bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Differences in cardiac vagal modulation and cortisol response in adolescents with and without Autism Spectrum Disorder
Authors: Thoen Anoushka , Alaerts Kaat , Steyaert Jean , Pleysier Sophie , Van Damme Tine
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Previous research pointed towards a need of enhanced understanding of cardiac vagal modulation during resting and stress conditions in individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). This cross-sectional study addressed the following hypotheses: lower values of cardiac vagal modulation will be found in adolescents with ASD in comparison to typically developing (TD) peers; different levels of cardiac vagal reactivity and recovery will be found in adolescents with ASD; lower cardiac vagal modulation in adolescents with ASD is associated with lower psychosocial functioning and higher cortisol levels.

Methods

Age and gender matched groups of adolescents (13-17 year) with ASD (n=47) and TD peers (n=47) were included. Heart rate, breathing frequency and cortisol levels were determined during baseline and a standardized stress-provoking assessment. Behavioral data concerning autism and behavioral characteristics were collected prior to the assessment.

Results

Adolescents with ASD displayed lower levels of cardiac vagal modulation during baseline and stress-provocation compared to their TD peers. However, levels of cardiac vagal reactivity and recovery were similar across groups. Weak to moderate associations were found between the level of cardiac vagal modulation and self- and parent-reported measures of autism characteristics and psychosocial functioning in adolescents with ASD. No significant associations were found between baseline cortisol levels and cardiac vagal modulation in both groups.

Conclusion

These findings suggest a parasympathetic hypo-activity in adolescents with ASD and, although the level of reactivity and recovery was the same as TD peers, this hypo-activity is related to several aspects of psychosocial functioning.
Superposition of Droplet and Aerosol risk in the transmission of SARS-CoV-2
Authors: McCarthy John E. , Dewitt Barry D. , Dumas Bob A. , Bennett James S.
Published: September 2022

Objectives

Considering three viral transmission routes: fomite contact, aerial transmission by droplets, and aerial transmission by aerosols, the aerial routes have been the focus of debate about the relative role of droplets and aerosols in SARS-CoV-2 infection. We seek to quantify infection risk in an enclosed space via short-range airborne transmission from droplets and long-range risk from aerosols toward focusing public health measures.

Methods

Data from three published studies were analyzed to predict relative exposure at distances of 1 m and farther, mediated by droplet size divided into two bins: larger than 8 µm and smaller than 75 µm (medium droplets) and smaller than 8 µm (small droplets or aerosols). The results at 1 m from an infectious individual were treated as a boundary condition to model infection risk at greater distance. At all distances, infection risk was treated as the sum of exposure to small and medium droplets. It was assumed that number of virions is proportional to droplet volume.

Results

The largest infection risk (as exposure to droplet volume) came from medium droplets, close to the infectious individual out to approximately 1 m. Farther away, the largest risk was due to aerosols. For one model, medium droplet exposure disappeared at 1.8 m.

Conclusions

Policy concerning social distancing for meaningful infection reduction relies on droplet exposure as a function of distance, yet within this construct droplet size determines respiratory deposition. This two-fold distance effect can be used to evaluate additional measures such as plexiglass barriers and masking.
Effect of COVID-19 on Food Choices and Eating Behaviour: a study protocol
Authors: McCormack Jessica C. , Doughty Emily , Ebron Shaina , Peng Mei
Published: September 2022

Background and Aims

Research suggests that many individuals infected with COVID-19 experience changes in taste and smell that can persist for months after the initial infection. These sensory changes can potentially have long-term impacts on dietary choices, nutrition, and body weight. The aim of this study is to explore COVID-related changes in dietary intake among University Students.

Methods

A retrospective cohort design will be used to compare a cohort of University Students who experienced COVID-19 infection versus pre-existing data collected from a similar cohort prior to the pandemic. Specifically, the pre-existing data were collected between July 2017 and July 2021. Both datasets comprise of a weighed Food Record and Dutch Eating Behaviour Questionnaire. The cohort will also be asked about their experience with COVID-19 and changes in their eating behaviour since before the pandemic. Total daily energy intake, macronutrient intake and composition, will be compared across groups using an ANCOVA analysis controlling for age, gender, and ethnicity.

