bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Epileptic phenotypes inslc13a5loss-of-function zebrafish are rescued by blocking NMDA receptor signaling
Authors: Dogra Deepika , Phan Van Anh , Gavrilovici Cezar , DiMarzo Nadia , Ibhazehiebo Kingsley , Kurrasch Deborah M.
Published: January 2024

SLC13A5encodes a citrate transporter highly expressed in the brain important for regulating intra- and extracellular citrate levels. Mutations in this gene cause a rare infantile epilepsy characterized by lifelong seizures, developmental delays, behavioral deficits, poor motor progression, and language impairments. SLC13A5 individuals respond poorly to treatment options; yet drug discovery programs are limited due to a paucity of animal models that phenocopy human symptoms. Here, we used CRISPR/Cas9 to create loss-of-function mutations inslc13a5aandslc13a5b, the zebrafish paralogs to humanSLC13A5.slc13a5mutant larvae showed cognitive dysfunction and sleep disturbances, consistent with SLC13A5 individuals. These mutants also exhibited fewer neurons and a concomitant increase in apoptosis across the optic tectum, a region important for sensory processing.slc13a5mutants displayed hallmark features of epilepsy, including an imbalance in glutamatergic and GABAergic excitatory-inhibitory gene expression, disrupted neurometabolism, and neuronal hyperexcitation as measuredin vivoby extracellular field recordings and live calcium imaging. Mechanistically, we tested the involvement of NMDA signaling inslc13a5mutant epilepsy-like phenotypes. Slc13a5 protein co-localizes with excitatory NMDA receptors in wild-type zebrafish and blocking NMDA receptors inslc13a5mutant larvae rescued bioenergetics, hyperexcitable calcium events, and behavioral defects. These data provide empirical evidence in support of the hypothesis that excess extracellular citrate over-chelates the ions needed to regulate NMDA receptor function, leading to sustained channel opening and an exaggerated excitatory response that manifests as seizures. These data show the utility ofslc13a5mutant zebrafish for studying SLC13A5 epilepsy and open new avenues for drug discovery.
Informative Presence Bias in Comorbidity Data of Medicare Advantage-Enrolled Beneficiaries
Authors: Schaffer Justin M. , Kluis Austin , Squiers John J. , Banwait Jasjit K. , Gaudino Mario F. L. , Mack Michael J. , DiMaio J. Michael
Published: January 2024

Background

Analyses of Medicare administrative claims data are faced with methodological challenges, including accounting for the potential effect of insurance status on documented comorbidities. We present an example of how failing to account for informative presence bias related to beneficiary enrollment status in such analyses may lead to flawed results.

Methods

In this retrospective observational study of Medicare beneficiaries undergoing isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) from 1999-2019, we compare the distribution of documented comorbidities between beneficiaries with Medicare Advantage (MA) and Traditional Medicare (TM) plans. Long-term survival was then compared in both unweighted and overlap weighted analyses with and without the inclusion of documented comorbidities.

Results

Among 3,015,066 Medicare beneficiaries undergoing CABG from 1999-2019, 2,345,476 underwent isolated CABG and had suitable data for analysis. The annual proportion of MA-enrolled beneficiaries undergoing CABG remained stable from 1999-2007 (1.1-4.5%) and then progressively increased annually, reaching 38.2% in 2019. The incidences of documented comorbidities were substantially lower among MA-enrolled versus TM-enrolled beneficiaries. Among MA-enrolled and TM-enrolled beneficiaries, respectively, the unweighted median survival difference was only 8 [-12,28] days (10.02 [9.96,10.07] vs 10.00 [9.98,10.01] years); the weighted (adjusted for demographics and procedural characteristics, but not beneficiary comorbidities) median survival difference was also minimal at -2 [-28,24] days (10.00 [9.95,10.06] vs 10.01 [9.98,10.04] years). However, the weighted (with adjustments including beneficiary comorbidities) median survival difference demonstrated a substantial survival disadvantage for MA-enrolled beneficiaries compared to their TM-enrolled counterparts: -604 [-626,-575] days (9.78 [9.73,9.83] vs 11.44 [11.41,11.47] years), respectively.

Conclusions and Relevance

Comorbidities in MA-enrolled beneficiaries may be severely under-reported in Medicare data. Studies failing to account for this are susceptible to informative presence bias with a significant treatment effect. In the absence of policy changes, increasing enrollment in MA plans will continue to decrease the population of Medicare beneficiaries with suitable data for study in comparative analyses.
Wastelands or Preferred-lands? Indicators for redefining Desert conservation
Authors: Mukherjee Manasi , Banerjee Dhriti , Sharma Indu , Mukerji Mitali
Published: January 2024

