bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Resistin Pathway as Novel Mechanism of Post-lung Transplantation Bronchial Stenosis
Authors: Yu Diana H. , Lin Qing , Fan Chunling , Skinner John T. , Thiboutot Jeffrey P. , Yarmus Lonny B. , Johns Roger A.
Published: May 2023

Background:

Bronchial stenosis remains a significant source of morbidity among lung transplant recipients. Though infection and anastomotic ischemia have been proposed etiologies of the development of bronchial stenosis, the pathophysiologic mechanism has not been well elucidated.

Methods:

In this single-centered prospective study, from January 2013 through September 2015, we prospectively collected bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) and endobronchial epithelial brushings from the direct anastomotic site of bronchial stenosis of bilateral lung transplant recipients who developed unilateral post-transplant bronchial stenosis. Endobronchial epithelial brushings from the contralateral anastomotic site without bronchial stenosis and BAL from bilateral lung transplant recipients who did not develop post-transplant bronchial stenosis were used as controls. Total RNA was isolated from the endobronchial brushings and real-time polymerase chain reaction reactions were performed. Electrochemiluminescence biomarker assay was used to measure 10 cytokines from the BAL.

Results:

Out of 60 bilateral lung transplant recipients, 9 were found to have developed bronchial stenosis with 17 samples adequate for analysis. We observed a 1.56 to 70.8 mean-fold increase in human resistin gene expression in the anastomotic bronchial stenosis epithelial cells compared with nonstenotic airways. Furthermore, IL-1β (21.76±10.96 pg/mL; control 0.86±0.44 pg/mL; P<0.01) and IL-8 levels (990.56±326.60 pg/mL; control 20.33±1.17 pg/mL; P<0.01) were significantly elevated in the BAL of the lung transplant patients who developed anastomotic bronchial stenosis.

Conclusion:

Our data suggest that the development of postlung transplantation bronchial stenosis may be in part mediated through the human resistin pathway by IL-1β induced transcription factor nuclear factor-κβ activation and downstream upregulation of IL-8 in alveolar macrophages. Further study is needed in the larger patient cohorts and to determine its potential therapeutic role in the management of post-transplant bronchial stenosis.
COVID-19 PCR: frequency of internal control inhibition in clinical practice
Authors: Pasqualotto Alessandro C. , Seus Amanda L.
Published: May 2023

Introduction. Diagnosis of COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) is best performed with real-time (quantitative) PCR (qPCR), the most sensitive method for detection and quantification of viral RNA. Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) protocol, for each sample tested for the virus, three qPCR tests are performed, targeting the viral genes N1 and N2, in addition to the internal control gene RNase P. Samples in which internal control fails to amplify should be labelled ‘invalid’.

Methods. This study aims to determine the frequency of inhibition of the RNase P gene used as an internal control in qPCR tests for SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) in a reference hospital in Southern Brazil during the COVID-19 pandemic (1 February 2021 to 31 March 2021).

Results. A total 10, 311 samples were available for analysis. The mean cycle threshold (Ct) value for the RNAse P gene was 26.65 and the standard deviation was 3.18. A total of 252 samples were inhibited (2.4%) during the study period: amongst these, 77 (30.5%) showed late amplifications (beyond 2 standard deviations from the mean Ct value), and 175 (69.4%) revealed no fluorescence at all for the RNase P gene.

Conclusions. This study showed a low percentage of inhibition using RNase P as an internal control in COVID-19 PCRs using the CDC protocol, thus proving the effectiveness of this protocol for identification of SARS-CoV-2 in clinical samples. Re-extraction was efficacious for samples that showed little or no fluorescence for the RNase P gene.
Marginated aberrant red blood cells induce pathologic vascular stress fluctuations in a computational model of hematologic disorders
Authors: Cheng Xiaopo , Caruso Christina , Lam Wilbur A. , Graham Michael D.
Published: May 2023

Red blood cell (RBC) disorders affect billions worldwide. While alterations in the physical properties of aberrant RBCs and associated hemodynamic changes are readily observed, in conditions such as sickle cell disease and iron deficiency, RBC disorders can also be associated with vascular dysfunction. The mechanisms of vasculopathy in those diseases remain unclear and scant research has explored whether biophysical alterations of RBCs can directly affect vascular function. Here we hypothesize that the purely physical interactions between aberrant RBCs and endothelial cells, due to the margination of stiff aberrant RBCs, play a key role in this phenomenon for a range of disorders. This hypothesis is tested by direct simulations of a cellular scale computational model of blood flow in sickle cell disease, iron deficiency anemia, COVID-19, and spherocytosis. We characterize cell distributions for normal and aberrant RBC mixtures in straight and curved tubes, the latter to address issues of geometric complexity that arise in the microcirculation. In all cases aberrant RBCs strongly localize near the vessel walls (margination) due to contrasts in cell size, shape, and deformability from the normal cells. In the curved channel, the distribution of marginated cells is very heterogeneous, indicating a key role for vascular geometry. Finally, we characterize the shear stresses on the vessel walls; consistent with our hypothesis, the marginated aberrant cells generate large transient stress fluctuations due to the high velocity gradients induced by their near-wall motions. The anomalous stress fluctuations experienced by endothelial cells may be responsible for the observed vascular inflammation.

