bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Linking organizational cronyism, time theft and nurse’s proactive behavior: an evidence from public sector hospitals of Pakistan
Authors: Khan Muhammad Awais
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The main objective of this study was to understand why employees engage in time theft behavior and what is the behavioral consequence of this deviant behavior. To do this, the conservation of resources theory helps to examine the role of organizational cronyism behind employee time theft behavior and decreased proactive behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-wave self-administered employee survey was used for data collection. The data were collected through an adopted questionnaire from nurses working in the public sector hospitals of Pakistan. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze data collected from 256 respondents.

Findings

The results of this three-wave study supported the hypotheses which are: (1) Organizational cronyism positively predicts employee involvement in time theft behavior. (2) Employee time theft behavior negatively impacts their proactive behavior. (3) Organizational cronyism is detrimental to employee proactive behavior. (4) The relationship between organizational cronyism and proactive behavior is mediated by time theft.

Practical implications

In the presence of organizational cronyism, employees use time theft as a dysfunctional coping strategy to conserve their valued resources rather than allowing the organization to consume them. Organizational leaders of public sector hospitals must promote merit-based HRM practices to discourage time theft behavior as well as to improve the proactive performances of the nurses.

Originality/value

This study is one of the initial attempts to extend the scant literature on the antecedents and consequences of time theft behavior and its dimensions in the South Asian context.
Integration of experiential learning and conversational framework in curriculum development – role of 4C’s and student engagement in rural management education
Authors: Seethalakshmi R. , Navaneethakrishnan K. , Rekha K.N. , Wundavalli Gayatri Prasanna Kumar
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to enhance the quality of education in rural management through the inclusion of students’ voices, namely, active participation in the curriculum development intervention. This approach aims to foster critical thinking, collaboration, communication and creativity, thereby enhancing student engagement and in turn leading to quality education.

Design/methodology/approach

This methodology outlines an inductive approach using focus group discussions (FGD) and thematic analysis to explore and understand the constructs related to the impact of students’ voice on quality education. Curriculum development in rural management was used as an intervention to assess the impact of the inclusion of students’ voice. This study’s inductive approach and qualitative methods provide a rich understanding of students’ experiences and perspectives.

Findings

The findings from the FGD and thematic analysis provided insights into the inclusion of students’ voice in rural management curriculum development, an intervention that enhanced the 4C’s (collaboration, communication, creativity and critical thinking) of learning and student engagement. The emerging themes illustrated the intervention’s positive effects on quality education.

Research limitations/implications

This research extends the current knowledge by shedding light on integrating Kolb’s experiential learning theory with Laurillards’ conversational framework in achieving quality education in rural management which has not been extensively explored.

Practical implications

The paper underscores the importance of students’ voice in quality education. It provides a basis for policymakers to mandate that higher education institutions increase student engagement, thereby promoting quality education.

Originality/value

The findings contribute to the existing body of knowledge in the field of quality education (Sustainable Development Goal 4) in rural management. The results of our study provide a novel perspective on the experiential learning of students, which has practical implications and advances the understanding of quality education for sustainable development in business education.
Cooperation mode selection strategies in platform ecosystems: analyzing brand value, cross-selling, and platform empowerment
Authors: Dong Junfeng , Zhang Qiman , Teng Haoyuan , Jiang Li , Lu Wenxing
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the vertical cooperative relationship between the core enterprise and the manufacturer within the platform ecosystem, specifically analyzing the optimal decision-making processes of both parties under the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) and original brand manufacturer (OBM) modes.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses game theory to analyze the problem, considering factors such as brand value difference, cross-selling and platform empowerment. It constructs the game models for both OEM and OBM modes and discusses the selection strategies for the cooperation mode.

Findings

The results indicate that the choice of cooperation mode by the manufacturer and the core enterprise depends on the relative size of their brand values. In cases of inconsistent choices, cooperation can be improved by designing a transfer payment contract. When the brand value is constant, the product price is comprehensively affected by cross-selling revenue, price elasticity coefficient, cost coefficient of sales effort and cost coefficient of platform empowerment. The enterprise reduces the price only when the potential revenue brought by increasing product sales exceeds the marginal profit brought by increasing product pricing; otherwise, it raises the sales price.

Originality/value

The platform ecosystem is emerging as a future direction for business mode development. However, there is a paucity of research on the cooperation modes between manufacturers and core enterprises within the platform ecosystem.
Where is democracy nestled? Reflections on organizational degeneration based on an artists’ cooperative
Authors: Charmettant Herve
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This article presents a compelling case study of a workers’ cooperative in the cultural sector. It offers a unique opportunity to delve into the tensions between managerial and democratic control, particularly in the context of heightened artistic claims. The pivotal role of an accountant in management for nearly two decades sparks a thought-provoking question about the potential for cooperative degeneration.

Design/methodology/approach

Our research employs a rigorous qualitative method, utilizing semi-structured interviews of six key members and a comprehensive analysis of legal, accounting and other media documents.

