bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reevaluation of the Variable Component of the Systematic Error Calls for Paradigm Change in Clinical Laboratory Quality Control
Authors: Vandra Atilla Barna
Published: May 2023

The existence of the variable component of the systematic error (VCSE) is known since 1963, but seems to be a kind of taboo: neither has definition in VIM, nor is present in equations, being considered transformed in time into random error. Present study using methods of mathematical statistics, computer simulations and examples from the day-to-day practice of the author makes an attempt to reevaluate its role and significance in the QC in clinical laboratory.

“The bias” (which one?) it is a definitional uncertainty, because it is time-variable. Making clear distinction between bias measured in repeatability respective reproducibility within laboratory (RW) conditions as in case of standard deviations, and also separating constant and variable subcomponents of the systematic error, two sets of error parameters are obtained each set being consistent with the measurement conditions. The link between them is the time-variable VCSE function.

The conditions of calculations and predictions based on them must be consistent with the conditions of their determination, to avoid the redundant use. Being consequent, several differences can be discovered between the constant and the variable component of the systematic error respective random phenomena, also between variable and random error components.

The variable components of the systematic errors are cyclical, mostly predictable variations (shifts and drifts) in the daily mean. However, it is presented a direct method to determine the SD of the VCSE, its easiest calculation is possible from accurate values of srand sRW. There are presented methods to calculate srand sRWfrom long term data.

As conclusion there is necessary a new paradigm of the QC in clinical laboratory based on the proposed error model.

Motto

“Everything Should Be Made as Simple as Possible, But Not Simpler” (A. Einstein).
Impact of COVID-19 on Hepatitis B Screening in Sierra Leone: Insights from a Community Pharmacy Model of Care
Authors: Ghazzawi Manal , Babawo Lawrence S. , Mohareb Amir M. , James Peter B. , Yendewa Sahr A. , Massaquoi Samuel P.E. , Cummings Peterlyn E. , Lakoh Sulaiman , Salata Robert A. , Yendewa George A.
Published: May 2023

Background

There are limited studies evaluating the impact of COVID-19-related interruptions on hepatitis B virus (HBV) screening in endemic countries in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Methods

We conducted a retrospective study of HBV testing in a community pharmacy in Freetown, Sierra Leone, from October 1, 2019, through September 30, 2022. We compared participant characteristics using Pearson’s chi-square test. We evaluated trends in HBV screening and diagnosis using one-way ANOVA with Tukey’s or Dunnett’s post-test.

Findings

Of 920 individuals screened, 161 had detectable HBsAg (seroprevalence 17.5% [95% CI 14.9-20.4]). There was a 100% decrease in HBV screening during January-June of 2020; however, screening increased by 27% and 23% in the first and second year after COVID-19, respectively. Mean quarterly tests showed a significant upward trend: 55 ± 6 tests during January-March (baseline), 74 ± 16 tests during April-June, 101 ± 3 tests during July-September, and 107 ± 17 tests during October-December (one-way ANOVA test for trend, F=7.7, p = 0.0254) but not the mean quarterly number of people diagnosed with HBV (F = 0.34, p = 0.7992).

Interpretation

Community-based HBV screening dramatically improved following temporary disruptions related to COVID-19. Seasonal variation in HBV screening, but not HBV diagnosis, may have implications for HBV elimination efforts in Sierra Leone and other West African countries.
Assessment of sewer connectivity in the United States and its implications for equity in wastewater-based epidemiology
Authors: Yu QinQin , Olesen Scott W. , Duvallet Claire , Grad Yonatan H.
Published: May 2023

Wastewater-based epidemiology is a promising public health tool that can yield a more representative view of the population than case reporting. However, only about 80% of the U.S. population is connected to public sewers, and the characteristics of populations missed by wastewater-based epidemiology are unclear. To address this gap, we used publicly available datasets to assess sewer connectivity in the U.S. by location, demographic groups, and economic groups. Data from the U.S. Census’ American Housing Survey revealed that sewer connectivity was lower than average when the head of household was American Indian and Alaskan Native, White, non-Hispanic, older, and for larger households and those with higher income, but smaller geographic scales revealed local variations from this national connectivity pattern. For example, data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency showed that sewer connectivity was positively correlated with income in Minnesota, Florida, and California. Data from the U.S. Census’ American Community Survey and Environmental Protection Agency also revealed geographic areas with low sewer connectivity, such as Alaska, the Navajo Nation, Minnesota, Michigan, and Florida. However, with the exception of the U.S. Census data, there were inconsistencies across datasets. Using mathematical modeling to assess the impact of wastewater sampling inequities on inferences about epidemic trajectory at a local scale, we found that in some situations, even weak connections between communities may allow wastewater monitoring in one community to serve as a reliable proxy for an interacting community with no wastewater monitoring, when cases are widespread. A systematic, rigorous assessment of sewer connectivity will be important for ensuring an equitable and informed implementation of wastewater-based epidemiology as a public health monitoring system.
GTPBP8 is required for mitoribosomal biogenesis and mitochondrial translation
Authors: Wang Liang , Hilander Taru , Liu Xiaonan , Tsang Hoiying , Eriksson Ove , Jackson Christopher B. , Varjosalo Markku , Zhao Hongxia
Published: May 2023