Significance Statement

A common and potentially life-threatening complication of blood cell disorders is inflammation and dysfunction of the vascular wall, for reasons that remain unclear. To address this issue, we explore a purely biophysical hypothesis involving red blood cells using detailed computational simulations. Our results show that red blood cells that are pathologically altered in cell shape, size, and stiffness, which occurs in various blood disorders, strongly marginate, residing primarily in the cell-free layer near blood vessel walls, generating large shear stress fluctuations at the vessel wall that may be responsible for endothelial damage and inflammation.
Presenilin homologues influence substrate binding and processing by γ-secretase: a molecular simulation study
Authors: Eccles Melissa K , Groth David , Verdile Giuseppe , Agostino Mark
Published: May 2023

Presenilin homologues in the γ-secretase complex play a pivotal role in substrate binding and processing, impacting β-amyloid (Aβ) peptide generation in Alzheimer’s disease. We conducted a molecular simulation study to determine substrate preferences between presenilin-1 (PS1) and presenilin-2 (PS2) γ-secretase enzymes for amyloid precursor protein (APP) and Notch1 processing. Using homology modelling, we generated PS1- and PS2-γ-secretase models bound to substrates in the Aβ40 and Aβ42 generation pathways and Notch1 S3 and S4 cleavage site substrates. Metadynamics simulations and binding free energy calculations were used to explore conformational ensembles and substrate preferences. PS2-γ-secretase exhibited increased conformational flexibility and preferential binding energy for initiating the Aβ42 pathway compared to PS1-γ-secretase. Additionally, Notch1 exhibits a preference for binding to PS2-γ-secretase over PS1-γ-secretase. This study provides valuable insights into the conformational dynamics of γ-secretase bound to different substrates within a cleavage pathway, improving our understanding of substrate processivity. The findings highlight the importance of considering both PS1- and PS2-γ-secretase in structure-based drug design efforts, with implications for stabilizing or destabilizing specific states during APP processing.
The FIGNL1-FIRRM complex is required to complete meiotic recombination in the mouse and prevents massive DNA damage-independent RAD51 and DMC1 loading
Authors: Zainu Akbar , Dupaigne Pauline , Bouchouika Soumya , Cau Julien , Clément Julie A. J. , Auffret Pauline , Ropars Virginie , Charbonnier Jean-Baptiste , de Massy Bernard , Mercier Raphael , Kumar Rajeev , Baudat Frédéric
Published: May 2023

During meiosis, nucleoprotein filaments of the strand exchange proteins RAD51 and DMC1 are crucial for repairing SPO11-generated DNA double-strand breaks (DSBs) by homologous recombination (HR). A balanced activity of positive and negative RAD51/DMC1 regulators ensures proper recombination. Fidgetin-like 1 (FIGNL1) was previously shown to negatively regulate RAD51 in human cells. However, FIGNL1’s role during meiotic recombination in mammals remains unknown. Here, we deciphered the meiotic functions of FIGNL1 and FIGNL1 Interacting Regulator of Recombination and Mitosis (FIRRM) using male germline-specific conditional knock-out (cKO) mouse models. Both FIGNL1 and FIRRM are required for completing meiotic prophase in mouse spermatocytes. Despite efficient recruitment of DMC1 on ssDNA at meiotic DSB hotspots, the formation of late recombination intermediates is defective inFirrmcKO andFignl1cKO spermatocytes. Moreover, the FIGNL1-FIRRM complex limits RAD51 and DMC1 accumulation on intact chromatin, independently from the formation of SPO11-catalyzed DSBs. Purified human FIGNL1ΔN alters the RAD51/DMC1 nucleoprotein filament structure and inhibits strand invasionin vitro. Thus, this complex might regulate RAD51 and DMC1 association at sites of meiotic DSBs to promote proficient strand invasion and processing of recombination intermediates.
TREM2 promotes glioma progression and angiogenesis mediated by microglia/brain macrophages
Authors: Chen Xuezhen , Zhao Yue , Huang Yimin , Zhu Kaichuan , Zeng Fan , Zhao Junyi , Zhang Huaqiu , Zhu Xinzhou , Kettenmann Helmut , Xiang Xianyuan
Published: May 2023

TREM2, a myeloid cell-specific signaling molecule, controls essential functions of microglia and impacts on the pathogenesis of Alzheimer’s disease and other neurodegenerative disorders. TREM2 is also highly expressed in tumor-associated macrophages and plays detrimental roles in an experimental mouse sarcoma model. Here we studied whether TREM2 influences glioma progression. We found a sex- dependent effect of TREM2: the glioma volume is significantly attenuated in TREM2- deficient male but not female mice injected with GL261-EGFP glioma cells. The accumulation of glioma-associated microglia/macrophages (GAMs) and vascularization is reduced in male TREM2-deficient mice. A transcriptomic analysis of glioma tissue revealed that TREM2 deficiency suppresses angiogenic genes and MHC clusters. In an organotypic slice model devoid of functional vascularization, the tumor size was not affected by TREM2-deficiency. In human resection samples from glioblastoma, TREM2 is upregulated in GAMs. Based on the TCGA and CGGA databases, the TREM2 expression levels are negatively correlated with survival. Thus, the TREM2-dependent crosstalk between GAMs and the vasculature formation promotes glioma growth.