Findings

Our findings offer a significant perspective, refuting any indications of organizational degeneration. The decision-making processes continue to uphold democratic principles. While the manager and his administrative staff wield substantial authority, this is justified by their duty to preserve the collective. This duty is executed under democratic control, facilitated by information transparency. The low level of democratic participation poses a challenge, but the manager’s initiatives are aimed at addressing this. The effectiveness of this control, however, relies on the active participation of the members, which acts as a strong deterrent against organizational degeneration.

Originality/value

The originality of our contribution lies in our reference to Chester Barnard whose reflections on industrial democracy have been forgotten, reflections linked to his conception of managerial authority. We also highlight the importance of empowering individual members, which leads them to consider the consequences of their actions. As a result, the manager is not placed in a situation where he has to decide alone, as the scope of his unilateral powers is de facto delimited.
Com_Tracker: a two-phases framework for detecting and tracking community evolution in dynamic social networks
Authors: Dakiche Narimene , Benatchba Karima , Benbouzid-Si Tayeb Fatima , Slimani Yahya , Brahmi Mehdi Anis
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to introduce a novel modularity-based framework, Com_Tracker, designed to detect and track community structures in dynamic social networks without recomputing them from scratch at each snapshot. Despite extensive research in this area, existing approaches either require repetitive computations or fail to capture key community behavioral events, both of which limit the ability to generate timely and actionable insights. Efficiently tracking community structures is crucial for real-time decision-making in rapidly evolving networks, while capturing behavioral events is necessary for understanding deeper community dynamics. This study addresses these limitations by proposing a more efficient and adaptive solution. It aims to answer the following questions: How can we efficiently track community structures without recomputation? How can we detect significant community events over time?

Design/methodology/approach

Com_Tracker models dynamic social networks as a sequence of snapshots. First, it detects the community structure of the initial snapshot using a static community detection algorithm. Then, for each subsequent time step, Com_Tracker updates the community structure based on the previous snapshot, allowing it to track communities and detect their changes over time. The locus-based adjacency encoding scheme is adopted, and Pearson’s correlation guides the construction of neighboring solutions.

Findings

Experiments conducted on various networks demonstrate that Com_Tracker effectively detects community structures and tracks their evolution in dynamic social networks. The results highlight its potential for real-time tracking and provide promising performance outcomes.

Practical implications

Com_Tracker offers valuable insights into community evolution, helping practitioners across fields such as resource management, public security, marketing and public health. By understanding how communities evolve, decision-makers can better allocate resources, enhance targeted strategies and predict future community behaviors, improving overall responsiveness to changes in network dynamics.

Originality/value

Com_Tracker addresses critical gaps in existing research by combining the strengths of modularity maximization with efficient tracking of community changes. Unlike previous methods that either recompute structures or fail to capture behavioral events, Com_Tracker provides an incremental, adaptive framework capable of detecting both community evolution and behavioral changes, enhancing real-world applicability in dynamic environments.
Visual metaphors for collaboration planning in strategy meetings
Authors: Illi Mikko , Gustafsson Robin , Masoodian Masood
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Using visual metaphors with physical artefacts can improve collaboration planning processes in strategic meetings. The study presented here aims to examine these processes.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the participants used the LEGO® Serious Play® method in strategic planning meetings. The meetings were video recorded, and a thematic analysis method was applied to produce coded themes and narratives of collaboration planning based on the visual metaphors used in the meetings.

Findings

The study participants built LEGO artefacts representing three primary visual metaphors of collaboration focussing on landscapes, interaction processes and shared goals. The participants began with building landscapes by stacking and connecting LEGO base pieces as surfaces to build on, and to represent separate physical locations and more abstract business concepts. Alternatively, landscapes were built to centre activities around key business stakeholders. In terms of interaction processes, the participants lined up LEGO character pieces to explore communications between product developers, salespersons, customers and external partners. As for shared goals, tower-like high structures were created to represent open discussions, data sharing, prototyping and threats that should be avoided.

Originality/value

This study shows that using visual metaphors with physical artefacts provides an effective method for planning strategic collaboration areas, communications and future goals. Creating and communicating visual metaphors using physical artefacts enhances the creativity and participation of the meeting participants. Our future work will focus on studying the use of physical artefacts other than LEGO pieces in different group meetings contexts to better understand the role of visual metaphors.
A study exploring the adoption of cash IPSAS in the Solomon Islands: the case of the provincial governments
Authors: Oru Marianne , Narayan Anil K. , Rahman Asheq , Fukofuka Peni
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the adoption of the cash-basis International Public Sector Accounting Standard (or for short cash IPSAS) within a problematic provincial government institution in the Solomon Islands.

Design/methodology/approach

An interpretive methodology that uses qualitative data techniques such as interviews and document analysis was used for this study. A total of 30 semi-structured interviews were held in 2022 at both levels of government (national and provincial). Documents included government, social media and historical or archival data. Thematic data analysis, which frames the discussions for this study, was conducted.

