bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Photoreceptor loss does not recruit neutrophils despite strong microglial activation
Authors: Power Derek , Elstrott Justin , Schallek Jesse
Published: May 2024

In response to central nervous system (CNS) injury, tissue resident immune cells such as microglia and circulating systemic neutrophils are often first responders. The degree to which these cells interact in response to CNS damage is poorly understood, and even less so, in the neural retina which poses a challenge for high resolution imaging in vivo. In this study, we deploy fluorescence adaptive optics scanning light ophthalmoscopy (AOSLO) to study fluorescent microglia and neutrophils in mice. We simultaneously track immune cell dynamics using label-free phase-contrast AOSLO at micron-level resolution. Retinal lesions were induced with 488 nm light focused onto photoreceptor (PR) outer segments. These lesions focally ablated PRs, with minimal collateral damage to cells above and below the plane of focus. We used in vivo (AOSLO, SLO and OCT) imaging to reveal the natural history of the microglial and neutrophil response from minutes-to-months after injury. While microglia showed dynamic and progressive immune response with cells migrating into the injury locus within 1-day after injury, neutrophils were not recruited despite close proximity to vessels carrying neutrophils only microns away. Post-mortem confocal microscopy confirmed in vivo findings. This work illustrates that microglial activation does not recruit neutrophils in response to acute, focal loss of photoreceptors, a condition encountered in many retinal diseases.
Improving the Reliability and Quality of Nextflow Pipelines with nf-test
Authors: Forer Lukas , Schoenherr Sebastian
Published: May 2024

The workflow management system Nextflow builds together with the nf-core community an essential ecosystem in Bioinformatics. However, ensuring the correctness and reliability of large and complex pipelines is challenging, since a unified and automated unit-style testing framework specific to Nextflow is still missing. To provide this crucial component to the community, we developed the testing framework nf-test. It introduces a modular approach that enables pipeline developers to test individual process blocks, workflow patterns and entire pipelines in insolation. nf-test is based on a similar syntax as Nextflow DSL 2 and provides unique features such as snapshot testing and smart testing to save resources by testing only changed modules. We show on different pipelines that these improvements minimize development time, reduce test execution time by up to 80% and enhance software quality by identifying bugs and issues early. Already adopted by dozens of pipelines, nf-test improves the robustness and reliability in pipeline development.
In VivoSimvastatin and Brain Radiation in a Model of HER2+Inflammatory Breast Cancer Brain Metastasis
Authors: Kumar Swaminathan , Larson Richard A. , Stecklein Shane , Reddy Jay , Debeb Bisrat G. , Amos Richard A. , Cologna Stephanie M. , Woodward Wendy A.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Inhibiting HMG-CoA reductase with simvastatin prevents breast cancer metastases in preclinical models and radiosensitizes monolayer and stem-like IBC cell linesin vitro. Given the extensive use of simvastatin worldwide and its expected penetration into the brain, we examined whether regulating cholesterol with simvastatin affected IBC3 HER2+ brain metastases.

Methods and Materials

Breast cancer cell lines KPL4 and MDA-IBC3 were examined in vitro for DNA repair after radiation with or without statin treatment. Brain metastasis endpoints were examined in the MDA-IBC3 brain metastasis model after ex vivo exposure to lipoproteins and after tail vein injections with and without whole-brain radiotherapy (WBR) and oral statin exposure.

Results

Ex vivopreculture of MDA-IBC3 cells with very low-density lipoprotein (vLDL) enhanced the growth of colonized lesions in the brainin vivocompared with control or high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and concurrent oral simvastatin/ WBR reduced the incidence of micrometastatic lesions evaluated 10 days after WBR. However, statin, with or without WBR, did not reduce the incidence, burden, or number of macrometastatic brain lesions evaluated 5 weeks after WBR.

Conclusions

Although a role for cholesterol biosynthesis is demonstrated in DNA repair and response to whole brain radiation in this model, durable in vivo efficacy of concurrent whole brain irradiation and oral statin was not demonstrated.
Kermut: Composite kernel regression for protein variant effects
Authors: Groth Peter Mørch , Kerrn Mads Herbert , Olsen Lars , Salomon Jesper , Boomsma Wouter
Published: May 2024

