bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluation of the awareness of electromagnetic compatibility and interference for improved medical device management observed in selected Rwanda district hospitals
Authors: Hwata Chiedza , Gatera Omar , Ritsch Nicola , Uwiragiye Therese , Rushingabigwi Gerard , Twizere Celestin , Mukalinyigira Didacienne , Thomas Bolaji , Nsengiyera Daniel
Published: December 2024

Accuracy and reliability of medical device measurements are essential for high-quality healthcare delivery. Electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) is 1 of the conditions that can be monitored when managing electronic and wireless medical devices in hospitals. Noncompliance with EMC can lead to electromagnetic interference (EMI), risking catastrophic failures, especially in vital sign devices such as defibrillators and pacemakers, and potentially irreversible harm to patients’ health. This study assessed the knowledge of biomedical engineers and technicians regarding EMC and EMI in hospital devices and their effects. It also examines how hospitals manage biomedical equipment and the frequency of wireless communication usage. This study utilized an anonymous questionnaire administered to 35 biomedical personnel in Rwanda district hospitals. Face-to-face interviews were used for data collection. SPSS was used to analyze the data through descriptive analyses statistically, and a regression model was designed to evaluate the impact of electromagnetic compatibility and interference on medical device management (MDM). A statistical significance of 0.05 was assumed. The regression model predicted MDM with a significance level of 0.009 based on ANOVA values. A Pearson’s correlation test was also performed for the model. The results indicated an inverse relationship of −0.470 for EMI against MDM and −0.469 for EMC against MDM. A total of 24 (68.6%) respondents were unaware of electromagnetic compatibility/interference issues and 11 (31.4%) were familiar with it. All 35 respondents indicated that maintenance is currently being performed on medical devices. High usage of wireless devices, for professional and personal purposes is highlighted. Based on the results, both electromagnetic compatibility and understanding of interference influenced MDM. To ensure optimal medical device performance and improve hospital safety, we recommend continuous monitoring of medical device electromagnetic compatibility. Additionally, EMC/EMI awareness training can be incorporated into on-the-job training programs for biomedical staff members.
Observational comparison of fatigue and sleep disturbance after traumatic injury, in those with and without concomitant mild traumatic brain injury
Authors: Anderson Jacqueline F. I. , Park Jeong In
Published: December 2024

Objective

Fatigue and subjective sleep disturbance are elevated after mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI), raising the question of whether mTBI-specific factors contribute to the experience of fatigue and subjective sleep disturbance after mTBI.

Design

110 premorbidly healthy individuals who had suffered a traumatic injury during an accident approximately 8 weeks prior were examined and assessed with subjective measures of fatigue and sleep disturbance, psychological distress and pain.

Results

Individuals with a traumatic injury reported significant elevations in most fatigue and all subjective sleep disruption components compared to community-based control participants (n = 45). After controlling for pain, psychological status, sex and premorbid intellectual functioning, those individuals experiencing a mTBI at time of traumatic injury (n = 64) had equivalent levels of fatigue and subjective sleep disruption as those who had experienced no head injury at time of traumatic injury (n = 46). Trauma group membership did not significantly predict fatigue or subjective sleep disturbance. In contrast, psychological distress consistently predicted fatigue and subjective sleep disturbance, with pain also inconsistently predicting some fatigue and subjective sleep disturbance variables.

Conclusion

This study suggests it is the experience of suffering traumatic injury, rather than mTBI-specific factors, that is associated with elevations in fatigue and subjective sleep disturbance, approximately 8 weeks after injury.
Application of 99mTc-FAPI-46 Imaging in a Patient With Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma
Authors: Raeisi Nasrin , Saber Tanha Amin , Barashki Somayeh , Nateghi Navid , Aryana Kamran
Published: December 2024

We present the case of a 58-year-old man with metastatic medullary thyroid carcinoma refractory to conventional therapies, including peptide receptor radionuclide therapy. Despite multiple interventions, serum calcitonin and carcinoembryonic antigen levels continued to rise. Subsequent evaluation with 99mTc-FAPI-46 revealed remarkable uptake in metastatic lesions, suggesting a potential role for FAPI-labeled radioisotopes in the management of medullary thyroid carcinoma. This case underscores the emerging utility of FAPI-targeted radiotracers in oncologic nuclear medicine and highlights the need for further research in this promising area.
Evaluating Chatbots in Psychiatry: Rasch-Based Insights into Clinical Knowledge and Reasoning
Authors: Chang Yu , Huang Si-Sheng , Hsu Wen-Yu , Liu Yi-Chun
Published: December 2024

