bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the potential ofBacillus subtilisas cell factory for food ingredients and special chemicals
Authors: Chen Taichi , Brul Stanley , Hugenholtz Jeroen
Published: May 2023

Background

Bacillus subtilishas been established as model microorganism for fundamental research in the laboratory on protein production/secretion and sporulation and as model bacterium for controlling spoilage in the food industry. It has also been used for production of (commercial) enzymes and several secondary metabolites such as vitamins. However, this doesn’t fully reflect the potential ofB. subtilisas a cell-factory. Here, various strains ofB. subtilis, including food-grade, spore-deficient strains and industrially used strains, were compared for their growth and metabolic potential. Industry-relevant parameters were analyzed for all strains under various aeration regimes, under anaerobic conditions, in various nutritious and nutrient-limited cultivation media, with and without organic nitrogen sources, and with and without sugar.

Results

Practical experiments were conducted to compare industrial relevant properties like growth rates, intracellular components and extracellular metabolite profile of differentB. subtilisstrains. Based on growth flexibility in different media, we found that some strains like NCIB3610 and DSM1092 are adapted to inorganic or organic nitrogen source utilization, which is highly relevant when considering a biorefinery approach using various cheap and abundant waste/sidestreams. Secondly, spore-deficient strains such as 3NA, 168S and PY79S, showed advantages in microbial protein and acetolactate pathway expression, which is associated with applications in food industry for protein supplement and diacetyl production. Lastly, WB800 and PY79S exhibited potential for fermentative production of Dipicolinic acid, 2,3-Butanediol and Lactic acid that could serve as precursors for biopolymers.

Conclusion

This study demonstrates the broad potential for more extensive industrial use ofBacillus subtilisin the (bio-based) chemical industry for use of sidestreams, in the personal care industry, in the food industry for food additive production, and in the bio-sustainable industry for biofuel and bio-degradable plastic precursors production. In addition, selecting differentB. subtilisstrains for specific purposes makes full use of the diversity of this species and increases the potential ofB. subtilisin its contribution to the bio-based economy.
Nutrient-driven dedifferentiation of enteroendocrine cells promotes adaptive intestinal growth
Authors: Nagai Hiroki , Nagai Luis Augusto Eijy , Tasaki Sohei , Nakato Ryuichiro , Umetsu Daiki , Kuranaga Erina , Miura Masayuki , Nakajima Yu-ichiro
Published: May 2023

Post-developmental organ resizing improves organismal fitness under constantly changing nutrient environments. Although stem cell abundance is a fundamental determinant of adaptive resizing, our understanding of its underlying mechanisms remains primarily limited to the regulation of stem cell division. Here we demonstrate that nutrient fluctuation induces dedifferentiation in theDrosophilaadult midgut to drive adaptive intestinal growth. From lineage tracing and single-cell RNA-sequencing, we identify a subpopulation of enteroendocrine cells (EEs) that convert into functional intestinal stem cells (ISCs) in response to dietary glucose and amino acids by activating the JAK-STAT pathway. Genetic ablation of EE-derived ISCs severely impairs ISC expansion and midgut growth despite the retention of resident ISCs, andin silicomodeling further indicates that EE dedifferentiation enables efficient increase in the midgut cell number while maintaining epithelial cell composition. Our findings uncover a physiologically-induced dedifferentiation that ensures ISC expansion during adaptive organ growth in concert with nutrient conditions.
The effects of prior exposure to prism lenses onde novomotor skill learning
Authors: Lang-Hodge Annmarie M. , Cooke Dylan F. , Marigold Daniel S.
Published: May 2023

Motor learning involves plasticity in a network of brain areas across the cortex and cerebellum. Such traces of learning have the potential to affect subsequent learning of other tasks. In some cases, prior learning can interfere with subsequent learning, but it may be possible to potentiate learning of one task with a prior task if they are sufficiently different. Because prism adaptation involves extensive neuroplasticity, we reasoned that the elevated excitability of neurons could increase their readiness to undergo structural changes, and in turn, create an optimal state for learning a subsequent task. We tested this idea, selecting two different forms of learning tasks, asking whether exposure to a sensorimotor adaptation task can improve subsequentde novomotor skill learning. Participants first learned a new visuomotor mapping induced by prism glasses in which prism strength varied trial-to-trial. Immediately after and the next day, we tested participants on a mirror tracing task, a form ofde novoskill learning. Prism-trained and control participants both learned the mirror tracing task, with similar reductions in error and increases in distance traced. Both groups also showed evidence of offline performance gains between the end of day 1 and the start of day 2. However, we did not detect differences between groups. Overall, our results do not support the idea that prism adaptation learning can potentiate subsequentde novolearning. We discuss factors that may have contributed to this result.
Cell behaviors underlyingMyxococcus xanthusaggregate dispersal
Authors: Murphy Patrick , Comstock Jessica , Khan Trosporsha , Zhang Jiangguo , Welch Roy , Igoshin Oleg
Published: May 2023

