bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Counting sperm whales and visualising their dive profiles using two-hydrophone recordings and an automated click detector algorithm in a longline depredation context
Authors: Pinson Samuel , Richard Gaëtan
Published: September 2022

Odontocetes depredating fish caught on longlines is a serious socio-economic and conservation issue. A good understanding of the depredation behaviour by odontocetes is therefore required. Within this purpose, a method is described to follow diving behaviour of sperm whales, considered as proxy of their foraging activity. The study case took place around Kerguelen Islands from the Patagonian toothfish fishery. The method uses the coherence between direct-path sperm whale clicks, recorded by two synchronized hydrophones, to distinguish them from decoherent clicks that are reflected by the water surface or seefloor (due to surface roughness). Its low computational cost permits to process large dataset and bring new insights on sperm whales behaviour. Detection of sperm whale clicks permits to estimate the number of sperm whales and to assess their diving behaviour. Three diving behaviour were identified as “Water Column” (individual goes down and up), “Water Wander” (individual seems to go up and down multiple times in the water column), and “Seafloor” (individual spend time on the seabed). Results suggest that sperm whales have different diving behaviours with specific dives as they are either “interacting” or “not-interacting” with a hauling vessel.
Cumulative multisensory discrepancies shape the ventriloquism aftereffect but not the ventriloquism bias
Authors: Kayser Christoph , Park Hame , Heuer Herbert
Published: September 2022

Multisensory integration and recalibration are two processes by which perception deals with discrepant signals. Both are often studied in the spatial ventriloquism paradigm. There, integration is probed by the presentation of discrepant audio-visual stimuli, while recalibration manifests as an aftereffect in subsequent unisensory judgements. Both biases are typically quantified against the degree of audio-visual discrepancy, reflecting the possibility that both may arise from common underlying multisensory principles. We tested a specific prediction of this: that both processes should also scale similarly with the history of multisensory discrepancies experienced in previous trials. Analysing data from ten experiments we confirmed the expected dependency of each bias on the immediately presented discrepancy. And in line with the aftereffect being a cumulative process, this scaled with the discrepancies presented in multiple preceding audio-visual trials. However, the ventriloquism bias did not depend on the history of multisensory discrepancies and also did not depend on the aftereffect biases in previous trials - making these two multisensory processes experimentally dissociable. These findings support the notion that the ventriloquism bias and the aftereffect reflect distinct functions, with integration maintaining a stable percept by reducing immediate sensory discrepancies and recalibration maintaining an accurate percept by accounting for consistent discrepancies.
Predicting bioactivity of antibiotic metabolites by molecular docking and dynamics
Authors: Chio Hokin , Guest Ellen E , Hobman Jon L , Dottorini Tania , Hirst Jonathan D , Stekel Dov J
Published: September 2022

Antibiotics enter the environment through waste streams, where they can exert selective pressure for antimicrobial resistance in bacteria. However, many antibiotics are excreted as partly metabolized forms, or can be subject to partial breakdown in wastewater treatment, soil, or through natural processes in the environment. If a metabolite is bioactive, even at sub-lethal levels, and also stable in the environment, then it could provide selection pressure for resistance. (5S)-penicilloic acid of piperacillin has previously been found complexed to the binding pocket of penicillin binding protein 3 (PBP3) of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Here, we predicted the affinities of all potentially relevant antibiotic metabolites of ten different penicillins to that target protein, using molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations. Docking predicts that, in addition to penicilloic acid, pseudopenicillin derivatives of these penicillins, as well as 6-aminopenicillanic acid (6APA), could also bind to this target. Molecular dynamics simulations further confirmed that (5R)-pseudopenicillin and 6APA bind the target protein, in addition to (5S)-penicilloic acid. Thus, it is possible that these metabolites are bioactive, and, if stable in the environment, could be contaminants selective for antibiotic resistance. This could have considerable significance for environmental surveillance for antibiotics as a means to reduce antimicrobial resistance, because targeted mass spectrometry could be required for relevant metabolites as well as the native antibiotics.
Msh2-Msh3 interferes with DNA metabolismin vivo
Authors: Medina-Rivera Melisa , Phelps Samantha , Sridharan Madhumita , Becker Jordan , Lamb Natalie A. , Kumar Charanya , Sutton Mark D. , Bielinsky Anja , Balakrishnan Lata , Surtees Jennifer A.
Published: September 2022

