bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Surface protein profiling of milk and serum extracellular vesicles unveil body fluid and cell-type signatures and insights on vesicle biogenesis
Authors: Giovanazzi Alberta , van Herwijnen Martijn J.C. , van der Meulen Gerbrich N. , Wauben Marca H.M.
Published: October 2022

The promise of extracellular vesicles (EVs)-based liquid biopsy resides in the identification of specific signatures of EVs of interest. Knowing the EV profile of a body fluid can facilitate the identification of EV-based biomarkers of diseases. To this end, we characterised purified EVs from paired human milk and serum by surface protein profiling of cellular markers in association with gold standard EV markers (tetraspanins CD9, CD63 and CD81). By using the MACSPlex bead-based flow-cytometry assay with pan-tetraspanin detection (i.e. simultaneous CD9, CD63 and CD81 detection), besides specific breast epithelial cell signatures in milk EVs and platelet signatures in serum EVs, we also identified body fluid-specific markers of immune cells and stem cells. Interestingly, comparison of pan-tetraspanin and single tetraspanin detection unveiled both body fluid-specific tetraspanin distributions and specific tetraspanin distributions associated with certain cellular markers, which were used to model the potential biogenesis route of different EV subsets and their cellular origin.
Extracellular ATP drives pancreatic cancer cell invasion via purinergic receptor-integrin interactions
Authors: Bort Elena Tomas , Joseph Megan D. , Wang Qiaoying , Carter Edward P. , Roth Nicolas J. , Gibson Jessica , Samadi Ariana , Kocher Hemant M. , Simoncelli Sabrina , McCormick Peter J. , Grose Richard P.
Published: October 2022

Pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is a cancer of unmet clinical need. Given the elevated ATP levels seen in PDAC, the purinergic axis represents an attractive therapeutic target. Mediated in part by highly druggable extracellular proteins, it plays essential roles in fibrosis, inflammation response and immune function. We have analysed the PDAC purinome using publicly available databases to discern which members may impact patient survival. We identifiedP2RY2to be the purinergic gene with the strongest association to hypoxia, the highest cancer cell specific expression and the strongest impact on overall survival. Invasion assays using a 3D spheroid model revealed P2Y2to be critical in facilitating invasion driven by extracellular ATP. Using genetic modification or pharmacological strategies we identify the mechanism of this ATP-driven invasion to require direct protein-protein interactions between P2Y2and αV integrins. Using DNA-PAINT super-resolution fluorescence microscopy, we found that P2Y2regulates the amount and distribution of integrin αV in the plasma membrane. This work highlights a novel GPCR-integrin interaction in cancer invasion and its potential for therapeutic targeting.
An ER phospholipid hydrolase drives ER-associated mitochondrial constriction for fission and fusion
Authors: Nguyen Tricia T. , Voeltz Gia K.
Published: October 2022

Mitochondria are dynamic organelles that undergo cycles of fission and fusion at a unified platform defined by endoplasmic reticulum (ER)-mitochondria membrane contact sites (MCSs). These MCSs or nodes co-localize fission and fusion machinery. We set out to identify how ER-associated mitochondrial nodes can regulate both fission and fusion machinery assembly. We have used a promiscuous biotin ligase linked to the fusion machinery, Mfn1, and proteomics to identify an ER membrane protein, Aphyd, as a major regulator of node formation. In the absence of Aphyd, fission and fusion machineries fail to recruit to ER-associated mitochondrial nodes and fission and fusion rates are significantly reduced. Aphyd contains an acyltransferase motif and an α/β hydrolase domain and point mutations in critical residues of these regions fail to rescue the formation of ER-associated mitochondrial hot spots. These data suggest a mechanism whereby Aphyd functions by altering phospholipid composition at ER-mitochondria MCSs. Our data present the first example of an ER membrane protein that regulates the recruitment of both fission and fusion machineries to mitochondria.
Rubella virus tropism and single cell responses in human primary tissue and microglia-containing organoids
Authors: Popova Galina , Retallack Hanna , Kim Chang N. , Wang Albert , Shin David , DeRisi Joseph , Nowakowski Tomasz J.
Published: October 2022

Rubella virus is an important human pathogen that can cause neurologic deficits in a developing fetus when contracted during pregnancy. Despite successful vaccination programs in the Americas and many developed countries, rubella remains endemic in many regions worldwide and outbreaks occur wherever population immunity is insufficient. Intense interest since rubella virus was first isolated in 1962 has advanced our understanding of clinical outcomes after infection disrupts key processes of fetal neurodevelopment. Yet it is still largely unknown which cell types in the developing brain are targeted. We show that in human brain slices, rubella virus predominantly infects microglia. This infection occurs in a heterogeneous population but not in a highly microglia-enriched monoculture in the absence of other cell types. By using an organoid-microglia model, we further demonstrate that rubella virus infection leads to a profound interferon response in non-microglial cells, including neurons and neural progenitor cells, and this response is attenuated by the presence of microglia.
Use of CD122+ natural killer cell precursors for superior anti-leukemia responses
Authors: Guglietta Silvia , Cardenas Luis , Krieg Carsten
Published: October 2022

Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) is an aggressive blood cancer in adults. Intensive induction therapy successfully induces a complete response in up to 80% of the adult patients but a fraction of them is refractory or relapses. The fraction of non-responsive or relapsing patients is especially high amongst medically unfit and older patients, who cannot undergo aggressive chemotherapy treatment. Therefore, offering patients failing on first line intensive chemotherapy and medically unfit and older patients an effective treatment option for long-term control or even cure of disease represents a significant yet unmet clinical need.

As a component of the innate immunity, NK cells have recently shown great promise for the treatment of patients with different malignancies. Here, we show that injection of human interleukin-2 (IL-2) complexes (IL-2cx) induce the de novo generation and massive expansion of NK cell precursorsin vivo. Furthermore, IL-2cx-expanded NK cells exert effector functions with the capacity to control the growth of non-self MHC class I-deficient RMA-S lymphoma cellsin vivo, while remaining tolerant towards MHC class-expressing self RMA cells.

In an experimental setup mimicking the clinical case of refractory patients after intensive AML induction therapy, IL-2cx treatment mediated strong anti-AML responses following haploidentical bone marrow transplantation without the need for adoptive transfer of donor-derived orin vitroautologous expanded NK cells. Thus, this study demonstrates that IL-2cx immunotherapy allows thein vivogeneration and expansion of functionally mature NK cells to achieve long-term response in AML paving the way to an effective treatment option.
Early-life experience reorganizes neuromodulatory regulation of stage-specific behavioral responses and individuality types during development
Authors: Nasser Reemy Ali , Harel Yuval , Stern Shay
Published: October 2022

Early-life experiences may promote stereotyped behavioral alterations that are dynamic across development time, but also behavioral responses that are variable among individuals, even when initially exposed to the same stimulus. Here, by utilizing longitudinal monitoring ofC. elegansindividuals throughout development we show that behavioral effects of early-life starvation are exposed during early and late developmental stages and buffered during intermediate stages of development. We further found that both dopamine and serotonin shape the discontinuous behavioral responses by opposite and temporally segregated functions across development time. While dopamine buffers behavioral responses during intermediate developmental stages, serotonin promotes behavioral sensitivity to stress during early and late stages. Interestingly, unsupervised analysis of individual biases across development uncovered multiple individuality types that coexist within stressed and unstressed populations and further identified experience-dependent effects on their composition. These results provide insight into the complex temporal regulation of behavioral plasticity across developmental timescales, structuring shared and unique individual responses to early-life experiences.
Characterization of Three Variants of SARS-CoV-2in vivoShows Host-Dependent Pathogenicity in Hamsters
Authors: Toomer Gabriela , Burns Whitney , Melendez Monica , Garcia Liliana , Henry Gerelyn , Biancofiori Anthony , George Albert , Duffy Ciera , Chu Justin , Sides Morgan , Muñoz Melissa , Garcia Kelly , Nikolai-Yogerst Anya , Peng Xinjian , Westfall Landon , Baker Robert
Published: October 2022

Animal models are used in preclinical trials to test vaccines, antivirals, monoclonal antibodies, and immunomodulatory drug therapies against SARS-CoV-2. However, these drugs often do not produce equivalent results in human clinical trials. Here, we show how different animal models infected with some of the most clinically relevant SARS-CoV-2 variants, WA1/2020, B.1.617.2/Delta, B.1.1.529/Omicron and BA5.2/Omicron, have independent outcomes. We show that in mice, B.1.617.2 is more pathogenic, followed by WA1, while B.1.1.529 showed an absence of clinical signs. Only B.1.1.529 was able to infect C57BL/6J mice, which lack the human ACE2 receptor. B.1.1.529-infected ACE2 mice had different T cell profiles compared to infected K18-hACE2 mice, while viral shedding profiles and viral titers in lungs were similar between the ACE2 and the C57BL/6J mice. These data suggest B.1.1.529 virus adaptation to a new host and shows that asymptomatic carriers can accumulate and shed virus. Next, we show how B.1.617.2, WA1 and BA5.2/Omicron have similar viral replication kinetics, pathogenicity, and viral shedding profiles in hamsters, demonstrating that the increased pathogenicity of B.1.617.2 observed in mice is host-dependent. Overall, these findings suggest that small animal models are useful to parallel human clinical data, but the experimental design places an important role in interpreting the data.

