bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
ENHANCED GRAVITROPISM 2 coordinates molecular adaptations to gravistimulation in the elongation zone of barley roots
Authors: Guo Li , Klaus Alina , Baer Marcel , Kirschner Gwendolyn K. , Salvi Silvio , Hochholdinger Frank
Published: October 2022

Root gravitropism includes gravity perception in the root cap, signal transduction between root cap and elongation zone, and curvature response in the elongation zone. The barley (Hordeum vulgare) mutantenhanced gravitropism 2(egt2) displays a hypergravitropic root phenotype.

We compared the transcriptomic reprogramming of the root cap, the meristem and the elongation zone of wild type andegt2seminal roots upon gravistimulation in a time-course experiment and identified direct interaction partners of EGT2 by yeast-two-hybrid screening and bimolecular fluorescence complementation (BiFC) validation.

We demonstrated that the elongation zone is subjected to most transcriptomic changes after gravistimulation. Here, 35% of graviregulated genes are also transcriptionally controlled byEGT2, suggesting a central role of this gene in controlling the molecular networks associated with gravitropic bending. Gene co-expression analyses suggested a role ofEGT2in cell wall and reactive oxygen species (ROS)-related processes, in which direct interaction partners of EGT2 regulated byEGT2and gravity might be involved.

Taken together, this study demonstrated the central role ofEGT2and its interaction partners in the networks controlling root zone-specific transcriptomic reprogramming of barley roots upon gravistimulation. These findings can contribute to the development of novel root idiotypes leading to improved crop performance.
Crystal structure of 4,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxol-2-one
Authors: Chandrasekaran Chandru P. , Donahue James P.
Published: October 2022

The planar title compound 4,5-dimethyl-1,3-dioxol-2-one, C5H6O3, 1, crystallizes with its molecular C
2 axis coincident with a crystallographic mirror plane in space group P21/m. In the plane defined by the b axis and an ac face diagonal, antiparallel linear strands of 1, formed by simple translation, associate to form sheets with close H...H and O...O intermolecular contacts. Between the sheets, parallel strands of 1 place the carbonyl O atom near the five-membered ring centroid of a neighboring molecule with close O...O and O...C contacts.
Higher innovativeness, lower technostress?: comparative study of determinants on FinTech usage behavior between Korean and Chinese Gen Z consumers
Authors: Lee You-Kyung
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The study aims to verify and compare the relationship of consumer innovativeness and technostress for FinTech usage behavior of Korean and Chinese Gen Z consumers.

Design/methodology/approach

The study proposes an integrative causal model derived from consumer innovativeness, technostress, and FinTech usage intention of the Korean and Chinese Gen Z consumers and test the causal relationships using structural equation modeling (SEM).

Findings

The study results showed that social innovativeness negatively affected the three dimensions of technostress and had a significant positive impact on FinTech usage intention for all samples. Hedonist innovativeness had no significant positive impact on FinTech usage intention for all samples, but it differently affected the three sub-dimensions of technostress (uncertainty, invasion, and complexity) for each sample.

Originality/value

This study presents nascent literature on the causal relationships of consumer innovativeness, technostress, and FinTech usage behavior for Korean and Chinese Gen Z consumers.
Organizational antecedents and multiple paths of knowledge-sharing behavior of construction project members: evidence from Chinese construction enterprises
Authors: Cheng Fan , Yin Yilin
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Lack of knowledge-sharing behavior (KSB) among construction project members hinders propagation of expertise, working methods, and lessons learned within an organization, and deprives the organization of a sustainable competitive edge. The present study investigates the combined effect of organizational antecedents of construction projects on members' KSB and provides a reference for developing management initiatives to motivate KSB.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on organizational theory and organizational behavior literature, five organizational antecedents associated with KSB from organizational culture and structure were identified. Subsequently, the authors used survey data from 152 organization members in Chinese construction enterprises to conduct the fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fsQCA) and reveal configurations of organizational antecedents influencing KSB.

Findings

This study identifies five configuration paths that are sufficient for shaping the KSB of construction project members, integrated into two types of driving modes, namely “trust-driven” and “incentive-driven”. Relevant discussions can guide managers of construction project organizations to position the driving strategies of KSB that match different organizational scenarios or constraints.

Originality/value

By analyzing the configuration effects of organizational antecedents on KSB, novel clues are provided for governing the deficiency of KSB among construction project members. This contributes to the literature on knowledge transfer and organizational behavior. The findings provide actionable insights for improving knowledge flow in construction project organizations and designing KSB guidance regimes.
Spurring innovation through intentional organizational crisis: the moderating effects of past performance and resources allocation capability
Authors: Shi Yan , Zou Bo , Wang Chunlan , Li Ou
Published: October 2022

Purpose

How to promote innovation remains a challenge. In practice, some enterprises try to initiate an organizational crisis intentionally to spur innovation. This study approaches this practice and aims to explore the role of intentional organizational crisis in innovation.

