bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Trends in Efficacy, Safety, and Tolerability of Approved Multiple Sclerosis Disease Modifying Treatments
Authors: Valker Kyle , Suh Kangho
Published: December 2023

Background

Disease-modifying therapies (DMTs) have become the mainstay of treatment for relapsing forms of multiple sclerosis (MS), reducing relapse rates and slowing disease progression.

Objectives

To determine whether or not available MS DMTs have demonstrated an increase in safety, efficacy, and tolerability over time.

Methods

Results from pivotal phase III trials of approved MS DMTs were used to create a dataset of relevant outcomes. Common endpoints analyzed include annualized relapse rates (ARR), rates of serious adverse events (SAE), and rates of discontinuation due to adverse events. Trial comparator, active or placebo, was also documented. Descriptive statistics and Fisher exact tests were performed on outcomes stratified by recency of pivotal trials.

Results

On visual inspection, there was a trend of decrease in ARR. A significant relationship was seen between recent approvals and trial design with an active comparator (p=0.004), as well as between recent approvals and ARR (p=0.020). No significance was found between recent approvals and SAE (p=0.138), formulation and discontinuation (p=0.559), or recent approvals and formulation (p=0.352).

Conclusion

DMTs for relapsing forms of MS increased in efficacy over time. Oral therapies offered similar tolerability to other routes of administration. Further research is warranted to identify if these clinical trial findings translate to real world evidence.

What was already known

The number of FDA approved disease-modifying therapies for multiple sclerosis has been steadily increasing. Available routes of administration include injectable, oral, and infusions.

These medications are proven to be effective in reducing MS relapse rates and slowing overall disease progression, with varying degrees of safety and tolerability.

The comparative efficacy of these therapies varies, with certain medications often deemed high efficacy.

What this study adds

We used published phase III trial results for each medication to provide a direct comparison between each medication’s efficacy, safety, and tolerability at time of approval.

Our analysis demonstrates a trend in increasing efficacy of available therapies along with the use of active comparators for controls in disease modifying treatments for multiple sclerosis.
Degenerate DropSynth for Simultaneous Assembly of Diverse Gene Libraries and Local Designed Mutants
Authors: Holston Andrew S. , Hinton Samuel R. , Lindley Kyra A. , Kearns Nora C. , Plesa Calin
Published: December 2023

Protein engineering efforts often involve the creation of hybrid or chimeric proteins, where functionality critically hinges on the precise design of linkers and fusion points. Traditional methods have been constrained by a focus on single genes or the random selection of fusion points. Here we introduce an approach which enables the creation of large gene libraries where each library comprises a multitude of diverse, specifically designed genes, each with a corresponding set of programmatically designed fusion points or linkers. When combined with multiplex functional assays, these libraries facilitate the derivation of generalized engineering principles applicable across whole protein families or domain types. Degenerate DropSynth is a multiplex gene synthesis technique which allows for the assembly of up to eight distinct variants for each of the 1,536 designed parent genes in a single reaction. We assemble chimeric sensor histidine kinases and demonstrate the assembly of genes up to 1 kbp in length with an 8% rate of perfect assemblies per gene. Our findings indicate that incorporating an increased number of variants in droplets containing barcoded beads does not significantly affect the rate of perfect assemblies. However, maintaining a consistent level of degeneracy across the library is important to ensure good coverage and reduce inequality. The results suggest the potential for scaling this process to assemble at least 8,000 distinct variants in a single reaction. Degenerate DropSynth enables the systematic exploration of protein families through large-scale, programmable assembly of chimeric proteins, moving beyond the limitations of individual protein studies.
Protein phosphatases regulate the formation of Müller glia-derived progenitor cells in the chick retina
Authors: Kelly Lisa E. , El-Hodiri Heithem M. , Crider Andrew , Fischer Andy J.
Published: December 2023