The soil bacteriumMyxococcus xanthusis a model organism with a set of diverse behaviors. These behaviors include the starvation-induced multicellular development program, in which cells move collectively to assemble multicellular aggregates. After initial aggregates have formed, some will disperse, with smaller aggregates having a higher chance of dispersal. Initial aggregation is driven by two changes in cell behavior: cells slow down inside of aggregates and bias their motion by reversing direction less frequently when moving towards aggregates.

However, the cell behaviors that drive dispersal are unknown. Here we use fluorescent microscopy to quantify changes in cell behavior after initial aggregates have formed. We observe that after initial aggregate formation, cells adjust the bias in reversal timings by initiating reversals more rapidly when approaching unstable aggregates. Using agent-based modeling, we then show dispersal is predominantly generated by this change in bias, which is strong enough to overcome slowdown inside aggregates. Notably, the change in reversal bias is correlated with the nearest aggregate’s size, connecting cellular activity to previously observed correlations between aggregate size and fate. To determine if this connection is consistent across strains, we analyze a secondM. xanthusstrain with reduced levels of dispersal. We find that far fewer cells near smaller aggregates modified their bias. This implies that aggregate dispersal is under genetic control, providing a foundation for further investigations into the role it plays in the life cycle ofM. xanthus.

Importance

Understanding the processes behind bacterial biofilm formation, maintenance, and dispersal is essential for addressing their effects on health and ecology. Within these multicellular communities, various cues can trigger differentiation into distinct cell types, allowing cells to adapt to their specific local environment. The soil bacteriumMyxococcus xanthusforms biofilms in response to starvation, marked by cells aggregating into mounds. Some aggregates persist as spore-filled fruiting bodies, while others disperse after initial formation for unknown reasons. Here, we use a combination of cell tracking analysis and computational simulations to identify behaviors at the cellular level that contribute to aggregate dispersal. Our results suggest that cells in aggregates actively determine whether to disperse or persist and undergo a transition to sporulation based on a self-produced cue related to the aggregate’s size. Identifying these cues is an important step in understanding and potentially manipulating bacterial cell-fate decisions.
Jumbo phages are active against extensively-drug-resistant eyedrop-associatedPseudomonas aeruginosainfections
Authors: Cobián Güemes Ana Georgina , Ghatbale Pooja , Blanc Alisha N. , Morgan Chase J. , Garcia Andrew , Leonard Jesse , Huang Lina , Kovalick Grace , Proost Marissa , Chiu Megan , Kuo Peiting , Oh Joseph , Karthikeyan Smruthi , Knight Rob , Pogliano Joe , Schooley Robert T. , Pride David T.
Published: May 2023

Antibiotic resistant bacteria present an emerging challenge to human health as the pressure instituted on the microbial world through the liberal use of antibiotics has resulted in their emergence across the globe. Those bacteria that acquire mobile genetic elements such as plasmids are especially concerning because those plasmids may be shared readily with other microbes that then can also become antibiotic resistant. Serious infections have recently been related to contamination of preservative-free eyedrops with extensively drug resistant (XDR) isolates ofPseudomonas aeruginosa, already resulting in three deaths. These drug-resistant isolates cannot be managed with most conventional antibiotics. We sought to identify alternatives to conventional antibiotics for lysis of these XDR isolates, and identified multiple bacteriophages (viruses that attack bacteria) that killed them efficiently. We found both jumbo phages (>200kb in genome size) and non-jumbo phages that were active against these isolates, the former killing more efficiently. Jumbo phages effectively killed the 3 separate XDRP. aeruginosaisolates both on solid and liquid medium. Given the ongoing nature of the XDRP. aeruginosaeyedrop outbreak, the identification of phages active against them provides physicians with several novel potential alternatives for treatment.
Proton tautomerism in 5-dimethylaminomethylidene-4-(o-,m-,p-hydroxyphenyl)amino-1,3-thiazol-2(5H)-ones: synthesis, crystal structure and spectroscopic studies
Authors: Pyrih Andrii , Łapiński Andrzej , Zięba Sylwia , Mizera Adam , Lesyk Roman , Jaskolski Mariusz , Gzella Andrzej K.
Published: May 2023

Three new 5-dimethylaminomethylidene-4-phenylamino-1,3-thiazol-2(5H)-ones with an hydroxyl group in the ortho, meta and para positions on the phenyl ring were synthesized in order to deduce the structural changes occurring on prototropic tautomerism of the amidine system. The existence of all the title compounds solely in the amino tautomeric form has been established in the solid and liquid (dimethyl sulfoxide solution) phases. The title compounds are analyzed from the point of view of the electronic effects and conformational freedom of their molecules. The intermolecular interactions in the crystals and their supramolecular architecture are highlighted.
Separating abusive from efficient related-party transactions: evidence from India
Authors: Saurabh Kinshuk
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study is to understand a family firm's choice of related-party transaction (RPT) types and analyze their value impacts to separate the abusive from benign RPTs.