Design/methodology/approach

This study conducted an empirical study. Data was collected from 297 companies in China by a questionnaire survey.

Findings

Results show the role of intentional organizational crisis in innovation. There is a U-shaped relationship between intentional organizational crisis and product innovation capability. Past performance and resources allocation capability moderate this relationship by weakening the impact of intentional organizational crisis on product innovation capability.

Originality/value

This study highlights the light and dark sides of intentional organizational crisis and explores its impact on innovation capability, providing some implications for practitioners to use crises as shocks to spur innovation and enriching the research of organizational crisis and innovation capability.
The “proximal depiction effect” of indulgent (versus non-indulgent) foods on consumer responses
Authors: Malik Sumit , Sayin Eda , Jain Kriti
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the effect of proximal (versus distant) depiction of food products within an advertising or online context on consumer responses across food types (indulgent versus non-indulgent) and display formats that lead to a single exposure (e.g. billboard) versus multiple exposures (e.g. online menu).

Design/methodology/approach

Five experimental studies, using both implicit and explicit elicitation techniques, demonstrate the effect of proximal food depictions. The paper rules out alternative explanations (portion-size perception and participants’ bodily distance) and controls for several other factors (e.g. visual crowding, body-mass index, dietary restrictions, etc.)

Findings

The studies find that proximal food pictures are implicitly associated with tastiness more for indulgent (vs non-indulgent) foods; lead to higher purchase intention for indulgent food upon a single exposure driven by enhanced perceived tastiness; and evoke satiation upon multiple exposures.

Research limitations/implications

This research identifies the effect of spatial proximity of food depiction on consumer responses using different stimuli. Future work could explore the effects in alternate consummatory contexts.

Practical implications

The findings provide clear instructions to marketers and policymakers on how to tailor consumer responses using spatial distance in depiction of food products, depending on the food type and display format. Understanding the effect of visual food cues will help policymakers devise strategies to counter over-consumption, which increases the risk of non-communicable diseases and reduces consumer well-being (SDG 3, United Nations).

Originality/value

Introducing a novel pictorial cue (i.e. the spatial distance of product depiction), this paper contributes insights to the literature on implicit associations, visual information processing, satiation, over-consumption and food marketing.
Systematic review of critical drivers for delay risk prediction: towards a conceptual framework for BIM-based construction projects
Authors: Egwim Christian Nnaemeka , Alaka Hafiz , Demir Eren , Balogun Habeeb , Ajayi Saheed
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study aims to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework that serves as a foundation for identifying most critical delay risk drivers for Building Information Modelling (BIM)-based construction projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review was conducted using Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) to identify key delay risk drivers in BIM-based construction projects that have significant impact on the performance of delay risk predictive modelling techniques.

Findings

The results show that contractor related driver and external related driver are the most important delay driver categories to be considered when developing delay risk predictive models for BIM-based construction projects.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the body of knowledge by filling the gap in lack of a conceptual framework for selecting key delay risk drivers for BIM-based construction projects, which has hampered scientific progress toward development of extremely effective delay risk predictive models for BIM-based construction projects. Furthermore, this study's analyses further confirmed a positive effect of BIM on construction project delay.
A study on teachers' perception towards E-learning adoption in higher educational institutions in India during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Kumar Pankaj , Kumar Parveen , Garg Ramesh Kumar , Panwar Manoj , Aggarwal Vaibhav
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The present study examines the foremost determinants of teachers' perception, i.e. teachers' satisfaction, attitude and continuance intention towards adopting e-learning in Higher Educational Institutions (HEIs) in India during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected through online Google forms from 1,111 (1,060 considered useable) teachers of different HEIs in India using the purposive sampling technique and was analyzed by PLS-SEM (performing partial least squares-structural equation modeling).

Findings

Results of this study show that perceived usefulness (PU) followed by institutional support, perceived ease of use (PEOU), and teacher-student interaction positively and significantly impact teachers' satisfaction. Results also revealed that perceived usefulness (PU), institutional support, and satisfaction significantly affect teachers' attitude. Finally and most notably, teachers' continuance intention towards using online teaching in HEIs is most significantly influenced by teachers' satisfaction than perceived usefulness (PU), perceived ease of use (PEOU), and attitude.

Originality/value

The authors anticipate that this study brings a significant and valuable input to the existing literature by providing inclusive research in a more harmonizing understanding of the teachers' satisfaction, attitude, and continuance intention with online teaching-learning practices in diverse educational institutions.
Assessing climate change vulnerability of smallholder farmers in northwest Ethiopia: application of a household intrinsic vulnerability index
Authors: Yimam Dereje Amene , Holvoet Nathalie
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to identify the most vulnerable households and districts in Northwest Ethiopia and help decision-makers in developing and prioritising effective adaptive strategies and actions.

