bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Generation of Functional Human T Cell Development in NOD/SCID/IL2rγnull Humanized Mice Without Using Fetal Tissue: Application as a Model of HIV Infection and Persistence
Authors: Colas Chloé , Volodina Olga , Béland Kathie , Pham Tram N.Q. , Li Yuanyi , Dallaire Frédéric , Soulard Clara , Lemieux William , Colamartino Aurélien B.L. , Tremblay-Laganière Camille , Dicaire Renée , Guimond Jean , Patey Natasha , Vobecky Suzanne , Poirier Nancy , Cohen Éric A. , Haddad Elie
Published: May 2022

Generating humanized mice with fully functional T cells currently relies on co-implantation of hematopoietic stem cells from fetal liver and autologous fetal thymic tissue (BLT mouse). However, access to such tissues has ethical and logistical challenges. Herein, we show that NOD/SCID/IL2rγnull mice humanized with cord blood-derived CD34+ cells and implanted in quadriceps with pediatric thymic tissues excised during cardiac surgeries (CCST mice) are an alternative to BLT mice. Our data revealed a strong immune reconstitution in CCST mice, with T cells originating from CD34+ progenitor cells, proliferating efficiently in response to mitogenic stimulation ex vivo and capable of rejecting allogeneic human leukemic cells in vivo. Despite having less T cells than BLT mice, CCST mice were equally susceptible to mucosal or intraperitoneal HIV infection. Importantly, HIV-specific T cell responses were significantly higher in CCST-mice (median: 10.4% vs. 0.7%; p<0.0001 for CD8+cells and 3.9% vs. 0.7%; p<0.01 for CD4+ cells). As well, antiretroviral therapy (ART) robustly suppressed viremia and reduced the frequencies of cells carrying integrated HIV DNA by up to 2 logs in various CCST mouse tissues. As in BLT mice, we observed a complete viral rebound in 67% of the animals by 2-4 weeks following ART interruption, suggesting the presence of HIV reservoirs. In conclusion, CCST mice represent an ethical and practical alternative to BLT mice, broadening the feasibility of utilizing humanized mice for research on HIV and other human diseases.

One Sentence Summary

We herein report a new humanized mouse model implanted with human cord blood hematopoietic stem cells and allogenic pediatric thymic tissue that develops a functional T cell compartment and supports efficient HIV infection and persistence during antiretroviral therapy.
DNA passes through cohesin’s hinge as well as its Smc3-kleisin interface
Authors: Collier James E , Nasmyth Kim A
Published: May 2022

The ring model (Haering et al. 2002) proposes that sister chromatid cohesion is mediated by co-entrapment of sister DNAs inside a tripartite cohesin ring created by a pair of rod-shaped proteins (Smc1 and Smc3) whose two ends are connected through dimerization of their hinges at one end and by association of their ATPase domains at the other end with the N- and C-terminal domains of a kleisin subunit (Scc1). The model explains how Scc1 cleavage triggers anaphase (Uhlmann, Lottspeich, and Nasmyth 1999) but has hitherto only been rigorously tested using small circular mini-chromosomes in yeast, where crosslinking the ring’s three interfaces, creating a covalent circular molecule, induces catenation of individual sister DNAs (Haering et al. 2008; Srinivasan et al. 2018). If the model applies to real chromatids, then the ring must have a DNA entry gate essential for mitosis. Whether this is situated at the Smc3/Scc1 (Murayama and Uhlmann 2015; Murayama et al. 2018) or Smc1/Smc3 hinge (Gruber et al. 2006) interface is an open question. Using an in vitro system (Collier et al. 2020), we show that cohesin in fact possesses two DNA gates, one at the Smc3/Scc1 interface and a second at the Smc1/3 hinge. Unlike the Smc3/Scc1 interface, passage of DNAs through SMC hinges depends on both Scc2 and Scc3, a pair of regulatory subunits necessary for entrapment in vivo (Srinivasan et al. 2018). This property together with the lethality caused by locking this interface but not that between Smc3 and Scc1 in vivo (Gruber et al. 2006) suggests that passage of DNAs through the hinge is essential for building sister chromatid cohesion. Passage of DNAs through the Smc3/Scc1 interface is necessary for cohesin’s separase-independent release from chromosomes (Chan et al. 2012) and may therefore largely serve as an exit gate.
SARS-CoV-2 Helicase might interfere with cellular nonsense-mediated RNA decay, insights from a bioinformatics study
Authors: Akbari Behnia , Ahmadi Ehsan , Zamir Mina Roshan , Shaker Mina Sadeghi , Noorbakhsh Farshid
Published: May 2022