Mitochondria contain a multi-copy genome and a distinct set of ribosomes devoted to the exclusive synthesis of proteins that are essential for oxidative phosphorylation. The assembly of mitoribosomes for mitochondrial translation is a poorly understood process. In this study, we identify the uncharacterized GTP-binding protein 8 (GTPBP8) as a mitoribosomal assembly factor that specifically associates with the mitoribosomal large subunit. Genetic depletion of GTPBP8 causes an aberrant accumulation of the large mitoribosomal subunit at a late assembly stage and reduces the level of fully assembled 55S mitoribosomes, resulting in impaired mitochondrial translation and function. Together, our findings uncover an important role for human GTPBP8 in the processes of mitoribosomal assembly and mitochondrial translation.

Key points

GTPBP8 is a novel GTPase residing in the matrix peripherally bound to the inner mitochondrial membrane

GTPBP8 specifically associates with the large mitoribosome subunit through interactions with large mitoribosomal proteins assembled at late stages.

GTPBP is essential for maturation of the mitoribosomal large subunit and monosome formation
Efficient Simulations of Membrane and Solvent Asymmetry With Flat-Bottom Restraints
Authors: Biriukov Denys , Javanainen Matti
Published: May 2023

The routinely employed periodic boundary conditions complicate molecular simulations of physiologically relevant asymmetric lipid membranes together with their distinct solvent environments. Therefore, separating the extracellular fluid from its cytosolic counterpart has often been performed using a costly double-bilayer setup. Here, we demonstrate that the lipid membrane and solvent asymmetry can be efficiently modeled with a single lipid bilayer by applying a flat-bottom potential to ions and other solute molecules, thereby restraining them to only interact with its relevant leaflet. We carefully optimized the parameters of the suggested method so that the results obtained using the flat-bottom and double-bilayer approaches become mutually indistinguishable. Then, we apply the flat-bottom approach to lipid bilayers with various compositions and solvent environments, covering ions and cationic peptides to validate the approach in a realistic use case. We also discuss the possible limitations of the method as well as its computational efficiency and provide a step-by-step guide on how to set up such simulations in a straightforward manner.
Defying Gravity:WEEPpromotes negative gravitropism inPrunus persica(peach) shoots and roots by establishing asymmetric auxin gradients
Authors: Kohler Andrea R. , Scheil Andrew , Hill Joseph L. , Allen Jeffrey R. , Al-Haddad Jameel M. , Goeckeritz Charity Z. , Strader Lucia C. , Telewski Frank W. , Hollender Courtney A.
Published: May 2023

Trees with weeping shoot architectures are valued for their beauty and serve as tremendous resources for understanding how plants regulate posture control. ThePrunus persica(peach) weeping phenotype, which has elliptical downward arching branches, is caused by a homozygous mutation in theWEEPgene. Until now, little was known about the function of WEEP protein despite its high conservation throughout Plantae. Here, we present the results of anatomical, biochemical, biomechanical, physiological, and molecular experiments that provide insight into WEEP function. Our data suggest that weeping peach does not have defects in branch structure. Rather, transcriptomes from the adaxial (upper) and abaxial (lower) sides of standard and weeping branch shoot tips revealed flipped expression patterns for genes associated with early auxin response, tissue patterning, cell elongation, and tension wood development.

This suggests that WEEP promotes polar auxin transport toward the lower side during shoot gravitropic response, leading to cell elongation and tension wood development. In addition, weeping peach trees exhibited steeper root systems and faster root gravitropic response, just as barley and wheat with mutations in theirWEEPhomologEGT2. This suggests that the role of WEEP in regulating lateral organ angles and orientations during gravitropism may be conserved. Additionally, size-exclusion chromatography indicated that WEEP proteins self-oligomerize, like other SAM-domain proteins. This oligomerization may be required for WEEP to function in formation of protein complexes during auxin transport. Collectively, our results from weeping peach provide new insight into polar auxin transport mechanisms associated with gravitropism and lateral shoot and root orientation.
Coupling and uncoupling of midline morphogenesis and cell flow in amniote gastrulation
Authors: Asai Rieko , Prakash Vivek N. , Sinha Shubham , Prakash Manu , Mikawa Takashi
Published: May 2023