Design/methodology/approach

It uses a 10-year panel of BSE-listed 378 family (and 200 non-family) firms. The fixed effects, logit and difference-in-difference (DID) models help examine value effects, propensity and persistence of harmful RPTs.

Findings

Loans/guarantees (irrespective of counterparties) destroy firm value. Capital asset RPTs decrease the firm value but enhance value when undertaken with holding parties. Operating RPTs increase firm value and profitability. They improve asset utilization and reduce discretionary expenses (especially when made with controlled entities). Family firms have larger loans/guarantees and capital asset volumes but have smaller operating RPTs than non-family firms. They are less likely to undertake loans/guarantees (and even operating RPTs) and more capital RPTs vis-à-vis non-family firms. Family firms persist with dubious loans/guarantees but hold back beneficial operating RPTs, despite RPTs being in investor cross-hairs amid the Satyam scam.

Research limitations/implications

Rent extractability and counterparty incentives supplement each other. (1) The higher extractability of related-party loans and guarantees (RPLGs) dominates the lower extraction incentives of controlled parties. (2) Holding parties' bringing assets, providing a growth engine and adding value dominate their higher extraction incentives (3) The big gains to the operational efficiency come from operating RPTs with controlled parties, generally operating companies in the family house. (4) Dubious RPTs seem more integral to family firms' choices than non-family firms. (5) Counterparty incentives behind the divergent use of RPTs deserve more research attention. Future studies can give more attention to how family characteristics affect divergent motives behind RPTs.

Practical implications

First, the study does not single out family firms for dubious use of all RPTs. Second, investors, auditors or creditors must pay close attention to RPLGs as a special expropriation mechanism. Third, operating RPTs (and capital RPTs with holding parties) benefit family firms. However, solid procedural safeguards are necessary. Overall, results may help clarify the dilemma Indian regulators face in balancing the abusive and business sides of RPTs.

Originality/value

The study fills the gap by arguing why some RPTs may be dubious or benign and then shows how RPTs' misuse depends on counterparty types. It shows operating RPTs enhance operating efficiencies on several dimensions and that benefits may vary with counterparty types. It also presents the first evidence that family firms favor dubious RPTs more and efficient RPTs less than non-family firms.
Relational governance in the ITO: the role of self-determination theory and the mediating effect of control perceived
Authors: Braga de Oliveira Friaes Ligiane Cristina , Poleto Thiago , Negreiros Clemente Thárcylla Rebecca , Ramos Camila Carvalho , de Carvalho Victor Diogho Heuer , Nepomuceno Thyago Celso Cavalcante
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Researchers in the field recognize the importance of the relationship between contractor and contractee in the process of information technology (IT) outsourcing. However, little is known about the impact of the manager's profile in this process. Thus, the objective of this research was to analyze the impact of the perception of competence, autonomy and relationship of public managers on relational governance (RG), as well as, to identify the effect of perceived control in this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quantitative approach to investigate the impact of the behavioral characteristics of IT managers from the self-determination theory (SDT). The data were collected in Brazilian public institutions active in the areas of education, finance, statistics and technology, and the hypotheses were identified and evaluated using the technique of partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The results identified that managers' self-determination is related to the perception of control, which, consequently, impacts the RG by providing feelings of competence and autonomy capable of building a beneficial relationship with the IT provider.

Practical implications

This study promotes the understanding that upper management needs to support the autonomy of managers to increase their levels of intrinsic motivation when managing supplier deliveries.

Originality/value

The application of SDT to the IT outsourcing context provides new insights into the mediation of perceived control by explaining the relationship between managers' expectations and motivations as an important driver for RG.
Bibliometric analysis, scientometrics and metasynthesis of Internet of Things (IoT) in smart buildings
Authors: Tanko Bruno Lot , Essah Emmanuel A. , Elijah Olakunle , Zakka Wyom Paul , Klufallah Mustafa
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The Internet of Things has made the shift to the digital era possible, even though the Architecture, Engineering and Construction (AEC) sector has not embraced nor integrated it within the core functions compared to other sectors. The need to enhance sustainable construction with the adoption of Internet of Things in this sector cannot be overemphasized. However, the real-world applications of Internet of Things in smart buildings remain relatively unexplored in the AEC sector due to several issues related to deployment and energy-saving potentials. Given these challenges, this paper proposes to identify the present state of development and research in Internet of Things and smart buildings, identify Internet of Things clusters and applications in smart buildings.