Different kinase-dependent cell signaling pathways are known to play important roles in glia-mediated neuroprotection and reprogramming of Müller glia (MG) into Müller glia-derived progenitor cells (MGPCs) in the retina. However, very little is known about the phosphatases that regulate kinase-dependent signaling in MG. Using single-cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) databases, we investigated patterns of expression of Dual Specificity Phosphatases (DUSP1/6) and other protein phosphatases in normal and damaged chick retinas. We found thatDUSP1, DUSP6, PPP3CB, PPP3R1andPPPM1A/B/D/E/Gare dynamically expressed by MG and MGPCs in retinas during the process of reprogramming. We find that inhibition of DUSP1/6 and PP2C phosphatases enhances the formation of proliferating MGPCs in damaged retinas and in retinas treated with insulin in FGF2 in the absence of damage. By contrast, inhibition of PP2B phosphatases suppressed the formation of proliferating MGPCs, but increased numbers of proliferating MGPCs in undamaged retinas treated with insulin and FGF2. In damaged retinas, inhibition of DUSP1/6 increased levels of pERK1/2 and cFos in MG whereas inhibition of PP2B’s decreased levels of pStat3 and pS6 in MG. Analyses of scRNA-seq libraries identified numerous differentially activated gene modules in MG in damaged retinas versus MG in retinas treated with insulin+FGF2 suggesting significant differences in kinase-dependent signaling pathways that converge on the formation of MGPCs. Inhibition of phosphatases had no significant effects upon numbers of dying cells in damaged retinas. We conclude that the activity of different protein phosphatases “fine-tune” the cell signaling responses of MG in damaged retinas and during the reprogramming of MG into MGPCs.
Multiple, single trait GWAS and supervised machine learning reveal the genetic architecture ofFraxinus excelsiortolerance to ash dieback in Europe
Authors: Doonan JM , Budde KB , Kosawang C , Lobo A , Verbylaite R , Brealey JC , Martin MD , Pliūra A , Thomas K , Konrad H , Seegmüller S , Liziniewicz M , Cleary M , Nemesio-Gorriz M , Fussi B , Kirisits T , Gilbert MTP , Heuertz MTP , Kjær ED , Nielsen LR
Published: December 2023

Common ash (Fraxinus excelsior) is under intensive attack from the invasive alien pathogenic fungusHymenoscyphus fraxineus, causing ash dieback at epidemic levels throughout Europe. Previous studies have found significant genetic variation among clones in ash dieback susceptibility and that host phenology, such as autumn yellowing, is correlated with susceptibility of ash trees toH. fraxineus; however, the genomic basis of ash dieback tolerance inF. excelsiorremains poorly understood. Here, we integrate quantitative genetics and genome-wide association analyses with machine learning to reveal the genetic architecture of ash dieback tolerance and its relationship to phenological traits inF. excelsiorpopulations in six European countries (Austria, Denmark, Germany, Ireland, Lithuania, Sweden). We use whole-genome sequencing of 486F. excelsiorgenotypes to confirm the genotypic correlation between crown damage caused by ash dieback and intensity of autumn leaf yellowing within multiple sampling sites. Although, our results suggest that the examined traits are polygenic, a relatively small number of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) explained a large proportion of the variation in both disease tolerance and autumn leaf yellowing. We could explain up to 63% (based on 9155 unlinked SNPs) of variation in individual response to ash dieback crown damage and up to 72% (based on 3740 unlinked SNPs) of variation in autumn yellowing. We identified eight SNPs encoding non-synonymous substitutions, of which those with the highest predictive power were located within genes related to plant defence (pattern triggered immunity, pathogen detection) and phenology (regulation of flowering and seed maturation, auxin transport). Overall, our results provide insights of a multifaceted defence response, according to which a combination of direct defence mechanisms and phenological avoidance of pathogen spread constitute tolerance to ash dieback.
Methylmercury demethylation and volatilization by animals expressing microbial enzymes
Authors: Tepper K , King J , Cholan PM , Pfitzner C , Morsch M , Apte SC , Maselko M
Published: December 2023

Methylmercury is a highly toxic pollutant that accumulates in food webs where it is inaccessible to current remediation technologies. We demonstrate that animals can be engineered to express the microbial enzymes, organomercurial lyase (MerB) and mercuric reductase (MerA), to bioremediate methylmercury. MerA and MerB fromEscherichia coliwere functional in invertebrate (Drosophila melanogaster) and vertebrate (Danio rerio) model systems and converted methylmercury into volatile Hg0. The engineered animals tolerated higher exposures to methylmercury and accumulated less than half as much mercury relative to their wild-type counterparts. The outcomes of this research could be applied to reduce mercury contamination in farmed and recreationally caught fish, for species conservation, and to restore value to organic wastes contaminated with mercury.
Subspecies divergence, hybridisation and the spatial environment shape phylosymbiosis in the microbiome of house mice
Authors: Ferreira Susana C. M. , Jarquín-Díaz Víctor Hugo , Planillo Aimara , Ďureje Ľudovít , Martincová Iva , Kramer-Schadt Stephanie , Forslund Sofia K. , Heitlinger Emanuel
Published: December 2023

Closely related host species share similar symbionts, yet how host genetics and the environment affect symbiont communities at different stages of host genetic divergence remains largely unknown. Similarly, it is unclear whether host-symbiont associations result from or contribute to host divergence.

We examined the intestinal community of 619 wild-caught mice from Germany’s European house mouse hybrid zone. Here, hybridisation upon secondary contact reflects divergence and could be traced gradually.

Temporal and spatial factors were strong predictors of microbiome composition. Subspecies divergence predicted the composition similarity of the overall microbiome, specifically in the bacteria, parasite and fungal components. The effect of hybridisation was generally weak but significant for the fungal component. We confirmed our results in experiments with wild-derived inbred mice: subspecies’ genetic distances and hybridisation predicted the overall microbiome composition, and hybridisation further predicted fungal similarities among individuals. Fungi seemed more stable to the community perturbation of infection than other components of the microbiome.

