bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Carbon Dioxide Controls Fungal Fitness and Skin Tropism ofCandida auris
Authors: Phan-Canh Trinh , Penninger Philipp , Seiser Saskia , Khunweeraphong Narakorn , Moser Doris , Bitencourt Tamires , Arzani Hossein , Chen Weiqiang , Zenz Lisa-Maria , Knarr Andrej , Cerbu Diana , Jenull Sabrina , Müller Christoph , Lackner Michaela , Ianiri Giuseppe , Chowdhary Anuradha , Hartl Markus , Elbe-Bürger Adelheid , Kuchler Karl
Published: April 2024

The pronounced skin tropism and pan-antifungal resistance traits of the fungal pathogenCandida aurisstand out as a serious health threat. Here, we show that a carbonic sensing pathway (CSP) promotes development of resistance to amphotericin B through a reactive oxygen species (ROS) response, as well as ectopic cell wall and membrane lipid homeostasis. Mechanistically, the transcription factor Rca1 acts in cooperation with Efg1 to control the expression and activity of the carbonic anhydrase Nce103 as a key effector component. The conversion of carbon dioxide to bicarbonate provides a direct link to energy metabolism, facilitating colonization and growth on skin tissues. Native mouse and human skin models unequivocally show that the CSP is essential for maintaining skin tropism as well as fungal fitness. Curiously, upon ablation of Rca1 and Efg1,C. aurisdebilitates efficient growth on native skin. Collectively, our findings highlight critical roles of the CSP inC. aurisskin tropism and antifungal drug resistance. The work suggests therapeutic options for disrupting skin colonization and thus preventing infections.

Highlights

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Proteo-transcriptomics links a carbonic sensing pathway (CSP) toC. aurismultidrug resistance

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The Nce103 carbonic anhydrase controls drug resistance as a key component of the CSP

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The transcription factors Rca1 and Efg1 control Nce103 and link CSP withC. aurisskin tropism

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CSP acts through ectopic ROS response, cell wall architecture and membrane lipid function

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CSP is required forC. aurisfitness and efficient growth and colonization of skin tissues

Result contents

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Integrated omics reveals multidrug-resistant mechanisms inC. auris

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CO2-sensing controls amphotericin B resistance (AMBR) traits through Rca1 and Efg1

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The carbonic anhydrase Nce103 governs susceptibility to amphotericin B

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The CSP influences AMBRby maintaining reactive oxygen species homeostasis

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The CSP controls AMBRvia cell membrane and cell wall remodelling

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The CSP regulates fungal fitness through controlling energy metabolism

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C. aurisrequires the CSP for skin colonization
Alignments between cortical neurochemical systems, proteinopathy and neurophysiological alterations along the Alzheimer’s disease continuum
Authors: Wiesman Alex I. , Gallego-Rudolf Jonathan , Villeneuve Sylvia , Baillet Sylvain , Wilson Tony W. ,   the PREVENT-AD Research Group
Published: April 2024

Two neuropathological hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) are the accumulation of amyloid-β (Aβ) proteins and alterations in cortical neurophysiological signaling. Despite parallel research indicating disruption of multiple neurotransmitter systems in AD, it has been unclear whether these two phenomena are related to the neurochemical organization of the cortex. We leveraged task-free magnetoencephalography and positron emission tomography, with a cortical atlas of 19 neurotransmitters to study the alignment and interactions between alterations of neurophysiological signaling, Aβ deposition, and the neurochemical gradients of the human cortex. In patients with amnestic mild cognitive impairment (N = 18) and probable AD (N = 20), we found that changes in rhythmic, but not arrhythmic, cortical neurophysiological signaling relative to healthy controls (N = 20) are topographically aligned with cholinergic, serotonergic, and dopaminergic neurochemical systems. These neuro-physio-chemical alignments are related to the severity of cognitive and behavioral impairments. We also found that cortical Aβ plaques are preferentially deposited along neurochemical boundaries, and mediate how beta-band rhythmic cortical activity maps align with muscarinic acetylcholine receptors. Finally, we show in an independent dataset that many of these alignments manifest in the asymptomatic stages of cortical Aβ accumulation (N = 33; N = 71 healthy controls), particularly the Aβ-neurochemical alignments (57.1%) and neuro-physio-chemical alignments in the alpha frequency band (62.5%). Overall, the present study demonstrates that the expression of pathology in pre-clinical and clinical AD aligns topographically with the cortical distribution of chemical neuromodulator systems, scaling with clinical severity and with implications for potential pharmacotherapeutic pathways.
KIF2C-induced nuclear condensation concentrates PLK1 and phosphorylated BRCA2 at the kinetochore microtubules in mitosis
Authors: Skobelkina Anastasiia , Julien Manon , Jeannin Sylvain , Miron Simona , Egger Tom , Chaaban Rady , Bouvignies Guillaume , Ghouil Rania , Friel Claire , Busso Didier , Theillet François-Xavier , Le Bars Romain , Carreira Aura , Constantinou Angelos , Basbous Jihane , Zinn-Justin Sophie
Published: April 2024