Discussion

Understanding the long-term impact of COVID-19 infection is crucial. While COVID-related sensory changes are hypothesised to have impacts on eating behaviour and dietary choices, it is challenging to perform controlled cohort studies due to the high prevalence of undetected infections. The proposed temporal analyses provide a unique opportunity to test for COVID-related impacts on eating behaviour.
Rich dynamics and functional organization on topographically designed neuronal networksin vitro
Authors: Montalà-Flaquer Marc , López-León Clara F. , Tornero Daniel , Fardet Tanguy , Monceau Pascal , Bottani Samuel , Soriano Jordi
Published: September 2022

Neuronal cultures are a prominent experimental tool to understand complex functional organization in neuronal assemblies. However, neurons grown on flat surfaces exhibit a strongly coherent bursting behavior with limited functionality. To approach the functional richness of naturally formed neuronal circuits, here we studied neuronal networks grown on polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) topographical patterns shaped as either parallel tracks or square valleys. We followed the evolution of spontaneous activity in these cultures along 20 daysin vitrousing fluorescence calcium imaging. The networks were characterized by rich spatiotemporal activity patterns that comprised from small regions of the culture to its whole extent. Effective connectivity analysis revealed the emergence of spatially compact functional modules that were associated to both the underpinned topographical features and predominant spatiotemporal activity fronts. Our results show the capacity of spatial constraints to mold activity and functional organization, bringing new opportunities to comprehend the structure-function relationship in living neuronal circuits.
Novelty detection and multiple timescale integration drive Drosophila orientation dynamics in temporally diverse olfactory environments
Authors: Sehdev Aarti , Jayaram Viraaj , Kadakia Nirag , Brown Ethan , Emonet Thierry
Published: September 2022

To survive, insects must effectively navigate odors plumes to their source. In natural plumes, turbulent winds break up smooth odor regions into disconnected patches, so navigators encounter brief bursts of odor interrupted by bouts of clean air. The timing of these encounters plays a critical role in navigation, determining the direction, rate, and magnitude of insects’ orientation and speed dynamics. Still, disambiguating the specific role of odor timing from other cues, such as spatial structure, is challenging due to natural correlations between plumes’ temporal and spatial features. Here, we use optogenetics to isolate temporal features of odor signals, examining how the frequency and duration of odor encounters shape the navigational decisions of freely-walking Drosophila. We find that fly angular velocity depends on signal frequency and intermittency – fraction of time signal can be detected – but not directly on durations. Rather than switching strategies when signal statistics change, flies smoothly transition between signal regimes, by combining an odor offset response with a frequency-dependent novelty-like response. In the latter, flies are more likely to turn in response to each odor hit only when the hits are sparse. Finally, the upwind bias of individual turns relies on a filtering scheme with two distinct timescales, allowing rapid and sustained responses in a variety of signal statistics. A quantitative model incorporating these ingredients recapitulates fly orientation dynamics across a wide range of environments.
The transcriptional landscape of glycosylation-related genes in cancer
Authors: Rodriguez Ernesto , Lindijer Dimitri , van Vliet Sandra J. , Garcia Vallejo Juan J. , van Kooyk Yvette
Published: September 2022

Changes in glycosylation patterns have been associated with malignant transformation and clinical outcome in several types of cancer, although no comprehensive analysis has been performed in a pan-cancer setting. Here, we performed an extensive transcriptomic analysis of glycosylation related genes (such as enzymes involved in synthesis and degradation of glycoconjugates, transporters, mucins and galectins), using publicly available bulk and single cell transcriptomic data sets from tumor samples and cancer cell lines. We identified genes and pathways associated with different tumor types, which may represent novel diagnostic biomarkers as α2-3 sialylation for Melanoma, MUC21 for Lung adenocarcinoma and Galectin-7 for Squamous cell carcinomas (SCC). Accordingly, serum levels of Galectin-7 in patients with lung cancer were elevated in SCC respect to adenocarcinomas, supporting its biomarker potential. Moreover, we characterized the contribution of different cell types to the overall glycosylation profiles observed by performing the integration and analysis of 14 single cell RNA-seq datasets. This led us to identify that cancer cells are responsible for the specific tumor glyco-codes identified in bulk transcriptomics, while stromal and immune cells contribute in a conserved manner across various malignancies. Furthermore, our results suggest that the glycosylation-related genes and pathways expressed by cancer cells are influenced by the cell of origin and the oncogenic pathways that led to malignant transformation. Lastly, we described the association of different glycosylation-related genes and pathways with the clinical outcome of patients. Interestingly, while the expression of genes associated to some pathways (as proteoglycan biosynthesis) are consistently associated with a more aggressive disease, the correlation of others pathways with the survival of patients depends on the particular tumor type. Remarkably, the expression of genes associated with the synthesis of CMP-sialic acid was correlated with lower survival of patients in Uveal Melanoma and PDAC, while the opposite was observed for colorectal cancer. The extensive transcriptomic analysis of glycosylation pathways in cancer that we report here can serve as a resource for future research aimed to unravel the glyco-code in cancer related to clinical outcome or biomarker development.
Uncovering the contributions of charge regulation to the stability of single alpha helices
Authors: Fossat Martin J. , Posey Ammon E. , Pappu Rohit V.
Published: September 2022

