bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Prospective multicenter validation of a new laboratory workflow integrating the free light chains kappa quotient in CSF analysis-Protocol of the ORCAS study
Authors: Dressel Alexander , Hannich Malte Johannes , Süße Marie
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Free light chain kappa (FLCκ) are a newer sensitive biomarker to detect intrathecal immunoglobulin synthesis. Here we report the study protocol of the ORCAS study which will evaluate a novel laboratory work flow recently proposed including FLCκ analysis simplifying cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) analysis.

Methods

The ORCAS study is a prospective multicenter diagnostic biomarker study across at least 4 study sites. The study protocol does not specify which assays should be applied in the participating laboratories to detect oligoclonal bands (OCB) or measure FLCκ or Ig synthesis to represent real world data. Primary outcome parameter is the sensitivity and negative predictive value of the absence of local FLCκ synthesis for the absence of intrathecal synthesis according to OCB and/or intrathecal IgG, IgA, IgM synthesis in quotient diagrams. The reference range of FLCκ will be indicated by the FLCκ quotient diagram. This study was designed according to the STARD criteria.

Perspective

The establishment of a newer biomarker in routine practice is associated with significant difficulties, such as the inconsistent comparability of different measurement platforms, the establishment of suitable cut-offs or insufficient knowledge regarding sensitivity and specificity of the biomarker. If the ORCAS study objective is achieved, the use of the proposed workflow integrating FLCκ analysis in routine practice in CSF diagnostics could help to better characterize the intraindividual and disease-specific intrathecal humoral immune response in a resource-efficient manner.
Effectiveness, barriers, and facilitating factors of strategies for active delabeling of patients with penicillin allergy labels: a systematic review protocol
Authors: Nürnberg Hannah , Khatamzas Elham , Denkinger Claudia M. , Krause Tabea , Oetken Lars , Rauer Sophie , Rapp Amelie , Hoppe-Tichy Torsten , Morath Benedict
Published: July 2023

Introduction

Up to 15 % of adult patients in the clinical setting report to be allergic to penicillin. However, in most cases penicillin allergy is not confirmed. Due to the negative aspects associated with erroneous penicillin allergy, the implementation of active delabeling processes for penicillin allergy is an important part of antibiotic stewardship programs. Depending on the clinical setting, different factors need to be considered during implementation. This review examines the effectiveness of different delabeling interventions and summarizes components and structures that facilitate, support, or constrain structured penicillin allergy delabeling.

Methods and analysis

This review will adhere to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA). The Databases MEDLINE (via PubMed), EMBASE, and Cochrane Library were searched for studies reporting on any intervention to identify, assess, or rule out erroneous penicillin allergy. Study design, intervention type, professional groups involved, effectiveness, limitations, barriers, facilitating factors, clinical setting, and associated regulatory factors will be extracted and analyzed. Two independent reviewers will perform the screening process and data extraction. Discordant decisions will be resolved through review by a third reviewer. Bias assessment of the individual studies will be performed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale.

Ethics and dissemination

Because individual patient-related data is not analyzed, an ethical approval is not required. The review will be published in a peer-reviewed scientific journal.

STRENGHTS AND LIMITATIONS OF THIS STUDY

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The systematic review will adhere to the PRISMA guidelines.

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A wide search strategy is used and the search will be conducted on three major databases.

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The search is focused on studies reporting on facilitators and barriers for implementation as well as effectiveness of penicillin allergy delabeling interventions.

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Data extraction will be performed using an established second look process.

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Risk for bias in the individual studies as well as external validity is assessed using an established checklist (Newcastle Ottawa Scale).
Coping with psychological distress during COVID-19: a cautionary note of self-criticalness and personal resilience among healthcare workers
Authors: Hughes Luke , Taylor Rachel M. , Fern Lorna A. , Monaghan Lisa , Flint Beverley , Gibbons Sue , Petrella Anika
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in immense pressure on healthcare workers (HCWs) and healthcare systems worldwide. The current multi-centre evaluation sought to explore the association between coping behaviours and levels of psychological distress among HCWs working during the initial onset of COVID-19.

Design/methodology/approach

Between April and July 2020 HCWs at three urban hospitals in England were invited to complete an online survey measuring personal and professional characteristics, psychological distress and coping. A principal component analysis (PCA) identified components of coping and structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to test the relationship between components of coping and psychological distress.

Findings

A total of 2,254 HCWs participated (77% female, 67% white, 66% in clinical roles). Three components for coping were retained in the PCA analysis: external strategies, internal strategies and self-criticalness/substance use. SEM indicated that internally based coping was associated with lower levels of psychological distress, whereas externally based coping and self-criticalness were associated with greater psychological distress. The final model accounted for 35% of the variance in psychological distress.

