bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Predictive Power of Intraoperative EEG and Clinical Characteristics for Postoperative Delirium Following Cardiac Surgery
Authors: Wiredu Kwame , Sun Haoqi , Boncompte Gonzalo , Westover M. Brandon , Pedemonte Juan C. , Akeju Oluwaseun
Published: January 2025

Introduction:

Postoperative delirium is common and associated with poor postoperative outcomes. However, the predictive power of intraoperative electroencephalogram (EEG) features for postoperative delirium has not yet been well studied.

Methods:

Intraoperative EEG data from 261 patients who underwent major cardiac surgery were analyzed. Cases were identified using the Confusion Assessment Method. Predictive analytics for delirium outcome were performed using (1) only clinical data, (2) only EEG data, and (3) a combined list of important features from the first two stages.

Results:

Eleven percentage of participants experienced postoperative delirium. The patients were generally older and had lower physical and cognitive function. EEG models were found to be highly specific but less sensitive in identifying delirium cases. The combined EEG-clinical model performed comparably to the clinical-only model (AUC = 80%) but outperformed the EEG-only model (AUC = 56%). After adjusting for clinical covariates, only interhemispheric mutual information remained significantly associated with delirium (OR = 2.29, p = 0.03), with a positive correlation with delirium severity (ρ = 0.18, P ≤ 0.01).

Conclusions:

This study enhances our understanding of delirium neurophysiology by emphasizing the role of intraoperative EEG as a marker of brain vulnerability. Although EEG may not constitute a standalone biomarker of delirium, it holds promise for delirium risk stratification.
Probiotic potential of riboflavin-overproducing Bacillus subtilis ACU-I163MR and ACU-I11MR, isolated from fermented African locust beans
Authors: Awotundun Theresa , Olanbiwoninu Afolake
Published: January 2025

Riboflavin (vitamin B2) is a water-soluble compound that plays an important role in multiple cellular functions. This study evaluates the probiotic potential of riboflavin-overproducing Bacillus subtilis strains isolated from fermented African locust beans. After strain improvement, B. subtilis ACU-I11MR and ACU-I163MR were selected due to their higher riboflavin production (0.01905±0.0005 mg l−1 to 0.0259±0.0077 mg l−1 and 0.0195±0.0054 mg l−1 to 0.0267±0.0013 mg l−1, respectively). Their safety was confirmed through haemolytic assay, antibiotic susceptibility tests and the absence of gelatinase and biogenic amine activity. Probiotic potential was assessed via in vitro assays including resistance to low pH, bile salts, phenol, temperature and NaCl; auto-aggregation; cell hydrophobicity; biofilm formation; antibacterial activity; and enzyme and exopolysaccharide production. Both strains were non-haemolytic and negative for gelatinase and biogenic amine activity. They showed significant viability at pH 2 (survival 85.05; 87.09%), 1% bile salts (survival 88.82; 87.64%) and 0.5% phenol (survival 48.80; 59.52%), respectively. ACU-I11MR was susceptible to 9 out of 12 antibiotics, while ACU-I163MR was 100% susceptible. The strains demonstrated strong cell surface adhesion and auto-aggregation and inhibited several pathogenic bacteria. They produce amylase, protease and exopolysaccharide and thrive under various temperature and NaCl conditions. B. subtilis ACU-I163MR, showing superior probiotic potential, could be a promising candidate for developing riboflavin-enriched Bacillus-fermented functional foods.
Assembly, Annotation, and Comparative Analysis of the Mitochondrial Genome of Winged Bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus): Insights into Evolutionary Adaptation and Codon Usage Bias
Authors: Singh Nikhil Kumar , Singh Binay Kumar , Kumar Piyush , Pandey Avinash , Kumar Sudhir , Bishi Sujit Kumar , Pattynayak A , Bhadana Vijai Pal , Rakishit Sujay , Tribhuvan Kishor U
Published: January 2025

The winged bean (Psophocarpus tetragonolobus) is an underutilized, nutritionally dense legume with significant agricultural potential due to its adaptability to tropical environments and nitrogen-fixing capabilities. This study presents the assembly, annotation, and comparative analysis of its complete mitochondrial genome, spanning 366,925 bp. The genome comprises 64 genes, including 38 protein-coding genes, 12 tRNA genes, and 6 rRNA genes. Codon usage analysis revealed moderate bias in mitochondrial genes, primarily shaped by mutational pressures, while tRNA gene content aligns with codon preferences, optimizing translational efficiency. Phylogenetic analysis placed P. tetragonolobus within the Phaseoleae tribe, clustering closely with Glycine max and Vigna radiata, while synteny analysis highlighted high genomic conservation with related legumes. Ka/Ks ratio analysis underscored strong purifying selection in core mitochondrial genes, reflecting functional constraints essential for energy metabolism. Comparative analyses of mitochondrial and chloroplast genomes revealed distinct evolutionary pressures, with chloroplast genes exhibiting more significant variability influenced by functional roles in photosynthesis. These findings provide valuable insights into the evolution and adaptation of P. tetragonolobus, establishing a foundation for its potential application in sustainable agriculture and crop improvement programs.
SpaTM: Topic Models for Inferring Spatially Informed Transcriptional Programs
Authors: Osakwe Adrien , Dong Wenqi , Zhang Qihuang , Sladek Robert , Li Yue
Published: January 2025