Design/methodology/approach

A multi-scale analytical tool and hazard-generic socio-economic indicators were developed to identify and prioritise the most vulnerable households and districts in Northwest Ethiopia. Categorical principal component analysis with 36 indicators was used to develop weights for different indicators and construct a household intrinsic vulnerability index. Data were collected through key information interviews, focus group discussions and a household survey with 1,602 randomly selected households in three districts of Northwest Ethiopia.

Findings

Drawing on intrinsic vulnerability index computation, this study highlights that low levels of education, low access to climate information and credit services, long distance travelled to fetch water and frequent food shortages are the dominant factors contributing to high levels of intrinsic vulnerability at district level, while lack of livelihood support and income diversification are the key drivers of vulnerability at household level. The findings of this study further show that the majority of households (78.01%) falls within the very high to moderately high vulnerable category. Disaggregating the data according to agro-climatic zones highlights that the prevalence of high intrinsic vulnerability is most widespread in the lowland agro-climatic zone (82.64%), followed by the highland (81.97%) and midland zones (69.40%).

Practical implications

From a policy intervention vantage point, addressing the drivers of vulnerability provides a reliable approach to reduce the current vulnerability level and manage potential climate change-induced risks of a system. Specifically, reliable information on inherent vulnerability will assist policymakers in developing policies and prioritising actions aimed at reducing vulnerability and assisting in the rational distribution of resources among households at a local level.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing vulnerability literature by showing how hazard-generic socio-economic indicators in the vulnerability assessment adopted by the IPCC (2014) are important to identify drives of vulnerability which ultimately may feed into a more fundamental treatment of vulnerability.
Does the stakeholder's relationship affect supply chain resilience and organizational performance? Empirical evidence from the supply chain community of Pakistan
Authors: Qazi Asad Ali , Appolloni Andrea , Shaikh Abdul Rehman
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to investigate the role of the stakeholder's relationship with supply chain resilience (SCR) and organizational performance (OP) using the lens of stakeholder theory in the manufacturing and service industry. Investigating the supply chain community in Pakistan, this paper explores the relationship between SCR, OP and the stakeholder's relationship (including customers and suppliers).

Design/methodology/approach

A partial least square (PLS) – structural equation modeling (SEM) technique using SmartPLS 3.3.3 was used to test the hypotheses. Data were collected through a survey (questionnaire) completed by 202 supply chain representatives. All respondents were supply chain professionals working in different organizations in Pakistan.

Findings

The findings of the study revealed that supplier relationship (SR) and customer relationship (CR) have a positive and significant impact on SCR and a positive and significant relationship between SCR and OP. A positive and significant relationship between customer relationship and OP was also noted. The mediating role of SCR is also found positive and significant.

Practical implications

The outcomes of the study will help managers to strengthen SCR through relationship management. The study is also helpful to increase OP through stakeholder management.

Originality/value

This study empirically tests an inclusive model with a PLS-SEM technique where SCR plays a mediating role in the mechanism, which is crucial since the supplier and customer (stakeholder) relationship has been never tested to gauge the OP by positioning SCR as a mediator while using the lens of stakeholder theory.
Is it hard to be different during the COVID-19 crisis? Investigating the relationship between corporate social responsibility and earnings management
Authors: Khanchel Imen , Lassoued Naima
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to contribute to the literature on the earnings management (EM)–corporate social responsibility (CSR) relationship as most of the previous studies have been carried out in non-turbulent periods. This study investigates whether CSR affects EM during the pandemic period by testing two hypotheses: the cognitive biases hypothesis and the resilience hypothesis

Design/methodology/approach

The difference-in-difference and triple difference approaches are used for a sample of 536 US firms (268 socially responsible firms and 268 matched non-socially responsible counterparts) during the 2017–2021 period. Socially responsible firms are selected from the MSCI KLD 400 Social Index, and matched firms are identified through the propensity score matching method.

Findings

The authors find an income-increasing practice for both socially responsible firms and control firms for the whole period and each sub-period. Moreover, socially responsible firms are more likely to manage their earnings (income increasing) than their counterpart. Furthermore, the authors show that CSR commitment exacerbated EM in line with the cognitive biases hypothesis.

Originality/value

This study is the first shed light on the dark side of CSR during pandemic periods.
A framework for assessing trust in e-government services under uncertain environment
Authors: Shayganmehr Masoud , Kumar Anil , Garza-Reyes Jose Arturo , Zavadskas Edmundas Kazimieras
Published: October 2022

Purpose

In this study, a novel framework was proposed to assess the trust in e-government (e-Gov) services under an uncertain environment. The proposed framework was applied in Iranian municipality websites of e-Gov services to evaluate the readiness score of trust in e-Gov services.