Unraveling molecular interactions between viral proteins and host cells is key to understanding the pathogenesis of viral diseases. We hypothesized that potential sequence and structural similarities between SARS-CoV2 proteins and proteins of infected cells might influence host cell biology and antiviral defense. Comparing the proteins of SARS-CoV-2 with human and mammalian proteins revealed sequence and structural similarities between viral helicase with human UPF1. The latter is a protein that is involved in nonsense mediated RNA decay (NMD), an mRNA surveillance pathway which also acts as a cellular defense mechanism against viruses. Protein sequence similarities were also observed between viral nsp3 and human Poly ADP-ribose polymerase (PARP) family of proteins. Gene set enrichment analysis on transcriptomic data derived from SARS-CoV-2 positive samples illustrated the enrichment of genes belonging to the NMD pathway compared with control samples. Moreover, comparing transcriptomic data from SARS-CoV2-infected samples with transcriptomic data derived from UPF1 knockout cells demonstrated a significant overlap between datasets. These findings suggest that helicase/UPF1 sequence and structural similarity might have the ability to interfere with the NMD pathway with pathogenic and immunological implications.
A universal system for streamlined genome integrations with CRISPR-associated transposases
Authors: Wang Megan , Sanfiorenzo Charles , Zhang Raymond J. , Wang Kaihang
Published: May 2022

Genome engineering tools in bacteria are limited by their targeting abilities, cargo size capacities, and integration efficiencies. Programmable Cas-directed transposons have been shown to bypass these constraints; however, genome integrations with these Cas-directed transposons require a cargo plasmid carrying the desired DNA payload flanked by directed repeat transposon arms. This cloning pre-requisite significantly hinders the modularity and streamlining capabilities of Cas-directed transposon systems, diminishing their utility for genome engineering. Here, we present a system that can robustly integrate a linear DNA payload into the genome ofE. coliby employing a Type I-F CRISPR-associated transposon fromVibrio cholerae. This system bypasses the traditional limiting factors of Cas-directed transposons by leveraging oligonucleotide design and nested polymerase chain reactions to reconstitute the transposon arms onto a designated cargo. Our findings demonstrate that this programmable linear integration method has high efficiencies in integrating large DNA payloads across multiple genomic loci.
Calcium transport by the Mycobacterium tuberculosis PE15/PPE20 proteins
Authors: Boradia Vishant , Frando Andrew , Grundner Christoph
Published: May 2022

Many aspects of eukaryotic physiology are regulated by calcium ions (Ca2+). Whether bacteria have similar Ca2+ systems for transport, storage, binding, and response to Ca2+ is not well understood. To identify components of Ca2+ signaling in Mycobacterium tuberculosis, we determined its transcriptional response to Ca2+. Overall, only few genes changed expression, suggesting a limited role of Ca2+ as a transcriptional regulator. However, two of the most strongly downregulated genes were the pe15 and ppe20 genes that code for members of a large family of proteins that localizes to the outer membrane. PE15 and PPE20 formed a complex and PPE20 directly bound Ca2+. Ca2+-associated phenotypes such as an increase in ATP consumption and increase in biofilm formation were reversed in a pe15/ppe20 knockout strain, suggesting a direct role in Ca2+ homeostasis. To test whether the complex has a role in Ca2+ transport across the outer membrane, we created a fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based Ca2+ reporter strain. A pe15/ppe20 knockout in the FRET background showed a specific and selective loss of Ca2+ influx that was dependent on the presence of an intact outer cell wall. These data show that PE15/PPE20 form a Ca2+-binding protein complex that selectively imports Ca2+ and support the emerging idea of a general family-wide role of PE/PPE proteins in transport across the outer membrane.
Stochastic inference of clonal dominance in gene therapy studies
Authors: Core L. Del , Grzegorczyk M. A. , Wit E. C.
Published: May 2022

Clonal dominance is a wake-up-call for adverse events in gene therapy applications. This phenomenon has mainly been observed as a consequence of a malignancy progression, and, in some rare cases, also during normal haematopoiesis. We propose here a random-effects stochastic model that allows for a quick detection of clonal expansions that possibly occur during a gene therapy treatment.

Starting from the Ito-type equation, the dynamics of cells duplication, death and differentiation at clonal level without clonal dominance can be described by a local linear approximation. The parameters of the base model, which are inferred using a maximum likelihood approach, are assumed to be shared across the clones. In order to incorporate the possibility of clonal dominance, we extend the base model by introducing random effects for the clonal parameters. This extended model is estimated using a tailor-made expectation maximization algorithm. The main idea of this paper is to compare the base and the extended models in high dimensional clonal tracking datasets by means of Akaike Information Criterion in order to detect the presence of clonal dominance. The method is evaluated using a simulation study, and is applied to investigating the dynamics of clonal expansion in a in-vivo model of rhesus macaque hematopoiesis.