Findings

This study illustrates how the integration of the cash IPSAS with a locally designed funding framework called the Provincial Capacity Development Fund (PCDF) has successfully transformed the provincial government financial system, which has led to restoring the problematic image of the provincial government system in the Solomon Islands.

Practical implications

The study provides a practical example of how locally designed, neoliberal accounting tools inspired by new public management (NPM) doctrines can aid the efforts to achieve greater accountability. Policymakers, standard setters and regulators therefore, should promote and enforce an integrated approach to reform, reflecting the localities of developing countries when proposing international best practices such as IPSAS.

Social implications

The study contributes to the discussion on the role of accounting in its wider social context. The paper highlights how accounting as a calculative tool is instrumental in mediating conflict between political rival groups in the Solomon Islands.

Originality/value

This study is original and offers a unique perspective on the broader societal role of the cash IPSAS standard. Its implications are significant in addressing societal changes as a result of colonialism.
Beyond success and failure: learning from execution of corporate entrepreneurial actions
Authors: Osiyevskyy Oleksiy , Babych Tetiana , Biloshapka Vladyslav
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This article aims to redefine the paradigm of evaluating corporate entrepreneurial actions, moving beyond the simplistic success/failure dichotomy. It underscores the importance of a nuanced understanding of the outcomes of such initiatives, emphasizing the need for organizations to learn from both their successes and failures. The focus is on fostering a learning organization culture, where strategic decision-making is enhanced through a comprehensive analysis of past entrepreneurial endeavors, thus ensuring long-term corporate health and growth.

Design/methodology/approach

The study is based on the analysis of the existing literature and illustrative real-world cases from prominent corporations.

Findings

The findings reveal that understanding the reasons behind the success or failure of strategic initiatives is crucial for sustainable corporate growth. The study highlights that mere success can be misleading without comprehending the underlying factors, just as failure can offer valuable lessons if properly analyzed. The 'Learning from Execution Matrix' facilitates this understanding, aiding corporations in fostering a culture of continuous improvement. The DIRS (Decomposition, Interpretation, Rewarding, Scaling) framework further helps in breaking down and scaling these learnings for broader application within the organization.

Originality/value

This article contributes to the field of strategic entrepreneurship by providing a novel framework for analyzing corporate entrepreneurial actions. The 'Learning from Execution Matrix' and the DIRS framework offer practical, actionable tools for managers and leaders, fostering a culture of learning and strategic adaptation. This approach is original in its emphasis on the nuanced understanding of both successes and failures, making it a valuable guide for corporations seeking sustained growth and innovation in a competitive business environment.
Advancing packaging technology: computational fluid dynamics modeling for capillary underfill encapsulant in multi-chip heterogenous packages
Authors: Azman Muhammad Aqil , Abdullah Mz , Loh Wei Keat , Ooi Chun Keang
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamics of capillary underfill flow (CUF) in flip-chip packaging, particularly in a multi-chip configuration. The study aims to understand how various parameters, such as chip-to-chip spacing (S12), chip thickness (tc) and others, affect the underfill flow process. By using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations and experimental studies, the goal is to provide insights into understanding the dynamics of CUF in heterogeneous electronic packaging.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper introduces a CFD analysis and experimental study on CUF in a multi-chip configuration, aiming to understand underfill flow dynamics. A 3D geometry models of multi-chip arrangement are created using computer-aided design (CAD) software. After that, the CAD models are meshed and simulated in Ansys Fluent using incompressible and non-Newtonian fluid properties. The study maintains S12 of 2.86 and tc of 22.29 between experimental and simulation data for results validation. Next, a various of S12 values (1.14, 2.86, 5.71, 8.57, 14.29 and 20) which focus on tc of 22.29 have been investigated. Further studies have been conduct using S12 of 5.71 and tc of 8.00, 14.29 and 22.29.

Findings

Results show a strong correlation between simulation and experiment which validate the correctness and robustness of simulation. Further parameter’s studies using simulation for various of S12 indicated that higher S12 values lead to faster flow. This effect is due to large underfill weight from reservoir able to flow into S12 region which contributed to higher mass momentum movement. Furthermore, the effect of various of tc shows that the thicker the chip the faster the underfill to flow in S12 region.

Research limitations/implications

The intentional exclusion of solder bump pattern arrangements from the experiment and simulation may limit the study's ability to fully understand the impact of solder bump patterns on underfill flow. Therefore, more parameters can be investigated such as solder bump pattern, underfill weight and dispense pattern in the future using CFD.

Practical implications

The manuscript provides a comprehensive examination of the contributions of CFD to the advancement of knowledge regarding CUF phenomena in heterogeneous electronic packaging assemblies. Moreover, it delineates the utilization of CFD methodologies to assess the influence of chip-to-chip spacing (S12) and the thickness of the chip (tc) on the underfill flow characteristics.