Desert ecosystems though crucial in shaping global climate, are often perceived to have limited function and are frequently designated as wastelands due to low biotic diversity and abundance. We explore the functional properties of desert through assessment of spatio-temporal variations of avian species richness and insect abundance of the relatively understudied Thar in Rajasthan. The study was conducted across four contrasting ecoregions (Western Thar (WT), Eastern Thar (ET), Transitional Zone (TZ), and Cultivated Zone (CZ) spanning 33 counties of Rajasthan. Monthly avian diversity were obtained from crowdsourced eBird data. Insect diversity and abundance accross the ecoregions were curated from the annual surveys of ZSI, India. The leads were corroborated with five years feeding behaviour observational data recorded from a representative site spanning 852 acres. There was a significant seasonal differences in bird species richness between the ecoregions with the most pronounced variations between summer and winter and CZ exhibiting the highest spatial variability followed by WT. WT also recorded the highest insect diversity and abundance, especially the orders Orthoptera, Hymenoptera, Coleoptera, Lepidotera and Diptera. The correlation matrix between bird and insect abundance and Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) plot indicated the relation between diverse dietary preferences and migratory patterns. These observations challenge the conventional notion that resource-limited environments harbour lesser biodiversity especially in arid environments. The dominance of insectivory among winter migrants aligns with the higher density of resident arthropods and emphasizes the pivotal role of insects as a food source during the migratory period. The adaptability of resident species to varied food sources, particularly arthropods, provides a means to strategically navigate during resource constraints. This study thus provides a unique framework to (a) redefine the functional importance of desert using migratory birds as prominent ecological indicators. (b) include an ecological criteria during policy formulation for biodiversity conservation. It also emphasizes reevaluation of deserts during designation of wastelands especially in the unique WT eco-regions when evolving developmental as well as ecological restoration strategies.
eDITH: an R-package to spatially project eDNA-based biodiversity across river networks with minimal prior information
Authors: Carraro Luca , Altermatt Florian
Published: January 2024

Ecological and ecosystem monitoring is rapidly shifting towards using environmental DNA (eDNA) data, particularly in aquatic systems. This approach enables a combined coverage of biodiversity across all major organismal groups and the assessment of ecological indices. Yet, most current approaches are not exploiting the full potential of eDNA data, largely interpreting results in a localized perspective. In riverine networks, by explicitly modelling hydrological transport and associated DNA decay, hydrology-based models enable upscaling eDNA-based diversity information, providing spatially integrated inference. To capitalize from these unprecedented biodiversity data and translate into space-filling biodiversity projections, a streamlined implementation is needed.

Here, we introduce theeDITHR-package, implementing the eDITH model to project biodiversity across riverine networks with minimal prior information. eDITH couples a species distribution model relating a local taxon’s eDNA shedding rate in streamwater to environmental covariates, a mass balance expressing the eDNA concentration at a river’s cross-section as a weighted sum of upstream contributions, and an observational model accounting for uncertainties in eDNA measurements. By leveraging on spatially replicated eDNA measurements and minimal hydromorphological data, eDITH enables disentangling the various upstream eDNA sources, and produces space-filling maps of a taxon’s spatial distribution at any chosen resolution. eDITH is applicable to both eDNA concentration and metabarcoding data, and to any taxon whose DNA can be retrieved in streamwater.

TheeDITHpackage provides user-friendly functions for single-run execution and fitting of eDITH to eDNA data with both Bayesian methods (via theBayesianToolspackage) and non-linear optimization. An interface to theDHARMapackage allows model validation via posterior predictive checks. Necessary preliminary steps such as watershed delineation and hydrological characterization are implemented via therivnetpackage. We illustrateeDITH’s workflow and functionalities with two case studies from published fish eDNA data.

TheeDITHpackage provides a user-friendly implementation of eDITH, specifically intended for ecologists and conservation biologists. It can be used without previous modelling knowledge but also allows customization for experienced users. Ultimately, eDITH allows upscaling eDNA biodiversity data for any river globally, transforming how state and change of biodiversity in riverine systems can be tracked at high resolution in a highly versatile manner.
Unveiling common transcriptomic features between melanoma brain metastases and neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Soler-Sáez Irene , Karz Alcida , Hidalgo Marta R. , Gómez-Cabañes Borja , López-Cerdán Adolfo , Català-Senent José F. , de la Iglesia-Vayá María , Hernando Eva , García-García Francisco
Published: January 2024

Melanoma represents a critical clinical challenge due to its high incidence rates and unfavorable clinical outcomes. This type of skin cancer presents unique adaptability to the brain microenvironment, but its underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. To further characterize its tumor neurobiology, we explore the relation between the transcriptional profiles of melanoma brain metastasis (MBM) and the neurodegenerative diseases Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and multiple sclerosis. Through anin silicoapproach, we unveiled the neurodegenerative signature of MBM when compared to melanoma non-brain metastasis (53 dysregulated genes enriched in 11 functional terms) and to non tumor-bearing brain controls (195 dysregulated genes, mostly involved in development and cell differentiation, chromatin remodeling and nucleosome organization, and translation). Two genes, ITGA10 and DNAJC6, emerged as key potential markers, as they are dysregulated in both scenarios. Lastly, we developed a user-friendly web tool (https://bioinfo.cipf.es/metafun-mbm/) as an open source, so that any user can interactively delve into the results.
Dissecting the molecular puzzle of the editosome core in Arabidopsis organelles
Authors: Baudry Kevin , Monachello Dario , Castandet Benoît , Majeran Wojciech , Lurin Claire
Published: January 2024

