bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Is Keratoconus More Than Just a Corneal Disease?
Authors: Yıldız Merve Beyza , Bolaç Rüveyde
Published: August 2023

Purpose:

The aims of this study were to compare the scleral thickness (ST), lamina cribrosa thickness (LCT), and lamina cribrosa curvature index between patients with keratoconus and healthy controls and to evaluate the relationship between these values and corneal parameters.

Methods:

This cross-sectional study included 41 eyes of 41 patients with keratoconus and 30 eyes of 30 age-matched, sex-matched, and axial length–matched controls. Nasal and temporal STs were measured vertically, 4 mm posterior to the scleral spur, using anterior segment optical coherence tomography. The LCT was measured on the radial scans of the optic nerve head. The lamina cribrosa curvature index (lamina cribrosa curvature depth/curvature width × 100) was calculated to determine the degree of posterior bowing of the lamina cribrosa.

Results:

The nasal ST and temporal ST were significantly lower in the keratoconus group than in the control group (P = 0.016 and P = 0.023, respectively). The LCT was significantly lower in the keratoconus group compared with the control group (P < 0.001). There was no significant difference between the groups for the lamina cribrosa curvature index (P = 0.375). Correlation analysis revealed a significant correlation between the nasal and temporal STs and the central corneal thickness (r = 0.376, P < 0.001 and r = 0.387, P < 0.001, respectively). There was also a significant correlation between the temporal ST and the minimum corneal thickness in the keratoconus group (r = 0.332, P = 0.015). The LCT was significantly correlated with the central corneal thickness (r = 0.445, P < 0.001).

Conclusions:

Structural features of the cornea, sclera, and lamina cribrosa with similar collagen content may be similarly affected in patients with keratoconus. Further histologic studies are needed to confirm our results.
Coronavirus disease 2019 in the occupational settings
Authors: Monaco Maria Grazia Lourdes , Spiteri Gianluca , Porru Stefano
Published: August 2023

Purpose of review

Within the framework of a scientific scenario dominated by the COVID-19 pandemic, this work aims to briefly review the latest evidence concerning the selected impact and management of COVID-19 on the working populations in order to identify possible future research and development areas on specific topics.

Recent findings

The main selected theme covered by the review of the current scientific literature were Healthcare settings, Vulnerable workers, ’Post Covid-19 condition’ and vaccine effectiveness.

Current scientific evidence highlights the need to reassess the occupational risks, considering not only the new circumstances of virus spread and COVID-19 occurrence but also the effectiveness of preventive measures as well as the appraisal of the new medical conditions and susceptibilities that the pandemic has brought to light, such as the post-COVID-19 condition. These challenges should be tackled by occupational physicians, in particular, those who have the skills to develop tailored health surveillance and elaborate procedures adequate to protect vulnerable workers and their fitness for work while encouraging a safe return to work. These specialists need the support of high-quality, targeted scientific research, generated by field studies.
Evidence-based public health interventions – current situation and challenges in respect to eating behaviour
Authors: Lenoir-Wijnkoop Irene
Published: August 2023

Purpose of review

Healthcare authorities and policymakers are well aware that chronic diseases associated with eating behaviour and lifestyle are a threat for the sustainability of health structures and for the wellbeing of the general population. Despite relentless efforts, the result of numerous nutritional public health initiatives to reduce dietary risk factors remain disappointing.

Recent findings

Adherence to the recommendations, often compromised by behavioural determinants, might get further jeopardized by the influence of social media. Another matter of concern is the emerging use of food delivery services, which has spread rapidly during the COVID-19 pandemic. The devastating impact of these recent changes in consumer habits might not be quantifiable before several years.

Alerts about the worrying consequences of inappropriate food intake and exhortations to modify lifestyle can be counterproductive and lead to disengagement and even mistrust. As long as people are not more directly engaged in the process of investigating and establishing the most appropriate orientation for adequate healthy eating strategies, they will continue to be insufficiently spurred. The deployment of citizen science within public health nutrition research would offer an outstanding opportunity to get better insight in the most suitable triggers for inducing sustainable behaviour changes, an important challenge for health promotion.
Biomarkers of aging through the life course: a recent literature update
Authors: Gaylord Abigail , Cohen Alan A. , Kupsco Allison
Published: August 2023

Purpose of review

The development of biomarkers of aging has greatly advanced epidemiological studies of aging processes. However, much debate remains on the timing of aging onset and the causal relevance of these biomarkers. In this review, we discuss the most recent biomarkers of aging that have been applied across the life course.

Recent findings

The most recently developed aging biomarkers that have been applied across the life course can be designated into three categories: epigenetic clocks, epigenetic markers of chronic inflammation, and mitochondrial DNA copy number. Although these have been applied at different life stages, the development, validation, and application of these markers has been largely centered on populations of older adults. Few studies have examined trajectories of aging biomarkers across the life course. As the wealth of molecular and biochemical data increases, emerging biomarkers may be able to capture complex and system-specific aging processes. Recently developed biomarkers include novel epigenetic clocks; clocks based on ribosomal DNA, transcriptomic profiles, proteomics, metabolomics, and inflammatory markers; clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential gene mutations; and multiomics approaches.