Originality/value

This paper fulfills an identified need of computational fluid dynamics method to study capillary underfill flow dynamics in heterogenous electronic packaging.
Context dependence of grassland plant response to arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi: The influence of plant successional status and soil resources
Authors: Bryant Reb L. , Bever James D.
Published: October 2024

Many of the disturbance‐sensitive, late successional plant species in grasslands respond to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi more positively via growth and establishment than plants that readily establish in disturbed areas (i.e. early successional species). Inoculation with AM fungi can therefore aid the establishment of late successional species in disturbed areas. If the differential benefit of AM fungi to late versus early successional plants is context‐dependent, however, this advantage could be diminished in high phosphorus (P) post‐agricultural soils or in future climates with altered precipitation.

In this greenhouse experiment, we tested if late successional plant species are less plastic in their reliance on AM fungi than early successional plants by growing 17 plant species of different successional status (9 early and 8 late successional) in full factorial combinations of inoculated or uninoculated with AM fungi, with ambient or high P levels, and with low or high levels of water.

AM fungi positively affected the biomass of the 17 grassland plant species, but across all environments, late successional plant species generally responded more positively to AM fungi than early successional plants species.

AM fungal growth promotion and change in below‐ground biomass allocation was generally diminished with P fertilizer across all plant species, and while there was significant variation among plant species in the sensitivity of AM fungal responsiveness to P fertilization, this differential sensitivity was not predicted by plant successional status.

The role of AM fungi in plant growth promotion was not generally altered by variation in watering, however late successional plant species allocated a greater proportion of their biomass below‐ground in response to AM fungi in low versus high water conditions.

Synthesis. Overall greater responsiveness to arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi by late successional species is consistent with an important role of AM fungi in plant succession, even while AM fungi are less impactful overall in high P soils. However, the increase in responsiveness of below‐ground allocation of late successional species to AM fungi in low water conditions suggests that successional dynamics may be more dependent on AM fungi in future climates that feature greater propensity for drought.
Comparing the success and failure of the Murray–Darling Basin Plan's water recovery programs
Authors: Wheeler Sarah Ann
Published: October 2024

The Murray–Darling Basin (MDB) Plan is held up by some as an exemplar for world‐leading water policy, whilst others have called it a failure. Total proposed recovery was to return 3200 GL of consumptive (e.g. namely irrigation) water use to non‐consumptive (e.g. environmental) use in the MDB, making it one of the largest planned reallocations of water resources in the world. As of June 2023, over AUD$13 billion was committed financially from the Australian government to Basin water reform, with AUD$7.7 billion spent to date on water recovery programs. The implementation of the Plan has been mired in controversy, and it missed its first water recovery targets that had been set for 2024, requiring substantial legislation amendments. This study provides a qualitative policy overview comparison of the success and failure of the two main water recovery programs implemented—buyback of water entitlements from willing sellers and subsidising irrigation infrastructure (on and off‐farm) projects. It concludes that contrary to the popular view held by many, the buyback water recovery program has been a success—achieving the majority of the water recovered to date, at the least cost, with the least negative externalities—in comparison to infrastructure programs.

Points for practitioners

Assessing success and failure of MDB water recovery programs requires establishing effectiveness, efficiency and equity criteria. Greater work on the benefits of water reallocation downstream and cultural water is needed.

A comparison of MDB buyback water recovery programs with irrigation infrastructure programs found higher net benefits for buyback programs.

Use first‐best policy to address each water policy objective, not one policy aimed at addressing multi‐objectives.

Overall, the Plan.s overall success is still to be determined, given the difficulty in judging environmental outcome success that is intrinsically linked with other external factors.
Follow which leader? Spatial mimicry and broad‐based equity‐ and profit‐sharing plans
Authors: Birkhead Colin , Hand Mark C.
Published: October 2024

Organizations have both local and nationally prominent peers from which they can model their human resource management practices. How does a focal organization reconcile the influence of smaller, spatially proximate peer organizations with the influence of prominent, distant organizations? We develop the concept of spatial mimetic gravity to estimate the mimetic pressures a focal organization feels from its geographically proximate and distant peers. We examine the population of craft beer brewers in the United States between 2013 and 2019 and find that the propensity to offer a stock ownership or profit‐sharing plan is a function of a focal brewery's spatial proximity to its peers and their prominence. We help explain why some firms offer broad‐based equity‐sharing and profit‐sharing plans and others do not. In doing so, we argue that organizational spatial mimicry is best understood from a gravity approach, adding a field‐level explanation to previously individually focused theory about organizational choices.
Surface‐engineered bacteria in drug development
Authors: Dahlsson Leitao Charles , Ståhl Stefan , Löfblom John
Published: October 2024