Over the last decade, the composition of the C-to-U RNA editing complex in embryophyte organelles has turned out to be much more complex than first expected. While PPR proteins were initially thought to act alone, significant evidences have clearly depicted a sophisticated mechanism with numerous protein-protein interaction involving PPR and non-PPR proteins. Moreover, the identification of specific functional partnership between PPRs also suggests that, in addition to the highly specific PPRs directly involved in the RNA target recognition, non-RNA-specific ones are required. Although some of them, such as DYW1 and DYW2, were shown to be the catalytic domains of the editing complex, the molecular function of others, such as NUWA, remains elusive. It was suggested that they might stabilize the complex by acting as a scaffold. We here performed functional complementation of thecrr28-2mutant with truncated CRR28 proteins mimicking PPR without the catalytic domain and show that they exhibit a specific dependency to one of the catalytic proteins DYW1 or DYW2. Moreover, we also characterized the role of the PPR NUWA in the editing reaction and show that it likely acts as a scaffolding factor. NUWA is no longer required for efficient editing of the CLB19 editing sites once this RNA specific PPR is fused to the DYW catalytic domain of its partner DYW2. Altogether, our results strongly support a flexible, evolutive and resilient editing complex in which RNA binding activity, editing activity and stabilization/scaffolding function can be provided by one or more PPRs.
Population-based cancer incidence and mortality rates and ratios among adults with intellectual disabilities in Scotland
Authors: Ward L. A. , Cooper S-A. , Sosenko F. , Morrison D. , Fleming M. , McCowan C. , Robb K. , Hanna C. , Hughes-McCormack L. , Dunn K. , Conway D. , Henderson A. , Smith G. , Truesdale M. , Cairns D.
Published: January 2024

Structured Abstract

Objective

To provide contemporary data on cancer mortality rates within the context of incidence in the population with intellectual disabilities.

Methods

Scotland’s 2011 Census was used to identify adults with intellectual disabilities and controls with records linked to the Scottish Cancer Registry and death certificate data (March 2011-December 2019). The control cohort without intellectual disabilities and/or autism were used for indirect standardisation and calculation of Crude Incident Rates/Crude Mortality Rates (CIR/CMR), and age-sex Standardized Incident Rate Ratios/ Standardized Mortality Ratios (SIR/SMR), with 95% Confidence Intervals (CI).

Results

Adults with intellectual disabilities were most likely diagnosed cancers of digestive, specifically colorectal (14.2%), lung (9.3%), breast (female 22.9%), body of the uterus (female 9.3%) and male genital organs (male 17.6%). Higher incident cancers included metastatic cancer of unknown primary origin (female SIR=1.70, male SIR=2.08), body of uterus (female SIR=1.63), ovarian (female SIR=1.59), kidney (female SIR=1.85), and testicular (male SIR=2.49). SMRs were higher, regardless of a higher, similar, or lower incidence (female SMR=1.34, male SMR=1.07). Excess mortality risk was found for colorectal (male SMR=1.59), kidney (female SMR=2.85u), female genital organs (ovarian SMR=2.86u, body of uterus SMR=2.11), breast (female SMR=1.58), and metastatic cancer of unknown primary origin (female SMR=2.50u, male SMR=2.84).

Conclusions

Adults with intellectual disabilities were more likely to die of cancer than the general population. Reasons for this may include later presentation/diagnosis (so poorer outcomes), poorer treatment/compliance, or both. Accessible public health approaches are important for people with intellectual disabilities, and healthcare professionals need to be aware of the different cancer experiences faced by this population.

Summary box

Strengths and limitations of this study

Our key strength is the comprehensive coverage of Scotland’s entire adult population with intellectual disabilities, and inclusion of a representative general population comparison group.

By using nationwide robust data linkage of high-quality electronic health records, we provide reliable data with minimal bias.

Limitations include our inability to account for cancer incidence before the census date. However, prospective collection of data over nearly 9 years provided well-powered person-time for rate calculation, allowing for a meaningful interpretation of mortality rates in the context of incidence.

