bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unraveling the Role of G-Quadruplexes in Alternative Polyadenylation (APA): A Focus on Neogenin 1
Authors: Lejault Pauline , Bolduc François , Turcotte Marc-Antoine , Perreault Jean Pierre
Published: June 2024

Polyadenylation is a crucial step in mRNA maturation. In half of the cases, alternative polyadenylation sites are used instead of canonical ones, affecting the length of the transcript’s 3’UTR. The mechanisms controlling the selection of these alternative polyadenylation sites are still unknown. Using a unique sequencing method (PolyAclick-seq) to identify different polyadenylated isoforms, we selected events modulated by RHPS4, a ligand known to stabilize G-quadruplex (G4). Throughin silicoselection,in vitroassays, and G4 mutagenesis construction, the pivotal role of rG4 structures in determining polyadenylation sites was uncovered, particularly for the gene encoding Neogenin-1 (NEO1). This research highlights the importance of focusing on G4 RNA mediated APA regulation in the 3’UTR, as a method to alter isoform choice and impact protein synthesis opening up new avenues for RNA-based therapies.
TSC2loss in neural progenitor cells suppresses translation of ASD/NDD-associated transcripts in an mTORC1- and MNK1/2-reversible fashion
Authors: Martin Pauline , Szkop Krzysztof J. , Robert Francis , Bhattacharyya Srirupa , Beauchamp Roberta L. , Brenner Jacob , Redmond Nicholas E. , Huang Sidong , Erdin Serkan , Larsson Ola , Ramesh Vijaya
Published: June 2024

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an inherited neurodevelopmental disorder (NDD) with frequent manifestations of epilepsy and autism spectrum disorder (ASD). TSC is caused by inactivating mutations inTSC1orTSC2tumor suppressor genes, with encoded proteins hamartin (TSC1) and tuberin (TSC2) forming a functional complex inhibiting mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. This has led to treatment with allosteric mTORC1 inhibitor rapamycin analogs (“rapalogs”) for TSC tumors; however, rapalogs are ineffective for treating neurodevelopmental manifestations. mTORC1 signaling controls protein synthesis by regulating formation of the eIF4F complex, with further modulation by MNK1/2 kinases via phosphorylation of the eIF4F subunit eIF4E. While both these pathways modulate translation, comparing their impact on transcriptome-wide mRNA translation, as well as effects of inhibiting these pathways in TSC has not been explored. Here, employing CRISPR-modified, isogenic TSC2 patient-derived neural progenitor cells (NPCs), we have examined transcriptome-wide changes in mRNA translation uponTSC2loss. Our results reveal dysregulated translation inTSC2-Null NPCs, which significantly overlaps with the translatome fromTSC1-Null NPCs. Interestingly, numerous non-monogenic ASD-, NDD-and epilepsy-associated genes identified in patients harboring putative loss-of-function mutations, were translationally suppressed inTSC2-Null NPCs. Importantly, translation of these ASD- and NDD-associated genes was reversed upon inhibition of either mTORC1 or MNK1/2 signaling using RMC-6272 or eFT-508, respectively. This study establishes the importance of mTORC1-eIF4F- and MNK-eIF4E-sensitive mRNA translation in TSC, ASD and other neurodevelopmental disorders laying the groundwork for evaluating drugs in clinical development that target these pathways as a treatment strategy for these disorders.
Age-trajectories of higher-order diffusion properties of major brain metabolites in cerebral and cerebellar grey matter using in vivo diffusion-weighted MR spectroscopy at 3T
Authors: Şimşek Kadir , Gallea Cécile , Genovese Guglielmo , Lehéricy Stephane , Branzoli Francesca , Palombo Marco
Published: June 2024

Healthy brain aging involves changes in both brain structure and function, including alterations in cellular composition and microstructure across brain regions. Unlike diffusion-weighted MRI (dMRI), diffusion-weighted MR spectroscopy (dMRS) can assess cell-type specific microstructural changes, providing indirect information on both cell composition and microstructure through the quantification and interpretation of metabolites’ diffusion properties. This work investigates age-related changes in the higher-order diffusion properties of three major intracellular metabolites (N-Acetyl-aspartate, Creatine and Choline) beyond the classical apparent diffusion coefficient in cerebral and cerebellar grey matter of healthy human brain. Twenty-five subjects were recruited and scanned using a diffusion-weighted semi-LASER sequence in two brain regions-of-interest (ROI) at 3T: posterior-cingulate (PCC) and cerebellar cortices. Metabolites’ diffusion was characterized by quantifying metrics from both Gaussian and non-Gaussian signal representations and biophysical models. All studied metabolites exhibited lower apparent diffusivities and higher apparent kurtosis values in the cerebellum compared to the PCC, likely stemming from the higher microstructural complexity of cellular composition in the cerebellum. Multivariate regression analysis (accounting for ROI tissue composition as a covariate) showed slight decrease (or no change) of all metabolites’ diffusivities and slight increase of all metabolites’ kurtosis with age, none of which statistically significant (p>0.05). The proposed age-trajectories provide benchmarks for identifying anomalies in the diffusion properties of major brain metabolites which could be related to pathological mechanisms altering both the brain microstructure and cellular composition.
Co-evolution of Yeast and Microalga: Identification of mutations that improve cooperativity
Authors: Oosthuizen Jennifer R , Naidoo-Blassoples Rene K , Rossouw Debra , Bauer Florian F
Published: June 2024