Originality/value

This multi-centre evaluation provides unique insight into the level of psychological distress among HCWs during the initial onset of the COVID-19 pandemic (2020) and associated coping strategies. Addressing self-criticalness and supporting cognitive-based internal coping strategies among HCWs may protect against prolonged exposure to psychological distress. Findings highlight the importance of developing a culture of professional resilience among this vital workforce as a whole rather than placing pressure on an individual's personal resilience.
A scoping review of community-based facilities management for public services through social enterprises in developing communities
Authors: Adewunmi Yewande Adetoro , Nelson Margaret , Chigbu Uchendu Eugene , Makashini-Masiba Lilias , Mwando Sam , Mompati Lerato , Kahireke Uaurika
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to ascertain the forms of social enterprises created for public services and the dimensions of community-based management of public facilities. It seeks to understand how community-based facilities management (CbFM) can apply to the management of public services created by social enterprises in developing communities.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines research studies on CbFM through a scoping review of papers published between 1997 and 2022.

Findings

The scoping review revealed that there are five dimensions of CbFM for developing communities: CbFM, urban facilities management, sustainable CbFM, urban infrastructure management and management of community hubs. It also revealed that social enterprises have been used to manage services, and for social inclusion, and to increase the efficiency of tangible infrastructure in communities.

Research limitations/implications

The scoping review included literature from 1997 to 2022 to understand the development trends in CbFM in developing communities. It is possible that literature from a broader timeframe could have produced more in-depth understanding of the subject investigated.

Practical implications

The paper articulates a framework of CbFM models for public services in developing communities and developed a database of the relevant studies, which can further guide future researchers, stakeholders and policymakers in this area.

Originality/value

The comprehensive review produced a framework for community management of public services. It also identified that there is a paucity of literature on social infrastructure. It highlighted the need for skillsets to support community-based enterprises. There are limited studies that touch on the development of performance indicators for developing communities.
Gender discrimination and the backlash effect in recruitment and dismissal processes: experimental evidence from Slovakia
Authors: Adamus Magdalena , Ballová Mikušková Eva
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Following Goldberg’s paradigm, this study aims to investigate whether women and men are at risk of differential treatment by HR professionals in recruitment and dismissal processes and focuses on the impact of exogenous factors, such as discrimination and gender norms.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 155 individuals with experience as HR professionals participated in a randomised vignette study. In Task 1, they evaluated three applicants (all three either men or women) for the post of regional sales manager based on the applicant’s competences, hireability, likeability and proposed salary. In Task 2, participants were asked to select one of the six employees for dismissal and provide a rationale for their choice.

Findings

In Task 1, female applicants were offered significantly lower salaries than male applicants. In addition, average and low-performing male applicants were assessed as less likeable than identical females. In Task 2, the willingness to dismiss increased when employees with frequent absences were presented as men.

Originality/value

By involving a sample of HR professionals, the study contributes to the literature and practice by highlighting the differential treatment of women and men in the labour market. While women are likely to experience direct discrimination in the form of significantly lower pay offers, men may suffer a backlash due to lower educational attainment and absenteeism. The findings suggest that the labour market situation for women is complex and affected by norms and expectations requiring men to behave in a masculine and career-oriented way.
Gaining user confidence in banking industry's quest for digital transformation: a product-service system management perspective
Authors: Shin Nina , Cheng T.C.E.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The emergence of digital transformation in the banking industry gives rise to the challenges of adopting technology and boosting users' confidence in the process. This study mainly explores the roles of operant resources and consumption values in the user's consumption process concerning the fintech-embedded product-service system (FPSS) that provides technologically advanced financial services in South Korea.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines the research model based on users' perceived quality, assessment and recommendation of FPSS. In addition, grounded in the resource-based view (RBV) and consumption value theory (CVT), an extended model is developed to understand the impact of user consumption value on FPSS design. The research model includes both product-service system (PSS) characteristics, i.e. quality and assessment, and user-specific characteristics, i.e. conditional, utilitarian and social values (collectively referred to as user consumption value).

Findings

This study finds that information, service and security quality positively affect users' confidence through positive assessment and recommendation intention. All the elements of user consumption value play a positive role in the FPSS user confidence model. In addition, the impact of operant resources on the overall service assessment is further investigated based on the interest of user's service engagement. Notable findings include users that highly engage in FPSS services return higher service assessment when social value, information quality and service quality increase.

