bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The evolutionary modifications of a GoLoco motif in the AGS protein facilitate micromere formation in the sea urchin embryo
Authors: Emura Natsuko , Wavreil Florence D.M. , Fries Annaliese , Yajima Mamiko
Published: July 2024

The evolutionary introduction of asymmetric cell division (ACD) into the developmental program facilitates the formation of a new cell type, contributing to developmental diversity and, eventually, to species diversification. The micromere of the sea urchin embryo may serve as one of those examples: An ACD at the 16-cell stage forms micromeres unique to echinoids among echinoderms. We previously reported that a polarity factor, Activator of G-protein Signaling (AGS), plays a crucial role in micromere formation. However, AGS and its associated ACD factors are present in all echinoderms and across most metazoans. This raises the question of what evolutionary modifications of AGS protein or its surrounding molecular environment contributed to the evolutionary acquisition of micromeres only in echinoids. In this study, we learned that the GoLoco motifs at the AGS C-terminus play critical roles in regulating micromere formation in sea urchin embryos. Further, other echinoderms’ AGS or chimeric AGS that contain the C-terminus of AGS orthologs from various organisms showed varied localization and function in micromere formation. In contrast, the sea star or the pencil urchin orthologs of other ACD factors were consistently localized at the vegetal cortex in the sea urchin embryo, suggesting that AGS may be a unique variable factor that facilitates ACD diversity among echinoderms. Consistently, sea urchin AGS appears to facilitate micromere-like cell formation and accelerate the enrichment timing of the germline factor Vasa during early embryogenesis of the pencil urchin, an ancestral type of sea urchin. Based on these observations, we propose that the molecular evolution of a single polarity factor facilitates ACD diversity while preserving the core ACD machinery among echinoderms and beyond during evolution.

Highlights

Evolutionary modifications of GoLoco motifs are critical for AGS function in micromere formation in the sea urchin embryo.

The chimeric AGS, which contains the C-terminus of AGS orthologs from various organisms, suggests that human LGN, pencil urchin AGS, andDrosophilaPins compensate for the activity of sea urchin AGS.

Sea urchin AGS (SpAGS) regulates the localization of the conserved asymmetric cell division (ACD) machinery members at the vegetal cortex.

SpAGS is a variable factor facilitating ACD diversity during species diversification.
A Pipeline for the Automatic Identification of Randomized Controlled Oncology Trials and Assignment of Tumor Entities Using Natural Language Processing
Authors: Windisch Paul , Dennstädt Fabio , Koechli Carole , Förster Robert , Schröder Christina , Aebersold Daniel M. , Zwahlen Daniel R.
Published: July 2024

Background

Most tools trying to automatically extract information from medical publications are domain agnostic and process publications from any field. However, only retrieving trials from dedicated fields could have advantages for further processing of the data.

Methods

We trained a transformer model to classify trials into randomized controlled trials (RCTs) vs. non-RCTs and oncology publications vs. non-oncology publications. We assessed the performance and then developed a simple set of rules to extract the tumor entity from the retrieved oncology RCTs.

Results

On the unseen test set consisting of 100 publications, the model achieved an F1 score of 0.96 (95% CI: 0.92 - 1.00) with a precision of 1.00 and a recall of 0.92 for predicting whether a publication was an RCT. For predicting whether a publication covered an oncology topic the F1 score was 0.84 (0.77 - 0.91) with a precision of 0.75 and a recall of 0.95. The rule-based system was able to correctly assign every oncology RCT in the test set to a tumor entity.

Conclusion

In conclusion, classifying publications depending on whether they were randomized controlled oncology trials or not was feasible and enabled further processing using more specialized tools such as rule-based systems and potentially dedicated machine learning models.
Preventive dental visits and health literacy in patients with diabetes: a nationwide cross-sectional study
Authors: Saito Kyoko , Kawai Yuki , Ishikawa Hirono , Tabuchi Takahiro , Kuwahara Keisuke
Published: July 2024

Aim

This cross-sectional study examined the association between health literacy and preventive dental visits in patients with diabetes.

Methods

We used cross-sectional data from the Japan COVID-19 and Society Internet Survey (JACSIS), a web-based nationwide survey. The participants were 1,441 patients reporting to have diabetes in 2020. Health literacy was measured using the validated scales for health literacy. Preventive dental visits in the past 12 months were self-reported. We estimated the multivariable-adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) for preventive dental visits.

Results

Over 50% of the patients had preventive dental visits in the past 12 months, and approximately one-third had high health literacy. Compared with the low health literacy group, the high health literacy group was more likely to engage in preventive dental visits (the multivariable-adjusted PR associated with high health literacy: 1.12 [95% confidence interval: 1.01 to 1.23]). Similar results were obtained when health literacy was treated as a continuous variable.