Mismatch repair (MMR) is a highly conserved DNA repair pathway that safeguards the genome from errors in DNA replication. InSaccharomyces cerevisiae, two MutS homolog (Msh) complexes, Msh2-Msh3 or Msh2-Msh6, initiate MMR. Msh2-Msh3, the focus of this study, recognizes and directs repair of insertion/deletion loops (IDLs) up to ~17 nucleotides. Msh2-Msh3 also recognizes and binds distinct looped and branched DNA structures with varying affinities, thereby contributing to genome stability outside post-replicative MMR through homologous recombination, double-strand break repair (DSBR), and the DNA damage response. Msh2-Msh3 also promotes genome instability through trinucleotide repeat (TNR) expansions. This non-canonical activity is likely an unfortunate consequence of Msh2-Msh3’s intrinsic ability to bind a wide range of DNA structures, including those formed with single-stranded (ss) TNR sequences. We previously demonstrated that Msh2-Msh3 binding to 5’ ssDNA flap structures interfered with thein vitrobinding and cleavage activities of the flap endonuclease Rad27 (Fen1 in mammals), which promotes 5’ ssDNA flap processing during Okazaki fragment maturation (OFM) and long-patch base excision repair (LP-BER). Here we demonstrate that elevated Msh2-Msh3 levels interfere with DNA replication and LP-BERin vivo, consistent with the hypothesis that protein abundance and Msh3 ATPase activities are key drivers of Msh2-Msh3-mediated genomic instability.
lncRNA-WAL Promotes Aggressiveness of Triple-Negative Breast Cancer via inducing β-Catenin nuclear translocation
Authors: Huang Hongyan , Jin Haiyun , Lei Rong , He Zhanghai , He Shishi , Chen Jiewen , Saw Phei Er , Qiu Zhu , Ren Guosheng , Nie Yan
Published: September 2022

Because of its insensitive to existing radiotherapy, chemotherapy and targeted treatments, Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains a great challenge to overcome. More and more evidence has indicated abnormal wnt/β-catenin pathway activation in TNBC but not luminal or her2+ breast cancer, and lncRNAs play a key role in a variety of cancers. Through lncRNA microarray profiling between Activated and inactivated Wnt/β-catenin pathway of TNBC tissues, lnc-WAL (Wnt/β-catenin associated lncRNA; WAL) was selected as the top up-regulated lncRNA in Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation compared with the inactivation group. RIP-seq was analyzed between β-catenin and IgG groups of, where lnc-WAL could interact with β-catenin. Clinically, increased lnc-WAL in the TNBC tumor tissue was associated with shorter survival. lnc-WAL promoted the EMT, the ability of breast cancer stem cells (BCSC), proliferation, migration and invasion of TNBC cells. Mechanistically, lnc-WAL inhibited β-catenin protein degradation via Axin-mediated phosphorylation at serine 45. Subsequently, β-catenin was accumulated in nuclear and activated the target genes. Importantly, Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation stimulated the transcription of lnc-WAL. These results pointed to a master regulatory role of lnc-WAL/Axin/β-catenin in the malignant progression of TNBC. Our findings provide important clinical translational evidence that lnc-WAL maybe as potential therapeutic target against TNBC.
Genome assembly with variable order de Bruijn graphs
Authors: Díaz-Domínguez Diego , Onodera Taku , Puglisi Simon J. , Salmela Leena
Published: September 2022

The nodes of a de Bruijn graph (DBG) of order k correspond to the set of k-mers occurring in a set of reads and an edge is added between two nodes if there is a k − 1 length overlap between them. When using a DBG for genome assembly, the choice of k is a delicate issue: if k is too small, the DBG is tangled, making graph traversal ambiguous, whereas choosing k too large makes the DBG disconnected, resulting in more and shorter contigs. The variable order de Bruijn graph (voDBG) has been proposed as a way to avoid fixing a single value of k. A voDBG represents DBGs of all orders in a single data structure and (conceptually) adds edges between the DBGs of different orders to allow increasing and decreasing the order. Whereas for a fixed order DBG unitigs are well defined, no properly defined notion of contig or unitig exists for voDBGs. In this paper we give the first rigorous definition of contigs for voDBGs. We show that voDBG nodes, whose frequency in the input read set is in interval [ℓ, h] for some h and ℓ > h/2, represent an unambiguous set of linear sequences, which we call the set of (ℓ, h)-tigs. By establishing connections between the voDBG and the suffix trie of the input reads, we give an efficient algorithm for enumerating (ℓ, h)-tigs in a voDBG using compressed suffix trees. Our experiments on real and simulated HiFi data show a prototype implementation of our approach has a better or comparable contiguity and accuracy as compared to other DBG based assemblers.
Coronary artery established through amniote evolution
Authors: Mizukami Kaoru , Higashiyama Hiroki , Arima Yuichiro , Ando Koji , Fukuhara Shigetomo , Miyagawa-Tomita Sachiko , Kurihara Hiroki
Published: September 2022