Design/methodology/approach

Bibliometric analyses of papers from 2010 to 2023 using the Scopus database and scientometric evaluations using the VosViewer software were undertaken. The proper search keyword was identified by using the phrases “ Internet of Things” and “Smart Building”. A total of 1158 documents in all, written by 3540 different writers, representing 2285 different institutions from 97 different countries were looked at. A metasynthesis was conducted and a system of Internet of Things applications in a smart building is illustrated.

Findings

The development of IoT and Smart Buildings is done in two phases: initiation (2010–2012) and development phase (2013–2023). The IoT clusters comprised Internet of things, energy efficiency, intelligent buildings, smart buildings and automation; while the most commonly used applications were analysed and established. The study also determined the productive journals, documents, authors and countries.

Research limitations/implications

Documents published in the Scopus database from 2010 to 2023 were considered for the bibliometric analysis. Journal articles, conference papers, reviews, books and book chapters written in English language represent the inclusion criteria, while articles in press, conference reviews, letters, editorials, undefined sources and all medical and health publications were excluded.

Practical implications

The results of this study will be used by construction stakeholders and policymakers to identify key themes and applications in IoT-enabled smart buildings and to guide future research in the policymaking process of asset management.

Originality/value

The study utilised bibliometric analysis, scientometrics and metasynthesis to investigate Internet of things applications in smart buildings. The study identified Internet of things clusters and applications for smart building design and construction.
CASA+: highly energy-efficient housing system for the central-south of Chile
Authors: Celis-D’Amico Flavio , Echeverria-Valiente Ernesto , Garcia-Alvarado Rodrigo , Escorcia-Oyola Olavo , da Casa-Martín Fernando
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study aims to introduce the results of a research carried out to develop a prototype of a highly energy-efficient modular detached house, called CASA+ CASA means HOUSE in spanish, adapted to the climatic features of central-southern Chile. The project enables a sustainable alternative to facilitate the reconstruction of the residential areas after the impact of the 2010 earthquake.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology is based on an “integrated design process” of a case study that proposes a constructive response that quantitatively and qualitatively improves the initial data of traditional dwellings. The characteristics of the new system have been simulated with specific software to validate the final decisions, considering the cost–benefit ratio.

Findings

Simulation tools were used to assess and improve the system’s energy performance with respect to present options and to analyse its economic and construction viability. We obtained several economically competitive housing prototypes that substantially reduced energy consumption and the CO2 footprint by between 20% and 80%.

Research limitations/implications

The prototype has not been developed, as we are waiting for funding, but all its energy features have been simulated.

Practical implications

Furthermore, this experience also identified similar modifications made to the design of the houses, which revealed general possibilities for improving energy performance.

Social implications

The origin of this research is a public call for international researchers to improve the quality of the new homes to be built in Chile after the strong earthquake of 2010. The result of the research has been put at the direct service of Chilean society and in other international projects for the construction of low-energy social housing.

Originality/value

These are the result of a long research aimed at establishing a new architectural model that, in addition to improving the architectural quality of the product, obtains significant improvements in energy consumption and CO2 emissions. The most particular aspect is the practical vocation and its implementation with real construction with the support of construction companies.
Why do bank customers switch? A systematic literature review
Authors: Ngau Christine Mening , Zins Andreas H. , Rengasamy Dhanuskodi
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The digital transformation in the banking industry has brought about complexity and competitiveness which has made differentiation challenging for banks. Complemented by consumer empowerment through high accessibility of information on the internet, this has led to a phenomenon known as switching behavior. The purpose of this review is to examine the determinants governing switching behavior among bank customers. This review highlights the importance of research which looks beyond pre-adoption behavior by examining post-adoption behavior; what happens after initial technology acceptance.

Design/methodology/approach

This review examines 44 journal articles researching switching behavior published between 1995 and 2022 in top journals. From a synthesis of literature, a conceptual framework for analysis and understanding switching behavior is presented.

Findings

Although various scholars have investigated switching behavior among bank customers, there are few studies which provide a comprehensive review and research classifications in this area. This review classifies key determinants of switching behavior into socio-demographic factors, situational triggers, influential triggers and reactional triggers. Structural equation modelling is the most common research methodology utilized in reviewed articles. The literature review reveals that mediators and moderators are less commonly deployed compared to determinants. Findings also indicate switching behavior studies still lack theory-driven conceptual frameworks.