Graphic abstract

TREM2-dependent crosstalk between glioma-associated microglia/macrophages and the vasculature formation promotes glioma growth in male glioma mouse model. Created with BioRender.com
Pre-saccadic Preview Shapes Post-Saccadic Processing More Where Perception is Poor
Authors: Liu Xiaoyi , Melcher David , Carrasco Marisa , Hanning Nina M.
Published: May 2023

The pre-saccadic preview of a peripheral target enhances the efficiency of its post-saccadic processing, termed the extrafoveal preview effect. Peripheral visual performance –and thus the quality of the preview– varies around the visual field, even at iso-eccentric locations: it is better along the horizontal than vertical meridian and along the lower than upper vertical meridian. To investigate whether these polar angle asymmetries influence the preview effect, we asked human participants (to preview four tilted gratings at the cardinals, until a central cue indicated to which one to saccade. During the saccade, the target orientation either remained or slightly changed (valid/invalid preview). After saccade landing, participants discriminated the orientation of the (briefly presented) second grating. Stimulus contrast was titrated with adaptive staircases to assess visual performance. Expectedly, valid previews increased participants’ post-saccadic contrast sensitivity. This preview benefit, however, was inversely related to polar angle perceptual asymmetries; largest at the upper, and smallest at the horizontal meridian. This finding reveals that the visual system compensates for peripheral asymmetries when integrating information across saccades, by selectively assigning higher weights to the less-well perceived preview information. Our study supports the recent line of evidence showing that perceptual dynamics around saccades vary with eye movement direction.

Significance Statement

We constantly make saccadic eye movements to bring relevant visual information into the fovea, which has the highest acuity. Before each saccade, we use “previewed” peripheral information to support our post-saccadic vision. Our sensitivity varies around the visual field –at the same eccentricity it is best along the horizontal meridian and worst at the upper vertical meridian. An optimal visual system should rely more on previewed information with higher precision. Our study reveals the opposite: peripheral preview shapes subsequent post-saccadic foveal processing more at locations where peripheral vision is worse. This finding implies that the human visual system compensates for sensitivity differences around the visual field when integrating information across eye movements.
Deletion of competence genes represses expression of genes associated with anaerobic respiration/metabolism inAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans
Authors: Vahvelainen Nelli , Kovesjoki Laura , Maula Terhi , Ihalin Riikka
Published: May 2023

Biofilm formation contributes to the virulence of various pathogens, as the extracellular polymer matrix provides protection against the host immune defense and antimicrobial drugs. Biofilm- associated diseases often become chronic and recurring. The periodontal pathogenAggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans, which resides in a multispecies biofilm in the subgingival pocket, produces multiple virulence factors that can contribute to disease progression. Certain strains of the species are naturally competent, which allows uptake of extracellular DNA that can be incorporated into the bacterial genome or used as a nutrient. Earlier studies indicated that bacterial interleukin receptor I (BilRI) and the type IV pilus subunit PilA protein are needed for efficient transformation inA. actinomycetemcomitans. In this study, we show that the outer membrane secretin HofQ is required for natural competence, as deletion of thehofQgene results in a nontransformable strain. Furthermore, we studied the gene expression profiles of three single-gene mutants of the naturally competentA. actinomycetemcomitansstrain D7S, all of which have decreased transformation efficiency compared to the wild-type strain. Additionally, asA. actinomycetemcomitanscan bind to and internalize interleukin (IL)-1β, the effect of IL-1β on bacterial gene expression was also studied. However, in our experimental setup, the addition of IL-1β did not change gene expression in theA. actinomycetemcomitansstrains used. The mutant strain lacking thebilRIgene exhibited a gene expression pattern similar to that of the wild-type strain. However, deletion ofhofQorpilAresulted in altered gene expression. Interestingly, genes associated with anaerobic growth, biofilm formation, and virulence were downregulated in the ΔhofQand ΔpilAdeletion mutants, which could indicate a decreased colonization ability and reduced virulence.
Do satisfied customers recommend restaurants? The moderating effect of engagement on social networks on the relationship between satisfaction and eWOM
Authors: Chinelato Flavia Braga , Oliveira Alessandro Silva de , Souki Gustavo Quiroga
Published: May 2023

Purpose

Academics and managers scour to understand which perceived quality factors are paramount to consumers during their restaurant experiences and how they influence their emotions, satisfaction, propensity to loyalty and electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM). However, previous studies are divergent regarding the impacts of satisfaction on eWOM. This survey aims to (a) investigate the impacts of perceived quality by restaurant consumers on positive emotions, negative emotions and satisfaction; (b) verify the impacts of satisfaction on the propensity to loyalty and eWOM; (c) test whether the consumers’ behavioural engagement in the SNS (CBE-SNS) moderates the relationship between satisfaction and eWOM.