Conclusions

The present data from the JACSIS showed that health literacy was positively associated with preventive dental visits among patients with diabetes.
Diffusion model enables quantitative CBF analysis of Alzheimer’s Disease
Authors: Shou Qinyang , Cen Steven , Chen Nan-kuei , Ringman John M , Wen Junhao , Kim Hosung , Wang Danny JJ ,   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative
Published: July 2024

Objectives

Cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by arterial spin labeling (ASL) is a promising biomarker for Alzheimer’s Disease (AD). ASL data from multiple vendors were included in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) dataset. However, the M0 images were missing in Siemens ASL data, prohibiting CBF quantification. Here, we utilized a generative diffusion model to impute the missing M0 and validated generated CBF data with acquired data from GE.

Methods

A conditional latent diffusion model was trained to generate the M0 image and validate it on an in-house dataset (N=55) based on image similarity metrics, accuracy of CBF quantification, and consistency with the physical model. This model was then applied to the ADNI dataset (Siemens:N=211) to impute the missing M0 for CBF calculation. We further compared the imputed data (Siemens) and acquired data (GE) regarding regional CBF differences by AD stages, their classification accuracy for AD prediction, and CBF trajectory slopes estimated by a mixed effect model.

Results

The trained diffusion model generated the M0 image with high fidelity (Structural similarity index, SSIM=0.924±0.019; peak signal-to-noise ratio, PSNR=33.348±1.831) and caused minimal bias in CBF values (mean difference in whole brain is 1.07±2.12ml/100g/min). Both generated and acquired CBF data showed similar differentiation patterns by AD stages, similar classification performance, and decreasing slopes with AD progression in specific AD-related regions. Generated CBF data also improved accuracy in classifying AD stages compared to qualitative perfusion data.

Interpretation/Conclusion

This study shows the potential of diffusion models for imputing missing modalities for large-scale studies of CBF variation with AD.
Effect of Shenfu Injection on Myocardial Injury After Primary PCI for STEMI: The RESTORE Trial
Authors: Wang Xiao , Fan Zeyuan , Jiang Jianjun , Guo Jincheng , Wang Zhifang , Ma Likun , He Ruili , Su Guohai , Liu Hongtao , Yin Delu , Zhao Guoan , Guo Yingying , Shang Meixia , Ma Xinliang , Nie Shaoping
Published: July 2024

BACKGROUND

Shenfu injection, as a traditional Chinese medicine, can alleviate reperfusion injury after ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI) through multiple pharmacologic effects. This trial aimed to evaluate the effect of Shenfu injection on myocardial injury in STEMI patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

METHODS

This was a multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group, placebo-controlled trial. First-time anterior STEMI patients undergoing primary PCI within 12 hours of symptom onset due to a proximal or mid left anterior descending artery occlusion were randomized 1:1 to receive either intravenous Shenfu injection or placebo before reperfusion and followed by once a day until 5 days after primary PCI. The primary endpoint was infarct size by cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) at 5 days after randomization.

RESULTS

A total of 295 patients were randomized with evaluable CMR in 273 patients. Infarct size (37.4±14.1% vs 37.5±14.5%; effect size −0.04%, 95% confidence interval: −3.45, 3.37; P=0.982) did not differ between the Shenfu injection and placebo groups. This was true for other CMR parameters. The area under curve for creatine kinase-myocardial band did not differ between groups. The incidences of thrombolysis in myocardial infarction (TIMI) flow grade 3 (94.8% vs 97.1%, P=0.324), TIMI myocardial perfusion grade 3 (91.7% vs 92.1%, P=0.914), and ST-segment resolution ≥70% (25.4% vs 26.1%, P=0.906), were also similar between groups. Adverse events were evenly distributed across groups.

CONCLUSIONS

For patients with anterior STEMI undergoing primary PCI, administration of Shenfu injection was safe but did not reduce infarct size by CMR.

REGISTRATION

URL:https://www.clinicaltrials.gov; Unique identifier:NCT04493840.

Clinical Perspective

What Is New?

Among 295 anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients randomized to intravenous Shenfu injection or placebo, the primary analysis demonstrated that the infarct size revealed by cardiac magnetic resonance was 37.4 % in the Shenfu injection group and 37.5% in the placebo group, a difference that was not statistically significant.

For patients with anterior ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction patients undergoing primary percutaneous coronary intervention, administration of Shenfu injection was safe and well tolerated.

What Are the Clinical Implications?

Cardiovascular clinicians need to realize that successful cardioprotective therapies may require synergistic multitarget approaches.