Originality/value

This paper is the first systematic literature review on switching behavior research among bank customers spanning across 28 years in top academic journals. It integrates insights from 44 relevant research papers through publication trends. This review identifies key research gaps and provides future research directions.
Gender diversity of directors and financial performance: is there a business case?
Authors: Yarram Subba Reddy , Adapa Sujana
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Do women contribute to performance of companies on which they serve as board of directors? Many prior studies examine this issue, but no consensus is reached on the benefits of women taking on leadership positions. The present study considers this thorny issue from a slightly different perspective. Does the association between gender diversity and business performance vary across sectors and economic cycles?

Design/methodology/approach

The sample for this study was derived from the firms included in the S&P Australian Securities Exchange (ASX) 300 Index, and the study period of 2004–2016 allowed authors to consider the effects of different sectors as well as different economic cycles on the relationship between gender diversity of boards and business performance. The authors consider the Australian context, which is somewhat unique from the other Western countries, as quotas on boards of directors are not made mandatory and the corporate governance practices are principle-based rather than rule-based.

Findings

Employing panel data models, at the aggregate level, the authors find no evidence of board gender diversity impacting business performance. Consideration of sectoral differences and economic cycles in the empirical analyses yielded additional insights. In particular, gender diversity has a beneficial association with performance for businesses in the services and financial sectors after the changes to corporate governance guidelines relating to diversity in 2010. These economic benefits, however, are not evidenced in the resources sector.

Research limitations/implications

These findings offer support for critical mass and resource dependence theories.

Practical implications

The findings of this study have implications for inclusion and diversity policies of businesses and the society. Specifically, the findings offer support for gender diversity of corporate boards of directors.

Originality/value

This study highlights that women bring their unique skills and experiences to create economic value in sectors where they traditionally have more experience and opportunities.
An optimization model for the downstream supply chain network, considering consolidated warehouses and the selection of transportation mode
Authors: Mishra Anurag , Dutta Pankaj , Gottipalli Naveen
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The supply chain (SC) of the fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector in India witnessed a significant change soon after introducing the Goods and Services Tax (GST). With the initiation of this tax, companies started moving from individual state-wise warehouses to consolidation warehouses model to save costs. This paper proposes a model that frames a mathematical formulation to optimize the distribution network in the downstream SC by considering the complexities of multi-product lines, multi-transport modes and consolidated warehouses.

Design/methodology/approach

The model is designed as mixed-integer linear programming (MILP), and an algorithm is developed that works on the feedback loop mechanism. It optimizes the transportation and warehouses rental costs simultaneously with impact analysis.

Findings

Total cost is primarily influenced by the critical factor transportation price rather than the warehouse rent. The choice of warehouses at prime locations was a trade-off between a lower distribution cost and higher rent tariffs.

Research limitations/implications

The study enables FMCG firms to plan their downstream SC efficiently and to be in line with the recent trend of consolidation of warehouses. The study will help SC managers solve complexities such as multi-product categories, truck selection and consolidation warehouse selection problems and find the optimum value for each.

Originality/value

The issues addressed in the proposed work are transporting products with different sizes and weights, selecting consolidated warehouses, selecting suitable vehicles for transportation and optimizing distance in the distribution network by considering consolidated warehouses.
Research on influence of polishing fluids parameters on processing effects in reciprocating magnetorheological polishing
Authors: Wang Rensheng , Sun Cong , Xiu Shichao , Wang Qi , Zhang Xiaohua , Zhao Qi
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to study the influence of the different parameters of magnetorheological polishing fluids (MRP fluids) on the surface roughness and material removal rate (MRR) of the workpiece surface in the reciprocating magnetorheological polishing (RMRP) process.

Design/methodology/approach

A series of single-factor experiments are performed to evaluate the influence of the concentration of magnetic particles, concentration of abrasive particles and size of abrasive particles on surface processing effects by using the RMRP method. Moreover, the yield stress and viscosity of MRP fluids are studied based on the Bingham plastic model by varying the MRP fluids parameters.

Findings

A reasonable parameter of MRP fluids is crucial to the surface roughness and MRR of the workpiece surface, and the optimized parameters are obtained by the single-factor experiments of RMRP. The results are when the concentration of carbonyl iron particles is 40 Vol.%, the concentration of CeO2 is 5 Vol.% and the size of CeO2 is 2.5 µm in the MRP fluids, the surface roughness of the workpiece remarkably decreases to 28 nm from the initial 332 nm and the MRR of the workpiece increases to 0.118 mg/min.