Design/methodology/approach

This survey included 416 university students in Peru who completed an electronic form about their experiences at à la carte restaurants. PLS-SEM tested the hypothetical model based on S-O-R Theory (Mehrabian and Russell, 1974).

Findings

The perceived quality by consumers regarding their restaurant experiences positively impacts satisfaction and positive emotions and negatively affects negative emotions. Satisfaction strongly influences the propensity to loyalty but weakly the eWOM. The CBE-SNS moderates the intensity of the relationship between satisfaction and eWOM.

Originality/value

This study is the first to concomitantly test the relationships between perceived quality, positive and negative emotions, satisfaction, the propensity to loyalty, e-WOM and CBE-SNS. Consumer engagement moderates the relationship between satisfaction and eWOM. Accordingly, to stimulate positive eWOM, restaurants must provide their customers with experiences with high perceived quality, impacting their satisfaction, emotions and propensity for loyalty, and developing strategies to increase CBE-SNS.
Does polychronicity among sales employees develop B2B service recovery? A dual assessment through ambidextrous leadership
Authors: Ahmad Bilal , Yuan Jingbo , Akhtar Naeem , Waheed Abdul
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This research explores the determinants and consequences of salesperson polychronicity in a business-to-business (B2B) sales environment. Additionally, the study examined the link between the antecedents and consequences of salesperson polychronicity using resistance to change (RC) and manager trust in salesperson (MT) as moderators.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework was developed by testing eight hypotheses based on data collected from 378 salesperson-manager dyads.

Findings

The authors find that opening leader behavior is positively associated with salesperson polychronicity, while closing leader behavior negatively influences salesperson polychronicity. In addition, salesperson polychronicity positively affects service recovery performance and customer-directed organizational citizen behaviors (OCB). Finally, the RC and MT significantly and positively moderate the linkage between the antecedents and consequences of salesperson polychronicity.

Originality/value

This study is original because this is the first study to address polychronicity as an individual trait in a B2B environment where multitasking behavior is of paramount importance.
Municipal facilities managers as strategists
Authors: Gluch Pernilla , Svensson Ingrid , Bröchner Jan
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This study aims to investigate practitioners’ perceptions of strategic work in municipal facilities management: how public facilities management is changing, what is included in strategic public facilities management and who leads the strategic work.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review begins with mainstream studies of strategy management, ultimately concentrating on municipal facilities management. Findings are based on a 2020/2021 questionnaire targeting 356 practitioners in municipal facilities management across Sweden (50% response rate). The statistical treatment includes factor analysis.

Findings

Most respondents indicated changed ways of managing facilities in the past five years; most reported that they were in an organization with an explicit goal of working more strategically. Respondents associated strategic facilities management with governance, facilities, sustainability, technology change and communication. Frequently, it was the management team of the facilities management department that led strategic work.

Research limitations/implications

Research into municipal facilities management is dominated by studies in Northern Europe, and more studies from other regions are needed. How strategies and work roles evolve in parallel appears to be a fruitful direction of further research.

Practical implications

Facilities managers need stronger competences and more resources to engage in strategic facilities management. Findings indicate a need to integrate sustainability aspects better into long-term strategic work.

Social implications

More strategic municipal facilities management is of obvious social value.

Originality/value

This is the first study of practitioner perceptions of work on strategic facilities management in municipalities.
Examining the trade-led Kuznets hypothesis for emerging economies: a multivariate framework
Authors: Jain Neha , Mohapatra Geetilaxmi
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The present study aims to investigate the non-linear relationship between trade and income inequality to address goal 10 of sustainable development goals (SDGs) using the Kuznets Curve (KC) framework for major emerging countries during 1991–2020.

Design/methodology/approach

For this purpose, recent econometric techniques, such as Common Correlated Effect (CCE) and Dynamic Common Correlated Effect (DCCE) estimators have been employed to deal with the cross-section dependence (CD) that arises in panel data, while the robustness of the study is checked through Driscoll–Kraay standard errors method.

Findings

The empirical results of the study confirm the existence of inverted “U-shaped” relationship between trade and income inequality suggesting evidence for the trade-led KC in the panel of emerging countries. Along with the non-linear model, the threshold value is estimated to be between 3.5 and 4% of gross domestic product (GDP).

Research limitations/implications

The authors' findings support that trade contributes significantly toward reducing income inequality and helps in achieving goal 10 of SDGs. Hence, trade policies appear to be more egalitarian. The results widen the scope for further research and provide insights for regulators and policymakers in modeling trade policies and changing the status quo trade policy framework accordingly.