Attention should be placed on aging at early and middle life stages to better understand trajectories of aging biomarkers across the life course. Additionally, novel biomarkers will provide greater insight into aging processes. The specific mechanisms of aging reflected by these biomarkers should be considered when interpreting results.
Cultivating antimicrobial resistance: how intensive agriculture ploughs the way for antibiotic resistance
Authors: Kelbrick Matthew , Hesse Elze , O' Brien Siobhán
Published: August 2023

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a growing threat to public health, global food security and animal welfare. Despite efforts in antibiotic stewardship, AMR continues to rise worldwide. Anthropogenic activities, particularly intensive agriculture, play an integral role in the dissemination of AMR genes within natural microbial communities – which current antibiotic stewardship typically overlooks. In this review, we examine the impact of anthropogenically induced temperature fluctuations, increased soil salinity, soil fertility loss, and contaminants such as metals and pesticides on the de novo evolution and dissemination of AMR in the environment. These stressors can select for AMR – even in the absence of antibiotics – via mechanisms such as cross-resistance, co-resistance and co-regulation. Moreover, anthropogenic stressors can prime bacterial physiology against stress, potentially widening the window of opportunity for the de novo evolution of AMR. However, research to date is typically limited to the study of single isolated bacterial species – we lack data on how intensive agricultural practices drive AMR over evolutionary timescales in more complex microbial communities. Furthermore, a multidisciplinary approach to fighting AMR is urgently needed, as it is clear that the drivers of AMR extend far beyond the clinical environment.
Quantifying the Uncertainty of Human Activity Recognition Using a Bayesian Machine Learning Method: A Prediction Study
Authors: Mamiya Hiroshi , Fuller Daniel
Published: August 2023

Background

Machine learning methods accurately predict physical activity outcomes using accelerometer data generated by wearable devices, thus allowing the investigation of the impact of built environment on population physical activity. While traditional machine learning methods do not provide prediction uncertainty, a new method, Bayesian Additive Regression Trees (BART) can quantify such uncertainty as posterior predictive distribution. We evaluated the performance of BART in predicting physical activity status.

Methods

We applied multinomial BART and the benchmark method, random forest, to accelerometer data in 25,424 time points, which were generated by wearable devices attached to 37 participants. We evaluated prediction accuracies and confusion matrix using leave-one-out cross-validation.

Results

BART and random forest demonstrated comparable accuracies in prediction.

Conclusions

BART is a relatively novel ML method and will advance the incorporation of predicted physical activity status into built environment research. Future research includes the evaluation of the association between the built environment and predicted physical activity with and without accounting for prediction uncertainty.
MR Image Harmonization with Transformer
Authors: Han Dong , Yu Rui , Li Shipeng , Wang Jing , Yang Yuzun , Zhao Zhixun , Wei Yiming , Cong Shan
Published: August 2023

Many clinical applications require medical image harmonization to combine and normalize images from different scanners or protocols. This paper introduces a Transformer-based MR image harmonization method. Our proposed method leverages the self-attention mechanism of the Transformer to learn the complex relationships between image patches and effectively transfer the imaging characteristics from a source image domain to a target image domain. We evaluate our approach to state-of-the-art methods using a publicly available dataset of brain MRI scans and show that it provides superior quantitative metrics and visual quality. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the proposed approach is highly resistant to fluctuations in image modality, resolution, and noise. Overall, the experiment results indicate that our approach is a promising method for medical image harmonization that can improve the accuracy and reliability of automated analysis and diagnosis in clinical settings.
Identification and functional characterisation of a locus for target site integration inFusarium graminearum
Authors: Darino Martin , Urban Martin , Kaur Navneet , Machado-Wood Ana , Grimwade-Mann Michael , Smith Dan , Beacham Andrew , Hammond-Kosack Kim
Published: August 2023

Background

Fusarium Head Blight is a destructive floral disease of different cereal crops. The Ascomycete fungusFusarium graminearum(Fg) is one of the main causal agents of FHB in wheat and barley. The role(s) in virulence ofFggenes include genetic studies that involve the transformation of the fungus with different expression cassettes. We have observed in several studies whereFggenes functions were characterised that integration of expression cassettes occurred randomly. Random insertion of a cassette may disrupt gene expression and/or protein functions and hence the overall conclusion of the study. Target site integration (TSI) is an approach that consists in identifying a chromosomal region where the cassette can be inserted. The identification of a suitable locus for TSI inFgwould avert the potential risks of ectopic integration.