Originality/value

Overall, this study provides academic and managerial guidelines for the strategic design of fintech-embedded banking services by considering the roles of PSS and user-specific characteristics in fostering sustainable competitive advantage.
Predicting systemic risk of banks: a machine learning approach
Authors: Kumar Gaurav , Rahman Molla Ramizur , Rajverma Abhinav , Misra Arun Kumar
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to analyse the systemic risk emitted by all publicly listed commercial banks in a key emerging economy, India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study makes use of the Tobias and Brunnermeier (2016) estimator to quantify the systemic risk (ΔCoVaR) that banks contribute to the system. The methodology addresses a classification problem based on the probability that a particular bank will emit high systemic risk or moderate systemic risk. The study applies machine learning models such as logistic regression, random forest (RF), neural networks and gradient boosting machine (GBM) and addresses the issue of imbalanced data sets to investigate bank’s balance sheet features and bank’s stock features which may potentially determine the factors of systemic risk emission.

Findings

The study reports that across various performance matrices, the authors find that two specifications are preferred: RF and GBM. The study identifies lag of the estimator of systemic risk, stock beta, stock volatility and return on equity as important features to explain emission of systemic risk.

Practical implications

The findings will help banks and regulators with the key features that can be used to formulate the policy decisions.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing literature by suggesting classification algorithms that can be used to model the probability of systemic risk emission in a classification problem setting. Further, the study identifies the features responsible for the likelihood of systemic risk.
Minimizing the negative impact of brand deletion
Authors: Temprano-García Víctor , Rodríguez-Escudero Ana Isabel , Rodríguez-Pinto Javier
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This research is primarily concerned with studying the impact of brand workers' problems on brand deletion (BD) outcomes. The authors also analyze how the level of consensus achieved during BD adoption and implementation influences the impact of brand workers' problems on BD outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was designed to obtain data from a representative sample of 155 real cases of BD.

Findings

Findings indicate that in contexts where workers feel their jobs are threatened or challenged, BD success may be undermined. However, the company does possess one important mechanism that can alleviate the negative impact of brand workers' problems: empowering them to pave the way toward consensus-building. Results do not support a negative effect of brand workers' problems on BD time efficiency or any effect of BD time efficiency on BD's contribution to a firm's economic performance.

Practical implications

Managers must be aware that problems derived from brand workers' actions are especially harmful for the company when there is no consensus, such that managers must prevent deletion from occurring under these circumstances.

Originality/value

This pioneering study proposes and empirically validates the relationship between brand workers' problems and BD success and BD time efficiency, moderated by consensus.
Does corporate risk management lead to risk mitigation and firm performance? Evidence from Asian emerging markets
Authors: Khan Asad , Rehman Zia ur , Khan Muhammad Ibrahim , Badshah Imtiaz
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to verify the significance of Andersen (2008) corporate risk management (CRM) framework in Asian emerging markets (AEMs) to control firm risk and improve firm performance.

Design/methodology/approach

The cross-sectional analyses are performed on a sample of 4,609 firms across nine Asian emerging countries using 2SLS estimation technique.

Findings

The empirical findings show that the adoption of CRM not only enhances firm performance by increasing the firm ability to capitalize on the market opportunity but also plays a significant role in reducing firm risk. The findings of this study assert that by institutionalizing risk management practices into an integrated CRM framework, the firm can reap multiple benefits by maintaining better contractual agreements and strategic partnerships with key stakeholders.

Originality/value

The study shifts the focus of CRM away from Western countries toward AEMs, which has been afflicted by high risks and uncertainties. The effectiveness of CRM against firm risk is established by dividing firm risk into firm-specific risk and systematic risk. Furthermore, this study also establishes that CRM not only leads to high returns but also reduces firm operational and production costs. Overall, the study provides a compelling argument to implement CRM for improving organizational performance and managing risks in a strategic and integrated manner. The findings are also relevant to risk management practitioners, as well as to academicians interested in the broader fields of corporate finance and strategy.
Maximizing team development for open innovation in digital product development: the role of collaborative HRM and relational leadership
Authors: Engelsberger Aurelia , Cavanagh Jillian , Bartram Timothy , Halvorsen Beni
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to maximize team members' collaboration and develop relationships in a newly formed team to engage with internal and external partners to achieve open innovation (OI) in product development. The authors examine the role of collaborative human resource management (HRM) and relational leadership (RL) in this process.

Design/methodology/approach

The study took a two-stage qualitative methodological approach to examine relational leadership as it emerges in a newly formed cross-functional team at a large German fashion house. In stage one, 10 interviews were conducted with members of the new project team over three months and in stage two six external knowledge exchange partners were interviewed.

Findings

Collaborative HRM promotes greater social exchange, trust and commitment of team members internal and external to the organization to support the emergence of RL, which is critical for OI. The authors found that collaborative HRM practices such as team-based recruitment, team-based training, team-based performance management with rewards systems and job design support the emergence of RL. Moreover, RL practices such as congruence and commitment towards team goals subsequently promoted the development of knowledge sourcing and sharing (KSS) to support OI.