Chatbots are increasingly being recognized as valuable tools for clinical support in psychiatry. This study systematically evaluates their strengths and limitations in psychiatric clinical knowledge and reasoning. A total of 27 chatbots, including ChatGPT-o1-preview, were assessed using 160 multiple-choice questions derived from the 2023 and 2024 Taiwan Psychiatry Licensing Examinations. The Rasch model was employed to analyze chatbot performance, supplemented by dimensionality analysis and qualitative assessments of reasoning processes. Among the models, ChatGPT-o1-preview achieved the highest performance, with a JMLE ability score of 2.23, significantly exceeding the passing threshold (p < 0.001). It excelled in diagnostic and treatment reasoning and demonstrated a strong grasp of psychopharmacology concepts. However, limitations were identified in its factual recall, handling of niche topics, and occasional reasoning biases. Building on these findings, we have highlighted key aspects of a potential clinical workflow to guide the practical integration of chatbots into psychiatric practice. While ChatGPT-o1-preview holds significant potential as a clinical decision-support tool, its limitations underscore the necessity of human oversight. Continuous evaluation and domain-specific training are crucial to maximize its utility and ensure safe clinical implementation.
“I wish I could work on school stuff.” Investigating the Impact of Remote Learning on Undergraduate Students’ Academic Success and Mental Health during the COVID-19 Lockdown
Authors: Nano Joseph P. , Catterall William A. , Chang Michael L. , Ghaly Mina H.
Published: December 2024

Objective

To investigate how remote learning has affected undergraduate students’ learning abilities, academic success, and mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

This cross-sectional study took place between April and June 2020 in the United States. Participants completed a survey consisting of demographic questions, Depression, Anxiety, and Stress Scale-21 Items (DASS-21), and an open-ended question. We used a logistic regression model on objective variables and conducted a systematic thematic analysis of the open-ended response.

Results

Our final sample consisted of 1,173 full-time undergraduate students in the United States. Most participants were public university students (n = 835, 71%) and reported that moving to remote learning had a negative impact on their school performance (n=802, 68%). Positive experiences in remote learning were associated with moving to their family’s house (p<0.05), living on campus in a dorm (p<0.05), and no internet issues during classes (p<0.0001). From the thematic analysis, we found six common themes among those who reported having a negative experience with remote learning: (1) adjusting to school, (2) dealing with mental health difficulties, (3) lack of motivation to do work, (4) adjusting to home environment, (5) feeling uncertain about occupational opportunities, and (6) disagreement in political views.

Limitations

The results of this study may not be generalizable to undergraduate students outside of the United States due to differences in lockdown restrictions.

Conclusion

Remote learning during COVID-19 had a negative impact on the majority of undergraduate students’ academic performance and mental health.

Highlights

❖ The majority of undergraduate students reported that remote learning negatively impacted their school performance.

❖ Students with non-STEM college majors experienced higher levels of stress, anxiety, and depression compared to students with STEM college majors.

❖ We found six common themes related to negative experiences with remote learning.
An Interbacterial Cysteine Protease Toxin Inhibits Cell Growth by Targeting Type II DNA Topoisomerases GyrB and ParE
Authors: Song Pin-Yi , Tsai Chia-En , Chen Yung-Chih , Huang Yu-Wen , Chen Po-Pang , Wang Tzu-Haw , Hu Chao-Yuan , Chen Po-Yin , Ku Chuan , Hsia Kuo-Chiang , Ting See-Yeun
Published: December 2024

Bacteria deploy a diverse arsenal of toxic effectors to antagonize competitors, profoundly influencing the composition of microbial communities. Previous studies have identified an interbacterial toxin predicted to exhibit proteolytic activity that is broadly distributed among Gram-negative bacteria. However, the precise mechanism of intoxication remains unresolved. Here, we demonstrate that one such protease toxin fromEscherichia coli, Cpe1, disrupts DNA replication and chromosome segregation by cleaving conserved sequences within the ATPase domain of type II DNA topoisomerases GyrB and ParE. This cleavage effectively inhibits topoisomerase-mediated relaxation of supercoiled DNA, resulting in impaired bacterial growth. Cpe1 belongs to the papain-like cysteine protease family and is associated with toxin delivery pathways, including the type VI secretion system and contact-dependent growth inhibition. The structure of Cpe1 in complex with its immunity protein reveals a neutralization mechanism involving competitive substrate binding rather than active site occlusion, distinguishing it from previously characterized effector-immunity pairs. Our findings unveil a unique mode of interbacterial intoxication and provide insights into how bacteria protect themselves from self-poisoning by protease toxins.
Deciphering the patterns and timing of diversification of the genusMelanastera(Hemiptera: Psylloidea: Liviidae) in the Neotropics
Authors: Serbina Liliya Štarhová , Burckhardt Daniel , Dušátková Lenka Petráková , Queiroz Dalva L. , Goldenberg Renato , Schuler Hannes , Percy Diana M. , Malenovský Igor
Published: December 2024