IMPORTANCE

There is a need to investigate SARS-CoV-2 variants phenotypes in different animal models due to the lack of reproducible outcomes when translating experiments to the human population. Our findings highlight the correlation of clinically relevant SARS-CoV-2 variants in animal models with human infections. Experimental design and understanding of correct animal models are essential to interpreting data to develop antivirals, vaccines, and other therapeutic compounds against COVID-19.
What is the current state of public health system preparedness for infectious disease emergencies? A scoping review
Authors: Lee Jessica M , Jansen Rachel , Sanderson Kate E , Guerra Fiona , Keller-Olaman Sue , Murti Michelle , O’Sullivan Tracey L , Law Madelyn P , Schwartz Brian , Bourns Laura E , Khan Yasmin
Published: October 2022

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic continues to demonstrate the risks and profound health impacts that result from infectious disease emergencies. Emergency preparedness has been defined as the knowledge, capacity and organizational systems that governments, response and recovery organizations, communities and individuals develop to anticipate, respond to, or recover from emergencies. This scoping review explored recent literature on priority areas and indicators for public health emergency preparedness (PHEP) with a focus on infectious disease emergencies.

Methods

Using scoping review methodology, a comprehensive search was conducted for indexed and grey literature with a focus on records published from 2017 and 2020 onward, respectively. Records were included if they: a) described PHEP, b) focused on an infectious emergency, and c) were published in an Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development country. An evidence-based all-hazards Resilience Framework for PHEP consisting of 11 elements was used as a reference point to identify additional areas of preparedness that have emerged in recent publications. The findings were summarized thematically.

Results

The included publications largely aligned with the all-hazards Resilience Framework for PHEP. In particular, the elements related to collaborative networks, community engagement, risk analysis and communication were frequently observed across the publications included in this review. Emergent themes were identified that expand on the Resilience Framework for PHEP. These were related to mitigating inequities, public health capacities (vaccination, laboratory system capacity, infection prevention and control capacity, financial investment in infrastructure, public health legislation, phases of preparedness), scientific capacities (research and evidence-informed decision making, climate and environmental health), and considerations for health system capacity.

Conclusions

The themes from this review contribute to the evolving understanding of critical public health preparedness actions; however, there was a paucity of recent evidence on PHEP indicators. The themes can expand on the 11 elements outlined in the Resilience Framework for PHEP, specifically relevant to infectious disease emergencies and risks. Further research will be important to validate these findings, and expand understanding of how refinements to PHEP frameworks and indicators can support public health practice.
Views from women and maternity care professionals on routine discussion of previous trauma in the perinatal period: A qualitative evidence synthesis
Authors: Cull Joanne , Thomson Gill , Downe Soo , Fine Michelle , Topalidou Anastasia
Published: October 2022

Background

Over a third of pregnant women (around 250,000) each year in the United Kingdom have experienced trauma such as domestic abuse, childhood trauma or sexual assault. These experiences can have a long-term impact on women’s mental and physical health. This global qualitative evidence synthesis explores the views of women and maternity care professionals on routine discussion of previous trauma in the perinatal period.

Methods

Systematic database searches (MEDLINE, EMBASE, CINAHL Plus, APA PsycINFO and Global Index Medicus) were conducted in July 2021 and updated in April 2022. The quality of each study was assessed using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme. We thematically synthesised the data and assessed confidence in findings using GRADE-CERQual.

Results

We included 25 papers, from five countries, published between 2001 and 2022. All the studies were conducted in high-income countries; therefore findings cannot be applied to low-or middle-income countries. Confidence in most of the review findings was moderate or high.

The findings are presented in six themes. These themes described how women and clinicians felt trauma discussions were valuable and worthwhile, provided there was adequate time and appropriate referral pathways. However, women often found being asked about previous trauma to be unexpected and intrusive, and women with limited English faced additional challenges. Many pregnant women were unaware of the extent of the trauma they have suffered, or its impact on their lives. Before disclosing trauma, women needed to have a trusting relationship with a clinician; even so, some women chose not to share their histories. Hearing trauma disclosures could be distressing for clinicians.

Conclusion

Discussions of previous trauma should be undertaken when women want to have the discussion, when there is time to understand and respond to the needs and concerns of each individual, and when there are effective resources available for follow up if needed. Continuity of carer should be considered a key feature of routine trauma discussion, as many women will not disclose their histories to a stranger. All women should be provided with information about the impact of trauma and how to independently access support in the event of non-disclosures. Care providers need support to carry out these discussions.
Trials that turn from retrospectively registered to prospectively registered: A cohort study of ‘retroactively prospective’ clinical trial registration using history data
Authors: Holst Martin R. , Carlisle Benjamin G.
Published: October 2022

Background

Prospective clinical trial registration is a methodological best practice, a moral requirement under the Declaration of Helsinki, and in many cases legally required. The US clinical trials registerClinicalTrials.govallows for changes to a clinical trial registry entry at any time, including changes to the clinical trial start date, making it possible for a trial that was registered after the enrolment of the first patient (retrospective registration) to retroactively change its start date to a later one, making it appear to be prospectively registered.