The single alpha helix (SAH) is a recurring motif in biology. The consensus sequence has a di-block architecture that includes repeats of four consecutive glutamate residues followed by four consecutive lysine residues. Measurements show that the overall helicity of sequences with consensus E4K4repeats is insensitive to a wide range of pH values. Here, we use the recently introducedq-canonical ensemble, which allows us to decouple measurements of charge state and conformation, to explain the observed insensitivity of SAH helicity to pH. We couple the outputs from separate measurements of charge and conformation with atomistic simulations to derive residue-specific quantifications of preferences for being in an alpha helix and for the ionizable residues to be charged vs. uncharged. We find a clear preference for accommodating uncharged Glu residues within internal positions of SAH-forming sequences. The stabilities of alpha helical conformations increase with the number of E4K4repeats and so do the numbers of accessible charge states that are compatible with forming conformations of high helical content. There is conformational buffering whereby charge state heterogeneity buffers against large-scale conformational changes thus making the overall helicity insensitive to large changes in pH. Further, the results clearly argue against a single, rod-like alpha helical conformation being the only or even dominant conformation in the ensembles of so-called SAH sequences.
Divergent expression of aristaless1 and aristaless2 is associated with embryonic appendage and pupal wing development in butterflies
Authors: Bayala Erick X. , Cisneros Isabella , Massardo Darli , VanKuren Nicholas W. , Kronforst Marcus R.
Published: September 2022

Aristaless is a major regulator of developmental processes. It is well known for its role during appendage specification and extension across animals. Butterflies and moths have two copies of aristaless, aristaless1 (al1) and aristaless2 (al2), as a result of a gene duplication event. Previous work in Heliconius has shown that both copies appear to have novel functions related to wing color patterning. Here we expand our knowledge on the expression profiles associated with both ancestral and novel functions of Al1 across embryogenesis and wing pigmentation. Furthermore, we characterize Al2 expression, providing a comparative framework for understanding the role of gene duplicates in novel and ancestral roles. Our work shows that both Al1 and Al2 expression are associated with developing sensory appendages (leg, mouth, spines, and eyes) in embryos. Interestingly, Al1 appears to show higher expression earlier in embryogenesis while the highest levels of Al2 expression are shifted to later stages of embryonic development. Furthermore, Al1 localization appears extranuclear while Al2 co-localizes tightly with nuclei earlier, and then also expands outside the nucleus later in development. We observed similar cellular expression patterns for Al1 and Al2 in pupal wings when examining their roles in pigmentation. We also describe, for the first time, how Al1 localization appear to correlates with zones of Anterior/Posterior elongation of the body during embryonic growth, showcasing a possible new function related to Aristaless’ previously described role in appendage extension. Overall, these data suggest similar developmental roles associated with the extension/formation of specific appendages for both duplicates. However, we describe that such functions might be regulated by spatially and temporally complex patterns of expression for al1 and al2. This work expands our knowledge of Aristaless function and expression following gene duplication and the implications of the duplication on butterfly development. Finally, and more fundamentally, our study helps clarify principles behind sub-functionalization and gene expression evolution associated with developmental functions following gene duplication events.
Neural mechanisms of emotional health in traumatic brain injury patients undergoing rTMS treatment
Authors: Sultana T. , Hasan M.A. , Kang X , Liou-Johnson V. , Adamson M.M. , Razi A.
Published: September 2022

Emotional dysregulation such as that seen in depression, are a long-term consequence of mild traumatic brain injury (TBI), that can be improved by using neuromodulation treatments such as repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS). Previous studies provide insights into the changes in functional connectivity related to general emotional health after the application of rTMS procedures in patients with TBI. However, these studies provide little understanding of the underlying neuronal mechanisms that drive the improvement of the emotional health in these patients.

The current study focuses on inferring the effective (causal) connectivity changes and their association with emotional health, after rTMS treatment of cognitive problems in TBI patients (N=32). Specifically, we used resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging together with spectral dynamic causal model to investigate changes in brain effective connectivity, before and after the application of high frequency (10 Hz) rTMS over left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. We investigated the effective connectivity of the cortico-limbic network comprised of 11 regions of interest which are part of the default mode, salience and executive control networks, known to be implicated in emotional processing.

The results indicate that overall, among extrinsic connections, the strength of excitatory connections decreased while that of inhibitory connections increased indicating reduction in the activity of all the inspected brain regions after the neuromodulation. The cardinal region in the analysis was dorsal anterior cingulate cortex which is considered to be the most influenced during emotional health disorders.