Originality/value

The present study is a pioneering attempt to examine the non-linear relationship between trade and income inequality under the KC framework in light of the Agenda 2030 for sustainable development. The study also considers other explanatory factors that have an impact on income inequality. Furthermore, the study considers other explanatory factors that have an impact on income inequality, and the attempt to estimate the threshold value for the trade-led KC is novel and interesting.
The impact of ESG rating disagreement on corporate value
Authors: Kim Ryumi , Koo Bonha
Published: May 2023

The authors examine the effect of split environmental, social and governance (ESG) ratings on information asymmetry, corporate value and trading behavior. The authors test the risk-based hypothesis and the optimism-bias hypothesis on the relationship between diverging opinions and future stock prices. The authors results show that split ESG ratings is positively related to idiosyncratic volatility, an alternative measure for information asymmetry. Further, the negative effect of split ESG ratings on cumulative abnormal return under short-selling constraints is consistent with the optimism bias hypothesis. The authors find a negative relationship between split ESG ratings and the net purchase ratio (NPR) of pension funds. Considering that the NPR is a direct measure of net demand, ESG disagreement may hinder socially responsible investing (SRI) in a firm. This study directly demonstrates the negative effect of ESG disagreement on firm value and investment by Korea's National Pension Service (NPS). The results offer valuable insights into policymakers, as the wide divergence in ESG ratings requires urgent attention to expand SRI.
Development of cultural agility competencies through global mobility
Authors: Caligiuri Paula M.
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to understand how these competencies gained will help human resource (HR) leaders become more strategic about when and how to use global mobility for talent development.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the author defines the construct of cultural agility and describes the theoretical mechanisms through which employees can gain cultural agility through culturally novel situations such as global mobility. Cultural agility enables individuals to work comfortably and effectively with people from different cultures and in situations of cultural novelty. People with cultural agility have task-management competencies (cultural minimization, adaptation and integration), self-management competencies (tolerance of ambiguity, resilience, curiosity) and relationship-management competencies (humility, relationship building and perspective taking).

Findings

This study aims at focusing on the development of cultural agility, this paper focuses on four cascading features of a culturally novel experience that can help individuals gain this competence: (1) the level of cultural novelty in the experience, (2) the readiness of an individual for that level of cultural novelty, (3) the individual's level of awareness of the cultural norms and values inherent in the culturally novel experience and (4) the level of social support offered to that individual to learn how to understand and respond in that experience.

Originality/value

Each feature is discussed, concluding with the implications for future research and practitioners in global mobility and talent development.
Traveling with special needs: investigating constraints and negotiation strategies for engaging in tourism activities
Authors: Devile Eugenia Lima , Eusébio Celeste , Moura Andreia
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study is to identify the travel constraints of people with special needs (PwSN) and the strategies used to overcome them. The article also intends to analyze the differences in travel constraints and negotiation strategies according to the type of disability and/or special need.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative study was conducted in which a sample of PwSN (people with disabilities – mobility, sensory and cognitive – seniors and people with food allergies) were interviewed in depth.

Findings

PwSN face a wide range of constraints when engaging in tourism activities. These constraints are very diverse and influence people with different intensity and have to be overcome using different negotiation strategies. However, differences in the constraints were observed according to the type of special needs.

Practical implications

One of the most significant practical implications of this research is the need for raising awareness regarding human diversity among tourism stakeholders. It is critical to link sectoral policies that are reflected in the social and business reality, creating public–private partnerships to raise the sharing of knowledge, equipment and services. By addressing the constraints that prevent PwSN from traveling, the tourism sector can create more opportunities for them to participate in social activities, improving their quality of life and contributing to a more sustainable and inclusive industry.

Originality/value

Traveling can present significant challenges for people with special needs, which affect the quality of their tourism experience. Despite growing academic attention to this issue in recent years, research in this field has primarily focused on specific aspects of disability. This study seeks not only to identify the barriers to travel faced by people with different special needs but also to explore the negotiation strategies used to overcome these barriers and the differences according to the type of special need.
A review of workplace spirituality scales
Authors: Pawar Badrinarayan Shankar
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper reviews 18 workplace spirituality scales developed over a period of 23 years from year 2000 to early 2023. The objective is to provide inputs which can guide future researchers in choosing an existing appropriate workplace spirituality scale and in adopting sound scale development procedures for the development of new workplace spirituality scales.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper outlines the need for and importance of carrying out a review of workplace spirituality scales. Thereafter, it carries out a review of each of the 18 workplace spirituality scales. It describes 10 overall limitations of the collective set of workplace spirituality scales. Finally, five future research directions are outlined.

Findings

The review indicates that most of the workplace spirituality scales have limitations associated with them. The collective set of workplace spirituality scales also has several overall limitations.

Research limitations/implications

The review suggests that workplace spirituality researchers need to exercise caution in choosing an appropriate existing workplace spirituality scale for their research. The review also provides directions for the future research for developing more adequate workplace spirituality scales.

Practical implications

The inputs from this review will contribute to improve the practice of workplace spirituality research.

Social implications

As workplace spirituality can make organizations more beneficial for employees and the society, this review's contribution to improving workplace spirituality research has an indirect social significance.