During mitosis, the human microtubule depolymerase KIF2C increases the turnover of kinetochore-microtubule attachments. This facilitates the correction of attachment errors. Moreover, BRCA2 phosphorylated at Thr207 by PLK1 (BRCA2-pT207) assembles a complex including PLK1, PP2A and BUBR1 that contributes to the stability of the kinetochore-microtubule attachments. PLK1, together with Aurora B, critically regulate the accurate segregation of chromosomes. Here we demonstrate that KIF2C contains an N-terminal domain that binds directly to several phosphorylated peptides, including BRCA2-pT207. Using an optogenetic platform, we reveal that KIF2C assembles into membrane-less compartments or biomolecular condensates that are located next to microtubules. We provide evidence that condensate assembly depends on the presence of the newly defined N-terminal phospho-binding domain of KIF2C and on the kinase activities of Aurora B and PLK1. Moreover, KIF2C condensates concentrate active PLK1 and colocalize with BRCA2-pT207. We propose that, because of its phospho-dependent binding and oligomerization capacities, KIF2C forms biomolecular condensates that partition PLK1 and locally amplify its kinase activity during mitosis.

Graphical Abstract
Neural representation of nouns and verbs in congenitally blind and sighted individuals
Authors: Urbaniak Marta , Paczyńska Małgorzata , Caramazza Alfonso , Bola Łukasz
Published: April 2024

Language processing involves similar brain regions across languages and cultures. Intriguingly, one population escapes this universal pattern: in blind individuals, linguistic stimuli activate not only canonical language networks, but also the “visual” cortex. Theoretical implications of this finding are debated, particularly because it is unclear what properties of linguistic stimuli are represented in the blind visual cortex. To address this issue, we enrolled congenitally blind and sighted participants in an fMRI experiment, in which they listened to concrete, abstract, and pseudo nouns and verbs. We used multi-voxel pattern classification to investigate whether differences between nouns and verbs are represented in the blind visual cortex, and whether this effect is modulated by the word’s semantic category. The classification of activation patterns for nouns and verbs was above chance level in the motion-sensitive area V5/MT in the blind participants, but not in other visual areas in this group. The effect in area V5/MT was driven by successful classification of activations for concrete nouns and verbs, in the absence of significant results for abstract and pseudo nouns and verbs. These findings suggest that the blind visual cortex represents the physical properties of noun and verb referents, more salient in the concrete word category, rather than more abstract linguistic distinctions, present in all word categories. Thus, responses to language in the blind visual cortex may be explained by preserved ability of this region to compute physical and spatial representations of the world.

Significance Statement

In sighted individuals, language processing involves similar brain regions across languages. Intriguingly, in blind individuals, hearing words and sentences activates not only the canonical language network, but also the “visual” cortex. What is computed in the visual cortex when blind individuals process language? Here, we show that a specific visual area in the blind – the motion-sensitive area V5/MT – responds differently to spoken nouns and verbs. We further showed that this effect is present for concrete nouns and verbs, but not for abstract or pseudo nouns and verbs. This suggests that, during language processing, the blind visual cortex represents physical features of word referents, more salient in the concrete word category, rather than more abstract linguistic distinctions, present across word categories.
Serotonin acts through multiple cellular targets during an olfactory critical period
Authors: Mallick Ahana , Tan Hua Leonhard , Epstein Jacob Michael , Gaudry Quentin , Dacks Andrew M.
Published: April 2024

Serotonin (5-HT) is known to modulate early development during critical periods when experience drives heightened levels of plasticity in neurons. Here, we take advantage of the genetically tractable olfactory system ofDrosophilato investigate how 5-HT modulates critical period plasticity in the CO2 sensing circuit of fruit flies. Our study reveals that 5HT modulation of multiple neuronal targets is necessary for experience-dependent structural changes in an odor processing circuit. The olfactory CPP is known to involve local inhibitory networks and consistent with this we found that knocking down 5-HT7 receptors in a subset of GABAergic local interneurons was sufficient to block CPP, as was knocking down GABA receptors expressed by olfactory sensory neurons (OSNs). Additionally, direct modulation of OSNs via 5-HT2B expression in the cognate OSNs sensing CO2 is also essential for CPP. Furthermore, 5-HT1B expression by serotonergic neurons in the olfactory system is also required during the critical period. Our study reveals that 5-HT modulation of multiple neuronal targets is necessary for experience-dependent structural changes in an odor processing circuit.
Asymmetric pulse effects on pair production in chirped electric fields
Authors: Chen Neng-Zhi , Amat Orkash , Hu Li-Na , Fan Hong-Hao , Xie Bai-Song
Published: April 2024