Differences between subspecies were more substantial across different microbiome components than those associated with hybridisation. Diverged microbiomes are a product of host divergence and are maintained by host genetics upon large environmental effects. These results provide a unique perspective into the ecoevolutionary processes shaping phylosymbiosis.
A cross-attention transformer encoder for paired sequence data
Authors: Dens Ceder , Laukens Kris , Meysman Pieter , Bittremieux Wout
Published: December 2023

Transformer-based sequence encoding architectures are often limited to a single-sequence input while some tasks require a multi-sequence input. For example, the peptide–MHCII binding prediction task where the input consists of two protein sequences. Current workarounds to solve this input-type mismatch lack resemblance with the biological mechanisms behind the task. As a solution, we propose a novel cross-attention transformer encoder that creates a cross-attended embedding of both input sequences. We compare its classification performance on the peptide–MHCII binding prediction task to a baseline logistic regression model and a default transformer encoder. Finally, we make visualizations of the attention layers to show how the different models learn different patterns.
Larval growth rate affects wing shape more than eyespot size in the seasonally polyphenic butterflyMelanitis leda
Authors: Molleman Freerk , Moore Elizabeth M. , Halali Sridhar , Kodandaramaiah Ullasa , Halali Dheeraj , van Bergen Erik , Brakefield Paul M. , Oostra Vicencio
Published: December 2023

Butterflies often show adaptive phenotypic plasticity where environmental cues during early stages are used to produce a phenotype that maximizes fitness in the environment experienced by adults. Many tropical satyrine butterflies (Nymphalidae: Satyrinae) are seasonally polyphenic and produce distinct wet- and dry-season form adults providing tight environment-phenotype matching in seasonal environments. Dry-season forms, which are expressed in the dry season, can be induced in the laboratory by growing larvae at low temperatures or on poor food quality. Since both these factors also tend to reduce larval growth rate, larval growth rate may be an internal cue that translates the environmental cues into the expression of phenotypes. If this is the case, we predict that slower-growing larvae would be more likely to develop a dry-season phenotype. To test this hypothesis, we measured both larval growth rate and adult phenotype (eyespot size and wing shape) of individuals of the common evening brown butterfly (Melanitis leda), reared at various temperatures and on various host-plant species. We found that among treatments, larvae with lower growth rates (low temperature, particular host plants) were more likely to develop dry-season phenotypes (small eyespots, falcate wing tips), but within treatments, larval growth rate was mainly linked to wing shape, not eyespot size. These relationships tended to be stronger for males than females as males showed a wider range of eyespot sizes and wing shapes. Overall, only plasticity in wing shape appears to be (partly) mediated by larval growth, and in a sex-specific manner.
Spatial transcriptomics of a parasitic flatworm provides a molecular map of vaccine candidates, drug targets and drug resistance genes
Authors: Gramberg Svenja , Puckelwaldt Oliver , Schmitt Tobias , Lu Zhigang , Haeberlein Simone
Published: December 2023

The spatial organization of gene expression dictates tissue functions in multicellular parasites. Here, we present the first spatial transcriptome of a parasitic flatworm, the common liver flukeFasciola hepatica.We identified gene expression profiles and marker genes for eight distinct tissues and validated the latter byin situhybridization. To demonstrate the power of our spatial atlas, we focused on genes with substantial medical importance, including vaccine candidates (Ly6 proteins), drug targets (β-tubulins, protein kinases) and drug resistance genes (glutathione S-transferases, ABC transporters). Several of these genes exhibited unique expression patterns, indicating tissue-specific biological functions. Notably, the prioritization of tegumental protein kinases identified a PKCβ, for which small-molecule targeting caused parasite death. Our comprehensive gene expression map provides unprecedented molecular insights into the organ systems of this complex parasitic organism, serving as a valuable tool for both basic and applied research.
Transformation of cereal grains: Botanical and chemical analysis of food residues encrusted on pottery from the Funnel Beaker settlement of Oldenburg LA 77, northern Germany
Authors: Kubiak-Martens Lucy , Oudemans Tania F.M. , Brozio Jan Piet , Filipović Dragana , Müller Johannes , Kirleis Wiebke
Published: December 2023