Even after decades of research on diversification in the Neotropics, our understanding of the evolutionary processes shaping Neotropical clades is still incomplete. In the current study, we used different divergence times and likelihood-based methods to investigate the influence of biogeography and host associations on the diversification of the most species-rich Neotropical psyllid genusMelanastera(Liviidae) using molecular phylogenetic data from seven gene fragments (four mitochondrial and three nuclear). The putatively monophyletic group of NeotropicalMelanasteraspecies has an estimated crown node age of 20.2 Ma (ML, CI 20.2–30.6) or 23.2 Ma (BI, 95% HPD 16.6–32.6), with diversification occurring mainly in the Upper Miocene, although some species groups diversified in the Pliocene and Pleistocene. Biogeographic analysis suggests that the NeotropicalMelanasteraoriginated from the Pacific region of South and Central America. We detected a shift in diversification rates that likely occurred either at the time of origin ofMelanasteraor during the main colonisation of the Atlantic and Amazon Forests, followed by a subsequent slowdown in speciation rates. State-dependent speciation and extinction models revealed a significant relationship between this diversification shift and the shift ofMelanasterato the plant families Melastomataceae and Annonaceae, reflecting the impact of host switching on speciation rates in this group. This period also coincides with several independent dispersal events from the Atlantic and Amazon Forests to other parts of the Neotropics. Taken together, the results of the current study suggest that diversification ofMelanasterawas facilitated by major shifts to new host families, which may have promoted the dispersal ofMelanasterainto new adaptive zones with subsequent processes of local speciation.
A Deep Learning Model for Accurate Segmentation of theDrosophila melanogasterBrain from Micro-CT Imaging
Authors: McDaniel Jacob. F. , Marsh Mike , Schoborg Todd
Published: December 2024

The use of microcomputed tomography (Micro-CT) for imaging biological samples has burgeoned in the past decade, due to increased access to scanning platforms, ease of operation, isotropic three-dimensional image information, and the ability to derive accurate quantitative data. However, manual data analysis of Micro-CT images can be laborious and time intensive. Deep learning offers the ability to streamline this process, but historically has included caveats—namely, the need for a large amount of training data, which is often limited in many Micro-CT studies. Here we show that accurate deep learning models can be trained using only 1-3 Micro-CT images of the adultDrosophila melanogasterbrain using Dragonfly’s pre-trained neural networks and minimal user knowledge. We further demonstrate the power of our model by showing that it can accurately segment the brain across different tissue contrast stains, scanner models, and genotypes. Finally, we show how the model can assist in identifying morphological similarities and differences between mutants based on volumetric quantification, facilitating a rapid assessment of novel phenotypes. Our models are freely available and can be refined based on individual user needs.

Micro-CT data can be automatically segmented and quantified using a deep learning model trained on as few as 3 samples, facilitating rapid comparison of developmental phenotypes.
Structural basis for ring-opening fluorescence by the RhoBAST RNA aptamer
Authors: Siwik Shea H. , Wierzba Aleksandra J. , Lennon Shelby R. , Olenginski Lukasz T. , Palmer Amy E. , Batey Robert T.
Published: December 2024

Tagging RNAs with fluorogenic aptamers has enabled imaging of transcripts in living cells, thereby revealing novel aspects of RNA metabolism and dynamics. While a diverse set of fluorogenic aptamers has been developed, a new generation of aptamers are beginning to exploit the ring-opening of spirocyclic rhodamine dyes to achieve robust performance in live mammalian cells. These fluorophores have two chemical states: a colorless, cell-permeable spirocyclic state and a fluorescent zwitterionic state. Recently, the developed dye SpyRho555 almost exclusively adopts the closed state in solution and becomes fluorescent in complex with the RhoBAST aptamer. To understand the basis for RhoBAST-SpyRho555 fluorogenicity, we have determined crystal structures of RhoBAST in complex with 5-carboxytetramethylrhodamine and a SpyRho555 analogue, MaP555. RhoBAST is organized by a perfect four-way junction that positions two loops to form the dye-binding pocket. The core of the ligand resides between a tri-adenine floor and a single guanine base, largely driven by π-stacking interactions. Importantly, the unpaired guanine interacts with the 3-position group of MaP555 to stabilize the open conformation, supported by mutagenesis data, and may play an active role in promoting the open conformation of the dye.

Graphical Abstract
Sleep patterns predicting stress resilience are dependent on sex
Authors: Bush Brittany J , Mohamed Affra , Andrews Eva-Jeneé , Cain Gabrielle , Fawole Ayobami , Johnson Hadiya , Arocho Ashton , Qiao Zhimei , Paul Ketema N , Ehlen J. Christopher
Published: December 2024