Originality/value

The study is the first to demonstrate how collaborative HRM enables RL practices to help newly formed teams overcome challenges with achieving KSS to successfully engage with internal and external partners for OI. The authors contribute to HRM theory development of the relationship between HRM and OI by conceptualizing the OI process as a social construction through collaborative HRM and relational leadership.
The critical potential of institutional theory revisited — a field study of the rationalisation of budget fairness through agentic actorhood
Authors: Ahrens Thomas , Ferry Laurence , Khalifa Rihab
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper seeks to contribute to the debate on the usefulness of institutional theory to critical studies. It pursues this topic by exploring some of the possibilities for allocating local authority funds more fairly for poor residents. This paper aims to shed light on the institution of budgeting in a democratically elected local government under austerity.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses world culture theory, the study of the devolution of cultural authority to individuals and organisations through which they turn into agentic actors. Based on a field study of Newcastle City Council’s (NCC’s) budget-related practices, the paper uses the notion of actorhood to explore the use of fairness in austerity budgets.

Findings

This paper documents how new concerns with fairness gave rise to new local authority practices and gave NCC characteristics of actorhood. This paper also shows why it might make sense for a local authority that is managing austerity budget cuts and cutting back on services to make more detailed performance information public, rather than attempting to hide service deterioration, as some prior literature suggests. This paper delineates the limits to actorhood, in this study’s case, principally the inability to overcome structural constraints of legal state power.

Practical implications

The paper is suggestive of ways in which local government can fight inequality in opposition to central government austerity.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first qualitative accounting study of actorhood. It coins the phrase fairness assemblage to denote a combination of various accounting technologies, organisational elements and local government practices.
Working from home: the experience of records management professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Haraldsdottir Ragna Kemp , Foscarini Fiorella , Jeurgens Charles , Henttonen Pekka , Oliver Gillian , Wendelken Seren , Frings-Hessami Viviane
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper was to investigate how recordkeepers in Canada, Finland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Iceland and Italy experienced accomplishing their tasks from home over varying lengths of time during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

A multilingual survey including 44 questions was designed and administered to the six countries identified above in 2022. This research was preceded by an environmental scan looking at existing studies considering archival and records management responses to the pandemic.

Findings

The impact of working from home on recordkeeping and, more generally, work performance was perceived differently by the survey respondents depending on various factors. The study also identified a number of similarities across countries, such as an increased awareness of the importance of records management shared by organizational actors. Surprisingly, the pandemic did not appear to have a great impact on the perceived quality of records management.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study aiming to capture records professionals’ perceptions of their role while working from home during the pandemic.
Roles and competencies of quantity surveyors in achieving a circular built environment: an investigation according to 3R principles
Authors: Victar Hasith Chathuranga , Perera B.A.K.S. , Palihakkara Asha Dulanjalie , Dewagod Kaveesha Gihani
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The construction industry is shifting towards becoming more circular by reducing waste, reusing building materials and embracing regenerative solutions for energy generation and biodiversity conservation. Thus, construction professionals must perform diversified services to achieve a circular built environment (CBE). Implementing resource planning and waste management in CBE has already posed challenges to the quantity surveying profession; thus, quantity surveyors (QSs) should be equipped with new roles and competencies to tackle challenges in achieving a CBE. Hence, this study aimed to investigate the functions and competencies of QSs at the design and building material sourcing stages in achieving a CBE according to 3R principles.

Design/methodology/approach

The research apprehended a qualitative approach, including two expert interview rounds adhering to the Delphi technique with 14 and 11 experts per each round. Manual content analysis was incorporated to analyse the collected data.

Findings

The research findings revealed the important roles and competencies of QSs in achieving a CBE. In addition, essential functions and competencies were categorised according to the 3R principles (reduce, reuse, recycle) to successfully implement CBE during the Design and Building Material Sourcing stages. According to the 3R principles of CBE, cost control, cost planning, feasibility studies, measurement and quantification, risk management, value engineering and innovations and technologies were well-received by most interviewees as essential roles of QSs during the Design and Building Material Sourcing stages. Further, basic/mandatory competencies (personal, interpersonal, professional practice and business skills), economic analysis, BIM management, cost management and risk management are highly regarded by experts for QS as important competencies to achieve CBE.

Originality/value

With new construction trends, QSs must enhance their conventional roles and competencies and search for new skills and competencies. Those skills and competencies could be linked to the CE concept, either directly or indirectly. Since QS holds a prominent place in sustainable construction in CBE, adapting to changes in the construction industry such as CBE is timely for QSs. Further, there is a shortage of literature regarding QSs' roles and competencies in achieving a CBE; thus, this study will contribute by identifying new avenues for QSs in achieving a CBE in the practice and the research.
The impact of female representation and ethnic diversity in committees on environmental, social and governance performance in Malaysia
Authors: Wong Shy Lih
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore how females on committees (FOC) and committee ethnic diversity (CED) impact environmental, social and governance performance (ESGP).