Large-scale cell flow characterizes gastrulation in animal development. In amniote gastrulation, particularly in avian gastrula, a bilateral vortex-like counter-rotating cell flow, called ‘polonaise movements’, appears along the midline. Here, through experimental manipulations, we addressed relationships between the polonaise movements and morphogenesis of the primitive streak, the earliest midline structure in amniotes. Suppression of the Wnt/planar cell polarity (PCP) signaling pathway maintains the polonaise movements along a deformed primitive streak. Mitotic arrest leads to diminished extension and development of the primitive streak and maintains the early phase of the polonaise movements. Ectopically induced Vg1, an axis-inducing morphogen, generates the polonaise movements, aligned to the induced midline, but disturbs the stereotypical cell flow pattern at the authentic midline. Despite the altered cell flow, induction and extension of the primitive streak are preserved along both authentic and induced midlines. Finally, we show that ectopic axis-inducing morphogen, Vg1, is capable of initiating the polonaise movements without concomitant PS extension under mitotic arrest conditions. These results are consistent with a model wherein primitive streak morphogenesis is required for the maintenance of the polonaise movements, but the polonaise movements are not necessarily responsible for primitive streak morphogenesis. Our data describe a previously undefined relationship between the large-scale cell flow and midline morphogenesis in gastrulation.
Global pathogenomic analysis identifies known and novel genetic antimicrobial resistance determinants in twelve species
Authors: Hyun Jason C. , Monk Jonathan M. , Szubin Richard , Hefner Ying , Palsson Bernhard O.
Published: May 2023

Surveillance programs for managing antimicrobial resistance (AMR) have yielded thousands of genomes suited for data-driven mechanism discovery. We present a workflow integrating pangenomics, gene annotation, and machine learning to identify AMR genes at scale. Applied to 12 species, 27,155 genomes, and 69 drugs, we 1) found AMR gene transfer mostly confined within related species, with 925 genes in multiple species but just eight in multiple phylogenetic classes, 2) demonstrated that discovery-oriented support vector machines outperform contemporary methods at recovering known AMR genes, recovering 263 genes compared to 145 by Pyseer, and 3) identified 142 novel AMR gene candidates. Validation of two candidates inE. coliBW25113 revealed cases of conditional resistance:ΔcycAconferred ciprofloxacin resistance in minimal media with D-serine, andfrdDV111D conferred ampicillin resistance in the presence ofampCby modifying the overlapping promoter. We expect this approach to be adaptable to other species and phenotypes.
Healthcare utilization and clinical characteristics of genetic epilepsy syndromes: a longitudinal case-control study of electronic health records
Authors: Boßelmann Christian M , Ivaniuk Alina , John Mark St , Taylor Sara C , Krishnaswamy Gokul , Milinovich Alex , Leu Costin , Gupta Ajay , Pestana-Knight Elia M , Najm Imad , Lal Dennis
Published: May 2023

Background

Understanding disease progression, age-specific comorbidities, medical treatment patterns, and unmet needs can help improve the care pathway of individuals with rare genetic epilepsies. A matched longitudinal cohort study has not been performed for these variables from childhood to adolescence across the whole phenome.

Methods

We identified individuals with likely genetic and non-genetic epilepsy syndromes and onset at ages 0-5 years by linkage across the Cleveland Clinic Health System. We used natural language processing to extract medical terms and procedures from longitudinal electronic health records (EHR) and tested for cross-sectional and temporal associations with genetic epilepsies.

Findings

We identified 503 individuals with genetic epilepsy syndromes and matched controls with epilepsy that did not receive genetic testing. The median age at the first encounter was 0·1 years, 7·9 years at the last encounter, and the mean duration of follow-up was 8·2 years. We extracted 188,295 Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) annotations for statistical analysis across 9,659 encounters. Individuals with genetic epilepsy syndromes received an earlier epilepsy diagnosis and had more frequent and complex encounters with the healthcare system. Notably, the highest enrichment of encounters compared to the non-genetic groups was found during the transition from paediatric to adult care. Our computational approach could validate established comorbidities of genetic epilepsies, such as behavioural abnormality and intellectual disability. We also revealed novel associations for genitourinary abnormalities (OR 1·91, 95% CI: 1·66-2·19, p = 2·39×10-19) linked to a spectrum of underrecognized genetic syndromes.

Interpretation

This study identified novel features associated with the likelihood of a genetic epilepsy syndrome and quantified the healthcare utilization of genetic epilepsies compared to matched controls with epilepsy who did not receive genetic testing. Our results strongly recommend early genetic testing to stratify individuals into specialized care paths, thus improving the clinical management of people with genetic epilepsies.