Sleep disturbances and stress have a well-established link with neuropsychiatric illness; however, the nature of this relationship remains unclear. Recently, studies using the mouse social-defeat stress model revealed a causal role for non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep in the maladaptive behavioral responses to stress. These results suggest a novel function for NREM sleep; as a response by cortical neurons to mitigate the maladaptive effects of stress. A major limitation in many social defeat studies has been the exclusion of females. Women exhibit a greater prevalence of both affective disorders and sleep disturbances compared to men, thus there is a clear need to understand sleep – stress interactions in females. The present study adapts recently developed female social-defeat stress models to allow social-defeat and EEG in male – female pairs. Our findings duplicated the behavioral responses that occurred in other female, nondiscriminatory, and male models of social-defeat stress. Analysis of electroencephalographic (EEG) recordings, before exposure to stress, revealed that susceptibility to the behavioral effects of stress was associated with increased post-defeat NREM sleep—exclusively in females. In males, increased NREM sleep after social defeat stress occurred only in resilient mice. A potential cause of these sleep differences was also identified prior to stress exposure; we identified sex differences in recovery from NREM-sleep loss, thus, suggesting a sex-difference in the homeostatic process regulating sleep. These contrasting responses reveal sexual dimorphism in both NREM sleep predicting resilience and NREM sleep changes induced by social-defeat stress. When considered in the context of existing human literature, these findings suggest that sex is a major factor influencing the interaction of sleep with maladaptive behavioral responses to stress.
Localizing electrophysiologic cue-reactivity within the nucleus accumbens guides deep brain stimulation for opioid use disorder
Authors: Qiu Liming , Nho Younghoon , Seilheimer Robert L , Kim Min Jae , Tufanoglu Altona , WILLIAMS NOLAN , Wexler Anna , David Oslin , Millet Bruno , Katherine Scangos W , Pesaran Bijan , Evins Anne Eden , Richardson Mark , Childress Anna Rose , Halpern Casey H
Published: December 2024

Substance use disorder (SUD) is a significant public health concern, with over 30% of the affected population not responding to available treatments. Severe SUD is characterized by drug-cue reactivity that has been reported to predict treatment-failure. We leveraged this pathophysiological feature to optimize deep brain stimulation (DBS) of the nucleus accumbens region (NAc) in an adult with SUD. A personalized drug cue-reactivity task was administered while recording NAc region electrophysiology from a lead externalized for clinical purposes. We identified a drug cue-evoked signal in the ventral NAc associated with intensification of opioid-related cravings, which attenuated subsequent to stimulation delivered to the same area. DBS was then programmed to engage this focal region, which resulted in sustained suppression of drug-related cravings. This finding heralds the potential for personalized strategies to optimize DBS for SUD.
An infection prediction model developed from inpatient data can predict out-of-hospital COVID-19 infections from wearable data when controlled for dataset shift
Authors: Feng Ting , Mariani Sara , Conroy Bryan , Damiano Robert , Silva Ikaro , Swearingen Dennis , McFarlane Daniel C.
Published: December 2024

The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the importance of early detection of illness and the need for health monitoring solutions outside of the hospital setting. We have previously demonstrated a real-time system to identify COVID-19 infection before diagnostic testing1, that was powered by commercial-off-the-shelf wearables and machine learning models trained with wearable physiological data from COVID-19 cases outside of hospitals. However, these types of solutions were not readily available at the onset nor during the early outbreak of a new infectious disease when preventing infection transmission was critical, due to a lack of pathogen-specific illness data to train the machine learning models. This study investigated whether a pretrained clinical decision support algorithm for predicting hospital-acquired infection (predating COVID-19) could be readily adapted to detect early signs of COVID-19 infection from wearable physiological signals collected in an unconstrained out-of-hospital setting. A baseline comparison where the pretrained model was applied directly to the wearable physiological data resulted a performance of AUROC = 0.52 in predicting COVID-19 infection. After controlling for contextual effects and applying an unsupervised dataset shift transformation derived from a small set of wearable data from healthy individuals, we found that the model performance improved, achieving an AUROC of 0.74, and it detected COVID-19 infection on average 2 days prior to diagnostic testing. Our results suggest that it is possible to deploy a wearable physiological monitoring system with an infection prediction model pretrained from inpatient data, to readily detect out-of-hospital illness at the emergence of a new infectious disease outbreak.
Coherence fraction in Grover's search algorithm
Authors: Zhou Si-Qi , Jin Hai , Liang Jin-Min , Fei Shao-Ming , Xiao Yunlong , Ma Zhihao
Published: December 2024

The question of which resources drive the advantages in quantum algorithms has long been a fundamental challenge. While entanglement and coherence are critical to many quantum algorithms, our results indicate that they do not fully explain the quantum advantage achieved by the Grover search algorithm. By introducing a generalized Grover search algorithm, we demonstrate that the success probability depends not only on the querying number of oracles but also on the coherence fraction, which quantifies the fidelity between an arbitrary initial quantum state and the equal superposition state. Additionally, we explore the role of the coherence fraction in the quantum minimization algorithm, which offers a framework for solving complex problems in quantum machine learning. These findings offer insights into the origins of quantum advantage and open pathways for the development of new quantum algorithms.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Neutrino Lorentz invariance violation and ultralight axionlike dark matter searches at the European Spallation Source
Authors: Cordero Rubén , Delgadillo Luis A.
Published: December 2024

