bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The Alzheimer’s disease risk gene BIN1 modulates neural network activity via the regulation of L-type calcium channel expression in human-induced neurons
Authors: Saha Orthis , Melo de Farias Ana Raquel , Pelletier Alexandre , Siedlecki-Wullich Dolores , Gadaut Johanna , Landeira Bruna Soares , Carrier Arnaud , Vreulx Anaïs-Camille , Guyot Karine , Bonnefond Amelie , Amouyel Philippe , Queiroz Cláudio Marcos , Kilinc Devrim , Delahaye Fabien , Lambert Jean-Charles , Costa Marcos R.
Published: January 2022

Background

Bridging Integrator 1 (BIN1) is the second most important Alzheimer’s disease (AD) risk gene, but its physiological roles in neurons and its contribution to brain pathology remain largely elusive. In this work, we show that BIN1 plays a critical role in the regulation of calcium homeostasis, electrical activity, and gene expression of glutamatergic neurons.

Methods

We generated 3D cerebral organoids and 2D enriched neuronal cell cultures from isogenicBIN1wild-type (WT), heterozygous (HET) and homozygous knockout (KO) human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). Using single-cell RNA-sequencing, biochemical assays, immunocytochemistry and multi-electrode array(MEA) electrophysiology, we characterized the molecular and functional consequences of reduced BIN1 expression in different neural cell types.

Results

We show thatBIN1is mainly expressed by oligodendrocytes and glutamatergic neurons of cerebral organoids, like in the human brain. BothBIN1HET and KO cerebral organoids show specific transcriptional alterations, mainly associated with ion transport and synapses in glutamatergic neurons. We then demonstrate thatBIN1cell-autonomously regulates gene expression in glutamatergic neurons by using a novel protocol to generate pure culture of human-derived induced neurons (hiNs). Using this system, we also show that BIN1 plays a key role in the regulation of neuronal calcium transients and electrical activity via its interaction with the L-type voltage-gated calcium channel Cav1.2.BIN1KO hiNs show reduced activity-dependent internalization and higher Cav1.2expression compared to WT hiNs. Pharmacological treatment with clinically relevant doses of nifedipine, a calcium channel blocker, partly rescues neuronal electrical and gene expression alterations inBIN1KO glutamatergic neurons. Further, we show that transcriptional alterations inBIN1KO hiNs affecting biological processes related to calcium homeostasis are also present in glutamatergic neurons of the human brain at late stages of AD pathology.

Conclusions

Together, our findings suggest that BIN1-dependent alterations in neuronal properties could contribute to AD pathophysiology and that treatment with low doses of clinically approved calcium blockers should be considered as an option to dampen disease onset and progression.
How a Formate Dehydrogenase Responds to Oxygen: Unexpected O2 Insensitivity of an Enzyme Harboring Tungstopterin, Selenocysteine, and [4Fe-4S] Clusters
Authors: Graham Joel E. , Niks Dimitri , Zane Grant M. , Gui Qin , Hom Kellie , Hille Russ , Wall Judy D. , Raman C. S.
Published: January 2022

The reversible two-electron interconversion of formate and CO2 is catalyzed by both non-metallo and metallo-formate dehydrogenases (FDHs). The latter group comprises molybdenum-or tungsten-containing enzymes with the metal coordinated by two equivalents of a pyranopterin cofactor, a cysteinyl or selenocysteinyl ligand supplied by the polypeptide, and a catalytically essential terminal sulfido ligand. In addition, these biocatalysts incorporate one or more [4Fe-4S] clusters for facilitating long-distance electron transfer. But an interesting dichotomy arises when attempting to understand how the metallo-FDHs react with O2. Whereas existing scholarship portrays these enzymes as being unable to perform in air due to extreme O2 lability of their metal centers, studies dating as far back as the 1930s emphasize that some of these systems exhibit formate oxidase (FOX) activity, coupling formate oxidation to O2 reduction. Therefore, to reconcile these conflicting views, we explored context-dependent functional linkages between metallo-FDHs and their cognate electron acceptors within the same organism vis-à-vis catalysis under atmospheric conditions. Here, we report the discovery and characterization of an O2-insensitive FDH2 from the sulfate-reducing bacterium Desulfovibiro vulgaris Hildenborough that ligates tungsten, selenocysteine, and four [4Fe-4S] clusters. Notably, we advance a robust expression platform for its recombinant production, eliminating both the requirement of nitrate or azide during purification and reductive activation with thiols and/or formate prior to catalysis. Because the distinctive spectral signatures of formate-reduced DvH-FDH2 remain invariant under anaerobic and aerobic conditions, we benchmarked the enzyme activity in air, identifying CO2 as the bona fide product of catalysis. Full reaction progress curve analysis uncovers a high catalytic efficiency when probed with an artificial electron acceptor pair. Furthermore, we show that DvH-FDH2 enables hydrogen peroxide production sans superoxide release to achieve O2 insensitivity. Direct electron transfer to cytochrome c in air also reveals that electron bifurcation is operational in this system. Taken together, our work unambiguously proves for the first time the coexistence of redox bifurcated FDH and FOX activities within a metallo-FDH scaffold. These findings have important implications for engineering O2-tolerant FDHs and bio-inspired artificial metallocatalysts, as well as for the development of authentic formate/air biofuel cells, modulation of catalytic bias, assessing the limits of reversible catalysis, understanding directional electron transfer, and discerning formate bioenergetics of gut microbiota.
The synaptic vesicle protein Mover/TPRG1L is associated with lipid droplets in astrocytes
Authors: Krohn Jeremy , Domart Florelle , Do Thanh Thao , Dresbach Thomas
Published: January 2022