An integrated botanical and chemical approach is used to study surface residues on Funnel Beaker ceramics from the site of Oldenburg LA 77, in northern Germany. Organic residues were discovered adhering to fragments of thick-walled, undecorated ceramic vessels (n=19) and ceramic discs (n=2). The surface residues were studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), to examine remains of cereals and other plant tissues that survived food preparation and cooking, and using attenuated total reflectance Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (ATR–FTIR) and direct time-resolved mass spectrometry (DTMS), to chemically identify specific food components. The SEM results show a reoccurring presence of cereal grain (emmer and barley) and one case of co-occurrence of emmer and fat-hen seeds. The SEM evidence for the use of sprouted emmer grain and milk-ripe barley from the Oldenburg residues greatly enhances our understanding of Neolithic foodways in northwestern Europe. The ATR-FTIR results showed that roughly a third of the surface residues contain traces of the original foods prepared or processed and DTMS results confirm that most of the residues primarily contain polysaccharides and a minimal amount of plant protein and that they lack lipids. Only one residue presents minor indications for a (partly) animal origin. The ceramic vessels were thus used almost exclusively for the processing or cooking of cereal grains. This study offers an intimate view of the cuisine and cooking practices (and in some cases their seasonal timing) in an early agricultural village located in a marginal farming region on the south coast of the Baltic Sea.
Distinct latitudinal patterns of shifting spring phenology across the Appalachian Trail Corridor
Authors: Tourville Jordon , Murray Georgia , Nelson Sarah
Published: December 2023

Warming associated with climate change will likely continue to advance the onset of spring phenology for many forest plants across the eastern United States. Understory forbs and spring ephemerals which fix a disproportionate amount of carbon during spring may be negatively affected by earlier canopy closure (i.e., phenological windows), however, information on the spatial patterns of phenological change for these communities is still lacking. To assess the potential for changes in spring phenological windows we synthesized observations from the Appalachian Mountain Club’s (AMC) Mountain Watch (MW) project, the National Phenology Network (NPN), and AMC’s iNaturalist projects between 2004 and 2022 (n = 118,250) across the length of the Appalachian Trail (AT) Corridor (34°N-46°N latitude). We used hierarchical Bayesian modeling to examine the sensitivity of day of year of flowering and leaf-out for 11 understory species and 14 canopy tree species to mean spring temperature (April-June). We conducted analyses across the AT Corridor, partitioned by regions of 4° latitude (South, Mid-Atlantic, and North). Spring phenologies for both understory plants and canopy trees advanced with warming (∼6 days/°C and ∼3 days/°C, respectively). However, sensitivity of each group varied by latitude, with phenology of trees and understory plants advancing to a greater degree in the mid-Atlantic region (∼10 days/°C) than the southern or northern regions (∼5 days/°C). While we find evidence that phenological windows remain stable in southern and mid-Atlantic portions of the AT, we observed an expansion of the spring phenological window in the north where there was greater understory temperature sensitivity compared to trees (∼1.6 days/°C). Our analyses indicate differential sensitivity of forest plant phenology to potential warming across a large latitudinal gradient in the eastern United States. Further, evidence for a temperature-driven expansion of the spring phenological window suggests a potential beneficial effect for understory plants, although phenological mismatch with potential pollinators is possible. Using various extensive citizen-science derived datasets allows us to synthesize regional- and continental-scale data to explore spatial and temporal trends in spring phenology related to warming. Such data can help to standardize approaches in phenological research and its application to forest climate resiliency.
Development of Oxadiazolone Activity-Based Probes Targeting FphE for Specific Detection ofS. aureusInfections
Authors: Jo Jeyun , Upadhyay Tulsi , Woods Emily C. , Park Ki Wan , Pedowitz Nichole J. , Jaworek-Korjakowska Joanna , Wang Sijie , Valdez Tulio A. , Fellner Matthias , Bogyo Matthew
Published: December 2023

Staphylococcus aureusis a major human pathogen responsible for a wide range of systemic infections. Since its propensity to form biofilmsin vivoposes formidable challenges for both detection and treatment, tools that can be used to specifically imageS. aureusbiofilms are highly valuable for clinical management. Here we describe the development of oxadiazolone-based activity-based probes to target theS. aureus-specific serine hydrolase FphE. Because this enzyme lacks homologs in other bacteria, it is an ideal target for selective imaging ofS. aureusinfections. Using X-ray crystallography, direct cell labeling and mouse models of infection we demonstrate that oxadiazolone-based probes enable specific labeling ofS. aureusbacteria through the direct covalent modification of the FphE active site serine. These results demonstrate the utility of the oxadizolone electrophile for activity-based probes (ABPs) and validate FphE as a target for development of imaging contrast agents for the rapid detection ofS. aureusinfections.
Radical pairs and superoxide amplification can explain magnetic field effects on planarian regeneration
Authors: Rishabh  , Zadeh-Haghighi Hadi , Simon Christoph
Published: December 2023

