the mission, vision and value statements of the largest corporations in Ghana: a sectoral analysis
Authors: Marfo Emmanuel Opoku , Amoako Kwame Oduro , Arthur Jones Lewis , Yankey Nicholas
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare how the various sectors among the largest companies in Ghana have incorporated sustainability into their mission, vision and value statements.

Design/methodology/approach

The mission, vision and value statements of the 100 largest corporations in Ghana, known as Ghana Club 100 (GC100), were extracted from the firms’ official websites. These firms were grouped into nine sectors, and the sustainability components in the mission, vision and value statements were subjected to cross tabulation and thematic contents analysis to establish the sectoral variations.

Findings

In formulating their mission, vision and value statements, GC100 firms were more than six times likely to include economic sustainability themes than environmental sustainability themes. Even though three out of every five GC100 firms are financial institutions, the manufacturing and the extractive sectors and firms ranked 1st−20th are three times likely to incorporate all the sustainability dimensions (i.e. economic, social and environmental) into their mission, vision and value statements. Firms in the financial sector and those ranked 80th−100th were more likely not to publish either a mission, vision or value statements online.

Practical implications

This study reveals the magnitude of the strategic pronouncements such as mission, vision and value statements of large firms in emerging economies and how they are aligned with sustainability. This could serve as a basis for formulating guidelines to reinforce efforts that contribute to corporate sustainability.

Originality/value

Research on how large firms align sustainability into their mission, vision and value statements is not a new agenda, but fragmented in the context of the emerging economies. The novelty is that this study addresses this gap and contributes to this topic from a sectoral comparative perspective of largest organization in Ghana, an emerging economy.
Study on the tribological performance of self-lubricating thrust ball bearings with different embedded features
Authors: Liu Ruifeng , Zhang Yimin
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to develop a new type of embedded solid self-lubricating thrust ball bearing for conditions where grease lubrication cannot be used and to analyze its tribological performance under different lubrication characteristics (lubrication position, width and filling amount).

Design/methodology/approach

Lubrication parameters such as position (a), width (W) and filling amount (Q) were considered. Grooves were made on the raceway with a fiber laser and solid self-lubricating materials were applied through scraping. The frictional behavior of the new bearing was analyzed using a vertical test rig and the bearing’s surface topography was examined with a noncontact profilometer to study wear mechanisms.

Findings

The new inlay thrust ball bearings exhibited excellent lubrication effects and effectively controlled the temperature rise of the bearings. When a is 0 degrees, W is 0.5 mm and Q is 16 mg, the bearing experiences the least wear, and the friction coefficient and temperature are the lowest, measuring 0.001 and 41.52 degrees, respectively. Under the same experimental conditions, compared to smooth bearings without solid lubrication, the friction coefficient decreased by 96.88% and the temperature decreased by 59.74%.

Originality/value

This study presents a self-lubricating thrust ball bearing designed for conditions where grease lubrication is not feasible. A comprehensive investigation was conducted on its surface morphology, wear mechanisms and tribological performance. This work provides valuable insights into the research of self-lubricating thrust ball bearings.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-03-2024-0073/
Digital twins-enabled heritage buildings management through social dynamics
Authors: Karatzas Stylianos , Lazari Vasiliki , Fouseki Kalliopi , Pracchi Valeria Natalia , Balaskas Evagelos
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Heritage building management serves as a potent catalyst for sustainability, yet it poses a distinctive set of challenges. Achieving a harmonious balance between conserving the building's historical and cultural value and ensuring modern functionality and safety remains a primary concern. The present work proposes a socio-technical approach to the development and use of a digital twin (DT) that will integrate social data related to the use of heritage buildings with building and environmental data.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper presents a logical and systematic joined-up management framework to the targeted heritage buildings, according to a “Whole Building” approach. Our approach is informed by the underpinning assumption that a heritage building and even more a heritage neighborhood is a socio-technical, complex and dynamic system, the change of which depends on the dynamic interconnections of materials, competences, resources, values, space/environment, senses and time.

Findings

A heritage dynamics approach is adopted to unfold the dynamic nature of heritage and to better inform decisions that can be made in the present and future, achieving people-centered and place-based heritage management. This proposition underlines the heritage transformation as a complex systemic process that consists of nonlinear interconnections of multiple heterogeneous factors (values, senses, attitudes, spaces and resources).

Originality/value

This paper presents a multi-level framework of DTs that interact hierarchically to comprehensively understand, assimilate and seamlessly integrate intricate contexts, even when faced with conflicting conditions from diverse cultural heritage entities. This paper outlines the importance of the iterative system dynamics (SD) approach, which enables adaptive management and ensures the resilience of cultural heritage over time.