Coronary arteries are part of the vascular system that nourishes the heart; they are generally considered a synapomorphy of jawed vertebrates. However, the so-called coronary arteries originated from different body parts in amniotes and other groups, and the evolution of these arteries remains unclear. Here we propose that the amniote coronary arteries were newly obtained, overriding the ancestral arterial systems. In mouse (Mus musculus) and quail (Coturnix japonica) embryos, the amniote-type coronary arteries are established by the reconstitution of the transient vascular plexus (aortic subepicardial vessels; ASVs) on the outflow tract and the primitive coronary plexus during the development. In contrast, amphibians (Xenopus laevis, Hyla japonica, Lithobates catesbeianus, and Cynops pyrrhogaster) retain the ASV-like vasculature as extrinsic cardiac arteries throughout their lives and have no primitive coronary plexus. A comparison of zebrafish (Danio rerio) and chondrichthyans (Lamna sp., Narke japonica, and Deania calcea) suggested that their hypobranchial arteries correspond morphologically to the ASVs and also serve as heart-feeding arteries throughout their lives. Thus, the coronary artery of adult amniotes is an evolutionary novelty that has acquired new anatomical connections through the addition of a new developmental process to the ancestral pattern. This change is probably related to the modification of branchial arteries, highlights the drastic morphological changes underlying the physiological transition in amniote evolution.
Effective use of genetically-encoded optical biosensors for profiling signalling signatures in iPSC-CMs derived from idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy patients
Authors: Bourque Kyla , Derish Ida , Hawey Cara , Jones-Tabah Jace , Khan Kashif , Alim Karima , Jiang Alyson , Sadighian Hooman , Zwaig Jeremy , Gendron Natalie , Cecere Renzo , Giannetti Nadia , Hébert Terence E.
Published: September 2022

Dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) is a cardiovascular condition that develops when the left ventricle of the heart enlarges, compromising its function and diminishing its capacity to pump oxygenated blood throughout the body. After patients are diagnosed with DCM, disease progression can lead to heart failure and the need for a heart transplantation. DCM is a complex disease where underlying causes can be idiopathic, genetic, or environmental. An incomplete molecular understanding of disease progression poses challenges for drug discovery efforts as effective therapeutics strategies remain elusive. Decades of research using primary cells or animal models have increased our understanding of DCM but has been hampered due to the inaccessibility of human cardiomyocytes, to model cardiac disease, in vitro, in a dish. Here, our goal is to leverage patient-derived hiPSC-CMs and to combine them with biosensors to understand how cellular signalling is altered in DCM. With high sensitivity and versatility, optical biosensors represent the ideal tools to dissect the molecular determinants of cardiovascular disease, in an unbiased manner and in real-time at the level of single cells. By characterizing the pathobiology of dilated cardiomyopathy in a patient-specific manner using high content biosensor-based assays, we aim to uncover personalized mechanisms for the occurrence and development of DCM and as a pathway to development of personalized therapeutics.
Activation of the fear-responsive anterior hypothalamic area promotes avoidance and triggers compulsive grooming behavior in mice
Authors: Laing Brenton T. , Anderson Megan S. , Jayan Aishwarya , Park Anika S. , Erbaugh Lydia J. , Solis Oscar , Wilson Danielle J. , Michaelides Michael , Aponte Yeka
Published: September 2022

The anterior hypothalamic area (AHA) is a key brain region for orchestrating defensive behaviors. Here, we first examined AHA activity patterns during fear conditioning using in vivo functional imaging. We observed that neuronal activity in the AHA increases during both foot shock delivery and foot-shock associated auditory cues. Moreover, we used a combination of optogenetics and behavioral assays to determine the functional connectivity between the ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH) and the AHA. We found that photoactivation of the VMH→AHA pathway is aversive and triggers compulsive grooming behavior. Furthermore, we observed spatial and temporal changes of grooming behavior during the periods following VMH→AHA photoactivation. Interestingly, whole brain metabolic mapping using positron emission tomography (PET) combined with optogenetic activation of the VMH→AHA pathway in anesthetized mice revealed the amygdala as a downstream area activated by the stimulation of this pathway. Together, our findings show that the AHA responds to threat and that such increases in activity are sufficient to trigger compulsive grooming behavior. Thus, our results may help to understand some neuropsychiatric disorders characterized by repetitive and compulsive behaviors.
The effects ofde novomutation on gene expression and the consequences for fitness inChlamydomonas reinhardtii
Authors: Balogun Eniolaye J. , Ness Rob W.
Published: September 2022

Mutation is the ultimate source of genetic variation, the bedrock of evolution. Yet, predicting the consequences of new mutations remains a challenge in biology. Gene expression provides a potential link between a genotype and its phenotype. But the variation in gene expression created byde novomutation and the fitness consequences of mutational changes to expression remain relatively unexplored. Here, we investigate the effects of >2600de novomutations on gene expression across the transcriptome of 28 mutation accumulation lines derived from two independent wild-type genotypes of the green algaeChlamydomonas reinhardtii. We observed that the amount of genetic variance in gene expression created by mutation (Vm) was similar to the variance that mutation generates in typical polygenic phenotypic traits and approximately 15-fold the variance seen in the limited species whereVmin gene expression has been estimated. Despite the clear effect of mutation on expression, we did not observe a simple additive effect of mutation on expression change, with no linear correlation between the total expression change and mutation count of individual MA lines. We therefore inferred the distribution of expression effects of new mutations to connect the number of mutations to the number of differentially expressed genes (DEGs). Our inferred DEE is highly L-shaped with 95% of mutations causing 0-1 DEG while the remaining 5% are spread over a long tail of large effect mutations that cause multiple genes to change expression. The distribution is consistent with manycis-acting mutation targets that affect the expression of only one gene and a large target oftrans-acting targets that have the potential to affect tens or hundreds of genes. Further evidence forcis-acting mutations can be seen in the overabundance of mutations in or near differentially expressed genes. Supporting evidence fortrans-acting mutations comes from a 15:1 ratio of DEGs to mutations and the clusters of DEGs in the co-expression network, indicative of shared regulatory architecture. Lastly, we show that there is a negative correlation with the extent of expression divergence from the ancestor and fitness, providing direct evidence of the deleterious effects of perturbing gene expression.
D-mannose ameliorates age-associated cellular senescence in the bladder urothelium and NLRP3/Gasdermin/IL-1β -driven pyroptotic epithelial cell shedding
Authors: Joshi Chetanchandra S. , Salazar Arnold M. , Wang Caihong , Ligon Marianne M , Chappidi Rayvanth R. , Fashemi Bisiayo E. , Felder Paul A. , Mora Amy , Grimm Sandra L. , Coarfa Cristian , Mysorekar Indira U.
Published: September 2022