We investigate the effects of the asymmetric pulse shapes on electron-positron pair production in a field with three different cases of chirping via the real-time Dirac-Heisenberg-Wigner formalism. Our findings reveal the disappearance of interference effects with shorter falling pulse length, and the peak is concentrated on the left side of the momentum spectrum. As the falling pulse length extends, an incomplete multiring structure appears in the momentum spectrum. The number density of particles are very sensitive to the asymmetry of the pulse. With a long falling pulse, the number density can be significantly enhanced by over four orders of magnitude when certain frequency chirps are utilized. These results highlight the impact of the effective dynamically assisted mechanism and the frequency chirp on pair creation.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Partnerships in the recovery planning process: lessons from Puerto Rico after Hurricane Maria and Irma
Authors: Tom Ashlyn , Kim Alice
Published: April 2024

Purpose

To assess which partnerships were most critical during the recovery planning process following Hurricanes Maria and Irma. We discuss the roles and impact of different types of partners, barriers and facilitators to partnerships and lessons in collaboration during the development of the economic and disaster recovery plan for Puerto Rico.

Design/methodology/approach

The Homeland Security Operational Analysis Center (HSOAC) was tasked with assisting the Puerto Rican government with an assessment of damages from Hurricanes Maria and Irma and the development of the Recovery Plan. During the process, a small team compiled and coded a database of meetings with non-HSOAC partners. The team was divided into sector teams that mirrored FEMA’s Recovery Support Functions. Each sector completed two surveys identifying high impact partners and their roles and contributions, as well as barriers and facilitators to partnerships.

Findings

A total of 1,382 engagements were recorded across all sectors over seven months. The most frequently identified high impact partners were federal and Puerto Rican governmental organizations partners. NGOs and nonprofits were noted as key partners in obtaining community perspective. Sector teams cited a lack of trust and difficulty identifying partners as barriers to partner engagement. Given the expedited nature of disaster response, establishing partnerships before disasters occur may help facilitate community input. Early networking, increased transparency and defining roles and responsibilities may increase trust and effectiveness among partnerships.

Originality/value

To our knowledge, this is one of the few studies that quantifies and illustrates the partnerships formed and their contributions during recovery planning, and lessons learned.
Defect modelling and correlation mapping for bridge inspection
Authors: Xu Shuyuan , Wang Jun , Wang Xiangyu , Shou Wenchi , Ngo Tuan
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This paper covers the development of a novel defect model for concrete highway bridges. The proposed defect model is intended to facilitate the identification of bridge’s condition information (i.e. defects), improve the efficiency and accuracy of bridge inspections by supporting practitioners and even machines with digitalised expert knowledge, and ultimately automate the process.

Design/methodology/approach

The research design consists of three major phases so as to (1) categorise common defect with regard to physical entities (i.e. bridge element), (2) establish internal relationships among those defects and (3) relate defects to their properties and potential causes. A mixed-method research approach, which includes a comprehensive literature review, focus groups and case studies, was employed to develop and validate the proposed defect model.

Findings

The data collected through the literature and focus groups were analysed and knowledge were extracted to form the novel defect model. The defect model was then validated and further calibrated through case study. Inspection reports of nearly 300 bridges in China were collected and analysed. The study uncovered the relationships between defects and a variety of inspection-related elements and represented in the form of an accessible, digitalised and user-friendly knowledge model.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is the development of a defect model that can assist inexperienced practitioners and even machines in the near future to conduct inspection tasks. For one, the proposed defect model can standardise the data collection process of bridge inspection, including the identification of defects and documentation of their vital properties, paving the path for the automation in subsequent stages (e.g. condition evaluation). For another, by retrieving rich experience and expert knowledge which have long been reserved and inherited in the industrial sector, the inspection efficiency and accuracy can be considerably improved.
Hedonic and eudaimonic entertainment as facilitators of consumer brand engagement: a multiple mediation model for Netflix
Authors: Riskos Kyriakos , Dekoulou Paraskevi , Hatzithomas Leonidas , Papasolomou Ioanna
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Fierce competition among over-the-top (OTT) platforms has rendered branding a precondition for consumer appeal. This study proposes a new structural equation model for OTT brands, especially Netflix, where hedonic and eudaimonic entertainment motives function as facilitators of consumer brand engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was conducted. Structural Equation Modeling was used to build the model and test for various direct, mediation, and moderation effects.

Findings

The results suggest a multiple mediation model in which the relationship between the two types of entertainment and intention to use Netflix is sequentially mediated by consumer attention and consumer brand engagement. Moreover, this study confirms that female consumers, compared to male consumers, exhibit higher levels of consumer brand engagement when motivated by hedonic entertainment.