The dark matter conundrum stands out as one of the central challenges to understand in both particle physics and cosmology. The ultralight axionlike particle (UALP) is an appealing dark matter candidate that can be searched for in neutrino oscillation experiments. In this work, we examine the interaction among neutrinos and a UALP—such interaction might induce violations of the Lorentz and CPT symmetries. We assess the sensitivity to both the isotropic CPT-odd standard model extension coefficients (aL)T and effective neutrino-UALP couplings g˜ at the next-to-next-generation neutrino oscillation experiment at the European Spallation Source.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Large-kernel convolutional neural networks for wide parameter-space searches of continuous gravitational waves
Authors: Joshi Prasanna M. , Prix Reinhard
Published: December 2024

The sensitivity of wide parameter-space searches for continuous gravitational waves (CWs) is limited by their high computational cost. Deep learning is being studied as an alternative method to replace various aspects of a CW search. In previous work [], new design principles were presented for deep neural network (DNN) search of CWs and such DNNs were trained to perform a targeted search with matched-filtering sensitivity. In this paper, we adapt these design principles to build a DNN architecture for wide parameter-space searches in 10 days of data from two detectors (H1 and L1). We train a DNN for each of the benchmark cases: six all-sky searches and eight directed searches at different frequencies in the search band of 20–1000  Hz. We compare our results to the DNN sensitivity achieved from Dreissigacker and Prix [] and find that our trained DNNs are more sensitive in all the cases. The absolute improvement in detection probability ranges from 6.5% at 20 Hz to 38% at 1000 Hz in the all-sky cases and from 1.5% at 20 Hz to 59.4% at 500 Hz in the directed cases. An all-sky DNN trained on the entire search band of 20–1000 Hz shows a high sensitivity at all frequencies, providing a proof of concept for training a single DNN to perform the entire search. We also study the generalization of the DNN performance to signals with different signal amplitude, frequency, and the dependence of the DNN sensitivity on sky position.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
A twofold interpenetrated three-dimensional barium(II) metal–organic framework constructed from 2,2′-[terephthaloylbis(azanediyl)]diacetate: synthesis, structure, dihydrogen bonding and spectroscopic properties
Authors: Zhao Xin-Yi , Yu Hai-Yan , Zhang Hong-Tao
Published: December 2024

A new twofold interpenetrated 3D metal–organic framework (MOF), namely, poly[[μ-aqua-diaqua{μ4-2,2′-[terephthaloylbis(azanediyl)]diacetato}barium(II)] dihydrate], {[Ba(C12H10N2O6)(H2O)3]·2H2O}
n
, (I), has been assembled through a combination of the reaction of 2,2′-[terephthaloylbis(azanediyl)]diacetic acid (TPBA, H2
L) with barium hydroxide and crystallization at low temperature. In the crystal structure of (I), the nine-coordinated BaII ions are bridged by two μ2-aqua ligands and two carboxylate μ2-O atoms to form a 1D loop-like Ba–O chain, which, together with the other two coordinated water molecules and μ2-carboxylate groups, produces a rod-like secondary building unit (SBU). The resultant 1D polynuclear SBUs are further extended into a 3D MOF via the terephthalamide moiety of the ligand as a spacer. Two intramolecular dihydrogen bonds (DHBs) between the imine H atoms and the arene H atoms contribute to maintaining the 3D structure. In the crystal, two independent MOFs interpenetrate each other, thereby producing a twofold interpenetrated 3D architecture with a 4-connected PtS-X topology. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding and π–π interactions contribute to the stability of the twofold interpenetrated 3D architecture. The noncovalent interactions in the coordination polymer (CP) were further investigated by Hirshfeld surface analysis and the results show that the prominent interactions are H...O (39.6%) and H...H (34.4%), as well as Ba...O (9.8%), contacts. The 3D CP (I) exhibits a fluorescence emission with a quantum yield of 0.134.
The role of daily mindfulness on work–home conflict: a daily study of women leaders
Authors: Walsh Megan M. , Carleton Erica , Ortynsky Mikaila , Choi Ellen , Hancock Amanda J. , Arnold Kara A.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

We investigate how mindfulness can help women leaders manage the work–home conflict using boundary theory. In this daily diary study, we examine daily levels of mindfulness as an antecedent to daily self-control and perceptions of work–home conflict. We propose that higher levels of daily mindfulness act as a personal resource that fosters self-control capacity, and this leads to a greater ability to manage work–home conflict.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 86 women enrolled in a 30-day online mindfulness training program and completed daily surveys after each daily mindfulness training session. Data was analysed using the multilevel structural equation modelling.

Findings

Results demonstrate that higher levels of daily mindfulness predict lower levels of daily work–home interference, and this relationship is mediated by self-control. This research supports the role of mindfulness through self-control on work–home conflict for women in leadership. Given the relatively high workforce participation among women with caregiving responsibilities, identifying resources that can be cultivated in order to enable more women to stay engaged in the workforce shows promise.