Crucial brain functions such as neurotransmission, myelination, and signaling pose a high demand for lipids. Lipid dysregulation is associated with neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration. Astrocytes protect neurons from lipid induced damage by accumulating and metabolizing toxic lipids in organelles called lipid droplets (LDs). LDs have long been considered as lipid storage compartments in adipocytes, but less is known about their biogenesis and composition in the brain. In particular, proteins covering the LD surface are not yet fully identified.

Here, we report that the synaptic vesicle protein Mover/TPRG1L, which regulates the probability of neurotransmitter release in neurons, is a component of the LD coat in astrocytes. Using conventional and super resolution microscopy, we demonstrate that Mover surrounds naive and oleic acid induced astrocytic LDs. We confirm the identity of astrocytic LDs using the neutral lipid stains Bodipy and LipidTox, as well as immunofluorescence for perilipin-2, a known component of the LD coat. In astrocytes, recombinant Mover was sufficient to induce an accumulation of LDs. Furthermore, we identified point mutations that abolish targeting to LDs and show similarities in the required binding sequences for association to the presynapse and LDs.

Our results show that Mover is not only a presynaptic protein but also a candidate for LD regulation. This highlights the dual role of Mover in synaptic transmission and regulation of astrocytic LDs, which may be particularly important in the context of lipid-related neurological disorders.

Main points

- Mover is a lipid droplet protein

- Overexpression of Mover drives lipid droplet accumulation

- The F206 is important for LD targeting
Mitigation of the age-dependent decline in mitochondrial genome integrity
Authors: Tsai Pei-I , Korotkevich Ekaterina , O’Farrell Patrick H.
Published: January 2022

Unknown processes promote accumulation of mitochondrial DNA mutations during aging. Accumulation of defective mitochondrial genomes is thought to promote progression of heteroplasmic mitochondrial diseases and degenerative changes with natural aging. We used a heteroplasmic Drosophila model to test 1) whether purifying selection acts to limit the abundance of deleterious mutations during development and aging, 2) whether quality control pathways contribute to purifying selection, 3) whether activation of quality control can mitigate accumulation of deleterious mutations, and 4) whether improved quality control improves healthspan. We show that purifying selection operates during development and growth, but is ineffective during aging. Genetic manipulations suggest that a quality control process known to enforce purifying selection during oogenesis also suppresses accumulation of a deleterious mutation during growth and development. Flies with nuclear genotypes that enhanced purifying selection sustained higher genome quality, retained more vigorous climbing activity and lost fewer dopaminergic neurons. Pharmacological enhancement of quality control produced similar benefits. Importantly, similar pharmacological treatment of aged mice reversed age-associated accumulation of a deleterious mtDNA mutation. Our findings reveal dynamic maintenance of mitochondrial genome fitness, and reduction in the effectiveness of purifying selection during life. Importantly, we describe interventions that mitigate and even reverse age-associated genome degeneration in flies and in mice. Furthermore, mitigation of genome degeneration improved wellbeing in a Drosophila model of heteroplasmic mitochondrial disease.

Significance Statement

In contrast to the orderly segregation of nuclear DNA, mitochondrial genomes compete for replication and segregation. The abundance of mutants that emerge in a cell depends on their success in this competition. We show that quality control mechanisms put deleterious mutations at a disadvantage, but these mechanisms become ineffective during aging. The resulting rise in mutant genomes, which compromises vigor, can be suppressed using genetic backgrounds that enhance quality control. Feeding kinetin to adult Drosophila or mice also reduced the load of mutant mitochondrial genomes. This pharmacological reversal of the age associated deterioration of mtDNA quality suggests possible therapies to alleviate mitochondrial diseases and normal aging.
Longitudinal Assessment of SARS-CoV-2 Specific T Cell Cytokine-Producing Responses for 1 Year Reveals Persistence of Multi-Cytokine Proliferative Responses, with Greater Immunity Associated with Disease Severity
Authors: Lin Jonah , Law Ryan , Korosec Chapin S. , Zhou Christine , Koh Wan Hon , Ghaemi Mohammad Sajjad , Samaan Philip , Ooi Hsu Kiang , Yue FengYun , Gingras Anne-Claude , Estacio Antonio , Buchholz Megan , Cheatley Patti Lou , Pavinski Katerina , Mubareka Samira , McGeer Allison J. , Leis Jerome A. , Heffernan Jane M. , Ostrowski Mario
Published: January 2022