Bacterial surface display in combination with fluorescence‐activated cell sorting is a versatile and robust system and an interesting alternative approach to phage display for the generation of therapeutic affinity proteins. The system enables real‐time monitoring and sorting of cell populations, which presents unique possibilities for drug development. It has been used to develop several affibody molecules currently being evaluated preclinically for the treatment and diagnosis of, for example, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases. Additionally, it can be implemented in other areas of drug design, such as for mapping epitopes and evolving enzyme specificities.
Development of an accelerometer‐based wearable sensor approach for alcohol consumption detection
Authors: Bush Nicholas J. , Cushnie Adriana K. , Sinclair Madison , Ahmed Huda , Schorn Rachel , Xie Tongzhen , Boissoneault Jeff
Published: October 2024

Background

Alcohol is a commonly used substance associated with significant public health consequences. Treatment is often stigmatized and limited with regard to both access and affordability, demonstrating the need for innovations in alcohol treatment. Accelerometer sensors can detect drinking without user input and are widely incorporated into wearable devices, increasing accessibility and affordability.

Methods

We compared a distributional and random forest classification approach to detect and evaluate sensor‐based drinking data. Data were collected at a local state fair (n = 194), where participants drank water at specified intervals interspersed with confounding behaviors (e.g., touching nose, rubbing forehead, or yawning) while wearing an Android‐based smartwatch for 10 min. Participants were randomized to receive one of three drinking container shapes: pint, martini, or wine.

Results

The random forest model achieved an overall testing accuracy of 93% (sensitivity = 0.32; specificity = 0.99; positive predictive value = 0.74). The distributional algorithm achieved an overall accuracy of 95% (sensitivity = 0.76; specificity = 0.97; positive predictive value = 0.72). The distributional algorithm had a significantly greater accuracy (t(193) = 7.73, p < 0.001, d = 0.56) and sensitivity (t(193) = 24.5, p < 0.001, d = 1.76). Equivalency testing demonstrated significant equivalency to the ground truth for sip duration (tlower(193) = 16.92, p < 0.001; tupper(193) = −9.85, p < 0.001) and between‐sip interval (tlower(193) = 1.72, p = 0.044; thigher(193) = −3.96, p < 0.001). However, the random forest did not have significant equivalency to the ground truth for between‐sip interval (tlower(193) = 1.98, p = 0.025; thigher(193) = 0.160, p = 0.564).

Conclusions

Overall, the results indicated that consumer‐grade smartwatches can be utilized to detect and measure alcohol use behavior using machine learning and distributional algorithms. This work provides the methodological foundation for future research to analyze the behavioral pharmacology of alcohol use and develop accessible just‐in‐time clinical interventions.
Structural transformation without industrialization? Evidence from Tanzanian consumers
Authors: McCullough Ellen B.
Published: October 2024

Export‐oriented industrialization was central to many Asian countries' structural transformation processes, but many African countries are bypassing industrialization, and the prospects for competing in global manufacturing markets are poor. Alternative structural transformation pathways all rely on domestic markets, and thus understanding their trajectories requires uncovering consumer preferences. Using detailed household expenditures data from a nationally representative panel survey in Tanzania, I estimate a flexible, stylized consumer demand system. I recover estimates of expenditure elasticities of demand for goods, services, and food in the aggregate, along with price elasticities of demand, identified using within‐household variation in prices and expenditures. I find that, across the expenditures distribution and in both rural and urban areas, consumer preferences are service facing. In particular, I show that (1) consumers sharply increase spending on services relative to goods and food as incomes increase; (2) demand for services in the aggregate is somewhat sensitive to changes in service prices; and (3) food, goods, and services are substitutes for each other. On one hand, a high propensity to consume the types of services that generate large local economic growth multipliers is consistent with driving growth in service sector employment. However, sustained growth in the long run may be limited because these services are low productivity and nontradable, and domestic markets are size constrained.
Procollagen C‐protease enhancer protein promotes glioma growth by activating ERK signaling
Authors: Ma Zhenchao , Huang Daxing , Ru Lixin , Chen Ming
Published: October 2024

Background

Procollagen C‐proteinase enhancer (PCOLCE) promotes tumor progression in multiple cancers. However, the specific role of PCOLCE in gliomas remains enigmatic. In this study, we focused on analyzing PCOLCE expression and its correlation with clinicopathological parameters in glioma specimens; moreover, we explored the effects of PCOLCE in glioma proliferation in vitro and in vivo.

Methods

A tissue microarray containing 159 human glioma specimens was pressed to explore the correlation between PCOLCE expression and the survival of glioma patients. Cell Counting Kit‐8 (CCK8), colony formation, and immunoblot assays were used to detect the role of PCOLCE on cell proliferation in glioma. Furthermore, the in vivo role of PCOLCE was investigated using a subcutaneous glioma xenograft model.

Results

The expression of PCOLCE was higher in grade III and IV gliomas than in grade I and II gliomas. High PCOLCE expression was related to a remarkably worse prognosis in glioma patients. Additionally, PCOLCE downregulation impeded glioma cell proliferation. Furthermore, PCOLCE knockdown markedly abrogated p‐ERK expression in glioma cells, whereas, it negligibly influenced p38 and JNK signaling.