Reliable prediction of protein variant effects is crucial for both protein optimization and for advancing biological understanding. For practical use in protein engineering, it is important that we can also provide reliable uncertainty estimates for our predictions, and while prediction accuracy has seen much progress in recent years, uncertainty metrics are rarely reported. We here provide a Gaussian process regression model, Kermut, with a novel composite kernel for modeling mutation similarity, which obtains state-of-the-art performance for supervised protein variant effect prediction while also offering estimates of uncertainty through its posterior. An analysis of the quality of the uncertainty estimates demonstrates that our model provides meaningful levels of overall calibration, but that instance-specific uncertainty calibration remains more challenging.
Analytical and Clinical Validation of AIM-NASH: A Digital Pathology Tool for Artificial Intelligence-based Measurement of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis Histology
Authors: Pulaski Hanna , Harrison Stephen A. , Mehta Shraddha S. , Sanyal Arun J , Vitali Marlena C. , Manigat Laryssa C. , Hou Hypatia , Madasu Christudoss Susan P. , Hoffman Sara M. , Stanford-Moore Adam , Egger Robert , Glickman Jonathan , Resnick Murray , Patel Neel , Taylor Cristin E. , Myers Robert P. , Chung Chuhan , Patterson Scott D. , Sejling Anne-Sophie , Minnich Anne , Baxi Vipul , Subramaniam G. Mani , Anstee Quentin M. , Loomba Rohit , Ratziu Vlad , Montalto Michael C , Beck Andrew H , Wack Katy
Published: May 2024

Metabolic-dysfunction associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a major cause of liver-related morbidity and mortality, yet treatment options are limited. Manual scoring of liver biopsies, currently the gold standard for clinical trial enrollment and endpoint assessment, suffers from high reader variability. This study represents the most comprehensive multi-site analytical and clinical validation of an AI-based pathology system, Artificial Intelligence-based Measurement of Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis (AIM-NASH), to assist pathologists in MASH trial histology scoring. AIM-NASH demonstrated high repeatability and reproducibility compared to manual scoring. AIM-NASH-assisted reads by expert MASH pathologists were superior to unassisted reads in accurately assessing inflammation, ballooning, NAS >= 4 with >=1 in each score category, and MASH resolution, while maintaining non-inferiority in steatosis and fibrosis assessment. These findings suggest AIM-NASH could mitigate reader variability, providing a more reliable assessment of therapeutics in MASH clinical trials.
Data-modeling the interplay between single cell shape, single cell protein expression, and tissue state
Authors: Tamir Yuval , Bussi Yuval , Owczarek Claudia , Luque Luciana , Torrisi Giuseppe , Rose Leor Ariel , Kliper-Gross Orit , Sander Chris , Schumacher Linus , Parsons Maddy , Keren Leeat , Zaritsky Assaf
Published: May 2024

Changes in cell shape are fundamentally involved in signaling, intracellular organization, function, and intercellular interactions within tissues, in health and disease. Investigating the interplay between cell shape and protein expression was limited, until recently, by the number of proteins that can be imaged simultaneously or by population averaging. We combined spatial multiplexed single cell imaging and machine learning to systematically investigate the intricate relationships between cell shape and protein expression in the context of heterogeneous human cells in their native state in human tissue samples in situ. Our analysis established a universal bi-directional link between the cell’s shape and its protein expression across different cell types, diseases, and disease states in human tissues, enabling new applications. Machine learning interpretability showed that the contribution of shape features to a prediction can potentially infer new protein functions. Unbiased screening of the links between all pairs consisting of one protein and one cell type identified a subpopulation of large p53-positive tumor cells across two cancers. Ultimately, inclusion of single cell shape properties enhanced Graph Neural Network disease state prediction. Our results open the door to unraveling the intricate connections between protein expression at the single cell level, cell shape, tissue organization, and tissue state in a physiological context.
Design, Construction, and Validation of a Yeast-Displayed Chemically Expanded Antibody Library
Authors: Rezhdo Arlinda , Hershman Rebecca L. , Van Deventer James A.
Published: May 2024

In vitrodisplay technologies, exemplified by phage and yeast display, have emerged as powerful platforms for antibody discovery and engineering. However, the identification of antibodies that disrupt target functions beyond binding remains a challenge. In particular, there are very few strategies that support identification and engineering of either protein-based irreversible binders or inhibitory enzyme binders. Expanding the range of chemistries in antibody libraries has the potential to lead to efficient discovery of function-disrupting antibodies. In this work, we describe a yeast display-based platform for the discovery of chemically diversified antibodies. We constructed a billion-member antibody library that supports the presentation of a range of chemistries within antibody variable domains via noncanonical amino acid (ncAA) incorporation and subsequent bioorthogonal click chemistry conjugations. Use of a polyspecific orthogonal translation system enables introduction of chemical groups with various properties, including photo-reactive, proximity-reactive, and click chemistry-enabled functional groups for library screening. We established conjugation conditions that facilitate modification of the full library, demonstrating the feasibility of sorting the full billion-member library in “protein-small molecule hybrid” format in future work. Here, we conducted initial library screens after introducingO-(2-bromoethyl)tyrosine (OBeY), a weakly electrophilic ncAA capable of undergoing proximity-induced crosslinking to a target. Enrichments against donkey IgG and protein tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) each led to the identification of several OBeY-substituted clones that bind to the targets of interest. Flow cytometry analysis on the yeast surface confirmed higher retention of binding for OBeY-substituted clones compared to clones substituted with ncAAs lacking electrophilic side chains after denaturation. However, subsequent crosslinking experiments in solution with ncAA-substituted clones yielded inconclusive results, suggesting that weakly reactive OBeY side chain is not sufficient to drive robust crosslinking in the clones isolated here. Nonetheless, this work establishes a multi-modal, chemically expanded antibody library and demonstrates the feasibility of conducting discovery campaigns in chemically expanded format. This versatile platform offers new opportunities for identifying and characterizing antibodies with properties beyond what is accessible with the canonical amino acids, potentially enabling discovery of new classes of reagents, diagnostics, and even therapeutic leads.