Spatial transcriptomics has revolutionized our ability to characterize tissues and diseases by contextualizing gene expression with spatial organization. Available methods require researchers to either train a model using histology-based annotations or use annotation-free clustering approaches to uncover spatial domains. However, few methods provide researchers with a way to jointly analyze spatial data from both annotation-free and annotation-guided perspectives using consistent inductive biases and levels of interpretability. A single framework with consistent inductive biases ensures coherence and transferability across tasks, reducing the risks of conflicting assumptions. To this end, we propose the Spatial Topic Model (SpaTM), a topic-modeling framework capable of annotation-guided and annotation-free analysis of spatial transcriptomics data. SpaTM can be used to learn gene programs that represent histology-based annotations while providing researchers with the ability to infer spatial domains with an annotation-free approach if manual annotations are limited or noisy. We demonstrate SpaTM’s interpretability with its use of topic mixtures to represent cell states and transcriptional programs and how its intuitive framework facilitates the integration of annotation-guided and annotation-free analyses of spatial data with downstream analyses such as cell type deconvolution. Finally, we demonstrate how both approaches can be used to extend the analysis of large-scale snRNA-seq atlases with the inference of cell proximity and spatial annotations in human brains with Major Depressive Disorder.
Predicting gene expression using millions of yeast promoters revealscis-regulatory logic
Authors: Dash Tirtharaj , Bornelöv Susanne
Published: January 2025

Motivation

Gene regulation involves complex interactions between multiple transcription factors. While early attempts to train deep neural networks to predict gene expression were limited to naturally occurring promoter sequences, the advent of gigantic parallel reporter assays has expanded available training data by orders of magnitude. Despite these advances, a clear understanding of how to use deep learning to study gene regulation is still lacking.

Method

Here we investigate the complex association between gene promoters and expression inS. cerevisiaeusing Camformer, a residual convolutional neural network that ranked 4th in the Random Promoter DREAM Challenge 2022. We present the original model trained on 6.7 million random promoter sequences and investigate 270 alternative models to determine what factors contribute most to model performance. Finally, we use explainable AI to uncover regulatory signals.

Results

We show that Camformer accurately decodes the association between promoters and gene expression (r2= 0.914 ± 0.003,ρ= 0.962 ± 0.002) and provides a substantial improvement over previous state of the art. Furthermore, we show that a much smaller model with approximately 90% fewer parameters than the original model can achieve a high predictive performance. Using Grad-CAM and in silico mutagenesis, we demonstrate that the model learns both individual motifs and their hierarchy. For example, while an IME1 motif on its own increases gene expression, the co-occurrence of a UME6 motif provides a switch to strongly reduce gene expression. Thus, deep learning models such as Camformer can provide detailed insights intocis-regulatory logic.

Availability and Implementation

The data and code used and developed in our experiments are publicly available at:https://github.com/Bornelov-lab/Camformer.
Interpreting patterns of X chromosomal relative to autosomal diversity in aye-ayes (Daubentonia madagascariensis)
Authors: Terbot John W. , Soni Vivak , Versoza Cyril J. , Milhaven Mark , Calahorra-Oliart Adriana , Shah Devangana , Pfeifer Susanne P. , Jensen Jeffrey D.
Published: January 2025

We here present high-quality, population-level sequencing data from the X chromosome of the highly-endangered aye-aye,Daubentonia madagascariensis. Using both polymorphism- and divergence-based inference approaches, we quantify fine-scale mutation and recombination rate maps, study the demographic and selective processes additionally shaping variation on the X chromosome, and compare these estimates to those recently inferred from the autosomes in this species. Results suggest that an equal sex ratio is most consistent with observed patterns of variation, and that no sex-specific demographic patterns are needed to fit the empirical site frequency spectrum. Further, reduced rates of recombination were observed relative to the autosomes as would be expected, whereas mutation rates were inferred to be similar. Utilizing the estimated population history together with the mutation and recombination rate maps, we evaluated evidence for both recent and recurrent selective sweeps as well as balancing selection across the X chromosome, finding no significant evidence supporting the action of these episodic processes. Overall, these analyses provide new insights into the evolution of the X chromosome in this species, which represents one of the earliest splits in the primate clade.
A wireless, scalable and modular EEG sensor network platform for unobtrusive brain recordings
Authors: Ding Ruochen , Hovine Charles , Callemeyn Piet , Kraft Michael , Bertrand Alexander
Published: January 2025