Future clinical trials are required to investigate the use of additive cardioprotective strategies in patients with large infarcts or severe hemodynamic alterations (eg. concomitant heart failure or cardiogenic shock).
New soft tissue data of pterosaur tail vane reveals sophisticated, dynamic tensioning usage and expands its evolutionary origins
Authors: Jagielska Natalia , Kaye Thomas G. , Habib Michael B. , Hirasawa Tatsuya , Pittman Michael
Published: July 2024

Pterosaurs were the first vertebrates to achieve powered flight. Early pterosaurs had long stiff tails with a mobile base that could shift their center of mass, potentially benefiting flight control. These tails ended in a tall, thin soft tissue vane that would compromise aerodynamic control and efficiency if it fluttered excessively during flight. Maintaining stiffness in the vane would have been crucial in early pterosaur flight, but how this was achieved has been unclear, especially since vanes were lost in later pterosaurs and are absent in birds and bats. Here we use Laser-Stimulated Fluorescence imaging to reveal a cross-linking lattice within the tail vanes of early pterosaurs. The lattice supported a sophisticated dynamic tensioning system used to maintain vane stiffness, allowing the whole tail to augment flight control and the vane to function as a display structure.
Social disparities in flood exposure and associations with the urban environment in 44,698 neighborhoods in 276 cities in eight Latin American countries
Authors: Kephart Josiah L. , Bilal Usama , Gouveia Nelson , Sarmiento Olga Lucia , Shingara Emily , Moreno Karla Rangel , Bakhtsiyarava Maryia , Rodriguez Juan Pablo , Ayala Salvador , Carrasco-Escobar Gabriel , Roux Ana V Diez ,   SALURBAL-Climate Project
Published: July 2024

Background

Climate change is expected to greatly increase exposure to flooding, particularly in urban populations in low- and middle-income countries. We examined within-city social disparities in exposure to flooding in 276 Latin American cities and associated features of the neighborhood urban environment.

Methods

We used a spatially granular dataset of historical flood events from 2000 to 2018 to describe neighborhood flooding within cities across eight Latin American countries (Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Mexico, and Panama). We estimated the percentage of the population living in flooded neighborhoods, described social disparities in flooding based on neighborhood educational attainment, and compared the magnitude of disparities across and within cities. We used multilevel models to examine how city- and neighborhood-level factors are related to neighborhood flooding.

Results

We examined 44,698 neighborhoods in 276 cities from eight countries with a total of 223 million residents and 117 distinct flood events from 2000-2018. One in four residents in neighborhoods in the lowest education quintile lived in neighborhoods with flooding, compared to one in 20 residents of the highest neighborhood education quintile. Greater neighborhood flooding was associated with lower neighborhood-level educational attainment and with neighborhoods that were coastal, less dense (population or intersection), further from the city center, greener, and had steeper slopes. There was no association between city-level educational attainment and flooding.

Conclusion

There are large social disparities in neighborhood flooding within Latin American cities. Residents of areas with lower education attainment face substantially higher risks of flooding. Policymakers must prioritize flood adaptation and recovery efforts in neighborhoods with lower socioeconomic position.
Unequal Benefits: The Effects of Health Insurance Integration on Consumption Inequality in Rural China
Authors: Han Linlin , Yang Feng , Yu Jinxiang
Published: July 2024

Releasing the consumption potential of rural residents and narrowing the consumption gap is crucial for expanding domestic demand and enhancing social equity. This study leverages data from the China Family Panel Studies (CFPS) spanning the years 2012 to 2018 to analyze the impact of the rural-urban health insurance integration policy on consumption inequality in rural areas and its underlying mechanisms. Employing a staggered difference-in-differences (DID) approach, the analysis reveals that the policy significantly raises consumption levels among middle and high-income groups while concurrently reducing expenditures for the lowest-income bracket, thereby exacerbating consumption inequality. Heterogeneity analysis indicates that the impact of rural-urban health insurance integration on rural consumption inequality is manifested in both consumption structure and life-cycle effects, with the most significant disparities observed in subsistence and enjoyment consumption, particularly among middle-aged and older age groups. Mechanism analysis identifies increased utilization of medical services, the release of precautionary savings among middle and high-income cohorts, and variations in health insurance funding modalities as key drivers of the widening consumption inequality gap. The study concludes with recommendations to progressively advance the establishment of parity in rural-urban integrated health insurance and to prioritize policy support for vulnerable groups, especially the elderly and impoverished households.
Bird brains fit the bill: morphological diversification and the evolution of avian brain size
Authors: Song Zitan , Drobniak Szymon M , Liu Yang , van Schaik Carel P , Griesser Michael
Published: July 2024