Laboratory-based evolution has long been successfully implemented for the generation of desired phenotypes in microbial strain development. The approach also provides insights into evolutionary mechanisms and adaptive molecular strategies which may be too complex to unravel in natural environments. The selection pressure in most of these approaches are physical or chemical factors or stressors, and only a few projects have attempted to use dynamic biotic selection pressures as a driver of evolution.

Here we investigate the formation of novel cooperative phenotypes between the yeastSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand the microalgaChlorella sorokiniana.A synthetic ecology approach based on the cross-feeding of carbon and nitrogen was used to establish an obligate mutualism between these species which allowed for prolonged physical contact in a continuous co-culture system over 100 generations. Comparative genomic analysis of co-evolved yeast strains identified several potentially high impact Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms. Of these, two genesETP1andGAT1,were found to synergistically contribute to the cooperative phenotype between yeast and microalgae These genes are involved in carbon (ETP1) and nitrogen catabolite (GAT1) repression withETP1encoding a protein of unknown function, but implicated in ethanol tolerance and control of Hxt3p, whileGAT1encodes a regulator of nitrogen catabolite repression. CRISPR generated null mutants of the parental (ancestral) yeast strain with eitherETP1,GAT1or both genes deleted, were shown to mimic the co-evolved phenotype with improved cooperativity observed when paired withChlorella sorokinianasuggesting a possible role of these genes in the establishment of mutualisms between yeast and microalgae.

Importance

Multispecies cultures have tremendous biotechnological potential but are difficult to control and show unpredictable population dynamics. This research aims to comprehensively characterise the behaviour and attributes of co-cultured microbial species, with the aim of optimising their combined functionality in a targeted manner. Taken together, our results demonstrate the importance and efficacy of thoughtfully integrating biotic selection pressures into strain development projects. The data also provide insights into specific molecular adaptations that favour cooperative behaviour between species. The co-evolutionary dynamics betweenSaccharomyces cerevisiaeand other microbial species hold immense promise for unlocking novel insights into evolutionary biology, biotechnological applications, and our understanding of complex microbiological systems. Finally, the molecular characterisation of ecosystem-relevant traits provides significant impetus to the annotation of microbial genomes within an evolutionary relevant, multispecies context.
Serosurveillance and the first detection of Bourbon virus RNA in a wildlife host
Authors: Bamunuarachchi Gayan , Najera Fernando , Aziati Ishmael D. , Palmer Jamie L. , Biro Elizabeth G. , Wang Dave , Deem Sharon L. , Boon Adrianus C. M. , Adalsteinsson Solny A.
Published: June 2024

Bourbon virus (BRBV) is an emerging pathogen that can cause severe and fatal disease in humans. BRBV is vectored byAmblyomma americanum(lone star ticks), which are widely distributed across the central, southern, and eastern United States. Wildlife species are potentially important for the maintenance and transmission of BRBV, but little is known about which species are involved, and what other factors play a role in the exposure to BRBV. To assess the exposure risk to BRBV among wildlife in the St. Louis area, we collected sera from 98 individuals, representing 6 different mammalian species from two locations in St. Louis County: Tyson Research Center (TRC) and WildCare Park (WCP) from fall 2021 to spring 2023. The sera were used in a BRBV neutralization assay to detect neutralizing antibodies and RT-qPCR for viral RNA analysis. We also sampled and compared the abundance ofA. americanumticks at the two locations and modeled which factors influenced BRBV seropositivity across species. In TRC, we observed a high rate of seropositivity in raccoons (Procyon lotor, 23/25), and white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus, 18/27), but a low rate in opossums (Didelphis virginiana, 1/18). Neutralizing antibodies were also detected in sampled TRC bobcats (Lynx rufus, 4/4), coyotes (Canis latrans, 3/3), and a red fox (Vulpes vulpes, 1/1). The virological analysis identified BRBV RNA in one of the coyote serum samples. In contrast to TRC, all sera screened from WCP were negative for BRBV-specific neutralizing antibodies, and significantly fewer ticks were collected at WCP (31) compared to TRC (2,316). Collectively, these findings suggest that BRBV circulates in multiple wildlife species in the St. Louis area and that tick density and host community composition may be important factors in BRBV ecology.
The prelimbic prefrontal cortex mediates the development of lasting social phobia as a consequence of social threat conditioning
Authors: Lozano-Ortiz Kelly , Felix-Ortiz Ada C. , Terrell Jaelyn M. , Ramos Angelica R. , Rodriguez-Romaguera Jose , Burgos-Robles Anthony
Published: June 2024

