bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
PLK-1 tethered on BUB-1 directs CDC-20 kinetochore recruitment to ensure timely embryonic mitoses
Authors: Houston Jack , Ohta Midori , Gómez-Cavazos J. Sebastián , Deep Amar , Corbett Kevin D. , Oegema Karen , Lara-Gonzalez Pablo , Kim Taekyung , Desai Arshad
Published: October 2022

During mitosis chromosomes assemble kinetochores in order to dynamically couple with spindle microtubules (Cheeseman, 2014; Musacchio & Desai, 2017). Kinetochores also function as signaling hubs directing mitotic progression by recruiting and controlling the fate of the Anaphase Promoting Complex/Cyclosome (APC/C) activator CDC-20 (Lara-Gonzalez et al., 2017; Lara-Gonzalez, Pines, et al., 2021; Musacchio, 2015). Kinetochores either incorporate CDC-20 into checkpoint complexes that inhibit the APC/C or dephosphorylate CDC-20, which allows it to interact with and activate the APC/C (Kim et al., 2017; Lara-Gonzalez et al., 2017). The importance of these two CDC-20 fates likely depends on biological context. In somatic cells the major mechanism controlling mitotic progression is the spindle checkpoint. By contrast, progression through mitosis during the cell cycles of early embryos is largely checkpoint-independent (Clute & Masui, 1995; Duro & Nilsson, 2021; Gerhart et al., 1984; Zhang et al., 2015). Here, by manipulating CDC-20 phosphorylation status, we show that CDC-20 phosphoregulation controls mitotic duration in the C. elegans embryo and defines a checkpoint-independent temporal mitotic optimum for robust embryogenesis. Flux of CDC-20 through kinetochores for local dephosphorylation requires an ABBA motif on BUB-1 that directly interfaces with the structured WD40 domain of CDC-20 (Di Fiore et al., 2015; Diaz-Martinez et al., 2015; He et al., 2013; Kim et al., 2017). We show that a conserved “STP” motif in BUB-1 that docks the mitotic kinase PLK-1 (Qi et al., 2006) is also necessary to recruit CDC-20 to kinetochores and for timely mitotic progression. The kinase activity of PLK-1 is required for CDC-20 to localize to kinetochores and targets a site within the CDC-20-binding ABBA motif of BUB-1; phosphorylation of this site promotes BUB-1–CDC-20 interaction and mitotic progression. Thus, the BUB-1-bound pool of PLK-1 ensures timely mitosis during embryonic cell cycles by promoting CDC-20 recruitment to the vicinity of kinetochore-localized phosphatase activity.
The formation and closure of macropinocytic cups in a model system
Authors: Lutton Judith E. , Coker Helena L. E. , Paschke Peggy , Munn Christopher J. , King Jason S. , Bretschneider Till , Kay Robert R.
Published: October 2022

Macropinocytosis is a conserved endocytic process where cells take up medium into micron-sized vesicles. InDictyostelium, macropinocytic cups form around domains of PIP3 in the plasma membrane and extend by actin polymerization. Using lattice light-sheet microscopy, we describe how cups originate, are supported by an F-actin scaffold and shaped by a ring of actin polymerization, created around PIP3 domains. How cups close is unknown. We find two ways: lip closure, where actin polymerization at the lip is re-directed inwards; and basal closure, where it stretches the cup, eventually causing membrane delamination and vesicle sealing. Cups grow as expanding waves of actin polymerization that travel across the cell surface, capturing new membrane. We propose that cups close when these waves stall. This ‘stalled wave’ hypothesis is tested through a conceptual model, where the interplay of forces from actin polymerization and membrane tension recreates many of our observations.
Chromosome-scale genome assembly of the pink bollworm,Pectinophora gossypiella, a global pest of cotton
Authors: Stahlke Amanda R. , Chang Jennifer , Chudalayandi Sivanandan , Heu Chan C. , Geib Scott M. , Scheffler Brian E. , Childers Anna K. , Fabrick Jeffrey A.
Published: October 2022

The pink bollworm,Pectinophora gossypiella(Saunders) (Lepidoptera: Gelechiidae), is a major global pest of cotton. Current management practices include chemical insecticides, cultural strategies, sterile insect releases, and transgenic cotton producing crystalline (Cry) protein toxins of the bacteriumBacillus thuringiensis(Bt). These strategies have contributed to eradication ofP. gossypiellafrom the cotton growing areas of the United States and northern Mexico. However, this pest has evolved resistance to Bt cotton in Asia, where it remains a critical pest, and the benefits of using transgenic Bt crops have been lost. A complete annotated reference genome is needed to improve global Bt resistance management of the pink bollworm. We generated the first chromosome-level genome assembly for pink bollworm from a Bt-susceptible laboratory strain (APHIS-S) using PacBio continuous long reads for contig generation, Illumina Hi-C for scaffolding, and Illumina whole-genome re-sequencing for error-correction. The psuedohaploid assembly consists of 29 autosomes and the Z sex chromosome. The assembly exceeds the minimum Earth BioGenome Project quality standards, has a low error-rate, is highly contiguous at both the contig and scaffold level (L/N50 of 18/8.26 MB and 14/16.44 MB, respectively), and complete, with 98.6% of lepidopteran single-copy orthologs represented without duplication. The genome was annotated with 50% repeat content and 14,107 protein-coding genes, further assigned to 41,666 functional annotations. This assembly represents the first publicly available complete annotated genome of pink bollworm and will serve as the foundation for advancing molecular genetics of this important pest species.
Estrogen receptor alpha mutations regulate gene expression and cell growth in breast cancer through microRNAs
Authors: Arnesen Spencer , Polaski Jacob T. , Blanchard Zannel , Osborne Kyle S. , Welm Alana L. , O’Connell Ryan M. , Gertz Jason
Published: October 2022