Death certificate data imprecision is considered, but our dual-analysis (main-cause and all-cause analyses), mitigates differences and indeed have similar interpretations.
Majorana zero modes in multiplicative topological phases
Authors: Pal Adipta , Winter Joe H. , Cook Ashley M.
Published: January 2024

Topological qubits composed of unpaired Majorana zero modes are under intense experimental and theoretical scrutiny in efforts to realize practical quantum computation schemes. In this work, we show that the minimum four Majorana zero modes required for a topological qubit according to braiding schemes and control of entanglement for gate operations are inherent to multiplicative topological phases, which realize symmetry-protected tensor products—and maximally entangled Bell states—of unpaired Majorana zero modes. We construct and characterize both one-dimensional and two-dimensional multiplicative topological phases with two parent Kitaev chain Hamiltonians. We furthermore characterize topology in the bulk and on the boundary with established methods while also introducing techniques to overcome challenges in characterizing multiplicative topology. In the process, we explore the potential of these multiplicative topological phases for an alternative to braiding-based topological quantum computation schemes, in which gate operations are performed through topological phase transitions.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Exclusive diffractive
J/ψ
and
ψ(2S)
production in dipole model using a holographic
AdS/QCD
light-front wavefunction with longitudinal confinement
Authors: Sharma Neetika
Published: January 2024

We use anti-de Sitter/quantum chromodynamics based holographic light-front wavefunction (LFWF) for vector meson, in conjunction with the dipole model to investigate the cross sections data for the diffractive and exclusive J/ψ and ψ(2S) production. We confront the experimental data using a new explicit form of the holographic LFWF, where the longitudinal confinement dynamics in the light-front Schrödinger equation is captured by the ’t Hooft equation of (1+1)-dim, in large Nc approximation, in addition to the transverse confinement dynamics governed by the confining mass scale parameter κ in vector mesons. We obtain the LFWF parameters from fitting to the exclusive J/ψ electroproduction data from the electron-proton collision at the Hadron Electron Ring Accelerator collider for mc=1.27  GeV. Our results suggest that the dipole model together with holographic meson LFWFs with longitudinal confinement is able to give a successful description for differential scattering cross section for exclusive J/ψ electroproduction for H1 and ZEUS data. We also predict the rapidity distributions of differential scattering cross section and total photoproduction of J/ψ and ψ(2S) states in proton-proton ultraperipheral collisions (UPCs) at center of mass energy s=7,13  TeV. Using the minimum set of parameters, our predictions for the UPCs are in good agreement with the recent experimental observations of UPCs at ALICE and LHCb Collaborations.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Probing the photon emissivity of the quark-gluon plasma without an inverse problem in lattice QCD
Authors: Cè Marco , Harris Tim , Krasniqi Ardit , Meyer Harvey B. , Török Csaba
Published: January 2024

The thermal photon emissivity of the quark-gluon plasma is determined by the in-medium spectral function of the electromagnetic current at lightlike kinematics, σ(ω). In this work, we present the first lattice QCD results on moments of σ(ω)/ω, defined by the weight function 1/(ω2+(2πTn)2), n∈Z and computed without encountering an inverse problem. We employ two dynamical flavors of O(a)-improved Wilson fermions at a temperature T≈250  MeV and perform the continuum limit. We compare our results for the first two moments to those obtained dispersively by integrating over the spectral function computed at weak coupling by Arnold, Moore and Yaffe.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Strategizing as polarity management: biographical analysis of leadership in the Polish furniture industry (1989–2015)
Authors: Bednarz-Łuczewska Paulina , Łuczewski Michał
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This article aims to analyze the strategic work of Polish entrepreneurs in the furniture industry following the political changes in 1989. The authors examined how these entrepreneurs transitioned from local craftsmen or importers into leaders of international manufacturing companies and how their strategizing contributed to the unprecedented growth of the Polish furniture sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examined extant data, specifically biographical interviews conducted with 11 prominent leaders in the Polish furniture industry (Hryniewicki, 2015, 2018). They analyzed within a theoretical framework that integrates J.C. Spender’s theory of strategic management with Barry Johnson’s concept of polarity management. Polarity is a way of understanding and managing interdependent, opposing pairs of values or perspectives that give rise to conflict.

Findings

The analysis reveals key patterns of strategic challenges at the level of human agency, history and sense-making. The authors identified four key polarities: life and business, knowledge presence and absence, concordance and discordance, and instrumental and non-instrumental sense-making.

Originality/value

The polarity concept illuminates the interplay of agency and determinism in strategic decision-making, offering valuable insights for methodology and a deeper understanding of Poland’s furniture industry.
A hybrid method for forecasting coal price based on ensemble learning and deep learning with data decomposition and data enhancement
Authors: Tang Jing , Guo Yida , Han Yilin
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Coal is a critical global energy source, and fluctuations in its price significantly impact related enterprises' profitability. This study aims to develop a robust model for predicting the coal price index to enhance coal purchase strategies for coal-consuming enterprises and provide crucial information for global carbon emission reduction.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed coal price forecasting system combines data decomposition, semi-supervised feature engineering, ensemble learning and deep learning. It addresses the challenge of merging low-resolution and high-resolution data by adaptively combining both types of data and filling in missing gaps through interpolation for internal missing data and self-supervision for initiate/terminal missing data. The system employs self-supervised learning to complete the filling of complex missing data.

Findings

The ensemble model, which combines long short-term memory, XGBoost and support vector regression, demonstrated the best prediction performance among the tested models. It exhibited superior accuracy and stability across multiple indices in two datasets, namely the Bohai-Rim steam-coal price index and coal daily settlement price.