Brain size varies greatly across and even within lineages. Attempts to explain this variation have mostly focused on the role of specific cognitive demands in the social or ecological domain. However, their predictive power is modest, whereas the effects of additional functions, especially sensory information processing and motor control, on brain size remain underexplored. Here, using phylogenetic comparative models, we show that the socio-cognitive and eco-cognitive demands do not have direct links to relative brain size (that is the residual from a regression against body mass) once morphological features are taken into account. Thus, specific cognitive abilities linked to social life or ecology play a much smaller role in brain size evolution than generally assumed. Instead, parental provisioning, generation length, and especially eye size and beak and leg morphology have a strong direct link to relative brain size. Phylogenetic lability analyses suggest that morphological diversification preceded changes in the rate of brain size evolution and greater visual input, and thus that morphological diversification opened up specialized niches where efficient foraging could produce energy surpluses. Increases in brain size provided general behavioural flexibility, which improved survival by reducing interspecific competition and predation, and was made possible by intense parental provisioning. Indeed, comparative analyses in a subset of species show that thicker beaks are associated with larger size of brain regions involved in behavioural flexibility (telencephalon, pallium). Thus, morphological evolution had a key role in niche diversification, which subsequently may have facilitated the evolution of general cognitive flexibility.
Atomic-scale perspective on individual thiol-terminated molecules anchored to single S vacancies in
MoS2
Authors: Simon J. Rika , Maksimov Dmitrii , Lotze Christian , Wiechers Paul , Felipe Juan Pablo Guerrero , Kobin Björn , Schwarz Jutta , Hecht Stefan , Franke Katharina J. , Rossi Mariana
Published: July 2024

Sulfur vacancies in MoS2 on Au(111) have been shown to be negatively charged as reflected by a Kondo resonance. Here, we use scanning tunneling microscopy to show that these vacancies serve as anchoring sites for thiol-based molecules (CF3−3P−SH) with two distinct reaction products, one of them showing a Kondo resonance. Based on comparisons with density-functional theory (DFT) calculations, including a random structure search and computation of energies and electronic properties at a hybrid exchange-correlation functional level, we conclude that both anchored molecules are charge neutral. We propose that one of them is an anchored intact CF3−3P−SH molecule while the other one is the result of catalytically activated dehydrogenation to CF3−3P−S with subsequent anchoring. Our investigations highlight a perspective of functionalizing defects with thiol-terminated molecules that can be equipped with additional functional groups, such as charge donor or acceptor moieties, switching units, or magnetic centers.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Classification of classical spin liquids: Typology and resulting landscape
Authors: Yan Han , Benton Owen , Moessner Roderich , Nevidomskyy Andriy H.
Published: July 2024

Classical spin liquids (CSL) lack long-range magnetic order and are characterized by an extensive ground-state degeneracy. We propose a classification scheme of CSLs based on the structure of the flat bands of their Hamiltonians. Depending on absence or presence of the gap from the flat band, the CSL are classified as algebraic or fragile topological, respectively. Each category is further classified: the algebraic case by the nature of the emergent Gauss's law at the gap-closing point(s), and the fragile topological case by the homotopy of the eigenvector winding around the Brillouin zone. Previously identified models of CSLs fit snugly into our scheme, on a landscape where algebraic CSLs are located at transitions between fragile topological ones. It also allows us to present new families of models illustrating this landscape, which hosts both fragile topological and algebraic CSLs, as well as transitions between them.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
SMEFT matching to
Z′
models at dimension eight
Authors: Dawson Sally , Forslund Matthew , Schnubel Marvin
Published: July 2024

Heavy neutral gauge bosons arise in many motivated models of beyond the Standard Model Physics. Experimental searches require that such gauge bosons are above the TeV scale in most models which means that the tools of effective field theories, in particular the Standard Model effective field theory (SMEFT), are useful. We match the SMEFT to models with heavy Z′ bosons, including effects of dimension-8 operators, and consider the restrictions on model parameters from electroweak precision measurements and from Drell Yan invariant mass distributions and forward-backward asymmetry, AFB, measurements at the LHC. The results demonstrate the model dependence of the resulting limits on SMEFT coefficients and the relatively small impact of including dimension-8 matching. In all cases, the limits from invariant mass distributions are stronger than from AFB measurements in the Z′ models we consider.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Temporal entropy and the complexity of computing the expectation value of local operators after a quench
Authors: Carignano Stefano , Marimón Carlos Ramos , Tagliacozzo Luca
Published: July 2024

We study the computational complexity of simulating the time-dependent expectation value of a local operator in a one-dimensional quantum system by using temporal matrix product states(MPSs) and argue that it is intimately related to that of encoding temporal transition matrices and their partial traces. We show that we can upper-bound the rank of these reduced transition matrices by one of the Heisenberg evolution of local operators, thus making aconnection between two apparently different quantities, the temporal entanglement and the local operator entanglement(OE). As a result, whenever the local OE grows slower than linearly in time, we show that computing time-dependent expectation values of local operators using temporal MPSs is likely advantageous with respect to computing the same quantities using standard MPS techniques.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Relative Entropy of Coherence Quantifies Performance in Bayesian Metrology
Authors: Lecamwasam Ruvi , Assad Syed , Hope Joseph J. , Lam Ping Koy , Thompson Jayne , Gu Mile
Published: July 2024