Weak magnetic field exposure can affect many biological processes across a wide range of living organisms. Recently, it has been observed that weak magnetic fields can modulate reactive oxygen species (ROS) concentration, affecting regeneration in planaria. These effects show unusual nonlinear dependence on magnetic field strength, including a sign change. In another study by the same group, superoxide is identified as the particular ROS being modulated. We propose a radical pair mechanism based on a flavin-superoxide radical pair to explain the modulation of superoxide production and its effect on planarian regeneration. The results of our calculations favor a triplet-born radical pair. Our yield calculations can reproduce the observed magnetic field dependence, including the sign change. Moreover, to explain the size of the effect on ROS concentration, we suggest a simple amplification model inspired by known biochemical mechanisms and lay out the conditions for such a model to work. Further, we also make empirical predictions concerning the hypomagnetic field effects on planarian regeneration.
Leveraging large language models for data analysis automation
Authors: Jansen Jacqueline A , Manukyan Artür , Al Khoury Nour , Akalin Altuna
Published: December 2023

Data analysis is constrained by a shortage of skilled experts, particularly in biology, where detailed data interpretation is vital for understanding complex biological processes and developing new treatments and diagnostics. To address this, we developedmergen, an R package that leverages Large Language Models (LLMs) for data analysis code generation and execution. Our primary goal is to enable humans to conduct data analysis by simply describing their objectives and the desired analyses for specific datasets through clear text. Our approach improves code generation via specialized prompt engineering and error feedback mechanisms. In addition, our system can execute the data analysis workflows prescribed by the LLM providing the results of the data analysis workflow for human review. We evaluated the performance of this data analysis system using various data analysis tasks. Our evaluation revealed that while LLMs effectively generate code for some data analysis tasks, challenges remain in executable code generation, especially for complex data analysis tasks. Our study contributes to a better understanding of LLM capabilities and limitations, providing software infrastructure and practical insights for their effective integration into data analysis workflows.
Facile generation of biepitopic antibodies with intrinsic agonism for activating receptors in the tumor necrosis factor superfamily
Authors: Jhajj Harkamal S. , Schardt John S. , Khalasawi Namir , Yao Emily L. , Lwo Timon S. , Kwon Na-Young , O’Meara Ryen L , Desai Alec A. , Tessier Peter M.
Published: December 2023

Agonist antibodies that activate cellular receptors are being pursued for therapeutic applications ranging from neurodegenerative diseases to cancer. For the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily, higher-order clustering of three or more receptors is key to their potent activation. This can be achieved using antibodies that recognize two unique epitopes on the same receptor and mediate receptor superclustering. However, identifying compatible pairs of antibodies to generate biepitopic antibodies (also known as biparatopic antibodies) for activating TNF receptors typically requires animal immunization and is a laborious and unpredictable process. Here, we report a simple method for systematically identifying biepitopic antibodies that potently activate TNF receptors without the need for additional animal immunization. Our approach uses off-the-shelf, receptor-specific IgG antibodies, which lack intrinsic (Fc-gamma receptor-independent) agonist activity, to first block their corresponding epitopes. Next, we perform selections for single-chain antibodies from human nonimmune libraries that bind accessible epitopes on the same ectodomains using yeast surface display and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. The selected single-chain antibodies are finally fused to the light chains of IgGs to generate human tetravalent antibodies that engage two different receptor epitopes and mediate potent receptor activation. We highlight the broad utility of this approach by converting several existing clinical-stage antibodies against TNF receptors, including ivuxolimab and pogalizumab against OX40 and utomilumab against CD137, into biepitopic antibodies with highly potent agonist activity. We expect that this widely accessible methodology can be used to systematically generate biepitopic antibodies for activating other receptors in the TNF receptor superfamily and many other receptors whose activation is dependent on strong receptor clustering.
Vitamin D attenuates diabetic myocardial injury via the Erbb4/ferroptosis axis
Authors: Song Hanlu , Miao Yufan , Zhang Yujing , Zhang Luoya , Chen Hao , Tang Lulu , Li Wenjie , Gu Chenxi , Li Xing
Published: December 2023

Background

Hyperglycemia and hyperlipidemia lead to the ferroptosis, well as the phosphorylation of Erbb4, and thereby increase the risk of cardiac hypertrophy. Thus, our investigation aims to explore whether vitamin D could mitigate diabetic cardiac injury through modulation of the Erbb4/ferroptosis axis.

Methods and results

KKAy mice fed on a high-fat diet were utilized to construct the prediabetic model, which showed an up-regulated phosphorylation of Erbb4, with concurrent ferroptosis in cardiac tissues. Following the intervention with vitamin D for 16 weeks, the activity of Erbb4/YAP signaling was suppressed and the severeness of ferroptosis was improved. Meanwhile disturbances in glucose-lipid metabolism and insulin secretion induced by high fat were alleviated, along with improvements in cardiac hypertrophy and myocardial function. Moreover, we established anin vitrodamage model by introducing H9c2 myocardial cells to high glucose (HG, 33.3 mM) and palmitic acid (PA, 0.25 mM). Unsurprisingly, similar results have been acquired after vitamin D supplementation. Subsequently, selective inhibitors of Erbb4 (Dacomitinib) and ferroptosis (Ferrostatin-1) were applied to evaluate the efficiency of Erbb4 signaling on modulating ferroptosisin vitro, and conclusively confirming that inhibiting of Erbb4 indeed reduce ferroptosis under HG and PA stimulus. Additionally, treatment of vitamin D was found to reduce cardiomyocyte hypertrophy and prevent cell death by inhibiting Erbb4 activity. Interestingly, the combined intervention of Vitamin D and Dacomitinib exerted a synergistic effect on ameliorating the abnormal conditions.