Estrogen receptor α (ER) mutations occur in up to 30% of metastatic ER-positive breast cancers. Recent data has shown that ER mutations impact the expression of thousands of genes not typically regulated by wildtype ER. While the majority of these altered genes can be explained by constant activity of mutant ER or genomic changes such as altered ER binding and chromatin accessibility, as much as 33% remain unexplained, indicating the potential for post-transcriptional effects. Here we explored the role of microRNAs in mutant ER-driven gene regulation and identified several microRNAs that are dysregulated in ER mutant cells. These differentially regulated microRNAs target a significant portion of mutant-specific genes involved in key cellular processes. When the activity of microRNAs is altered using mimics or inhibitors, significant changes are observed in gene expression and cellular proliferation related to mutant ER. An in-depth evaluation of miR-301b led us to discover an important role forPRKD3in the proliferation of ER mutant cells. Our findings show that microRNAs contribute to mutant ER gene regulation and cellular effects in breast cancer cells.
UV irradiation remodels the specificity landscape of transcription factors
Authors: Mielko Zachery , Zhang Yuning , Liu Yiling , Schaich Matthew A , Schnable Brittani , Burdinski Debbie , Adar Sheera , Pufall Miles , Van Houten Bennett , Gordan Raluca , Afek Ariel
Published: October 2022

Somatic mutations are highly enriched at transcription factor (TF) binding sites, with the strongest trend being observed for ultraviolet light (UV)-induced mutations in melanomas. One of the main mechanisms proposed for this hyper-mutation pattern is the inefficient repair of UV lesions within TF-binding sites, caused by competition between TFs bound to these lesions and the DNA repair proteins that must recognize the lesions to initiate repair. However, TF binding to UV-irradiated DNA is poorly characterized, and it is unclear whether TFs maintain specificity for their DNA sites after UV exposure. We developed UV-Bind, a high-throughput approach to investigate the impact of UV irradiation on protein-DNA binding specificity. We applied UV-Bind to ten TFs from eight structural families, and found that UV lesions significantly altered the DNA-binding preferences of all TFs tested. The main effect was a decrease in binding specificity, but the precise effects and their magnitude differ across factors. Importantly, we found that despite the overall reduction in DNA-binding specificity in the presence of UV lesions, TFs can still compete with repair proteins for lesion recognition, in a manner consistent with their specificity for UV-irradiated DNA. In addition, for a subset of TFs we identified a surprising but reproducible effect at certain non-consensus DNA sequences, where UV irradiation leads to a high increase in the level of TF binding. These changes in DNA-binding specificity after UV irradiation, at both consensus and non-consensus sites, have important implications for the regulatory and mutagenic roles of TFs in the cell.
KNOWLEDGE GRAPH AIDS COMPREHENSIVE EXPLANATION OF DRUG TOXICITY
Authors: Hao Yun , Romano Joseph D. , Moore Jason H.
Published: October 2022

In computational toxicology, prediction of complex endpoints has always been challenging, as they often involve multiple distinct mechanisms. State-of-the-art models are either limited by low accuracy, or lack of interpretability due to their black-box nature. Here we introduce AIDTox, an interpretable deep learning model which incorporates curated knowledge of chemical-gene connections, gene-pathway annotations, and pathway hierarchy. AIDTox accurately predicts cytotoxicity outcomes in HepG2 and HEK293 cells. It also provides comprehensive explanations of cytotoxicity covering multiple aspects of drug activity including target interaction, metabolism, and elimination. In summary, AIDTox provides a computational framework for unveiling cellular mechanisms for complex toxicity endpoints.
Primitive purine biosynthesis connects ancient geochemistry to modern metabolism
Authors: Goldford Joshua E. , Smith Harrison B. , Longo Liam M. , Wing Boswell A. , McGlynn Shawn E.
Published: October 2022