Design/methodology/approach

A unique hybrid research methodology was proposed. In the first phase, a comprehensive set of indices were determined from an extensive literature review and finalized by employing the fuzzy Delphi method. In the second phase, interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy set (IVIFS) -was utilized to model the problem's uncertainty with analytic called IVIFS- hierarchy process (AHP) to determine the importance of indices and indicators by assigning the weights. In the third phase, the fuzzy evaluation method (FEM) is followed for assessing the readiness score of indices in case studies.

Findings

The findings indicated that “Trust in government” is the most significant index affecting citizen's trust in e-Gov services while “Maintenance and support” has the least impact on user's intention to use e–Gov services.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes by introducing a unique research methodology that integrates three phases, including fuzzy Delphi, IVIFS AHP and fuzzy evaluation method. Moreover, the fuzzy sets theory helps to reach a more accurate result by modeling the inherent ambiguity of indicators and indices. Interval-valued intuitionistic fuzzy models the ambiguity of experts' judgments in an interval.

Practical implications

The study helps policy makers to monitor wider aspects of trust in e-Gov services as well as understanding their importance. The study enables policy makers to apply the framework to any potential case studies to evaluate the readiness score of indices and recognizing strengths and weakness of trust dimensions as well as recommending advice for improving the situation.

Originality/value

The study is one of the few to indicate significant indices of trust in e-Gov services in developing countries. The study shows the importance of indicators and indices by assigning a weight. Additionally, the framework can assess the readiness score of various case studies.
Creating equitable access: using OER for socially just educational leaders
Authors: Richardson Sydney , Roebuck Sakho Jacqueline
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to demonstrate ways in which educator preparation programs can influence educator and administrator support of Open Education Resources (OER). OER is still not used as widely as the researchers would like, even though it was introduced in the year 2002 (Bliss and Smith, 2017). While it is rarely used to a large extent, it is especially lacking in K-12 schools. By introducing OER to educator candidates (including future principals) in their own programs, they may be supportive of OER and invest in them when they work in schools.

Design/methodology/approach

The research was conducted when an OER project was required in educator preparation programs. Two classes totaling 27 students engaged in a group project, creating OER materials and receptacles over the course of the semester.

Findings

Research showed that educator candidates were in favor of using OER thoroughly. Through building their own OER resources, educator candidates understood the importance of creating socially just and equitable learning environments, aligning with diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, a project like this has not been researched before. This research supports the idea that usage of OER and investment in it should happen for all educator candidates (teachers and administrators).
Audit team equality and audit quality threatening behaviour
Authors: Annelin Alice
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the association between audit quality threatening behaviour (AQTB) and three team equality dimensions: deindividuation, social identity and gender equality. Discrimination among auditors has been experienced in accounting firms across the world, which can lead to behaviour that risks the quality of work. The negative influence of this behaviour can have consequences for clients, audit firms, regulators and the wider society due to the threat on audit quality.

Design/methodology/approach

A questionnaire was conducted at a Big 4 audit firm in Sweden. Members of audit teams that worked together on one specific engagement were asked to give their perceptions of their experience of equality and behaviours within the team. Hypotheses were tested using ordered logistic regression and partial least squares structural equation model.

Findings

Audit teams that experience deindividuation conduct more AQTBs and audit teams with higher social identity conduct less AQTBs. However, the audit team’s social identity can moderate the audit teams’ experience with deindividuation and reduce AQTB.

Originality/value

With a unique data set of practising audit teams, this study is the first to investigate how audit team equality is related to AQTB. Contributions are made to practitioners about audit team dynamics since the AQTB occurs as part of the audit decision-making process that influences audit quality. Inequality also has recruitment and reputation consequences. Thus, contributions are made to the audit market that is interested in audit quality. The study also contributes empirical evidence from an audit team context about behavioural outcomes and the social identity and deindividuation model theory (Klein et al., 2007; Reicher et al., 1995).
Post-traumatic growth from grief – a narrative literature review
Authors: Hurst Robert , Kannangara Chathurika
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to give an overview of existing literature on post-traumatic growth (PTG), particularly in the ways that it relates to grief.

Design/methodology/approach

This narrative literature review brings together 125 sources and presents them in a readable way.

Findings

There is a great deal of evidence to suggest that PTG can come from grief. This is not always the case, however.

Research limitations/implications

This review presents only a selection of the existing literature – the review is not systematic. However, this allows for a narrative to be crafted, to aid readability.

Practical implications

Suggestions for future research are made throughout, and potential therapeutic applications are mentioned.

Social implications

This paper discusses stigma, in the form of “disenfranchised grief”. In this, social pressures and expectations affect how a person processes their grief psychologically. While movements to increase discourse and reduce stigma are on the rise, more is needed.