Originality/value

This is, to the author's knowledge, the first comprehensive review of 18 workplace spirituality scales developed over a period of 23 years from year 2000 to 2023.
Intuitionistic fuzzy fault tree analysis of PCBA using novel arithmetic operations
Authors: Khajuria Rocky , Komal
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The main goal of this paper is to develop novel Tω(weakest t-norm)-based fuzzy arithmetic operations to analyze the intuitionistic fuzzy reliability of Printed Circuit Board Assembly (PCBA) using fault tree.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper proposes a fuzzy fault tree analysis (FFTA) method for evaluating the intuitionistic fuzzy reliability of any nonrepairable system with uncertain information about failures of system components. This method uses a fault tree for modeling the failure phenomenon of the system, triangular intuitionistic fuzzy numbers (TIFNs) to determine data uncertainty, while novel arithmetic operations are adopted to determine the intuitionistic fuzzy reliability of a system under consideration. The proposed arithmetic operations employ Tω(weakest t-norm) to minimize the accumulating phenomenon of fuzziness, whereas the weighted arithmetic mean is employed to determine the membership as well as nonmembership degrees of the intuitionistic fuzzy failure possibility of the nonrepairable system. The usefulness of the proposed method has been illustrated by inspecting the intuitionistic fuzzy failure possibility of the PCBA and comparing the results with five other existing FFTA methods.

Findings

The results show that the proposed FFTA method effectively reduces the accumulating phenomenon of fuzziness and provides optimized degrees of membership and nonmembership for computed intuitionistic fuzzy reliability of a nonrepairable system.

Originality/value

The paper introduces Tω(weakest t-norm) and weighted arithmetic mean based operations for evaluating the intuitionistic fuzzy failure possibility of any nonrepairable system in an uncertain environment using a fault tree.
One needs to be reminded and motivated: mediating role of digital nudging for food waste reduction
Authors: Ong Derek , Chiu Shirley , Andrews Elizabeth , Nadarajan Geetha
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The global food waste and food scarcity paradox is steadfastly increasing. This study aims to examine the effects of digital nudging as forms of positive and negative reinforcement to change food waste behavior and found that nudging positive reinforcement modifies this habit.

Design/methodology/approach

A field experiment was conducted on 628 diners randomly split into experiment (n = 412) and control group (n = 216) in two separate dining locations over four weeks. Out of these, 412 diners were randomly subjected to tent cards with positive (n = 228) and negative (n = 184) reinforcement nudging and completed a questionnaire to ascertain if nudging affects their consumption behavior. Consumption waste per unit revenue was calculated from all 628 diners individually to analyze the financial impact between control and experiment groups.

Findings

SEM analysis reveals that positive reinforcement mediates between external motivators (social media and restaurant service) and reduction of food waste behavior. Further analysis also reveals that nudging has a higher three times effect on reducing food waste as compared with no nudging (control).

Social implications

Positive messaging encourages behavior change more effectively as compared to negative ones. Gentle reminders of how everyone can personally be a “warrior” or “hero” in the fight against global food waste increases the likelihood of altruistic motivation in tackling these issues.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates how positive reinforcement in the form of nudges acts as key mediator to support reduction of consumer food waste on site, ultimately helping to reduce financial costs compared to those without nudges.
Attunement theory, CEO's cyclical influence on corporate social responsibility and firm value
Authors: Brick Ivan E. , Qiao Yankuo
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to further contribute to the growing stream of literature on the CEO's impact on corporate social responsibility (CSR). The authors shed light on the implications of attunement theory on which relatively less research has been done. Furthermore, this paper strives to reconcile contradictory findings of the effect of CEO tenure on CSR and use the immediate changes of CSR enacted by the new CEO upon firm value.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical strategy of the paper is centered around CEO transition. Applying first difference model, the authors identify a tenure-varying pattern of CEO influence on CSR. Moreover, the authors base the analyses of CSR value relevance on the sudden change of CSR during CEO transition, and use a within-industry matching approach as the inferential strategy. Manual data collection is conducted extensively for robustness checks.

Findings

The authors find that CSR activities change drastically at the beginning of the new CEO's ascendancy. One exception to this general pattern of CSR policy change is when the new CEO is brought from outside the organization, a result supporting the attunement theory. The authors find that firm value increases (decreases) when the new CEO increases (decreases) the CSR investment above (below) the industry norm.

Originality/value

This paper is among the first ones in the extant literature that directly examines the analytical implications of attunement theory concerning the CEO's impact on the firm's CSR policies. Furthermore, the positive association between CSR and firm value corroborates the arguments of instrumental stakeholder theory.
Medicaid expansion associated with no change in emergency department use across racial and ethnic groups
Authors: Hanchate Amresh D. , Strackman Braden W. , Lin Mengyun , Paasche‐Orlow Michael K. , Lasser Karen E. , Cole Megan B.
Published: May 2023

Objective

To estimate changes in the emergency department (ED) visit rate, hospitalization share of ED visits, and ED visit volumes associated with Medicaid expansion among Hispanic, Black, and White adults.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

For the population of adults aged 26–64 with no insurance or Medicaid coverage, we obtained census population and ED visit counts during 2010–2018 in nine expansion and five nonexpansion states.