A major unresolved question in the origin and evolution of life is whether a continuous path from geochemical precursors to the majority of molecules in the biosphere can be reconstructed from modern day biochemistry. Here we simulated the emergence of ancient metabolic networks and identified a feasible path from simple geochemically plausible precursors (e.g., phosphate, sulfide, ammonia, simple carboxylic acids, and metals) using only known biochemical reactions and models of primitive coenzymes. We find that purine synthesis constitutes a bottleneck for metabolic expansion, and that non-autocatalytic phosphoryl coupling agents are necessary to enable expansion from geochemistry to modern metabolic networks. Our model predicts punctuated phases of metabolic evolution characterized by the emergence of small molecule coenzymes (e.g., ATP, NAD+, FAD). Early phases in the resulting expansion are associated with enzymes that are metal dependent and structurally symmetric, supporting models of early biochemical evolution. This expansion trajectory produces distinct hypotheses regarding the timing and mode of metabolic pathway evolution, including a late appearance of methane metabolisms and oxygenic photosynthesis consistent with the geochemical record. The concordance between biological and geological analysis suggests that this trajectory provides a plausible evolutionary history for the vast majority of core biochemistry.
A novel porcine model of CLN3 Batten disease recapitulates clinical phenotypes
Authors: Swier Vicki J. , White Katherine A. , Johnson Tyler B. , Wang Xiaojun , Han Jimin , Pearce David A. , Singh Ruchira , Rogers Christopher S. , Brudvig Jon J. , Weimer Jill M.
Published: October 2022

Mouse models of CLN3 Batten disease, a rare lysosomal storage disorder with no cure, have improved our understanding of CLN3 biology and therapeutics through their ease of use and a consistent display of cellular pathology. However, the translatability of murine models is limited by disparities in anatomy, body size, life span, and inconsistent, subtle behavior deficits that can be difficult to detect in CLN3 mutant mouse models, limiting their utility in preclinical studies. Here we present a longitudinal characterization of a novel miniswine model of CLN3 disease that recapitulates the most common human pathogenic variant, an exon 7-8 deletion (CLN3Δex7/8). Progressive pathology and neuron loss is observed in various regions of theCLN3Δex7/8miniswine brain and retina. Additionally, mutant miniswine present with vision impairment and motor abnormalities, similar to deficits seen in human patients. Taken together, theCLN3Δex7/8miniswine model shows consistent and progressive Batten disease pathology and behavioral impairment mirroring clinical presentation, demonstrating its value in studying the role of CLN3 and safety/efficacy of novel disease modifying therapeutics.
Discovery of deep-sea coral symbionts from a novel family of marine bacteria, Oceanoplasmataceae, with severely reduced genomes
Authors: Vohsen Samuel A. , Gruber-Vodicka Harald R. , Dubilier Nicole , Fisher Charles R. , Baums Iliana B.
Published: October 2022

Microbes perform critical functions in corals yet most knowledge is derived from the photic zone. Here, we discovered two mollicutes that dominate the microbiome of the deep-sea octocoral,Callogorgia delta,and reside in the mesoglea. These symbionts were abundant across the host’s range, absent in the water, and rare in sediments. The symbionts lack all known fermentative capabilities including glycolysis and can only generate energy from arginine provided by the coral host. Their genomes feature extensive mechanisms to interact with foreign DNA which may be indicative of their role in symbiosis. We erect the novel family Oceanoplasmataceae which includes these symbionts and others associated with four marine invertebrate phyla. Its exceptionally broad host range suggests that the diversity of this enigmatic family remains largely undiscovered. Oceanoplasmataceae genomes are the most highly reduced among mollicutes providing new insight into their reductive evolution and the roles of coral symbionts.
Too Much Information Is No Information: How Machine Learning and Feature Selection Could Help in Understanding the Motor Control of Pointing
Authors: Thomas Elizabeth , Ben Ali Ferid , Tolambiya Arvind , Chambellent Florian , Gaveau Jérémie
Published: October 2022

The aim of this study was to develop the use of Machine Learning techniques as a means of multivariate analysis in studies of motor control. These studies generate a huge amount of data, the analysis of which continues to be largely univariate. We propose the use of machine learning classification and feature selection as a means of uncovering feature combinations that are altered between conditions. High dimensional electromyograms (EMG) vectors were generated as several arm and trunk muscles were recorded while subjects pointed at various angles above and below the gravity neutral horizontal plane. We used Linear Discriminant Analysis (LDA) to carry out binary classifications between the EMG vectors for pointing at a particular angle, versus pointing at the gravity neutral direction. Classification success provided a composite index of muscular adjustments for various task constraints – in this case, pointing angles. In order to find the combination of features that were significantly altered between task conditions, we conducted a post classification feature selection i.e. investigated which combination of features had allowed for the classification. Feature selection was done by comparing the representations of each category created by LDA for the classification. In other words computing the difference between the representations of each class. We propose that this approach will help with comparing high dimensional EMG patterns in two ways; i) quantifying the effects of the entire pattern rather than using single arbitrarily defined variables and ii) identifying the parts of the patterns that convey the most information regarding the investigated effects.
Identification of Novel Transcripts and Exons by RNA-Seq of Transcriptome in Durio zibethinus Murr
Authors: Husin Nurul Arneida
Published: October 2022