Design/methodology/approach

This study examines 126 listed firms under the coverage of FTSE ESG Ratings in Bursa Malaysia between 2017 and 2019. This study applies partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM) to examine the hypotheses. While the risk of common method variance is minimised using multiple data sources for the analysis, instrumental variable-free approach, i.e. Gaussian copula method which is implemented in SmartPLS 4.0 has been used to address the potential endogeneity of the model.

Findings

Empirical evidence demonstrates significant positive direct relationships between FOC and ESGP, as well as CED and ESGP. The argument of resource dependence theory and positive empirical results on the two direct relationships hold firm despite several committees being aggregated as one construct with the aim of providing different insights into the literature.

Practical implications

This study provides implications for firm leadership to consider reviewing the composition of committees by increasing female representation while striking a balance in the appointment of committee members of different ethnicities to enhance firm ESGP.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study adopts a holistic approach by capturing, for the first time, the female representation of audit, nomination, remuneration and risk management committees. These dimensions are further developed into a single quantifiable variable, presented as FOC. Similarly, the ethnic diversity of the respective committees is aggregated and developed into a single quantifiable construct: the CED. Unlike most existing studies that commonly use econometric software, the application of PLS-SEM in this study contributes to the limited body of corporate governance and ESG studies that use PLS-SEM.
Time-varying dependence and currency tail risk during the Covid-19 pandemic
Authors: Gobbi Fabio , Mulinacci Sabrina
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce a generalization of the time-varying correlation elliptical copula models and to analyse its impact on the tail risk of a portfolio of foreign currencies during the Covid-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors consider a multivariate time series model where marginal dynamics are driven by an autoregressive moving average (ARMA)–Glosten-Jagannathan-Runkle–generalized autoregressive conditional heteroscedastic (GARCH) model, and the dependence structure among the residuals is given by an elliptical copula function. The correlation coefficient follows an autoregressive equation where the autoregressive coefficient is a function of the past values of the correlation. The model is applied to a portfolio of a couple of exchange rates, specifically US dollar–Japanese Yen and US dollar–Euro and compared with two alternative specifications of the correlation coefficient: constant and with autoregressive dynamics.

Findings

The use of the new model results in a more conservative evaluation of the tail risk of the portfolio measured by the value-at-risk and the expected shortfall suggesting a more prudential capital allocation policy.

Originality/value

The main contribution of the paper consists in the introduction of a time-varying correlation model where the past values of the correlation coefficient impact on the autoregressive structure.
Identifying and categorizing influencers on Instagram with eye tracker
Authors: Jánská Michaela , Žambochová Marta , Vacurová Zuzana
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to explore the recognition and success of different ways of branding native advertising in influencer marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

The data are evaluated using statistical tests, correlation and cluster analysis.

Findings

It was found that the higher the recognition rate of a post tagged in a particular way, the better the tagging method for influencer marketing on Instagram. Based on the findings of this study, word tag is recommended first because it is flexible and has one of the highest recognition rates.

Research limitations/implications

The generalizability of the results across different regional settings requires further investigation.

Practical implications

Good labeling of native advertising leads to greater success.

Originality/value

This study can be used by marketing managers, advertisers and influencers to gain insight into the issue, as well as to better select the appropriate labeling method for their advertising content.
Importance of PLD2 in an IL‐23 driven psoriasiform dermatitis model and potential link to human psoriasis
Authors: Su Zhi , Slivka Peter , Paulsboe Stephanie , Chu Katherine , Wetter Joseph B. , Namovic Marian , Perron Denise , Kannan Arun , Wan Qi , Manning Charlene , Todorovic Viktor , Smith Kathleen M. , Lipovsky Alex , Wang Yibing , Frank Kristine , McGaraughty Steve , Loud Jacqueline , Scott Victoria E. , Honore Prisca , Goedken Eric R.
Published: July 2023