Originality/value

This study adds to the nascent literature of gendered mental health and well-being in leadership. Notably, women leaders often play a supportive role for employees and co-workers. Our findings suggest mindfulness training can be a useful tool to increase self-control resources in times of crises to mitigate the work–home conflict.
The conflict coaching challenge: design and evaluation of an online conflict coach
Authors: Brigg Morgan , Druckman Daniel , Loode Serge , Thai Hannibal A.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This article reports on the development and evaluation of an online conflict coaching system. The authors develop and test a broadly applicable yet tailored Conflict Coach that extends the current practice of coaching. It provides diagnostics and advice across several emotions and dimensions of conflict drawn from research and conflict management practice.

Design/methodology/approach

The coach engages coachees through five emotions, divided into three levels of conflict intensity and ten dimensions of conflict to deliver analysis and advice “packets” derived from both research findings and practice. A Prolific survey used as a proxy for the coaching system was administered to 341 respondents. A variety of closed and open-ended questions were asked about the respondents’ chosen conflict, the packets of advice and about their overall experience.

Findings

The coach was judged as somewhat helpful, quite understandable, quite implementable and providing sufficient advice. A sampling of the findings signals the importance of dealing with anger and dislike and finding ways to communicate more effectively. Longer-term assessments indicated that the advice continued to be helpful and worth recommending to others. There are opportunities to further develop the prototype including through field testing and use of artificial intelligence.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the Conflict Coach is a first attempt to provide a widely available yet tailored online system for responding to conflict. It promises positive social and practice implications that extend upon and complement existing conflict management through increased accessibility to information and advice based on published research findings and practice. Research opportunities accompany its possible further development.
Future accounting professionals – how important is teaching for sustainability?
Authors: Gomes Sónia , Jorge Susana , Eugénio Teresa
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to analyze Portuguese professional regulators’ perspectives on the importance given to sustainable development (SD) issues and their position on integrating SD in the curricula of accounting and management courses. Secondly, it seeks to analyze, from the student’s perspective, the importance of SD for their future professional performance as accountants or auditors.

Design/methodology/approach

Interviews were conducted with the heads of the two professional regulatory bodies in Portugal. A complimentary content analysis of professional journals and other types of publications, training activities, videos of conferences, meetings and training sessions available on the official websites of these bodies and social media was also carried out. Data on students’ perspectives were collected through a questionnaire sent to students enrolled in accounting and management courses at higher education institutions (HEIs) in Portugal in 2020.

Findings

There is evidence that further interaction between professional regulators and HEIs is still needed to integrate teaching sustainable development (TSD) in the academic curricula; moreover, regulators expressed concern about raising awareness of the topic among future professionals. In turn, students consider that knowledge of SD is fundamental to their professional future. These students’ interests may motivate HEIs to integrate TSD since this will improve their professional performance in companies and contribute to realizing SD in general.

Research limitations/implications

This study carried out in the Portuguese context, contributes to the gap in the literature. Portugal is part of the EU and must comply with EU directives on sustainability reports. Also, it contributes to answering UN calls as proposed by UNESCO, about the importance of teaching this subject nowadays, more relevant than ever. By emphasizing the importance of TSD, the study aims to raise awareness among students and educators about the urgent need for sustainable practices in business. This awareness can influence public attitudes toward sustainability and contribute to a more informed society.

Originality/value

This study is innovative in that it seeks to assess, from the perspective of professional regulators, their position on integrating SD into the curricula of accounting and management courses. It also analyses the views of professional regulators and students on the importance of TSD for the performance of future professionals.
Customer intentions toward the adoption of WhatsApp chatbots for restaurant recommendations
Authors: Romero-Charneco Maria , Casado-Molina Ana-María , Alarcón-Urbistondo Pilar , Cabrera Sánchez Juan Pedro
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Given the importance of chatbots in customer service in tourism, this paper aims to understand the drivers that predispose regular consumers of restaurant recommendation chatbots to continue using them.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 386 regular consumers of a chatbot via WhatsApp restaurant recommender responded to an online questionnaire (inspired by scales found in the literature on technology adoption). Structural equation modeling was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Significant predictors of intention to continue using these chatbots included “effort expectancy (EE),” “hedonic motivation (HM),” “price value (PV)” and “habit (HT).” Specifically, HT still has a long way to go in terms of its performance, and it will be possible to work on it. Furthermore, two variables, EE and HM, act as a bottleneck when it comes to explaining this recurrent usage intention. Factors such as “performance expectancy (PE),” “facilitating conditions (FC)” and “social influence (SI)” did not influence “behavioral intention (BI).” Likewise, the moderating variables, age and gender, are not significant. Finally, the predictive capability of the model is demonstrated. The study findings will enable the development of effective strategies to foster consumer loyalty to this new technology in the restaurant industry.