Methods

Using the novel R package cthist, we downloaded clinical trial history data for all clinical trials with a first registration date in the year 2015.

Findings

We found 235 clinical trials to be ‘retroactively prospective’, comprising 2.0% of all clinical trials first registered onClinicalTrials.govin 2015 and 3.9% of all prospectively registered trials. Among the 113 retroactively prospective clinical trials with an accompanying publication, 10.6% explicitly stated in the publication that they had been prospectively registered.

Interpretation

While the rate of retroactively prospective trial registration is lower than hypothesized, the existence of this issue has implications for the review and conduct of clinical trials, and it can be detected using fully automated and freely available tools. This is the first analysis of the potentially questionable research practice that we call ‘retroactively prospective’ trial registration.

Funding

This work was funded by internal funding at QUEST Center for Responsible Research.
ML for MI - Integrating Multimodal Information in Machine Learning for Predicting Acute Myocardial Infarction
Authors: Xiao Ran , Ding Cheng , Hu Xiao , Zègre-Hemsey Jessica
Published: October 2022

Early identification and recognization of myocardial ischemia/infarction (MI) is the most important goal in the management of acute coronary syndrome (ACS). The 12-lead electrocardiogram (ECG) is widely used as the initial screening test for patients with chest pain but its diagnostic accuracy remains limited. There is an ongoing effort to address the issue with machine learning (ML) algorithms which have demonstrated improved performance. Most studies are designed to classify MI from healthy controls and thus are limited due to the lack of consideration of potential confounding conditions in the setting of MI. Moreover, other clinical information in addition to ECG has not yet been well leveraged in existing machine learning models. The present study aims to advance ML-based prediction models closer to clinical applications for early MI detection. The study considered downstream clinical implementation scenarios in the initial model design by dichotomizing study samples into MI and non-MI classes. Two separate experiments were then conducted to systematically investigate the impact of two important factors entrained in the modeling process, including the duration of ECG (2.5s vs. 10s), and the value of multimodal information for model training. A novel feature-fusion deep learning architecture was proposed to learn joint features from both ECG and patient demographics as the additional data modality. The best-performing model achieved a mean area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 92.1% and a mean accuracy of 87.4%, which is on par with existing studies despite the increased task difficulty due to the new class design. The results also show that the ML model can capitalize on the information added from both the extra ECG waveforms in time and patient demographics. The findings in this study help guide the development of machine learning solutions for early MI detection and move the models one step closer to real-world clinical applications.
Precise temporal control of neuroblast migration through combined regulation and feedback of a Wnt receptor
Authors: Schild Erik S. , Gupta Shivam , Dubois Clément , Fernandes Póvoa Euclides E. , Félix Marie-Anne , Mugler Andrew , Korswagen Hendrik C.
Published: October 2022

Many developmental processes depend on precise temporal control of gene expression. We have previously established a theoretical framework for regulatory strategies that can govern such high temporal precision, but experimental validation of these predictions was still lacking. Here, we use the time-dependent expression of a Wnt receptor that controls neuroblast migration inC. elegansas a tractable system to study a robust, cell-intrinsic timing mechanism in vivo. Single molecule mRNA quantification showed that the expression of the receptor increases non-linearly, a dynamic that is predicted to enhance timing precision over an unregulated, linear increase in timekeeper abundance. We show that this upregulation depends on transcriptional activation, providing in vivo evidence for a model in which the timing of receptor expression is regulated through an accumulating activator that triggers expression when a specific threshold is reached. This timing mechanism acts across a cell division that occurs in the neuroblast lineage, and is influenced by the asymmetry of the division. Finally, we show that positive feedback of receptor expression through the canonical Wnt pathway enhances temporal precision. We conclude that robust cell-intrinsic timing can be achieved by combining regulation and feedback of the timekeeper gene.
Bell’s Palsy Following SARS-CoV-2 Vaccines: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Rafati Ali , Pasebani Yeganeh , Jameie Melika , Yang Yuchen , Jameie Mana , Ilkhani Saba , Amanollahi Mobina , Sakhaei Delaram , Rahimlou Mehran , Kheradmand Amir
Published: October 2022

Background and Objective

Bell’s palsy (BP) has been considered as a serious adverse event following the SARS-CoV-2 vaccination. Many studies have reported BP following vaccination, although neither a causative relationship nor a prevalence of the condition higher than the general population has been established. The outcomes of interest were to compare BP incidence among (a) SARS-CoV-2 vaccine recipients, (b) nonrecipients in the placebo or unvaccinated cohorts, (c) different types of SARS-CoV-2 vaccines, and (d) SARS-CoV-2 infected vs. SARS-CoV-2 vaccinated individuals.