Aging is a risk factor for disease via increased susceptibility to infection, decreased ability to maintain homeostasis, inefficiency in combatting stress, and decreased regenerative capacity. Multiple diseases including urinary tract infection (UTI), are more prevalent with age; however, the mechanisms underlying how aging affects the urinary tract mucosa and the reason why aging correlates with disease are poorly understood. Here, we show that, relative to young (8-12 weeks) mice, the urothelium of aged (18-24 months) female mice accumulates large lysosomes with decreased acid phosphatase activity and shows overall decreased autophagic flux. Aged bladders exhibit basally high accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and dampened redox response. Furthermore, the aged urothelium exhibits a canonical senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) at baseline with continuous NLRP3-inflammasome- and Gasdermin D (GSDMD)-dependent pyroptotic cell death. Accordingly, we find that aged mice chronically exfoliate epithelial cells. When infected with uropathogenic E. coli, infected aged mice harbor more bacterial reservoirs post-infection and are prone to spontaneous recurrent UTI. Finally, treatment of aged mice with D-Mannose, a natural bioactive monosaccharide, rescues autophagy flux, reverses SASP, and limits pyroptotic epithelial shedding. Thus, normal aging dramatically affects bladder physiology with aging alone increasing baseline cellular stress and susceptibility to infection. Additionally, our results suggest that mannose supplementation could serve as a senotherapeutic to limit age-associated urothelial dysfunction.
Single molecule co-occupancy of RNA-binding proteins with an evolved RNA deaminase
Authors: Lin Yizhu , Kwok Samentha , Thai Bao Quoc , Alabi Yewande , Ostrowski Megan S. , Wu Ke , Floor Stephen N.
Published: September 2022

RNA-protein interactions broadly regulate gene expression. To understand RNA regulation, it is critical to measure RNA-protein interactions in cells. Current approaches to measure RNA-protein interactions often rely on crosslinking and shortread RNA sequencing, which has considerably advanced the understanding of gene expression but also suffers from some limitations. We present REMORA (RNA Encoded Molecular Recording in Adenosines), a new strategy to measure RNA-binding events on single RNA molecules in cells. In REMORA, adenosine deamination serves as a molecular record of RNA-protein interactions that are identified by mutations by sequencing. We performed RNA-based directed evolution to identify an RNA deaminase variant with high activity on arbitrary adenosine residues in RNA. We show that this RNA deaminase has high activity, low local sequence or structure bias, low background, and is generally applicable to diverse RNA-binding proteins. By combining our improved A-to-I RNA deaminase with the C-to-U deaminase APOBEC1 and long-read RNA sequencing, our approach enables simultaneous recording of the locations two RNA binding proteins on single mRNA molecules. Orthogonal RNA molecular recording of two Pumilio family proteins, PUM1 and PUM2, reveals that PUM1 competes with PUM2 for some but not all Pumilio binding sites in cells, despite having the same in vitro binding preferences. Our work thus measures competition between RNA-binding proteins for RNA sites in cells, and our genetically encodable RNA deaminase enables single-molecule identification of RNA-protein interactions with cell type specificity.
Behavioural intentions towards cultured meat: the role of personal values, domain-specific innovativeness and distrust in scientists
Authors: Lewisch Leonore , Riefler Petra
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Technology-based food innovations are likely to face opposition in consumer acceptance despite certain perceived benefits. This study investigates distrust in scientists as a barrier to cultured meat acceptance and its interplay with positive drivers. For the latter, this study draws upon higher-order values (universalism) and domain-specific innovativeness.

Design/methodology/approach

This study proposes a conceptual model, which is empirically tested using an online survey of Austrian consumers (n = 509) and structural equation modelling.

Findings

First, this study provides empirical support for the inhibiting role of distrust in scientists on the acceptance of cultured meat. Second, universalism and domain-specific innovativeness both positively impact consumers' behavioural intentions. Third, this study finds that consumers' innovativeness mitigates the negative effect of distrust in scientists on the willingness to try cultured meat, whereas the value of universalism does not moderate this negative effect.