The ability of quantum states to be in superposition is one of the key features that sets them apart from the classical world. This “coherence” is rigorously quantified by resource theories, which aim to understand how such properties may be exploited in quantum technologies. There has been much research on what the resource theory of coherence can reveal about quantum metrology, almost all of which has been from the viewpoint of Fisher information. We prove, however, that the relative entropy of coherence, and its recent generalization to positive operator-valued measures (POVMs), naturally quantify the performance of Bayesian metrology. In particular, we show how a coherence measure can be applied to an ensemble of states. We then prove that during parameter estimation, the ensemble relative entropy of coherence (C) is equal to the difference between the optimal Holevo information (X), and the mutual information attained by a measurement (I). We call this relation the CXI equality. The ensemble coherence lets us visualize how much information is locked away in superposition and hence is inaccessible with a given measurement scheme and quantifies the advantage that would be gained by using a joint measurement on multiple states. Our results hold regardless of how the parameter is encoded in the state, encompassing unitary, dissipative, and discrete settings. We consider both projective measurements and general POVMs. This work suggests new directions for research in coherence, provides a novel operation interpretation for the relative entropy of coherence and its POVM generalization, and introduces a new tool to study the role of quantum features in metrology.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
The role of communications on the relationship between feelings for and intention to visit a country with ongoing conflicts
Authors: Campo Sara , Fuchs Galia , Álvarez Maria D.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how feelings for a country influence visitation to conflict-ridden destinations. It also examines the moderating effect of communications – news about terror or pictures of the place’s attractions – and whether the pictures counteract the damaging news.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines the influence that feelings for a country have on visitation intentions, via the destination’s perceived risk and overall image. Furthermore, an experimental design is used to test the moderating influence of two communications stimuli. The sample consists of 309 individuals from the USA who were randomly exposed to various stimuli.

Findings

The findings confirm that feelings for the country shape risk perceptions, overall destination image and visitation intentions. Communications moderate the influence of these emotions. In addition, pictures of the destination’s attractions mitigate the adverse effect of negative news.

Research limitations/implications

The investigation focuses on Turkey, a popular tourist destination, despite being subject to biases due to its geopolitical situation and ongoing armed conflict. The findings suggest that conflict-ridden destination managers should understand and use emotions, distinguishing between country and destination, while emphasizing the place’s attractions with visual communications to counter negative country reports.

Originality/value

This research contributes a comprehensive model that explains the impact that feelings for a country have on visitation decisions, highlighting the mediating role of risk perceptions and destination image. Furthermore, the study underlines the moderating role of communications, both positive and negative, that shape the effect of the emotions on the studied variables.
Medical tourist perceptions of hospitality across cultures
Authors: Ghaderi Zahed , King Brian Edward Melville , Makian Sarasadat
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore how the treatment, well-being and satisfaction of health tourists are affected by what is characterized as the hospitality culture of health care.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative research design focusing on in-depth semi-structured interviews was conducted with 28 Omani health tourists who visited Iran and received health-care services. Data were analyzed thematically using ATLAS.ti software.

Findings

The results revealed that a caring health professional is essential for patient healing and well-being. Cultural congruence is enhanced through effective communication between patients and health-care service providers. Additionally, a hospitality-certified workforce is essential for customer satisfaction and overall well-being. Finally, a hospitality-style approach and home-like atmosphere improve patient rehabilitation and performance.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s exclusive focus on Omani health tourists necessitates caution in generalizing findings. Future research could encompass more diverse populations and inclusive samples to broaden applicability.

Practical implications

The study highlights the key role of hospitality culture in the health-care sector, emphasizing the significance of building a culturally sensitive and hospitable environment to improve patient satisfaction and overall well-being. This includes the creation of welcoming environments and customized health-care experiences congruent with patients’ cultural values and beliefs.

Originality/value

The study emphasizes the crucial role of hospitality culture in health tourism and the potential to create a culture of care and respect in health-care settings, addressing patients’ holistic needs beyond physical amenities and enriching the patient experience. It also applies Leininger’s Culture Care Theory to hospitality, providing a novel viewpoint on culturally congruent, safe and meaningful care for health tourists.
Inclusive innovations in services: leveraging digital technologies for inclusive innovations in healthcare services
Authors: Varadarajan Rajan
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to provide insights into the potential of digital technologies-based innovations for more inclusive healthcare by alleviating the affordability, accessibility and availability barriers to utilization of healthcare services. Also, it aims to provide insights into the potential of digital technologies-based innovations for more inclusive services, broadly.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework is inductively developed by analyzing real-world examples of digital technologies-based innovations for more inclusive healthcare through the lenses of economics of information in digital form and certain characteristics of services.