Table of Contents Figure
Single-nucleus transcriptomics reveal the cytological mechanism of conjugated linoleic acids in regulating intramuscular fat deposition
Authors: Wang Liyi , Liu Shiqi , Zhang Shu , Wang Yizhen , Zhou Yanbing , Shan Tizhong
Published: May 2024

Conjugated linoleic acids (CLAs) can serve as a nutritional intervention to regulate quality, function and fat infiltration in skeletal muscles but the specific cytological mechanisms are still unknown. Here, we applied single-nucleus RNA-sequencing (snRNA-seq) to characterize the cytological mechanism of CLAs regulates fat infiltration in skeletal muscles based on pig models. We investigated the regulatory effects of CLAs on cell populations and molecular characteristics in pig muscles and found CLAs could promote the transformation of fast glycolytic myofibers into slow oxidative myofibers. We also observed three subpopulations including SCD+/DGAT2+, FABP5+/SIAH1+, and PDE4D+/PDE7B+subclusters in adipocytes and CLAs could increase the percentage of SCD+/DGAT2+adipocytes. RNA velocity analysis showed FABP5+/SIAH1+and PDE4D+/PDE7B+adipocytes could differentiate into SCD+/DGAT2+adipocytes. We further verified the differentiated trajectory of mature adipocytes and identified PDE4D+/PDE7B+adipocytes could differentiate into SCD+/DGAT2+and FABP5+/SIAH1+adipocytes by using high IMF content Laiwu pig models. The cell-cell communication analysis identified the interaction network between adipocytes and other subclusters such as fibro/adipogenic progenitors (FAPs). Pseudotemporal trajectory analysis and RNA velocity analysis also showed FAPs could differentiate into PDE4D+/PDE7B+preadipocytes and we discovered the differentiated trajectory of preadipocytes into mature adipocytes. Besides, we found CLAs could promote FAPs differentiate into SCD+/DGAT2+adipocytes via inhibiting c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) signalling pathwayin vitro. This study provides a foundation for regulating fat infiltration in skeletal muscles by using nutritional strategies and provides potential opportunities to serve pig as an animal model to study human fat infiltrated diseases.
APOE Impacts Lipid Trafficking in Retinal Pigment Epithelium Cells
Authors: Richards Sarah E.V. , Demirs John , Jose Sandra , Fan Lin , Xu YongYao , Esterberg Robert , Huang Chia-Ling , Wilson Christopher W. , Saint-Geniez Magali , Liao Sha-Mei
Published: May 2024

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is typified by the formation of lipid-rich drusen under the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) layer. Apolipoprotein E (APOE) is a known genetic risk factor for AMD and a substantial component of drusen, however, the mechanism by which APOE variants contribute to AMD pathology remains unclear. APOE is the primary cholesterol and lipid transport protein of the central nervous system, as well as a component circulating lipoproteins. To better understand how APOE-dependent lipid transport may impact AMD risk, we generated isogenic APOE iPS-RPE cells expressing each of the common human APOE isoforms, as well as an APOE knockout line. APOE knockout cells showed significant morphological and barrier function deficits, suggesting that APOE is essential for RPE health. Furthermore, we observed that APOE abundance is isoform-dependent in RPE cells and that lipid transport is deficient in APOE knockout RPE cells, as well as in RPE cells expressing APOE2, a variant associated with higher risk of AMD. Contrastingly, cells expressing APOE4 seem to respond strongly to lipid challenges by upregulating APOE to support efficient lipid transport. Our results suggest that disease associated APOE variants may impact lipid transport in RPE, contributing to the formation of drusen and impairing cellular function.
Job-field underemployment: its effect on career obstacles in the Israeli labor market
Authors: More Sharon
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of the current article is to examine the effect of the inefficient allocation of academic individuals in the Israeli labor market in terms of mismatch between their fields of education and occupation – a phenomenon referred in the literature as “horizontal mismatch” and “job-field underemployment” – on their duration of unemployment, in the local labor market.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample size of 8,554 participants have taken part in the survey by the Central Bureau of Statistics: Undergraduate students at academic institutions in Israel in the academic year of 2010–2011, who were sampled again in the academic year of 2017–2018, to determine the nature of their integration into the labor market, and the quality of their career progress. The study’s methodology is statistical-correlational, and its data mainly based on the answers of the participants in the research tool (questionnaire). A T-test for independent samples (via SPSS) has proven the key results.