Originality/value

The proposed coal price forecasting system stands out as it integrates data decomposition, semi-supervised feature engineering, ensemble learning and deep learning. Moreover, the system pioneers the use of self-supervised learning for filling in complex missing data, contributing to its originality and effectiveness.
Curbing relationship conflict for achieving green customer integration: roles of organizational commitment and influence strategy
Authors: Wang Jieyu , Feng Taiwen
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how relationship conflict (RC) hinders green customer integration (GCI) and which strategy could be developed to alleviate the negative effect of RC.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a sample of 206 Chinese firms to examine hypothesized relationships drawing on social exchange theory and buyer-supplier relationship perspective. Methods including exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis are used to assess reliability and validity. Hypotheses are tested using hierarchical regression analysis. Post hoc analysis is adopted to evaluate the robustness.

Findings

The results show that RC negatively relates to GCI. Normative commitment partially mediates the relationship between RC and GCI, while the mediating role of instrumental commitment is insignificant. In addition, coercive influence strategy positively moderates the RC-normative commitment and RC-GCI relationships.

Research limitations/implications

While this study clarifies the mechanism of how RC impedes GCI and how to address RC in buyer-supplier relationships, it could be more meaningful to extend the current research and figure out how to address RC in different supply chain relationships. Besides, it will make sense to conduct longitudinal studies and explore the dynamic nature of RC in supply chain relationships.

Practical implications

In practice, firms find it challenging to achieve GCI owing to the ubiquitous existence of RC. The findings reveal that RC detriments GCI partially through normative commitment, and the use of coercive influence strategy mitigates the detriments of RC. Thus, the authors provide solutions for firms to address RC for achieving GCI.

Originality/value

RC is unavoidable in organizational interactions. Prior studies have not revealed the processes through which RC relates to GCI. The authors bridge the gap by exploring the mediating role of organizational commitment and the moderating role of influence strategy, which offers a better understanding of how RC is associated with GCI, and add knowledge of addressing RC for achieving GCI.
Why do MNE foreign subsidiaries differ in supply chain management capability, and how does it matter?
Authors: Wang Mengmeng , Xiao Shufeng (Simon)
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Despite the growing and widespread importance of exploring the primary factors facilitating global value chain (GVC) and supply chain management, this topic has received surprisingly little attention to date. Drawing upon the technology–organization–environment framework and the resource-based view, this study aims to fill these important gaps in the literature by theorizing and developing a comprehensive model to explain how a foreign subsidiary of multinational enterprises can improve the upgrading of the GVC and supply chain performance in a host market.

Design/methodology/approach

Using survey data collected from 266 foreign subsidiaries of multinational enterprises operating in the Chinese manufacturing sector, this study empirically examines the theoretical framework using a structural equation modeling approach.

Findings

The results demonstrated that the relative advantages of digital technology, supplier diversification and environmental uncertainty all contribute positively to the development of foreign subsidiaries’ supply chain management capabilities. Meanwhile, supply chain management capability plays a positive role in foreign subsidiaries facilitating GVC upgrading and enhancing supply chain performance.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study provide many important implications and useful insights to foreign subsidiaries operating in an emerging host market by concentrating on how to develop and maintain their competitive advantages in the process of GVC reshaping and supply chain restructuring.

Originality/value

This study provides a useful guide to help firms better understand how they may develop and enhance their competitive advantages in upgrading their GVCs and implementing supply chain restructuring. In addition, this research generates important policy implications considering the recent trend toward creating more effective and sustainable global supply value chains.
Earnings management, investor sentiment and short-termism
Authors: Formiga Miranda Kléber , Machado Márcio André Veras
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study examines the investment horizon influence, mediated by market optimism, on earnings management based on accruals and real activities. Based on short-termism, the authors argue that earnings management increases in optimistic periods to boost corporate profits.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyzed non-financial Brazilian publicly traded firms from 2010 to 2020 by estimating industry-fixed effects of groups of short- and long-horizon firms to compare their behavior on earnings management practices during bullish moments. For robustness, the authors used alternate measures and trade-off analyses between earning management practices.

Findings

The findings indicate that, during bullish moments, companies prioritize managing their earnings through real activities management (RAM) rather than accruals earnings management (AEM), depending on their time horizon. The results demonstrate the trade-off between earnings management practices.

Research limitations/implications

This study presents limitations when using proxies for earnings management and investor sentiment.

Practical implications

Investors and regulators should closely monitor companies' operations, especially during bullish market conditions to prevent fraud.

Originality/value

The study addresses investor sentiment mediation in the earnings management discussion, introducing the short-termism approach.
Perception, prevalence and prevention of academic dishonesty: evidence from a Middle East country
Authors: Gallant Monica , Pani Pranab Kumar
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to explore the behavior pattern, perceptions, and motivations of students towards academic misconduct in a Business School with a view to mitigating its occurrence.

Design/methodology/approach

The survey was conducted among a batch of undergraduate students who responded to various dimensions of plagiarism through a structured questionnaire. Responses were measured on a Likert scale. Some non-parametric tests were done for statistical analysis.