Author summary

Preventing or quickly detecting clonal dominance is an important aspect in gene therapy applications. Over the past decades, clonal tracking has proven to be a cutting-edge analysis capable to unveil population dynamics and hierarchical relationships in vivo. For this reason, clonal tracking studies are required for safety and long-term efficacy assessment in preclinical and clinical studies. In this work we propose a random-effects stochastic framework that allows to investigate events of clonal dominance using high-dimensional clonal tracking data. Our framework is based on the combination between stochastic reaction networks and mixed-effects generalized linear models. We have shown in a simulation study and in a real world application that our method is able to detect the presence of clonal expansions. Our tool can provide statistical support to biologists in gene therapy surveillance analyses.
Double trouble or a blessing in disguise? Co-infection of potato with the causal agents of late and early blight
Authors: Brouwer S.M. , Wolters P.J. , Andreasson E. , Liljeroth E. , Vleeshouwers V.G.A.A. , Grenville-Briggs L.J.
Published: May 2022

The simultaneous occurrence of multiple diseases is an understudied area in plant pathology; however, studies of animal and human diseases have shown that the presence of multiple pathogens can impact virulence, and the course of disease development. Furthermore, they also present an important driver of epidemiological dynamics. Global potato production is plagued by multiple pathogens, amongst which are Phytophthora infestans and Alternaria solani, the causal agents of potato late and early blight respectively. Both these pathogens have different lifestyles and are successful pathogens of potato, but despite observations of both pathogens infecting potato simultaneously in field conditions, the tripartite interactions between potato and these two pathogens are so far, poorly understood. Here we studied the interaction of A. solani and P. infestans first in vitro and subsequently in planta both in laboratory and field settings. We found that A. solani can inhibit P. infestans both in terms of growth in vitro and infection of potato, both in laboratory experiments and in an agriculturally relevant field setting.
Gene editing and super-resolution microscopy reveal multiple distinct roles for ARF GTPases in cellular membrane organization
Authors: Wong-Dilworth Luis , Rodilla-Ramirez Carmen , Fox Eleanor , Restel Steffen D. , Stockhammer Alexander , Adarska Petia , Bottanelli Francesca
Published: May 2022

ADP-ribosylation factor (ARF) GTPases are major regulators of cellular membrane homeostasis. High sequence similarity and multiple, possible redundant functions of the five human ARFs make investigating their function a challenging task. To shed light on the roles of the different Golgi-localized ARF members in membrane trafficking, we generated CRISPR-Cas9 knock ins (KIs) of type I (ARF1 and ARF3) and type II ARFs (ARF4 and ARF5) and mapped their nanoscale localization with stimulated emission depletion (STED) super-resolution microscopy. We find ARF1, ARF4 and ARF5 on segregated nano-domains on the cis-Golgi and ER-Golgi intermediate compartments (ERGIC), revealing distinct roles in COPI recruitment on early secretory membranes. Interestingly, ARF4 and ARF5 define Golgi-tethered ERGIC elements decorated by COPI and devoid of ARF1. Differential localization of ARF1 and ARF4 on distal ERGICs suggests the presence of functionally different classes of intermediate compartments that could regulate bi-directional transport between the ER and the Golgi. Furthermore, ARF1 and ARF3 localize to segregated nano-domains on the trans-Golgi network (TGN) and TGN-derived post-Golgi tubules, strengthening the idea of distinct roles in post-Golgi sorting. This work provides the first map of the nanoscale organization of human ARF GTPases on cellular membranes and sets the stage to dissect their numerous cellular roles.
Specificity and overlap in the genetic architectures of functional and structural connectivity within cerebral resting-state networks
Authors: Tissink E.P. , Werme J. , de Lange S.C. , Savage J.E. , Wei Y. , de Leeuw C.A. , Nagel M. , Posthuma D. , van den Heuvel M.P.
Published: May 2022

The functional connectivity and dynamics of resting-state networks (RSN-FC) are vital for cognitive functioning. RSN-FC is heritable and partially translates to the anatomical architecture of white matter, but the genetic component of structural connections of RSNs (RSN-SC) and their potential genetic overlap with RSN-FC remains unknown. Here we perform genome-wide association studies (Ndiscovery=24,336; Nreplication=3,412) and in silico annotation on RSN-SC and RSN-FC. We identify the first genes for visual network-SC, that are involved in axon guidance and synaptic functioning and show that genetic variation in RSN-FC impacts biological processes related to brain disorders that have previously been associated with FC alterations in those same RSNs. Correlations of the genetic components of RSNs are mostly observed within the functional domain, whereas less overlap is observed within the structural domain and between the functional and structural domains. This study advances the understanding of the complex functional organization of the brain and its structural underpinnings from a genetics viewpoint.
Fip1 is a multivalent interaction scaffold for processing factors in human mRNA 3’ end biogenesis
Authors: Muckenfuss Lena M. , Migenda Herranz Anabel C. , Boneberg Franziska M. , Clerici Marcello , Jinek Martin
Published: May 2022