Cellular-mediated immunity is critical for long-term protection against most viral infections, including coronaviruses. We studied 23 SARS-CoV-2-infected survivors over a one year post symptom onset (PSO) interval by ex vivo cytokine ELISpot assay. All subjects demonstrated SARS-CoV-2-specific IFN-γ, IL-2, and Granzyme B (GzmB) T cell responses at presentation, with greater frequencies in severe disease. Cytokines, mainly produced by CD4+ T cells, targeted all structural proteins (Nucleocapsid, Membrane, Spike) except Envelope, with GzmB > IL-2 > IFN-γ. Mathematical modeling predicted that: 1) cytokine responses peaked at 6 days for IFN-γ, 36 days for IL-2, and 7 days for GzmB, 2) severe illness was associated with reduced IFN-γ and GzmB, but increased IL-2 production rates, 3) males displayed greater production of IFN-γ, whereas females produced more GzmB. Ex vivo responses declined over time with persistence of IL-2 in 86% and of IFN-γ and GzmB in 70% of subjects at a median of 336 days PSO. The average half-life of SARS-CoV-2-specific cytokine-producing cells was modelled to be 139 days (∼4.6 months). Potent T cell proliferative responses persisted throughout observation, were CD4 dominant, and were capable of producing all 3 cytokines. Several immunodominant CD4 and CD8 epitopes identified in this study were shared by seasonal coronaviruses or SARS-CoV-1 in the Nucleocapsid and Membrane regions. Both SARS-CoV-2-specific CD4+ and CD8+ T cell clones were able to kill target cells, though CD8 tended to be more potent.

Importance

Our findings highlight the relative importance of SARS-CoV-2-specific GzmB-producing T cell responses in SARS-CoV-2 control, shared CD4 and CD8 immunodominant epitopes in seasonal coronaviruses or SARS-CoV-1, and indicate robust persistence of T cell memory at least one year after infection. Our findings should inform future strategies to induce T cell vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and other coronaviruses.
Monitoring SARS-CoV-2 genome evolution in a localized population
Authors: Gupta Asmita , Basu Reelina , Bashyam Murali Dharan
Published: January 2022

Despite seminal advances towards understanding its infection mechanism, SARS-CoV-2 continues to cause significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. Though mass immunization programs have been implemented in several countries, the viral transmission cycle has shown a continuous progression in the form of multiple waves. A constant change in the frequencies of dominant viral lineages, arising from the accumulation of nucleotide variations (NVs) through favourable selection, is understandably expected to be a major determinant of disease severity and possible vaccine escape. Indeed, worldwide efforts have been initiated to identify specific virus lineage(s) and/or NVs that may cause a severe clinical presentation or facilitate vaccination breakthrough. Since host genetics is expected to play a major role in shaping virus evolution, it is imperative to study role of genome-wide SARS-CoV-2 NVs across various populations. In the current study, we analysed the whole genome sequence of 3543 SARS-CoV-2 infected samples obtained from the state of Telangana, India (including 210 from our previous study), collected over an extended period from April, 2020 to October, 2021. We present a unique perspective on the evolution of prevalent virus lineages and NVs during this time period. We also highlight presence of specific NVs likely to be associated favourably with samples classified as vaccination breakthroughs. Finally, we report genome-wide intra-host variations (iSNVs) at novel genomic positions. The results presented here provide critical insights into virus evolution over an extended time period within a geographically restricted area and pave the way to rigorously investigate the role of specific NVs in vaccination breakthroughs.
Heterogeneity in Neuronal Dynamics is Learned by Gradient Descent for Temporal Processing Tasks
Authors: Winston Chloe N. , Mastrovito Dana , Shea-Brown Eric , Mihalas Stefan
Published: January 2022

Individual neurons in the brain have complex intrinsic dynamics that are highly diverse. We hypothesize that the complex dynamics produced by networks of complex and heterogeneous neurons may contribute to the brain’s ability to process and respond to temporally complex data. To study the role of complex and heterogeneous neuronal dynamics in network computation, we develop a rate-based neuronal model, the generalized-leaky-integrate-and-firing-rate (GLIFR) model, which is a rate-equivalent of the generalized-leaky-integrate-and-fire model. The GLIFR model has multiple dynamical mechanisms which add to the complexity of its activity while maintaining differentiability. We focus on the role of after-spike currents, currents induced or modulated by neuronal spikes, in producing rich temporal dynamics. We use machine learning techniques to learn both synaptic weights and parameters underlying intrinsic dynamics to solve temporal tasks. The GLIFR model allows us to use standard gradient descent techniques rather than surrogate gradient descent, which has been utilized in spiking neural networks. After establishing the ability to optimize parameters using gradient descent in single neurons, we ask how networks of GLIFR neurons learn and perform on temporally challenging tasks, such as sinusoidal pattern generation and sequential MNIST. We find that these networks learn a diversity of parameters, which gives rise to diversity in neuronal dynamics. We also observe that training networks on the sequential MNIST task leads to formation of cell classes based on the clustering of neuronal parameters. GLIFR networks have mixed performance when compared to vanilla recurrent neural networks but appear to be more robust to random silencing. When we explore these performance gains further, we find that both the ability to learn heterogeneity and the presence of after-spike currents contribute. Our work both demonstrates the computational robustness of neuronal complexity and diversity in networks and demonstrates a feasible method of training such models using exact gradients.
PP1 phosphatases control PAR-2 localization and polarity establishment in C. elegans embryos
Authors: Calvi Ida , Schwager Françoise , Gotta Monica
Published: January 2022