This paper introduces a modular sensing platform for wearable electroencephalography (EEG) recordings. The platform is conceived as a wireless EEG sensor network (WESN), consisting of multiple miniaturized, wireless EEG sensor nodes that synchronously collect EEG data from different scalp locations. As there are no wires between the different sensors, the platform provides maximal flexibility and discreetness, combined with a reduced sensitivity to motion artefacts or electro-magnetic interference. By removing the driven right leg (DRL) electrode and reducing the within-node electrode spacing to 3cm, we obtain a compact design while maintaining a high signal integrity. The WESN system was validated through a series of experiments: achieving synchronization of EEG data transmission across multiple sensor nodes and the detection of actual neural responses in EEG experiments. These results demonstrate the effectiveness and robustness of the proposed WESN platform, establishing it as a promising research platform for scalable, flexible, and discreet multi-channel EEG monitoring in ambulatory settings.
Refinement Strategies for Tangram for Reliable Single-Cell to Spatial Mapping
Authors: Stahl Merle , Straßer Lena J. , Lio Chit Tong , Bernett Judith , Röttger Richard , List Markus
Published: January 2025

Motivation: Single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) provides comprehensive gene expression data at a single-cell level but lacks spatial context. In contrast, spatial transcriptomics captures both spatial and transcriptional information but is limited by resolution, sensitivity, or feasibility. No single technology combines both the high spatial resolution and deep transcriptomic profiling at the single-cell level without trade-offs. Spatial mapping tools that integrate scRNA-seq and spatial transcriptomics data are crucial to bridge this gap. However, we found that Tangram, one of the most prominent spatial mapping tools, provides inconsistent results over repeated runs. Results: We refine Tangram to achieve more consistent cell mappings and investigate the challenges that arise from data characteristics. We find that the mapping quality depends on the gene expression sparsity. To address this, we (1) train the model on an informative gene subset, (2) apply cell filtering, (3) introduce several forms of regularization, and (4) incorporate neighborhood information. Evaluations on real and simulated mouse datasets demonstrate that this approach improves both gene expression prediction and cell mapping. Consistent cell mapping strengthens the reliability of the projection of cell annotations and features into space, gene imputation, and correction of low-quality measurements. Our pipeline, which includes gene set and hyperparameter selection, can serve as guidance for applying Tangram on other datasets, while our benchmarking framework with data simulation and inconsistency metrics is useful for evaluating other tools or Tangram modifications. Availability: The refinements for Tangram and our benchmarking pipeline are available in https://github.com/daisybio/Tangram_Refinement_Strategies.
Delayed Trp53 activation protects Dnmt3a-mutant hematopoietic stem cells from inflammatory attrition.
Authors: Marando Ludovica , Giotopoulos George , Madrigal Pedro , Azazi Dhoyazan , Asby Ryan , Calleja-Cervantes Maria Erendira , Gu Muxin , Lara-Astiaso David , Wilson Nicola , Hannah Rebecca , Bagri Jaana , Calderbank Emily , Laurenti Elisa , Bernard Elsa , Horton Sarah , Gottgens Berthold , Papaemmanuil Elli , Agrawal Singh Shuchi , Gozdecka Malgorzata , Vassiliou George , Huntly Brian
Published: January 2025

Hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) accumulate somatic mutations over time, some conferring a fitness advantage that can lead to clonal hematopoiesis (CH). Mutations inDNMT3A, particularly at hotspot R882, are the most prevalent in CH and carry an increased risk of acute myeloid leukemia (AML). AlthoughDNMT3A R882mutations are linked to global DNA hypomethylation, the mechanisms underlying their selective advantage remain unclear. Here, we show thatDnmt3a-R882Hmutant HSCs exhibit resilience under inflammatory and genotoxic stress. During IL-1β-induced emergency granulopoiesis, Dnmt3aR882H/+HSCs uncouple increased proliferation from stem cell exhaustion. In contrast, wild-type HSCs rapidly progress to terminal differentiation. We link this phenotype to a delayed activation of the p53-p21-DREAM axis, that allows mutant HSCs to avoid attrition, despite increased replication stress. Similarly, mutant HSCs exhibit delayed Trp53 activation following irradiation, but eventually recover a physiological Trp53 response. Analysis of patient data reveals shared phenotypic features betweenDNMT3Aand monoallelicTP53mutations in CH and myeloid neoplasms, highlighting potential functional similarities. Collectively, these findings suggest that the expansion ofDNMT3A-mutant clones is affected by impaired TP53 signaling, which confers resilience against stressors. Therapeutic strategies targeting inflammatory pathways or the p53-p21-DREAM axis may reduceDNMT3A-CH expansion and/or progression and its associated risks.
Holographic RG flows and Janus interfaces from
ISO(3)×U(1)