Durio zibethinus is a popular seasonal fruit among the Asian population and is frequently associated with economic losses due to a rapid post-harvest process. To identify novel transcripts and characterize D. zibethinus transcriptome, we employed high throughput RNA-Seq analysis. In this study, we characterized the growth and development of D. zibethinus at different growth stages, including the young, mature, and ripening stages of growth. After mapping, 110 million high-quality reads were analysed for each of the nine samples, revealing that each contains in range of 76,700 to 89,117 transcripts and 561,211 to 646,291 exons. With Cuffcompare to obtain the unannotated transcript, the novel exons, introns and loci were identified in the developmental stage with value of 3,438/313,476 (1.1%), 1,657/245,129 (0.7%) and 1,197/44,509 (2.7%), respectively. The differential expression genes (DEGs) in up-regulation were compared under the three growth stages: 1,496 (YS/MS), 2,154 (YS/RS), and 2,153 (MS/RS). These genes were then subjected to clustering analysis. A comprehensive study from the heatmap indicates that response to stress, hormone signalling, cuticle formation, general transporter, receptor and protein kinase and transcription factors are highly regulated gene functions for all growth stages. In the present analysis, we emphasized identifying and classifying unknown important transcripts, disregarding transcripts with accurate annotations. Differential expression analysis identified 280 unknown significant transcripts, presumably involved in various biological functions in durian growth. Top blastn results for 183 unknown transcripts revealed homology (80%–100%) to Bombax ceiba, Gossypium hirsutum, Gossypium raimondii, Herrania umbratica, Juglans regia, and Theobroma cacao. Under the category of unknown transcripts without a Blastn match, two unknown transcripts match GO terms. TCONS 00034019 and TCONS 00058246 match the InterPro GO Names for Biological Process (P) P:GO:0046622; P: positive regulation of organ growth. In the category of sequences with no BLASTx hit and no IPS match, three ORF sequences longer than 300 nt were identified. Our results significantly improved D. zibethinus transcript annotation and provide valuable resources for functional genomics and studies in durian.
Transcriptome analysis during fruit developmental stages in durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) var. D24
Authors: Husin Nurul Arneida
Published: October 2022

Durian (Durio zibethinus Murr.) fruits are famous for their unique aroma. This study analysed the Durian fruit transcriptome to discover the expression patterns of genes and to understand their regulation. Three developmental stages of Durian fruit, namely, early [90 days post-anthesis (DPA)], mature (120 DPA), and ripen (127 DPA), were studied. The Illumina HiSeq platform was used for sequencing. The sequence data were analysed using four different mapping aligners and statistical methods: CLC Genomic Workbench, HISAT2+DESeq2, Tophat+Cufflinks, and HISAT2+edgeR. The analyses showed that over 110 million clean reads were mapped to the Durian genome, yielding 19,976, 11,394, 17,833, and 24,351 differentially expressed genes during 90-127 days post-anthesis. Many identified differentially expressed genes were linked to the fruit ripening processes. The data analysis suggests that most genes with increased expression at the ripening stage were primarily involved in the metabolism of cofactors and vitamins, nucleotide metabolism, and carbohydrate metabolism. Significantly expressed genes from the young to mature stage were mainly associated with carbohydrate metabolism, amino acid metabolism, and cofactor and vitamin metabolism. The transcriptome data will serve as a foundation for understanding Durian fruit development-specific genes and could be helpful in fruit’s trait improvement.
How do individual factors affect career sustainability? An investigation of cascading effects through the career construction model of adaptation
Authors: Talluri Surendra Babu , Schreurs Bert , Uppal Nishant
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Though the recent conceptualization of career sustainability, defining its indicators and dimensions prompted an important field of careers research, empirical research is still in its infancy. The current study empirically investigates how proactive personality, career adaptability and proactive career behaviors promote career sustainability based on the career construction model of adaptation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors used a two-wave survey design to collect data from 414 full-time working professionals representing different organizations located in India. The authors tested the proposed hypotheses using structural equation modeling in IBM SPSS AMOS.

Findings

Results supported a serial indirect effect model with career adaptability and proactive career behaviors carrying the effect of proactive personality on career sustainability.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the emerging sustainable careers literature by unveiling the role of individual factors in career sustainability. Furthermore, the authors investigated these relationships through the complete career construction model of adaptation. By doing so, the current study contributes to careers literature by revealing the linkage between the career construction model of adaptation and career sustainability.
Content, tools, and surrogates: assessing K-12 teachers’ criteria for interactively searching for digital video
Authors: Albertson Dan , Johnston Melissa P.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Digital video is regularly used to supplement instruction in K-12 education. However, more research is needed on how teachers interactively search for video to support their instructional tasks and activities. The purpose of the study is to better understand teachers’ perceptions of their video searches which can help facilitate video needs and interactions with digital tools.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an existing image search model, variables were constructed and adapted to reflect the experiences of an interactive video search in an educational context or setting. A survey was then implemented and presented to K-12 teachers to gather perceptions about video searches. Statistical tests were used to examine certain variables that were categorized according to video needs, search tools and video surrogates or representations. The tests included descriptive tests and mean comparisons of variables within the categories to better understand priority among the criteria of teachers when interactively searching for video.