Social phobia is highly detrimental for social behavior, mental health, and productivity. Despite much previous research, the behavioral and neurobiological mechanisms associated with the development of social phobia remain elusive. To investigate these issues, the present study implemented a mouse model of social threat conditioning in which mice received electric shock punishment upon interactions with unfamiliar conspecifics. This resulted in immediate reductions in social behavior and robust increases in defensive mechanisms such as avoidance, freezing, darting, and ambivalent stretched posture. Furthermore, social deficits lasted for prolonged periods and were independent of contextual settings, sex variables, or particular identity of the social stimuli. Shedding new light into the neurobiological factors contributing to this phenomenon, we found that optogenetic silencing of the prelimbic (PL), but not the infralimbic (IL), subregion of the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) during training led to subsequent forgetting and development of lasting social phobia. Similarly, pharmacological inhibition of NMDARs in PL also impaired the development of social phobia. These findings are consistent with the notion that social-related trauma is a prominent risk factor for the development of social phobia, and that this phenomenon engages learning-related mechanisms within the prelimbic prefrontal cortex to promote prolonged representations of social threat.

Abstract Figure
PBX1 and PBX3 transcription factors regulateSHHexpression in the Frontonasal Ectodermal Zone through complementary mechanisms
Authors: Mok Chan Hee , Hu Diane , Losa Marta , Risolino Maurizio , Selleri Licia , Marcucio Ralph S.
Published: June 2024

Sonic hedgehog (SHH) signaling from the frontonasal ectodermal zone (FEZ) is a key regulator of craniofacial morphogenesis. Along with SHH, pre-B-cell leukemia homeobox (PBX) transcription factors regulate midfacial development. PBXs act in the epithelium during fusion of facial primordia, but their specific interactions withSHHhave not been fully investigated. We hypothesized that PBX1/3 regulateSHHexpression in the FEZ by activating or repressing transcription. The hypothesis was tested by manipulatingPBX1/3expression in chick embryos and profiling epigenomic landscapes at early developmental stages.PBX1/3expression was perturbed in the chick face beginning at stage 10 (HH10) using RCAS viruses, and the resultingSHHexpression was assessed at HH22. OverexpressingPBX1expandedSHHexpression, while overexpressingPBX3decreasedSHHexpression. Conversely, reducingPBX1expression decreasedSHHexpression, but reducingPBX3induced ectopicSHHexpression. We performed ATAC-seq and mapped binding of PBX1 and PBX3 with ChIP-seq on the FEZ at HH22 to assess direct interactions of PBX1/3 with theSHHlocus. These multi-omics approaches uncovered a 400 bp PBX1-enriched element within intron 1 ofSHH(chr2:8,173,222-8,173,621). Enhancer activity of this element was demonstrated by electroporation of reporter constructsin ovoand luciferase reporter assaysin vitro. When bound by PBX1, this element upregulates transcription, while it downregulates transcription when bound by PBX3. The present study identifies acis-regulatory element, named SFE1, that interacts with PBX1/3 to modulateSHHexpression in the FEZ and establishes that PBX1 and PBX3 play complementary roles inSHHregulation during embryonic development.
Intracellular pH dynamics respond to microenvironment stiffening and mediate vasculogenic mimicry through β-catenin
Authors: Lund Leah M. , Marchi Angelina N. , Alderfer Laura , Hall Eva , Hammer Jacob , Trull Keelan J. , Hanjaya-Putra Donny , White Katharine A.
Published: June 2024

Dysregulated intracellular pH (pHi) dynamics and an altered tumor microenvironment have emerged as drivers of cancer cell phenotypes. However, the molecular integration between the physical properties of the microenvironment and dynamic intracellular signaling responses remains unclear. Here, we use two metastatic cell models, one breast and one lung, to assess pHi response to varying extracellular matrix (ECM) stiffness. To experimentally model ECM stiffening, we use two tunable-stiffness hydrogel systems: Matrigel and hyaluronic acid (HA) gels, which mimic the increased protein secretion and crosslinking associated with ECM stiffening. We find that single-cell pHi decreases with increased ECM stiffness in both hydrogel systems and both metastatic cell types. We also observed that stiff ECM promotes vasculogenic mimicry (VM), a phenotype associated with metastasis and resistance. Importantly, we show that decreased pHi is both a necessary and sufficient mediator of VM, as raising pHi on stiff ECM reduces VM phenotypes and lowering pHi on soft ECM drives VM. We characterize β-catenin as a pH-dependent molecular mediator of pH-dependent VM, where stiffness-driven changes in β-catenin abundance can be overridden by increased pHi. We uncover a dynamic relationship between matrix stiffness and pHi, thus suggesting pHi dynamics can override mechanosensitive cell responses to the extracellular microenvironment.
Longitudinal patterns of smoking behaviours in adolescence and early adulthood and their association with modifiable and sociodemographic risk factors
Authors: Andrayas Alexandria , Jones Hannah , Khouja Jasmine , Hines Lindsey , Munafò Marcus , Heron Jon , Sallis Hannah
Published: June 2024

Introduction

Smoking contributes a huge burden on public health; thus, identifying risk factors for smoking remains an important area of research. This study adds to the wealth of existing literature by utilising repeated smoking measures collected in a UK sample of young adults to (a) examine differences between longitudinal smoking behaviours, (b) investigate their association with many risk factors, and c) consider how these associations may change over time.