F(4)
gauged supergravity
Authors: Karndumri Parinya
Published: January 2025

We study six-dimensional F(4) gauged supergravity coupled to four vector multiplets with a non-semisimple ISO(3)×U(1) gauge group. This gauged supergravity arises from a consistent truncation of type IIB string theory on S2×Σ with Σ being a Riemann surface. We find that the gauged supergravity admits two SO(3) symmetric AdS6 vacua, one with N=(1,1) supersymmetry and the other one as non-supersymmetric. We compute all scalar masses at these critical points and find that only the supersymmetric AdS6 vacuum is stable. By truncating to SO(3)×U(1) and SO(2)×U(1) invariant sectors, we study holographic renormalization group flow solutions from this critical point to a number of nonconformal phases of the dual N=2 superconformal field theories in five dimensions. Finally, we give some examples of supersymmetric Janus solutions describing conformal interfaces within the five-dimensional superconformal field theories. All of these solutions provide first holographic results from matter-coupled F(4) gauged supergravity with non-semisimple gauge groups.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Synthesis and crystal structure of 5,10-bis(phenylsulfonyl)tetrahydrodibenzopentalene
Authors: Sakami Toshiki , Watanabe Hikaru , Sato Takuma , Okuda Yasuhiro , Wakamatsu Kan , Akashi Haruo , Orita Akihiro
Published: January 2025

5,10-Bis(phenylsulfonyl)tetrahydrodibenzopentalene, C28H22O4S2, 1, was successfully synthesized via the photocatalyst-promoted hydrogenative transannulation of disulfonylcyclooctatetraene, 2, using perylene as the photocatalyst in the presence of (i-Pr)2NEt under UV-light irradiation (398 nm, 30 W). In this reaction, the cyclooctatetraene moiety of 2 underwent hydrogenative transannulation, yielding 1. Single-crystal X-ray analysis revealed that both enantiomers of 1 are arranged alternately along the a axis of the unit cell. The structure features a wide V-shaped motif consisting of 6–5–5–6 fused rings, with a dihedral angle of approximately 97.2° between the planes of the terminal phenylene rings. Additionally, a pair of phenylsulfonyl groups were observed at the exo positions relative to the V-shaped array.
Developing a reintegration index (RI) for a closed-loop supply chain network in the automobile industry
Authors: Bhattacharyya Shisam , Sarkar Bishal Dey , Sarkar Sobhan , Singh Prince Kumar , Manatkar Ramkrishna
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Continuous benchmarking of a closed-loop supply chain (CLSC) network is required to achieve circular economic viability for end-of-life vehicle (ELV) recovery programs for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs). This study develops a framework to assess and benchmark CLSC networks in ELV recovery programs, addressing the absence of a standard index and enabling circular economic viability for OEMs.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses a Bayesian evidential reasoning approach (BERA) that helps decision-makers develop a reintegration index (RI) for the automobile CLSC network. To develop the index, a total of 15 factors related to the automobile CLSC are identified from the literature. Bayesian belief network (BBN) is used on those factors to generate conditional probabilities for different nodes of the BBN. With the opinion of 12 domain experts, the ERA is used to generate a score for each node. Finally, the Markovian tree is used on the scores to generate the RI for a particular CLSC network.

Findings

The analysis demonstrates that both operational and strategic actions aimed at ensuring customer satisfaction and retaining core components are quantified using a standardized index value for each alternative amidst uncertainty. Leveraging the BERA model, decision-makers can calculate RI values, providing them with the means to assess and regulate ratings for CLSC networks. This capability serves to bolster circular economic sustainability by facilitating informed decision-making within the automotive industry.

Practical implications

This framework offers a structured approach for decision-makers to evaluate CLSC networks in ELV recovery programs, allowing for adaptability to specific organizational objectives and facilitating informed decision-making in the automotive industry.

Originality/value

The study’s integration of expert insights and probabilistic modeling fills the gap in the literature by providing a comprehensive framework for assessing CLSC networks in ELV recovery programs, contributing to circular economic viability and strategic decision-making for OEMs.
Naapbooks Limited: an innovative IT solution for SMEs
Authors: Khetarpal Ruchika , Dwivedi Amit
Published: January 2025

Learning outcomes

This case study will frame the significance of the business model for a company. The reader will understand business model innovation and how it helps enhance entrepreneurial rewards. The students will be able to identify the entrepreneurial traits which lead to business model innovation. The readers will know about the components of a business model and will be able to apply the understanding in creating a business model canvas.

Case overview/synopsis

The real-life case is of a tech start-up founded in Ahmedabad by three friends. Their diverse educational background helped them in creating a successful venture that later transformed into a public company. They were always trying to make their business model competitive and innovative. Being a start-up, there were critical business decisions taken and strategies formed by the founding team. They were facing a dilemma after making the company public, as their responsibility towards the stakeholders increased. They need to keep in mind the needs of all the stakeholders and the enterprise itself. They were at a crossroads in deciding about their business model.