Practical implications

The findings are strategically useful for companies in the innovative food sector in terms of segmentation and targeting. For both companies and policymakers, the impeding role of distrust in scientists for technology-based food innovations depicts an aspect that might be considered relevant to be addressed.

Originality/value

This study adds to the current body of knowledge about consumer acceptance of technology-based food innovations, such as cultured meat, by jointly examining the relevance of human values, domain-specific innovativeness and distrust in scientists as well as their interactions to explain behavioural intentions.
Is there a gender difference in STEM students' perceived employability?
Authors: Bennett Dawn , Bawa Sherry , Ananthram Subramaniam , Pitman Tim
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The study sought to determine whether there are gender differences in self-perceived employability of students enrolled in Australian higher education science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) programs.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an online measure comprised of Likert style and open text items, STEM students (n = 3,134) reported their perceived employability in relation to nine dimensions of employability identified from the literature as having relevance to careers in STEM. Analysis determined whether student confidence differed according to gender, field of study, study mode, age, and engagement with work.

Findings

Female students in STEM reported higher mean factor scores in relation to their self- and program-awareness, self-regulated learning, and academic self-efficacy. Male students were more confident in relation to digital literacy skills; these findings were consistent both overall and across several fields of study within STEM. Gender differences were observed across study mode, age, and engagement with work.

Originality/value

The analyses of students' perceived employability provide important insights into the formation of a STEM “identity” among female students. The study has implications for policy, higher education, the engagement of girls in early STEM education, and future research.
Effects of coaching on Universal Design for Learning implementation
Authors: Craig Stephanie Lynn , Smith Sean J. , Frey Bruce B.
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This paper examines instructional coaching as a means to support teachers at all levels in primary and secondary schools in implementing new and innovative practices using the Universal Design for Learning (UDL) framework as a design guide.

Design/methodology/approach

This mixed-methods study compared the impact of an instructional coaching intervention around the implementation of the UDL framework on educators versus the UDL implementation efforts of educators who did not receive the coaching intervention. Coached participants shared their experiences with the coaching cycle. These qualitative data were collected through teacher interviews, self-assessments, and observations. The data assisted in the interpretation of the quantitative findings from a quasi-experimental pre-test–post-test comparison group design.

Findings

The results of this study revealed positive outcomes for teachers in knowledge and application of UDL, although not at statistically significant levels. The qualitative data collected supported the positive gains and revealed that teachers valued and changed their practices from the use of coaching as they navigated the implementation of UDL in their learning environments.

Research limitations/implications

One limitation to be noted includes the district site that participated in this study had used the UDL framework for several years and maintained high expectations for teachers to increase their UDL-aligned practices each year. Therefore, all teachers who participated in this study were under the same district evaluative expectations to participate in professional development at some level to increase proficiency with UDL implementation, whereas a district in the beginning stages of UDL implementation might serve as a better gauge of growth. Additionally, the control participants were self-identified and not randomly assigned.

Originality/value

This study is one of the first conducted that investigates the effect of instructional coaching on teachers' increased understanding and implementation of the UDL framework. This study examines instructional coaching as a stand-alone professional development in supporting teachers' use of UDL in design-inclusive classrooms. Written into US law, the UDL framework is a scientifically valid framework that supports teachers with the design of flexible and accessible classrooms for an increasingly diverse population of students.
Quality perception of accounting firm customers
Authors: Mainardes Emerson Wagner , Sousa Gerlane da Silva
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to verify the dimensions of perceived quality of services which influence the satisfaction of accounting firm clients and verifies whether customer satisfaction influences loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations.

Design/methodology/approach

A model is proposed and tested using a survey of 292 accounting firm clients; structural equation modeling and partial least squares are used for data analysis.

Findings

The constructs of internal policies, personal relationships and trust influence the satisfaction of accounting firm clients which directly influences word-of-mouth recommendations and customer loyalty; however, the constructs of physical aspects and problem solving have no influence on satisfaction.

Research limitations/implications

The main contribution to the accounting field is an identification of the aspects in which firms should invest to deliver quality to clients. The development of internal policies, personal relationships and trust can lead to more satisfied clients, resulting in loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations. These are novel results within the literature and can guide accounting firms toward better performance.

Originality/value

This study is justified by the fact that accounting firms must adapt to the new environment and the new requirements of the accounting field and look for solutions that follow the progress of financial and managerial accounting, primarily with regard to service quality, satisfaction, loyalty and word-of-mouth recommendations. We also introduce a new scale to reveal novelties which cannot be observed using traditional service quality scales. This is another important contribution to the quality of accounting services.
Stability and insolvency sensitivity to Tunisian bank specific and macroeconomic effects
Authors: Neifar Malika , Gharbi Leila
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study to investigate the sensitivity of stability and insolvency of the Tunisian financial banking with respect to banks’ specific factors as well as to the macroeconomic conditions (including gross domestic product growth, inflation rate, foreign direct investment [FDI], EXRate, INT and unemp) during 2005–2014 period covering 2011 Tunisian revolution.