Originality/value

This review guides readers through existing literature, providing a wide overview of the topic of PTG in grief.
Transforming e-participation: VR-dialogue – building and evaluating an AI-supported framework for next-gen VR-enabled e-participation research
Authors: Porwol Lukasz , Garcia Pereira Agustin , Dumas Catherine
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore whether immersive virtual reality (VR) can complement e-participation and help alleviate some major obstacles that hinder effective communication and collaboration. Immersive virtual reality (VR) can complement e-participation and help alleviate some major obstacles hindering effective communication and collaboration. VR technologies boost discussion participants' sense of presence and immersion; however, studying emerging VR technologies for their applicability to e-participation is challenging because of the lack of affordable and accessible infrastructures. In this paper, the authors present a novel framework for analyzing serious social VR engagements in the context of e-participation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors propose a novel approach for artificial intelligence (AI)-supported, data-driven analysis of group engagements in immersive VR environments as an enabler for next-gen e-participation research. The authors propose a machine-learning-based VR interactions log analytics infrastructure to identify behavioral patterns. This paper includes features engineering to classify VR collaboration scenarios in four simulated e-participation engagements and a quantitative evaluation of the proposed approach performance.

Findings

The authors link theoretical dimensions of e-participation online interactions with specific user-behavioral patterns in VR engagements. The AI-powered immersive VR analytics infrastructure demonstrated good performance in automatically classifying behavioral scenarios in simulated e-participation engagements and the authors showed novel insights into the importance of specific features to perform this classification. The authors argue that our framework can be extended with more features and can cover additional patterns to enable future e-participation immersive VR research.

Research limitations/implications

This research emphasizes technical means of supporting future e-participation research with a focus on immersive VR technologies as an enabler. This is the very first use-case for using this AI and data-driven infrastructure for real-time analytics in e-participation, and the authors plan to conduct more comprehensive studies using the same infrastructure.

Practical implications

The authors’ platform is ready to be used by researchers around the world. The authors have already received interest from researchers in the USA (Harvard University) and Israel and run collaborative online sessions.

Social implications

The authors enable easy cloud access and simultaneous research session hosting 24/7 anywhere in the world at a very limited cost to e-participation researchers.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the very first attempt at building a dedicated AI-driven VR analytics infrastructure to study online e-participation engagements.
Microclimatic variation in tropical canopies: A glimpse into the processes of community assembly in epiphytic bryophyte communities
Authors: Shen Ting , Corlett Richard T. , Collart Flavien , Kasprzyk Thibault , Guo Xin‐Lei , Patiño Jairo , Su Yang , Hardy Olivier J. , Ma Wen‐Zhang , Wang Jian , Wei Yu‐Mei , Mouton Lea , Li Yuan , Song Liang , Vanderpoorten Alain
Published: October 2022

Epiphytic communities offer an original framework to disentangle the contributions of environmental filters, biotic interactions and dispersal limitations to community structure at fine spatial scales. We determine here whether variations in light, microclimatic conditions and host tree size affect the variation in species composition and phylogenetic structure of epiphytic bryophyte communities, and hence, assess the contribution of environmental filtering, phylogenetic constraints and competition to community assembly.

A canopy crane giving access to 1.1 ha of tropical rainforest in Yunnan (China) was employed to record hourly light and microclimatic conditions from 54 dataloggers and epiphytic bryophyte communities from 408 plots. Generalized Dissimilarity Modelling was implemented to analyse the relationship between taxonomic and phylogenetic turnover among epiphytic communities, host‐tree characteristics and microclimatic variation.

Within‐tree vertical turnover of bryophyte communities was significantly about 30% higher than horizontal turnover among‐trees. Thus, the sharp vertical variations in microclimatic conditions from tree base to canopy are more important than differences in age, reflecting the likelihood of colonization, area, and habitat conditions between young and old trees, in shaping the composition of epiphytic bryophyte communities.

Our models, to which microclimatic factors contributed most (83–98%), accounted for 33% and 18% of the variation in vertical turnover in mosses and liverworts, respectively. Phylogenetic turnover shifted from significantly negative or non‐significant within communities to significantly positive among communities, and was slightly, but significantly, correlated with microclimatic variation. These patterns highlight the crucial role of microclimates in determining the composition and phylogenetic structure of epiphytic communities.