Findings

Results produced various statistical differences between variables within each of the categories of video needs, search tools and video surrogates or representations; as a result, certain priorities among the criteria of a video search emerged.

Originality/value

Online resources, particularly digital video, are likely to keep growing in importance for instruction and learning in K-12 settings. This study provides an important step to understanding different aspects of teachers’ criteria and perspectives of the video search process which will help better facilitate fulfillment of information needs.
Smallholder farmers' perception of climate change and choice of adaptation strategies in East Hararghe Zone, Eastern Ethiopia
Authors: Zeleke Titay , Beyene Fekadu , Deressa Temesgen , Yousuf Jemal , Kebede Temesgen
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Change of climate is attributed to human activity that alters the composition of the global atmosphere observed over comparable periods. The purpose of this paper is to explore smallholder farmers' perceptions of climate change and compare it with meteorological data, as well as to identify perceived adaptation barriers and examine the factors that influence the choice of adaptation options in eastern Ethiopia.

Design/methodology/approach

In total, 384 sample households were chosen from four districts of the zone. A cross-sectional survey was used to conduct the study. Primary data was acquired through key informant interviews, focus group discussions and semistructured interviews, whereas meteorological data was collected from the National Meteorological Service Agency of Ethiopia. A Mann–Kendall statistical test was used to analyze temperature and rainfall trends over 33 years. A multivariate probit (MVP) model was used to identify the determinants of farmers' choice of climate change adaptation strategies.

Findings

The result indicated that temperature was significantly increased, whereas rainfall was significantly reduced over the time span of 33 years. This change in climate over time was consistently perceived by farmers. Smallholder farmers use improved varieties of crops, crop diversification, adjusting planting dates, soil and water conservation practices, reducing livestock holdings, planting trees and small-scale irrigation adaptation strategies. Moreover, this study indicated that sex of the household head, landholding size, livestock ownership, access to extension, access to credit, social capital, market distance, access to climate change-related training, nonfarm income, agroecological setting and poverty status of the households significantly influence farmers’ choice of adaptation strategies.

Research limitations/implications

Further research is required to evaluate the economic impact of each adaptation options on the livelihood of smallholder farmers.

Practical implications

Institutional variables significantly influenced how farmers adapted to climate change, and all of these issues might potentially be addressed by improving institutional service delivery. To improve farm-level adaptation, local authorities are recommended to investigate the institutional service provision system while also taking demographic and agroecological factors in to account.

Originality/value

This study compared farmers' perceptions with temperature and rainfall trend analysis, which has been rarely addressed by other studies. This study adopts an MVP model and indicated the adaptation strategies that complement/substitute strategies each other. Furthermore, this study discovered that the choice of adaptation options differed between poor and nonpoor households, which has been overlooked in previous climate change adaptation research.
Evaluation of the influence of preliminary low-velocity impacts on the residual fatigue life of CFRP composites
Authors: Staroverov Oleg , Lobanov Dmitriy , Strungar Elena , Lunegova Ekaterina
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The main purpose of this study was to evaluate the mechanical behaviour of layered fibrous carbon-fibre reinforced plastic (CFRP) under complex low-speed bending and impact loads and subsequent cyclic tensile loads.

Design/methodology/approach

A comprehensive approach was adopted to study the damage accumulation processes using state-of-the-art testing and diagnostic equipment. In the course of the study, a microstructure analysis of damages caused by a transverse impact and cyclic tension was performed.

Findings

A dependence of residual fatigue life of the studied composite material on the intensity of the preliminary impact bending was established. Temperature field distribution fields on the surface of the sample during tests were shown. Data on damage accumulation processes were presented, which were obtained during the registration of acoustic emission signals.

Originality/value

A connection was established between changes of registered acoustic response signals and thermal imaging camera data, which was supported by the results of an experimental study. The results of the comprehensive approach showed a qualitative correlation.
Substance use and sentiment and topical tendencies: a study using social media conversations of youth experiencing homelessness
Authors: Deng Tianjie , Barman-Adhikari Anamika , Lee Young Jin , Dewri Rinku , Bender Kimberly
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study investigates associations between Facebook (FB) conversations and self-reports of substance use among youth experiencing homelessness (YEH). YEH engage in high rates of substance use and are often difficult to reach, for both research and interventions. Social media sites provide rich digital trace data for observing the social context of YEH's health behaviors. The authors aim to investigate the feasibility of using these big data and text mining techniques as a supplement to self-report surveys in detecting and understanding YEH attitudes and engagement in substance use.

Design/methodology/approach

Participants took a self-report survey in addition to providing consent for researchers to download their Facebook feed data retrospectively. The authors collected survey responses from 92 participants and retrieved 33,204 textual Facebook conversations. The authors performed text mining analysis and statistical analysis including ANOVA and logistic regression to examine the relationship between YEH's Facebook conversations and their substance use.