3’ end formation of most eukaryotic mRNAs is dependent on the assembly of a ∼1.5 megadalton multiprotein complex, that catalyzes the coupled reaction of pre-mRNA cleavage and polyadenylation. In mammals, the cleavage and polyadenylation specificity factor (CPSF) constitutes the core of the 3’ end processing machinery onto which the remaining factors, including cleavage stimulation factor (CstF) and poly(A) polymerase (PAP), assemble. These interactions are mediated by Fip1, a CPSF subunit characterized by high degree of intrinsic disorder. Here, we report two crystal structures revealing the interactions of human Fip1 (hFip1) with CPSF30 and CstF77. We demonstrate that CPSF contains two copies of hFip1, each binding to the zinc finger (ZF) domains 4 and 5 of CPSF30. Using polyadenylation assays we show that the two hFip1 copies are functionally redundant in recruiting one copy of PAP, thereby increasing the processivity of RNA polyadenylation. We further show that the interaction between hFip1 and CstF77 is mediated via a short motif in the N-terminal “acidic” region of hFip1. In turn, CstF77 competitively inhibits CPSF-dependent PAP recruitment and 3’ polyadenylation. Taken together, these results provide a structural basis for the multivalent scaffolding and regulatory functions of hFip1 in 3’ end processing.
Ethanol-induced conditioned taste aversion and associated neural activation in male rats: Impact of age and adolescent intermittent ethanol exposure
Authors: Gore-Langton Jonathan K. , Varlinskaya Elena I. , Werner David F.
Published: May 2022

Individuals that initiate alcohol use at younger ages and binge drink during adolescence are more susceptible to developing alcohol use disorder. Adolescents are relatively insensitive to the aversive effects of alcohol and tend to consume significantly more alcohol per occasion than adults, an effect that is conserved in rodent models. Adolescent typical insensitivity to the aversive effects of alcohol may promote greater alcohol intake by attenuating internal cues that curb its consumption. Attenuated sensitivity to the aversive effects of alcohol is also retained into adulthood following protracted abstinence from adolescent intermittent ethanol (AIE) exposure. Despite these effects, much remains unknown regarding the neural contributors. In the present study, we used a conditioned taste aversion (CTA) paradigm to investigate neuronal activation in late-developing forebrain structures of male adolescents and adult cFos-LacZ transgenic rats as well as in AIE adults following consumption of 0.9% sodium chloride previously paired with an intraperitoneal injection of 0, 1.5 or 2.5g/kg of ethanol.. Unlike adults that were non-manipulated or received water exposure during adolescence, adolescents as well as adults who experienced AIE did not display CTA to a 1.5 g/kg ethanol dose. Adults displayed increased neuronal activation indexed via number of β-galactosidase positive (β-gal+) cells in the prefrontal and insular cortex that was absent in adolescents, whereas adolescents but not adults had reduced number of β-gal+ cells in the central amygdala. Adults also displayed greater cortical-insular functional connectivity than adolescents as well as insular-amygdalar and prefrontal cortex-accumbens core functional connectivity. Like adolescents, adults previously exposed to AIE displayed reduced prefrontal-insular cortex and prefrontal-accumbal core functional connectivity. Taken together, these results suggest that attenuated sensitivity to the aversive effects of ethanol is related to a loss of an insular-prefrontal cortex-accumbens core circuit.
Top down information shapes lexical processing when listening to continuous speech
Authors: Gwilliams Laura , Marantz Alec , Poeppel David , King Jean-Remi
Published: May 2022

Speech is often structurally and semantically ambiguous. Here we study how the human brain uses sentence context to resolve lexical ambiguity. Twenty-one participants listened to spoken narratives while magneto-encephalography (MEG) was recorded. Stories were annotated for grammatical word class (noun, verb, adjective) under two hypothesised sources of information: ‘bottom-up’: the most common word class given the word’s phonology; ‘top-down’: the correct word class given the context. We trained a classifier on trials where the hypotheses matched (about 90%) and tested the classifier on trials where they mismatched. The classifier predicted top-down word class labels, and anti-correlated with bottom-up labels. Effects peaked ∼100ms after word onset over mid-frontal MEG sensors. Phonetic information was encoded in parallel, though peaking later (∼200ms). Our results support that during continuous speech processing, lexical representations are quickly built in a context-sensitive manner. We showcase multivariate analyses for teasing apart subtle representational distinctions from neural time series.
Efficient decision-makers evaluate relative reward per effort
Authors: Kubanek Jan
Published: May 2022