Findings

Concurrent implementation of digital technologies-based healthcare innovations with innovations and/or modifications in service processes can enable greater inclusivity by alleviating the affordability, accessibility and availability barriers to utilization of healthcare services.

Research limitations/implications

Issues relating to inequities in healthcare, as a social problem, are the focus of research at multiple levels (e.g. global, national, regional and local) in several academic disciplines. In relation to the scope of the problems and challenges pertaining to providing quality healthcare to the unserved and underserved segments of society, worldwide, the contribution of the proposed framework to practice is modest. However, by highlighting the promise and potential of digital technologies-based innovations as solutions for alleviating barriers to affordability, accessibility and availability of healthcare services during various stages (prevention, detection, diagnosis, treatment and post-treatment follow-up) with illustrative vignettes and developing a framework, the article offers insights for future research. For instance, in reference to mission-driven social enterprises that operate in the product-market space for inclusive innovations under resource constraints, a resourcefulness-based view of the social enterprise constitutes a potential avenue for theory development and research.

Practical implications

Given the conceptual nature of the article, the implications for practice are limited to cognitive implications. Action implications (instrumental implications or implications for practice) are outside of the scope of the article.

Social implications

Innovations that are economically viable, environmentally sustainable and socially impactful is one of the important issues of our times.

Originality/value

The proposed framework provides insights into the potential of digital technologies-based innovations for more inclusive healthcare by alleviating the affordability, accessibility and availability barriers in the context of emerging and less developed country markets and base of the pyramid segments of society in these markets.
Climate change and income inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA): effects and transmission channels
Authors: Ewolo Bitoto Fabrice , Nchinda Mbognou Cerapis , Amougou Manga Romuald Justin
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to assess the direct effect of climate change on income inequality in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) and the channels through which it spreads.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of 38 countries, the authors specify and estimate a panel data model using the generalized least squares method over the period 1991–2020. Robustness is achieved through the generalized moment method-system.

Findings

The results show that an increase in vulnerability to climate change is positively and significantly associated with an increase in income inequality. The results also show that the effects of climate change are mediated by gross domestic product/capita, population and agriculture at the 15%, 17% and 24% thresholds, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The authors suggest the implementation of inclusive development policies consistent with climate mitigation and adaptation objectives; the creation of financial spaces from various sources to finance the social security of the most vulnerable; and the strengthening of agricultural resilience to climate-related adverse events, including financing for greenhouse agriculture.

Originality/value

On the positive side, it contributes to the literature on the analysis of the direct and indirect effects (transmission channels) of climate change on income inequality in SSA. Methodologically, the study goes beyond previous work as it adopts a stepwise methodology, dealing with the endogeneity issue. At the logical level, it offers some non-exhaustive suggestions of potentially interesting economic policies to guide policymakers in their common commitment to “reduce income inequality” (Sustainable Development Goal 10, target 10.1).
Repertory grid technique and Honey’s content analysis: a methodological application to advance qualitative research in OSCM
Authors: Martins Ricardo , Siegler Janaina , Freitas Jonathan Simões , Santos Laysse Fernanda Macêdo dos , Barroso Marina Bastos Carvalhais , Macedo Roberta de Cássia
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to explain and demonstrate how the Repertory Grid Technique (RGT) and Honey’s Content Analysis (HCA) can make new contributions to the field of Operations and Supply Chain Management (OSCM). The proposition involves integrating these complementary analyses to fortify the rigor of qualitative research and establish robust data analysis protocols to identify the main attributes of interviewees regarding a phenomenon while understanding in their perspective how these attributes impact the desired analysis outcome.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses examples with rich empirical data from 40 interviewees across two organizations. The examples use a protocol that allows the grouping of meanings from different knowledgeable individuals and capturing relevant constructs related to an outcome.

Findings

The combination of RGT and HCA permits researchers to effectively identify and analyze the constructs individuals and groups utilize to comprehend the subject matter under investigation. Consequently, these techniques present a structured means to conduct grounded theory investigations and interpretive research, thereby enabling the iterative development of the preliminary conceptual models necessary for OSCM field advancement.

Originality/value

We present two examples in which the protocol is applied to the field of OSCM. These examples illustrate that the techniques provide valuable opportunities for OSCM research, particularly for addressing the limitations related to sample size. Ultimately, RGT and HCA complement quantitative methodologies by uncovering nuanced variations and micro-foundations within firm- and network-level phenomena, offering insights essential for advancing our understanding of OSCM dynamics in specific contexts.
Design and application of bidirectional soft actuator with multiangle chambers
Authors: Wen Yehao , Chen Chang , Lyu Zhengnan , Liang Yuandong , Zhang Zhongyu
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to introduce a novel bidirectional soft actuator as an enhancement to conventional pneumatic network actuators. This improvement involves integrating air chambers positioned at specific angles to improve stability, adaptability and grasping efficiency in various environments.