Originality/value

This is the first study to present a novel structural model for the content consumption of OTT brands and test the role of the two types of entertainment in the intention to use Netflix.
Impact of online learning on university librarians’ professional development and library services: an explanatory investigation from university librarians of Pakistan
Authors: Shahzad Khurram , Khan Shakeel Ahmad
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the impact of online learning on university librarians’ professional development and library services.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-methods study through an explanatory research design was applied to address the study’s objectives. Quantitative data were gathered from 341 librarians working in 221 universities, while qualitative data were gathered from 27 experts working in 21 different universities of Pakistan.

Findings

The findings of the study revealed that online learning has a significant positive impact on the professional development of university librarians. Results revealed that online learning assists in the provision of sustainable, innovative library services in university libraries.

Originality/value

The study has offered a model in light of the study's quantitative and qualitative findings. It contributes to theoretical understanding by expanding the existing knowledge base. It offers managerial insights, enabling the development of policies that foster the professional development of library personnel and the implementation of smart library services.
Breaking through the glass ceiling: women on the board as a mechanism for greater environmental transparency
Authors: Pinheiro Alan Bandeira , dos Santos Joina Ijuniclair Arruda Silva , Costa Marconi Freitas da , Carraro Wendy Beatriz Witt Haddad
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This research paper aims to examine the influence of greater female participation on the board of directors on the environmental transparency of companies.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve the purpose of this study, the authors analyzed the environmental transparency of 412 companies in the energy sector, headquartered in 19 countries, during a four-year period (2016 to 2019).

Findings

The data reveal that gender diversity has a positive effect on the environmental transparency of companies in developed countries and on the total model. Furthermore, after removing the US companies, the results remained the same, indicating that companies with more women on the board tend to have greater environmental transparency. Regarding corporate governance variables, the results show that companies that have a corporate social responsibility committee tend to have greater environmental transparency, both in emerging countries and in developed countries.

Practical implications

The findings indicate that if companies aim to have greater environmental transparency, they must encourage female participation on boards, giving them equal opportunities for professional growth. Organizations must deconstruct the ideology that women are fewer valuable members of their boards, which limits their contribution to organizational success. Additionally, regulators can encourage greater female participation on boards through the implementation of quota laws.

Originality/value

The authors’ evidence indicates that the presence of women on board is an antecedent of greater quality in the dissemination of environmental information. Thus, managers of companies in the energy sector must understand that diversity on the board affects communication with its stakeholders through environmental transparency.
APRD: action partnership research design: reimagining the role of the user in library and information science research
Authors: Nesset Valerie , Davis Elisabeth C. , Vanderschantz Nicholas , Stewart-Robertson Owen
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Responding to the continuing separation of participants and researchers in LIS participatory research, a new methodology is proposed: action partnership research design (APRD). It is asserted that APRD can mitigate or remove the hierarchical structures often inherent in the research process, thus allowing for equal contribution from all.

Design/methodology/approach

Building on the bonded design (BD) methodology and informed by a scoping literature review conducted by the same authors, APRD is a human-centered research approach with the goal of empowering and valuing community partnerships. APRD originates from research investigating the use of participatory design methods to foster collaboration between two potentially disparate groups, firstly with adult researchers/designers and elementary school children, and secondly with university faculty and IT professionals.

Findings

To achieve this goal, in addition to BD techniques, APRD draws inspiration from elements of indigenous and decolonization research methodologies, particularly those with an emphasis on destabilizing power hierarchies and involving research participants as full partners.

Originality/value

APRD, which emerged from findings from previous participatory design studies, especially those of BD, is based on the premise of partnership, recognizing that each member of a design team, whether researcher or participant/user, has unique expertise to contribute. By considering participants/users as full research partners, APRD aims to flatten the hierarchies exhibited in some LIS participatory research methodologies, where participants are treated more like research subjects than partners.
Transformational leadership and job satisfaction in vocational high schools in Türkiye: a multilevel mediation model of teacher professional learning and self-efficacy
Authors: Özdemir Murat , Eriçok Barış , Topaloğlu Hakan , Tuti Gamze
Published: April 2024

Purpose

In recent decades, researchers have increasingly begun to study the effects of transformational leadership on various teachers’ attitudes in K-12 settings. However, studies on the effect of transformational leadership on the job satisfaction of vocational high school teachers are not sufficient. Therefore, in this study, the nature of the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction in Turkish vocational high schools was examined.

Design/methodology/approach

The study data came from 847 teachers working at 82 state vocational high schools located in 12 regions in Türkiye. To test the research model, we conducted multilevel structural equation modeling to explore the structural relationships between transformational leadership, teacher professional learning, teacher’ self-efficacy and job satisfaction.