Findings

Facebook posts of YEH have a moderately positive sentiment. YEH substance users and non-users differed in their Facebook posts regarding: (1) overall sentiment and (2) topics discussed. Logistic regressions show that more positive sentiment in a respondent's FB conversation suggests a lower likelihood of marijuana usage. On the other hand, discussing money-related topics in the conversation increases YEH's likelihood of marijuana use.

Originality/value

Digital trace data on social media sites represent a vast source of ecological data. This study demonstrates the feasibility of using such data from a hard-to-reach population to gain unique insights into YEH's health behaviors. The authors provide a text-mining-based toolkit for analyzing social media data for interpretation by experts from a variety of domains.
Customer obsession – the springboard for a value creation strategy
Authors: Weinstein Art T.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Customer-obsessed organizations put customers first, create exceptional value and enhance business performance. This paper aims to offer a framework for implementing the customer obsession construct.

Design/methodology/approach

Using relevant customer value literature, syndicated research and a qualitative analysis, customer obsession insights are offered.

Findings

Customer-obsessed companies know their customers’ needs and engage with them to offer the best solutions. Four customer-centric stages are evaluated, and applications of customer obsession in the Now Economy are discussed.

Research limitations/implications

This analysis of customer obsession is largely conceptual and presents a case study in one metropolitan statistical area. Although the findings are insightful, it may not be representative of the US or global health-care market.

Practical implications

Strategic implications relate to a bias for action, types of business obsessions, values alignment and benchmarking. This paper features an in-depth case study on Baptist Health South Florida which assesses customer obsession using a customer value framework.

Originality/value

Customer obsession is a strategic mindset built upon strong leadership, a sound business culture and superior value. While critical to business success, there has been limited scholarly work in this area. This paper fills that gap by providing a managerial approach for understanding this key business priority.
A diplomatic-informed archival pedagogy: fostering student-centered learning environments for novice archival researchers
Authors: Dearborn Carly , Flierl Michael
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper begins to construct a theoretical foundation for using a diplomatic-informed pedagogy that specifically addresses common concerns in archival instruction in a higher education environment. The authors utilize self-determination theory (SDT) to define student-centeredness and provide empirical guidance for creating a learning environment supporting student motivation, persistence and academic achievement. The proposed framework provides both structure and theoretical grounding for the archivist while also cultivating a learning environment which effectively motivates novice researchers.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors draw on diplomatics and archival instructional literature to propose an instructional framework utilizing SDT.

Findings

A diplomatic-informed pedagogy is a new, theoretically viable approach to archival instruction for novice researchers intending to replace common archival orientation and competency-based instruction. This pedagogical approach also provides a reproducible structure to the instructional archivist, helping to organize classroom learning outcomes, assessments and activities in alignment with evidence-based research and well-established archival theory.

Research limitations/implications

This is a conceptual paper and based on subjective analysis of existing literature and theory. The proposed framework has not been tested in a practical application, but it is based in the pedagogical foundations of diplomatics and SDT's focus on student perceptions and motivations.

Originality/value

Diplomatics, the foundation of archival science and legal theory, can be applied pedagogically to provide concrete guidance to teach students to use archives in more intentional, creative and disciplinary authentic ways. Diplomatics gives the instructional archivist a pedagogical foundation, structure and guiding methodology to approaching novice researchers in the archives, while SDT presents how to implement such an approach.
Indicators for safety culture in SME construction firms: a Delphi study in Ghana
Authors: Adzivor Eric Kodzo , Emuze Fidelis , Das Dillip Kumar
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to determine safety culture indicators that can improve the health and safety performance of small and medium-sized enterprise (SME) contractors in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-round Delphi method was used. The first round consisted of 31 experts out of which 18 of them rated their agreements with a set of 87 potential safety culture indicators using a 10-point Likert scale of importance (1 = important and 10 = very important) and the 16 experts who completed the final round were given the opportunity to suggest other indicators. The 87 indicators were categorised into 14 core health and safety elements. Indicators that attained a group median value of 5–10 for 50% or more expert ratings were accepted.

Findings

At the end of the third round, a consensus was reached on the indicators when they attracted median scores of 5–10 for at least 50% or more of the health and safety experts rated the indicators between 5 and 10. Out of a total of 87 indicators at the start of the Delphi process, the consensus was reached on 70 that were retained.

Research limitations/implications

The health and safety experts were not given the opportunity to add new indicators to the structured questionnaire until the third round.