Conclusions

Our study unveils, the correlation between Erbb4 and ferroptosis in diabetic heart. Providing evidences that vitamin D supplementation can improve ferroptosis related diabetic cardiac injury through inactivation of Erbb4. Proposing that the combination treatment of vitamin D and Erbb4 inhibitors may emerge as a highly feasible clinical strategy for diabetic myocardial injury.
A method with ultra-high angular resolution for X-ray diffraction experiments
Authors: Zhang X. M. , Zheng X. , Li X. L. , Meng F. Q. , Yin S. S.
Published: December 2023

In X-ray diffraction measurements, the angular resolution has a detection limit due to the receiving size of the detector. In many cases this detection limit is too large and must be breached to obtain the desired information. A novel method is proposed here by making the detector simultaneously measuring and moving. Using the deconvolution algorithm to remove the convolution effect, the pixel size limitation is finally broken. The algorithm used is not a common one, and suppresses signals at high frequencies, ensuring the reliability of the peak shape after restoration. The feasibility of this method is verified by successfully measuring the crystal truncation rod signal of SrTiO3 single crystal, and the resolution is nearly ten times higher than that of a single pixel. Moreover, this method greatly reduces the noise and improves the signal-to-noise ratio.
Identifying the dimensions of philanthropic CSR in the FMCG sector: agenda for the sustainability of business
Authors: Soni Vibha , Saxena Priti , Moid Sana , Saxena Abhineet , Mehta Mita
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to use a multi-stage scale development process to identify the dimensions of philanthropic corporate social responsibility (PCSR) in India’s fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors conducted a study to develop a comprehensive, reliable and valid scale for measuring PCSR based on the customer perception of FMCG product manufacturers. This research adopted a comprehensive and detailed scale development process using multi-stage sampling for scale development. This final study was conducted on a sample of 402 respondents from the city of Jaipur, India.

Findings

The results have underlined the multi-dimensional aspect of PCSR; these dimensions are: altruism towards society, volunteering for local community development, generosity towards ecology, benevolent spirit and problem-solving charity.

Practical implications

This study gives valuable insights into philanthropic scale development in the FMCG sector that can immensely help domestic and international marketers to formulate CSR as a strategy. This research provides insights into a wide range of scales which can be base for future research studies that aim to explore different organizational settings.

Originality/value

PCSR and CSR are important for developing strategies for sustainable businesses across the globe. Dimensions of PCSR will be useful for practitioners and researchers in developing second-order constructs for future studies.
“Original sin” suspicion and charitable donation of private enterprises in China
Authors: Dou Qiujie , Xu Weibin
Published: December 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore the reasons why some Chinese private entrepreneurs are reluctant to make charitable donations, with a focus on the perspective of “original sin” suspicion. The objective of this paper is to examine the challenges faced by these entrepreneurs, especially those suspected of “original sin,” when making charitable donations, and to provide recommendations for addressing these challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from the Chinese Private Enterprises Survey Database for the years 2008, 2010, 2012 and 2014, this study used ordinary least squares regression to examine the relationship between “original sin” suspicion and charitable donations from private enterprises.

Findings

This study examined the impact of “original sin” suspicion on charitable donations and found that it significantly reduces the donations of privatized enterprises. The negative impact of “original sin” suspicion on charitable donations is especially pronounced in small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), as well as those that have experienced changes in local leadership.

Originality/value

While previous research focused on the motivations of private enterprises that donated, they failed to identify which types of enterprises were reluctant to donate and why. By focusing on the “original sin” suspicion surrounding entrepreneurs in privatized enterprises and the political costs they face, this study sheds light on the challenges they encounter in charitable donations and explains why privatized enterprises, especially SMEs, are unwilling to make charitable donations.
Interdependencies between international innovation partnerships: the case of Central and Eastern Europe
Authors: Bašić Maja , Vlajčić Davor , Grgić Gorana
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Competitively multipolar international system demands bilateral and multilateral partnerships. Joint innovation signals close partnerships. Regional proximity of Central and Eastern Europe (CEE) to the European Union (EU) defines its research and development objectives. These objectives are additionally subjected to the USA’s geopolitical strategy in this geographical area. Hence, CEE’s limited resources require limited resources make international innovation cooperation. This paper aims to analyse whether and how CEE countries make international innovation cooperation decisions.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) database of total patent applications filed to the patent cooperation treaty (PCT) with co-applicants from abroad, where co-patents with at least one foreign inventor present a measure of international innovation partnership. A vector autoregression analysis and impulse response function were used to analyse international innovation partnership choices of eight CEE OECD countries for the period 1990–2018.