Findings

The average cumulative annual duration of unemployment, as of graduation with a bachelor’s degree, among the mismatched graduates, was found to be higher than the average cumulative annual duration of unemployment among the matched graduates.

Originality/value

The current study’s originality lays both in its large sample size (8,554), and in the repeatability element of its sampling (test-retest reliability). Also, its findings regarding the consequences of the nature of the match between the educational field and occupational field – on the quality of integration of academics in the Israeli labor market, are pioneers in this field.
Emission reduction pressure and enterprise digital transformation: do enterprise innovation and digital economy matter?
Authors: Li Xiuping , Yang Ye
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Coordinating low-carbonization and digitalization is a practical implementation pathway to achieve high-quality economic development. Regions are under great emission reduction pressure to achieve low-carbon development. However, why and how regional emission reduction pressure influences enterprise digital transformation is lacking in the literature. This study empirically tests the impact of emission reduction pressure on enterprise digital transformation and its mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

This article takes the data of non-financial listed companies from 2011 to 2020 as a sample. The digital transformation index is measured by entropy value method. The bidirectional fixed effect model was used to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The research results show that emission reduction pressure forces enterprise digital transformation. The mechanism lies in that emission reduction pressure improves digital transformation by promoting enterprise innovation, and digital economy moderates the nexus between emission reduction pressure and digital transformation. Furthermore, the effect of emission reduction pressure on digital transformation is more significant for non-state-owned, mature and high-tech enterprises.

Originality/value

This paper discusses the mediating role of enterprise innovation between carbon emission reduction pressure and enterprise digital transformation, as well as the moderating role of digital economy. The research expands the body of knowledge about dual carbon targets, digitization and technological innovation. The author’s findings help update the impact of regional digital economy development on enterprise digital transformation. It also provides theoretical guidance for the realization of digital transformation by enterprise innovation.
The impact of the interaction of independent and cooperative innovation on firm digitization: the moderating role of managerial discretion
Authors: Gao Jiaxin , Gu Xin , Yang Xue
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to deliver a new perspective on how the interaction of independent and cooperative innovation affects firm digitization. Based on resource constraint theory, this study argues that the aforementioned interaction negatively affects firm digitization. The moderating role of managerial discretion is also discussed in light of the principles of the awareness-motivation-capability (AMC) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed hypotheses are empirically tested using a negative binomial modeling approach. The data used are from A-share listed companies in China’s Shanghai and Shenzhen stock markets from 2006 to 2020.

Findings

This study suggests that the interaction of independent innovation and cooperative innovation negatively impacts digitization. In addition, this study argues that environmental discretion and organizational discretion weaken the negative impact of the mentioned interaction on digitization. However, additional discretion in the Chinese context has no effect on above relationships.

Originality/value

This study explores the impact of the interaction of independent and cooperative innovation on digitization and incorporates managerial discretion into this framework based on the AMC framework.
(Re)Framing sustainable careers: toward a conceptual model and future research agenda
Authors: Donald William E. , Van der Heijden Beatrice I.J.M. , Manville Graham
Published: May 2024

Purpose

By adopting a Social Exchange Theory (SET) lens, this paper aims to integrate the often-fragmented literature streams of Vocational Behavior (VB), Career Development (CD), and Human Resource Management (HRM) to offer a conceptual model for framing sustainable careers.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual approach is taken whereby eight propositions are developed to integrate the fragmented literature streams of VB, CD, and HRM.

Findings

We posit that external factors and career counseling moderate the positive relationship between employability capital and self-perceived employability. We also argue that self-perceived employability is positively associated with career success and that career crafting moderates this relationship. Finally, we propose that career success is positively associated with a sustainable career, which, in turn, is positively associated with a sustainable organization.

Practical implications

The practical contribution comes from informing VB, CD, and HRM policies and practices to maximize sustainable outcomes for individuals and organizations. The paper concludes with recommendations for future research.