Methods

This study uses longitudinal latent class analysis and 12 repeated measures to derive patterns of smoking in the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children. The association of these patterns with 402 risk factor measures collected from 0-28 years is then investigated. The selected risk factors include familial and peer factors, lifestyle and sociodemographic factors, mental health, parenthood, adverse childhood experiences and trauma.

Results

Five different latent classes of smoking were derived and referred to as non-smoking, short-term smoking, occasional smoking, early-onset smoking, and late-onset smoking. These showed differences in age of onset, frequency, and cessation. Other substance use, and parental and peer substance use, showed the strongest association with smoking patterns. More risk factors were associated with early-onset than late-onset smoking. Many risk factors of regular smoking did not show the same associations with occasional smoking. Fewer measures differentiated late-onset from short-term smoking. Some associations varied depending on the time of measurement or smoking pattern in question.

Conclusions

Findings from this study may be used to identify groups of people most vulnerable to more harmful smoking patterns despite being exposed to strong tobacco prevention efforts. This could also help better tailor smoking interventions and improve tobacco control policies.
Molecular insights into the oligosaccharide binding, recognition and hydrolysis by a fungal exo-β-(1,3)-glucanase
Authors: Banerjee Barnava , Kamale Chinmay K. , Suryawanshi Abhishek B. , Dasgupta Subrata , Noronha Santosh , Bhaumik Prasenjit
Published: June 2024

Carbohydrate hydrolysing enzymes assume special industrial and commercial interest as a source for yielding fermentable glucose especially for the biofuel industry. Among these enzymes, the exo-β-(1,3) glucanases are promising for industrial use as they hydrolyze sugars such as laminarin, a major constituent of the algal cell wall. Exploring the structure and function of these enzymes is of particular interest for the improvement of their functional properties for industrial use. We report the structural and biochemical characterizations ofAspergillus oryzaeexo-β-(1,3) glucanase (AoBgl). We have expressed, purified, and performed biochemical characterizations of the recombinant AoBgl. Purified AoBgl is found to hydrolyse β-(1,3)-glycosidic linkages present in the oligosaccharide laminaritriose and the polysaccharide, laminarin effectively while retaining >50% activity at glucose concentrations of around 1.5M. We have determined three high-resolution structures of AoBgl: (a) apo form at 1.75 Å, (b) complexed form with bound disaccharide at 1.73 Å and (c) glucose-bound form at 1.20 Å. Sequence analysis and structural comparison indicate that AoBgl belongs to the GH5 sugar hydrolase family. The sugar-bound structures reveal the mode of substrate binding and interactions at the active site of AoBgl. Further, molecular dynamics simulation and mutational studies indicate that AoBgl can effectively bind trisaccharides and higher oligosaccharides. Our biochemical and structural data provide detailed molecular insights into the active site of this GH5 enzyme and would be helpful in the rational engineering of glycosyl hydrolases belonging to similar families for industrial use.
Causes and consequences of a complex recombinational landscape in the antCardiocondyla obscurior
Authors: Errbii Mohammed , Gadau Jürgen , Becker Kerstin , Schrader Lukas , Oettler Jan
Published: June 2024

Eusocial Hymenoptera have the highest recombination rates among all multicellular animals studied so far, but it is unclear why this is and how this affects the biology of individual species. A high-resolution linkage map for the antCardiocondyla obscuriorcorroborates genome-wide high recombination rates reported for ants (8.1 cM/Mb). However, recombination is locally suppressed in regions that are enriched with TEs, that have strong haplotype divergence, or that show signatures of epistatic selection inC. obscurior. The results do not support the hypotheses that high recombination rates are linked to phenotypic plasticity or to modulating selection efficiency. Instead, genetic diversity and the frequency of structural variants correlate positively with local recombination rates, potentially compensating for the low levels of genetic variation expected in haplodiploid social Hymenoptera with low effective population size. Ultimately, the data show that recombination contributes to within-population polymorphism and to the divergence of the lineages withinC. obscurior.
Full-resolution HLA and KIR gene annotations for human genome assemblies
Authors: Zhou Ying , Song Li , Li Heng
Published: June 2024