Design/methodology/approach

The variables of interest the financial institution stability which is measured by Z-score and solvency indicators that are determined by the capital adequacy ratio (CAP) and deposits to assets (DTA). This study seeks to assess the linkages among them (causality, magnitude and duration) that may shed some light on the micro-financial vulnerabilities that are associated with the macroeconomic environment and the monetary authority policy. To do so, this study considers two models: a panel vector autoregressif-X model for the tri-variate vector (Z-score, DTA, CAP) estimated by a system generalized method of moments after a forward mean-differencing and a dynamic seemingly unrelated regression model for the bi-variate vector (Z-score, DTA) estimated by 3LS.

Findings

Results say that there is a uni-directional contemporaneous negative relationship from stability to insolvency. Stability evolution can be attributed to both macroeconomic conditions and banks’ specific factors, whereas insolvency is attributed only to banks’ specific factors. Stability was found to increase when growth rate and FDI rise, whereas instability increases when interest rate rises, exchange rate depreciates and if inflation is high. Stability increases also when CAP increases. However, compared to conventional banks (CBs), Islamic banks (IBs) are found to be more solvent than CBs, and more stable post 2011 Tunisian revolution.

Practical implications

As fluctuation in inflation and exchange rate could lead to high interest rates and hence decreases the stability of the financial sectors, Tunisian monetary authority is advised to practice low interest rate policy.

Originality/value

This paper attends not only to compare the response of stability and insolvency to the effect of exogenous variables (macroeconomic and financial factors) in Tunisian banks but also to detect short run and long run feedback effects between dependent variables as well as to investigate whether IBs and CBs present evident heterogeneity of stability and insolvency evolution in relation to 2011 Tunisian revolution.
“When asked what I do, I say: ‘I write’”: a systematic text analysis of Peter Drucker’s writings
Authors: Linkletter Karen , Tabesh Pooya
Published: September 2022

Purpose

A lot has been discussed about Peter Drucker, and there exists significant written content admiring or criticizing his work as a management writer. This paper aims to offer a holistic analysis of Peter Drucker’s written contributions to better understand his views of society, government and organizations of all kinds.

Design/methodology/approach

Many have written about Peter Drucker and his considerable impact on the practical and philosophical foundations of modern management. Yet, there has been no systematic scholarly evaluation of Drucker as a writer, although many have praised and criticized his written work on management. In this study, the authors offer an analysis of Peter Drucker’s written contributions to evaluate his central contributions, as well as how he communicated his ideas on society and management.

Findings

A comprehensive analysis of Drucker’s word usage and writing style throughout his writing career forms an evidence-based approach to better understand his viewpoints and objectively evaluate the criticisms surrounding his work.

Originality/value

This research contributes to a better understanding of Peter Drucker’s central contributions, concerns and sentiments, as it relates to not only business management but also to his views of society, government and organizations of all kinds. A reconsideration of Drucker as a writer presents possible implications for the practice of management.
Work engagement: the role of psychological ownership and self-regulatory focus behavior
Authors: Delle Eric , Kumasey Anthony Sumnaya , Agyabeng Anthony Nkrumah , Alfa Atia Alpha , Hossain Farhad
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Drawing on the self-extended and regulatory focus theories, the present study examined the mechanism as well as the boundary condition under which psychological ownership might relate positively to the work engagement of employees working in public sector organizations in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from employees (n = 313) working in public sector organizations in Ghana at a single point in time with a survey questionnaire.

Findings

The results indicated that psychological ownership and self-regulatory focus behaviors (i.e. prevention and promotion focus behaviors) were beneficial for work engagement; and that while prevention focus mediated psychological ownership-work engagement relationship, that relationship was positive and stronger for employees who performed less promotion focus behaviors.

Practical implications

Managers in public sector organizations should understand that employees with strong psychological ownership would feel more engaged if they perform less promotion focus behaviors.

Originality/value

The authors’ study contributes uniquely to the nascent work engagement literature in the Ghanaian context, and by testing boundary conditions and underlying mechanisms increased the authors’ understanding of work engagement among public sector employees in Ghana.
Dietary patterns and migraine: are dietary intake and biochemical parameters associated with migraine characteristics?
Authors: Bakırhan Hande , Yıldıran Hilal , Uyar Cankay Tuğba
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to elucidate the relationship between nutritional status and various biochemical parameters and migraine symptoms.

Design/methodology/approach

The disability of individuals aged 19–64 years old with episodic migraine (n = 80, female n = 64, male n = 16) was assessed with the Migraine Disability Assessment Scale, and migraine severity was evaluated with the visual analog scale. The metabolic risks of individuals were determined by analyzing body composition, various biochemical parameters and anthropometric measurements. Nutrients and energy intake levels were measured using the food consumption recording form.