Findings

From the perception of the prevalence of plagiarism committed by others, the authors found that the majority tend to believe that it happens in spite of the existence of preventive policies. Based on the findings, the authors conclude that the students who are more prone to cheating/plagiarism are male, with low grade point average, and are not on scholarship. Parental disapproval is found to be one of the dominant deterrent factors that have the potential to restrain unethical behavior.

Practical implications

The findings demonstrate that the managers of graduate programs should include parental roles in the deterrent mechanism to improve the quality of education.

Originality/value

Very little evidence exists about the perception of academic dishonesty among the students of a multicultural academic institution located in a middle-east country. There are not many studies that analyze the effectiveness of deterrents from a student’s perspective. In this paper, the authors have attempted to assess the value of various deterrents and their effectiveness as perceived by the students.
Methodology for retrospectively developing a BIM model from point cloud scans using ongoing building project as case study
Authors: Lawani Kenneth , Sadeghineko Farhad , Tong Michael , Bayraktar Mehmethan
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the suggestions that construction processes could be considerably improved by integrating building information modelling (BIM) with 3D laser scanning technologies. This case study integrated 3D laser point cloud scans with BIM to explore the effects of BIM adoption on ongoing construction project, whilst evaluating the utility of 3D laser scanning technology for producing structural 3D models by converting point cloud data (PCD) into BIM.

Design/methodology/approach

The primary data acquisition adopted the use of Trimble X7 laser scanning process, which is a set of data points in the scanned space that represent the scanned structure. The implementation of BIM with the 3D PCD to explore the precision and effectiveness of the construction processes as well as the as-built condition of a structure was precisely captured using the 3D laser scanning technology to recreate accurate and exact 3D models capable of being used to find and fix problems during construction.

Findings

The findings indicate that the integration of BIM and 3D laser scanning technology has the tendency to mitigate issues such as building rework, improved project completion times, reduced project cost, enhanced interdisciplinary communication, cooperation and collaboration amongst the project duty holders, which ultimately enhances the overall efficiency of the construction project.

Research limitations/implications

The acquisition of data using 3D laser scanner is usually conducted from the ground. Therefore, certain aspects of the building could potentially disturb data acquisition; for example, the gable and sections of eaves (fascia and soffit) could be left in a blind spot. Data acquisition using 3D laser scanner technology takes time, and the processing of the vast amount of data acquired is laborious, and if not carefully analysed, could result in errors in generated models. Furthermore, because this was an ongoing construction project, material stockpiling and planned construction works obstructed and delayed the seamless capture of scanned data points.

Originality/value

These findings highlight the significance of integrating BIM and 3D laser scanning technology in the construction process and emphasise the value of advanced data collection methods for effectively managing construction projects and streamlined workflows.
Startup founders: university’s role and entrepreneur’s intention–action gap in emerging markets
Authors: Ribeiro Artur Tavares Vilas Boas , Costa Lucas dos Santos , Borini Felipe Mendes , Cahen Fernanda Ribeiro
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the university environment’s role in the intention–action gap (IAG)of highly successful startup founders in an emerging market.

Design/methodology/approach

Using multiple regression analysis, this study analyzed data collected from 314 founders representing 99 successful startups (289 valid observations), renowned for their high funding and value operating in an emerging market, Brazil.

Findings

The results demonstrate that extracurricular activities and exchange programs lead to a reduced IAG while living in a significant economic center extends it. Computer science and industrial engineering students show reduced IAGs. Studying together with future co-founders also leads to reduced gaps.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to the microfoundations theory by presenting new interactions between students and the university environment that influence entrepreneurial action. Limitations are related to the sample, limited to Brazilian founders and selected only through venture capital firms’ filters.

Practical implications

This study also provides practical insights to the universities’ leaders on how they can create programs that improve the rate of startup creation, potentially leading to successful companies.

Originality/value

This study investigates the association between the university role and the entrepreneur’s IAG in emerging markets. The entrepreneur’s IAG is still a relatively new phenomenon explored in entrepreneurship. Even less understanding and limited empirical data exist on successful startups from emerging markets. This study drew on the microfoundations literature to answer how universities in emerging markets could address specific resources and entrepreneurship programs to reduce the IAG among students and alumni.
The Belt and Road Initiative: conflict of laws and dispute resolution
Authors: Tan Veltrice
Published: January 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to determine the adaptability of China’s legal system in recognizing and enforcing foreign judgements in China.

Design/methodology/approach

Academic articles, case law and books are examined as are relevant reports by various regulatory authorities and organizations.

Findings

Historically, Chinese courts have strictly adhered to “de facto reciprocity”, which made it difficult for foreign judgements to be recognized and enforced in China. Fortunately, Chinese courts have since abandoned their rigid adherence to de facto reciprocity, and have instead, used flexible tests of reciprocity such as de jure reciprocity, reciprocal commitment and reciprocal understand/consensus. Accordingly, this would facilitate the recovery of stolen assets, as there is a lower threshold for the recognition and enforcement of a foreign judgement.