Synthesis. The mostly non‐significant phylogenetic turnover observed within communities does not support the idea that competition plays an important role in epiphytic bryophytes. Instead, microclimatic variation is the main driver of community composition and phylogenetic structure, evidencing the role of phylogenetic niche conservatism in community assembly.
A More Dynamic Economy
Authors: Leigh Andrew
Published: October 2022

Economic dynamism is fundamental to productivity and living standards. Several important metrics suggest that the Australian economy has become less dynamic over recent decades. The share of workers starting a new job has fallen. Among employing businesses, the start‐up rate has declined. On average, markets have become more concentrated. Mark‐ups have increased. Reinvigorating competition policy may be an important means of boosting dynamism and raising the rate of productivity growth.
Using OVIP online: a teacher‐mediated computer‐assisted programme for pupils with reading difficulties
Authors: Dimitrellou Eleni , Macmillan Philip , Norwich Brahm
Published: October 2022

School closures due to the COVID‐19 pandemic uncovered the overriding need to create engaging online learning environments to facilitate students' learning. This paper focuses on the online evaluation of Own‐Voice Intensive Phonics (OVIP) approach, a computer‐assisted instruction programme used during the COVID restrictions to help 15 pupils aged 7–12 with reading difficulties improve their reading. Analysis of Single Word Reading pre‐and‐post‐test revealed a 3.2‐year mean word reading age gain over a 19‐ to 22‐week period. Questionnaire data from pupils and parents and the end of OVIP session and parent‐reported data at a one‐year follow‐up demonstrated an overall increase in pupil reading skills and self‐confidence that transferred into wider confidence and engagement for some pupils. Findings indicate that OVIP might be an effective teacher‐mediated programme in supporting pupils with reading difficulties to enhance their reading skills through online tutoring. Further research is necessary to compare teacher‐mediated own voice approaches to unmediated programmes, using a larger sample.
Evaluation of suspected drug‐facilitated sexual assault cases in the city of Houston from 2014 to 2020
Authors: Dempsey Sara K. , Rodgers Corissa L. , Stout Peter , Lee Dayong
Published: October 2022

Drug‐facilitated sexual assault is a form of sexual violence against an individual incapacitated by alcohol and/or drugs consumed voluntarily or covertly administered. The purpose of this study was to evaluate toxicological results and the associated demographics of sexual assault‐related cases submitted to Houston Forensic Science Center from 2014 to 2020. In total, 1240 samples (1230 cases) were tested during the six‐year period that consisted of blood, urine, or both specimens. Blood was analyzed for ethanol by dual‐column headspace gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. Drug screen analysis was performed preferably on urine specimens using enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay. Positive screening results were confirmed upon request only due to laboratory policy. A total of 22% (n = 176) of requested samples were confirmed positive. Ethanol was the most prevalent substance detected, present in 17% of the samples (n = 212), followed by 11‐nor‐9‐carboxy‐delta‐9‐tetrahydrocannabinol (THC‐COOH) (n = 118). The combination of ethanol and THC‐COOH was the most frequent one found (n = 17) in cases positive for two or more drugs (n = 101). Demographic data showed the majority of DFSA victims were white (25%) females (72%) with an average age of 27 years old (n = 348). Almost 90% of cases where the presence of drugs was confirmed resulted in no charges being made, either due to lack of suspect information or unknown reasons by the laboratory.
DNA barcoding of Cymbidium by genome skimming: Call for next‐generation nuclear barcodes
Authors: Zhang Le , Huang Yi‐Wei , Huang Jia‐Lin , Ya Ji‐Dong , Zhe Meng‐Qing , Zeng Chun‐Xia , Zhang Zhi‐Rong , Zhang Shi‐Bao , Li De‐Zhu , Li Hong‐Tao , Yang Jun‐Bo
Published: October 2022

Cymbidium is an orchid genus that has undergone rapid radiation and has high ornamental, economic, ecological and cultural importance, but its classification based on morphology is controversial. The plastid genome (plastome), as an extension of plant standard DNA barcodes, has been widely used as a potential molecular marker for identifying recently diverged species or complicated plant groups. In this study, we newly generated 237 plastomes of 50 species (at least two individuals per species) by genome skimming, covering 71.4% of members of the genus Cymbidium. Sequence‐based analyses (barcoding gaps and automatic barcode gap discovery) and tree‐based analyses (maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference and multirate Poisson tree processes model) were conducted for species identification of Cymbidium. Our work provides a comprehensive DNA barcode reference library for Cymbidium species identification. The results show that compared with standard DNA barcodes (rbcL + matK) as well as the plastid trnH‐psbA, the species identification rate of the plastome increased moderately from 58% to 68%. At the same time, we propose an optimized identification strategy for Cymbidium species. The plastome cannot completely resolve the species identification of Cymbidium, the main reasons being incomplete lineage sorting, artificial cultivation, natural hybridization and chloroplast capture. To further explore the potential use of nuclear data in identifying species, the Skmer method was adopted and the identification rate increased to 72%. It appears that nuclear genome data have a vital role in species identification and are expected to be used as next‐generation nuclear barcodes.
Treatment patterns and outcomes of immunotherapy in extensive‐stage small‐cell lung cancer based on real‐world practice
Authors: Yang Yaning , Ai Xin , Xu Haiyan , Yang Guangjian , Yang Lu , Hao Xuezhi , Yang Ke , Mi Yuling , Wang Guizhen , Zhang Shuyang , Lei Siyu , Wang Yan
Published: October 2022

Background

The application of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) represents a breakthrough in the current landscape for the treatment of extensive‐stage small‐cell lung cancer (ES‐SCLC), but the real‐world outcome is limited. This study aimed to investigate the treatment options and efficacy evaluation of first‐line, second‐line, and subsequent‐line immunotherapy in routine practice.