Findings

The analysis confirms that teacher professional learning and self-efficacy are prominent mediators in the relationship between transformational leadership and job satisfaction in Turkish vocational high schools.

Originality/value

The present study is expected to contribute to the body of research focusing on the effects of transformational leadership on job satisfaction in vocational high schools. Implications for theory, practice and policy are discussed.
Main contents and implications of the 2023 revision of the OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises*
Authors: Ahn Keon-Hyung
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to provide the main contents of the revision of the 2023 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and suggest implications for the Korean government and multinational enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

Following the brief history of the revision of OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises, this study reviews and evaluates major substantive and procedural revisions of the 2023 OECD Guidelines, and then suggests countermeasures for Korean government and businesses.

Findings

The most significant substantive change of the 2023 revision is that expectations for environmental due diligence and disclosure obligations, including climate change and biodiversity, for multinational enterprises have been expanded and strengthened. Regarding procedural changes, the biggest change is the introduction of a basis rule for the National Contact Points for Responsible Business Conduct (NCPs for RBC) to judge each issue and a rule that the final statement must include follow-up details and deadlines, which is expected to strengthen the effectiveness of the NCP dispute resolution mechanism.

Originality/value

This study is the first academic paper to introduce major substantive and procedural revisions to the 2023 OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises in Korea. This study also provides implications for the Korean government and companies following the 2023 revised OECD Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises as follows. First, the Korean government must establish a public–private partnership to closely communicate to prevent Korean companies from being harmed by failing to meet strengthening international Environment, Social and Governance (ESG) standards. In addition, Korean government should actively participate in ESG-related international forums, including the OECD, and strive to reflect the needs and interests of Korean companies. Second, the Korean NCP should strengthen its activities to prevent potential damage by expanding education and promotions for Korean businesses on related overseas legislative trends and NCP dispute case studies so that Korean companies can effectively deal with the strengthened ESG standards. Third, Korean multinational enterprises should preemptively establish an advanced ESG management system to seize new opportunities in the global supply chain previously concentrated in China and India in the process of reorganizing global supply chains according to the trend of strengthening ESG standards and the US value alliance strategy.
“Being heard”: pedagogical strategies that support BIPOC students in postsecondary leadership courses
Authors: McKee Katherine E. , Traini Haley , Smist Jennifer , Rosch David Michael
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Our goals were to explore the pedagogies applied by instructors that supported Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC) student learning in a leadership course and the leadership behaviors BIPOC students identified as being applicable after the course.

Design/methodology/approach

Through survey research and qualitative data analysis, three prominent themes emerged.

Findings

High-quality, purposeful pedagogy created opportunities for students to learn. Second, a supportive, interactive community engaged students with the instructor, each other and the course material to support participation in learning. As a result, students reported experiencing big shifts, new growth and increased confidence during their leadership courses.

Originality/value

We discuss our findings and offer specific recommendations for leadership educators to better support BIPOC students in their leadership courses and classrooms and for further research with BIPOC students.
Rapid, iterative application of the co-create, build, engage (CBE) framework: development of Blurred Minds Vaping and the Environment module
Authors: Khan Jackie , Rundle-Thiele Sharyn
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The number of young people using e-cigarettes (commonly referred to as vaping) has grown at an alarming rate, creating the need for urgent action. This paper demonstrates rapid step-by-step iterative application of the Co-create, Build and Engage (CBE) framework to showcase how marketing was applied in response to emerging trends that have negative health and environmental consequences. This paper aims to demonstrate how CBE is applied iteratively, ensuring student feedback leads module development.

Design/methodology/approach

In Study 1, a pure seven-step co-design implementation, 19 high school students were invited to co-design a vaping prevention approach that would work for them and other people like them. During the sensitisation phase of co-design, students completed one Blurred Minds Vaping module. Feedback grids were provided, with students identifying likes, dislikes and ideas. This likeability data was used, together with input from technical experts and pedagogical best practice, in a 12-week research and development project that aimed to develop a new online learning module focused on vaping and their environmental impacts for the Blurred Minds Academy. The new module was tested with 20 high school students. Feedback grids were provided once again, allowing a comparison of results.

Findings

Examination of feedback grid data demonstrates that the newly developed Vaping and the Environment module was improved. Considerations taken on board in the new module design (e.g. increased variability within the module) overcame criticisms expressed previously (e.g. it was boring and too long). Other criticisms remained evident, albeit at a much lower proportion suggesting the new Vaping and the Environment module, and future Blurred Minds module development, would benefit from iterative CBE application.