Research limitations/implications

There are limited data available in relation to the recognition and enforcement of foreign judgements pertaining to the recovery of stolen assets. Any discussions within this paper are based on the impressionistic observations of this author, which may not reflect the true state of affairs within the Belt and Road Initiative.

Practical implications

Those who are interested in examining the viability in recognizing and enforcing foreign judgements relating to stolen assets will have an interest in this topic.

Originality/value

The value of the paper is to demonstrate the difficulties in recognizing and enforcing foreign judgements in China in relation to stolen assets.
Predicting cause-related marketing patronage intentions based on Schwartz's theory of human values: a large-scale sample study anchored on female fashion leadership
Authors: Thomas Sujo , A.K.S Suryavanshi , Bhatt Viral , Malkar Vinod , Pandey Sudhir , Patel Ritesh
Published: January 2024

Purpose

Businesses embark on cause-related marketing (CRM) initiatives as a marketing strategy to fortify consumers' behavioural intentions. Prior research indicates that human values could be tapped to understand the consumers' responses to perceived organizational motives behind undertaking social cause initiatives. This research employs Schwartz's theory of human values to examine consumers' patronage intentions towards CRM-linked fashion products. Moreover, fashion leaders play a crucial role in the diffusion of the latest fashion and fashion trends. This research investigates by integrating human values and fashion leadership, offering insights into CRM-linked fashion consumption motives.

Design/methodology/approach

The overarching goal was to investigate the complex interplay between human values and female fashion leadership to predict CRM patronage intention (CPI). Hence, a large-scale research study on 2,050 samples was undertaken by adopting threefold partial least squares–multigroup analysis–artificial neural network (PLS-MGA-ANN) to establish and empirically test a comprehensive model.

Findings

This study is unique as it establishes and validates the relative or normalized importance placed on human values by fashion leaders, thereby predicting CPIs. The results revealed that women with high-fashion leadership and specific value types (benevolence, universalism, self-direction) are more likely to patronize CRM-linked fashion retailers. In addition, the findings validated that women with low-fashion leadership and specific value types (tradition, security, conformity) are more likely to patronize CRM-linked fashion stores.

Originality/value

The findings provide a valuable rationale to non-profit marketers, fashion marketing experts and practitioners to design customer value-based profiling and manage crucial CRM decisions.
Association of empirically derived dietary patterns and COVID-19 among adults in Iran
Authors: Hassanizadeh Shirin , Darabi Zahra , Khosravi Maryam , Mirzaei Masoud , Hosseinzadeh Mahdieh
Published: January 2024

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant mortality and morbidity worldwide. However, the role of dietary patterns as a potential risk factor for COVID-19 has not been well established, especially in studies with large samples. Therefore, this study aims to identify and evaluate the association between major dietary patterns and COVID-19 among adults from Iran.

Design/methodology/approach

In this cross-sectional study, the authors included 9,189 participants aged 20–70 who participated in the Yazd Health Study (YaHS) and Taghzieh Mardom-e-Yazd study (TAMIZ). They used factor analysis to extract dietary patterns based on a food frequency questionnaire (FFQ). Then, they assessed the relationship between these dietary patterns and the odds of COVID-19.

Findings

This study identified two major dietary patterns: “high protein and high fiber” and “transitional”. Participants in the highest tertile of the “high protein and high fiber” dietary pattern, which included vegetables, fruits, dairy and various kinds of meats such as red meat, fish and poultry, had a lower odds of COVID-19 compared with those in the lowest tertile. However, the “transitional” dietary pattern did not affect the risk of COVID-19.

Originality/value

In conclusion, a “high protein, high fiber” diet may lower the odds of COVID-19. This study suggests that dietary patterns may influence the severity and spread of future similar pandemics.
Ethico‐racial positioning in campaigns for COVID‐19 research and vaccination featuring public figures
Authors: Smart Andrew , Williams Ros , Weiner Kate , Cheng Lijiaozi , Sobande Francesca
Published: January 2024

This article analyses a set of videos which featured public figures encouraging racially minoritised people in the UK to take the COVID‐19 vaccine or get involved in related research. As racially targeted health communication has both potentially beneficial and problematic consequences, it is important to examine this uniquely high‐profile case. Using a purposive sample of 10 videos, our thematic content analysis aimed to reveal how racially minoritised people were represented and the types of concerns about the vaccine that were expressed. We found representations of racialised difference that centred on ‘community’ and invoked shared social experiences. The expressed concerns centred on whether ethnic difference was accounted for in the vaccine’s design and development, plus the overarching issue of trust. Our analysis adopts and develops the concept of ‘racialisation’; we explore how ‘mutuality’ underpinned normative calls to action (‘ethico‐racial imperatives’) and how the videos ‘responsibilised’ racially minoritised people. We discuss two points of tension in this case: the limitations for addressing the causes of mistrust and the risks of reductivism that accompanied the ambiguous notion of community. Our analysis develops scholarship on racialisation in health contexts and provides public health practitioners with insights into the socio‐political considerations of racially targeted communications.
Developing and validating an abbreviated adult reading history questionnaire in the Finnish and Dutch contexts
Authors: Khanolainen Daria , Verwimp Cara , Tijms Jurgen , Tolvanen Asko , Salminen Jenni , Torppa Minna
Published: January 2024

Background

The adult reading history questionnaire (ARHQ) is frequently used in research on adult dyslexia and family risk for dyslexia. However, this measure is lengthy (23 items), reducing its applicability in studies with extensive assessment batteries.