Originality/value

In this study, the single-factor experiments for the different parameters of MRP fluids are studied to polish K9 glass by using the RMRP device, and the yield stress and viscosity of MRP fluids are investigated by rheological experiments, which provides reference for a reasonable selection of the MRP fluids parameter in RMRP process.
SME clients evaluation of audit quality: the roles of auditors' communication effectiveness, rapport and social capital
Authors: Sarapaivanich Naruanard , Ekasingh Erboon , Sampet Jomjai , Patterson Paul
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study examines how professional service firms' communication effectiveness (affiliative communications style, social dialogue and information provision), social cognitive capital and rapport established between an auditor and SME client are instrumental in influencing the latter's evaluation of the technical quality of an audit.

Design/methodology/approach

The study combines qualitative and quantitative methodologies to create a cross-sectional survey covering four geographic regions in an emerging economy – Thailand. The authors examine the hypotheses by employing social interaction theory.

Findings

A study of 744 SME executives plus post-survey interviews with three audit partners revealed that an affiliative communications style and information provision are positively associated with the rapport developed between financial auditor and client, and that rapport, in turn, had a strong association with client perceptions of audit quality. In addition, affiliative communication style, information provision and social cognitive capital had a direct (positive) association with perceptions of audit quality. The effects of communication effectiveness and social cognitive capital varied, depending on whether or not the SME client possessed formal accounting qualifications.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the literature on the business-to-business professional services, and accounting in particular, by explicating the important roles of communication effectiveness, rapport, and social cognitive capital in the relationship between an auditor and a client. Moreover, the paper reveals that the differences in educational background of clients result in differential impacts of communication effectiveness and social cognitive capital on rapport and perceptions of audit quality.
Friend, mentor, lover: does chatbot engagement lead to psychological dependence?
Authors: Xie Tianling , Pentina Iryna , Hancock Tyler
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore customer-artificial intelligence (AI) service technology engagement and relationship development drivers, as well as potential negative consequences in the context of social chatbots.

Design/methodology/approach

A sequential mixed-method approach combined exploratory qualitative and confirmatory quantitative analyses. A conceptual model developed from Study 1 qualitative content analysis of in-depth interviews with active users of the AI social chatbot Replika was tested in Study 2 by analyzing survey data obtained from current Replika users.

Findings

Loneliness, trust and chatbot personification drive consumer engagement with social chatbots, which fosters relationship development and has the potential to cause chatbot psychological dependence. Attachment to a social chatbot intensifies the positive role of engagement in relationship development with the chatbot.

Originality/value

This study was the first to combine qualitative and quantitative approaches to explore drivers, boundary conditions and consequences of relationship and dependence formation with social chatbots. The authors proposed and empirically tested a novel theoretical model that revealed an engagement-based mechanism of relationship and dependence formation with social chatbots.
Organizational policies as a means of sharing sports values among athletes: the role of social capital
Authors: Oliveira Talmo Curto de , Carneiro-da-Cunha Julio Araujo , Colagrai Alexandre Conttato , Ferreira Manuel Portugal , Mazieri Marcos Rogério
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Some sports organizations have a strategic objective of promoting human and social development through sports. However, it can be challenging to ensure that these objectives, conveyed by the board, are fully internalized by the athletes. From the perspective of inter-organizational networks, this dissemination can occur through strategic alignment and diffusion of social capital. Therefore, the authors wanted to analyze if organizational policies from sports organizations are related to athletes' perception of social capital and strategic alignment.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a sequential mixed-method research. Firstly, a pilot study was conducted with two exploratory interviews with key informants from a sports organization, supported by documentary data from this organization. A thematic content analysis was carried out to identify relevant categories and subcategories to prepare a quantitative research instrument. In the second phase, a questionnaire was applied to 159 student-athletes from this organization. The collected data were analyzed by multiple linear regression.

Findings

From the pilot study, a set of five elements of strategic alignment, and three elements of social capital in the sports organization context were provided. In the quantitative phase, the authors identified that social capital is related to athletes' perception of shared values internalization in a sports organization, but strategic systems were not.

Practical implications

Sports managers could better promote internal policies if there is social capital among athletes rather than implementing top-down deployed communications.

Social implications

Policymakers could better predict the effectiveness of a foment request by sports organizations considering not only strategic systems communication deployment but also the existence of social capital in a sports organization. It is a broader mechanism to understand the capacity of a sports organization in disseminating good values among their members.