Cell polarity relies on the asymmetric distribution of the conserved PAR proteins, which is regulated by phosphorylation/dephosphorylation reactions. While the kinases involved have been well studied, the role of phosphatases remains poorly understood. In C. elegans zygotes, phosphorylation of the posterior PAR-2 protein by the atypical protein kinase PKC-3 inhibits PAR-2 cortical localization. Polarity establishment depends on loading of PAR-2 at the posterior cortex. We show that the PP1 phosphatases GSP-1 and GSP-2 are required for polarity establishment in embryos. We find that co-depletion of GSP-1 and GSP-2 abrogates the cortical localization of PAR-2 and that GSP-1 and GSP-2 interact with PAR-2 via a PP1 docking motif in PAR-2. Mutating this motif in vivo, to prevent binding of PAR-2 to PP1, abolishes cortical localization of PAR-2, while optimizing this motif extends PAR-2 cortical localization. Our data suggest a model in which GSP-1/-2 counteract PKC-3 phosphorylation of PAR-2 allowing its cortical localization at the posterior and polarization of the one-cell embryo.

Calvi et al. identify PP1 protein phosphatases as regulators of cell polarity in C. elegans embryos. Their results show that two redundant phosphatases, GSP-1 and GSP-2, interact with the polarity protein PAR-2 and control its localization and polarity establishment.
Multi-omic rejuvenation of naturally aged tissues by a single cycle of transient reprogramming
Authors: Chondronasiou Dafni , Gill Diljeet , Mosteiro Lluc , Urdinguio Rocio G. , Berenguer Antonio , Aguilera Monica , Durand Sylvere , Aprahamian Fanny , Nirmalathasan Nitharsshini , Abad Maria , Martin-Herranz Daniel E. , Otto-Attolini Camille Stephan , Prats Neus , Kroemer Guido , Fraga Mario F. , Reik Wolf , Serrano Manuel
Published: January 2022

The expression of the pluripotency factors OCT4, SOX2, KLF4 and MYC (OSKM) can convert somatic differentiated cells into pluripotent stem cells in a process known as reprogramming. Notably, cycles of brief OSKM expression do not change cell identity but can reverse markers of aging in cells and extend longevity in progeroid mice. However, little is known about the mechanisms involved. Here, we have studied changes in the DNA methylome, transcriptome and metabolome in naturally aged mice subject to a single period of transient OSKM expression. We found that this is sufficient to reverse DNA methylation changes that occur upon aging in the pancreas, liver, spleen and blood. Similarly, we observed reversion of transcriptional changes, especially regarding biological processes known to change during aging. Finally, some serum metabolites altered with aging were also restored to young levels upon transient reprogramming. These observations indicate that a single period of OSKM expression can drive epigenetic, transcriptomic and metabolomic changes towards a younger configuration in multiple tissues and in the serum.
Active Predictive Coding Networks: A Neural Solution to the Problem of Learning Reference Frames and Part-Whole Hierarchies
Authors: Gklezakos Dimitrios C. , Rao Rajesh P. N.
Published: January 2022

We introduce Active Predictive Coding Networks (APCNs), a new class of neural networks that solve a major problem posed by Hinton and others in the fields of artificial intelligence and brain modeling: how can neural networks learn intrinsic reference frames for objects and parse visual scenes into part-whole hierarchies by dynamically allocating nodes in a parse tree? APCNs address this problem by using a novel combination of ideas: (1) hypernetworks are used for dynamically generating recurrent neural networks that predict parts and their locations within intrinsic reference frames conditioned on higher object-level embedding vectors, and (2) reinforcement learning is used in conjunction with backpropagation for end-to-end learning of model parameters. The APCN architecture lends itself naturally to multi-level hierarchical learning and is closely related to predictive coding models of cortical function. Using the MNIST, Fashion-MNIST and Omniglot datasets, we demonstrate that APCNs can (a) learn to parse images into part-whole hierarchies, (b) learn compositional representations, and (c) transfer their knowledge to unseen classes of objects. With their ability to dynamically generate parse trees with part locations for objects, APCNs offer a new framework for explainable AI that leverages advances in deep learning while retaining interpretability and compositionality.
Plasma cell-free RNA characteristics in COVID-19 patients
Authors: Wang Yanqun , Li Jie , Zhang Lu , Sun Hai-Xi , Zhang Zhaoyong , Xu Jinjin , Xu Yonghao , Lin Yu , Zhu Airu , Luo Yuxue , Zhou Haibo , Wu Yan , Lin Shanwen , Sun Yuzhe , Xiao Fei , Chen Ruiying , Wen Liyan , Chen Wei , Li Fang , Ou Rijing , Zhang Yanjun , Kuo Tingyou , Li Yuming , Li Lingguo , Sun Jing , Sun Kun , Zhuang Zhen , Lu Haorong , Chen Zhao , Mai Guoqiang , Zhuo Jianfen , Qian Puyi , Chen Jiayu , Yang Huanming , Wang Jian , Xu Xun , Zhong Nanshan , Zhao Jingxian , Li Junhua , Zhao Jincun , Jin Xin
Published: January 2022