Funding

Not applicable.
Modeling Antigen-Specific T Cell Dynamics Following Hepatitis B Vaccination indicates differences between conventional and regulatory T cell dynamics
Authors: Besbassi Hajar , Elias George , Meysman Pieter , Jansens Hilde , Laukens Kris , Van Damme Pierre , Hens Niel , Beutels Philippe , Ogunjimi Benson
Published: May 2023

Our study aims to investigate the dynamics of conventional memory T cells (Tconv) and regulatory T cells (Treg) following activation, and to explore potential differences between these two cell types. To achieve this, we developed advanced statistical mixed models based on mathematical models of ordinary differential equations (ODE), which allowed us to transform post-vaccination immunological processes into mathematical formulas. These models were applied on in-house data from a de novo Hepatitis B vaccination trial. By accounting for inter- and intra-individual variability, our models provided good fits for both antigen-specific Tconv and Treg cells, overcoming the challenge of studying these complex processes. Our modeling approach provided a deeper understanding of the immunological processes underlying T cell development after vaccination. Specifically, our analysis revealed several important findings regarding the dynamics of Tconv and Treg cells, as well as their relationship to seropositivity for HSV-1 and EBV, and the dynamics of antibody response to vaccination. Firstly, our modeling indicated that Tconv dynamics suggest the existence of two T cell types, in contrast to Treg dynamics where only one T cell type is predicted. Secondly, we found that individuals who converted to a positive antibody response to the vaccine earlier had lower decay rates for both Tregs and Tconv cells, which may have important implications for the development of more effective vaccination strategies. Additionally, our modeling showed that HSV-1 seropositivity negatively influenced Tconv cell expansion after the second vaccination, while EBV seropositivity was associated with higher Treg expansion rates after vaccination. Overall, this study provides a critical foundation for understanding the dynamic processes underlying T cell development after vaccination.
Ripening, bursting, and synchronization of biomolecular condensates in a heterogeneous elastic medium
Authors: Meng Lingyu , Mao Sheng , Lin Jie
Published: May 2023

Biomolecular condensates play a crucial role in regulating gene expression, but their behavior in chromatin remains poorly understood. Classical theories of phase separation are limited to thermal equilibrium, and traditional methods can only simulate a limited number of condensates. In this paper, we introduce a novel mean-field-like method that allows us to simulate millions of condensates in a heterogeneous elastic medium to model the dynamics of transcriptional condensates in chromatin. Using this method, we unveil an elastic ripening process in which the average condensate radius exhibits a unique temporal scaling, ⟨R⟩ ∼t1/5, different from the classical Ostwald ripening, and we theoretically derive the exponent based on energy conservation and scale invariance. We also introduce active dissolution to model the degradation of transcriptional condensates upon RNA accumulation. Surprisingly, three different kinetics of condensate growth emerge, corresponding to constitutively expressed, transcriptional-bursting, and silenced genes. Notably, multiple distributions of transcriptional-bursting kinetics from simulations, e.g., the burst frequency, agree with transcriptome-wide experimental data. Furthermore, the timing of growth initiation can be synchronized among bursting condensates, with power-law scaling between the synchronization period and dissolution rate. Our results shed light on the complex interplay between biomolecular condensates and the elastic medium, with important implications for gene expression regulation.
Child Anemia in Cambodia: A Descriptive Analysis of Temporal and Geospatial Trends and Logistic Regression-Based Examination of Factors Associated with Anemia in Children
Authors: Um Samnang , Cope Michael R. , Muir Jonathan A.
Published: May 2023

Anemia in children remains a public health concern in many resource-limited countries. To better understand child anemia in Cambodia, we examined temporal and geospatial trends of childhood anemia and used logistic regression to analyze its association with individual and household characteristics using data from the Cambodia Demographic and Health Surveys for 2005, 2010, and 2014. The prevalence of childhood anemia decreased from 62.2% in 2005 to 56.6% in 2014. The prevalence of childhood anemia was highest in Pursat (84.3%) for 2005, Kampong Thom (67%) for 2010, and Preah Vihear and Steung Treng (68.6%) for 2014. After adjusting for other variables, factors positively associated with childhood anemia included having a mother who was anemic (adjusted odds ratio (AOR) =1.77, 95% CI: 1.58 - 1.97); being male vs. female (AOR=1.20, 95% CI: 1.07 - 1.33), underweight (AOR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.14 - 1.57), or stunted (AOR=1.24, 95% CI: 1.09 - 1.41); or having had a recent episode of fever (AOR=1.16, 95% CI: 1.03 - 1.31). Children were less likely to have anemia if they were older than 12 months. They were also less likely to have anemia if they were from a wealthier household (AOR=0.64; 95% CI: 0.50 - 0.84) or had taken medications for intestinal parasites (AOR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.89-0.93). These associations were generally consistent across time and space. Public health interventions and policies to alleviate anemia should be prioritized to address these factors across geospatial divides. Anemia remains highly prevalent among children aged 6-59 months in Cambodia.
Perception and satisfaction of pharmacists’ roles and services provided in University of Nigeria Nsukka
Authors: Azor Judith Chinaecherem , Mosanya Adaobi Uchenna , Ukoha-Kalu Blessing Onyinye
Published: May 2023

Background

Pharmacists are drug specialists in the society. The roles of pharmacists have extended beyond the typical product-oriented duties of dispensing, delivering medication and medical supplies to more patient-centered care. Patient satisfaction is a key indicator for healthcare quality and a metric to identify aspects that need improvement.