Originality/value

The theoretical contribution comes from integrating the three literature streams to offer a conceptual model as the basis for further interdisciplinary collaborations.
Financial mechanism for sustainability: the case of China’s green financial system and corporate green investment
Authors: Khalid Fahad , Su Chih-Yi , Weiwei Kong , Voinea Cosmina L. , Srivastava Mohit
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study empirically evaluates the effect of China’s 2016 Green Financial System (GFS) framework on corporate green development, focusing on the role of green investment in achieving sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a quasinatural experiment design to combine difference-in-difference and propensity score matching methods for analysis. It examines 799 polluting and 1,130 nonpolluting firms from 2013 to 2020, enabling a comprehensive assessment of the GFS framework’s influence.

Findings

This study affirms a statistically significant positive influence of the GFS framework on escalating green investment levels in polluting firms. Robust sensitivity analyses, encompassing parallel trend assessment, entropy balancing test, and alternative proxies, corroborate these findings. A mediation analysis identifies the implementation of an environmental management system as the potential underlying mechanism. A cross-sectional analysis identifies high financial slack, high profitability, mandatory CSR regulations, and marketization level as the influencing factors.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s findings have critical implications for policymakers, regulators, and companies. Demonstrating the effectiveness of the GFS framework in driving green investment underscores the importance of aligning financial systems with sustainability goals.

Originality/value

This study contributes novel empirical evidence on the positive effect of China’s GFS framework on corporate green development. The quasinatural experiment design, coupled with comprehensive sensitivity analyses, strengthens the robustness of the findings.
A modified Green-Naghdi fractional order model for analyzing thermoelectric MHD
Authors: Hendy Mohamed M. , Ezzat Magdy A.
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Whereas, the classical Green-Naghdi Type II (GN-II) model struggles to accurately represent the thermo-mechanical behavior of thermoelectric MHD due to its inability to account for the memory effect. A new mathematical model of the GN-II theory incorporates a fractional order of heat transport to address this issue.

Design/methodology/approach

The employment of the matrix exponential method, which forms the basis of the state-space approach in contemporary theory, is central to this strategy. The resulting formulation, together with the Laplace transform techniques, is applied to a variety of problems. Solutions to a thermal shock problem and to a problem of a layer media both without heat sources are obtained. Also, a problem with the distribution of heat sources is considered. The numerical technique is used to achieve the Laplace transform inversion.

Findings

According to the numerical results and its graphs, the influences of the fractional order parameters, figure-of-merit factor, thermoelectric power and Peltier coefficient on the behavior of the field quantities are investigated in the new theory.

Originality/value

The new modeling of thermoelectric MHD has advanced significantly as a result of this work, providing a more thorough and precise tool for forecasting the behavior of these materials under a range of thermal and magnetic conditions.
Mental health matters: individual, organizational and leadership dynamics on employee mental wellness through organizational interventions
Authors: Mehta Mita , Golani Taniya , Saxena Abhineet , Saxena Priti
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study aims to discover the complex relationships between individual factors (IF), organizational culture (OC) and leadership styles that impact employee mental health (MH) in the post-pandemic age. Considering the changing nature of the workforce, which has been made worse by the COVID-19 epidemic, the research attempts to clarify the complex interactions between these components.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses the structural equation modeling (SEM) methodology. The authors collected data from 383 information technology sector employees and used the partial least squares SEM tool to analyze. The SEM analysis models the relationships between IF, OC and organizational leadership (OL), examining how these factors collectively influence employee MH. In addition, the study explores the mediating effects of organizational interventions (OI) to assess the pathways through which these interventions impact the observed relationships.

Findings

OL and OC significantly impact employees’ MH. Also, OI plays a role in mediating variables in fortifying this relationship; one of the viable explanations for this may be that unlike IF, OL and OC are more comprehensive in coverage and influence the overall organization.

Originality/value

The present study suggests the crucial role of OL and the OC in ensuring better employee MH, emphasizing how organizations navigate these transformative shifts, which are critical for realizing their full potential professionally and personally.
Tech for stronger financial market performance: the impact of AI on stock price crash risk in emerging market
Authors: Li Shuangyan , Younas Muhammad Waleed , Maqsood Umer Sahil , Zahid R. M. Ammar
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The increasing awareness and adoption of technology, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), reshapes industries and daily life, fostering a proactive approach to risk management and leveraging advanced analytics, which may affect the stock price crash risk (SPCR). The main objective of the current study is to explore how AI adoption influences SPCR.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employs an Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) fixed-effect regression model to explore the impact of AI on SPCR in Chinese A-share listed companies from 2010 to 2020. Further, number of robustness analysis (2SLS, PSM and Sys-GMM) and channel analysis are used to validate the findings.