Understanding how humans and animals can make effective decisions would have a profound impact on economics, psychology, ecology, and related fields. Neoclassical economics provides a formalism for optimal decisions, but the apparatus requires a large number of evaluations of the decision options as well as representations and computations that are biologically implausible. This article shows that natural constraints distill the economic optimization into an efficient and biologically plausible decision strategy. In this strategy, decision-makers evaluate the relative reward across their options and allocate their effort proportionally, thus equalizing the reward per effort across their options. Using a combination of analytical and simulation approaches, the article shows that this strategy is efficient, providing optimal or near-optimal gain following a single evaluation of decision options. The strategy is also rational; satisficing and indifferent decision-makers are found to perform relatively poorly. Moreover, the relativistic value functions underlying this efficient strategy provide an account of time discounting, effort discounting, and resource discounting in general.
Experimental and numerical study on heatwave effect over an airfoil for unmanned aerial vehicle applications
Authors: V. Somashekar , A. Immanuel Selwynraj
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The heatwave effects over an airfoil have a greater influence in the aerodynamic efficiency. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of heatwave upon the low Reynolds number airfoil aerodynamic performance.

Design/methodology/approach

In this research, the heatwave effects on micro-aerial vehicles’ wing operation are also demonstrated both numerically and experimentally, at the Chord-based Reynolds number Rec = 2 × 105, and under the influence of various environmental temperatures, i.e. 27ºC (room temperature), 40ºC and 50ºC for various flying conditions. A numerical investigation of the low Reynolds number flows with the thermal effect around the unmanned aerial vehicle is presented using the k–ɛ turbulent model. Besides that, the low Reynolds number-based wind tunnel experimental setup is developed to determine the effects of a heatwave over an airfoil. Then, the numerical simulations and wind tunnel experiments are conducted.

Findings

The numerical and wind tunnel’s experimental investigations have been performed on a 2D airfoil under a heatwave environment, i.e. 27ºC, 40ºC and 50ºC for different flight conditions. The numerical and experimental results revealed that the heatwave effect and aerodynamic performance are validated with experimental results. The lift and drag coefficients for both numerical and experimental results show very good correlation at Reynolds number 2 × 105.

Practical implications

The consequences of the increasing temperatures to varying degrees will also be experienced by all commercial aircraft. That is why some great findings are presented here, which are highly relevant for the current and future airline operations. However, sooner than later, the aviation industry should also begin to consider the rising effects of temperature on aircraft operations to develop the loss-reducing adaptable plans.

Originality/value

From the numerical and wind tunnel experimental results, the recorded maximum lift coefficients are observed to be 2.42, 2.39 and 2.36 for 27ºC (room temperature), 40ºC and 50ºC, respectively, at 16° angle of attack, numerically. Similarly, the recorded maximum lift coefficients are observed to be 2.410, 2.382 and 2.354 for 27ºC (room temperature), 40ºC and 50ºC, respectively, at 16° angle of attack, experimentally. The heatwave effects over an airfoil have a greater influence in the aerodynamic efficiency.
The role of senses on purchase intention in social commerce
Authors: Cheng Jao-Hong , Lin Li-Wei
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine how situational factors with social support affecting purchase intention in social commerce (SC). In Taiwan’s SC, the relationship between trust belief and purchase intention has always been a key issue.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a research model that comprises five hypothesis with five constructs, including situational factors, social support, senses, trust belief and purchase intention. The model is tested on data collected from 532 valid samples in Taiwan, using structural equation modeling. The results show that, in order of importance, control senses and raise mediation trust belief reach the better purchase intention.

Findings

The findings of the study provide practical insights in understanding how seller should notice consumer’s trust belief, in order to enhance purchase intention for the SC as a whole.

Originality/value

Much existing consumer behavior research is focused on decision making rather than the trust belief themselves. Accordingly, analyzing how senses influence trust belief and purchase intention is an important issue in SC.
The spatial distribution of Airbnb providers in Brussels: different drivers for different types of hosts?
Authors: Endrich Marek , Verhaeghe Pieter-Paul , Costa Rafael , Imeraj Lena , Gadeyne Sylvie
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to compare the spatial distribution of different types of Airbnb hosts – based on a novel typology – and to investigate their association with neighbourhood characteristics in Brussels.

Design/methodology/approach

This study describes the location of Airbnb dwellings across the types of hosts and use spatial tests to compare their distributions to the traditional hospitality industry. With regression models, this study examines the relationship between the provision of Airbnb listings and neighbourhood indicators.

Findings

While different types of hosts offer their listings in the same urban space, they also cover different areas and exhibit different clustering processes. Their locations are associated with structural, socio-economic and demographic neighbourhood characteristics that vary across the types and provide support for the new typology.