The human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genes and the killer cell immunoglobulin-like receptor (KIR) genes are critical to immune responses and are associated with many immune-related diseases. Located in highly polymorphic regions, it is difficult to study them with traditional short-read alignment-based methods. Although modern long-read assemblers can often assemble these genes, using existing tools to annotate HLA and KIR genes in these assemblies remains a nontrivial task. Here, we describe Immuannot, a new computation tool to annotate the gene structures of HLA and KIR genes and to type the allele of each gene. Applying Immuannot to 56 regional and 212 whole-genome assemblies from previous studies, we annotate 9931 HLA and KIR genes and found that almost half of these genes, 4068, have novel sequences compared with the current Immuno Polymorphism Database (IPD). These novel gene sequences are represented by 2664 distinct alleles, some of which contained nonsynonymous variations, resulting in 92 novel protein sequences. We demonstrate the complex haplotype structures at the two loci and report the linkage between HLA/KIR haplotypes and gene alleles. We anticipate that Immuannot will speed up the discovery of new HLA/KIR alleles and enable the association of HLA/KIR haplotype structures with clinical outcomes in the future.
Object detection and range finding with quantum states using simple detection
Authors: Murchie Richard J. , Pritchard Jonathan D. , Jeffers John
Published: June 2024

The task of sensing the presence of a target object using a weak light source is challenging when the object is embedded in a noisy environment. One possibility is to use quantum illumination to do this, as it can outperform classical illumination in determining the object presence and range. This advantage persists even when both classical and quantum illumination are restricted to identical suboptimal object-detection measurements based on nonsimultaneous, phase-insensitive coincidence counts. Motivated by realistic experimental protocols, we present a theoretical framework for analyzing coincident multishot data with simple detectors. This approach allows for the often-overlooked noncoincidence data to be included, as well as providing a calibration-free threshold for inferring an object’s presence and range, enabling a fair comparison between different detection regimes. Our results quantify the advantage of quantum over classical illumination when performing target discrimination in a noisy thermal environment, including estimating the number of shots required to detect a target with a given confidence level.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Spacetime-localized response in quantum critical spin systems: Insights from holography
Authors: Bamba Motoaki , Hashimoto Koji , Murata Keiju , Takeda Daichi , Yamamoto Daisuke
Published: June 2024

According to the AdS/CFT correspondence, certain quantum many-body systems in d-dimensions are equivalent to gravitational theories in (d+1)-dimensional asymptotically anti–de Sitter (AdS) spacetimes. When a massless particle is sent from the AdS boundary to the bulk curved spacetime, it reaches another point of the boundary after a time lag. In the dual quantum system, it should appear as if quasiparticles have been transferred between two separated points. We theoretically demonstrate that this phenomenon, which we call “spacetime-localized response”, is actually observed in the dynamics of the one-dimensional transverse-field Ising model near the quantum critical point. This result suggests that, if we can realize a holographic spin system in a laboratory, the experimental probing of the emergent extra dimension is possible by applying a designed stimulus to a quantum many-body system, which is holographically equivalent to sending a massless particle through the higher-dimensional curved bulk geometry. We also discuss possible experimental realizations using Rydberg atoms in an optical tweezers array.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Topological electride of
t
-YCl
Authors: Liang Yiwei , Lin Xinyan , Wan Biao , Guo Zhaopeng , Cao Xuyan , Shao Dexi , Sun Jian , Gou Huiyang
Published: June 2024

Topological electrides have attracted extensive attention, not only serving as good platforms for studying Dirac fermion, Weyl fermion, and diverse quasiparticles beyond the Dirac and Weyl fermions, but also hosting rich physical and chemical properties such as low work function, high conductivity, and high electron mobility. Motivated by the synthesized YCl and Y2Cl3 electrides with nontrivial topology, we have explored the Y-Cl binary system under pressure. Based on the first-principles calculations and crystal-structure prediction techniques, we find a t-YCl phase with the space group of P4/ that is both thermodynamically and lattice dynamically stable, and also recoverable to the ambient condition. Based on the k·p method and irreducible representation analyses, we propose that t-YCl has a topological nodal chain surrounding the Z point in the Brillouin zone without spin-orbit coupling (SOC), and evolves into a Dirac semimetal phase with two Dirac points protected by R4z symmetry when taking SOC into consideration. In addition, based on the band representation (BR) analyses, we find the highest occupied bands belong to A1@2a BR. Since both the Y and Cl atoms occupy the 2c Wyckoff positions, i.e., no atom in t-YCl system locates at the 2a Wyckoff positions, it thus suggests the unconventional nature of an uncompensated state at the 2a Wyckoff position. Remembering the ionic compound nature, the unconventional t-YCl phase hosts great potential to be an electride material, which has been further verified by our electron localization function calculations, with the uncompensated state at 2a Wyckoff position contributed by the interstitial quasiatoms. Our work provides a good theoretical and experimental platform for the study of pressure-induced topological electride states.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Investigation of fast and efficient lossless compression algorithms for macromolecular crystallography experiments
Authors: Bernstein Herbert J. , Jakoncic Jean
Published: June 2024