Originality/value

Different from traditional companies, in sports organizations, only social capital is related to the internalization of organizational policy by athletes rather than strategic alignment initiatives.
Evaluation research on the independent controllability of high-end equipment manufacturing industry based on dual incentive control line: an empirical analysis from Jiangsu Province
Authors: Li Yiming , Chen Hongzhuan , Cheng Shuo , Siyal Abdul Waheed
Published: May 2023

Purpose

In order to analyze the level of independent controllability and its evolution of high-end equipment manufacturing industry from Jiangsu Province, this article introduces the dual-excitation control line method to construct a comprehensive evaluation model for independent controllability.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the collection of information of high-end equipment manufacturing industry's independent and controllable capabilities on different indicators, the three aspects of advancement, autonomy and controllability, an empirical evaluation of 10 enterprises in the high-end equipment cluster in Jiangsu Province was conducted in terms of advancement, autonomy and controllability.

Findings

It effectively reveals the area and evolution characteristics of the “reward” and “punishment” of different indicators of each representative enterprise and reflects the development status and different characteristics of each representative enterprise on the three indicators. The research results provide decision-making guidance for enterprises in the management and control of advanced manufacturing systems with independent and controllable capabilities.

Originality/value

Existing research focuses on the evaluation of enterprises' independent controllability only on a single angle or index. This paper maps the dynamic evaluation problem of multiple time-point data to the evaluation problem of single time-point multi-index data and investigates the fluctuation of the performance of the same enterprise under different indexes, so as to comprehensively evaluate the independent controllable level of high-end equipment manufacturing industry and analyze the reasons. Further, this paper first establishes an evaluation index system of independent controllable level of high-end equipment manufacturing industry and quantitatively measures the advanced, independent, controllable and other aspects of typical enterprises in this industry by constructing a double incentive control line evaluation model.
Role clarity, perceived cohesion and felt responsibility as antecedents of altruism and conscientiousness among college teachers in Kerala
Authors: Gopalakrishnan Makesh , Abu Ajish
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Literature evidences that altruism and conscientiousness are very important discretionary behaviours within the broader framework of Organizational Citizenship Behaviour (OCB) among teaching community. The present study is intended to examine the effect of role clarity, perceived cohesion and felt responsibility on altruism and conscientiousness among college teachers in Kerala.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire-based survey was conducted among 354 college teachers, and the causal effect was examined using Partial Least Square-based structural equation modelling.

Findings

Validity and reliability of the model were established through measurement model evaluation. Explanatory power of the model was established. Cohesion and felt responsibility significantly predicted altruism, but the effect of role clarity on altruism was not significant. Effect of cohesion, felt responsibility and role clarity on conscientiousness was significant.

Originality/value

The study contributed to the existing theory on antecedents of OCB. The model has high levels of predictive accuracy – role clarity, cohesiveness and felt responsibility – capable of explaining the discretionary behaviour among college teachers.
Outcome of fosravuconazole treatment for onychomycosis refractory to topical antifungal agents
Authors: Inoue Tsuyoshi , Watabe Daisuke , Tsunemi Yuichiro , Amano Hiroo
Published: May 2023

Fosravuconazole L‐lysine ethanolate (F‐RVCZ) is an oral antifungal agent approved in Japan for the treatment of onychomycosis. We treated 36 patients (mean age 77.6 years) with onychomycosis that had been refractory to long‐term topical treatment. The patients took F‐RVCZ (100 mg ravuconazole) once daily for a mean of 11.3 weeks, and were followed up for an average of 48 weeks (mean 48.3 ± 2.1 weeks). The mean rate of improvement of the affected nail area at 48 weeks was 59.4%, and 12 patients achieved complete cure. Patients with total dystrophic onychomycosis (TDO) showed a significantly lower improvement rate than those with distal and lateral subungual onychomycosis (DLSO), and those with an affected nail area of 76%–100% at the first visit showed a significantly lower improvement rate than those with an affected nail area of 0%–75%. Six patients had adverse events necessitating treatment discontinuation, but the symptoms and laboratory data improved without specific treatment in all of them. The data suggest that F‐RVCZ would be effective in various age groups, including the elderly, and even in patients with onychomycosis refractory to long‐term topical antifungal treatment. It was also suggested that its early use in mild cases might achieve a higher rate of complete cure. Furthermore, the average cost of oral F‐RVCZ therapy was lower than that for topical antifungal agents. Therefore, F‐RVCZ is considered to be much more cost‐effective than topical antifungal agents.
The Girl Watcher: Celebrating a Man's Right to Look in the Post‐war USA
Authors: Brookfield Molly
Published: May 2023