Phospholipase D2 (PLD2), a major isoform of the PLD family, has been reported to regulate inflammatory responses. Thus far, the relevance of PLD2 in psoriasis, an inflammatory skin disease, has not been explored. In the current study, we examined PLD2 expression in the skin of psoriasis patients and the role of PLD2 in an interleukin (IL)‐23‐induced mouse model of psoriasiform dermatitis. Both in situ hybridization and bulk RNA sequencing showed PLD2 gene expression is significantly higher in lesional relative to non‐lesional skin of psoriasis patients or the skin of healthy subjects. PLD2 expression is also enriched in residual lesions from patients on biologic therapies. Murine in vivo studies showed that PLD2 deficiency significantly reduced psoriasiform inflammation in IL‐23‐injected ears, as reflected by decreases in ear thickness, expression of defensin beta 4A and the S100 calcium binding protein A7A, macrophage infiltrate, and expression of CXCL10 and IL‐6. However, the expression of type 17 cytokines, IL‐17A and IL‐17F, were not reduced. Dual knockout of PLD1 and PLD2 offered little additional protection compared to PLD2 knockout alone in the IL‐23 model. In addition, pharmacological inhibition with a pan‐PLD1/PLD2 inhibitor also suppressed IL‐23‐induced psoriasiform dermatitis. Bone‐marrow‐derived macrophages from wild type (WT) and PLD2 knockout (KO) mice exhibited little difference in viability and sensitivity to lipopolysaccharide and/or interferon gamma, or resiquimod (R848). PLD2 deficiency did not alter the differentiation and function of Th17 cells in an ex vivo study with splenocytes isolated from WT and PLD2 KO mice. Overall, these data suggest that PLD2 may play a role in the pathophysiology of psoriasis. Reducing macrophage infiltrate and cytokine/chemokine production might contribute to an anti‐inflammatory effect observed in PLD2 knockout mice. Further studies are required to better understand the mechanisms by which PLD2 contributes to skin lesions in psoriasis patients and psoriasiform dermatitis models.
Functional diversity buffers biomass production across variable rainfall conditions through different processes above‐ versus below‐ground
Authors: Aoyama Lina , Shaw E. Ashley , White Caitlin T. , Suding Katherine N. , Hallett Lauren M.
Published: July 2023

Understanding precipitation controls on functional diversity is important in predicting how change in rainfall patterns will alter plant productivity in the future. Trait‐based approaches can provide predictive knowledge about how certain species will behave and interact with the community. However, how functional diversity relates to above‐ and below‐ground biomass production in variable rainfall conditions remains unclear.

Here, we tested the role of mass ratio and niche complementarity hypotheses in shaping above‐ and below‐ground biomass–functional diversity relationships in seasonal drought. We implemented a fully crossed experiment that manipulated drought timing (fall dry, spring dry, consistent dry and ambient rainfall) and community composition (grass‐dominated, forb‐dominated and mixed grass–forb) in a California annual grassland.

Plant communities with mixed functional groups showed higher above‐ and below‐ground biomass than either the grass‐ or forb‐dominant communities.

We found divergent functional diversity–biomass relationships for above‐ and below‐ground biomass. Above‐ground biomass decreased with community weighted means (CWMs) of specific leaf area (SLA) and height, supporting the mass ratio hypothesis, which posits that dominant species with specific traits drive biomass production of the community. Below‐ground biomass showed no evidence of either mass ratio hypothesis or niche complementarity.

While biomass was largely unaffected by the timing of drought in one season, we found community‐wide functional trait shifts in response to rainfall treatments. Above‐ground traits shifted to higher SLA in consistent dry compared to ambient. Below‐ground traits shifted to longer, finer and denser roots in fall and consistent dry, and shorter and coarser roots in spring dry. Functional diversity buffered biomass production by enabling shifts in above‐ and below‐ground functional traits across variable rainfall conditions.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Widows, Violence and Death: The Construction of Imperial Identity and Memory by Women in Mourning across British India, 1857–1926
Authors: Smith Ellen
Published: July 2023

This article examines the work of British widows in the construction of their husbands’ memory following their violent deaths in British India, during the nineteenth and early‐twentieth centuries. Exploring the collections of a military, missionary and Indian Civil Service widow, it suggests that a specifically feminised culture of mourning nurtured imperial narratives. It moves between personal correspondence, to published accounts of frontier ‘murders’, to a new understanding of South Asian ‘condolence meetings’ and resolutions addressed to British widows, arguing that women were critical to the fashioning of men's identity in death and a broader colonial politics of grief.
Towards sustainable Cleaning‐in‐Place (CIP) in dairy processing: Exploring enzyme‐based approaches to cleaning in the Cheese industry
Authors: Pant Karan J. , Cotter Paul D. , Wilkinson Martin G. , Sheehan Jeremiah J.
Published: July 2023

Cleaning‐in‐place (CIP) is the most commonly used cleaning and sanitation system for processing lines, equipment, and storage facilities such as milk silos in the global dairy processing industry. CIP employs thermal treatments and nonbiodegradable chemicals (acids and alkalis), requiring appropriate neutralization before disposal, resulting in sustainability challenges. In addition, biofilms are a major source of contamination and spoilage in dairy industries, and it is believed that current chemical CIP protocols do not entirely destroy biofilms. Use of enzymes as effective agents for CIP and as a more sustainable alternative to chemicals and thermal treatments is gaining interest. Enzymes offer several advantages when used for CIP, such as reduced water usage (less rinsing), lower operating temperatures resulting in energy savings, shorter cleaning times, and lower costs for wastewater treatment. Additionally, they are typically derived from natural sources, are easy to neutralize, and do not produce hazardous waste products. However, even with such advantages, enzymes for CIP within the dairy processing industry remain focused mainly on membrane cleaning. Greater adoption of enzyme‐based CIP for cheese industries is projected pending a greater knowledge relating to cost, control of the process (inactivation kinetics), reusability of enzyme solutions, and the potential for residual activity, including possible effects on the subsequent product batches. Such studies are essential for the cheese industry to move toward more energy‐efficient and sustainable cleaning solutions.
A novel whole peanut butter refined by stirred media mill: The size, microstructure, rheology, nutrients, and flavor
Authors: Li Changhong , Dai Taotao , Deng Lizhen , Shuai Xixiang , He Xiaohong , Li Ti , Liu Chengmei , Chen Jun
Published: July 2023