Complexity academic level

This case study is suitable for honours or postgraduate level or entrepreneurship training.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
Determining the optimal window size and orientation of an academic building in subtropical climate
Authors: Anzum Afia , Rana Md. Jewel , Ahmed Estiak , Rahman Sabitur
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The major goals of this study are to investigate the existing state of affairs concerning daylighting, glare and thermal comfort in the building, which will be the focus of the investigation, particularly in connection to the building’s energy efficiency considering student task performances. EnergyPlus, which is a software for building energy modeling, is applied to evaluate the energy consumption of buildings under a variety of circumstances related to their design. With the use of a variety of simulations, the goal of this study is to provide building design options that are both the most efficient and the most cost-effective for the case study building.

Design/methodology/approach

There are three distinct categories that can be applied throughout the entire process. The first thing that has to be done is to choose a building to use as a case study and then conduct an analysis of the current situation to address the existing problem. In the following step, several passive design measures are implemented and simulated in order to solve the challenges that are currently being faced. A detailed cost analysis is carried out as the final step in the process of determining whether or not it is feasible.

Findings

According to the findings: A cantilevered 3’ drop wall as a shading system, an east-facing model, and a window with a height of 4.5 is the ideal configuration. The annual energy can be saved by 22.5%. The payback period is 11 years. Benefit/Cost >1 makes it a feasible and economical solution.

Originality/value

The work is completely original. No one have done this before.
Revealing breakthrough trends in teacher effectiveness research: a comprehensive bibliometric analysis with Lotka’s and Price’s law
Authors: Wan Liah Wan Nurfarahiyah , Zulnaidi Hutkemri , Kenayathulla Husaina Banu
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the key domains and prevailing trends in the context of teacher effectiveness while proposing directions for future research in this area.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilising the Science Citation Index Expanded and Social Sciences Citation Index databases within Scopus, covering the period from 2014 to 2024, a bibliometric review of 555 studies related to teacher effectiveness is conducted. This paper employs Bibliomagika 2.2, OpenRefine, R Output, IIPMaps and VOSviewer to screen, clean, analyse and report relevant and ethical data.

Findings

Based on the bibliometric analysis, we identified and revealed the subsequent publication trends, Lotka’s law and Price’s law authorship distribution patterns, the most active countries and thematic analysis of highly cited documents. We further integrate thematic analysis that emerged in highly cited documents with co-occurrence analyses of author keywords in the literature on teachers’ effectiveness research. However, the findings contradict the traditional distribution of Lotka’s law and Price’s law.

Research limitations/implications

This finding has a notable limitation as it only covers 10 years of Scopus database data and predominantly focuses on English-language documents. Furthermore, this study does not thoroughly examine contextual factors influencing these trends, such as educational policy, technological progress and COVID-19 endemic repercussions. Finally, it should be emphasised that the analysis of trends extracted in Scopus cannot be generalised as the study relies heavily on citation metrics, which vary significantly across disciplines, leading to potential biases in evaluating teacher effectiveness studies, particularly those with an interdisciplinary nature.

Originality/value

This study provides readers with an in-depth analysis and understanding of the development of teacher effectiveness research with Lotka’s law and Price’s law. It also highlights recommendations for future research directions to ensure its sustainability, survival and expansion in the coming decades align with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation's (UNESCO’s) Sustainable Development Goal 4 of quality education.
Willy Wonka and the boy-entrepreneur archetype: the changing faces of entrepreneurial masculinity, 1971–2023
Authors: Green Kai Roland , Wraight Tom
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This paper uses the cultural figure of Willy Wonka to explore the archetype of the “boy-entrepreneur”, and what the various film manifestations of Wonka (1971–2023) say about changes in entrepreneurial masculinity. We (1) develop an original conceptualisation of boyhood as creatively, socially and gender liminal, (2) analyse the entrepreneurial archetype using literary theories and (3) provide a novel interpretation of Apollonian and Dionysian masculinity to aid future cultural analysis of founder/innovator depictions in children’s media.

Design/methodology/approach

Our study conducts a three-stage dramaturgical analysis of the major film adaptations of Roald Dahl’s Willy Wonka (1971, 2005 and 2023). After supplementing the limited literature on boyhood in entrepreneurship with literary and feminist art theory, we identify the significant narrative features which frame the Wonka dramas and produce a framework which tracks thematic changes across the films in terms of the creative, social and gender liminal elements of Wonka’s boy-entrepreneur identity.