Main Outcomes and Measures

The primary outcome was the annual number of ED visits per 100 adults (“ED rate”). The secondary outcomes were the share of ED visits leading to hospitalization, total number (“volumes”) of all ED visits, ED visits leading to discharge (“treat‐and‐release”) and ED visits leading to hospitalization (“transfer‐to‐inpatient”), and the share of the study population with Medicaid (“Medicaid share”).

Study Design

An event‐study difference in differences design that contrasts pre‐ versus post‐expansion changes in outcomes in Medicaid expansion and nonexpansion states.

Principal Findings

In 2013, the ED rate was 92.6, 34.4, and 59.2 ED visits among Black, Hispanic, and White adults, respectively. The expansion was associated with no change in ED rate in all three groups in each of the five post‐expansion years. We found that expansion was associated with no change in the hospitalization share of ED visits and the volume of all ED visits, treat‐and‐release ED visits, and transfer‐to‐inpatient ED visits. The expansion was associated with an 11.7% annual increase (95% CI, 2.7%–21.2%) in the Medicaid share of Hispanic adults, but no significant change among Black adults (3.8%; 95% CI, −0.04% to 7.7%).

Conclusion

ACA Medicaid expansion was associated with no changes in the rate of ED visits among Black, Hispanic, and White adults. Expanding Medicaid eligibility may not change ED use, including among Black and Hispanic subgroups.
Identification of carotenoids from fruits and vegetables with or without saponification and evaluation of their antioxidant activities
Authors: Jing Huili , Nie Meimei , Dai Zhuqing , Xiao Yadong , Song Jiangfeng , Zhang Zhongyuan , Zhou Cunshan , Li Dajing
Published: May 2023

This study investigates the composition and form of carotenoids in typical fruits and vegetables obtained through saponification or non‐saponification and evaluates the correlation between carotenoids and antioxidant capacity. The results showed that the content of the total carotenoids in non‐saponified broccoli was the highest, reaching 1505.93 ± 71.99 µg/g d.w. The content of the total carotenoids in pumpkin flesh and broccoli after saponification was reduced by 71.82% and 52.02%, respectively. The content of lutein in spinach decreased by 24.4% after saponification, but the content of β‐carotene increased compared to non‐saponification. After saponification, the total antioxidant activities of apple peel, radish peel, radish flesh, and maize were significantly increased by 30.26%, 91.74%, 425.30%, and 242.88%, respectively. Saponification also improved the antioxidant activities of carotenoids in maize under six different antioxidant assays. The highest correlation was found between the total amount of carotenoids and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (R = 0.945), whereas the correlation coefficients among reducing power, 2,2‐diphenyl‐1‐picrylhydrazyl, 2,2′‐azinobis (3‐ethylbenzothiazoline‐6‐sulfonic acid), hydroxyl and superoxide radical scavenging activity, and total carotenoids’ content were 0.935, 0.851, 0.872, 0.885, and 0.777, respectively, all showing significant correlations. The study demonstrates that saponification can increase the total carotenoid content and antioxidation for apple peel, radish peel, radish flesh, and maize. Moreover, carotenoids were significantly positively correlated with most in vitro antioxidant assays. This study provides a theoretical basis for improving the postharvest added value of fruits and vegetables and rationally utilizing their byproducts.
Why Do Analysts use a Zero Forecast for Other Comprehensive Income?
Authors: Wallis Mark
Published: May 2023

Accounting theory and accounting researchers stress the importance of clean surplus accounting and comprehensive income to corporate valuation. However, casual observation suggests that sell‐side equity analysts routinely ignore other comprehensive income (OCI) in their forecasts and instead focus on forecasting earnings (before OCI). Using a sample of analyst reports, I first confirm that analysts normally omit forecasts of OCI or comprehensive income from their reports, consistent with analysts forecasting OCI as zero. I then predict and find that a zero forecast for OCI generally produces lower forecasting errors than alternative time‐series models, such as a random walk or AR(1) model, suggesting a rational reason why analysts take this approach. Finally, I predict and find that although analysts’ point forecasts of future OCI are usually zero, their implied cost of equity estimates are consistent with analysts forecasting a positive variance for OCI.
Price‐endogenous technology, producer welfare, and ex ante impact assessment: The case of industrial hemp
Authors: Cho Seojin , Antle John M.
Published: May 2023

The emerging hemp industry is an example of an important class of agricultural products where the market extent is limited, in hemp's case by laws and regulations, causing technology adoption to interact through prices with market‐level equilibrium. In this paper, we show that the equilibrium adoption rate and producer welfare impact of new technology, such as improved hemp genetics and management, are determined by the interaction between market prices and the spatial distribution of returns of both current and new technologies in the farm population. Price changes affect adoption and welfare through shifts in both the location (mean) and dispersion (variance and higher moments) of the spatial distribution of gains to the new technology. We show that an output price change may either increase or decrease the adoption rate of a new technology and in turn impact the elasticity of the market supply function. Additionally, we derive market‐equilibrium measures of welfare change for both adopters and non‐adopters and show how these welfare measures are affected by the spatial distribution of returns to a new technology. Our finding suggests that the interplay between new technologies and price changes is likely to have empirically important effects on regional supply and farm welfare.
From Welfarist Support for Vulnerable Groups to a Social Justice Perspective: The Australian Council of Social Service and the Construction of Poverty, 1956–75
Authors: Mendes Philip
Published: May 2023