Our findings implicate the altered connectivity of dorsal anterior cingulate cortex with left anterior insula and medial prefrontal cortex, after the application of rTMS, as a potential neural mechanism underlying improvement of emotional health. Our investigation highlights the importance of these brain regions as treatment targets in emotional processing in TBI.
Global patterns and correlates in the emergence of antimicrobial resistance in humans
Authors: Mendelsohn Emma , Ross Noam , Zambrana-Torrelio Carlos , Van Boeckel T. P. , Laxminarayan Ramanan , Daszak Peter
Published: September 2022

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a critical global health threat, and drivers of the emergence of novel strains of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in humans are poorly understood at the global scale. We examined correlates of AMR emergence in humans using global data on the origins of novel strains of AMR bacteria from 2006 to 2017, human and livestock antibiotic use, country economic activity, and reporting bias indicators. We found that AMR emergence is positively correlated with antibiotic consumption in humans, whereas the relationship with antibiotic consumption in livestock is modified by gross domestic product (GDP), with only higher GDP countries showing a slight positive association. We also found that human travel may play a role in AMR emergence, likely driving the spread of novel AMR strains into countries where they are subsequently detected for the first time. Finally, we produced predictive models and country-level maps of the global distribution of AMR risk. We assessed these against spatial patterns of reported AMR emergence, to identify gaps in surveillance that can be used to direct prevention and intervention policies.
Detecting mild traumatic brain injury with MEG, normative modelling and machine learning
Authors: Itälinna Veera , Kaltiainen Hanna , Forss Nina , Liljeström Mia , Parkkonen Lauri
Published: September 2022

Diagnosis of mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) is challenging, as the symptoms are diverse and nonspecific. Electrophysiological studies have discovered several promising indicators of mTBI that could serve as objective markers of brain injury, but we are still lacking a diagnostic tool that could translate these findings into a real clinical application.

Here, we used a multivariate machine-learning approach to detect mTBI from resting-state magnetoencephalography (MEG) measurements. To address the heterogeneity of the condition, we employed a normative modeling approach and modeled MEG signal features of individual mTBI patients as deviations with respect to the normal variation. To this end, a normative dataset comprising 621 healthy participants was used to determine the variation in power spectra across the cortex. In addition, we constructed normative datasets based on age-matched subsets of the full normative data. To discriminate patients from healthy control subjects, we trained support vector machine classifiers on the quantitative deviation maps for 25 mTBI patients and 20 controls not included in the normative dataset.

The best performing classifier made use of the full normative data across the entire age range. This classifier was able to distinguish patients from controls with an accuracy of 79%, which is high enough to substantially contribute to clinical decision making. Inspection of the trained model revealed that low-frequency activity in the theta frequency band (4–8 Hz) is a significant indicator of mTBI, consistent with earlier studies. The method holds promise to advance diagnosis of mTBI and identify patients for treatment and rehabilitation.

Significance statement

Mild traumatic brain injury is extremely common, but no definite diagnostic method is yet available. Objective markers for detecting brain injury are needed to direct care to those who would best benefit from it. We present a new approach based on MEG recordings that first explicitly addresses the variability in brain dynamics within the population through normative modeling, and then applies supervised machine-learning to detect pathological deviations related to mTBI. The approach can easily be adapted to other brain disorders as well and could thus provide a basis for an automated tool for analysis of MEG/EEG towards disease-specific biomarkers.
Stability of a biomembrane tube covered with proteins
Authors: Janssen Mathijs , Liese Susanne , Al-Izzi Sami C. , Carlson Andreas
Published: September 2022

Membrane tubes are essential structural features in cells that facilitate biomaterial transport and inter- and intracellular signalling. The shape of these tubes can be regulated by the proteins that surround and adhere to them. We study the stability of a biomembrane tube coated with proteins by combining linear stability analysis, out-of-equilibrium hydrodynamic calculations, and numerical solutions of a Helfrich-like membrane model. Our analysis demonstrates that both long and short-wavelength perturbations can destabilise the tubes. Numerical simulations confirm the derived linear stability criteria and yield the nonlinearly-perturbed vesicle shapes. Our study highlights the interplay between membrane shape and protein density, where the shape instability concurs with a redistribution of proteins into a banded pattern.
Cortical somatostatin interneuron subtypes form cell-type specific circuits
Authors: Wu Sherry Jingjing , Sevier Elaine , Saldi Giuseppe-Antonio , Yu Sabrina , Abbott Lydia , Choi Da Hae , Sherer Mia , Qiu Yanjie , Shinde Ashwini , Rizzo Daniella , Xu Qing , Barrera Irving , Kumar Vipin , Marrero Giovanni , Prönneke Alvar , Huang Shuhan , Rudy Bernardo , Stafford David A. , Macosko Evan , Chen Fei , Fishell Gord
Published: September 2022