Findings

The primary findings emphasize that AI adoption significantly reduces SPCR likelihood. Further, channel analysis indicates that AI adoption enhances internal control quality, contributing to a reduction in firm SPCR. Additionally, the observed relationship is notably more pronounced in non-state-owned enterprises (non-SOEs) compared to state-owned enterprises (SOEs). Similarly, this distinction is heightened in nonforeign enterprises (non-FEs) as opposed to foreign enterprises (FEs). The study finding also supports the notion that financial analysts enhance transparency, reducing the SPCR. Moreover, the study results consistently align across different statistical methodologies, including 2SLS, PSM and Sys-GMM, employed to effectively address endogeneity concerns.

Research limitations/implications

Our study stands out for its distinctive focus on the financial implications of AI adoption, particularly how it influences firm-level SPCR, an area that has been overlooked in previous research. Through the lens of information asymmetry theory, agency theory, and the economic implications of integrating AI into financial markets, our study makes a substantial contribution in mitigating SPCR.

Originality/value

This study underscores the pivotal role of AI adoption in influencing stock markets for enterprises in China. Embracing digital strategies, fostering transparency and prioritizing talent development are key for reaping substantial benefits. The study recommends regulatory bodies and service providers to promote AI adoption in strengthening financial supervision and ensure market stability, emphasizing the importance of investing in technologies and advancing talent development.
Identifying consumer-based digital content marketing consumption motives: a qualitative study
Authors: Gupta Shelleka , Dutt Ronnie
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This study attempts to enrich the digital content marketing (DCM) literature by identifying consumer-based DCM consumption motives and the preferable content dissemination platforms and formats to fulfil these motives exclusively in the context of beauty brands.

Design/methodology/approach

Thematic analysis has been used as the qualitative technique for the study. In-depth interviews in a semi-structured format were conducted with 30 consumers who were mandated to be active followers of at least one beauty content creator on digital/social media platforms. Utilising NVivo 11.0, transcripts were analysed.

Findings

The findings reveal seven consumer-based DCM consumption motives: authenticity, economic, exploration, functional, hedonic, suitability and purchase decision. Further, the findings also demonstrate the most preferred content dissemination platforms and formats, namely digital channels of content creators, customers' reviews and social media (Instagram and YouTube) to fulfil these motives.

Research limitations/implications

The study advances the existing literature by exploring novel consumer-based DCM consumption motives postulated as “antecedents to digital content marketing”. Moreover, it also enriches practical knowledge as the efficient and effective application of the research findings can prove fruitful to beauty brands employing DCM as the primary marketing tool.

Originality/value

This study makes a distinctive contribution by promoting work on unexplored areas of digital content marketing. It proposes content strategies for beauty brands and digital content creators to augment the digital content creation, dissemination and evaluation process. Furthermore, it also outlines the research topics that future scholars can focus on to advance the DCM literature.
Leading a successful rural school in Australia
Authors: Hudson Christopher
Published: May 2024

Purpose

This paper presents a case study of successful rural school leadership in Victoria, Australia. The purpose of the paper is to identify how particular leadership practices were adapted to secure rural school success.

Design/methodology/approach

The author used the International Successful School Principalship Project research protocols to develop a multiple-perspective, mixed-method case study that investigated the principal's leadership at the school.

Findings

The findings illustrate how the leadership practices of the principal healed the fractured school–community relationships, which allowed the school community to work together towards a common school vision. A key factor in the school's success was the principal's personal connection to the local rural community of which he was a part. This notion of native connection could have practical implications for the recruitment and retention of rural principals in the future.

Originality/value

Whilst it is widely acknowledged that principals need to consider their school and community contexts when making leadership decisions, there have been few studies that have focussed on understanding how this can be achieved in the context of rural schools. This case provides a rich account of a principal's leadership practices in one successful school in rural Australia.
Readiness for re-entry among pre-release prisoners in Sarawak, Malaysia
Authors: Tharshini N.K. , Wong Swee Kiong , Haji Mas’ud Faizah , Ali Kamsiah , Ahmad Nur Addila
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Re-entry refers to the process of transitioning back into society after incarceration, and it is a complex phenomenon that requires further exploration. Therefore, this study aims to identify the readiness for re-entry among pre-release prisoners in Sarawak, Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

Using Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory as the theoretical foundation, quantitative place-based research was conducted among 384 pre-release prisoners in Kuching, Sri Aman, Sibu, Miri, Bintulu and Limbang prisons.

Findings

This study’s results indicated that most respondents were Malay male offenders between the ages of 25 and 29, Malaysian citizens, single and had completed their education up to the upper secondary level. Most respondents had multiple prior convictions (52.3%), were convicted for drug-related offences (50.3%), had served sentences ranging from two to five years (56.0%) and were scheduled for release in 2023 (60.7%). The findings also demonstrated that factors such as personal development, perceived employability, social development and health development significantly predict readiness for re-entry among pre-release prisoners [F(4, 379) = 96.269, p < 0.01].