A novel whole peanut butter (PB) was developed using an emerging technology called stirred media mill (SMM). The impact of SMM on the size, microstructure, rheology, nutrient, and flavor of PB was investigated. The SMM treatment significantly decreased the particle size of PB, damaged cell structure, and released the oil body from cells. The apparent viscosity of PB decreased with the grinding process. Visual inspection revealed that the colloidal stability of PB was improved. The fatty acid composition was not affected by the grinding process. However, the tocopherol contents of the extracted oil slightly increased. Electronic nose and GC–MS analysis indicated that SMM could alter the flavor of PB after grinding for 45 min. Overall, SMM was a potential process technology to manufacture stable nut butter with smooth texture and delightful flavor profile.
B‐vitamins and heat processed fermented starchy and vegetable foods in sub‐Saharan Africa: A review
Authors: Padonou Sègla Wilfrid , Houngbédji Marcel , Hounhouigan Mênouwesso Harold , Chadare Flora Josiane , Hounhouigan Djidjoho Joseph
Published: July 2023

Micronutrient deficiency still occurs in sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) despite the availability of several food resources, particularly fermented foods and vegetables, with high nutritional potential. Fermentation enhances the quality of food in several aspects. Organoleptically, certain taste, aroma, and textures are developed. Health and safety are improved by inhibiting the growth of several foodborne pathogens and removing harmful toxic compounds. Furthermore, nutrition is enhanced by improving micronutrient contents and bioavailability from the food, especially vitamin B content. However, during processing and before final consumption, many fermented foods are heat treated (drying, pasteurization, cooking, etc.) to make the food digestible and safe for consumption. Heat treatment improves the bioavailability of B‐vitamins in some foods. In other foods, heating decreases the nutritional value because some B‐vitamins are degraded. In SSA, cooked starchy foods are often associated with vegetables in household meals. This paper reviews studies that have focused fermented starchy foods and vegetable foods in SSA with the potential to provide B‐vitamins to consumers. The review also describes the process of the preparation of these foods for final consumption, and techniques that can prevent or lessen B‐vitamin loss, or enrich B‐vitamins prior to consumption.
Nutritional and volatile profiles of pulp and flavedo from four local pummelo cultivars grown in Fujian province of China
Authors: Zhou Jinyu , Kong Lingchao , Li Debao , Zhang Xinxin , Fu Zhijun , Pan Tengfei , Yu Yuan
Published: July 2023

The nutritional and volatile profiles of pulp and flavedo samples from four distinct local pummelo landraces (“Siji,” “Pingshan,” “Wendan,” and “Guanxi”) cultivated in Fujian province of China were investigated. “Guanxi” pummelo exhibited relatively high contents of vitamin C (42.01 mg/100 mL) and phenols (360.61 mg/L) and displayed a robust antioxidant capacity (41.15 mg/100 mL). Conversely, the red pulp from “Pingshan” demonstrated relatively high values of carotenoids (55.96 µg/g) and flavonoids (79.79 mg/L). Considerable differences were observed in volatile compositions between the two fruit tissues and among the four genotypes. A total of 166 and 255 volatile compounds were detected in the pulp and flavedo samples, respectively. Notably, limonene and β‐myrcene were identified as the principal volatile compounds in flavedo, whereas hexanal was highly abundant in the pulp of “Siji,” “Pingshan,” and “Guanxi.” “Wendan” displayed distinct separation from the other three pummelo cultivars in principal component analysis based on the pulp volatile compositions. This distinction was attributed to the higher number and content of volatile compounds in “Wendan” pulp, particularly the remarkable enrichment of β‐myrcene. The newly characterized pummelo landraces and genotype/tissue‐dependent variations in volatiles provide essential information for the genetic improvement of pummelo aroma, as well as for fruit processing and utilization.
Inulin–whey protein as efficient vehicle carrier system for chlorophyll: Optimization, characterization, and functional food application
Authors: Agarry Israel Emiezi , Ding Desheng , Cai Tian , Wu Zhulian , Huang Pimiao , Kan Jianquan , Chen Kewei
Published: July 2023