Methods

We performed a systematic search through MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, Scopus, Cochrane library, and Google Scholar from the inception to August 15, 2022. We included articles reporting individuals receiving any SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in whom BP had occurred. Studies reporting facial paralysis due to etiologies other than BP were excluded. Random- and fixed-effects meta-analyses using the Mantel-Haenszel method were conducted for the quantitative synthesis. Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS) was used to assess the quality. The study was conducted in line with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guideline, and the protocol was registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022313299). Analyses were carried out using the R, version 4.2.1 (R package ‘meta’ version 5.2-0).

Results

Fifty studies were included, of which 17 entered the quantitative synthesis. First, pooling four phase-3 randomized controlled trials (RCT) indicated BP occurrence was significantly higher in SARS-CoV-2 vaccines (77, 525 doses) compared to placebo (66, 682 doses) (OR = 3.00, 95% CI = 1.10 - 8.18, I2= 0%). Second, pooling nine observational studies of mRNA SARS-CoV-2 vaccine doses (13, 518,026) and matched unvaccinated individuals (13, 510,701) revealed no significant increase in the odds of BP in the vaccinated group compared to the unvaccinated group (OR: 0.70 (95% CI 0.42-1.16), I2=94%). The third meta-analysis suggested that post-vaccination BP among first dose Pfizer/BioNTech recipients (22,760,698) did not significantly differ from that in first dose Oxford/AstraZeneca recipients (22,978,880) (OR = 0.97, 95% CI = 0.82 - 1.15, I2= 0%). According to the fourth meta-analysis, BP was significantly more commonly reported after SARS-CoV-2 infection (2,641,398) than after SARS-CoV-2 vaccinations (36,988,718) (RR = 4.03, 95% CI = 1.78 - 9.12, I2= 96%).

Conclusion

Our meta-analysis suggests a higher incidence of BP among vaccinated vs. placebo groups. BP occurrence did not significantly differ between Pfizer/BioNTech and Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccines. SARS-CoV-2 infection posed a significantly greater risk for BP than SARS-CoV-2 vaccines.
The effects of gender diversity in boards of directors on the number of female managers promoted
Authors: Kim Hyondong , Kim Youngsang
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study elaborates on the process through which gender-diverse boards of directors increase representation of females in management positions. This study draws on the gender spillover effect to examine whether gender diversity on boards of directors significantly influences the number of women promoted to managerial positions. The authors also employ implicit quota theory to examine the interaction effects of female board directors and their related strategies to target female customers as a source of female talent on the promotion numbers of female managers.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw from female manager panel data surveyed and gathered by the Korean Women Development Institute (KWDI), a Korean government-sponsored research institution, for the period 2008–2014. The total sample, comprising 5 biannual waves, includes 906 Korean companies across four wage rates. The authors apply zero-inflated negative binomial regression analyses to examine the effects of gender diversity on board director positions and its interactions with strategies targeting female markets on the number of female managerial promotions.

Findings

The authors find that gender diversity on boards of directors is positively related to the number of female managers promoted. Furthermore, in corporations where gender is not relevant to firms' strategy and decision-making, broader gender diversity increases the number of female managers promoted at lower- but not higher-level positions.

Originality/value

The current study demonstrates the complex role of gender diversity in board director positions in initiating and promoting the career development of female managers. On the one hand, gender diversity in board director positions has spillover effects on women's representation in management positions. On the other hand, female board directors impede the career progress of senior female managers to maintain their status in quotas when the female market is not critical to firms' competitiveness. Therefore, it is crucial to integrate two different concepts about gender diversity—the gender spillover effect and implicit quota theory—that elaborate on the effects of gender diversity in board director positions on female manager promotion numbers.
The impact of big data analytics capabilities on green supply chain performance: is green supply chain innovation the missing link?
Authors: AL-Khatib Ayman wael
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The objective of this paper is to examine the impact of big data analytics capabilities (BDAC) on green radical supply chain innovation (GRSCI), green incremental supply chain innovation (GISCI), and green supply chain performance (GSCP) in the context of a developing country, Jordan. In addition, the mediating effect of GRSCI and GISCI on the relationship between BDAC and GSCP is tested.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collection is carried out through a survey with 303 respondents from manufacturing firms located in Jordan. Partial least squares-structural equation modelling approach is applied to analyse the collected data. Resource-based view and natural resource-based view theory form the adopted theoretical lens for this study.