Findings

Body muscle mass percentage was correlated directly with migraine severity and inversely with the attack duration (r = 0.26, p = 0.01 and r = −0.29, p = 0.007, respectively). High bone mass was associated with low attack frequency (r = −0.23, p = 0.03), while high body fat percentage was associated with long attack duration (r = 0.28, p = 0.009). A significant direct correlation was found between total cholesterol level and migraine severity and attack duration (r = 0.25, p = 0.02) and between triglyceride level and attack duration (r = 0.26, p = 0.01). There was a direct correlation between serum thyroxine (T4) level and migraine attack severity (r = 0.23, p = 0.03). There was a significant direct correlation between energy and carbohydrate intake and migraine severity (r = 0.26, p = 0.02 and r = 0.30, p = 0.009, respectively), protein and vitamin B2 intake and attack frequency (r = 0.24, p = 0.03 and r = 0.23, p = 0.04, respectively) and an inverse correlation between monounsaturated fatty acid, fiber and vitamin C intake and migraine severity score (r = −0.35, p = 0.002; r = −0.25, p = 0.02; and r = −0.41, p = 0.001, respectively).

Originality/value

The findings confirm that nutritional status, body composition and some biochemical parameters can affect the course of migraine.
Novel guar gum/MnO2 nanocomposite for photocatalytic degradation of reactive yellow (RY 145) from aqueous solution: optimization by BBD
Authors: Mehralian Mohammad , Fallahfaragheh Ahmadreza , Khajeh Mehrizi Mohammad
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigation of the guar gum-manganese dioxide (GG/MnO2) nanocomposite (NC) synthesized using an environment-friendly method and the degradation of reactive yellow (RY 145) dye in the UV system.

Design/methodology/approach

Characterization of the GG/MnO2 NCs were conducted using field emission scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy. Experiments were conducted using a 1 L glass reactor coupled with Ultraviolet (UV-C) blue light bulb of wavelength 250 nm and power of 8 W.

Findings

The NC (2.25 g/L) displayed high RY 145 dye degradation (81%) with 10 mg/L of concentration at pH 3. The coefficient of determination (R2 0.99) also depicted that the model fits the experimental data. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that the F-values of 464.75, 276.04 and 5.15 are related to the dose of GG/MnO2 NCs, initial concentration of RY 145 dye and solution pH, respectively.

Practical implications

The GG/MnO2 NCs followed by photo oxidation process (UV-process) could be used to degrade the RY 145 dye from synthetic wastewater.

Originality/value

There are two main innovations. One is that the novel process is performed successfully for RY 145 dye degradation. The other is that the optimized conditions are obtained by Box–Behnken design. Also, the effects of different variables on the RY 145 dye removal efficiency were investigated.
Searching for context: a review of “what works” reviews of interventions to prevent youth offending using the EMMIE Framework
Authors: Case Stephen , Sutton Charlie E. , Greenhalgh Joanne , Monaghan Mark , Wright Judy
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the extent to which “What Works” reviews in youth justice enable understanding of the features of effectiveness (what works, for whom, in what circumstances and why?) specified in the Effects–Mechanisms–Moderators–Implementation–Economic cost (EMMIE) framework.

Design/methodology/approach

The EMMIE framework examined findings within a sample of “What Works” style reviews of preventative youth justice intervention effectiveness.

Findings

“What Works” style reviews of evaluations of preventative youth justice interventions often omit the requisite details required to examine all of the necessary elements of effectiveness contained within the EMMIE framework. While effectiveness measures were typically provided, the dominant evaluation evidence-base struggles to consider moderators of effect, mechanisms of change, implementation differences and cost-effectiveness. Therefore, “What Works” samples cannot facilitate sufficient understanding of “what works for whom, in what circumstances and why?”. The authors argue that Realist Synthesis can fill this gap and shed light on the contexts that shape the mechanisms through which youth justice interventions work.

Originality/value

The authors extended the approach adopted by an earlier review of effectiveness reviews (Tompson et al., 2020), considering more recent reviews of the effectiveness of preventative interventions using the EMMIE framework. Unlike previous reviews, the authors prioritised the utility of the EMMIE framework for assessing the factors affecting the effectiveness of preventative interventions in youth justice.
Knowledge “hiding and seeking” during the pandemic: who really wins in the new normal?
Authors: Tan Kim-Lim , Hii Ivy S.H. , Cheong Kevin Chuen-Kong
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The recent COVID-19 pandemic caused a severe economic downturn. Employees working in these organisations face employment uncertainty. The pandemic disrupted their daily routines, and it added a layer of complexity to the already resource-constrained environment. During these times, employees would conserve their resources to maintain competitiveness, one of which is knowledge hiding. While economic activities are resuming, the appearance of new variants could mean the transition towards endemicity could be put on hold. Hence, there is a need to rethink the behaviour of employees as they would have elevated levels of anxiety towards resuming daily work activities. Therefore, this study aims to address the question of understanding employees’ perspectives toward knowledge sharing and knowledge hiding.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on the conservation of resources theory, social learning theory and the social exchange theory (SET), a conceptual framework involving ethical leadership was developed to examine if knowledge hiding or knowledge sharing behaviour is a resource for employees during these times. The partial least squares method of structural equation modelling was used to analyse results from 271 white-collar employees from Singapore.