Natural chlorophylls mostly found in vegetables such as spinach (Spinacia oleracea) could be employed as a possible substitute for synthetic colorants because of their intense green properties. However, the stability of natural chlorophyll is a major challenge to its utilization in the food industry. In this study, spray drying as an encapsulation technique was used to improve the stability of natural chlorophyll. Box–Behnken design was utilized to optimize the spray drying conditions for chlorophyll. Optimum conditions were given as inlet temperature, 132°C; inulin‐to‐whey protein isolate ratio, 61%:39%; pump rate, 25%, resulting in 92.3% encapsulation efficiency, 69.4% solubility, and −13.5 mV zeta potential at a desirability level of 0.901. The particle size, Carr index, bulk and tapped density, polydispersity index, and color showed satisfactory results. Crystallinity, endothermic peak melting temperature, and the enthalpy of chlorophyll‐loaded microcapsules increased when compared to the blank microcapsules suggesting decreased hygroscopicity and enhanced thermal stability. In addition, the suitability of fabricated microcapsules using yogurt as a food model was assessed. Yogurt incorporated with chlorophyll‐loaded microcapsules showed no significant pH modification with better apparent viscosity than control and sodium copper chlorophyllin (SCC) yogurt after 9 days of refrigerated storage. Based on the studied responses, the spray drying process could be optimized to achieve optimal output and product quality.

Practical Application

Spray drying is a cheap and convenient approach for microencapsulating bioactive compounds such as chlorophyll. However, the physico‐chemical and functional properties of the spray‐dried microcapsules are influenced by operating conditions, such as inlet temperature, type and concentration of wall materials, and feed flow rate. Therefore, to maximize and obtain a superior quality of the final product, there is a need to optimize the spray drying process. The Box–Behnken design employed in this study could be utilized as an appropriate technique to design, enhance, and develop process parameters for the fabrication and better retention of the physico‐chemical properties of spray‐dried chlorophyll microcapsules.
Gut microbiota and irritable bowel syndrome
Authors: Zhao Ye , Zou Duo Wu
Published: July 2023

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a common gastrointestinal disorder that poses a significant health concern. Although its etiology remains unknown, there is growing evidence that gut dysbiosis is involved in the development and exacerbation of IBS. Previous studies have reported altered microbial diversity, abundance, and composition in IBS patients when compared to controls. However, whether dysbiosis or aberrant changes in the intestinal microbiota can be used as a hallmark of IBS remains inconclusive. We reviewed the literatures on changes in and roles of intestinal microbiota in relation to IBS and discussed various gut microbiota manipulation strategies. Gut microbiota may affect IBS development by regulating the mucosal immune system, brain–gut–microbiome interaction, and intestinal barrier function. The advent of high‐throughput multi‐omics provides important insights into the pathogenesis of IBS and promotes the development of individualized treatment for IBS. Despite advances in currently available microbiota‐directed therapies, large‐scale, well‐organized, and long‐term randomized controlled trials are highly warranted to assess their clinical effects. Overall, gut microbiota alterations play a critical role in the pathophysiology of IBS, and modulation of microbiota has a significant therapeutic potential that requires to be further verified.
Arthropods are kin: Operationalizing Indigenous data sovereignty to respectfully utilize genomic data from Indigenous lands
Authors: Hutchins Leke , Mc Cartney Ann , Graham Natalie , Gillespie Rosemary , Guzman Aidee
Published: July 2023

Indigenous peoples have cultivated biodiverse agroecosystems since time immemorial. The rise of metagenomics and high‐throughput sequencing technologies in biodiversity studies has rapidly expanded the scale of data collection from these lands. A respectful approach to the data life cycle grounded in the sovereignty of indigenous communities is imperative to not perpetuate harm. In this paper, we operationalize an indigenous data sovereignty (IDS) framework to outline realistic considerations for genomic data that span data collection, governance, and communication. As a case study for this framework, we use arthropod genomic data collected from diversified and simplified farm sites close to and far from natural habitats within a historic Kānaka ʻŌiwi (Indigenous Hawaiian) agroecosystem. Diversified sites had the highest Operational Taxonomic Unit (OTU) richness for native and introduced arthropods. There may be a significant spillover effect between forest and farm sites, as farm sites near a natural habitat had higher OTU richness than those farther away. We also provide evidence that management factors such as the number of Polynesian crops cultivated may drive arthropod community composition. Through this case study, we emphasize the context‐dependent opportunities and challenges for operationalizing IDS by utilizing participatory research methods, expanding novel data management tools through the Local Contexts Hub, and developing and nurturing community partnerships—all while highlighting the potential of agroecosystems for arthropod conservation. Overall, the workflow and the example presented here can help researchers take tangible steps to achieve IDS, which often seems elusive with the expanding use of genomic data.