The cardinal interneuron classes are a useful simplification of cortical interneuron diversity, but such broad subgroupings glosses over the molecular, morphological, and circuit specificity of interneuron subtypes, most notably among the somatostatin interneuron class. The organizing principles by which the connectivity of these subtypes is specified are unknown. To address this knowledge gap, we designed a series of genetic strategies to target the breadth of somatostatin interneuron subtypes. Using these strategies to target three subtypes that span the entire cortical column, we examined their afferent and efferent connectivity. Our data demonstrated that each of these possesses remarkable reciprocal connectivity with the intracortical or corticofugal pyramidal classes, as well as parvalbumin interneurons. Even when two interneuron subtypes shared the same efferent target, their synaptic targeting proved selective for particular dendritic compartments. We thus provide evidence that subtypes of somatostatin cortical interneurons form cell-type specific cortical circuits.
Effect of Physical Activity on Olfactory Acuity: A Systematic Review
Authors: Cournoyer Mathieu , Gauthier Alexandre-Charles , Maldera Alice , Maso Fabien Dal , Mathieu Marie-Eve
Published: September 2022

Olfactory acuity, which includes detection thresholds, identification and appreciation/intensity, seems to decline with aging, obesity, and various neurological disorders. Knowing that the sense of smell influences energy intake, the interest in protecting this sense is constantly increasing. Physical activity might be a key intervention to counteract the loss of olfactory function. This systematic review aims to explore the literature on the effect of physical activity on olfactory acuity. The search strategy consisted of using index terms and keywords in MEDLINE, EMBASE, EBM Reviews – Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, CINAHL, SPORTDiscus, and Web of Science search engine. Data from 17 studies that include 10 861 participants revealed that physical activity has improved olfactory thresholds, identification, and intensity. More precisely, chronic physical activity seemed to have better effects on olfactory components than acute practice. Even though this review clarified evidence about the effect of physical activity on the sense of smell, better methodological consistency is needed across studies such as standardized experimental conditions, the time of the day data are collected, and similar relative energy intake between participants to produce more robust results.
Target-enriched nanopore sequencing and de novo assembly reveals co-occurrences of complex on-target genomic rearrangements induced by CRISPR-Cas9 in human cells
Authors: Geng Keyi , Merino Lara G. , Wedemann Linda , Martens Aniek , Sobota Małgorzata , Sanchez Yerma P. , Søndergaard Jonas Nørskov , White Robert J. , Kutter Claudia
Published: September 2022

The CRISPR-Cas9 system is widely used to permanently delete genomic regions via dual guide RNAs. Genomic rearrangements induced by CRISPR-Cas9 can occur, but continuous technical developments make it possible to characterize complex on-target effects. We combined an innovative droplet-based target enrichment approach with long-read sequencing and coupled it to a customized de novo sequence assembly. This approach enabled us to dissect the sequence content at kilobase scale within an on-target genomic locus. We here describe extensive genomic disruptions by Cas9, involving the allelic co-occurrence of a genomic duplication and inversion of the target region, as well as integrations of exogenous DNA and clustered interchromosomal DNA fragment rearrangements. Furthermore, we found that these genomic alterations led to functional aberrant DNA fragments and can alter cell proliferation. Our findings broaden the consequential spectrum of the Cas9 deletion system, reinforce the necessity of meticulous genomic validations, and introduce a data-driven workflow enabling detailed dissection of the on-target sequence content with superior resolution.
Category-specific memory encoding in the medial temporal lobe and beyond: the role of reward
Authors: Schultz Heidrun , Yoo Jungsun , Meshi Dar , Heekeren Hauke R.
Published: September 2022

The medial temporal lobe (MTL), including the hippocampus (HC), perirhinal cortex (PRC), and parahippocampal cortex (PHC), is central to memory formation. Reward enhances memory through interplay between the HC and substantia nigra/ventral tegmental area (SNVTA). While the SNVTA also innervates the MTL cortex and amygdala (AMY), their role in reward-enhanced memory is unclear. Prior research suggests category specificity in the MTL cortex, with the PRC and PHC processing object and scene memory, respectively. It is unknown, however, whether reward modulates category-specific memory processes. Furthermore, no study has demonstrated clear category specificity in the MTL for encoding processes contributing to subsequent recognition memory. To address these questions, we had 39 healthy volunteers (27 for all memory-based analyses) undergo functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing an incidental encoding task pairing objects or scenes with high or low reward, followed by a next-day recognition test. Behaviorally, high reward preferably enhanced object memory. Neural activity in the PRC and PHC reflected successful encoding of objects and scenes, respectively. Importantly, AMY encoding effects were selective for high-reward objects, with a similar pattern in the PRC. The SNVTA and HC showed no clear evidence of successful encoding. This behavioral and neural asymmetry may be conveyed through an anterior–temporal memory system, including the AMY and PRC, potentially in interplay with the ventromedial prefrontal cortex.
Higher-order trace conditioning in newborn rabbits
Authors: Coureaud Gérard , Colombel Nina , Duchamp-Viret Patricia , Ferreira Guillaume
Published: September 2022