Findings

The results reveal that BDAC positively and significantly affects GRSCI, GISCI, and GSCP. In addition, the results demonstrate that GRSCI and GISCI positively and significantly affect GSCP. Further, it is also found that GRSCI and GISCI positively and significantly mediate the relationship between BDAC and GSCP.

Originality/value

This study's author develops a theoretical and empirical model to investigate the relationship among BDAC, GRSCI, GISCI, and GSCP. This study offers new theoretical and managerial contributions that add value to the supply chain management literature by testing the mediation model in manufacturing firms located in Jordan.
Big data and decision quality: the role of management accountants’ data analytics skills
Authors: Franke Franziska , Hiebl Martin R.W.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Existing research on the relationship between big data and organizational decision quality is still few and far between, and what does exist often assumes direct effects of big data on decision quality. More recent research indicates that such direct effects may be too simplistic, and in particular, an organization’s overall human skills are often not considered sufficiently. Inspired by the knowledge-based view, we therefore propose that interactions between three aspects of big data usage and management accountants’ data analytics skills may be key to reaching high-quality decisions. The purpose of this study is to test these predictions based on a survey of US firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on survey data from 140 US firms. This survey has been conducted via MTurk in 2020.

Findings

The results of the study show that the quality of big data sources is associated with higher perceived levels of decision quality. However, according to the results, the breadth of big data sources and a data-driven culture only improve decision quality if management accountants’ data analytics skills are highly developed. These results point to the important, but so far unexamined role of an organization’s management accountants and their skills for translating big data into high-quality decisions.

Practical implications

The present study highlights the importance of an organization’s human skills in creating value out of big data. In particular, the findings imply that management accountants may need to increasingly draw on data analytics skills to make the most out of big data for their employers.

Originality/value

This study is among the first, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to provide empirical proof of the relevance of an organization’s management accountants and their data analytics skills for reaching desirable firm-level outcomes. In addition, this study thus adds to the further advancement of the knowledge-based view by providing evidence that in contemporary big-data environments, interactions between tacit and explicit knowledge seem crucial for driving desirable firm-level outcomes.
Bottled vs tap water perceptions, choices and recommendations in a US Midwest university community
Authors: Olagunju Kehinde , Sante Maya R. , Bracey Georgia , Greenfield Ben K.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study aims to determine preference and concerns regarding tap vs bottled water and recommendations to increase tap water use in a US Midwest university. The authors propose interventions to increase tap water use based on survey results.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted an online survey of the community of a regional comprehensive university in the St. Louis metro-east region (Illinois, USA). They analyzed 781 responses using mixed methods, and developed recommendations based on community-based social marketing principles.

Findings

Black respondents reported higher bottled water use than White respondents. Undergraduate students reported higher bottled water use than faculty or staff. Most respondents were concerned about cost and environmental impact for bottled water and taste and water quality for tap water. Chemical and safety concerns were specific and location-focused for tap water only. Concerns were similar to Safe Drinking Water Act mandated public information, such as prior reports of lead (Pb) in campus drinking water. Tap water taste concerns may relate to proximity to the water treatment plant, resulting in high residual chlorine levels. To increase tap water use in this community, the authors recommend persuasive information campaigns, improvements to infrastructure and distribution that increase tap water convenience, more transparent public reporting on tap water lead levels, management of residual chlorine levels, and establishment of institutional norms favoring tap water over bottled water.

Originality/value

The authors evaluate barriers to drinking tap water across multiple environmental and social systems. The methods used in this study combine mixed methods analysis and community-based social marketing. The findings integrate respondent demographics and concerns, local water quality, local and national contamination events, campus-specific sustainability initiatives and barriers, and national drinking water regulations.
Mechanical properties, permeability and microstructure of concrete using construction and industrial waste
Authors: Sharma Rachit
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to evaluate construction and industrial waste materials in concrete using different additives.

Design/methodology/approach

The experimental study investigated the effect of waste foundry sand (WFS), waste glass (GW) as partial substituent to natural sand and addition of waste glass fibers (GFs) and silica fume (SF) in natural/construction waste aggregate concrete on mechanical properties, durability and microstructure using.

Findings

The results reveal significant strength enhancement on using two admixtures, the maximum increase in compressive strength was obtained on using 20% WFS and 0.75% GF for both natural (75% increment) and construction waste (72% increment) coarse aggregates. Using three admixtures simultaneously, the maximum enhancement in compressive strength was found for (WFS(20%) + GW(10%) + GF(0.75%)) for both natural aggregates (122% increment) and construction waste (114% increment) coarse aggregates as compared to control mix. The 28 days split tensile and flexural strength of natural/construction waste aggregate concrete improve with age appreciably for optimal contents of single, two or three admixtures and the maximum tensile and flexural strength increment was 135 and 97% for mix (WFS(20%) + GW(10%) + GF(0.75%)) with natural aggregates as compared to control mix. The microstructural analysis results indicate improved microstructure upon partial substitution of sand with WFS, GW and SF along with addition of waste GFs.