Originality/value

Conduit et al. (2022) note that marketing academia has been criticised for having an increasingly less relevant managerial agenda. This paper outlines a rapid step-by-step application of marketing in response to one of society’s most pressing health challenges – vaping. The iterative application of CBE is outlined, demonstrating that the student experience can be enhanced when marketing’s continual improvement mindset is used. This is the first vaping prevention programme that has included substantive information around the negative impacts of vaping on the environment.
Tackling the social marketing formative research bottleneck: comparative analysis of the complementary nature of community-generated personas and focus groups
Authors: Khaliq Mahmooda , Wimbish Dove , Makris Angela
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to understand the utility of personas and illustrate, through a case study, how a persona-building exercise in a Community Based Prevention Marketing (CBPM) training of community leaders elicited important insights that complemented findings from ongoing formative research on vaccine hesitancy in the Hispanic/Latino population in the USA during COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

An exploratory concurrent parallel qualitative study design compared three personas created by community-based organization members (n = 37) to transcripts from five formative research focus groups (n = 30) from the same project. All participants in this study were recruited by the National COVID-19 Resiliency Network as part of their capacity-building and formative research activities. Grounded theory guided the content analysis.

Findings

This study found personas and focus groups to be complementary. A high degree of co-occurrence was observed when investigating the uptake of the COVID-19 vaccine under the categories of barriers, culture and communication. Between the two methods, the authors found strong associations between fear, disruption to the value system, work-related barriers, inaccessibility to health care and information sources and misinformation. Areas of divergence were negligible.

Research limitations/implications

While personas provided background information about the population and sharing “how” to reach the priority population, focus groups provided the “why” behind the behavior, followed by “how”.

Practical implications

A community-driven persona-building process built on cultural community knowledge and existing data can build community capacity, provide rich information to assist in the creation of tailored messages, strategies and overall interventions during a public health crisis and provide user-centered, evidence-based information about a priority population while researchers and practitioners wait on the results from formative research.

Originality/value

This case study provided a unique opportunity to analyze the complementary effectiveness of two methods acting in tandem to understand the priority population: stakeholder-informed persona-building and participant-informed focus group interviews. Understanding their complementary nature addresses a time gap that often exists between researchers and practitioners during times of crises and builds on recommendations associated with bringing rigor into practice, promoting academic contribution to real-world issues and building collaborative partnerships. Finally, it supports the utility of a nimble tool that improves social marketers’ ability to know more about their audience for intervention design when time is of the essence and formative research is ongoing.
Comparing three contract types to optimize profits in service firm – digital service platform relationships
Authors: Tarpey Richard , Yue Jinfeng , Zha Yong , Zhang Jiahong
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The importance of service firms cooperating with digital platforms is widely acknowledged. The authors study three contractual relationships (fixed-cost, cost-sharing, and profit-sharing) between service firms (specifically hotels) and digital platforms in a highly fragmented service supply chain to examine which of these contract types optimizes profits.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors extend prior models analyzing the optimal expected total profit from the travel service firm (hotel)–digital platform relationship, providing new insights into each contract type’s ability to coordinate decentralized systems and optimize profits for both parties.

Findings

This study finds that fixed cost contracts cannot coordinate the decentralized system. Cost-sharing contracts can coordinate the decentralized system but only allow one channel profit split. In contrast, profit-sharing contracts may not always perfectly coordinate the decentralized system but support alternative profit allocations. Practically, both profit-sharing and cost-sharing contracts are preferable to fixed-cost contracts.

Practical implications

The paper includes implications for travel service firm managers to consider when structuring contracts with digital platforms to focus on profit optimization. Profit-sharing contracts are most preferable when cost and revenue data are fully shared between parties, while cost-sharing contracts are preferable over fixed-cost contracts.

Originality/value

This study extends prior investigations into the utility of different contract types on the optimal profit of a travel service firm (hotel)-digital platform provider relationship. The research fills a gap in the literature concerning the contracts used in these relationship types.
The relationship between the behavioral integrity and organizational commitment the mediating effects of the job satisfaction and psychological safety
Authors: Yang Feng-Hua , Chang Chen-Chieh , Pan Zhao-Cheng
Published: April 2024

Purpose

This study aims to apply the affective events theory and psychological contract theory to investigate how job satisfaction and psychological safety mediate the effect of the behavioral integrity of supervisors on the organizational commitment of employees.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire survey was conducted using purposive sampling. In total, 500 questionnaire copies were distributed, and 453 responses were collected, of which 441 were valid (valid response rate = 88.2%).

Findings

The behavioral integrity of supervisors has a direct negative effect on organizational commitment but significant positive effects on job satisfaction and psychological safety, and job satisfaction and psychological safety have significant positive effects on organizational commitment. Job satisfaction and psychological safety have significant mediating effects on the association between the behavioral integrity of supervisors and the organizational commitment of employees.

Practical implications

Leaders and top management should “practice what they preach,” integrate honesty into organizational culture through training and establish a code of conduct to ensure that employees uphold their commitments. Companies should establish appropriate disciplinary systems and norms related to work and other aspects of organizational culture; they should also establish fair, just and open assessment systems to minimize the gap between their employees’ actual and expected earnings.