Findings

Our interpretive analysis reveals a gradual shift in values expressed through Wonka’s boy-entrepreneurialism away from a more hegemonic, Apollonian style of masculinity towards a more Dionysian style embracing emotional expression, intimacy with female characters and kin, and collaborations with nature. Such shifts reflect the growing influence of non-hegemonic entrepreneurial gender expressions, value-driven and relational approaches to new venture creation.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the hugely unexplored area of the “boy-entrepreneur”/“boy-genius”, demonstrating its durability in reality, imagination and popular culture. We provide an in-depth character portrait to provoke further attention to children’s multi-media ways of experiencing early entrepreneurial impressions. We also expand the methodological scope of research on entrepreneurial masculinity beyond real-life founders.
Every cloud has a silver lining – leadership interventions in times of uncertainty
Authors: Schmitt Judith , Nielsen Karina , Axtell Carolyn , Vasquez Cristian
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Current political, economic and societal developments have led to high uncertainty in organisations, which may negatively impact employee well-being. Leaders play a crucial role in this context. This study explores how interventions support leaders and their followers in times of uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted 22 interviews to evaluate the experiences of two interventions, coaching and mental health awareness training, both implemented in two corporate organisations in Czechia during a merger and acquisition and the COVID-19 pandemic.

Findings

Our findings show that both interventions equipped participants with resources to manage change, such as increased self-awareness and self-efficacy, and improved coping strategies for stressful situations. Participants gained better leadership skills and knowledge to support employees and themselves when facing mental health issues. Our findings reveal that the contextual factors in the two organisations led to different mechanisms and content for coaching but similar mechanisms in mental health awareness training.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the understanding of targeted interventions to support leaders during times of uncertainty. Implications for practitioners and Human Resources when developing context-specific support strategies are discussed.
Time-optimal trajectory planning for 6R manipulator arm based on chaotic improved sparrow search algorithm
Authors: Jiao Yinjia , Zhao Yujie , Wen Shiguang
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Trajectory planning is a core aspect of manipulator operation, directly influencing its performance. This paper aims to introduce a chaotic improved sparrow search algorithm (CISSA) to optimize hybrid polynomial-interpolated trajectories, enhancing the efficiency and precision of manipulator trajectory planning.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed approach leverages 3-5-3 polynomial interpolation to construct the motion trajectory of a 6R manipulator. To optimize the trajectory over time, the sparrow search algorithm is enhanced with chaotic mapping, a discoverer dispersion strategy, positional limiting mechanisms and Brownian motion. These enhancements collectively reduce the manipulator’s runtime while meeting operational requirements.

Findings

The proposed method was applied to the AUBO-i5 robot to evaluate its performance. Simulation results demonstrate that CISSA effectively avoids local optima and achieves more accurate solutions compared to similar algorithms. By integrating CISSA into trajectory planning, the robot’s movement time was reduced by 13.99% compared to the original SSA, and the number of algorithm iterations was significantly decreased, ensuring smoother and more efficient task execution in real production.

Originality/value

A CISSA is proposed and applied to the optimal time trajectory planning of the manipulator, verifying the effectiveness and superiority of the algorithm. Experimental results show that CISSA outperforms comparable algorithms by several orders of magnitude in solving manipulator inverse kinematics, significantly enhancing planning efficiency and reducing trajectory planning time.
The impact of artificial intelligence on corporate greenwashing: evidence from the Chinese listed firms
Authors: Ren Xiaohang , Hu Shuiling , Sun Xianming , Zhou Dan
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This paper investigates the impact of AI penetration rate on the degree of corporate greenwashing and aims to assess the potential of AI in enhancing firms' environmental performance and reducing false disclosures.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs a year and firm fixed-effects model to analyze data from Chinese listed firms from 2012 to 2022. We use the low-carbon city pilot as a quasi-natural experiment to address endogeneity concerns and conduct a series of robustness tests, including adding control variables and transforming the model.

Findings

The results of this paper show that the application of AI can inhibit firms' greenwashing behavior, with green innovation activities further enhancing this inhibitory effect. In state-owned firms and those with Party Organizations, the inhibitory effect of AI on corporate greenwashing is more significant. This reduction in greenwashing is more likely to be observed in firms that are heavily influenced by Confucian culture, receive higher public attention regarding their environmental impact, face less market competition, suffer from more serious pollution and face less financial constraints.

Originality/value

We propose a new research perspective that offers novel insights into promoting the green development of firms by revealing the potential of AI in reducing their greenwashing behavior. Corporate boards can explore specific strategies for applying AI to monitor, prevent and correct greenwashing, thereby enhancing corporate environmental performance and social responsibility.
Technical and allocative efficiency, and the impact of competition: Islamic vs conventional banks
Authors: Ghroubi Mohamed , Ben Khalifa Raouf
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aims to analyze both technical efficiency and allocative efficiency per input within the banking sector, focusing on the interplay among Islamic banks, conventional banks and conventional banks offering Islamic Banking Services (CBIBS). It also investigates the impact of competition on these efficiencies.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from 37 Islamic banks, 38 CBIBS and 126 conventional banks across 14 countries in the MENA region and Southeast Asia over the period 2002–2022, the authors applied a stochastic frontier production model with first-order conditions, a two-step system generalized method of moments estimator and the Tobit model for robustness checks.