Research limitations/implications

This study focuses on the type of Airbnb hosts and their listings in one year, 2019. It would be worthwhile to apply the typology to other cities and to observe how the distributions change over time, including the period of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to suggest a finer typology of Airbnb hosts than the regular distinction into professional and non-professional types and reveals how hosts differ in the location of their Airbnbs.
Modelling and quantitation of embodied, operational and mobile energies of buildings: a holistic review from 2012 to 2021
Authors: Tam Vivian W.Y. , Liu Lei , Le Khoa N.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper proposes an intact framework for building life cycle energy estimation (LCEE), which includes three major energy sources: embodied, operational and mobile.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review is conducted to summarize the selected 109 studies published during 2012–2021 related to quantifying building energy consumption and its major estimation methodologies, tools and key influence parameters of three energy sources.

Findings

Results show that the method limitations and the variety of potential parameters lead to significant energy estimation errors. An in-depth qualitative discussion is conducted to identify research knowledge gaps and future directions.

Originality/value

With societies and economies developing rapidly across the world, a large amount of energy is consumed at an alarming rate. Unfortunately, its huge environmental impacts have forced many countries to take energy issues as urgent social problems to be solved. Even though the construction industry, as the one of most important carbon contributors, has been constantly and academically active, researchers still have not arrived at a clear consensus for system boundaries of life cycle energy. Besides, there is a significant difference between the actual and estimated values in countless current and advanced energy estimation approaches in the literature.
Islamic financial literacy and Islamic banks selection: an exploratory study using multiple correspondence analysis on banks' small business customers
Authors: Al-Awlaqi Mohammed Ali , Aamer Ammar Mohamed
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Although Islamic banks offer superior financial services than other interest-based conventional banks, they could not expand their share and dominate the markets in several Islamic countries. This problem could be attributed to some causes not addressed. The current study proposes Islamic financial literacy as an important factor that could help aggress this problem. Due to a wide variety of Islamic financial services and the lack of understanding of these services, the banks' small business customers are indifferent between Islamic and interested-based conventional services to finance their business.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the exploratory technique of multiple correspondence analysis to detect any potential role of Islamic financial literacy in customers' preference for Islamic banks over conventional ones. The potential effect was tested with other essential factors, such as the customers' age, gender, and educational level. This analysis was conducted on a data set from 2061 banks' small businesses customers using the mall-intercept survey method.

Findings

The study shows a low level of Islamic financial literacy among Yemeni banks' small business owners' customers. Furthermore, despite integrating some critical factors that could influence the actual bank selection process among Yemini banks' customers, the authors found a decisive potential role of Islamic financial literacy as one of the key determinants of bank selection preferences.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to explore the potential role of Islamic financial literacy on the actual selection between Islamic Banks and their counterparts: the conventional banks in Yemen. The research results could build a more comprehensive theoretical model on Islamic banks' customer behavior.
Evaluating the interactive effect of domestic and global stock market variables on the depth of the financial system in Sub-Saharan African countries: a panel ARDL approach
Authors: Kalu Ebere Ume , Arize Augustine Chuck , Ilo Sylvester Okechukwu , Ihegboro Ifeoma , Eze Chiamaka Goodness
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study investigated the interactive impact of global and domestic stock market variables on the depth of the financial system in Sub-Saharan African (SSA) countries from 1990 to 2018.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used the mean group and pooled mean group estimators for the dynamic heterogeneous panel.

Findings

The results provide strong statistical evidence that the depth of the financial system in SSA countries is influenced by a combination of local and international stock market indicators. While the local variables exert a positive influence, the global indicator tends to negatively affect the depth of the system, particularly the monetization ratio.

Practical implications

While the tendency of portfolio adjustments and reversal can be inferred, the study stresses the need for a more globalized approach to financial policy formulation and implementation even as the trend of global financializaton gets more robust and more profound.

Originality/value

This study is unique in that, unlike prior ones, it has extended the debate on the role of the stock market in financial deepening from a domestic to an international dimension. Financial policy making can be aided by the authors' findings through looking at the financial deepening-stock market linkage from both domestic and globalized perspectives.
Optimal control of automated left-turn platoon at contraflow left-turn lane intersections
Authors: Yang Hanyu , Zhao Jing , Wang Meng
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to propose a centralized optimal control model for automated left-turn platoon at contraflow left-turn lane (CLL) intersections.

Design/methodology/approach

The lateral lane change control and the longitudinal acceleration in the control horizon are optimized simultaneously with the objective of maximizing traffic efficiency and smoothness. The proposed model is cast into a mixed-integer linear programming problem and then solved by the branch-and-bound technique.

Findings

The proposed model has a promising control effect under different geometric controlled conditions. Moreover, the proposed model performs robustly under various safety time headways, lengths of the CLL and green times of the main signal.

Originality/value

This study proposed a centralized optimal control model for automated left-turn platoon at CLL intersections. The lateral lane change control and the longitudinal acceleration in the control horizon are optimized simultaneously with the objective of maximizing traffic efficiency and smoothness
Culture and the decision to adopt and use social media for corporate disclosures
Authors: Ma Lin , Rahman Asheq
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the influence of culture on the adoption and use of social media platforms for corporate disclosures by firms in a cross-country setting.