Conclusions

These results indicate that PCOLCE is a feasible prognostic biomarker for glioma, and PCOLCE‐induced activation of ERK signaling may be a pro‐growth mechanism in glioma cells.
Efficacy and safety of orelabrutinib in relapsed/refractory idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease: A single‐centre, retrospective study
Authors: Gao Yu‐Han , Li Si‐Yuan , Dang Yue , Duan Ming‐Hui , Zhang Lu , Li Jian
Published: October 2024

Idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease (iMCD) is a rare and heterogeneous lymphoproliferative disorder that lacks standardised treatment options for patients with refractory or relapsed (r/r) disease. Blocking Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) has emerged as a promising therapeutic approach for iMCD without depleting B cells. This single‐centre, retrospective study enrolled 10 patients with r/r iMCD who were treated with orelabrutinib, a novel, next‐generation BTK inhibitor. The median age at orelabrutinib initiation was 48 (range: 31–58) years. The overall response rate was 70% (7/10 patients, 95% CI: 34.8–93.3), with 20% (n = 2) achieving complete response and 50% (n = 5) achieving partial response. The median time to response was 9.8 (range: 5.9–20.5) months. Patients in the non‐responder group also demonstrated a continuous improvement in haemoglobin (91–105 g/L) and albumin (32–38 g/L) levels at month 12 of treatment despite not fulfilling response criteria. No grade 3 or higher adverse events occurred during the median time to the next treatment of 29.0 (range: 15.0–36.2) months. No patient mortality was recorded during the median follow‐up duration of 32.8 (range: 15.0–36.9) months. In conclusion, orelabrutinib is a safe and effective regimen for r/r iMCD.
Analysis of SLC genes alternative splicing identifies the SLC7A6 RI isoform as a therapeutic target for colorectal cancer
Authors: Sun Chao , Zeng Boning , Zhou Jilong , Li Nan , Li Mingwei , Zhu Chaowei , Xie Shouxia , Wang Yifei , Wang Shaoxiang , Wang Xiao
Published: October 2024

Alternative splicing (AS), a crucial mechanism in post‐transcriptional regulation, has been implicated in diverse cancer processes. Several splicing variants of solute carrier (SLC) transporters reportedly play pivotal roles in tumorigenesis and tumor development. However, an in‐depth analysis of AS landscapes of SLCs in colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) is lacking. Herein, we analyzed data from The Cancer Genome Atlas and identified 1215 AS events across 243 SLC genes, including 109 differentially expressed AS (DEAS) events involving 62 SLC genes in COAD. Differentially spliced SLCs were enriched in biological processes, including transmembrane transporter activity, transporter activity, ferroptosis, and choline metabolism. In patients with COAD, tumor tissues exhibited higher expression of longer mitochondrial carrier SLC25A16 isoforms than adjacent normal tissues, consistent with bioinformatics analysis. Protein‐coding sequences and transmembrane helices of survival‐related DEAS were predicted, revealing that shifts in splicing sites altered the number and structure of their transmembrane proteins. We developed a prognostic risk model based on the screened 6‐SLC‐AS (SLC7A6_RI_37208 (SLC7A6‐RI), SLC11A2_AP_21724, SLC2A8_ES_87631, SLC35B1_AA_42317, SLC39A11_AD_43204, and SLC7A8_AP_26712). Knockdown of the intronic region of SLC7A6‐RI isoform enhanced colon cancer cell proliferation. In vivo, knockdown of the intronic region of SLC7A6‐RI isoform enhanced tumor growth in colon cancer. Mechanistically, si‐SLC7A6‐RI isoform exerted oncogenic effects by activating the PI3K‐Akt–mTOR signaling pathway and promoting cell proliferation, evidenced by increased expression of key regulators Phosphorylated Mammalian Target of Rapamycin (p‐mTOR) and a cell proliferation marker Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) using western blotting. Our study elucidated SLC‐AS in COAD, highlighting its potential as a prognostic and therapeutic target and emphasizing the suppressive influence of SLC7A6‐RI in colon cancer progression.
Family functioning and child internalizing and externalizing problems: A 16‐wave longitudinal study during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Lee Hyanghee , Fosco Gregory M. , Feinberg Mark E.
Published: October 2024

This study explored young children's mental health trajectories during the pandemic (May 2020 to April 2021) as well as associations with family functioning (i.e., cohesion, conflict, chaos, and routines) using data reported by 204 parents (children Mage 5.49; 45% girls, 90% White). Children's internalizing problems decreased early on with the onset of the pandemic, but then leveled off, while no change in externalizing problems was found. Family conflict and chaos were significantly associated with internalizing and externalizing problems at the within‐ and between‐family level, when examined independently. When family‐level factors were evaluated simultaneously, family conflict emerged as a robust risk factor. Intervention efforts, specifically for families experiencing increased conflict, may help support the mental health needs of children.
GLS2 reduces the occurrence of epilepsy by affecting mitophagy function in mouse hippocampal neurons
Authors: Gao Yuan , Ma Limin , Yuan Jinxian , Huang Yunyi , Ban Yuenan , Zhang Peng , Tan Dandan , Liang Minxue , Li Zhipeng , Gong Chen , Xu Tao , Yang Xiaolan , Chen Yangmei
Published: October 2024