Methods

A retrospective analysis of ES‐SCLC patients treated with ICIs was conducted between May 2016 and September 2021. Objective response rate, disease control rate, progression‐free survival (PFS) and overall survival were assessed between groups to explore the value of ICIs at different treatment time periods. PFS1 and PFS2 were defined as the duration from initial therapy to disease progression or death in first‐line or second‐line treatment.

Results

Ninety‐six patients with ES‐SCLC were included. PFS1 was prolonged in patients treated with first‐line ICIs‐combined therapy (median PFS1 7.20 months vs. 5.30 months, hazard ratio [HR] 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.36–087, p = 0.0085). For patients who progressed after first‐line ICIs treatment (N = 22), PFS1 + PFS2 was longer in the second‐line ICIs continuation group with no significant difference (median PFS1 + PFS2 11.27 months vs. 7.20 months, HR 0.45, 95% CI 0.14–1.51, p = 0.19). For patients who experienced a progression event after first‐line chemotherapy (N = 50), PFS2 and PFS1 + PFS2 were prolonged in patients who accepted second‐line ICIs‐combined therapy without significant difference (median PFS2 4.00 months vs. 2.43 months, HR 0.59, 95% CI 0.33–1.05, p = 0.070; median PFS1 + PFS2 11.30 months vs. 8.70 months, HR 0.53, 95% CI 0.29–0.98, p = 0.056).

Conclusion

First‐line ICIs plus chemotherapy should be applied in the clinical practice of ES‐SCLC. If patients did not receive ICIs plus chemotherapy in first‐line treatment, therapies that include ICIs in second‐line treatment should be considered.
Property price dynamics and asymmetric effects of economic policy uncertainty: New evidence from the Australian capital cities
Authors: Wadud IKM Mokhtarul , Bashar Omar H. M. N. , Ali Ahmed Huson Joher , Dimovski William
Published: October 2022

This paper examines the long‐run relationship between residential property prices and economic policy uncertainty (EPU) in seven Australian capital cities. Using the panel nonlinear autoregressive distributed lag model, we analyse the asymmetric effect of EPU on Australian house and apartment (unit) prices over the period 2001–2021. The EPU is found to affect property prices negatively; however, the effects of the positive changes in EPU are larger than those of the negative changes in EPU. The evidence of asymmetric effects is particularly strong for unit prices. Our results reveal that interest rates, construction costs and housing loans also drive the long‐run price trends.
Clinical relevance of fibrin membranous structures in the intra‐photoreceptor outer segment separation on spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) in initial‐onset acute Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada disease
Authors: Motegi Shuntaro , Nagura Koichi , Yoneda Keisuke , Harimoto Kozo , Sato Tomohito , Herbort Carl P. , Takeuchi Masaru
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the study was to investigate clinical relevance of fibrin membranous structure (FMS) in the photoreceptor outer segments on spectral‐domain optical coherence tomography (SD‐OCT) in untreated initial‐onset acute Vogt‐Koyanagi‐Harada (VKH) disease.

Methods

Clinical charts of 39 patients (78 eyes) diagnosed with initial‐onset VKH disease were retrospectively reviewed. Age, gender, period from the onset of symptoms to first visit, visual acuity (VA), intraocular pressure (IOP), anterior chamber cells, serous retinal detachment (SRD), SD‐OCT findings, as well as fluorescein (FA), and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA) were collected.

Results

FMS was observed in 24 out of 39 VKH patients in either eye (61.5%). VKH patients with FMS (FMS group) were significantly younger and had the shorter period from the onset of symptoms to the first visit compared with those without FMS (non‐FMS group). Mean logMAR VA and proportion of pooling of dye, mean central retinal thickness (CRT) were significantly higher in FMS group than in non‐FMS group. In contrast, hyperfluorescence of the optic disc on FA was more in non‐FMS group than in FMS group. Significant positive correlations between CRT and logMAR VA or IOP were only observed in the FMS group. Total amount of corticosteroids was significantly greater in FMS group than in non‐FMS group. However, there were no significant differences in LogMAR VA and IOP between two groups at 6 months after treatment initiation.