The pathogenesis of COVID-19 is still elusive, which impedes disease progression prediction, differential diagnosis, and targeted therapy. Plasma cell-free RNAs (cfRNAs) carry unique information from human tissue and thus could point to resourceful solutions for pathogenesis and host-pathogen interactions. Here, we performed a comparative analysis of cfRNA profiles between COVID-19 patients and healthy donors using serial plasma. Analyses of the cfRNA landscape, potential gene regulatory mechanisms, dynamic changes in tRNA pools upon infection, and microbial communities were performed. A total of 380 cfRNA molecules were up-regulated in all COVID-19 patients, of which seven could serve as potential biomarkers (AUC > 0.85) with great sensitivity and specificity. Antiviral (NFKB1A,IFITM3, andIFI27) and neutrophil activation (S100A8,CD68, andCD63)–related genes exhibited decreased expression levels during treatment in COVID-19 patients, which is in accordance with the dynamically enhanced inflammatory response in COVID-19 patients. Noncoding RNAs, including some microRNAs (let 7 family) and long noncoding RNAs (GJA9-MYCBP) targeting interleukin (IL6/IL6R), were differentially expressed between COVID-19 patients and healthy donors, which accounts for the potential core mechanism of cytokine storm syndromes; the tRNA pools change significantly between the COVID-19 and healthy group, leading to the accumulation of SARS-CoV-2 biased codons, which facilitate SARS-CoV-2 replication. Finally, several pneumonia-related microorganisms were detected in the plasma of COVID-19 patients, raising the possibility of simultaneously monitoring immune response regulation and microbial communities using cfRNA analysis. This study fills the knowledge gap in the plasma cfRNA landscape of COVID-19 patients and offers insight into the potential mechanisms of cfRNAs to explain COVID-19 pathogenesis.
Evaluating the impact of constraints on project success: empirical study of highway projects
Authors: Deep Shumank , Bhoola Vanita , Vidhani Jyoti , Hampannaver Pradeep Rajanna
Published: January 2022

Purpose

Highway projects in India have a history of cost overruns and delay in project delivery, thus incurring huge losses to public funds. The study aimed to measure the extent of influence of various constraints on the overall success of highway projects (e.g. National highway project, state highway projects and major district roads). Based on the literature, various factors were grouped under three categories (a) Project Constraints, (b) Project Governance Constraints and (c) Stakeholder Induced Constraints.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach was adopted. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted with 435 respondents from the field of highway projects with a minimum experience of 1 year as Project Manager. The data was analyzed by partial least squares structural equation modeling technique.

Findings

It was identified that the impact of project constraints (ES = 0.313) on project success is more than that of project governance constraints (ES = 0.231) and stakeholder induced constraints. Additionally, it was found that project governance constraints have a strong impact on project constraints (ES = 0.535) and stakeholder induced constraints (ES = 0.403).

Originality/value

The study presented in this paper is first of its kind to measure and articulate the impact of project governance constraint, project constraint and stakeholder induced constraints on project success.
“We have to take care of them”: front office workers and the secret sexual encounters of guests in high-end hotels
Authors: Gaspani Fabio
Published: January 2022

Purpose

In line with the escapist dimension of hospitality settings, the article investigates how the front office staff of high-end hotels deal with clients' secret sexual encounters.

Design/methodology/approach

The article draws on data collected through a participant observation study conducted in two high-end hotels in Milan (Italy), during which the author held the role of front-line receptionist.

Findings

The research illustrates the ways in which workers frame events and conduct operations to guarantee the appropriate conditions for guests' extra-marital adventures and paid sexual encounters. In revealing the role of shared knowledge as well as non-formalised procedures in meeting guests' needs, the article shows how employees seek to protect their own work and the hotel's image.

Originality/value

The article sheds light on the very features of high-end service work by illustrating how workers satisfy clients' secret needs and unexpressed demands.
Determinants of house prices in Malaysia
Authors: Alpha Kabine Camara
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to empirically examine the relationship between macroeconomic factors and housing prices in Malaysia from 1991 to 2016.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was based on annual macroeconomic data from 1991 to 2016. For the model that was constructed, house prices were treated as the dependent variable and other variables, namely, the interest rate, the gross domestic product (GDP) and the consumer price index (CPI) as explanatory or regression variables. All these data come from the annual publication of the World Bank’s statistical report. In the meantime, data on house prices have been obtained through the publication of the National Property Information Centre in the form of an index. In the study, the bounds testing approach for cointegration was used because the Engel Granger cointegration tests can be used only if all the series are stationary at first difference. And it is against this background the author could not use it because our variables are a combination of series integrated of orders I (0) and I (1).