Background

Altered mitophagy has been observed in various neurological disorders, such as epilepsy. The role of mitophagy in causing neuronal damage during epileptic episodes is significant, and recent research has indicated that GLS2 plays a crucial role in regulating autophagy. However, exactly how GLS2 affects epilepsy is still unclear.

Aims

To investigate the expression and distribution characteristics of GLS2 in epilepsy, and then observed the changes in behavior and electrophysiology caused by overexpression of GLS2 in epileptic mice, and determined whether GLS2 regulated seizure‐like changes in the mouse model through the protective mechanism of mitophagy.

Results

The expression of GLS2 in a kainic acid (KA)‐induced epileptic mouse model and aglutamate‐inducedneuronal excitatory damage in HT22 cells model was downregulation. In brief, overexpression of GLS2 can alleviate epileptic activity. Subsequently, we demonstrated that GLS2 interacts with mitophagy‐related proteins in a KA‐induced epilepsy mouse model. Mechanistically, overexpression of GLS2 inhibited mitophagy in epileptic mice, downregulating the expression of LC3 and reducing ROS production.

Conclusions

This study proves the GLS2 expression pattern is abnormal in epileptic mice. The function of mitophagy in hippocampal neurons is affected by GLS2, and overexpression of GLS2 can reduce the occurrence of seizure‐like events (SLEs) by altering mitophagy function. Thus, GLS2 might control seizures, and our findings provide a fresh avenue for antiepileptic treatment and offer novel insights into treating and preventing epilepsy.
Strengths and complementarity of systematic conservation planning and Key Biodiversity Area approaches for spatial planning
Authors: Plumptre Andy , Hayes Jack , Baisero Daniele , Rose Rob , Holness S. , von Staden Lize , Smith Robert J.
Published: October 2024

Developing biodiversity‐inclusive spatial plans at a national level is the focus of Target 1 of the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (KMGBF). There are 2 general approaches to identifying areas of value for biodiversity plans: criteria‐based, such as the Key Biodiversity Areas (KBA) process, and systematic conservation planning (SCP) approaches, which apply complementarity to efficiently achieve specific quantitative targets. We examined the benefits of both approaches and considered how the KBA approach can best complement SCP. We reviewed 200 papers articles that applied SCP to real‐world data with the Marxan conservation design software. Our review showed that targets for biodiversity elements are poorly selected in many SCP publications, with more than 75% of the studies applying uniform percentage target amounts to planning elements. Uniform targets favor more widespread species and ecosystems that are likely to be more common and less important for conservation. The strengths and complementarities of KBA and SCP approaches were reviewed and we identified the elements from both approaches that should be considered for spatial planning to achieve Target 1 in the KMGBF. In particular, the global approach of KBAs (i.e., identifying sites of global significance for species or ecosystems) better complements SCP, which often has a national or subnational focus. The KMGBF will fail if conservation of globally significant sites is not targeted and these sites are not incorporated in national spatial planning.
Pharmacogenomic augmented machine learning in electronic health record alerts: A health system‐wide usability survey of clinicians
Authors: Grant Caroline W. , Marrero‐Polanco Jean , Joyce Jeremiah B. , Barry Barbara , Stillwell Ashley , Kruger Kellie , Anderson Therese , Talley Heather , Hedges Mary , Valery Jose , White Richard , Sharp Richard R. , Croarkin Paul E. , Dyrbye Liselotte N. , Bobo William V. , Athreya Arjun P.
Published: October 2024

Pharmacogenomic (PGx) biomarkers integrated using machine learning can be embedded within the electronic health record (EHR) to provide clinicians with individualized predictions of drug treatment outcomes. Currently, however, drug alerts in the EHR are largely generic (not patient‐specific) and contribute to increased clinician stress and burnout. Improving the usability of PGx alerts is an urgent need. Therefore, this work aimed to identify principles for optimal PGx alert design through a health‐system‐wide, mixed‐methods study. Clinicians representing multiple practices and care settings (N = 1062) in urban, rural, and underserved regions were invited to complete an electronic survey comparing the usability of three drug alerts for citalopram, as a case study. Alert 1 contained a generic warning of pharmacogenomic effects on citalopram metabolism. Alerts 2 and 3 provided patient‐specific predictions of citalopram efficacy with varying depth of information. Primary outcomes included the System's Usability Scale score (0–100 points) of each alert, the perceived impact of each alert on stress and decision‐making, and clinicians' suggestions for alert improvement. Secondary outcomes included the assessment of alert preference by clinician age, practice type, and geographic setting. Qualitative information was captured to provide context to quantitative information. The final cohort comprised 305 geographically and clinically diverse clinicians. A simplified, individualized alert (Alert 2) was perceived as beneficial for decision‐making and stress compared with a more detailed version (Alert 3) and the generic alert (Alert 1) regardless of age, practice type, or geographic setting. Findings emphasize the need for clinician‐guided design of PGx alerts in the era of digital medicine.
Multisystem ALK‐Positive Histiocytosis With DCTN1::ALK Fusion in an Adult, Responsive to Alectinib: Case Report and Literature Review
Authors: Phillips Gregory S. , Knapp Maxwell , Olsen Keith C. , Martin William , Hayes‐Lattin Brandon , Chung Jina
Published: October 2024