Objective

The aim of this study was to evaluate the public perception of pharmacists’ roles and satisfaction with the services they provide.

Method

Using a self-administered questionnaire, a cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted, data were analyzed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Out of the 600 distributed questionnaire, 592 completed questionnaires were retrieved.

Results

Majority of the respondents were between the ages 18 and 30 years (88.5%) and had secondary school education as their highest level of educational qualification (73.6%). Higher proportion of the female respondents had a positive perception (72.4%). Also, they had higher satisfaction from the services (72.5%). Educational qualification (p=0.001), gender (p= 0.027), age (p= 0.006) and employment (p< 0.001) were significantly associated with the level of satisfaction from the services provided by pharmacists.

Conclusion

A good proportion of the members of the University community had a positive perception of the duties of pharmacists and were moderately satisfied with the services they provide. Steps should be taken to increase the amount and quality of time pharmacists spend with each patient.
The histone lysine demethylase KDM5C fine-tunes gene expression to regulate dendritic cell heterogeneity and function
Authors: Guak Hannah , Weiland Matthew , Vander Ark Alexandra , Zhai Lukai , Lau Kin , Mabvakure Batsirai , Corrado Mario , Davidson Paula , Compton Shelby , DeCamp Lisa , Scullion Catherine , Jones Russell G. , Nowinski Sara M. , Krawczyk Connie M.
Published: May 2023

The functional and phenotypic heterogeneity of dendritic cells (DCs) plays a crucial role in facilitating the development of diverse immune responses that are essential for providing host protection. We found that KDM5C, a histonelysinedemethylase of the KDM5 family regulates several aspects of conventional DC (cDC) and plasmacytoid DC (pDC) population heterogeneity and function. Using mice conditionally deficient in KDM5C in DCs, we found that loss of KDM5C results in an increase in Ly6C−pDCs compared to Ly6C+pDCs. We found that Ly6C−pDCs, compared to Ly6C+pDCs, have increased expression of cell cycle genes, decreased expression of activation markers and limited ability to produce type I interferon (IFN). Both KDM5C-deficient Ly6C−and Ly6C+pDCs have increased expression of activation markers, however, are dysfunctional and have limited ability to produce type I IFN. For conventional cDCs, KDM5C deficiency resulted in increased proportions of cDC2Bs (CLEC12A+, ESAM−) and cDC1s, which was partly dependent on type I IFN and pDCs. Using ATAC-seq, RNA-seq, and CUT&RUN for histone marks, we found that KDM5C regulates epigenetic programming of cDC1. In the absence of KDM5C, we found an increased expression of inflammatory markers, consistent with our previous results in bone marrow-derived DCs. However, we also found a decrease in mitochondrial metabolism genes and altered expression of cDC lineage-specific genes. In response toListeriainfection, KDM5C-conditionally deficient mice mounted reduced CD8+T cell responses, indicating that KDM5C expression in DCs is necessary for their function. Thus, KDM5C is a key regulator of DC heterogeneity by modulating the balance of DC subsets and serves as a critical driver of the epigenetic programming and functional properties of DCs.
PIP2electrostatically triggers vesicle fusion: arresting full SNARE assembly and vesicle fusion by PIP2-masking
Authors: Moussa Houda Yasmine Ali , Shin Kyung Chul , Ponraj Janarthanan , Park Sung Hyun , Lee One-Sun , Mansour Said , Park Yongsoo
Published: May 2023

SNARE proteins drive vesicle fusion and neurotransmitters release. Given that exocytosis is fast, and vesicle docking is tight, SNARE proteins are likely pre-assembled before fusion. However, the molecular mechanisms of the partially-assembled SNARE complex remain controversial. We use amperometry and the reconstitution of native vesicle fusion to show that MARCKS arrests basal fusion by masking PIP2in a vesicle docking state where the SNARE complex is partially assembled. Ca2+/CaM or PKC-epsilon unmask PIP2through the MARCKS dissociation, and thus rescue basal fusion and potentiates synaptotagmin-1-mediated Ca2+-dependent vesicle fusion. Our data provide the novel model that PIP2electrostatically triggers vesicle fusion by lowering the hydration energy, and that masking PIP2arrests vesicle fusion in a state of the partial SNARE assembly. Vesicle-mimicking liposomes fail to arrest vesicle fusion by masking PIP2, indicating that native vesicles are essential for the reconstitution of physiological vesicle fusion.