From the 1950s to 1970s, the practice of ‘girl‐watching’ swept the USA. First appearing in The Girl Watcher's Guide in 1954, the girl watcher was understood to be a middle‐class, white, heterosexual man whose favourite ‘pastime’ was looking at women in public. While many Americans had denounced white men's ogling or leering as an insult in the early 1900s, mid‐century representations of girl‐watching depicted white men's furtive looking instead as a harmless pursuit. The girl‐watching fad thus marked a shift in the way Americans thought about men's public glances: it granted white, middle‐class men the right to look at women in public and normalised a form of sexualised looking that today is often classified as sexual harassment.
Labels and the Self: Identity Labels as Scaffold
Authors: Money Leigh
Published: May 2023

This paper considers how labels may be used: “Neurodiverse,” “genderfluid,” “sex‐positive,” “ADHD,” and “highly‐sensitive” are just some of the labels that may be offered by patients in introducing themselves. Such labels can be thought of as shortcuts, a way to define identity and sum up a feeling state, attitude, or behaviour. While they may sometimes be “given” in the sense of a diagnosis, they are also “found” and self‐adopted. Using scaffolding as a metaphor for allowing growth or development to take place (or compensate for its absence), the phenomenon of self‐labelling is presented as fulfilling different functions, namely: Label as mirrored reflection; Label as creative defence; Label as something with which to play; Label as container for that which cannot yet be known; Label as calling something into being; and Label as collective dream image. The article starts with three brief composite clinical sketches, and goes on to explore some of the ways that labels may be used with reference to the presented clinical material.
Do natural resources and economic components exhibit differential quantile environmental effects?
Authors: Onifade Stephen Taiwo , Haouas Ilham , Alola Andrew Adewale
Published: May 2023

In view of the resource curse assumption, the environmental aspects of resource utilization are arguably posing more dangers to human existence. In the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region, the region that holds more than 60% and 50% of the world's oil and gas reserves respectively, the need to examine the contribution of natural resources to environmental quality among other factors cannot be overemphasized. By leveraging on the novelty of observing the differential impact of natural resources and other economic components such as income and primary energy utilizations across the quantiles of carbon emission, this study implements the quantile regression approach alongside other relevant techniques to analyze data between 1990 and 2018 for selected countries in the MENA region including Saudi Arabia, Iran, Kuwait, Qatar, Algeria, Morocco, Oman, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The result posits that natural resource utilization generally hampers the environment across the quantiles. However, this negative effect decreases until the 50th quantile before starting to rise again toward the upper quantiles. Additionally, primary energy utilization and globalization respectively worsen and improve environmental quantile, especially toward the upper quantiles while income affirms the inverted U‐shaped hypothesis across the entire quantiles. Moreover, there is a statistically significant one‐way directional causality from natural resources, economic expansion, primary energy use, and globalization to carbon emission levels. Hence, the study offers environmentally friendly resource utilization policies to the MENA economies and other resource‐rich states by extension.
Fostering green innovation in achieving sustainable performance
Authors: Lestari Endah Rahayu , Sunyoto Nimas Mayang Sabrina
Published: May 2023

Nowadays, sustainable development has been underlined as critical in relation to firm performance and is becoming a global concern. Green innovation is believed to be a fundamental approach to environmental protection and determines the firms' competitiveness. Many factors drive the success of adopting green innovation. Unfortunately, many studies generally focus on large industries. This study investigates the influence of the firms' external pressure and internal factors simultaneously on the adoption of green innovation in small enterprises in developing countries. We conceptualized the four factors that may determine the successful implementation of green innovation to achieve sustainable performance, including environmental regulations, customer pressure, resources and capabilities, and management commitment. Data were gathered from 160 food sector SMEs in Malang Raya, Indonesia. Data analysis used structural equation modeling with the partial least squares approach (SEM‐PLS). The empirical results conclude the positive effects of customer pressure, resources and capabilities, and commitment management on green innovation, which in turn had a positive on sustainable performance. The results also confirmed that environmental regulations did not significantly impact green innovation. The findings provide valuable contributions and encourage SMEs to foster green innovation's potential for better sustainable performance and competitive advantage. The findings also offer integrated perspectives on how firms should be more innovative toward sustainability.
Willingness to fight on: Environmental quality in dynamic contests
Authors: Liu Haoming , Lu Jingfeng , Salvo Alberto
Published: May 2023

We show that the prevalence of prolonged tennis contests drops sharply when the ambient environment deteriorates through heat or pollution. We develop a multi‐battle dynamic model to investigate how the disutility from a protracted competition shapes agents' willingness to fight on. Our theory predicts that a poor environment amplifies the momentum of a competitor's head start. We show how model primitives including preferences for environmental amenities can be inferred from battle‐to‐battle transition probabilities. We find that heat and pollution affect incentives to compete strategically. In a contest between equally able rivals at the median prize of $15,100, the value of a head start is $130‐370 higher in a degraded environment compared with a climate‐controlled one.