Findings

The results of this study revealed a positive equilibrium relationship in the long run between interest rate, CPI and housing prices and negative for the GDP. In addition, in the short run, housing prices were shown to have a positive relationship with GDP and CPI, but no relationship with the interest rate, based on the assumption that “all other things being equal”.

Research limitations/implications

The data on economic factors (GDP, RI and CPI) used in this study are secondary and not from the Malaysian Department of Statistics and Economic Studies. Furthermore, the result of this research only reflects the Malaysian reality, and therefore, cannot be generalised to the entire housing market worldwide.

Practical implications

The result of this study can be used for housing valuation by Malaysian property market players, investors and especially policymakers.

Social implications

This study’s findings can help Malaysian policymakers to limit the high price fluctuation in the housing industry and help Malaysian citizens to buy their own homes at a reasonable price.

Originality/value

The contributions of this study are structured around two points. The first is the contribution to the body of knowledge, where the results of the study will contribute to the growing number of literature in the housing sector. Moreover, the second contribution of this document is the strength of its recommendation to policymakers. This is because it analyses only the main macroeconomic determinants (IR, GDP and CPI) that are essential to better influence the housing sector as quickly as possible, as opposed to those that use many variables that could lead to possible specification errors.
Psychological mechanism linking green human resource management to green behavior
Authors: Ye Jing , Zhang Xufan , Zhou Lulu , Wang Decai , Tian Feng
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the psychological mechanism linking green human resource management (GHRM) to the in-role and extra-role green behavior of new employees.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the AMO framework, the authors used three-wave survey data from 399 newcomers and 103 superiors in China. This study uses the bootstrapping approach with Mplus 7.0.

Findings

The analysis shows the direct effect of GHRM on the in-role and extra-role green behavior of new employees as well as the mediating effects between perceived insider status and perceived external prestige.

Originality/value

This study expands research on GHRM to the in-role and extra-role green behavior of new employees. This paper also enhances the understanding of green behaviors inside and outside the roles of new employees and provides scientific implications for the green development of organizations.
“Our ancestors passed this down to us for a reason”: information practices of ballet folklórico dancers in Mexican-American communities
Authors: Vamanu Iulian , Terronez Micaela
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This paper explores informational dimensions of dancing by focusing on the cases of two folk dance groups practicing Mexican ballet folklórico in the US.

Design/methodology/approach

Thematic analysis of (1) extensive recollections from one of the study's coauthors, an academic librarian who was an active member of a ballet folklórico group; (2) an interview with that coauthor's brother, who is the current director of this school; and (3) instructional and demonstrative videos posted on YouTube by two US-based ballet folklórico groups.

Findings

Ballet folklórico dancers must use a wide range of information. The most important is sociocultural information, which expert dancers display while dancing and help novices acquire as enacted, expressed, or recorded information. According to expert dancers, sociocultural information becomes increasingly embodied through repeated enactment and constant interaction with ambient information. Specifically, ambient information provides parameters that both enable and limit the performance of the dance.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the emergent Library and Information Science (LIS) literature on dancing and its informational aspects.
Value co-creation in humanitarian service triads: service provision for beneficiaries
Authors: Özdamar Burçin , Tabaklar Tunca , Göçer Aysu , Piotrowicz Wojciech D.
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to understand how humanitarian service triad members contribute to value co-creation, and how they assess the continuity of services in humanitarian supply chains (HSCs) to ensure support for beneficiaries.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied a qualitative methodology through a single case study of a humanitarian service triad composed of non-governmental organisations (NGOs), service providers and beneficiaries. Empirical data were collected through semi-structured interviews and observations.

Findings

The findings confirm that the humanitarian service triad perspective in HSCs allows better understanding of humanitarian assistance. The findings indicate six components grouped into a humanitarian service triad framework, namely: service design, service reachability, training serviceability, collaboration, synergy, ethical considerations and after-service care.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to understanding of humanitarian services provision by studying service triads in humanitarian settings. It also confirms the need for cooperation between practitioners in services provision. The findings are limited to the context of refugees in Turkey, specifically humanitarian service triad located in Izmir area.

Practical implications

The Humanitarian Service Triad Framework for Service Provision proposed in this paper can be used as a tool for policy makers and practitioners involved in service design in HSC contexts, stressing the need for including all the framework components in practice.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first to focus on a humanitarian service triad, which includes beneficiaries as triad members in long-term humanitarian service provision.
Free trade areas as cross-cultural knowledge-sharing platforms: evidence from the Sino-Vietnam case
Authors: Yu Ganqian , Yang Jian , Chin Tachia
Published: January 2022

Purpose

A free trade area (FTA) is the designated economic area where bilateral trades between membership nations are tax-free. An FTA provides an important knowledge-sharing platform across cultures. Most studies discuss FTA issues from the perspectives of economics and international law. However, this study aims to analyse the challenges and opportunities relating to FTAs from a novel, integrative perspective of culture and knowledge management.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a single-case study design to investigate the Sino-Vietnam bilateral trade conditions in the FTA of the Regional Economic Comprehensive Partnership. Semi-structured interviews were conducted in Yunnan province, China, with government officials and firm managers involved in Sino-Vietnam trade.