One Sentence Summary

Masking PIP2by MARCKS arrests the full SNARE assembly and vesicle fusion.
Identification of 30 transition fibre proteins reveals a complex and dynamic structure with essential roles in ciliogenesis
Authors: Ahmed Manu , Wheeler Richard , Týč Jiří , Shafiq Shahaan , Sunter Jack , Vaughan Sue
Published: May 2023

Transition fibres are appendages that surround the distal end of mature basal bodies (also called distal appendages) and are essential for ciliogenesis, but only a small number of proteins have been identified and functionally characterised. Here, through genome-wide analysis, we have identified 30 additional transition fibre proteins (TFPs) in the flagellated eukaryoteTrypanosoma bruceiand mapped the arrangement of the molecular components. We discovered TFPs recruited to the basal body pre- and post-initiation of ciliogenesis with differential expression of TFPs at the assembling new flagellum compared to the existing old flagellum. Knockdown by RNAi of 17 TFPs revealed 6 were necessary for ciliogenesis and a further 3 were necessary for normal flagellum length. We identified 9 TFPs that had a detectable orthologue in at least one basal body-forming eukaryotic organism outside of the kinetoplastid parasites. Our work demonstrates that transition fibres are complex and dynamic in their composition throughout the cell cycle which relates to their essential roles in ciliogenesis and length regulation.
Contextualised accountant stereotypes: understanding their social construction and reconstruction in Chinese society
Authors: Wang Yuheng , Chen Junyuan
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study seeks to understand how accountant stereotypes have been constructed and reconstructed at the macro-national and the structural level in Chinese society.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative investigation into China's social construction of accountant stereotypes employs Becker's (1963) labelling theory. Viewing stereotyping as a socially constructed practice, this study draws on a post-positivistic, reflexive epistemology in conducting 28 semi-structured interviews with accountants and related actors.

Findings

Chinese accountant stereotypes are constructed and reconstructed according to the rules created and enforced in different cultural-political periods. The accountant stereotypes constructed during the ancient Confucian period (500 BC – 1948) were replaced during 1949 and 2012 when the political focus shifted towards propagating socialism and later promoting economic growth. They also show how Confucian stereotypes of accountants resurfaced in 2013 but were reconstructed by the central government's cultural confidence policy of propagating Confucianism.

Originality/value

Empirically, prior literature has focused on what the accountant stereotype is and how accountants respond to such stereotypes, but it has neglected the ways in which these accountant stereotypes are politically and culturally constructed, diffused and legitimated. This paper fills in the gap by understanding the social practice of accountant stereotyping in a previously unexplored political-cultural context, namely Chinese society. In theoretical terms, by offering the first use of Becker's (1963) labelling theory in the accounting literature, it furthermore enhances our understanding of how accountants' identities and social standing are shaped by social rules.
Industry 4.0-enabled sustainable manufacturing: current practices, barriers and strategies
Authors: De Alwis A. Madini Lakna , De Silva Nayanthara , Samaranayake Premaratne
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper proposes strategies for adopting Industry 4.0 in achieving sustainable manufacturing, by overcoming barriers in the Sri Lankan manufacturing sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model of sustainable manufacturing and Industry 4.0 was proposed based on a comprehensive literature review and validated through experts' inputs. The model was illustrated using three case studies to assess the relationships between sustainable manufacturing and Industry 4.0 in the Sri Lankan manufacturing context. Furthermore, possible strategies were proposed to overcome current barriers identified from case studies.

Findings

The case studies showcase that there is a considerable gap in Industry 4.0-enabled sustainable manufacturing in the Sri Lankan manufacturing sector due to several barriers. Thus, experts' knowledge-based strategies to overcome those barriers are proposed.

Research limitations/implications

The conceptual model provides a holistic view of maturity levels of sustainable manufacturing measures directly connected with Industry 4.0 technologies. The study was limited to investigating the application of Industry 4.0 for sustainable manufacturing in leading apparel manufacturing organisations in Sri Lanka.

Practical implications

The conceptual model can be used as a framework to guide practitioners in implementing Industry 4.0-enabled sustainable manufacturing. The proposed strategies in addressing barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption towards sustainable manufacturing can be directly applied to achieving better sustainable manufacturing performance.