Originality/value

The use of construction and industrial waste as a substituent to natural aggregate/sand will provide far reaching benefits for the green construction and the environment at large.
Digitalization of manufacturing for implanting value, configuring circularity and achieving sustainability
Authors: Prakash Gyan , Ambedkar Kumar
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper explores the relationships between Industry 4.0-driven technologies and the circular economy-driven business model (CEDBM) components of value creation, delivery and capture along manufacturing processes.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the literature, a research model is developed in which the three CEBDM components are represented by five components: product service system (PSS), product design, industrial symbiosis (IS), consumer interaction and pay-per-use/rental. For each of these five components, enabling Industry 4.0 technologies are identified and vague interdependence relationships were assessed using a fuzzy decision-making trial and evaluation laboratory (DEMATEL) method.

Findings

This paper contributes to the literature by exploring the relationships of the CEDBM components of value creation, value delivery and value capture with Industry 4.0-driven technological enablers. In addition, causal relationships between Industry 4.0 technologies and their relevance for facilitating CE-enabled manufacturing processes are identified, and finally, Industry 4.0-driven technological enablers of CE are categorized as base and front-end technologies.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that value delivery-based differentiation provides new avenues for value creation and innovative forms of value capture in CEDBMs.

Practical implications

Practitioners can use the findings to develop a roadmap for Industry 4.0-driven technological solutions for CE.

Social implications

CE-driven processes of manufacturing provide not only opportunities for value capture, creation and delivery but also avenues for customer-centric product and service development and effective resource utilization.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to identify value creation, delivery and capture processes along with Industry 4.0-enabled manufacturing processes.
Does striking a balance pay off? Implications of innovative ambidexterity for SMEs during COVID-19 crisis
Authors: Smara Rafik , Bogatyreva Karina , Laskovaia Anastasiia , Van Wagoner Hunter Phoenix
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Exploration and exploitation have long been documented as prominent approaches to business management and organizational adaptation to external environment. Maintaining balance between these activities is a key to survival and prosperity. However, there is little direct evidence of the effect of such combined usage of both approaches on firm performance in times of crisis, especially within small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). The purpose of this paper is to reveal the role of balanced ambidexterity in shaping firm performance during COVID-19 recession.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a survey of 333 Russian SMEs, the authors test the proposed theoretical framework linking innovative ambidexterity to firm performance level and variability taking into account technological uncertainty.

Findings

The results show that innovative ambidexterity tends to increase level and decrease variability of performance outcomes, whereas technological uncertainty acts as a positive contingency for this impact.

Originality/value

The results provide an improved understanding of ambidexterity and organizational literatures by clarifying the contingent nature of the ambidexterity–firm performance relationship during COVID-19 recession.
COVID-19: the impact of the pandemic fear on IPO underpricing
Authors: Fedorova Elena , Chertsov Pavel , Kuzmina Anna
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to assess how the information disclosed in prospectuses impacted the initial public offering (IPO) underpricing at a time of high government interference amid the ongoing pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The design of this study has several tracks, namely, a macro-level track, which is represented by the government measures to halt the pandemic; a micro-level track, which is followed by textual analysis of IPO prospectuses; and, finally, a machine learning track, in which the authors use state-of-the-art tools to improve their linear regression model.

Findings

The authors found that strict government anti-COVID-19 measures indeed contribute to the reduction of the IPO underpricing. Interestingly, the mere fact of such measures taking place is enough to take effect on financial markets, regardless of the resulting efficiency of such measures. At the micro-level, the authors show that prospectus sentiments and their significance differ across prospectus sections. Using linear regression and machine learning models, the authors find robust evidence that such sections as “Risk factors”, “Prospectus summary”, “Financial Information” and “Business” play a crucial role in explaining the underpricing. Their effect is different, namely, it turns out that the more negative “Risk factors” and “Financial Information” sentiment, the higher the resulting underpricing. Conversely, the more positive “Prospectus summary” and “Business” sentiments appear, the lower the resulting underpricing is. In addition, we used machine learning methods. Consisting of more than 580 IPO prospectuses, the study sample required modern and powerful machine learning tools like Isolation Forest for pre-processing or Random Forest Regressor and Light Gradient Boosting Model for modelling purposes, which enabled the authors to gain better results compared to the classic linear regression model.