Findings

This study identifies three major challenges in the China-Vietnam case: the existence of a knowledge iceberg, the lack of deep mutual trust and the inconsistency of bilateral port policies. This study identifies three possible solutions to these challenges: creating different communication channels for knowledge sharing, building mutual trust and respect for knowledge sharing and reducing inconsistencies in the two border gate management systems.

Research limitations/implications

Considering cross-cultural knowledge sharing, this study provides new insight and feasible guidance for better cooperation of member countries of FTAs all over the world.

Originality/value

This research is novel because it considers the FTA as a knowledge-sharing platform where the intersection of diverse cultural values and judgement may result in a variety of knowledge icebergs. Thus, this study enriches the FTA research by focussing on the intersection of culture and knowledge management.
The effects of transformational leadership on employee creativity in Vietnam telecommunications enterprises
Authors: Nguyen Thi Phuong Linh , Nguyen Thu Thuy , Duong Cong Doanh , Doan Xuan Hau
Published: January 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effects of transformational leadership on employee creativity through psychological empowerment, creative process engagement and intrinsic motivation.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from 420 employees at 21 telecommunications enterprises in Vietnam directly by questionnaire survey. Statistical methods, such as confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation model (SEM), were used to analyze the data.

Findings

This paper shows that transformational leadership indirectly affects employee creativity through the mediating variables. Transformational leadership has a positive relationship with psychological empowerment. Psychological empowerment has a proportional relationship with both creative process engagement and intrinsic motivation. Creative process engagement and intrinsic motivation have been shown to have positive effects with the employee creativity.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of this paper is that the study only explores the relationship between transformational leadership and employee creativity through a number of the mediating variables.

Practical implications

The telecommunications industry is an industry that requires constant innovation, so managers need to aim for a leadership style that promotes employee creativity. Therefore, transformational leadership is a style that should be considered during the appointing and recruiting.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to the existing literature by focusing on understanding the relationship between transformational leadership and employee creativity in telecommunications enterprises in an Asian country with an emerging economy like Vietnam.
Optimum design of space structures using hybrid particle swarm optimization and genetic algorithm
Authors: Goodarzimehr Vahid , Omidinasab Fereydoon , Taghizadieh Nasser
Published: January 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to present a new hybrid algorithm of Particle Swarm Optimization and the Genetic Algorithm (PSOGA) to optimize the space trusses with continuous design variables. The PSOGA is an efficient hybridized algorithm to solve optimization problems.

Design/methodology/approach

These algorithms have shown outstanding performance in solving optimization problems with continuous variables. The PSO conceptually models the social behavior of birds, in which individual birds exchange information about their position, velocity and fitness. The behavior of a flock is influencing the probability of migration to other regions with high fitness. The GAs procedure is based on the mechanism of natural selection. The present study uses mutation, random selection and reproduction to reach the best genetic algorithm by the operators of natural genetics. Thus, only identical chromosomes or particles can be converged.

Findings

In this research, using the idea of hybridization PSO and GA algorithms are hybridized and a new meta-heuristic algorithm is developed to minimize the space trusses with continuous design variables. To showing the efficiency and robustness of the new algorithm, several benchmark problems are solved and compared with other researchers.

Originality/value

The results indicate that the hybrid PSO algorithm improved in both exploration and exploitation. The PSO algorithm can be used to minimize the weight of structural problems under stress and displacement constraints.
Complex landscapes stabilize farm bird communities and their expected ecosystem services
Authors: Smith Olivia M. , Kennedy Christina M. , Echeverri Alejandra , Karp Daniel S. , Latimer Christopher E. , Taylor Joseph M. , Wilson‐Rankin Erin E. , Owen Jeb P. , Snyder William E.
Published: January 2022

Birds play many roles within agroecosystems including as consumers of crops and pests, carriers of pathogens and beloved icons. Birds are also rapidly declining across North America, in part due to agricultural intensification. Thus, it is imperative to identify how to manage agroecosystems to best support birds for multi‐functional outcomes (e.g. crop production and conservation). Both the average amounts of services/disservices provided and their temporal stability are important for effective farm planning.

Here, we conducted point count surveys for 4 years across 106 locations on 27 diversified farms in Washington and Oregon, USA. We classified birds as ecosystem service or disservice providers using indices spanning supporting, regulating, provisioning and cultural services/disservices. We then examined service/disservice index pairwise correlations and assessed the relative importance of local, farm and landscape complexity on the average and temporal stability of avian service/disservice provider indices.

Generally, service provider indices (production benefitting birds, grower appreciation and conservation scores) were positively correlated with each other. Foodborne pathogen risk, grower disapproval and identity/iconic value indices were also positively correlated with each other. However, the crop damaging bird index generally had low correlations with other indices.

Farms that implemented more conservation‐friendly management practices generally had higher average service provider indices, but farm management did not impact disservice provider indices, except for grower disapproval. Average disservice provider indices were lower on farms in complex landscapes.