Temporal contingency is a key factor in associative learning but remains weakly investigated early in life. Few data suggest simultaneous presentation is required for young to associate different stimuli, whereas adults can learn them sequentially. Here, we investigated the ability of newborn rabbits to perform sensory preconditioning and second-order conditioning using trace intervals between odor presentations. Strikingly, pups are able to associate odor stimuli with 10- and 30-sec intervals in sensory preconditioning and second-order conditioning, respectively. The effectiveness of higher-order trace conditioning in newborn rabbits reveals that very young animals can display complex learning despite their relative immaturity.
Exploring the challenges and possibilities of critical literacy pedagogy: K-8 teacher discussions about race in a virtual professional development course
Authors: Lucero Audrey , Avelar Janette Dalila
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to better understand the ways in which K-8 teachers from a semirural, predominantly white district perceive their responsibilities to work toward anti-racism, as well as to learn more about how the teachers can be supported as they work to overcome the challenges facing teachers in these fraught times in this country’s history.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors use a reconstructive approach to critical discourse analytic methods (Bartlett, 2012; Hughes, 2018; Luke, 2002, 2004; Martin, 2004) to analyze an online discussion that took place among participants in a virtual anti-racist critical professional development course (Kohli, 2019; Kohliet al., 2015) as they grappled with what it means to confront their own racial identities, positionalities and responsibilities.

Findings

Three primary tensions emerged in teachers’ discussion: between geographic and professional identities; between individual and institutional responsibility; and between literacy instruction and critical literacy instruction. In all three cases, teachers expressed the difficulties associated with enacting anti-racist critical literacy pedagogy in their school context, while also leaving space for possibility.

Practical implications

The findings from this study add to the field’s understanding about how teachers in various contexts approach the work of anti-racist critical literacy pedagogy at different stages in their careers and how teacher educators might support them in doing so.

Originality/value

This study is important in its focus on professional development for in-service teachers, as much of the work has focused on preservice teachers and those who have been in classrooms for varying lengths of time have different levels of experience and different professional needs (Hambacher and Ginn, 2021). It is also notable that these teachers worked in a semirural, predominantly white district, as teachers working in such geographic locations often do not receive education about engaging with diversity (Anthony-Stevenset al., 2017; Anthony-Stevens and Langford, 2020) and it is essential that teachers and students in these districts are engaged if we are going to make headway in challenging whiteness in schools.
COVID-19 and entrepreneurship courses in Latin American universities: an analysis of satisfaction comparing students' and lecturers' perspectives
Authors: Barrera-Verdugo Gustavo , Romaní Gianni , Cadena-Echeverría Jaime Luis , Carrero-Morales Gisela I. , Padín-Zamot Gerardo
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how the disruptive change from a face-to-face to an online teaching/learning modality due to COVID-19 has been perceived by students and lecturers of entrepreneurship courses in universities in six Latin American countries by evaluating the conditions that affect their satisfaction.

Design/methodology/approach

Two online surveys were distributed to lecturers and students of entrepreneurship courses. A total of 559 responses were received from students and 270 lecturers from six Latin American countries. The information was analysed through principal component analysis (PCA), correlations and the Mann–Whitney–Wilcoxon test.

Findings

This research provides new information about the factors that are relevant to student and lecturer satisfaction when moving from mandatory face-to-face to online classes. The results show that overall satisfaction is lower among students than among teachers. Besides, that student communication with the lecturer and technology-supported access to lectures are two important aspects that affect student satisfaction. Regarding lecturers' satisfaction, the participation and attitude of their students in online classes are important conditions that affect their intention to teach online courses in the future.

Practical implications

This study has allowed us to reflect on online education and teaching methodologies in Latin-American universities after the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as to recognise opportunities for improvement to increase student and lecturer satisfaction in this new reality.

Originality/value

This study provides new evidence by comparing the satisfaction between lecturers and students in entrepreneurship courses and factors that affect their satisfaction in several Latin American countries, after change to an online modality due to COVID-19.
Time-dependent metrics to assess performance prediction systems
Authors: Ben Soussia Amal , Labba Chahrazed , Roussanaly Azim , Boyer Anne
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The goal is to assess performance prediction systems (PPS) that are used to assist at-risk learners.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose time-dependent metrics including earliness and stability. The authors investigate the relationships between the various temporal metrics and the precision metrics in order to identify the key earliness points in the prediction process. Authors propose an algorithm for computing earliness. Furthermore, the authors propose using an earliness-stability score (ESS) to investigate the relationship between the earliness of a classifier and its stability. The ESS is used to examine the trade-off between only time-dependent metrics. The aim is to compare its use to the earliness-accuracy score (EAS).