Structural biology experiments benefit significantly from state-of-the-art synchrotron data collection. One can acquire macromolecular crystallography (MX) diffraction data on large-area photon-counting pixel-array detectors at framing rates exceeding 1000 frames per second, using 200 Gbps network connectivity, or higher when available. In extreme cases this represents a raw data throughput of about 25 GB s−1, which is nearly impossible to deliver at reasonable cost without compression. Our field has used lossless compression for decades to make such data collection manageable. Many MX beamlines are now fitted with DECTRIS Eiger detectors, all of which are delivered with optimized compression algorithms by default, and they perform well with current framing rates and typical diffraction data. However, better lossless compression algorithms have been developed and are now available to the research community. Here one of the latest and most promising lossless compression algorithms is investigated on a variety of diffraction data like those routinely acquired at state-of-the-art MX beamlines.
Comparison of open science portals of India: web accessibility study
Authors: Das Suman , Das Anup Kumar , Awasthi Shipra , Tripathi Manorama
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to compare ten Open Science Portals in India. The comparison is made using the three primary parameters of accessibility, search engine optimization (SEO) and performance. This study aims to investigate whether the ten selected web portals efficiently meet the web accessibility requirements of the large population at an acceptable rate.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was performed by using the Siteimprove web tool to collect information about Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0. The online accessibility tools provided by Siteimprove make it simple to comply with and follow the global WCAG at all compliance levels. This study selected ten web portals taking into account the open accessibility and the web portals offered by the Indian Government to promote research and innovation.

Findings

The findings of this research will be beneficial for the government website designers, managers and administrators to assess their website’s level of compliance with accepted accessibility standards so they can make tactical choices to increase accessibility.

Originality/value

This study highlights the portals’ robust characteristic features and downsides, where improvement may be required. It also focused on how these portals help in promoting citizen science and public understanding of science nationwide.
A novel ensemble artificial intelligence approach for coronary artery disease prediction
Authors: Namlı Özge H. , Yanık Seda , Erdoğan Aslan , Schmeink Anke
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Coronary artery disease is one of the most common cardiovascular disorders in the world, and it can be deadly. Traditional diagnostic approaches are based on angiography, which is an interventional procedure having side effects such as contrast nephropathy or radio exposure as well as significant expenses. The purpose of this paper is to propose a novel artificial intelligence (AI) approach for the diagnosis of coronary artery disease as an effective alternative to traditional diagnostic methods.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, a novel ensemble AI approach based on optimization and classification is proposed. The proposed ensemble structure consists of three stages: feature selection, classification and combining. In the first stage, important features for each classification method are identified using the binary particle swarm optimization algorithm (BPSO). In the second stage, individual classification methods are used. In the final stage, the prediction results obtained from the individual methods are combined in an optimized way using the particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm to achieve better predictions.

Findings

The proposed method has been tested using an up-to-date real dataset collected at Basaksehir Çam and Sakura City Hospital. The data of disease prediction are unbalanced. Hence, the proposed ensemble approach improves majorly the F-measure and ROC area which are more prominent measures in case of unbalanced classification. The comparison shows that the proposed approach improves the F-measure and ROC area results of the individual classification methods around 14.5% in average and diagnoses with an accuracy rate of 96%.

Originality/value

This study presents a low-cost and low-risk AI-based approach for diagnosing heart disease compared to traditional diagnostic methods. Most of the existing research studies focus on base classification methods. In this study, we mainly investigate an effective ensemble method that uses optimization approaches for feature selection and combining stages for the medical diagnostic domain. Furthermore, the approaches in the literature are commonly tested on open-access dataset in heart disease diagnoses, whereas we apply our approach on a real and up-to-date dataset.
Impact of technology on interpreting practice: a review of studies on technology and interpreting practice from2013 to 2024
Authors: Chan Venus
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Studies on technology and interpreting have increasingly explored how technology influences the role and performance of interpreters in their practice; however, there is a lack of comprehensive reviews and analyses. This paper aims to synthetically review the state-of-the-art application and integration of various interpreting technologies, identify the key trends of recent studies, and evaluate the associated opportunities and challenges.

Design/methodology/approach

Adopting a systematic review approach, 40 articles on technology and interpreting practice from 2013 to 2024 were selected and analysed.

Findings

A growing number of empirical studies on technology-mediated remote interpreting and technology-supported interpreting is observed in public service settings, suggesting that mobile and emerging technologies have gained more attention alongside phone and video. In addition, mixed results are revealed with respect to the impact of technology on interpreting performance.

Originality/value

This review not only provides a bird’s-eye view of how interpreting practice has reconciled with different technologies but also offers insights into the changing role of interpreters, the need for training, and the direction for future research.
Attraction, passion and confidence: the paths to undergraduates’ entrepreneurial intentions
Authors: Marques Carlos Peixeira , Marques Carla , Sousa Cristina Leal , Leal Carmem
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to assess how undergraduates’ exposure to entrepreneurship education (EE) may increase their volitional desire and behavioral control to start-up a business.

Design/methodology/approach

The model establishes three different paths from EE to entrepreneurial intention (EI): attraction and passion through desire and confidence through control. These paths are assessed by partial least-squares structural equation modeling in a sample of 650 undergraduates from Poland, Turkey and Portugal.

Findings

The most effective way by which EE may increase EI is by promoting a favorable change in the attractiveness of the entrepreneurship career. Contrary to expectations based on the literature, the effects of EE on perceived behavioral control are weak and limited to aspects related to financial control.