Design/methodology/approach

It is contended that social media corporate disclosure (SMCD) is culturally influenced because the primary purpose of social media is to connect people in social settings, and social settings are distinguished by their cultures. Using a sample of 1,420 firms from 36 countries and Hofstede’s cultural dimensions, this study examines the direct effects of culture on SMCD and its moderating effects on the relationship between SMCD and the agency determinants of corporate disclosure.

Findings

It is found that cultural dimensions directly affect the adoption and use of SMCD. Additionally, the agency determinants of disclosure, size, leverage and growth are positively associated with the adoption, and use of SMCD, and these associations are moderated by the cultural dimensions.

Research limitations/implications

The Hofstede cultural dimensions are broad country-level variables based on the culture of the majority in the population. However, larger countries have many cultures. This study does not cover within-country cultural effects on SMCD. It also does not cover firm-level culture and accounting culture because these factors are derived from national culture. This study adds culture as a country-level determinant of why companies adopt and use social media.

Practical implications

The study provides investors and policymakers with an understanding of the nature of SMCD adoption and use in different cultural settings. It also makes managers aware of which cultural settings are more amenable to SMCD.

Social implications

Social media, by design, have social implications. Examining the role of culture in the use of social media provides societal reasons for the use of SMCD by companies.

Originality/value

Since social media are interactive in form rather than simply one-way disclosure devices, this study goes beyond the realm of corporate disclosure into the less researched area of corporate communication via social media.
Positive deviance at work: a systematic review and directions for future research
Authors: Sharma Naman , Chillakuri Bharat Kumar
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the positive side of employee deviance. Historically, research exploring employee deviance focussed on undesirable organisational and individual outcomes. Thus, previous research has empirically established that employee deviance harms both the organisation and organisation's employees. Recent studies argue that employee deviance also has a positive effect; however, such studies are limited in number. The extant research fails to consider the positive side of employee deviance, and therefore, the present studies bridge the gap through a systematic literature review on positive deviance.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examined peer-reviewed theoretical and empirical journal articles related to workplace deviance. An initial search resulted in 2,691 research articles, of which 40 papers were considered relevant for the study given the objective of this paper. Research papers were extracted from the Web of Science, EBSCO and Scopus. The extracted data were then synthesised to formulate the research questions and objectives for this study.

Findings

Basing on the systematic literature review, the study presents six main themes: positive deviance and younger workforce, positive deviant leader and subordinates and positive deviance as a strategic tool for employee engagement, positive deviance and positive organisational scholarship, positive deviance and entrepreneurial orientation. The study also proposes positive deviance as a mediator/moderator of other relationships within an organisation.

Research limitations/implications

Systematic literature is a methodology that relies on the availability and accessibility of research studies based on the research criteria. The study considered three significant databases to identify the relevant papers for the study. Therefore, the research is limited, and the possibility of omitting the papers is not ruled out, although unintentional.

Originality/value

The paper is plausibly the first research to conduct a systematic literature review on positive deviance. The study establishes and reconfirms the encouraging side of employee deviance. The study extends the literature on workplace deviance in two significant ways. First, the paper systematically examines the empirical and review literature related to positive deviance and presents a greater understanding of the predictors, consequences, methodologies, etc. Second, the study highlights the critical research gaps in this area and suggests the course of action for future research.
Blockchain in education: the influence of trust on adoption and implementation
Authors: Ramos Cristina Rodrigues dos Santos , Queiroz Maciel M.
Published: May 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the influence of trust on adopting and implementing blockchain technology in higher education institutions (HEIs) in Brazil.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses an exploratory qualitative approach to understand the construct of trust in the context of the educational sector. Data were collected through semistructured questionnaires and online interviews.

Findings

The research identified that, for most potential blockchain users, trust positively influences the HEIs, because benefits such as secure data sharing and transaction transparency could optimize the daily routine and avoid fraud in academic documents, providing a cooperative and reliable working environment. In addition, the results suggest that trust is needed to overcome challenges related to issues such as costs and privacy.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the advances in the emerging literature on blockchain in the educational sector as a system with the potential to generate trust, as well as the literature on the technology acceptance models.

Practical implications

For HEI managers and practitioners, this study highlights the need for a greater understanding of the influence of trust in the relationships between HEIs and other stakeholders.

Social implications

This work shows that adopting blockchain technologies would allow users to build social relationships of trust in a cooperative work environment and develop trusted behavior by sharing data securely and transparently.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is one of the first studies on the adoption and implementation of blockchain in the education sector in Brazil.
Detection algorithm of rail surface defects based on multifeature saliency fusion method
Authors: Zhai Hua , Ma Zheng
Published: May 2022

Purpose

Effective rail surface defects detection method is the basic guarantee to manufacture high-quality rail. However, the existed visual inspection methods have disadvantages such as poor ability to locate the rail surface region and high sensitivity to uneven reflection. This study aims to propose a bionic rail surface defect detection method to obtain the high detection accuracy of rail surface defects under uneven reflection environments.