Originality/value

This study is the first to simultaneously consider the mediating effects of job satisfaction and psychological safety on the association between behavioral integrity and organizational commitment.
Drug recognition experts in trials: perspectives from criminal justice system actors
Authors: Solensten Brittany , Willits Dale
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to fill the gap in understanding the impact of Drug Recognition Expert (DRE) evidence and testimony in driving under the influence (DUI) trials. This was accomplished by documenting and analyzing the perceptions of DREs and the DRE program across different stakeholders to understand how and when this type of evidence is used in DUI trials.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is a qualitative case study of the DRE program in one police agency in Washington. Data were collected using semi-structured interviews with criminal justice actors and state-level experts on their perceptions of the DRE program for the agency. Themes were developed from these interviews to analyze their perceptions of the efficacy and utility of DREs in trials.

Findings

While the courts in Washington accept DRE evidence in criminal trials, DRE evidence is largely absent in the adjudication process. Participants noted multiple reasons for this, including the lack of trials, the primacy of blood evidence and the expansion of the Advanced Roadside Impaired Driving Enforcement (ARIDE) program.

Originality/value

Although the DRE program has been around for decades, there is a lack of peer-reviewed studies regarding DRE evidence, and no studies regarding how court actors perceive and use DRE evidence. Understanding when and how DRE evidence is utilized in DUI trials can increase its value and utility by prosecutors and the national DRE program.
Investigation of process parameters for eco-friendly indigo dyeing of cotton fabric with reducing sugars
Authors: Mohtashim Quratulain , Farooq Salma , Asim Fareha
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The application of indigo dyes in the denim industries has been criticised due to the introduction of non-renewable oxidation products into the environment. Previous studies have investigated that reducing sugars can be used as green alternatives to sodium dithionite in the indigo dyeing of cotton fabric owing to their reduced and stable redox potential in the dye bath. The purpose of this study was to dye denim cotton fabric with indigo dye using various reducing sugars and alkalis. The use of sucrose and potassium hydroxide (KOH) for indigo dyeing has been explored for the first time.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed factorial design with four variables including alkali, pH, number of dips and type of reducing sugar at different levels was studied to identify a significant correlation between the effect of these variables on the colour strength and fastness properties of the dyeings.

Findings

Investigations were made to examine the significant factors and interactions of the selected responses in the eco-friendly dyeing method. This process has the potential to reduce the load of sulphite and sulphate generated in the dyebath due to the use of a conventional reducing agent, sodium dithionite. The colour strength of the dyeing reduced with fructose was found to be better than other reducing sugars and significantly influenced by the number of dips, pH levels and the interaction between pH and reducing sugars. Using fructose for indigo dyeing with two dips at a pH of 11.5, using KOH as an alkali, results in higher colour strength values. The fastness properties of the indigo-dyed sample with reducing sugars ranging from fair to good or good to excellent. Specifically, colour change receives a rating of grey scale 3–4, staining 4–5, dry rubbing 4 and light fastness 3–4. These assessments hold true across various factors such as the type of reducing sugar, alkali, pH and the number of dips. The optimised parameters leading to improved colour strength and fastness properties are also discussed.

Originality/value

This dyeing technique is novel and a green alternative to dithionite denim dyeing. This process is found to be useful for indigo dyeing of denim fabric leading to reduced and stable redox potential in the dyebath and acceptable colour strength of the dyed fabric.
Dilemmas in Regulation
Authors: Butlin Matthew , Findlay Christopher
Published: April 2024

Four topics related to the operation of regulatory systems are considered. These concern the matters of dealing with globally sub‐optimal decisions made by regulators, the problem of specifying boundaries between groups of regulated entities in the application of regulation, dealing with a situation in which there are multiple regulators, and the alignment of regulation across jurisdictional borders. It is argued that current responses to these dilemmas tend to add to levels of inefficiency in the economy, with consequences for growth. Options for resolving them are considered, including new approaches to the design of regulation.
Subject‐Object Asymmetries and the Development of Relative Clauses between Late Middle English and Early Modern English
Authors: Bacskai‐Atkari Julia
Published: April 2024