Practical implications

The findings of this study provide place-based evidence for the state government to understand the prisoner profile for further policy intervention measures and to enhance the personal development, perceived employability, social development and health development of pre-release prisoners. Given that most offenses were drug-related, it is crucial to highlight the state government’s need to invest in evidence-based drug treatment programmes. Synergy among different stakeholders is important to devise appropriate drug treatment programmes tailored to the current needs of the prison population to ensure successful reintegration into society and to actualise their potential.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first research study conducted in Sarawak, Malaysia, that examined re-entry readiness among pre-release prisoners. It contributes to the knowledge pool by providing place-based evidence that takes into account readiness for re-entry among pre-release prisoners in Sarawak, Malaysia, from an Asian perspective to promote the attainment of SDG16.
Customers' motivations to engage with quick service restaurant (QSR) brands on social media: a uses and gratifications approach
Authors: Kaur Tanveen , Kathuria Lalit Mohan
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Drawing upon uses and gratifications (U&G) theory and customers' online brand-related activities framework, the present study aims to examine the influence of customers’ motivations to engage with brand-related social media content on different social media engagement behaviors (consumption, contribution and creation) and brand-related outcomes (brand trust and brand loyalty) in the quick service restaurant (QSR) context.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on a self-administered survey dataset of 500 social media users who are customers of QSR brands, partial least square structural equation modeling is used to verify the hypotheses.

Findings

Results showed that interactivity motivation and information motivation drive all the social media engagement behaviors (consumption, contribution and creation). The results also confirmed the mediating effect of brand trust on the relationship between two levels of social media engagement behaviors (consumption and contribution) and brand loyalty.

Practical implications

To entice customers to engage with QSR brands on social media, social media marketing managers should incorporate elements of interactivity, information, entertainment and incentive into QSR social media brand posts rather than relying solely on delivering social media content in a variety of ways such as photos, videos and status updates.

Originality/value

This study makes a novel contribution to hospitality and social media engagement literature, thus uncovering opportunities for managers to engage their customers on social media.
Unveiling interest rates and Islamic banking activity: empirical evidence from Saudi banks
Authors: Djelassi Mouldi , Boukhatem Jamel
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to explore the impact of interest rate shocks on the deposits and financing of Islamic and conventional banks in Saudi Arabia.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use impulse response functions (IRFs) and variance decomposition (VDC) analyses over the period 2008Q1–2020Q2.

Findings

The IRFs showed that increasing interest rates reduce loans and conventional deposits. For Islamic banks, the deposits are more affected by interest rate changes than the financing. The VDC analysis found that deposits contribute up to 61% of Islamic financing variations, compared to only 25% in conventional lending ones.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the field of Islamic economics and finance by providing empirical evidence on how interest rates likely impact Islamic and conventional deposits and financing in Saudi banking system.
Empowering leadership and team change capability: the mediating effect of team PsyCap
Authors: Supriharyanti Elisabeth , Sukoco Badri Munir , Ubaidi Abdillah , Susanto Ely , Widianto Sunu , Nasution Reza Ashari , Fauzi Anas Miftah , Wu Wann-Yih
Published: May 2024

Purpose

Based on Resource Conservation (COR) theory, this study explores the antecedent of team change capability, which consists of the dimensions of learning, process and context and examines how, under the empowering leadership (EL) of middle managers, team change capability (TCC) may be built through team psychological capital (TPSyCap).

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted with 853 respondents and 55 teams from 11 leading autonomous higher education institutions (AHEIs) in Indonesia.

Findings

The results show that EL is positively related to TPsyCap, which mediates the relationship between EL and TCC, particularly for TCC learning capability. However, TPsyCap does not mediate the effect of EL on TCC process capability and TCC- context capability.

Originality/value

This study enriches existing leadership literature, which is considered relevant in building organizational change capabilities, particularly on a team level. Furthermore, the findings reveal TPsyCap is an important intervention mechanism in catalyzing the relationship between EL and TCC.
The effects of disinformation among citizens of in Spain, UK and Germany: digital platforms, topics, consequences and influence of sociodemographic factors
Authors: Alonso-Muñoz Laura , Tirado García Alejandra , Casero-Ripollés Andreu
Published: May 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to discover how false information has been received through mobile instant messaging services (MIMS), Facebook and Twitter and what sociodemographic factors have a stronger influence on the perception of the democratic effects generated by the disinformation on the citizens of three countries.

Design/methodology/approach

To do this, an online survey (n = 3,019) was developed for citizens of Spain (n = 1,015), Germany (n = 1,001) and the UK (n = 1,003). The sample is stratified according to the gender, age, income and ideology of the respondents.