Design/methodology/approach

The design approach incorporates air chambers positioned at a 45° angle relative to the horizontal direction at the actuator's terminus, along with additional chambers at a 90° angle. Mathematical models are developed for longitudinal and transverse bending, as well as for obliquely connected cavities, based on the assumption of piecewise constant curvature. Analyses are conducted on output forces, bending characteristics and end contact areas for both transverse and longitudinal ends.

Findings

The proposed soft actuator surpasses traditional pneumatic network actuators in gripping area due to the inclusion of a diagonal air cavity and a transverse pneumatic network structure at the terminus. As a result, it provides torsion and gripping force in both directions. Testing on a dedicated platform with two variants of grippers demonstrates superior gripping force capability and performance in complex environments.

Practical implications

Through the design of multiangle chambers, the soft actuator exhibits diverse driving angles and morphological variations, offering innovative design perspectives for industrial grasping.

Social implications

The design of multiangle chambers facilitates personalized configurations of soft actuators by researchers, enabling tailored angles for specific interaction environments to achieve desired functionalities. This approach offers novel insights into soft actuator design, addressing more prevalent industrial grasping challenges.

Originality/value

This study introduces a novel soft actuator design that significantly enhances gripping capabilities in comparison to conventional pneumatic network actuators. The incorporation of specific air chamber configurations and mathematical modeling provides valuable insights for the development of adaptable and efficient robotic grippers for industrial and household applications.
The dynamic interplay of Shariah compliance rank and financial performance: nonfinancial listed firms in Saudi Arabia as a testing ground
Authors: Boulanouar Zakaria , Grassa Rihab , Alqahtani Faisal
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to assess the rank of Shariah compliance (SC) and its impact on the financial performance of non-financial companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange. It seeks to understand the relationship between adherence to Shariah principles and the financial success of these companies, providing insights into the importance of SC in the Saudi Arabian context.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a quantitative research approach, using financial and SC data from non-financial companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange. SC is measured using the Accounting and Auditing Organization for Islamic Financial Institutions standards. Financial performance is evaluated using various financial indicators, including return on assets (ROA), return on equity (ROE) and return on investments (ROI). Statistical analysis, including regression analysis, is conducted to examine the relationship between SC and financial performance.

Findings

The findings indicate a positive association between SC and financial performance in non-financial companies listed on the Saudi Stock Exchange. Companies with higher ranks of SC demonstrate superior financial performance, as evidenced by higher ROA, ROE and ROI. This suggests that adhering to Shariah principles can contribute to improved financial outcomes for companies operating in the Saudi Arabian market.

Practical implications

The study highlights the practical implications of maintaining SC for non-financial companies in Saudi Arabia. It emphasizes the importance of aligning business practices with Shariah principles to enhance financial performance. The findings suggest that companies can benefit from implementing Shariah-compliant strategies and practices, potentially attracting investors and improving their overall competitiveness in the market.

Social implications

The social implications of SC in the Saudi Arabian context are significant. Adhering to Shariah principles not only ensures compliance with religious and cultural norms but also promotes ethical and responsible business behaviour. Companies that prioritize SC contribute to the development of a socially responsible and sustainable business environment.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first investigation into the impact of SC rank on financial performance. By examining non-financial companies listed on the Saudi market, it contributes significantly to existing literature by providing empirical evidence supporting a positive correlation between SC rank and financial outcomes. The findings offer valuable insights for companies, investors and policymakers in Saudi Arabia, enhancing their understanding of the unique dynamics between SC rank and financial performance. This research enriches the body of knowledge in Islamic finance and business, making a notable contribution to the field and opening avenues for further exploration.
CSR reporting practices of Islamic and conventional banks based on ownership differences
Authors: Rouf Md. Abdur , Hossan Md. Alamgir , Kabir A.N.M. Jahangir
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to provide a thorough knowledge of the context and degree of corporate social responsibility (CSR) reporting in the annual reports of Islamic and mainstream banks in Bangladesh and to investigate whether ownership and the level of CSR reporting are connected.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the content analysis method to examine 150 annual reports from the 30 listed banking companies as its sample. The data are fitted to an ordinary least square regression model to determine the impact of independent factors on the overall CSR reporting score.