Originality/value

This study contributes, building on the suitability of the unified theory of acceptance and use of technology 2 model, to explain users’ intention to continue using chatbot tourism services in the context of an information search for an unplanned and varied purchase decision, namely, restaurant recommendation services. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first analysis of tourist’s intention to reuse a real and fully functional chatbot via mobile instant messaging.
Exploring the role of nursing in implementation of collaborative integrated models of care in the community: a scoping review
Authors: Prebble Gemma , Evans David
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Although the nursing role appears central in delivering collaborative models of care little is known about the experience of nurses within implementation of integrated nursing care.

Design/methodology/approach

A scoping review to identify what is known about the experience of nurses implementing integrated care in the community, incorporating thematic analysis utilising the Rainbow Model.

Findings

Although noting a paucity of evidence, findings indicate implementation of integrated care models provides both challenges and opportunities to nurses across all systems levels. Thematic analysis highlights a disproportionate lack of focus on organisational integration of nursing services within integrated care. Exploration of tacit attributes and network development is suggested to support nursing delivery of services which challenge traditional organisational and professional boundaries.

Research limitations/implications

Limited research exploring experiences of nurses in implementing integrated care suggests more rigorous mixed methods or qualitative research is indicated, including case studies exploring organisational integration, nursing leadership strategies and how tacit attributes support collaborative working.

Originality/value

Using a systems approach, applying the Rainbow Model within scoping review analysis, enabled exploration of what is known about nursing within the contemporary context of integrated healthcare services.
Understanding customer opinions on IoT applications implemented in the retail industry worldwide and its implications for businesses in Vietnam
Authors: Ho Thanh , Nguyen Ho , Dinh Hao , Pham Hoa , Pham Phuong , Tham Uyen
Published: December 2024

Purpose

This study aims to deeply understand customer experiences toward Internet of Things (IoT) applications in retail by developing machine learning models for aspect-based sentiment analysis (SA). It includes creating a related terms dictionary and proposing implications for retail businesses in Vietnam based on these analyses. The ultimate goal is to gain insights into customer opinions and assist administrators in formulating effective digital transformation and business strategies within the Vietnamese market.

Design/methodology/approach

Initially, this research uses qualitative methods to identify different aspects of customer experience at stores equipped with IoT applications. Then, quantitative methods were applied through classification machine learning models which were trained on the annotated data set to classify comments into aspects and sentiments. Finally, the classification results were analyzed and visualized to draw implications about customer opinions of these stores.

Findings

This study collected 77,042 customers’ comment from potential and actual customers who have ever shopped at retail stores with IoT applications deployed worldwide, identified ten new aspects of customer experience in this field and built a dictionary of related terms. Furthermore, this study contributed two efficient ensemble models with an accuracy of 81% and 89% for analyzing aspects and customer sentiments, respectively. This study also proposes implications for managers regarding the use of IoT technology in retail stores to improve shopping experiences for customers.

Originality/value

This study’s findings help managers develop appropriate digital transformation and business strategies for integrating IoT technology into retail stores, especially for retail businesses in the Vietnamese market based on the analysis results and proposed model.
SMEs and institutional theory: major inroads and opportunities ahead
Authors: Balzano Marco , Marzi Giacomo , Turzo Teresa
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The present paper offers a literature review on the application of institutional theory in the context of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The study aims to synthesize existing research on how institutional factors, both formal and informal, shape the strategic behaviors of SMEs through the lens of new institutionalism and its three strands – rational-action neoinstitutionalism (RAN), social-constructionist neoinstitutionalism (SCN) and mediated-conflict neoinstitutionalism (MCN). It also identifies critical gaps and proposes avenues for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

Employing the B-SLR’s multi-method framework, this study integrates bibliometric analysis and a systematic literature review. The analysis examines 202 articles, categorizing them into four key research clusters related to the application of institutional theory to SMEs.

Findings

The literature on SMEs and institutional theory is framed around the following clusters: (1) institutional theory and innovation in SMEs, (2) institutional theory and the environmental sustainability of SMEs, (3) institutional theory and the internationalization of SMEs and (4) institutional theory and SME strategies in emerging markets.

Originality/value

This study represents the first literature review applying institutional theory to SMEs, offering a framework for understanding how institutional factors influence SME strategic decisions. The paper also identifies research gaps, proposing directions for future studies within each of the four clusters and contributes to bridging the fragmented research on SMEs and institutional theory.
Spanning boundaries to support teaching and learning: reflections from recipients of the NASUP exemplary PK-20 boundary spanner award
Authors: Zenkov Kristien , Rozas Elizabeth , Knight Jennifer Hatch , Dudkowski Gina , Garin Eva , Polly Drew
Published: December 2024

Purpose

Annually, the National Association of School-University Partnerships (NASUP) awards individuals with the Exemplary PK-20 Boundary Spanner Award. The award goes to a university-based or a PK-12 school or school district-based individual who “innovates the systems or practices to enhance the learning of all of those involved in the partnership (NASUP, n.d.).” This article describes the boundary-spanning activities and perspectives of recipients of the NASUP Boundary Spanner Award during its first two years that it was awarded (2023 and 2024).