Results

Here, we identified a highly conserved intergenic region on chromosome 1 suitable for TSI. We named this intergenic region the TSI locus 1. We developed an efficient cloning vector system based on the Golden Gate method to clone different expression cassettes for use in combination with TSI locus 1. We present evidence that integrations in the TSI locus 1 affects neither fungal virulence nor fungal growth under different stress conditions. Integrations at the TSI locus 1 resulted in the expression of different gene fusions. In addition, the activities ofFgnative promoters were not altered by integration into the TSI locus 1. We have developed a bespoke bioinformatic pipeline to analyse the existence of ectopic integrations and tandem insertions of the cassette that may occurred during the transformation process. Finally, we established a protocol to study protein secretion in wheat coleoptiles using confocal microscopy and the TSI locus 1.

Conclusion

The TSI locus 1 can be used inFgand potentially other cereal infecting Fusarium species for diverse studies including promoter activity analysis, secretion, protein localisation studies and gene complementation. The bespoke bioinformatic pipeline developed in this work can be an alternative to southern blotting, the gold standard technique to identify ectopic integration and tandem insertions in fungal transformation.
Enabling large-scale screening of Barrett’s esophagus using weakly supervised deep learning in histopathology
Authors: Bouzid Kenza , Sharma Harshita , Killcoyne Sarah , Castro Daniel C. , Schwaighofer Anton , Ilse Max , Salvatelli Valentina , Oktay Ozan , Murthy Sumanth , Bordeaux Lucas , Moore Luiza , O’Donovan Maria , Thieme Anja , Nori Aditya , Gehrung Marcel , Alvarez-Valle Javier
Published: August 2023

Timely detection of Barrett’s esophagus, the pre-malignant condition of esophageal adenocarcinoma, can improve patient survival rates. The Cytosponge-TFF3 test, a non-endoscopic minimally invasive procedure, has been used for diagnosing intestinal metaplasia in Barrett’s. However, it depends on pathologist’s assessment of two slides stained with H&E and the immunohistochemical biomarker TFF3. This resource-intensive clinical workflow limits large-scale screening in the at-risk population. Deep learning can improve screening capacity by partly automating Barrett’s detection, allowing pathologists to prioritize higher risk cases. We propose a deep learning approach for detecting Barrett’s from routinely stained H&E slides using diagnostic labels, eliminating the need for expensive localized expert annotations. We train and independently validate our approach on two clinical trial datasets, totaling 1,866 patients. We achieve 91.4% and 87.3% AUROCs on discovery and external test datasets for the H&E model, comparable to the TFF3 model. Our proposed semi-automated clinical workflow can reduce pathologists’ workload to 48% without sacrificing diagnostic performance.
Nanoprojectile Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry Enables Multiplexed Analysis of Individual Hepatic Extracellular Vesicles
Authors: Lee Seonhwa , Verkhoturov Dmitriy S. , Eller Michael J. , Verkhoturov Stanislav V. , Shaw Michael A. , Gwon Kihak , Kim Yohan , Lucien Fabrice , Malhi Harmeet , Revzin Alexander , Schweikert Emile A.
Published: August 2023

Extracellular vesicles (EVs) are nanoscale lipid bilayer particles secreted by cells. EVs may carry markers of the tissue of origin and its disease state which makes them incredibly promising for disease diagnosis and surveillance. While the armamentarium of EV analysis technologies is rapidly expanding, there remains a strong need for multiparametric analysis with single EV resolution. Nanoprojectile (NP) secondary ion mass spectrometry (NP-SIMS) relies on bombarding a substrate of interest with individual gold NPs resolved in time and space. Each projectile creates an impact crater of 10−20 nm in diameter while molecules emitted from each impact are mass analyzed and recorded as individual mass spectra. We demonstrate the utility of NP-SIMS for analysis of single EVs derived from normal liver cells (hepatocytes) and liver cancer cells. EVs were captured on antibody (Ab)-functionalized gold substrate then labeled with Abs carrying lanthanide (Ln) MS tags (Ab@Ln). These tags targeted four markers selected for identifying all EVs, and specific to hepatocytes or liver cancer. NP-SIMS was used to detect Ab@Ln-tags co-localized on the same EV and to construct scatter plots of surface marker expression for thousands of EVs with the capability of categorizing individual EVs. Additionally, NP-SIMS revealed information about the chemical nano-environment where targeted moieties co-localized. Our approach allowed analysis of population heterogeneity with single EV resolution and distinguishing between hepatocyte and liver cancer EVs based on surface marker expression. NP-SIMS holds considerable promise for multiplexed analysis of single EVs and may become a valuable tool for identifying and validating EV biomarkers of cancer and other diseases.
Beta- and gamma-band oscillatory connectivity support naturalistic reading of continuous text
Authors: Kujala Jan , Mäkelä Sasu , Ojala Pauliina , Hyönä Jukka , Salmelin Riitta
Published: August 2023