Findings

The results show that ethical leadership encourages knowledge sharing but does not reduce knowledge hiding. At the same time, knowledge hiding, not knowledge sharing, improves one’s perception of work performance. Additionally, psychological safety is the key construct that reduces knowledge hiding and encourages sharing behaviour.

Originality/value

Overall, this study extends the theories, demonstrating that, first and foremost, knowledge hiding is a form of resource that provides employees with an added advantage in work performance during the endemic. At the same time, we provide a new perspective that ethical leaders’ demonstration of integrity, honesty and altruism alone is insufficient to encourage knowledge sharing or reduce knowledge hiding. It must lead to a psychologically safe environment.
A comparison of the joint and independent inversions for magnetic and gravity data over kimberlites in Botswana
Authors: Vatankhah Saeed , Renaut Rosemary Anne , Mickus Kevin , Liu Shuang , Matende Kitso
Published: September 2022

Complementary independent and joint focusing inversion investigations are applied to the magnetic and gravity datasets for two kimberlite pipes, BK54 and BK55, in Botswana. The magnetic data are high resolution and, clearly, indicate two anomalies in the survey area. Independent inversion of this magnetic data provides a focused image of the subsurface with sharp boundaries for both pipes. The extensions of the pipes are close to those estimated by the available boreholes in the area. The spatial resolution of the gravity data is, on the other hand, relatively poor. The BK54 pipe does not appear on the residual gravity anomaly, while the BK55 is characterized by a positive anomaly. Independent inversion of the gravity data provides the geometry of the BK55 but does not identify the BK54 pipe. While there are some lower density materials in the place of the BK54 pipe, no specific target is revealed. Furthermore and relevant is that the reconstructed model for BK55 is not focused. A joint focusing inversion based on the structural cross‐gradient linkage is applied for the combined gravity and magnetic datasets. This algorithm produces structurally similar magnetic susceptibility and density models. A lower density distribution of material, similar to that of the magnetic susceptibility distribution, is revealed for the BK54 pipe. Moreover, in contrast to the result obtained by an independent inversion, the structure for BK54 is connected at depth, and the reconstructed models of BK54 and BK55 share the sparsity. The models are not as sparse as the magnetic susceptibility model that is obtained independently, but they are more focused than the independently obtained density model. A comprehensive comparison of the reconstructed models, and also computational CPU time, for independent and joint inversions is presented.
The diagnostic intersection of cognitive–communication disorders and aphasia secondary to TBI
Authors: Lindsey André , Guernon Ann , Stika Monica , Bender Pape Theresa
Published: September 2022

Background & Aims

The present retrospective study examines veterans and military personnel who have sustained a cognitive–communication deficit/disorder (CCD) and/or aphasia secondary to traumatic brain injury (TBI). The prevalence of each disorder secondary to TBI is identified and demographic factors are analysed to determine whether specific characteristics (age, gender, race and/or ethnicity) differentially influenced diagnosis (CCD or aphasia).

Methods & Procedures

A retrospective analysis examining the prevalence of CCD and aphasia among US service personnel with a complicated mild‐to‐severe TBI treated over a 4‐year period (1 January 2016–31 December 2019) was conducted. Medical diagnoses and demographic factors were obtained from administrative data repositories and a logistic regression was performed to identify the relationship between demographic factors and diagnoses.

Outcomes & Results

Analyses revealed that 8.8% of individuals studied had a secondary diagnosis of CCD (6.9%), aphasia (1.5%) or both (0.4%). This signifies 6863 cases of CCD, 1516 cases of aphasia and 396 cases of CCD and aphasia (dual diagnosis) per 100,000 individuals who have sustained a complicated mild‐to‐severe TBI. The proportion of cases observed with these diagnoses was consistent with the racial, gender and ethnic demographics of those diagnosed with TBI. Statistical modelling revealed that increased age is predictive of a diagnosis of aphasia relative to CCD.

Conclusions & Implications

Service personnel sustaining TBIs are at increased risk of communication impairments with deficits observed across all gender, racial and ethnic demographics. CCD is more commonly observed than aphasia, though clinicians should be cognisant of both when performing assessments. Age is a factor that can influence diagnosis.

What this paper adds

What is already known on the subject

Military personnel are at increased risk of communication disorders (CCDs) with TBI associated with multiple types of communication impairments including CCD, aphasia, dysarthria and apraxia of speech.

What this paper adds to existing knowledge

This paper examines CCD and aphasia occurring following TBI. The proportion of observed cases of CCD and aphasia secondary to TBI are calculated over a 4‐year period and the prevalence of these disorders is provided. Additionally, statistical modelling is used to identify differences in the diagnosis of CCD relative to aphasia using the demographic factors of age, racial identity and ethnicity.

What are the potential or actual clinical implications of this work?

CCD is a frequently occurring issue following TBI, and the findings of this study demonstrate that it is a concern observed across gender, racial and ethnic lines. Advanced age is linked with the diagnosis of aphasia relative to CCD following TBI and should be a consideration during evaluation of patients who have sustained significant head trauma.