This paper presents the results of a corpus study on the Wycliffe Bible and the King James Bible, examining the distribution of the pronouns who(m)/which and the complementiser that in relative clauses with a personal referent. The data indicate that the decisive factor in both periods was the function of the gap (subject vs. non‐subject): wh‐pronouns are preferred in object relative clauses, while that is preferred in subject relative clauses. In addition, the paper argues that the subject/non‐subject distinction was decisive not only regarding the major wh/that distribution but also regarding the who(m)/which distinction. While in the case of the wh/that distinction, a syntactic difference (relative pronoun versus relative complementiser) underlies the attested asymmetry, the pronouns who(m) and which do not differ in their core syntactic properties. The data clearly indicate that both the wh‐strategy in general and the pronoun who(m) in particular started to spread from the lower functions of the Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy, whereby the spread of who(m) was one step behind the general spread of the wh‐strategy. The findings thus suggest that asymmetries along the lines of the Noun Phrase Accessibility Hierarchy are not necessarily paired up with syntactic asymmetries.
Prognostic impact of prostate‐specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA PET) staging for clinically node‐positive prostate cancer
Authors: Leow Boon Yang Jerome , Eade Thomas , Hruby George , Lieng Hester , Hsiao Edward , Brown Chris , Kneebone Andrew
Published: April 2024

Introduction

In the current American Joint Committee on Cancer staging system, patients with pelvic nodal metastases are considered stage IV prostate cancer. This study aims to investigate whether men with prostate‐specific membrane antigen positron emission tomography (PSMA PET)‐detected pelvic node‐positive prostate cancer at diagnosis have a better outcome compared to men with node‐positive disease identified on conventional imaging.

Methods

This is a retrospective cohort study comparing the outcomes of men with node‐positive prostate cancer and disease confined to the pelvis, staged with conventional versus PSMA PET imaging. Men had to be treated definitively with a combination of androgen deprivation therapy and radiation treatment to the prostate and pelvic lymph nodes. Kaplan–Meier and Cox regression analysis was used to compare biochemical failure‐free survival (BFFS) and overall survival (OS).

Results

Seventy‐six men with nodal metastases confined to the pelvis were identified. Fifty‐one were detected with PSMA PET while 25 were staged with conventional imaging. PSMA PET staged patients had a lower proportion of Gleason 8–10 disease (78% vs. 96%) as well as a lower median prostate‐specific antigen (11 ng/mL vs. 26 ng/mL). BFFS at 4 years was 72% with PSMA PET‐detected node‐positive disease vs. 38% with conventionally detected node‐positive disease. Four‐year OS was 93% with PSMA PET staged patients vs. 76% with conventionally staged patients. On multivariate analysis, the PSMA PET staged group was associated with improved BFFS (Adjusted HR = 3.00, 95% CI 1.43, 6.29, P = 0.004) and OS (Adjusted HR = 5.81, 95% CI 1.43, 23.7, P = 0.007).

Conclusion

Men with PSMA PET‐detected node‐positive prostate cancer confined to the pelvis have significantly better biochemical control and survival compared to those with node‐positive pelvic disease identified through conventional staging.
Contrasting late season pest insect abundance in non‐crop vegetation areas and nearby canola fields in the Canadian Prairies
Authors: Innes Rebecca , Neame Tobyn , Galpern Paul
Published: April 2024

Non‐crop vegetation areas in agricultural landscapes are vital for maintaining biodiversity. However, they potentially host pest insects, which can cause economic loss in crop fields.

Some insect species have been found to spill into crops from these areas, but this varies depending on species, landscape composition and the time of the season.

To determine if five common pest insects of canola crops were spilling into fields during the late growing season, we collected samples at various distances from non‐crop areas, in a part of the Canadian Prairies (Alberta, Canada) where this crop is widely grown.

Sampling occurred at 15 sites in each of 10 fields (N = 150 sites). We modelled changes in pest abundance over distance from the non‐crop areas and contrasted the abundance of each taxon in the crop and non‐crop areas.

Only leafhoppers (Hemiptera: Cicadellidae) demonstrated a declining gradient in abundance that is consistent with spillover from non‐crop vegetation areas into the canola fields. Weevils were found to have significantly higher abundance in the non‐crop areas, indicating a relationship between this taxon and the non‐crop area in the late season, but there was no decline in abundance, which might indicate spillover occurring. All taxa demonstrated spatial differences in abundance among fields.

This study found limited evidence that the pests are spilling over from non‐crop vegetation into canola crops during the late season. Therefore, movement of pests from non‐crop vegetation areas at this time is unlikely to be a driver of pest pressure for this economically important crop.
Territorial Conflicts and Soybeans: Kanhgág Politics and Their Struggle for Land Rights in Southern Brazil
Authors: Cimbaluk Lucas
Published: April 2024

Today, Kanhgág people live mainly in small Terras Indígenas (Indigenous Lands) in southern Brazil. Those lands are the outcome of a history of equivocal alliances and conflicts between indigenous peoples and European colonisers. Presenting aspects of these relations in both historical and contemporary settings, this article traces continuities and transformations in indigenous politics and cosmology, focusing on the struggles over territory and resources now playing out around soy cultivation. Avoiding simplistic presentations of colonial impositions, it draws on kanhgág people's dualist cosmology, factional sociality and the fecundity of alterity to consider those territorial struggles within indigenous autonomy and alliances.