Practical implications

EE programs should consider desire and control in different phases of training, with the following learning outcomes: explore prospective rewards of an attractive entrepreneurial career, develop self-efficacy regarding management competences and gain control by assuring skills to cope with failure.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to establish a path from EE to EI through passion and desire. It is also the first to consider entrepreneurial passion as a positive anticipated emotion in the model of goal-directed behavior. The results allow to relate the different paths with different learning outcomes of EE programs.
Customers’ satisfaction as a critical success factor in halal tourism: literature review and research agenda
Authors: Ekka Punit Moris , Bhardwaj Shikha
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This review paper is based on secondary research of published literature on customer’s satisfaction in halal tourism to investigate, analyze and summarize what is already known about this current topic and to provide future directions about what could be known in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

This qualitative study follows a systematic approach, using the PRISMA protocol. Online databases, namely, Scopus, Web of Science and Google Scholar, were used for the data extraction. The data under investigation include articles published till July 2023.

Findings

However, an academic exploration of the burgeoning customer’s satisfaction with halal tourism is just getting started. It is an interesting subset of the tourism industry with potential. Recent studies have shed light on the importance of customers’ satisfaction in halal tourism by highlighting its most important aspects, as well as the most prominent theories, published authors, journals and research gaps. Toward the end of this study, suggestions for future research are made along these lines.

Originality/value

This study examines the conceptual evolution, potential and fruitful application of customers’ satisfaction in halal tourism in the postpandemic world. This study provides intriguing contextual data and insightful knowledge presented in a new context. This study discusses a comprehensive investigation and includes both academic and managerial consequences.
Intra-organizational knowledge sharing, ambidexterity and firm performance: evaluating the role of knowledge quality
Authors: Dzenopoljac Aleksandra , Dzenopoljac Vladimir , Muhammed Shahnawaz , Abidi Oualid , Kraus Sascha
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine how knowledge sharing contributes to organizations’ ambidexterity, their overall performance and the role of knowledge quality in this relationship. Knowledge sharing is conceptualized based on tacit and explicit dimensions, and ambidexterity is viewed as comprising exploitative and explorative capabilities.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a cross-sectional survey-based research design and structural equation modeling to test the proposed model of knowledge sharing and knowledge quality in organizational ambidexterity and the related hypotheses.

Findings

The results indicate that tacit knowledge sharing has a significant, direct impact on the exploitative and explorative capabilities of the organization and indirectly impacts both dimensions of ambidexterity (i.e. exploitative and explorative) through knowledge quality. In contrast, explicit knowledge sharing does not have a significant impact on knowledge quality and affects only the exploitative extent of ambidexterity. Both exploitative and explorative capabilities significantly impact organizational performance.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first study to empirically examine the role of knowledge quality in the context of knowledge sharing for ambidexterity, especially within the context of organizations in the United Arab Emirates.
Interaction of corporate social responsibility and attractiveness of organization to job seekers: a system dynamic study
Authors: Ali Esrafil , Satpathy Biswajit , Prusty Santosh Kumar
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the two-way interaction between corporate social responsibility (CSR) and the attractiveness of organization to job seekers (AOJS).

Design/methodology/approach

A system dynamics model is developed in the form of a causal loop diagram (CLD) that explains the CSR-AOJS interaction dynamically. To test the credibility of the developed model, the survey data are used to validate the causal relationships in the CLD.

Findings

This study found that developing an effective strategy or tool by capturing various essential CSR elements can attract potential job seekers.

Originality/value

The developed model is relevant to policymakers, decision-makers and managers when strategizing the CSR plan to attract potential job seekers.
The dark side of artificial intelligence in marketing: meta-analytics review
Authors: Barari Mojtaba , Casper Ferm Lars-Erik , Quach Sara , Thaichon Park , Ngo Liem
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Artificial intelligence (AI) has become a pivotal technology in both marketing and daily life. Despite extensive research on the benefits of AI, its adverse effects on customers have received limited attention.

Design/methodology/approach

We employed meta-analysis to synthesise effect sizes from 45 studies encompassing 50 independent samples (N = 19,503) to illuminate the negative facets of AI's impact on customer responses.

Findings

Adverse effects of AI, including privacy concern, perceived risks, customer alienation, and uniqueness neglect, have a negative and significant effect on customers' cognitive (perceived benefit, trust), affective (attitude and satisfaction) and behavioural responses (purchase, loyalty, well-being). Additionally, moderators in AI (online versus offline), customer (age, male vs. female), product (hedonic vs. utilitarian, high vs. low involvement), and firm level (service vs. manufacturing) and national level (individualism, power distance, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance, long-term orientation) moderate these relationships.