Findings

Stability and accuracy are proportional when the system's accuracy increases or decreases over time. However, when the accuracy stagnates or varies slightly, the system's stability is decreasing rather than stagnating. As a result, the use of ESS and EAS is complementary and allows for a better definition of the point of earliness in time by studying the relation-ship between earliness and accuracy on the one hand and earliness and stability on the other.

Originality/value

When evaluating the performance of PPS, the temporal dimension is an important factor that is overlooked by traditional measures current metrics are not well suited to assessing PPS’s ability to predict correctly at the earliest, as well as monitoring predictions stability and evolution over time. Thus, in this work, the authors propose time-dependent metrics, including earliness, stability and the trade-offs, with objective to assess PPS over time.
Teleworking: role of psychological well-being and technostress in the relationship between trust in management and employee performance
Authors: Jaiswal Akanksha , Sengupta Santoshi , Panda Madhusmita , Hati Lopamudra , Prikshat Verma , Patel Parth , Mohyuddin Syed
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic and technological advancements have enabled employees to telework. Referring to this emerging phenomenon, the authors aim to examine how employees' levels of trust in management mediated by psychological well-being impact their performance as they telework. Deploying the theoretical lens of person-environment misfit, the authors also explore the role of technostress in the trust-wellbeing-performance relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The data was collected from 511 full-time service sector employees across Indian organizations through a structured survey questionnaire. The proposed moderation-mediation model for this study was tested using structural equation modeling and bootstrapping method.

Findings

Structural equation modeling results indicate that trust in management significantly impacts employee performance while teleworking. While psychological well-being was observed as a significant mediator, technostress played the moderator role in the trust-performance relationship. The moderated-mediation effect of psychological well-being in the trust-performance relationship was stronger when technostress was low and weaker when technostress was high.

Research limitations/implications

The authors extend the person-environment misfit theory in the context of telework, highlighting the role of technostress that may impact the trust-wellbeing- performance relationship in such work settings.

Practical implications

The study informs leaders and managers on balancing delicate aspects such as employee trust and well-being that significantly impact performance as they telework. The authors also highlight the critical role of managers in respecting employees' personal and professional boundaries to alleviate technostress.

Originality/value

The authors make a novel theoretical contribution to the emerging literature on teleworking by examining the trust-psychological wellbeing-performance link and the role of technostress in this relationship.
Same, same but different! New service development in the context of emerging markets: a review
Authors: Dubiel Anna , Mukherji Prokriti
Published: September 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to systematically review and critically examine the international marketing and innovation management research on new service development (NSD) in the context of emerging markets (EM). Research on services in EM, a heterogenous set of countries with an increasing contribution to global economic output, is sparse. This paper attempts to underscore the academic and managerial relevance of the field.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review of published empirical literature from peer-reviewed journals focusing on an 11-year period, 2010–2020, was undertaken. Further, bibliometric and text mining analyses were conducted using VOSviewer and Leximancer software programmes.

Findings

This analysis of 36 journal articles reveals that NSD research is a dynamic field with an increasing number of quantitative, multi-country and multi-method studies encompassing a variety of geographical settings and industries.

Originality/value

Doing justice to this vibrant field of research and its managerial importance, the authors create an overview of existing empirical studies to serve as a repository of knowledge on NSD for both academics and practitioners. Further, the authors offer a thematic and temporal overview of the content of existing studies. Drawing upon the abovementioned, the authors suggest some promising avenues for future research.
Green intellectual capital for sustainable healthcare: evidence from Iraq
Authors: Al Issa Hussein-Elhakim , Abdullatif Tahir Noaman , Ntayi Joseph , Abdelsalam Mohammed Khalifa
Published: September 2022

Purpose

This research aims to examine the role of green intellectual capital (GIC) dimensions in promoting sustainable healthcare as reflected by sustainable performance. The mediating effect of green absorptive capacity (GAC) and moderating role of environmental turbulence were also explored.

Design/methodology/approach

Structural equation modeling was utilized for hypotheses testing of a survey data set of 387 at healthcare organizations operating in Iraq. The data were collected using purposive sampling with expert judgment from senior managers and professionals.

Findings

Contrary to previous studies, the findings showed that only green human and relational capitals predict green performance and only green human capital predicted economic performance. GAC was related to green human capital, green structural capital and performance, and played a significant mediating role on the relationships.

Research limitations/implications

Even though the research was limited to one region of a single country, Iraq, GAC can be modified by managers to enhance GIC for sustainable healthcare performance. This action must be viewed in terms of the future timing of the impact while managers display strong conviction for sustainability commitment. Managers will find GRC least associated with performance, but that GIC dimensions work best in unison.