It has often been suggested that poor Australians were a forgotten cohort during the long period of post‐World War Two prosperity. Yet the peak non‐government welfare body, the Australian Council of Social Service (ACOSS), aimed from its establishment in 1956 to publicise concerns about poverty, and stimulate policy responses to relieve the disadvantage of those living in poverty. Using a range of primary sources including ACOSS annual reports, policy statements, committee meeting minutes and newsletters, this paper examines the key manifestations of ACOSS advocacy for low‐income Australians including research reports, budget submissions and public forums. It is argued that ACOSS gradually shifted from a welfarist approach based on lifting the incomes of specific vulnerable groups in isolation to a social justice approach that linked poverty to wider societal inequities.
Bulk T‐cell receptor sequencing confirms clonality in pediatric eosinophilic esophagitis and identifies a food‐specific repertoire
Authors: Janarthanam Rethavathi , Kuang Fei Li , Zalewski Angelika , Amsden Katie , Wang Ming‐Yu , Ostilla Lorena , Keeley Kaitlyn , Hirano Ikuo , Kagalwalla Amir , Wershil Barry K. , Gonsalves Nirmala , Wechsler Joshua B.
Published: May 2023

Background

Eosinophilic esophagitis (EoE) involves a chronic immune‐mediated response to dietary antigens. Recent work identifies T‐cell clonality in children with EoE, however, it is unknown whether this is true in adults or whether there is a restricted food‐specific T‐cell repertoire. We sought to confirm T‐cell receptor (TCR) clonality in EoE and assess for differences with specific food triggers.

Methods

Bulk TCR sequencing was performed on mRNA isolated from esophageal biopsies obtained from adults and children with EoE (n = 15) who had food triggers confirmed by endoscopic evaluation. Non‐EoE adult and pediatric controls (n = 10) were included. Differences in TCR clonality by disease and treatment status were assessed. Shared and similar V‐J‐CDR3s were assessed based on specific food triggers.

Results

Active EoE biopsies from children but not adults displayed decreased unique TCRα/β clonotypes and increased relative abundance of TCRs comprising >1% of the total compared to non‐EoE controls and paired inactive EoE samples. Among patients in which baseline, post diet elimination, and food trigger reintroduction samples (n = 6) were obtained, we observed ~1% of TCRs were shared only between pre‐diet elimination and trigger reintroduction. Patients with a shared EoE trigger (milk) had a greater degree of shared and similar TCRs compared to patients with differing triggers (seafood, wheat, egg, soy).

Conclusion

We confirmed relative clonality in children but not adults with active EoE and identified potential food‐specific TCRs, particularly for milk‐triggered EoE. Further studies are needed to better identify the broad TCR repertoire relevant to food triggers.
Gender‐Sexuality Alliance meeting experiences predict weekly variation in hope among LGBTQ+ youth
Authors: Poteat V. Paul , Calzo Jerel P. , Sherwood S. Henry , Marx Robert A. , O'Brien Michael D. , Dangora Anya , Salgin Linda , Lipkin Arthur
Published: May 2023

Hope is considered a marker of resilience among youth facing oppression, including LGBTQ+ youth. This 8‐week weekly diary study among 94 LGBTQ+ youth (ages 14–19; Mage = 15.91, 46% youth of color, 44% transgender or nonbinary) in 2021 considered whether a youth's meeting‐to‐meeting experiences in Gender‐Sexuality Alliances (GSAs; LGBTQ+ affirming school clubs) predicted subsequent hope from week to week. Youth reported greater hope on days following meetings where they felt more group support, greater advisor responsiveness, and had taken on more leadership responsibilities. Group support and advisor responsiveness were stronger predictors of a youth's hope on days closer to GSA meetings; leadership's effect was stronger when more days had elapsed. Findings suggest how GSAs may cultivate hope among LGBTQ+ youth.
Preschoolers modulate contrastive inferences during online language comprehension
Authors: Ju Narae , Williams Natalie , Sedivy Julie , Chambers Craig G. , Graham Susan A.
Published: May 2023

This study examined 4‐ and 5‐year‐olds' incremental interpretation of size adjectives, focusing on whether contrastive inferences are modulated by speaker behavior. Children (N = 120, 59 females, mostly White, tested between July, 2018 and August, 2019) encountered either a conventional or unconventional speaker who labeled objects in a correspondingly typical or atypical way. Critical utterances contained size adjectives (e.g., “Look at the big duck”). With conventional speakers, gaze measures indicated that children rapidly used the adjective to differentiate members of a contrasting pair, indicating that even 4‐year‐olds derive contrastive inferences. With unconventional speakers, contrastive inferences were delayed in processing. The findings demonstrate that preschoolers adjust their use of pragmatic cues when presented with evidence disconfirming their default assumptions about a speaker.