Design/methodology/approach

The article includes autobiographical and biographical accounts about the recipients of the NASUP Exemplary PK-20 Boundary Spanner Award.

Findings

While there are no empirical findings, recipients of the NASUP Exemplary PK-20 Boundary Spanner Award shared their backgrounds, reasons for serving as a Boundary Spanner, and the impact of their work.

Originality/value

This article provides firsthand accounts of the experiences and activities of individuals who serve as Boundary Spanners to support teaching and learning.
Are you satisfied? An examination of law enforcement job satisfaction, job stress, and police culture
Authors: Clifton Stacey , McGraw Dayle S.
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine how job stress and the embodiment of the police culture influence levels of job satisfaction for two mid-sized law enforcement agencies in the Southeastern United States.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was conducted of police officers from two mid-sized law enforcement agencies in the Southeastern United States. Ordinary least squares regression models were utilized to assess the impact of job stress and the embodiment of the police culture on job satisfaction.

Findings

Results indicated that officers with higher levels of job stress reported being less satisfied with their careers. Contrary to prior research, officers with a greater embodiment of the police culture were significantly less satisfied. Demographic variables were not statistically noteworthy; however, working on a rotating shift and having more years of service significantly decreased job satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

Survey data collected from two mid-sized police agencies in the Southeastern United States may not be generalizable to other areas or regions.

Originality/value

These findings provide practical insights for police agencies to address the operational strains of working in law enforcement and the cultural component embedded in this field. Based on these findings, there is a clear need to increase future work on the interplay between job satisfaction, job stress, and occupational culture.
Dual effects of economic dependence on platform workers’ work experiences? The role of autonomy, commitment and online review systems
Authors: Fisher Sandra L. , Meijerink Jeroen , Arets Martijn
Published: December 2024

Purpose

The current study examines the relationship between platform workers’ economic dependence on platform work and work satisfaction in the context of algorithmic management.

Design/methodology/approach

We surveyed 1,094 platform workers on 6 online labor platforms in the Netherlands to evaluate their perceived economic dependence and levels of work satisfaction.

Findings

We find that the relationship between economic dependence and work satisfaction in an online labor platform environment is dual in nature. This depends on the type of mediator that is at play. We find that economic dependence and work satisfaction are negatively related when mediated by work autonomy, yet positively related when mediated by affective commitment. Moreover, the negative relationship between economic dependence and work satisfaction is attenuated when workers perceive that online labor platforms use algorithmic management in the form of online review systems to help them improve and perform more effectively.

Originality/value

This study sheds new light on the positive impact of platform workers’ economic dependence and platforms’ usage of online review systems on workers’ experience alongside their downsides that are (more) extensively reported on in the literature.
Reconciling the efficiency of Industry 4.0 and circular economy with the human empowerment of lean: unraveling the challenges and opportunities of integration
Authors: Sehnem Simone , Junges Ivone , Soares Sandro V. , Maganda Alexandre
Published: December 2024

Purpose

To analyze the integration of the circular economy and Industry 4.0 in agtechs through lean integration and people.

Design/methodology/approach

Following in-depth interviews with key informants, data tabulation was performed via families of viewpoints supported by the primary elements mapped in the investigated context.

Findings

The integration of the circular economy with Industry 4.0, and integrated into lean production, aiming to eliminate waste and maximize customer value, and the valorization of people are fundamental in the context of recycling, reuse and reutilization of materials not only in the agricultural sector but also, since it is the object of study of this research. The use of I4.0 technologies and solutions, such as applications, sensors, artificial intelligence and digital platforms, allows for the collection and analysis of real-time data, facilitating decision-making and monitoring of agricultural operations.

Research limitations/implications

The research limitations may include the limited sample of Agtechs analyzed, which might not cover all innovations and trends existing in the sector; data and information available up to the study date (April 2023), which might not reflect more recent developments in the field of Agtechs and the circular economy.

Practical implications

The circular economy seeks to minimize waste and maximize resource use, promoting recycling, reusing and repurposing of materials. In contrast, Industry 4.0 refers to the application of advanced technologies such as artificial intelligence, the internet of things and automation to optimize productive processes and make them more efficient. Lean integration, which aims to eliminate waste and maximize customer value, and the appreciation of people are fundamental in this context.

Social implications

The use of technologies and solutions from Industry 4.0, like apps, sensors, artificial intelligence and digital platforms, allows real-time data collection and analysis, facilitating decision-making and monitoring of agricultural operations. In addition, the provision of online consulting and technical assistance services contributes to producer training and the maximization of results.

Originality/value

Significant benefits for the agricultural sector, such as greater efficiency, sustainability, product quality, traceability, cost reduction and productivity increase. The use of advanced technologies and the valorization of people are key elements to drive this integration and promote digital transformation in the field. The integration of the circular economy and Industry 4.0 in agtechs, integrating lean production and people.