Originality/value

The examination of GIC with GAC as moderated by environmental turbulence contributes nascent theoretical insights in sustainable healthcare.
Unleashing employees’ tacit knowledge toward performance-driven culture in a Saudi Arabian organisation
Authors: Mohiya Mohamed
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Performance-driven culture has received extensive attention from both academics and practitioners because of its impact on organisations’ performance. Employees’ tacit knowledge about performance-driven culture is pivotal to identify, as it contributes to increasing the organisation’s performance. With the aim of enriching ongoing debate in human resources and knowledge management research, this paper proposes a conceptual model for emancipating and investigating the main factors of employees’ tacit knowledge that shape and affect performance-driven culture of a Saudi Arabian organisation.

Design/methodology/approach

The validity of the conceptual model is examined through a qualitative study developed using a thematic analysis of 134 employees’ unbridged computerised typewritten comments about organisation’s performance-driven culture.

Findings

Findings confirm the utility of conceptual models in explaining and categorising employees’ emancipated tacit knowledge, providing a potential contribution to academics and practitioners interested in developing managerial processes for improving organisation’s performance-driven culture.

Originality/value

Both the conceptual reflections and empirical-based evidence herein enrich ongoing debate in the area of human resources and knowledge management about employees’ tacit knowledge and performance-driven culture.
Parametric study on the residual compressive strength of RC columns subjected to different standard fire durations and load ratios
Authors: Mirzabagheri Sara , Salem Osama (Sam)
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Since columns are critical structural elements, they shall withstand hazards without any considerable damage. In the case of a fire, although concrete has low thermal conductivity compared to other construction materials, its properties are changed at elevated temperatures. Most critically, the residual compressive strengths of reinforced concrete columns are significantly reduced after fire exposure. Validation of the worthiness of rehabilitating concrete structures after fire exposure is highly dependent on accurately determining the residual strengths of fire-damaged essential structural elements such as columns.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, eight reinforced-concrete columns (200 × 200 × 1,500 mm) that were experimentally examined in a prior related study have been numerically modelled using ABAQUS software to investigate their residual compressive strengths after exposure to different durations of standard fire (i.e. one and two hours) while subjected to different applied load ratios (i.e. 20 and 40% of the compressive resistance of the column). Outcomes of the numerical simulations were verified against the prior study's experimental results.

Findings

In a subsequent phase, the results of a parametric study that has been completed as part of the current study to investigate the effects of the applied load ratios show that the application of axial load up to 80% of the compressive resistance of the column did not considerably influence the residual compressive strength of the shorter columns (i.e. 1,500 and 2,000-mm high). However, increasing the height of the column to 2,500 or 3,000 mm considerably reduced the residual compressive strength when the load ratio applied on the columns exceeded 60 and 40%, respectively. Also, when the different columns were simulated under two-hour standard fire exposure, the dominant failure was buckling rather than concrete crushing which was the typical failure mode in most columns.

Originality/value

The outcomes of the numerical study presented in this paper reflect the residual compressive strength of RC columns subjected to various applied load ratios and standard fire durations. Also, the parametric study conducted as part of this research on the effects of higher load ratios and greater column heights on the residual compressive strength of the fire-damaged columns is practical and efficient. The developed computer models can be beneficial to assist engineers in assessing the validity of rehabilitating concrete structures after being exposed to fire.
The restless desire for the new versus sustainability: the pressing need for social marketing in fashion industry
Authors: Atik Deniz , Ozdamar Ertekin Zeynep
Published: September 2022

Purpose

Detrimental impacts on social and ecological well-being of excessive fashion consumption and production practices are posing threats on future generations. Therefore, the need for sustainable solutions and endorsing them through social marketing efforts is more urgent than ever. From the consumption angle, this study aims to explore the driving forces behind consumers’ restless desire for the new and the growing need to consume sustainably.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is conceptual in nature, and through a review of the literature in fashion, consumer, sustainability and social marketing studies, it examines why consumer desire for the new is so profound and how it conflicts with sustainability goals of the fashions industry. With a macrosocial approach, it reveals how multiple constituents of the fashion system can contribute toward sustainability goals.

Findings

This study explains consumers’ psychological and social needs driving their restless desire for the new and the role of fast fashion companies fuelling this desire. It also discusses the consequences of excessive fashion consumption and presents social marketing solutions at micro, meso and macro levels with upstream and downstream effects toward sustainability goals.

Practical implications

Considering the increasing consciousness about the negative impacts of excessive fashion consumption, this study suggests both practical and social implications that are associated with multiple stakeholders including consumers, fashion companies and public policymakers.

Originality/value

This study reveals in detail the challenges and potential social marketing solutions at micro, meso and macro levels, concerning the conflict between consumers’ restless desire for the new and the pressing need to consume more sustainably.