Design/methodology/approach

Through this bionic rail surface defect detection algorithm, the positioning and correction of the rail surface region can be computed from maximum run-length smearing (MRLS) and background difference. A saliency image can be generated to simulate the human visual system through some features including local grayscale, local contrast and edge corner effect. Finally, the meanshift algorithm and adaptive threshold are developed to cluster and segment the saliency image.

Findings

On the constructed rail defect data set, the bionic rail surface defect detection algorithm shows good recognition ability on the surface defects of the rail. Pixel- and defect-level index in the experimental results demonstrate that the detection algorithm is better than three advanced rail defect detection algorithms and five saliency models.

Originality/value

The bionic rail surface defect detection algorithm in the production process is proposed. Particularly, a method based on MRLS is introduced to extract the rail surface region and a multifeature saliency fusion model is presented to identify rail surface defects.
Surgical team perceptions of the surgical safety checklist in a tertiary hospital in Jordan: a descriptive qualitative study
Authors: Albsoul Rania , Alshyyab Muhammad Ahmed , Al Odat Baraa Ayed , Al Dwekat Nermeen Borhan , Al-masri Batool Emad , Alkubaisi Fatima Abdulsattar , Flefil Salsabil Awni , Al-Khawaldeh Majd Hussein , Sa'ed Ragad Ayman , Abu Ajamieh Maha Waleed , Fitzgerald Gerard
Published: May 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceptions of operating room staff towards the use of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist in a tertiary hospital in Jordan.

Design/methodology/approach

This was a qualitative descriptive study. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with a purposeful sample of 21 healthcare staff employed in the operating room (nurses, residents, surgeons and anaesthesiologists). The interviews were conducted in the period from October to December 2021. Thematic analysis was used to analyse the data.

Findings

Three main themes emerged from data analysis namely compliance with the surgical safety checklist, the impact of surgical safety checklist, and barriers and facilitators to the use of the surgical safety checklist. The use of the checklist was seen as enabling staff to communicate effectively and thus to accomplish patient safety and positive outcomes. The perceived barriers to compliance included excessive workload, congestion and lack of training and awareness. Enhanced training and education were thought to improve the utilization of the surgical safety checklist, and help enhance awareness about its importance.

Originality/value

While steps to utilize the surgical safety checklist by the operation room personnel may seem simple, the quality of its administration is not necessarily robust. There are several challenges for consistent, complete and effective administration of the surgical safety checklist by the surgical team members. Healthcare managers must employ interventions to eliminate barriers to and offer facilitators of adherence to the application of the surgical safety checklist, therefore promoting quality healthcare and patient safety.
The relative influence of history, climate, topography and vegetation structure on local animal richness varies among taxa and spatial grains
Authors: Carrasco Luis , Giam Xingli , Sheldon Kimberly S. , Papeş Monica
Published: May 2022

Understanding the spatial scales at which environmental factors drive species richness patterns is a major challenge in ecology. Due to the trade‐off between spatial grain and extent, studies tend to focus on a single spatial scale, and the effects of multiple environmental variables operating across spatial scales on the pattern of local species richness have rarely been investigated.

Here, we related variation in local species richness of ground beetles, landbirds and small mammals to variation in vegetation structure and topography, regional climate, biome diversity and glaciation history for 27 sites across the USA at two different spatial grains.

We studied the relative influence of broad‐scale (landscape) environmental conditions using variables estimated at the site level (climate, productivity, biome diversity and glacial era ice cover) and fine‐scale (local) environmental conditions using variables estimated at the plot level (topography and vegetation structure) to explain local species richness. We also examined whether plot‐level factors scale up to drive continental scale richness patterns. We used Bayesian hierarchical models and quantified the amount of variance in observed richness that was explained by environmental factors at different spatial scales.

For all three animal groups, our models explained much of the variation in local species richness (85%–89%), but site‐level variables explained a greater proportion of richness variance than plot‐level variables. Temperature was the most important site‐level predictor for explaining variance in landbirds and ground beetles richness. Some aspects of vegetation structure were the main plot‐level predictors of landbird richness. Environmental predictors generally had poor explanatory power for small mammal richness, while glacial era ice cover was the most important site‐level predictor.

Relationships between plot‐level factors and richness varied greatly among geographical regions and spatial grains, and most relationships did not hold when predictors were scaled up to the continental scale. Our results suggest that the factors that determine richness may be highly dependent on spatial grain, geography, and animal group. We demonstrate that instead of artificially manipulating the resolution to study multiscale effects, a hierarchical approach that uses fine grain data at broad extents could help solve the issue of scale selection in environment‐richness studies.