Originality/value

This is the first study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, to have a consensus by health and safety experts on leading indicator metrics of positive culture of construction safety in Ghana for improved SME construction company’s health and safety performance in Ghana. If these indicators are adopted and used effectively in Ghana, they would ensure positive culture of construction safety and subsequently help to protect construction workers.
How OER can support teacher collaborative learning to enact equitable teaching practices
Authors: Jensen Bryant , Kimmons Royce
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Many K-12 teaching practices unwittingly reproduce social privileges. To transform their teaching and provide more equitable learning opportunities for students from minoritized communities, teachers need professional learning experiences that are collaborative and “close-to-practice” (Ermeling and Gallimore, 2014). This study aims to propose an approach to open educational resources (OER) to support teacher learning to enact equitable teaching practices.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on an integrative review of research on OER, equitable teaching and teacher collaboration, the authors propose the “Open Guidebook Approach” (OGA) to realize and sustain enactment of equitable teaching. OGA materials are practical, available and adaptable for teachers to learn together to transform their practice incrementally and continually within small, job-alike teams. The authors illustrate OGA with Making Meaning (https://edtechbooks.org/making_meaning), which offers information on equitable teaching through graphically illustrated scenarios and guides teachers to plan lessons together, observe each other, debrief and analyze implementation and reflect on and revise lessons based on peer observation and student learning goals.

Findings

Teachers using Making Meaning recommend ways to enhance its adaptability and practicality, e.g. by providing repositories of lesson ideas for and by teachers, using classroom videos in addition to illustrated scenarios and emphasizing teacher dispositions underlying equitable teaching practices.

Originality/value

OGA provides a promising way for educators, designers and researchers to work arm-in-arm to transform schooling for teachers and students. Further research is needed to identify structural conditions requisite for OGA use and how OGA materials can optimize teacher collaboration to enact meaningful and effective opportunities for minoritized students to participate and learn in classrooms.
Challenges of business models for sustainability in startups
Authors: Nunes Andressa Kelly da Silva , Morioka Sandra Naomi , Bolis Ivan
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the challenges startups face in implementing business models for sustainability. In particular, the research question of this study is: How do the challenges faced by startups affect business models for sustainability in the context of an emerging country?

Design/methodology/approach

Startups are increasingly incorporating ways to thrive in a competitive environment with innovative sustainable business models, a key factor for competitive advantage and corporate sustainability. This paper analyses startups’ challenges in adopting business models for sustainability through a case study in two startups, using the sustainable value exchange matrix (SVEM) tool through workshops, to carry out the diagnosis of these challenges.

Findings

The barriers and challenges of business models for sustainability in startups were found in different categories, where the main barriers are linked to the institutional category, the organizational and the market and sales culture. Thus, the authors concluded that there is a need to reformulate public policies and to have greater participation of the actors involved.

Research limitations/implications

The main limitation of the research is the number of case studies (only two), which makes it difficult to generalize the results.

Practical implications

The research presents two major contributions. First, through the case studies, it is possible to verify that the barriers and challenges in business models for sustainability have relevance for startups. The second contribution is the adaptation of SVEM in conducting the debate by incorporating the barriers and challenges in value creation and delivery system.

Social implications

This study contributes to the business models for sustainability literature to better understand the challenges startups face in practice and can serve as insights to help overcome them. As this is an empirical study, the information gathered can help create metrics and public policies to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals.

Originality/value

The present research has as originality the analysis of the challenges in startups in implementing business models for sustainability and their relationships with the value proposition, capture and creation, as well as and delivery (adapted to the challenges found in the literature) applying the SVEM tool proposed by Morioka et al. (2018).
Where racial and ethnic disparities in policing come from: The spatial concentration of arrests across six cities
Authors: Neil Roland , MacDonald John M.
Published: October 2022

Research Summary

This study examines the extent to which citywide racial and ethnic disparities in arrests are driven by a subset of places within cities. Data are drawn from six U.S. cities from 2014 to 2019. Results indicate that arrests are strongly concentrated within a few block groups, for all race and ethnicities in all cities. Coupled with higher rates of arrests for Blacks and (in some cities) Hispanics compared to Whites and other racial groups, this means that a few places in every city are responsible for driving citywide racial and ethnic disparities in arrests. These arrest hot spots demonstrate very high year‐to‐year stability. There is a strong relationship between crime and arrest hot spots, making crime hot spots key drivers of citywide racial and ethnic disparities in arrests.

Policy Implications

Our results indicate that changes to arrest patterns in most parts of a city will have little impact on citywide racial and ethnic disparities in arrests. At the same time, an intense focus on reducing arrests in hot spots may yield outsized reductions in population‐level racial and ethnic disparities, while being especially feasible due to their limited scope. Place‐based and group‐based interventions at these locations may entail the dual benefit of reduced racial disparities in arrests along with enhanced public safety.
Sublobectomy for stage IA1‐2 invasive lung adenocarcinoma with consolidation tumor ratio ≤ 0.25
Authors: Qi Yi‐Fan , Qiu Zhen‐Bin , Zhang Chao , Fu Rui , Yang Xiong‐Wen , Chu Xiang‐Peng , Chen Zi‐Hao , Yang Xue‐Ning , Wu Yi‐Long , Zhong Wen‐Zhao
Published: October 2022

Background

Sublobectomy for early‐stage non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a matter of debate. This study aimed to discuss the feasibility of sublobectomy in patients with pathological‐stage IA1‐2 confirmed as pathologically invasive but radiologically noninvasive adenocarcinoma.