Methods

We identified the best‐performing ARHQ items in a sample of 396 Finnish adults using exploratory factor analysis and item response theory. Consequently, we validated the brief questionnaire in independent Finnish and Dutch samples by comparing its performance with that of the complete questionnaire. We also evaluated how the scores on the questionnaires related to the scores on direct adult reading assessments in the Finnish samples. Finally, we tested how predictive parental questionnaires were of children's skills in the Dutch and one of the Finnish samples.

Results

Five items were selected to construct the short version of ARHQ. All of them relate to childhood/adolescent reading difficulties rather than current adult skills. The scores of the complete ARHQ significantly correlated with those of the abbreviated version in all samples. Moreover, in one of the samples, direct reading assessment scores had a stronger correlation with the short ARHQ than with the full version. Additionally, across all three samples parental scores on the short ARHQ were at least as predictive of children's reading skills as the complete ARHQ.

Conclusions

The short ARHQ proved to be on a par with the complete version in its usefulness for identifying adults with dyslexia. Future research should investigate whether the five selected items can effectively serve as a brief screening measure for adults with dyslexia in languages other than Finnish and Dutch.
Triglyceride and fatty acid composition of bovine colostrum and transition milk in pasture‐based dairy cows supplemented prepartum with inorganic selenium, organic selenium or rumen‐protected choline
Authors: McDermott Fionnuala , Kennedy Emer , Drouin Gaetan , Brennan Lorraine , O'Callaghan Tom F. , Egan Michael , Hogan Sean A.
Published: January 2024

The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of prepartum supplementation with inorganic selenium (INORG), organic selenium (ORG) or a rumen‐protected choline, on the triglyceride (TAG) and total fatty acid (TFA) profiles of bovine colostrum and transition milk. Fifty‐seven Holstein Friesian (HF) and HF × Jersey cows were supplemented daily from 49 ± 12.9 days prior to calving until day of calving. Milk samples were analysed for TAG and TFA composition using GC‐FID. Prepartum supplementation did not have a significant effect on the milk lipid profiles. This study quantified colostrum lipids not previously reported in the literature.
Are the circular economy initiatives achievable through digitalization, technological advancements, and renewable energy
Authors: Alsaggaf Majid Ibrahim
Published: January 2024

The study examines the role of digitalization, technology, and renewable energy on environmental footprint which aims to access the circular economy in Saudi Arabia. We used the quarterly data, from 1998 to 2020, which is simulated by using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method for empirical estimations. The findings have reported the significant and positive coefficients for economic complexity and digital economy. On contrary, the digital infrastructure and technological advancement have provided the significant and negative coefficients. The results of digitalization indicators are diverse, mentioning that digitalization needs to be subcategorized to conclude the appropriate relationship between digitalization and carbon economy. We further report the findings on the basis of Saudi Vision 2030, which are useful for policy suggestions. The outcomes of this study are useful to form the environmental policies based on circular economy. Moreover, the policymakers have to put more efforts in digitalizing the economy, which leads to minimize the environmental damages.
Determination of anthocyanins, organic acids, and phenolic acids in hibiscus market products using LC/UV/MS
Authors: Li Nanxi , Simon James E. , Wu Qingli
Published: January 2024

Hibiscus sabdariffa has gained increasing attention from consumers as a natural, healthy food ingredient, leading to a myriad of available products, yet there is a lack of understanding of the quality and chemical diversity among commercially available hibiscus products. Here, we conducted a survey on the chemistry of 29 hibiscus products (calyces, beverages, and extracts). UHPLC‐DAD and UHPLC‐QQQ/MS methods with high sensitivity and selectivity were developed to evaluate the chemical profiles pertaining to the sensory attributes (color and taste). Two major anthocyanins (delphinidin‐3‐sambubioside and cyanindin‐3‐sambubioside), eight organic acids, and 23 phenolic acids were identified and quantified in hibiscus market products. The results showed that hibiscus samples contained < 0.001–2.372% of total anthocyanins, 0.073–78.002% of total organic acids, and 0.001–1.041% of total phenolic acids, and demonstrated significant variations in market products. This is the first time that an in‐depth organic acid profiling was conducted on hibiscus products using UHPLC‐QQQ/MS. This method can also be extended to chemical profiling, sensory analysis, quality control, authentication, and standardization of other natural products.