Originality/value

This study is an informative guide to encourage the Sri Lankan manufacturing industry to adopt Industry 4.0 technologies in achieving sustainable manufacturing, using the knowledge of relationships between Industry 4.0 and three dimensions of sustainable manufacturing, possible barriers and strategies.
Impacts of national intellectual capital on informal economy: the moderating role of institutional quality
Authors: Tran Pham Toan Khanh
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The studies that explore the impacts of national intellectual capital on informal economy are scant. Moreover, the effect of an external factor such as institutional quality that moderates this relationship has largely been neglected in previous studies. Institutions are considered important pillars to accumulate national intellectual capital and reduce shadow economy. As such, this paper aims to investigate how institutional quality moderates the effects of national intellectual capital on informal economy in 17 Asian countries from 2000 to 2018.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the generalized method of moments techniques, which allow cross-sectional dependence and slope homogeneity in panel data, to examine the moderating role of institutional quality on the relationship between national intellectual capital and informal economy. Various tests are conducted to ensure the robustness of the findings.

Findings

Empirical findings from this paper indicate that an increase in national intellectual capital and institutional quality declines the informal economy. Interestingly, better institutional quality aggravates the negative effects of national intellectual capital on reducing the size of informal economy. The author also finds that enhancing international trade and economic growth results in a decrease in the informal economy in Asian countries.

Practical implications

Empirical findings offer policymakers an indication of the relationships between national intellectual capital, institutional quality and informal economy, pointing out that national intellectual capital and institutional quality should be strengthened to allow Asian countries to limit the informal economy.

Originality/value

This study provides a conceptual model through which the moderating role of institutional quality on the national intellectual capital–informal economy nexus can be recognized. This approach has thus far not been investigated in the existing literature. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study makes an original contribution to the empirical of national intellectual capital and informal economy nexus and produces new insights into the fields of the moderating effects of institutional quality on this nexus.
Cello Plastotech: adopting the triple bottom line as a sustainability strategy
Authors: Shawl Sana , Nayak Keyurkumar M. , Gupta Nakul
Published: May 2023

Learning outcomes

On completion of the case, the students will be able to understand the concept and importance of sustainability; understand how triple bottom line can help a company make a transition towards sustainability; evaluate the tensions between the three pillars of triple bottom line approach; assess the role of circular economy model as opposed to the conventional linear model in the transition of a company towards sustainability; and understand the sustainability challenge in an emerging market context.

Case overview/synopsis

Despite the promising growth potential of the plastics industry in India, it is faced with sustainability challenges owing to its detrimental impact on environment. To preserve the environment and human kind, the government made a bold announcement in 2018 to eliminate the use of highly polluting single-use plastics (SUPs) in the country. Amid this growing sustainability threat against plastics and the fall in demand of SUP items, this case illustrates that Sandip Patel, the plant manager of Cello Plastotech, is entrusted by the CEO with the responsibility of adopting a triple bottom line approach encompassing its three pillars, that is, people, planet and profits, as a response to the sustainability challenge. The strategic rethinking towards adopting sustainability required Patel to face the challenge of striking a balance between the three pillars of triple bottom line while also taking some valuable insights for plastic waste management from the circular economy model. While making a transition to sustainability, he needed to evaluate different options like stopping the manufacture of SUPs and look for alternatives, use of biodegradable raw material which was expensive but environment friendly or manufacture such durable plastic products that would replace SUPs.

Complexity academic level

The case is aimed at teaching the topic Triple Bottom Line approach in the courses of business strategy and sustainability in under-graduate and post-graduate level courses in the discipline of Management. It can also be used as a supplementary reading in courses like Corporate Social Responsibility and Circular Economy. In emerging markets’ context, these topics are generally taught to MBA students in courses like strategic management, sustainable business and business ethics.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS 11: Strategy.
Impact of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 [Amendment 2017] on job employment of working mothers in India
Authors: Gethe Rajshree Karbhari , Pandey Ashish
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to clarify an impact of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 (Amendment 2017) on job employment of working mothers. It proposes the certain facts that has positive impact on employment of women from the point of view of Government of India, but at the same time it highlights some negative implications that are faced by the employers and working mothers. The objective of this act is to provide a woman with a financial assistance and make her free from engaging in any work so as to protect health of “New Mother” and “New Born child”. Also, the act ensures women to take care of her child without having worry about loss of her job and loss of her employment.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper carries efforts of researcher done on the topic of “Impact of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 (Amendment 2017)” and measures its impact on employers and job employment of working mothers in India through literature review from various sources like SCOPUS, EMERALD, EBSCO, PROQUEST, SAGE, etc. The paper opted for an exploratory study using the questionnaire approach of grounded theory, including 50 in-depth interviews of working mothers.