Findings

The results show that the reception of false information is high in all three countries, especially on Facebook. Additionally, we found that the country of origin, genre, age and ideology influence the reception of disinformation in MIMS, but not in the rest of the platforms. Considering disinformation's effects on citizens, we observe how, in general terms, those surveyed perceive disinformation effects with a medium-low intensity. In this way, citizens do not believe that false information causes substantial changes in their thinking. An increase in mistrust has been detected toward social media and mainstream media, which are not considered reliable sources of information. At this point, the respondents' country of origin, income and ideology are conditioning factors.

Originality/value

This research provides some relevant trends that help to better understand how disinformation is received on digital platforms in three countries with different political and social traditions, as well as the effects that it has had on citizens and the sociodemographic and political factors that have a greater incidence.
Spanish children spelling in English as a foreign language: Central and peripheral processes
Authors: Suárez‐Coalla Paz , Hevia‐Tuero Carmen , Martínez‐García Cristina , Afonso Olivia
Published: May 2024

Background

Spelling acquisition requires the assimilation of the regularities of the writing system, but these regularities may differ between the native and a foreign language. English spelling acquisition is a challenge for Spanish‐speaking children due to differences in the orthographic systems. The aim of this study was to examine to what extent Spanish‐speaking children use sub‐lexical and lexical information when spelling in English as a foreign language (EFL), and whether this varies across grades.

Methods

To achieve this, we administered a spelling‐to‐dictation task of monosyllabic words to children 9 to 11 years old. Spelling accuracy, written latencies, and writing durations were analysed as a function of phonology‐to‐orthography consistency, lexical frequency, word length, and the semantic knowledge that the children have of the words.

Results

Results showed differences between grades, with word length only influencing younger children. Lexical frequency, consistency, and semantic knowledge facilitated performance in older children. The cumulative exposure to English may lead to an improvement in spelling due to vocabulary growth and increased sensitivity to new spelling patterns and regularities. Such development occurs despite differences between the orthographies of the native and foreign language and even in the absence of explicit instruction in EFL spelling.

Conclusions

Semantic information about words helps spelling retrieval during writing in EFL. Spanish‐speaking children develop sensitivity to English orthography and spelling patterns, evident in the older group of children.
The burden of reputation: Star CEOs and conditional accounting conservatism
Authors: Qian Yuting , Ding Wenhong , Quan Xiaofeng , Guan Wei
Published: May 2024

This study investigates whether CEO reputation affects firms' conditional accounting conservatism. We use prestigious CEO awards conferred by authoritative business media as an exogenous shock to increase CEOs' reputations. Based on a difference‐in‐differences empirical design, we find that firms with award‐winning CEOs exhibit significantly lower accounting conservatism after the events compared with firms with non‐award‐winning CEOs. We further show that this effect occurs through the channels of market pressure and CEOs' risk‐taking preferences. We also demonstrate that the baseline result is more significant when the CEO has higher discretion in shaping the firm's accounting policies, when external monitoring is weaker, and when internal control has greater deficiencies. Overall, our results suggest that CEO reputation meaningfully impacts corporate accounting policy.
Addressing disparities in health outcomes for patients with advanced pancreatic cancer and limited English proficiency
Authors: Williams Colin , Chong Geoff , Tacey Mark , Barnett Frances , Mooi Jennifer , Jalali Azim , Hodgson Russell , Yong Tuck , Lee Belinda
Published: May 2024

Introduction

There are significant challenges and a lack of data related to culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) cancer patients. We compared patient characteristics, treatment patterns, and outcomes of patients with advanced pancreatic cancer that required an interpreter.

Methods

Registry data was extracted for advanced pancreatic cancer patients from a single health institution with a comprehensive Transcultural and Language Service (TALS). Demographic and clinicopathologic characteristics were compared. Kaplan‐Meier survival estimates with log‐rank testing, and univariate and multivariable regression analysis were performed to compare the group with limited English proficiency (LEP) to the English proficient (EP) group.

Results

Of 155 patients, 32.9% (n = 51) required the TALS. The LEP group had a higher mean age (71.2 vs. 76.8 years; p = 0.005) and received less chemotherapy (42.3% vs. 31.4%, p = 0.220). Univariate analysis revealed a shorter median overall survival (OS) in the LEP group (3.6 vs. 5.0 months), with a hazard ratio [HR] of 1.51 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–2.21, p = 0.033). Upon multivariable analysis, adjusting for Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance scale, the number of sites of metastatic disease and chemotherapy use, the strength of association between LEP and OS reduced marginally (HR 1.42, 95% CI: 0.93–2.16), and was no longer statistically significant (p = 0.103).

Conclusions

In patients with advanced pancreatic cancer utilizing a comprehensive TALS, there was a trend to poorer survival with limited English proficiency, although this association was not statistically significant. An ongoing research commitment to the CALD experience is necessary to build a granular understanding of this population and ensure equitable outcomes.