Local vertical vegetation complexity tended to increase the temporal stability of service provider indices but did not affect the disservice provider indices. Greater landscape complexity was generally associated with increased temporal stability of service and disservice provider indices. Increased landscape complexity may stabilize bird communities by increasing bird community evenness, which in turn, positively predicted temporal stability of all service/disservice provider indices.

Policy implications. Our results suggest that farmers can effectively manage their farms to harness ecosystem services from birds through farm diversification. Disservices provided by birds, however, appear to be most negatively impacted by landscape‐level complexity. Thus, greater incentives for farmers to increase semi‐natural cover at the landscape scale are likely necessary to achieve multifunctional outcomes for conservation and agriculture.
A national assessment of legacy versus new generation Medicaid data
Authors: Nguyen Jessy K. , Sanghavi Prachi
Published: January 2022

Objective

To compare the performance of Medicaid legacy, Medicaid new generation, and Medicare claims on data analytic tasks.

Data Sources

Medicaid Analytic eXtract (MAX) claims (legacy) of 100% beneficiaries in 2011 (all states except Idaho), 2012 (all states), 2013 (28 states), and 2014 (17 states); 2016 Transformed Medicaid Statistical Information System Analytic Files (TAF) claims (new generation) of 100% beneficiaries from all states; Medicare claims of 20% beneficiaries in 2011–2014, 2016.

Study Design

We focused on the chain of events that starts with an out‐of‐hospital medical emergency and ends with hospital death or survival to discharge. We developed six data quality indicators to assess ambulance variables; linkage between claims; external cause of injury code reporting; and death reporting on hospital discharge status codes. For the latter, we estimated injury severity and modeled its association with death in the Medicare population. We used the model to compare reported versus expected deaths by injury severity in the Medicaid population. Datasets were compared by state and fee‐for‐service versus managed care.

Data Extraction Methods

Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries with emergency ambulance transports.

Principal Findings

Medicare claims had high performance across indicators and states; MAX claims substantially underperformed on multiple indicators in most states. For example, most states reported external cause codes for over 90% of Medicare but less than 15% of Medicaid injury cases. Medicaid fee‐for‐service did not consistently perform better than Medicaid managed care. Compared with MAX, TAF claims performed significantly better on some indicators but continued to have poor external cause code reporting. Finally, MAX and TAF managed care records reported deaths at discharge in the range of expected deaths; however, fee‐for‐service claims might have underreported high‐severity injury deaths.

Conclusions

New generation Medicaid claims performed better than legacy claims on some indicators, but much more improvement is needed to allow high‐quality policy analysis.
Vascular access in therapeutic apheresis: One size does not fit all
Authors: Golsorkhi Mohadese , Azarfar Anoush , Abdipour Amir
Published: January 2022

Background

Therapeutic apheresis has been used in treating hematological and non‐hematological diseases. For a successful procedure, efficient vascular access is required. Presently, peripheral venous access (PVA), central venous catheterization (CVC), implantable ports, and arteriovenous fistulas (AVFs) are used. This review aims to evaluate different type of access and their pros and cons to help physicians determine the best venous access.

Methods

The electronic search included PubMed and Google Scholar up to November 2020. The Mesh terms were apheresis, peripheral catheterization, central catheterization, and arteriovenous fistula.

Results

A total of 228 studies were found through database searching. Two independent authors reviewed the articles using their titles and abstracts; 88 articles were selected and the full text was reviewed. Finally, 26 were included. The inclusion criteria were studies incorporating patients with any indication for apheresis.

Conclusion

PVA has been promoted in recent years in many centers across the United States to lower the rate of complications associated with vascular access and to make this procedure more accessible. Several factors are involved in selecting appropriate venous access, such as the procedure's duration and frequency, patient's vascular anatomy, and staff's experience. In short‐term procedures, temporary vascular access like PVA or CVC is preferred. Permanent vascular access such as AVF, tunneled cuffed central lines, and implantable ports are more beneficial in prolonged treatment period but each patient has to be evaluated individually by apheresis team for the most appropriate method.
Humanitarian Planning and Localised Temporalities: The Haitian Case
Authors: Verlin Jan
Published: January 2022

This article shows, based on the Haitian crises after 2010, that international organisations (IOs) as central actors of humanitarian governance in complex crises situations rely on sequenced time frames to manage the diversification and massification of relief actors. At the same time, crisis professionals struggle to correlate their lived temporalities with this preconstructed time model when the localised crisis shifts from an event to a permanent temporality. The article is, therefore, guided by the following question: How is time strategically used by IOs in humanitarian governance and what are the effects of conflicting localised temporalities? The article argues first that different types of temporalities were associated with different groups of aid actors after the 2010 earthquake. The prolongated humanitarian crisis resulted in the repetitive adaption of UN appeal and funding instruments. Second, I show that the UN used planning instruments based on the disaster management cycle. Based on its cyclical temporality, UN actors combined it with humanitarian project management tools to govern aid projects by formalising the negotiation between the long‐term aid programmes and the short‐term duration of projects. I finally show the synthesis of both forms of temporal aid governance to control the contradictions between localised and funding temporalities.