Findings

The study’s findings show that, on average, Islamic and conventional banks (ICBs) in Bangladesh disclose CSR data at rates of 46.27% and 43.44%, respectively, ranging from 14.15% to 76.32%. Furthermore, according to the study, ICBs’ public share ownership and CSR reporting showed a significant relationship. Conversely, institutional share ownership and foreign share ownership have been found to have no significant relationship with CSR reporting in conventional banks, but institutional share ownership has been found to have a significant relationship with the CSR reporting in Islamic banks.

Social implications

The research is expected to obtain the most accurate situation of Bangladeshi ICBs’ CSR reporting. To formulate regulations in this regard, governmental and other regulatory authorities can also obtain comprehensive information on CSR reporting procedures.

Originality/value

The paper contributes to the CSR works, as it presents empirical evidence of the effects of ownership distribution on the CSR reporting of ICBs in developing countries such as Bangladesh.
Sketching a comprehensive picture of the marketing discipline: a bibliometric analysis covering eight top-tier journals
Authors: Akpınar Ayhan
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine marketing trends spanning a period of 26 years to scrutinize North American influence in marketing research, as well as enhance comprehension of interdisciplinary marketing knowledge and identify prominent scholars, universities, countries, and articles that warrant further scholarly exploration.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses bibliometric methods to analyze the publications of eight top-tier journals (Journal of Marketing, Journal of Consumer Research, Journal of Marketing Research, Journal of the Academy of Marketing Science, Marketing Science, Journal of Retailing, Journal of Consumer Psychology and International Journal of Research in Marketing) between 1996 and 2021, as found in the Scopus database.

Findings

The findings indicate that North American hegemony in the marketing discipline continues and that the impact of marketing on other disciplines remains controversial. Some universities have a deeply rooted tradition of marketing departments. Some articles from 26 years ago are still frequently cited.

Research limitations/implications

The study covers the period from 1996 to 2021. It includes only articles, uses a single database and is cross-sectional. Future research should explore longer time periods by using various databases for comprehensive analysis.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study constitutes one of the first attempts to understand the scholarly contributions of the marketing discipline by considering eight top-tier journals.
Dietary plasticity and broad North Atlantic origins inferred from bulk and amino acid‐specific δ15N and δ13C favour killer whale range expansions into Arctic waters
Authors: Matthews Cory J. D. , Yarnes Chris T. , Lefort Kyle J. , Edkins Tera L. , Kiszka Jeremy J. , Ferguson Steven H.
Published: July 2024

Killer whales (Orcinus orca) occur seasonally in the eastern Canadian Arctic (ECA), where their range expansion associated with declining sea ice have raised questions about the impacts of increasing killer whale predation pressure on Arctic‐endemic prey.

We assessed diet and distribution of ECA killer whales using bulk and compound‐specific stable isotope analysis (CSIA) of amino acids (AA) of 54 skin biopsies collected from 2009 to 2020 around Baffin Island, Canada.

Bulk ECA killer whale skin δ15N and δ13C values did not overlap with potential Arctic prey after adjustment for trophic discrimination, and instead reflected foraging history in the North Atlantic prior to their arrival in the ECA. Adjusted killer whale stable isotope (SI) values primarily overlapped with several species of North Atlantic baleen whales or tuna. Amino acid (AA)‐specific δ15N values indicated the ECA killer whales fed primarily on marine mammals, having similar glutamic acid δ15N–phenylalanine δ15N (δ15NGlx‐Phe) and threonine δ15N (δ15NThr) as mammal‐eating killer whales from the eastern North Pacific (ENP) that served as a comparative framework. However, one ECA whale grouped with the fish‐eating ENP ecotype based δ15NThr.

Distinctive essential AA δ13C of ECA killer whale groups, along with bulk SI similarity to killer whales from different regions of the North Atlantic, indicates different populations converge in Arctic waters from a broad source area. Generalist diet and long‐distance dispersal capacity favour range expansions, and integration of these insights will be critical for assessing ecological impacts of increasing killer whale predation pressure on Arctic‐endemic species.
On the Right Side of the Faultline: Effects of Subgroups and CEO Inclusion on CEO Compensation
Authors: Antoons Charlotte , Vandebeek Alana
Published: July 2024

This study examines how subgroup formation resulting from group faultlines can affect corporate boards’ CEO compensation‐setting process. Group faultlines are hypothetical dividing lines that can split the board into subgroups based on directors’ diversity characteristics. Using a sample of US firms for the period 2007–2019, we find that if the CEO demographically belongs to the same faultline‐based subgroup as corporate directors who are members of the compensation committee, strong faultlines lead to higher CEO compensation. Furthermore, we show that joint tenure of directors and the CEO strengthens this relationship. Our results are robust to endogeneity concerns and a battery of sensitivity tests. Our findings make important contributions to the literature on CEO compensation, corporate governance and faultlines, as we consider not only the existence of faultlines in the board context but also how the composition of identity‐based subgroups affects CEO compensation.