Findings

Innovation with the EU is of collaborative nature, commonly displaying complementary properties with the rest of the examined innovation partners, while co-patenting with the Russia and China act as substitutes or complements. Co-patenting with Russia is the most versatile, displaying both properties of collaboration and competition. Some countries exhibit complementarity in co-patenting activities with multiple partners. The significance levels of these relationships vary, indicating varying degrees of impact. Overall, these findings highlight the complex dynamics of co-patenting activities and the influence of different partners on countries’ collaborative innovation strategies.

Research limitations/implications

In addition to significant relationships, insignificant relationships as well as those that could bring about greater synergy are flagged in the paper. Those relationships portray possible direction into which national funds could be channelled to incite cooperation between different sectors and countries, especially as innovation partnerships are not always successful and require a long time period to materialise.

Originality/value

By examining bilateral innovation partnerships, this study provides an insight into the strategic political and economic spheres of influence in the CEE region.
Unveiling the social responsibility factors in new infrastructure construction
Authors: Li Long , Wang Shuqi , Zeng Saixing , Ma Hanyang , Zheng Ruiyan
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Social responsibility (SR) has become critical in facilitating the sustainability of new infrastructure construction (NIC) and is also a nonnegligible aspect in its management. Although studies attempting to explore this issue from various and disparate perspectives have become increasingly popular, no consensus has yet been reached regarding what SR factors affect NIC management. This paper aims to establish an inventory of SR factors for NIC and reveal a comprehensive framework for SR of NIC (NIC-SR) management through an in-depth analysis of the relationships among factors.

Design/methodology/approach

This article proposes a mixed-review method that combines the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses and content analysis methods as a solution.

Findings

From 62 chosen publications on NIC-SR published in peer-reviewed journals between 2010 and 2022, a total of 44 SR factors were found. These 44 SR factors were divided into 4 interconnected categories: political, ethics-environmental, legal and economic. Based on the interactions among SR factors and incorporating the impact of the four categories of SR factors on NIC management, an integrated framework from micro to macro was developed.

Originality/value

This paper educates researchers and practitioners about the SR factors that must be considered to improve the sustainability of NIC management and provides practical implications for architectural, engineering and construction (AEC) practices. Furthermore, it serves as an impetus for governments to improve their programs and policies and fulfill social responsibilities.
Why we need Critical Race Theory: moving toward Critical Race Praxis in P-20 education
Authors: Wilson Asif , Dávila Erica , Gamboa-Turner Valentina , Shony Anänka , Stovall David
Published: December 2023

Purpose

In this paper the co-authors, educators and organizers working together in a liberatory curriculum development organization (People's Education Movement Chicago), put forth a conceptualization of Critical Race Praxis (CRP) in education as it applies to K-12 curriculum and education writ large. They take Yamamoto's (1997) premise seriously in that they need to spend less time with abstract theorizing and more time in communities experiencing injustice.

Design/methodology/approach

The co-authors utilize critical race counterstory methodologies to analyze and (re)tell their experiences building and supporting justice-centered curriculum bound in CRP. In doing so, they share narratives that illuminate their individual and collective experiences navigating the gratuitous violence of white supremacy and other forms of structural oppression, and their work to center justice in and out of K-12 schools.

Findings

The findings provide examples of organizational praxes within the tenets of CRP (Conceptual, Material, Performative and Reflexive). For People’s Education Movement Chicago the conceptual conditions of their praxes begin with an intersectional analysis of schooling, education, and life. Within the CRP tenant of the material, the co-authors share experiences that detail their continuous political education and offer seven emergent ways of being and building to bound the material change they seek to create through their work. Next, the co-authors share their insights on the performative tenet, with a focus on curriculum, which creates learning experiences that support people to remember social movements and develop within them the curiosity and agency to act on their findings in ways that center justice and transformation. Finally, the findings related to reflexivity focus on the authors’ internal practices as a collective. The authors place process over product which, as they articulate, is a must if they are to produce a vital harvest for communities they work with and for.

Research limitations/practical/social implications

The authors conclude the article with the following offerings useful to P-20 educators, researchers, school administrators and community members advancing more just educational futures: a commitment to the on the groundwork, situating social justice as an experiential phenomenon, the utilization of interdisciplinary approaches, collaborative work and capacity building, and a commitment to self and collective care.