Practical implications

Our findings inform marketing managers about the drawbacks of utilising AI as part of their value proposition and provide recommendations on how to minimise these effects in different contexts. Additionally, policymakers need to consider the dark side of AI, especially among the vulnerable groups.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first research studies that synthesise previous research on the dark side of AI, providing a comprehensive view of its diminishing impact on customer responses.
Doing difference differently? Exploring inclusion at an elementary school in Austria
Authors: Wagner Josefine , Szelei Nikolett
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to highlight a paradox between inclusion/exclusion at the level of the organisation and classroom practices, as well as between general and disability/special educational needs (SEN)-specific approaches to diversity in the classroom. The authors recommend better alignment between school policies and teaching practices to offer all students an equal chance to benefit from inclusive pedagogies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyses a school that has gained public reputation as an innovative, inclusive school in Austria. Applying a case study with an ethnographic methodological approach, the authors explore what strategies are implemented to become more inclusive at the level of school organisation and classroom practices? What are the pedagogical beliefs and actions relating to diversity that drive inclusive efforts? How is this school's general approach to diversity enacted with students with SEN?

Findings

The findings show that context-specific circumstances shape inclusive school development, which comes with a set of affordances and challenges. The authors argue that in this case, striving for inclusion indicated two ways of “doing difference differently”. First, the school has built on many cornerstones of inclusion when relating and responding to student diversity, that was remarkably different than in other mainstream schools in Austria. On the contrary, while creating new educational and pedagogical norms, it also recycled conventional segregating tendencies, and as such, reproduced hierarchised difference, but in other ways than schools typically do in mainstream schooling.

Originality/value

This school and its pedagogical mission have never been analysed through the rich data that two researchers were able to gather and work through.
Individual quality overwrites carry‐over effects across the annual cycle of a long‐distance migrant
Authors: Léandri‐Breton Don‐Jean , Elliott Kyle H. , Tarroux Arnaud , Moe Børge , Jouanneau William , Amélineau Françoise , Angelier Frédéric , Blévin Pierre , Sandøy Bråthen Vegard , Fauchald Per , Gabrielsen Geir W. , Goutte Aurélie , Parenteau Charline , Tartu Sabrina , Legagneux Pierre , Chastel Olivier
Published: June 2024

In seasonal environments, the fitness of animals depends upon the successful integration of life‐history stages throughout their annual cycle. Failing to do so can lead to negative carry‐over effects where individuals are transitioning into the next season in different states, consequently affecting their future performance. However, carry‐over effects can be masked by individual quality when individuals vary in their efficiency at acquiring resources year after year (i.e. ‘quality’), leading to cross‐seasonal consistency in individual performance.

Here we investigated the relative importance of carry‐over effects and individual quality in determining cross‐seasonal interactions and consequences for breeding success over the full annual cycle of a migratory seabird (black‐legged kittiwake Rissa tridactyla).

We monitored the reproduction and annual movement of kittiwakes over 13 years using geolocators to estimate their breeding success, distribution and winter energy expenditure. We combined this with an experimental approach (clutch removal experiment, 2 years) to manipulate the reproductive effort irrespective of individual quality.

Piecewise path analyses showed that successful breeders reproduced earlier and were more likely to breed successfully again the following year. This positive interaction among consecutive breeding stages disappeared after controlling for individual quality, suggesting that quality was dominant in determining seasonal interactions. Moreover, controlling experimentally for individual quality revealed underlying carry‐over effects that were otherwise masked by quality, with breeding costs paid in higher energy expenditure and delayed onset of reproduction.

We highlight the need to combine an experimental approach along with long‐term data while assessing apparent carry‐over effects in wild animals, and their potential impact on fitness and population demography.
The Persistence of the Hostile Environment after the Windrush Scandal
Authors: Slaven Mike
Published: June 2024

Unlike most immigration policy areas amidst Brexit, the government's ‘hostile environment’ approach has changed little since 2014, despite it making no measurable impact on the migration statistics the government prioritises, while landing it in hot water over the Windrush scandal. Why does the hostile environment nevertheless persist? Despite its strong association with today's Conservatives, the hostile environment extends a decades‐long trend of deepening various social systems’ involvement in UK immigration control, creating increasing problems when long‐settled immigrants face suspicion at vulnerable life stages. Yet, the hostile environment provides a way to pursue legitimacy in immigration control given the UK state's particular limitations and pressures: it demonstrates action against ‘illegal immigration’, avoids revealing earlier control lapses and averts difficult reforms, like national identification cards, to monitor the population more thoroughly. The risks of this approach have only increased as Brexit has unsettled migration statuses, yet the hostile environment will likely remain.
Virtual Toxicology Service decreases the average length of stay of poisoned patients and saves bed days
Authors: McNeill Iain , Staib Andrew , Isoardi Katherine Z
Published: June 2024

Objective

We aimed to assess the impact a Virtual Toxicology Service had on the ALOS of poisoned patients.

Methods

This single‐centre before‐after study compares the ALOS of poisoned patients (diagnosis‐related group X62, poisoning/toxic effects of drugs and other substances) following the introduction of a Virtual Toxicology Service in 2020.

Results

The ALOS decreased from 0.89 days in the 2‐year pre‐intervention period to 0.62 days in the 3‐year post‐intervention period, with a potential bed saving of 703 days.

Conclusion

The introduction of a Virtual Toxicology Service appeared to be associated with a decreased ALOS of poisoned patients.