Findings

The findings indicate that Islamic banks demonstrate the highest technical efficiency, whereas CBIBS exhibit the lowest. Despite this, Islamic banks encounter significant challenges in allocative inefficiency, particularly in managing financial capital, which adversely affects their cost efficiency. Interestingly, competition enhances the allocative efficiency of financial capital in conventional banks and CBIBS but diminishes it in Islamic banks. Furthermore, control variables show varied impacts on efficiencies across different banking categories.

Research limitations/implications

These findings emphasize the need for collaboration between regulators and researchers to develop an efficiency measurement method that integrates financial, ethical and social aspects. It also highlights the importance of aligning banking with ethical financing practices and innovating products that optimize resource allocation, thereby enhancing both financial and ethical performance.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper is the first to analyze the allocative efficiency per input for the three categories of banks: Islamic, conventional and CBIBS, while highlighting the variety of competition effects.
Interest rate regulation and bank lending behaviour: evidence from Kenya
Authors: Ngaruiya Jane , Obi Pat , Mathuva David
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aims to determine the impact of interest rate regulation on bank lending behaviour. The application of interest rate caps as a financial repression and regulatory measure has sparked debate for decades. This study contributes to the ongoing debate on the consequences of rate caps on banks’ lending behaviour in Kenya.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses both fixed effects and two-step generalised method of moments techniques to establish the effects of interest rate caps on credit allocation across three sectors of the economy: government, private and interbank lending. To achieve this, the authors used data drawn from 35 licenced commercial banks in Kenya from 2004 to 2021.

Findings

The results, which are robust to endogeneity and other diagnostic checks, reveal shifts in lending behaviour by banks towards the government, and less to the private sector and interbank lending in rate cap periods. This study finds that rate caps have a significant and positive impact on bank lending to the government. This significant positive impact appears subdued for private and interbank lending.

Research limitations/implications

From a policy perspective, the findings highlight that interest rate caps do not benefit the private sector. An important implication of this study is that such policies may have unintended consequences of hindering growth in a broader economy. This study has the potential to inform policymakers and the banking industry in East Africa about the effects of interest rate regulation. High lending interest rates have seen some countries, such as Kenya, imposing interest rate caps and subsequently repealing them. Other countries, such as Uganda, were in the process of considering rate caps but have deferred the decision.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the ongoing debate regarding the implications of interest rate controls in developing economies. The study uses robust estimation approaches to argue its case for a separate examination of rate controls in a single-country setting owing to the unique institutional and contextual realities inherent in every jurisdiction.
Is ownership structure effective in the relationship between ESG and bank performance?
Authors: Dogan Basar Berna , Ekşi İbrahim Halil , Yudaruddin Rizky
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the causality between the environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) score, which is the component of banks’ performance obtained from ESG activities, and the capital costs, market values and bankruptcy risk of banks. For this purpose, 117 banks with fully accessible data from 29 developing countries were included.

Design/methodology/approach

In the methodology part of the study, the panel causality test developed by Emirmahmutoglu and Köse was used based on the periods 2015–2022. First, the cross-section test and delta tests were performed. Then, Levin, Lin and Chu, Breitung, Im, Pesaran, Shin, Fisher ADF and Fisher-PP panel unit root tests and Emirmahmutoglu and Köse panel causality test were performed.

Findings

As a result of the analyses, bidirectional causality was observed between ESG and weighted average cost of capital of private banks. Similarly, bidirectional causality from ESG to company market capitalization and from ESG to the risk indicator ZSCORE was determined in both private and state banks. The results reveal that ESG components should also be considered in relation to financial performance. In this respect, it is expected to guide regulatory and supervisory institutions in the establishment of regulations and guidelines regarding the determination and promotion of ESG practices that will increase capital efficiency and reduce corporate financing costs.

Originality/value

Focusing on ESG activities has ceased to be an arbitrary situation for banks. In today’s competitive conditions, financial institutions are turning to strategies that differentiate them from their competitors, such as ESG, as they have difficulty maintaining customer loyalty. Based on the lack of focus on structure differentiation before, the main research question of this study is whether the private and public structure will cause a difference in the effect of ESG activities on bank performance and cost.
Technological diversification and innovation performance: ownership structure
Authors: Zhao Xingxin , Zhan Xinrui , Su Jiafu
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study explores the contingent relationship between technological diversification (TD) and innovation performance, particularly in the context of China’s high-tech firms. It aims to understand how the structure of firm ownership influences the allocation of innovation resources and, consequently, the efficiency of innovation activities.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs a fixed-effect regression model to analyze a unique panel dataset of 1,139 Chinese listed high-tech firms over a nine-year period. The dataset includes firm-year observations from 19 industries, allowing for a comprehensive analysis of the relationships between TD, innovation performance and ownership structure.