Large-scale integration of information across cortical structures, building on neural connectivity, has been proposed to be a key element in supporting human cognitive processing. In electrophysiological neuroimaging studies of reading, quantification of neural interactions has been limited to the level of isolated words or sentences due to artefacts induced by eye movements. Here, we combined magnetoencephalography recording with advanced artefact rejection tools to investigate both cortico-cortical coherence and directed neural interactions during naturalistic reading of full-page texts. Our results show that reading vs. visual scanning of text was associated with wide-spread increases of cortico-cortical coherence in the beta- and gamma-bands. We further show that the reading task was linked with increased directed neural interactions compared to the scanning task across a sparse set of connections within a wide range of frequencies. Together, the results demonstrate that neural connectivity flexibly builds on different frequency bands to support continuous natural reading.
Sphingosine 1-phosphate receptor 1 inhibition induces a pro-apoptotic signaling cascade in T cells
Authors: Dixit Dhaval , Hallisey Victoria M. , Zhu Ethan Y.S. , Okuniewska Martyna , Cadwell Ken , Chipuk Jerry E. , Axelrad Jordan E. , Schwab Susan R.
Published: August 2023

Effective immunity requires a large, diverse naïve T cell repertoire circulating among lymphoid organs in search of antigen. Sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) and its receptor S1PR1 contribute by both directing T cell migration and supporting T cell survival. Here, we address how S1P enables T cell survival, and the implications for patients treated with S1PR1 antagonists. Contrary to expectations, we found that S1PR1 limits apoptosis by maintaining the appropriate balance of BCL2 family members via restraint of JNK activity. Interestingly, the same residues of S1PR1 that enable receptor internalization are required to prevent this pro-apoptotic cascade. Findings in mice were recapitulated in ulcerative colitis patients treated with the S1PR1 antagonist ozanimod, and the loss of naïve T cells limited B cell responses. Our findings highlight an unexpected effect of S1PR1 antagonists on the ability to mount immune responses within lymph nodes, beyond their effect on lymph node egress, and suggest both limitations and novel uses of this important class of drugs.
Cognitive limits of larvalDrosophila: Testing for conditioned inhibition, sensory preconditioning and second-order conditioning
Authors: Sen Edanur , El-Keredy Amira , Jacob Nina , Mancini Nino , Asnaz Gülüm , Widmann Annekathrin , Gerber Bertram , Thoener Juliane
Published: August 2023

Drosophilalarvae are an established model system for studying the mechanisms of innate and simple forms of learned behaviour. They have about 10 times fewer neurons than adult flies, and it was the low total number of their neurons that allowed for an electron microscopic reconstruction of their brain at synaptic resolution. Regarding the mushroom body, a central brain structure for associative learning in insects, it turned out that more than half of the classes of synaptic connection had previously escaped attention. Understanding the function of these circuit motifs, subsequently confirmed in adult flies, is an important current research topic. In this context, we test larvalDrosophilafor their cognitive abilities in three tasks that are characteristically more complex than those previously studied. Our data provide evidence for (i) conditioned inhibition, as has previously been reported for adult flies and honeybees. Unlike what is described for adult flies and honeybees, however, our data do not provide evidence for (ii) sensory preconditioning or (iii) second-order conditioning inDrosophilalarvae. We discuss methodological features of our experiments as well as four specific aspects of the organisation of the larval brain that may explain why these two forms of learning are observed in honeybees and adult flies, but not in larvalDrosophila.
Epiphytic and endophytic microbiome of the seagrassZostera marina: Do they contribute to pathogen reduction in seawater?
Authors: Tasdemir Deniz , Scarpato Silvia , Utermann-Thüsing Caroline , Jensen Timo , Blümel Martina , Wenzel-Storjohann Arlette , Welsch Claudia , Echelmeyer Vivien Anne
Published: August 2023

Seagrass ecosystems provide crucial ecosystem services for coastal environments and were shown to reduce the abundance of pathogens linked to infections in humans and marine organisms. Among several potential drivers, seagrass phenolics released into seawater have been suggested to play role in pathogen suppression, but the potential involvement of the seagrass microbiome in such effect has not been studied. Here we hypothesized that the microbiome of the eelgrassZostera marina, especially the leaf epiphytes that are at direct interface between the seagrass host and surrounding seawater, inhibit such pathogenic microorganisms, hence, contribute to their suppression. Using a culture-dependent approach, we isolated 88 bacteria and fungi associated with the surfaces and inner tissues of the eelgrass leaves (healthy and decaying) and the roots, plus 19 strains from surrounding seawater and sediment. We first assessed the broad-spectrum antibiotic activity of microbial extracts against a large panel of common aquatic, human (fecal) and plant pathogens, and finally mined the metabolome of 88 most active extracts. The healthy leaf epibiotic bacteria, particularlyStreptomycessp. strain 131, displayed broad-spectrum and potent antibiotic activity superior to some control drugs. Gram-negative bacteria abundant on healthy leaf surfaces, and few endosphere-associated bacteria and fungi also showed remarkable antimicrobial activity. UPLC-MS/MS-based massive untargeted metabolomics analyses showed the rich specialized metabolite repertoire of strains with low annotation rates, indicating the presence of many undescribed antimicrobials in the extracts. This study contributes to our current understanding on microbial and chemical ecology of seagrasses, implying potential involvement of the seagrass microbiome, especially the leaf epiphytes, in reduction of pathogen load in seawater. Such antibiotic activity is not only beneficial for the health of ocean, human and aquaculture sector, especially in the context of climate change that is expected to exacerbate all infectious diseases, but may also assist seagrass conservation and management strategies.
Scavenger receptor class B type I is required for efficient glucose uptake and metabolic homeostasis in adipocytes
Authors: Knaack Darcy A. , Chang Jackie , Thomas Michael J. , Sorci-Thomas Mary G. , Chen Yiliang , Sahoo Daisy
Published: August 2023