Findings

Outcome of this describes both positive and negative implications of this amendment on businesses and job employment of working mothers. It throws the limelight on implementation of this act in real life and identification of problems and stress faced by women employee either to get the job or to retain the job during pregnancy period which is very hazardous to the health of women and her inborn child also.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen research approach, the research results may lack generalizability. Therefore, researchers are encouraged to test the proposed propositions further.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications of the Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 (Amendment 2017) on employers whether to hire women employee or not and on women though they are having capability to do work but because of ignorance of government on ensuring proper implementation of act, women are not getting opportunity to work after baby birth.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to study and find some measures for effective implantation of Maternity Benefits Act, 1961 (Amendment 2017) so as to protect and regulate employment of women workers before and after child birth so as to increase female labour force participation rate.
Impact of conditional cash transfer on health outcome of expectant mothers in Bangladesh
Authors: Farjana Fariha , Islam Md. Karimul , Khanam Rabeya , Mamun Tasnim Murad
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) aims to assist expectant mothers in low-income households. It might address the insufficient prenatal and postnatal healthcare services in rural areas of low-income nations, including Bangladesh. However, the effectiveness of such intervention is rarely investigated in rural Bangladesh. The study aims to explore the impact of CCT on certain health outcomes of expectant mothers in southwestern rural Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied the quasi-experimental Propensity Score Matching method to assess the effectiveness of CCT in health outcomes of expectant mothers. The authors also deployed logistic regression to explore the predictors of three health issues – blood pressure, hemoglobin adequacy and morning sickness.

Findings

The Average Treatment Effect shows that the CCT program significantly improves maternal health by lowering the extent of blood pressure and morning sickness and enhancing the hemoglobin adequacy of the CCT recipient women compared to the non-recipient. The result reveals that CCT beneficiary status as well as the education and immunization are positively and significantly associated with normal blood pressure and hemoglobin adequacy. CCT is also a negative predictor of morning sickness. The study recommends to expand the coverage of the CCT program and also emphasize on the improvement of education, training and immunization for rural pregnant women.

Originality/value

To assist in scaling purchasing power and nutritious food for poor pregnant and lactating mothers in low-income households, “Nobojatra” project initiated the CCTs in the southwest region of Bangladesh. Yet, the impact of such cash transfers on their health outcomes is rarely explored in the context of Bangladesh. This study provides evidence regarding the effectiveness of cash transfers to pregnant women of low-income households in rural Bangladesh.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-08-2022-0512
Opportunism in an emerging market – franchisee perspective
Authors: Panda Swati , Pandey Satyendra C. , Paswan Audhesh K. , Pelton Lou E.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Although multiple forms of governance mechanisms have been studied to address the opportunistic behavior in franchising, research has not shed light on franchise systems operating in emerging markets despite exponential growth in these markets. To address this gap, this study aims to test the direct effects of different governance mechanisms on franchisee’s opportunism and moderating effects of franchisee’s relationship satisfaction on the relationship between different governance mechanisms and franchisee’s opportunism.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data from 151 franchise owners were used to test the conceptual model and research hypotheses. The confirmatory factor model and structural equation model were tested by using AMOS.

Findings

Findings suggest that formalization and solidarity in franchising relationships negatively affect franchise opportunism. By contrast, franchisees, who are otherwise satisfied with their franchisor, find centralization and formalization oppressive and, therefore, engage in opportunistic activities.

Research limitations/implications

The study makes important contributions related to franchising in emerging markets. It addresses opportunistic behavior by franchisees in emerging markets and the role played by different governance mechanisms in curbing such behavior. The study has some limitations related to its cross-sectional design and its focus on a single emerging country, among others.

Originality/value

This study is among the first to examine the role of governance mechanisms to address franchisee’s opportunism in an emerging market context. The study’s findings have important theoretical and practical implications for governance design in business-to-business relationships in emerging markets.
Paid to lobby but up for debate: role conceptions and client selection of public affairs consultants
Authors: Helgesson Elin
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This article addresses recent calls in the literature for advancing our understanding of public affairs consultants and their role conceptions. By testing and further exploring self-perceptions of public affairs consultants the study aims to offer new insight into how consultants define and view their occupational role.

Design/methodology/approach

The study draws on a nationwide survey with public affairs consultants in Sweden.

Findings

Four main role conceptions were identified (advocate, do-gooder, expert and intermediary). Further, the study tests how personal and professional characteristics correlate with different role conceptions, by viewing professional experience and consultants' selection of clients. Data also suggest that consultants' background in politics does not promote any specific role perception. Finally, the findings also show that how consultants choose clients is a divider in the industry, where some act as passive intermediaries while other take a more active role in their choice of clients.

Originality/value

The findings enhance our understanding of public affairs as a field, and specifically about the modelling of professional roles amongst consultants. The empirical results in this study show how contemporary role typologies needs to be extended to better capture the specificities of consultants' roles in public affairs. By addressing the issue of how consultants choose clients the study engages with the complex debate of whether consultants ought to act as objective or subjective agents and hence join the conversation on ethics in public affairs.