Originality/value

As P-20 teachers, community workers, organizers, caregivers and education scholars of color building together in a K-12 curriculum development organization, the authors suggest that now is the moment to pivot away from the rhetoric of “we don't do CRT” and into work that constructs paths toward praxes bound in the tenets of CRP.
Energy-related financial literacy and energy consumption: a study of residential households in West Bengal, India
Authors: Maji Sumit Kumar , Chakraborty Puja
Published: December 2023

Purpose

Energy-related financial literacy (ERFL) which consists of energy literacy, financial literacy and lifecycle cost literacy, can play an instrumental role in addressing climate change by ensuring efficient energy consumption (macro level benefit) and promoting financial well-being (micro level benefit) of households. This study aims to highlight the ERFL level and its effect on the energy consumption of the sample households in the state of West Bengal, India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used primary data on 155 sample households from the two districts, i.e. Hooghly and North 24 Parganas in West Bengal, India, surveyed from September 2022 to November 2022 using a structured questionnaire. The study used the conceptual framework suggested by Blasch et al. (2018) to measure the ERFL. Pertinent statistical techniques and the ordinary least square regression method were used to attain the objectives of the study.

Findings

The outcome of the study showed that the average ERFL score was found to be moderate (63%). The findings of the study also indicated that the ERFL exerts a positive influence on reducing energy consumption among the sample households in India.

Originality/value

There is a dearth of research studies on the topic of ERFL around the globe. The very few studies so far conducted are mostly in the context of European economies and Nepal. Perhaps, to the best of the our knowledge, this is the first study on the issue of ERFL in the Indian context. Therefore, the present study will make an original contribution to the small but growing scholarship on ERFL.
Navigating repatriation: factors influencing turnover intentions of self-initiated repatriates in emerging economies
Authors: Ho Nga Thi Thuy , Hoang Hung Trong , Seet Pi-Shen , Jones Janice
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The repatriation process often involves challenging and unexpected readjustment issues, leading to high turnover amongst repatriates. However, research has focussed on the re-entry decisions and experiences of company-assigned (CA) repatriates, whilst studies on self-initiated expatriates (SIEs) that repatriate back to their home countries (i.e. self-initiated repatriates (SIRs)) are limited, particularly in emerging transition economies. This study develops and tests a model to explain the factors influencing professional SIRs' turnover intentions and how repatriation readjustment affects their intentions in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

The data was collected from 445 Vietnamese professional SIRs who worked and/or studied for extended periods overseas and subsequently returned to Vietnam. Structural equation modelling (SEM) was used to analyse the data.

Findings

Results indicate that both work and life repatriation adjustment difficulties have significant positive effects on turnover intentions, whilst only repatriation life adjustment difficulties have an indirect effect via life dissatisfaction. Further, cultural distance positively influences repatriation adjustment difficulties and turnover intentions. SIRs' on-the-job and off-the-job embeddedness negatively moderate the influence of repatriation work and life adjustment difficulties on turnover intentions, respectively.

Originality/value

The study develops a theoretical model explaining how repatriation difficulties impact the turnover intentions of SIRs, considering contextual factors including cultural distance and embeddedness. The research highlights the importance of job embeddedness as a form of social and organisational support for SIRs in managing psychological challenges related to repatriation, which can help reduce turnover and retain highly skilled talent. Additionally, the study extends repatriation research on an under-researched subgroup of SIEs, SIRs, in an under-researched emerging transition economy context.
Do green bonds reduce CO2 emissions? Evidence from developed and developing nations
Authors: Saha Rupjyoti , Maji Santi Gopal
Published: December 2023

Purpose

The rapid global economic development in the last century, led by industrialization, brings environmental issues to the forefront as a serious concern. While some country-specific studies are undertaken to find the effectiveness of different mechanisms for funding environment-friendly projects, to the authors' knowledge, no study has been conducted to examine the impact of green bonds (GBs) on CO2 emissions for a global sample. Against this backdrop, this study examines the general impact of GBs on CO2 emissions and its differential impact for developed and developing countries and country categorizations based on sustainable development.

Design/methodology/approach

The study selects a sample of 44 countries from 2016–2020. The authors use trend analysis and box plots to analyze the present GBs and CO2 emissions scenarios. Further, the panel data regression model is used to examine the overall impact of GBs on CO2 emissions and uncover the variation in such relationships regarding country-level economic and sustainable development. Generalized methods of moments (GMM) and instrumental variables (IV) models are used for robustness.

Findings

The yearly trend of GBs is upward at the global level, while CO2 emissions exhibit a marginal decline during the study period. However, significant variations are observed in such trends between developed and developing countries and country-level sustainable development. The authors' regression results show that GBs significantly negatively impact CO2 emissions globally. In addition, the effect of GBs on CO2 emissions is strongly negative for developing countries, while the same influence becomes weak for developed nations. Similar variations exist between countries based on sustainable development.

Originality/value

This is the first study in extant literature to examine such a relationship for a global sample of 44 countries. Further, this study makes a novel contribution by analyzing the variations in the GBs-CO2 emissions nexus for developed and developing countries and country-level sustainable development.