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic and places individuals at a higher risk for developing comorbidities that include cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes. Adipose tissue contains adipocytes that are responsible for lipid metabolism and reducing misdirected lipid storage. Adipocytes facilitate this process through insulin-mediated uptake of glucose and its subsequent metabolism into triglycerides for storage. During obesity, adipocytes become insulin resistant and have a reduced ability to mediate glucose import, thus resulting in whole-body metabolic dysfunction. Scavenger receptor class B type I (SR-BI) has been implicated in glucose uptake in skeletal muscle and adipocytes via its native ligands, apolipoprotein A-1 and high-density lipoproteins. Further, SR-BI translocation to the cell surface in adipocytes is sensitive to insulin stimulation. Using adipocytes differentiated from ear mesenchymal stem cells isolated from wild-type and SR-BI knockout (SR-BI-/-) mice as our model system, we tested the hypothesis that SR-BI is required for insulin-mediated glucose uptake and regulation of energy balance in adipocytes. We demonstrated that loss of SR-BI in adipocytes resulted in inefficient glucose uptake regardless of cell surface expression levels of glucose transporter 4 compared to WT adipocytes. We also observed reduced glycolytic capacity, increased lipid biosynthesis, and dysregulated expression of lipid metabolism genes in SR-BI-/-adipocytes compared to WT adipocytes. These results partially support our hypothesis and suggest a novel role for SR-BI in glucose uptake and metabolic homeostasis in adipocytes.
Enhanced functionalities of immune cells separated by microfludic lattice: assessment based on holotomography
Authors: Lee Mahn Jae , Kim Byungyeon , Lee Dohyeon , Kim Geon , Jung Yoonjae , Shin Hee Sik , Choi Sungyong , Park YongKeun
Published: August 2023

The isolation of white blood cells (WBCs) from whole blood constitutes a pivotal process for immunological studies, diagnosis of hematologic disorders, and the facilitation of immunotherapy. Despite the ubiquity of density gradient centrifugation in WBC isolation, its influence on WBC functionality remains inadequately understood. This research employs holotomography to explore the effects of two distinct WBC separation techniques, namely conventional centrifugation and microfluidic separation, on the functionality of the isolated cells. We utilize three-dimensional refractive index distribution and time-lapse dynamics to conduct an in-depth analysis of individual WBCs, focusing on their morphology, motility, and phagocytic capabilities. Our observations highlight that centrifugal processes negatively impacts WBC motility and phagocytic capacity, whereas microfluidic separation yields a more favorable outcome in preserving WBC functionality. These findings emphasize the potential of microfluidic separation techniques as a viable alternative to traditional centrifugation for WBC isolation, potentially enabling more precise analyses in immunology research and improving the accuracy of hematologic disorder diagnoses.
Use of the Selective Cytopheretic Device to Support Critically Ill Children Requiring Continuous Renal Replacement Therapy: A Probable Benefit-Risk Assessment
Authors: Goldstein Stuart L. , Ollberding Nicholas J. , Askenazi David J. , Basu Rajit K. , Selewski David T. , Krallman Kelli A. , Yessayan Lenar , David Humes H.
Published: August 2023

Background

Critically ill children with acute kidney injury (AKI) requiring continuous kidney replacement therapy (CRRT) are at increased risk of death. The selective cytopheretic device (SCD) promotes an immunomodulatory effect when circuit iCa2+is maintained at <0.40 mmol/L with regional citrate anticoagulation (RCA). In a randomized trial of adult patients on CRRT, those treated with the SCD maintaining an iCa2+<0.40 mmol/L had improved survival/dialysis independence. We have conducted two multicenter studies to evaluate safety and feasibility of the SCD in critically ill children with AKI receiving CRRT and multiorgan failure. We report the combined efficacy and safety data from these two studies for the first time.

Methods

Four pediatric institutions enrolled children>10 kg in size with AKI and multiorgan dysfunction (MODS) receiving CRRT as part of standard of care to receive the SCD integrated post CRRT membrane. RCA was used to achieve a circuit iCa2+<0.40 mmol/L. We report serious adverse events, patient and CRRT-SCD related process and outcome variables and perform a Bayesian analysis to provide potential attributable benefit-risk assessment of SCD support in this critically ill population using a published matched cohort for the control population.