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK)‐positive histiocytosis has emerged as a clinically relevant diagnosis featuring a wide span of clinical presentations, which are unified by the presence of ALK‐positive histiocytes on histopathology and molecular drivers involving the ALK kinase gene. This report presents an adult case of multisystem ALK‐positive histiocytosis with xanthogranuloma‐like features on histopathology that was responsive to ALK inhibition, and includes a review of ALK‐positive histiocytoses with cutaneous involvement reported in the literature. A 56‐year‐old male developed a widespread eruption of red‐brown papules on the face, trunk, and upper extremities. Histopathological evaluation revealed a well‐circumscribed, nodular dermal infiltrate of epithelioid histiocytes with Touton giant cells, rare bizarre multinucleated cells, and focal emperipolesis. The lesional cells were positive for CD68 and ALK1 immunohistochemical stains, and negative for CD1a. Next‐generation sequencing identified a DCTN1::ALK fusion. On imaging, he was found to have bone, lung, soft tissue, and salivary gland involvement. ALK inhibition was initiated with alectinib, resulting in rapid improvement of cutaneous lesions and eventual complete resolution of abnormal imaging findings, which was sustained at 24 months of follow‐up. This case adds to the spectrum of ALK‐positive histiocytoses and further demonstrates the positive response with targeted therapy.
A Computational Analysis of Ideological Positions, Emotional Stance, and Support for Presidential Candidates in Turkey
Authors: Yörük Erdem , Atsızelti Şükrü , Kına M. Fuat , Duruşan Fırat , Gürerk Oğuz , Yardı Melih Can , Hürriyetoğlu Ali , Mutlu Osman , Etgü Tolga , Koyuncu Murat , Topçu Işık
Published: October 2024

Using artificial intelligence, this article explores the intricate dynamics between ideologies, emotions, and political preferences of the electorate in Turkey. Utilizing a dataset of one billion posts from X (formerly Twitter), the study maps out political opinions, focusing on support for presidential candidates, ideological stances, and collective emotions around the pivotal 2023 Turkish presidential elections. We discuss the limitations of conventional survey techniques and introduce an ERC‐funded Politus project that processes digital trace data to offer timely insights into social and political trends. The study's findings, particularly around the “prayer rug (seccade) crisis,” underscore the complexity of electoral politics and the potential of digital trace data in capturing the evolving sentiments and ideological orientations of voters. Through this computational approach, the research provides a granular depiction of Turkey's ideological map and electoral behavior, contributing significantly to the discourse on political analysis in the digital era.
PFO Device Complications: Literature Review and Possible Implications for Echocardiographic Follow‐Up
Authors: Foreman Kaitlyn , Lyman Elizabeth , Conroy Sara , Salavitabar Arash , Cua Clifford L.
Published: October 2024

Introduction

Transthoracic (TTE) follow up guidelines after PFO device closure are vague. The primary goal of this study was to perform a literature search to characterize the timing of complications that occur after PFO device placement to determine the utility of long‐term routine TTE.

Methods

A search was performed in Medline (PubMed) with English language and publication date (2000–2023) filters were applied. Studies were included if they reported on patients who underwent a PFO device closure. Studies were excluded if they only reported on ASD device closure patients, were meta‐analysis or review papers, or did not report any outcomes for the PFO device procedure.

Results

A total of 305 articles met the criteria (observational cohort study, n = 196; case study, n = 99; and randomized control study, n = 10). Age at the time of PFO device closure was 47.5 ± 9.3 years. The incidence of complications was 6.9% (3358/48 348). Maximum range of follow‐up was 0–17 years. The plurality of complications was due to arrhythmias (46.3%, 1554/3358), followed by residual shunts (29.7%, 999/3358). The majority of complications occurred ≤6 months post‐device placement (57.8%, 1941/3358). Only 0.8% (27/3358) of complications took place >5 years. All patients with complications >5 years of device placement were presented with clinical symptoms related to their complications.

Conclusion

The incidence of patients presenting with PFO‐reported complications beyond 5 years post‐procedure diminished. The utility of routine TTE beyond 5 years post‐PFO after device placement should be further assessed.