Conclusion

FMS on SD‐OCT is a critical feature observed in the early stage of initial‐onset acute VKH disease, which is more common in younger patients and is related to the disease activity.
Long‐term safety and efficacy of the anti‐tissue factor pathway inhibitor marstacimab in participants with severe haemophilia: Phase II study results
Authors: Mahlangu Johnny , Luis Lamas Jose , Cristobal Morales Juan , Malan Daniel R. , Teeter John , Charnigo Robert J. , Hwang Eunhee , Arkin Steven
Published: October 2022

Marstacimab, an investigational human monoclonal antibody targeting tissue factor pathway inhibitor, demonstrated safety and efficacy in preventing bleeding episodes in patients with haemophilia. This multicentre, open‐label study investigated safety, tolerability, and efficacy of long‐term weekly prophylactic marstacimab treatment in participants with severe haemophilia A and B, with or without inhibitors. Adult participants were enrolled from a previous phase Ib/II study or de novo and assigned to one of two subcutaneous (SC) marstacimab doses: once‐weekly 300 mg or a 300‐mg loading dose followed by once‐weekly 150‐mg doses, for up to 365 days. Study end‐points included safety assessments and annualised bleeding rates (ABRs). Of 20 enrolled participants, 18 completed the study. Overall, 70% of participants had treatment‐emergent adverse events, including injection site reactions, injection site haematoma, and haemarthrosis. No treatment‐related serious adverse events or thrombotic events occurred. Across all dose cohorts, mean and median on‐study ABRs ranged from 0 to 3.6 and 0 to 2.5 bleeding episodes/participant/year respectively, demonstrating comparable efficacy to that observed in the short‐term parent study. No treatment‐induced anti‐drug antibodies were detected. Once‐weekly SC marstacimab prophylaxis was well tolerated, with an acceptable safety profile, and maintained long‐term efficacy up to 365 days. (Clinicaltrials.gov identifier, NCT03363321).
Kinase inhibit region of SOCS3 attenuates IL6‐induced proliferation and astrocytic differentiation of neural stem cells via cross talk between signaling pathways
Authors: An Jing , Tan Ruo‐Lan , Hu Xiao‐Xuan , Cai Zhen‐Lu , Sun Mei‐Qi , Ge Qian , Ma Wen , Li Hui‐Liang , Lu Hai‐Xia
Published: October 2022

Aims

Efficiency of neural stem cells (NSCs) therapy for brain injury is restricted by astrogliosis around the damaged region, in which JAK2/STAT3 signaling plays a key role. The SOCS3 that can directly inhibit JAK/STAT3 pathway. Here, we investigated the effects of a fusion peptide that combined kinase inhibitory region (KIR) of SOCS3 and virus trans‐activator of transcription (TAT) on biological behavior of cultured NSCs under inflammatory conditions.

Methods

NSCs were isolated from embryonic brain of SD rats, TAT‐KIR was synthesized, and penetration rate was evaluated by flow cytometry (FACS). CCK8, immunostaining, and FACS were used to detected of TAT‐KIR on the proliferation of NSCs. The expressions of GFAP and β tubulin III positive cells induced by IL6 with/without TAT‐KIR were examined by immunostaining and Western blotting to observe the NSCs differentiation, and the effect of TAT‐KIR on signaling cross talk was observed by Western blotting.

Results

Penetration rate of TAT‐KIR into primary cultured NSCs was up to 94%. TAT‐KIR did not affect the growth and viability of NSCs. It significantly reduced the NSCs proliferation that enhanced by IL‐6 stimulation via blocking the cell cycle progression from the G0/G1 to S phase. In addition, TAT‐KIR attenuated astrocytic differentiation and kept high level of neuronal differentiation derived from IL‐6‐induced NSCs. The fate of NSCs differentiation under inflammatory conditions was affected by TAT‐KIR, which was associated with synchronous inhibition of STAT3 and AKT, while promoting JNK expression.

Conclusion

TAT‐KIR mimetic of SOCS3 could be a promising approach for brain repair via regulating the biological behaviors of exogenous NSCs.
Ubiquitin C‐terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1), a double‐edged sword in mammalian oocyte maturation and spermatogenesis
Authors: Yang Donghui , Lu Qizhong , Peng Sha , Hua Jinlian
Published: October 2022

Background

Recent studies have shown that ubiquitin‐mediated cell apoptosis can modulate protein interaction and involve in the progress of oocyte maturation and spermatogenesis. As one of the key regulators involved in ubiquitin signal, ubiquitin C‐terminal hydrolase L1 (UCHL1) is considered a molecular marker associated with spermatogonia stem cells. However, the function of UCHL1 was wildly reported to regulate various bioecological processes, such as Parkinson's disease, lung cancer, breast cancer and colon cancer, how UCHL1 affects the mammalian reproductive system remains an open question.

Methods

We identified papers through electronic searches of PubMed database from inception to July 2022.

Results

Here, we summarize the important function of UCHL1 in controlling mammalian oocyte development, regulating spermatogenesis and inhibiting polyspermy, and we posit the balance of UCHL1 was essential to maintaining reproductive cellular and tissue homeostasis.

Conclusion

This study considers the ‘double‐edged sword’ role of UCHL1 during gametogenesis and presents new insights into UCHL1 in germ cells.