Results

Twenty-two patients (10 females) from the two studies comprise the combined population; 21 received mechanical ventilation, 14 received vasoactive medications, three received extracorporeal membrane oxygenation and 15 had sepsis at the time of CRRT-SCD initiation. Median SCD treatment duration was six days. Fifteen total serious adverse events were recorded, none of which were SCD related. All but one patient survived to the time of SCD discontinuation. Seventeen patients survived 60 days and 16 patients survived to the time ICU discharge. Fourteen patients surviving to ICU discharge had a normal eGFR and no patient was dialysis dependent at 60 days after CRRT-SCD initiation. Bayesian analyses revealed a 98-99% probable benefit of addition of SCD support.

Conclusion

These data suggest SCD therapy is feasible, safe and demonstrates probably benefit for children who require CRRT for AKI in the setting of MODS.
Is Chinese consumers' attitude toward genetically modified foods bouncing back?
Authors: Wu Minrong , Qiao Fangbin
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the dynamic of consumers' perceptions of GM food and explore whether their knowledge of GM technology is associated with a significant change.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper presents a meta-analysis of 156 primary studies reporting a total of 225 attitudes toward genetically modified foods. To identify the impact of consumers' knowledge of GM technology, the authors estimate multivalued treatment effects model.

Findings

The results of this study show that consumers' attitudes show a U shape during 2001–2022. That is, the rise in opposition to genetically modified foods has been reversed. In addition, this study also shows that the increase in consumers' knowledge of genetically modified technology contributes to their changes in attitude.

Originality/value

This paper is the first study that empirically investigates the dynamics of Chinese consumers' attitude to genetically modified foods, and shows the rise in opposition to genetically modified foods has been reversed, which has important implication for commercialization of genetically modified crops in China.
Uncertainties affecting the offsite construction supply chain resilience: a systematic literature review
Authors: Tennakoon Tennakoon Mudiyanselage Maheshi Pabasara , Chileshe Nicholas , Rameezdeen Raufdeen , Ochoa Paniagua Jorge , Samaraweera Aparna , Statsenko Larissa
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to synthesise the latest literature on supply chain operations of offsite manufacturing in the construction industry to identify and evaluate the uncertainties at each stage of the offsite construction supply chain (OSC-SC) to compile contributions to knowledge and thereby determine the future research directions to improve supply chain resilience (SCR).

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted as a systematic literature review. In total, 99 peer-reviewed journal papers published between 2015 and mid-2022 were shortlisted and analysed through the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Findings

The bibliometric analysis revealed that the research focusing on supply chain issues and developing best practices in offsite construction adopt case study approaches to investigate the research problems comprehensively. The content analysis revealed the lack of up-to-date knowledge in the construction workforce regarding OSC; low preparedness for the changes brought by the SC uncertainties; the lack of a proper procurement model for OSC; lack of end-to-end visibility of the supply chain to identify uncertainties and lack of national or government standards on OSC-SC, as some of the key problems instigating the identified the uncertainties.

Originality/value

This study clarifies the current knowledge by systematically presenting uncertainties at each stage of the OSC-SC. Moreover, it provides a framework and proposes that future research should focus specifically on individual/team, organisational, supply chain/network and sector/national/supranational levels to improve SCR.
Breaking down barriers of interprofessional collaboration between social work and financial and employment service organizations
Authors: Nouwen Carla , Driesen Isolde , Verharen Lisbeth , Van Regenmortel Tine
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The growing number of people with multiple problems in different areas of life means that cross-domain interprofessional collaboration is becoming increasingly important. This study aims to focus on interprofessional collaboration between professionals from social work and financial and employment service organizations in The Netherlands. This type of cross-domain collaboration is still mostly superficial, and limited empirical knowledge is available about its beneficial factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The interprofessional collaboration model of Mulvale et al. (2016) was used as theoretical background for the research methodology and to reflect on the findings of our study. Data was collected through a qualitative study among professionals (N = 18) from social work and financial and employment service organizations in three different Dutch municipalities.

Findings

Similar team-level collaboration mechanisms of Mulvale et al.’s (2016) model were seen within this study. Joint client meetings were very beneficial for the interprofessional collaboration. Further beneficial factors include the decision-making process, team vision, client as an equal member, open communication and the appointment of a coordinator.

Research limitations/implications

Further special attention is needed to determine how best to allocate co-ordinating tasks, and how organizational and policy contexts affect the functioning of interprofessional collaborative teams.

Originality/value

This study offers an empirical view on a cross-domain collaboration between social work and financial and employment service organizations, by using Mulvale et al.’s (2016) model. In addition, this study also offers special attention to the role of the client in interprofessional collaborative teams.
An assessment of the impact of emotional labour and burnout on the employees’ work performance
Authors: Rughoobur-Seetah Soujata
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify and assess the factors that influence the work performance of employees in the service sector of Mauritius during the post-COVID-19 period. Factors like emotional labour, burnout, job satisfaction and psychological health of employees have been identified as those potential factors influencing the work performance of employees.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts the survey-based approach for data collection. Employees from the service sector were targeted, that is, those who have direct contact with the customers. A response rate of 197 was recorded. The partial least square structural equation modelling has been used to run the data analysis.