Findings

This study finds an inverted U-shaped relationship between TD and innovation performance, indicating that while a certain level of TD can enhance innovation performance, excessive diversification can lead to diminishing returns. The findings also reveal that ownership concentration amplifies this relationship, suggesting that firms with more concentrated ownership structures can quickly reach optimal levels of innovation performance but are also more susceptible to the “over-diversification trap.” In contrast, equity restriction and ownership type (state-owned vs privately owned enterprises) moderate the relationship, indicating that firms with these structures may maintain optimal innovation performance levels for longer periods.

Originality/value

This research provides novel insights by confirming a nonlinear, inverted U-shaped relationship between TD and innovation performance, specifically within the context of Chinese high-tech firms. By integrating corporate governance theory, our study advances understanding of how ownership structure – through ownership concentration, equity restriction and ownership type – moderates the TD-innovation performance relationship. This perspective offers a deeper understanding of resource allocation and innovation efficiency in emerging markets. The findings hold practical implications for managers and policymakers, underscoring the importance of aligning TD strategies with firm ownership structures to optimize innovation outcomes.
Consumerism in health care: is price transparency good for the cause?
Authors: Deutsch Ashley , Thomas Ashley M.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the consumerism movement in health care and the implications of price transparency for the cause. A document analysis of supplier-side sentiments suggests health-care organizations are concerned this move will hinder not help consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

Document analysis of a supplier community has been applied in an analysis of policy-related communication between the US Government and hospital associations.

Findings

Empirical findings suggest that at both the institutional and cultural level, responsibility for health decision-making is obscured with easily misunderstood price information.

Originality/value

This paper explores the applicability of document analysis as a tool to understand cultural and institutional narratives.
Digital nudge persuasiveness of avatars in restaurants toward healthy choices and happy diners
Authors: Aman Adil Masud , Ng Wailing , Hao Fei , Zhang Chen , Chon Kaye Kye Sung
Published: January 2025

Graphical abstract

Purpose

Amid rising concerns over unhealthy dietary habits and their impact on public health, this study aims to explore the role of avatars in promoting healthier eating and enhancing customer satisfaction in restaurants. By leveraging the theory of planned behavior (TPB) and nudge theory, this research sought to gain insights into consumer behavior and assess how digital innovations can encourage healthier food choices.

Design/methodology/approach

This study recruited 672 participants in the USA. Participants viewed a video featuring an avatar that informed them about available healthy food options, simulating a restaurant ordering scenario. Following the video, participants completed comprehensive online surveys. The collected data was analyzed using partial least squares structural equation modeling to assess the effectiveness and implications of the intervention.

Findings

The findings revealed that health consciousness, environmental awareness, social norms and perceived behavioral control significantly influence dietary habits. Restaurant health initiatives and avatar persuasiveness were found to encourage healthier food choices, improve customer satisfaction and loyalty and enhance electronic word-of-mouth. The study confirmed that avatars equipped with attributes such as competence, warmth, trustworthiness and credibility can be an effective digital nudge for consumers toward healthier dietary decisions.

Originality/value

This study’s originality lies in its integration of TPB and nudge theory, bridging the gap between individual psychological factors and external cues. This comprehensive framework provides valuable insights for restaurant managers, artificial intelligence developers and policymakers, offering practical strategies to promote healthier eating and enhance customer experiences through digital innovation.
Religious practices and market anomalies: an inquiry into the persistence of the religious holiday effect
Authors: Sing Nang Biak , Lalropuii  , Singh Rajkumar Giridhari
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the persistence of seasonal anomalies during religious holidays in emerging markets.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors select the Bombay Stock Exchange and National Stock Exchange stock returns from January 1990 to December 2022. The GARCH family models were adopted to examine the mean-variance returns associated with symmetric and asymmetric effects. The ARIMAX model is used to investigate the exogenous order during the pre-mandated and post-mandated trading holidays.

Findings

The results show that the persistence of returns and volatility during religious holidays significantly when subjected to specific religious holidays. The authors also found that volatility during religious festivals dipped during the pre-holiday and gradually increased after the events. The findings suggest that religious holiday anomalies exhibit a trivial significant effect on stock market returns and this effect is waning.

Research limitations/implications

The findings provide investors and market regulators with a better understanding of market anomalies related to religious practices. During these periods, investors may experience substantial fluctuations in their portfolios, potentially leading to significant losses or payoffs. Investors can sustain substantial losses or payoffs and market manipulation by adjusting their strategies around religious holidays to account for potential volatility, albeit temporarily.

Originality/value

This study contributes to behavioural finance literature that suggests that beliefs and cultural aspects determine a country’s stock market inefficiency. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no previous study has comprehensively examined threshold religious holidays across diverse religions in Indian market using long-memory data.