Methods

From 2011 to 2019, we screened clinical stage IA1–IA2 lung cancer patients who underwent surgery at the Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital (GDPH). Inclusion criteria were maximum tumor diameter of 2.0 cm or less, consolidation tumor ratio (CTR) ≤ 0.25, and pathologically confirmed invasive adenocarcinoma. Sublobectomy (segmentectomy and wedge resection) and lobectomy groups were created, and propensity scores were computed. The primary endpoints were lung cancer‐specific overall survival (LCSS) and LCS‐ relapse‐free survival (LCS‐RFS) after adjusting propensity scores.

Results

A total of 1731 patients were screened, and 100 patients were enrolled. The lobectomy group had 51 patients and the limited resection group had 49. No cases relapsed, and two patients died from nontumor causes. For the entire cohort, the 5‐year LCSS and 5‐year LCS‐RFS were 100% in the lobectomy and limited resection groups. When propensity scores matched, there were no differences in LCSS and LCS‐RFS between the two groups (LCSS:100%, LCS‐RFS 100% in lobectomy and limited resection, respectively).

Discussion

Sublobectomy may be curative for pathologically invasive but radiologically noninvasive adenocarcinoma at pathological stage IA1‐2.
Pathologic responses to neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in primary limited‐stage small‐cell lung cancer
Authors: Lu Meng , Zhang Ran , Qi Li‐sha , Wang Ya‐lei , Sun Xiao‐xuan , You Jian
Published: October 2022

Background

Immunotherapy has been proved to have a large effect on extensive‐stage small cell lung cancer, but the role of immunotherapy in limited‐stage small‐cell lung cancer (LS‐SCLC) is still unknown.

Methods

A retrospective study of six patients with LS‐SCLC who were treated with neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy (durvalumab plus etoposide combined with cisplatin) was performed. Patients were evaluated by the safety, feasibility and pathologic responses of neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy.

Results

Neoadjuvant durvalumab combined chemotherapy was associated with few immediate adverse events and did not delay planned surgery. All patients achieved partial pathologic response (pPR) instead of major pathologic response, or pathologic complete response. No association was observed between programmed death‐ligand 1 expression in tumor specimens and the pathologic response. However, tumors with high expression of immune cells such as CD4+ T cells, CD8+ T cells and FoxP3+ Tregs tended to have better pathologic responses than tumors with low expression of immune cells.

Conclusions

Neoadjuvant durvalumab combined chemotherapy could induce pPR with few side effects in resectable LS‐SCLC. The immune cells in the tumor microenvironment might play an important role in neoadjuvant chemoimmunotherapy in resectable LS‐SCLC.
Biomarkers of potential harm in people switching from smoking tobacco to exclusive e‐cigarette use, dual use or abstinence: secondary analysis of Cochrane systematic review of trials of e‐cigarettes for smoking cessation
Authors: Hartmann‐Boyce Jamie , Butler Ailsa R. , Theodoulou Annika , Onakpoya Igho J. , Hajek Peter , Bullen Chris , Rigotti Nancy A. , Lindson Nicola
Published: October 2022

Aims

This study aims to compare biomarkers of potential harm between people switching from smoking combustible cigarettes (CC) completely to electronic cigarettes (EC), continuing to smoke CC, using both EC and CC (dual users) and using neither (abstainers), based on behaviour during EC intervention studies.

Design

Secondary analysis following systematic review, incorporating inverse variance random‐effects meta‐analysis and effect direction plots.

Setting

This study was conducted in Greece, Italy, Poland, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Participants

A total of 1299 adults smoking CC (nine studies) and provided EC.

Measurements

Measurements were conducted using carbon monoxide (CO) and 26 other biomarkers.

Findings

In pooled analyses, exhaled CO (eCO) was lower in EC versus EC + CC [mean difference (MD) = −4.40 parts per million (p.p.m.), 95% confidence interval (CI) = −12.04 to 3.24, two studies] and CC (MD = −9.57 p.p.m., 95% CI = −17.30 to −1.83, three studies). eCO was lower in dual users versus CC only (MD = −1.91 p.p.m., 95% CI = −3.38 to −0.45, two studies). Magnitude rather than direction of effect drove substantial statistical heterogeneity. Effect direction plots were used for other biomarkers. Comparing EC with CC, 12 of 13 biomarkers were significantly lower in EC users, with no difference for the 13th. Comparing EC with dual users, 12 of the 25 biomarkers were lower for EC, and five were lower for dual use. For the remaining eight measures, single studies did not detect statistically significant differences, or the multiple studies contributing to the outcome had inconsistent results. Only one study provided data comparing dual use with CC; of the 13 biomarkers measured, 12 were significantly lower in the dual use group, with no statistically significant difference detected for the 13th. Only one study provided data on abstainers.

Conclusions

Switching from smoking to vaping or dual use appears to reduce levels of biomarkers of potential harm significantly.