Findings

Ten hypotheses were proposed, and four hypotheses were accepted. Job satisfaction appears to positively influence the work performance of employees in the service sector. Emotional labour, burnout and psychological health of employees appeared not to significantly affect the work performance of employees.

Practical implications

From a practical perspective, the author recommends that employers need to provide more support in terms of employee counselling, more job rotation for the employees to avoid burnout. Other support mechanisms as a supportive supervisor/manager where the employees can voice their concerns. It is also recommended that employers should have a more humane way to handle their human resources despite they are having the pressure to maximise profits. Employers need to understand that commercialisation of emotions demand a lot of emotional pressure on the employees and job re-design might be a solution to provide employees with more autonomy in the workplace. The level of flexibility also needs to be reviewed and employees should be more trusted.

Originality/value

This study acknowledges that a lot of research has been done in identifying and assessing factors that significantly impact employees’ work performance. Nevertheless, this study brings together two theories, namely, the social exchange theory and the psychological contract theory to better understand the relationship between the variables. This study also brings a methodological contribution with second-order factor analysis of factors like emotional labour and burnout which enabled better assessment and understanding of the factors and their effect on work performance. Some practical recommendations have also been made.
Causal interactions and financial contagion among the BRICS stock markets under rare events: a Liang causality analysis
Authors: Lu Xunfa , Sun Jingjing , Wei Guo , Chang Ching-Ter
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate dynamics of causal interactions and financial risk contagion among BRICS stock markets under rare events.

Design/methodology/approach

Two methods are adopted: The new causal inference technique, namely, the Liang causality analysis based on information flow theory and the dynamic causal index (DCI) are used to measure the financial risk contagion.

Findings

The causal relationships among the BRICS stock markets estimated by the Liang causality analysis are significantly stronger in the mid-periods of rare events than in the pre- and post-periods. Moreover, different rare events have heterogeneous effects on the causal relationships. Notably, under rare events, there is almost no significant Liang's causality between the Chinese and other four stock markets, except for a few moments, indicating that the former can provide a relatively safe haven within the BRICS. According to the DCIs, the causal linkages have significantly increased during rare events, implying that their connectivity becomes stronger under extreme conditions.

Practical implications

The obtained results not only provide important implications for investors to reasonably allocate regional financial assets, but also yield some suggestions for policymakers and financial regulators in effective supervision, especially in extreme environments.

Originality/value

This paper uses the Liang causality analysis to construct the causal networks among BRICS stock indices and characterize their causal linkages. Furthermore, the DCI derived from the causal networks is applied to measure the financial risk contagion of the BRICS countries under three rare events.
Paradox-responding in humanitarian temporary supply networks: exploring strategies and enabling mechanisms
Authors: Fernandes Aline Rodrigues , Dube Nonhlanhla
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This study investigates paradox-responding strategies and enabling mechanisms in humanitarian temporary supply networks (TSNs). Given the high stakes involved in life-saving supply networks, understanding how diverse, often under-resourced, organisations jointly tackle paradoxical tensions under time pressure is crucial.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative single case study approach is adopted and a TSN deployed to meet shelter needs following the 2015 Nepal earthquake is selected as the case. The authors use diverse secondary data sources to establish how the TSN responded to paradoxical tensions.

Findings

Results show that paradox-responding in humanitarian TSNs is ongoing, dynamic and a collective effort. Most strategies entail tackling the paradoxical tensions at the same time, using the same TSN structure, but there are differences in the treatment of the paradoxical elements. Additionally, the authors find that the execution of the responding strategies is enabled by the appropriate types of network-level mechanisms which can vary in novelty, complexity, depth and reach.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides rich explanations of paradox-responding and develops insights into collective action within TSNs. However, further research is needed to extend and refine insights given the single-case setting design.

Practical implications

This study develops a framework of paradox-responding strategies and a corresponding mix of enabling mechanisms that can guide decision-makers in the humanitarian sector when deploying TSNs.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that investigates paradox-responding strategies in humanitarian TSNs in particular and enabling mechanisms in general.
How having job impact leads to employee innovative behavior: a moderated mediation model of servant leadership and work meaningfulness
Authors: Almazrouei Safeya , Bani-Melhem Shaker , Mohd Shamsudin Faridahwati
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Prosocial job characteristics have received the least scholarly attention among the antecedents of employee innovative work behavior (IWB). Hence, antecedents' role remains largely unknown, especially in public sector organizations. Based on the relational job design theory, job characteristics theory (JCT) and public sector innovation literature, the authors examine whether job impact (JI) promotes public sector employees' IWB mediated by work meaningfulness (WM). This study also assesses whether servant leadership (SL) strengthens the influence of JI on IWB (via WM).