Originality/value

At the micro level, this study is not confined to 2020, but also embraces 2021, the year of the record number of IPOs held. Moreover, in this paper, these were prospectuses that served as a source of management sentiment. In addition, the authors used a tailor-made government stringency index. At the micro level, basing the study on behavioural finance hypotheses, the authors conducted both separate and holistic analysis of prospectuses to assess investors’ reaction to different aspects of IPO companies as well as to the characteristics of the IPOs themselves. Lastly, the authors introduced a few innovations to the research methodology. Textual analysis was conducted on a corpus of prospectuses included in a study sample. However, the authors did not use pre-trained dictionaries, but instead opted for FLAIR, a modern open-source framework for natural language processing.
Development and validation of the Jordanian food purchasing habits survey
Authors: Abu Zeinah Zeinah , Al Sayyed Hiba , Al-Awwad Narmeen
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The authors developed and validated a questionnaire called “The Jordanian Food Purchasing Habits Survey” (JFPHS). The purpose of this questionnaire was to explore Jordanians’ food purchasing habits and the factors which may affect these habits among a convenient sample of people. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no such questionnaires have been developed to measure these factors for the Jordanian population. This paper aims to describe the reasoning behind and the process of developing the (JFPHS).

Design/methodology/approach

The JFPHS investigated meal preparation and grocery shopping behaviors, nutrition label use and factors affecting purchasing of 13 (n= 13) food groups. A two-step process, a pilot test and validity study, were used to validate the questionnaire. Internal consistency (split-half reliability) tests were run on the factors in each individual food group producing Spearman–Brown correlation coefficients.

Findings

A convenient sample of 483 individuals (118 males, 365 females) participated in the study. Spearman–Brown correlation coefficients were < 0.7 for bread and between 0.7–0.8 and 0.8–0.9 for other food groups. The ingredients list grid and the expiry date grid had Spearman–Brown coefficient values > 0.9.

Social implications

This questionnaire is a valid tool to assess food purchasing behavior. Results from our questionnaire, when published, may be used to monitor trends in food consumption.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no such questionnaires been developed to measure these factors for the Jordanian population.
A qualitative approach to unravel young children’s advertising literacy for YouTube advertising: in-depth interviews with children and their parents
Authors: Loose Femke , Hudders Liselot , De Jans Steffi , Vanwesenbeeck Ini
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine young children’s (ages 4 to 7) knowledge and skills (i.e. their advertising literacy) for television (TV) commercials, YouTube pre-roll ads and influencer marketing. Furthermore, this study explores how parental perceptions and practices and children’s social abilities influence the development of their advertising literacy.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with parents (N = 35) and their child(ren) (ages 4 to 7, N = 40).

Findings

Results revealed preschool children have advertising literacy skills for TV commercials and YouTube pre-roll ads, but not for influencer marketing. These skills are limited to advertising recognition based on perceptual cues and a simple understanding of selling intent. Children’s advertising skills evolved according to age but did not relate to social development. Furthermore, advertising literacy was related to parental media mediation: the more restrictive parents were regarding media use, the less advertising literacy their children appeared to have. No moral reflections regarding advertising were found among the preschool children.

Originality/value

This study fills significant gaps in the literature on young children and advertising. It conducts a qualitative investigation into young children’s knowledge of digital advertising formats (pre-roll ads and influencer marketing) and how they differ from traditional advertising (TV commercials). Furthermore, it takes both parental influences and social developmental variables into account.
Widespread variation in functional trait–vital rate relationships in tropical tree seedlings across a precipitation and soil phosphorus gradient
Authors: Browne Luke , Markesteijn Lars , Manzané‐Pinzón Eric , Wright S. Joseph , Bagchi Robert , Engelbrecht Bettina M. J. , Jones F. Andrew , Comita Liza S.
Published: October 2022

A fundamental assumption of functional ecology is that functional traits are related to interspecific variation in performance. However, the relationship between functional traits and performance is often weak or uncertain, especially for plants. A potential explanation for this inconsistency is that the relationship between functional traits and vital rates (e.g. growth and mortality) is dependent on local environmental conditions, which would lead to variation in trait–rate relationships across environmental gradients.

In this study, we examined trait–rate relationships for six functional traits (seed mass, wood density, maximum height, leaf mass per area, leaf area and leaf dry matter content) using long‐term data on seedling growth and survival of woody plant species from eight forest sites spanning a pronounced precipitation and soil phosphorus gradient in central Panama.

For all traits considered except for leaf mass per area–mortality, leaf mass per area–growth and leaf area–mortality relationships, we found widespread variation in the strength of trait–rate relationships across sites. For some traits, trait–rate relationships showed no overall trend but displayed wide site‐to‐site variation. In a small subset of cases, variations in trait–rate relationships were explained by soil phosphorus availability.

Our results demonstrate that environmental gradients have the potential to influence how functional traits are related to growth and mortality rates, although much variation remains to be explained. Accounting for site‐to‐site variation may help resolve a fundamental issue in trait‐based ecology—that traits are often weakly related to performance—and improve the utility of functional traits for explaining key ecological and evolutionary processes.

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