Design/methodology/approach

The model was examined on a sample of 180 employee-supervisor dyads (90 supervisors and 180 employees) recruited from various government departments in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Findings

The finding supports the proposed moderated mediation model in which JI enhances IWB. The association between JI and innovative behavior via WM is found to be stronger under high SL behavior.

Originality/value

The authors' findings offer prescriptive insights into SL's crucial role in illustrating when and how JI promotes IWB and offer relevant managerial recommendations for encouraging public sector employees to demonstrate innovative behavior. The authors also provide empirical evidence on the significant contribution of a prosocial job characteristic, i.e. JI, to IWB. In addition to having theoretical and practical significance, the authors' study is aligned with the UAE National Innovation Strategy 2015.
Identification and prioritization of the factors influencing blockchain adoption in the banking sector: integrating fuzzy AHP with TOE framework
Authors: Kajla Tanveer , Sood Kirti , Gupta Sanjay , Raj Sahil , Singh Harpreet
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The objective of this research is to identify and prioritize the critical factors that influence the adoption of blockchain technology within the banking sector.

Design/methodology/approach

A well-known theoretical framework, the “Technology Organization Environment (TOE),” was chosen to analyze what criteria and sub-criteria affect blockchain adoption in the banking sector after a thorough assessment of the prior literature. Following that, 3 evaluation criteria and 14 sub-criteria were selected and verified using expert opinion. A survey design was created, and data for the study has been collected from various information technology (IT) managers/officers in the banking sector. A fuzzy analytic hierarchy process (Fuzzy-AHP) was then used to meet the purpose of the research.

Findings

The study identified that the organizational dimension is the most significant criteria for blockchain adoption in the banking sector, followed by the environmental dimension. In contrast, the technological dimension is the least influential criterion. Clientele pressure, IT resources, financial resources, pressure from competitors and relative advantage are the most influential sub-criteria for blockchain adoption.

Research limitations/implications

This study provides valuable insights to bank managers, blockchain and IT developers, third-party service providers and policymakers. For instance, adopting the same blockchain platform is easier for both large and small banks for banking operations by using third-party service provider. At the same time, banks should have the banks' own core team to implement the blockchain-based systems or to have control over the third-party service providers during the adoption stage.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, no empirical studies have used a holistic organizational context to understand the factors influencing the adoption of blockchain technology from traditional to blockchain-based banking systems.
Revisiting the social commerce paradigm: the social commerce (SC) framework and a research agenda
Authors: Leong Lai-Ying , Hew Teck Soon , Ooi Keng-Boon , Hajli Nick , Tan Garry Wei-Han
Published: August 2023

Purpose

Social commerce (SC) is a new genre in electronic commerce (e-commerce) that has great potential. This study proposes a new research framework to address deficiencies in existing social commerce research frameworks (e.g. the information model).

Design/methodology/approach

In the era of Industrial Revolution 4.0 technologies and new social commerce (s-commerce) models, the authors believe that there is an immediate need for a new research framework. The authors analysed the progress of the s-commerce paradigm between 2003 and 2023 by applying longitudinal science mapping. The authors then developed a research framework based on the themes in the strategic diagrams and evolution map.

Findings

From 2003 to 2010, studies on s-commerce mainly focused on social networking sites, virtual communities, social shopping and analytic approaches. From 2011 to 2015, it shifted to s-commerce, consumer behaviour, Web 2.0, artificial intelligence, social technologies, online shopping, user studies, data gathering methods, applications, service-based social commerce constructs, e-commerce and cognitive factors. Social commerce remained the primary research paradigm from 2017 to 2023.

Practical implications

The SC framework may be analogous to popular research frameworks such as technology-organisation-environment (T-O-E) and stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R). Based on this SC framework, researchers may gain a better understanding by determining the factors of the social, commercial, technological and behavioural dimensions.

Originality/value

The authors redefined s-commerce and developed an SC framework. Practical guidelines for the SC framework and an exemplary research model are presented. Overall, this study offers a new research agenda for the extant understanding of s-commerce, with the SC framework as the next frontier of the theoretical advancements and applications of s-commerce.
Delicious – but is it authentic: Consumer perceptions of ethnic food and ethnic restaurants
Authors: Arviv Ben , Shani Amir , Poria Yaniv
Published: August 2023

Purpose

The aim of the study is to capture consumers' conceptualization of ethnic food and ethnic restaurants, focusing on what it takes for ethnic restaurants to be perceived authentic.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative research, based on semi-structured in-depth interviews which were transcribed and subjected to inductive thematic analysis.

Findings

The findings conceptualize what ethnic food and ethnic-authentic restaurant are, leading to formulating the criteria that authentic ethnic restaurant should meet.

Research limitations/implications

Findings have practical implications for restaurateurs interested in establishing themselves as ethnically authentic and for businesses focusing on ethnic food. This study was based on Israeli-Jewish participants; studies with other populations will contribute to the findings' trustability.

Originality/value

This study provides novel and critical insights into ethnic restaurant managements and to the customer conceptualization of the concept of ethnic authentic, demonstrating it being a multifaceted concept.