bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
A multiphasic approach to solve misidentification of Cutibacterium acnes as Atopobium vaginae during routine bacterial screening of platelet concentrates using the VITEK 2 system
Authors: Kumaran Dilini , Laflamme Carmelie , Ramirez-Arcos Sandra
Published: June 2023

Skin flora bacteria, such as

Cutibacterium acnes

, are the predominant contaminants of blood products used for transfusion. Platelet concentrates (PCs), a therapeutic product used to treat patients with platelet deficiencies, are stored at ambient temperature under agitation, providing ideal conditions for bacterial proliferation. At Canadian Blood Services, PCs are screened for microbial contamination using the automated BACT/ALERT culture system. Positive cultures are processed and contaminating organisms are identified using the VITEK 2 system. Over a period of approximately 2 years, several PC isolates were identified as

Atopobium vaginae

to a high level of confidence. However, since

A. vaginae

is associated with bacterial vaginosis and is not a common PC contaminant, a retrospective investigation revealed that in all cases

C. acnes

was misidentified as

A. vaginae

. Our investigation demonstrated that the media type used to grow PC bacterial isolates can have a significant impact on the results obtained on the VITEK 2 system. Furthermore, other identification methods such as matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALD-TOF MS) and PCR amplification of the 16S RNA gene were only partially successful in the identification of

C. acnes

. Therefore, our findings support a multiphasic approach when PC isolates are identified as

A. vaginae

by the VITEK 2 system for proper identification of

C. acnes

using macroscopic, microscopic and other biochemical analyses.
Isolation and genomics of ten novel Shewanella species from mangrove wetland
Authors: Liu Guo-Hong , Yang Shang , Narsing Rao Manik Prabhu , Han Shuang , Xie Cheng-Jie , Alwathnani Hend A. , Herzberg Martin , Rensing Christopher , Zhou Shun-Gui
Published: June 2023

Mangrove bacteria largely compose the microbial community of the coastal ecosystem and are directly associated with nutrient cycling. In the present study, 12 Gram-negative and motile strains were isolated from a mangrove wetland in Zhangzhou, China. Pairwise comparisons (based on 16S rRNA gene sequences) and phylogenetic analysis indicated that these 12 strains belong to the genus

Shewanella

. The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities among the 12

Shewanella

strains and their related type strains ranged from 98.8 to 99.8 %, but they still could not be considered as known species. The digital DNA–DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between the 12 strains and their related type strains were below the cut-off values (ANI 95–96% and dDDH 70 %) for prokaryotic species delineation. The DNA G+C contents of the present study strains ranged from 44.4 to 53.8 %. The predominant menaquinone present in all strains was MK-7. The present study strains (except FJAT-53532T) also contained ubiquinones (Q-8 and Q-7). The polar lipid phosphatidylglycerol and fatty acid iso-C15 : 0 was noticed in all strains. Based on phenotypic, chemotaxonomic, phylogenetic and genomic comparisons, we propose that these 12 strains represent 10 novel species within the genus

Shewanella

, with the names Shewanella psychrotolerans sp. nov. (FJAT-53749T=GDMCC 1.2398T=KCTC 82649T), Shewanella zhangzhouensis sp. nov. (FJAT-52072T=MCCC 1K05363T=KCTC 82447T), Shewanella rhizosphaerae sp. nov. (FJAT-53764T=GDMCC 1.2349T=KCTC 82648T), Shewanella mesophila sp. nov. (FJAT-53870T=GDMCC 1.2346T= KCTC 82640T), Shewanella halotolerans sp. nov. (FJAT-53555T=GDMCC 1.2344T=KCTC 82645T), Shewanella aegiceratis sp. nov. (FJAT-53532T=GDMCC 1.2343T=KCTC 82644T), Shewanella alkalitolerans sp. nov. (FJAT-54031T=GDMCC 1.2347T=KCTC 82642T), Shewanella spartinae sp. nov. (FJAT-53681T=GDMCC 1.2345T=KCTC 82641T), Shewanella acanthi sp. nov. (FJAT-51860T=GDMCC 1.2342T=KCTC 82650T) and Shewanella mangrovisoli sp. nov. (FJAT-51754T=GDMCC 1.2341T= KCTC 82647T).
Nocardia sputorum sp. nov., an actinobacterium isolated from clinical specimens in Japan
Authors: Hamada Moriyuki , Enomoto Narumi , Yamashita Tomonari , Shimojima Masahiro , Tanno Daiki , Ohana Noboru , Toyokawa Masahiro , Takahashi Hiroki , Yaguchi Takashi
Published: June 2023

Two novel actinobacteria, designated IFM 12276T and IFM 12275, were isolated from clinical specimens in Japan, and their taxonomic positions were investigated using a polyphasic approach. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence comparisons revealed that strains IFM 12276 T and IFM 12275 have completely identical 16S rRNA gene sequences and were closely related to members of the genus

Nocardia

. The highest 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity was observed to

Nocardia beijingensis

(99.6 %) and Nocarida sputi (99.6 %), followed by

Nocardia niwae

(99.3 %) and

Nocardia araoensis

(99.3 %). The whole-cell hydrolysates of strains IFM 12276T and IFM 12275 contained meso-diaminopimelic acid, arabinose and galactose. The acyl type of muramic acid was N-glycolyl. The predominant isoprenoid quinone was MK-8(H4, ω-cycl.) and the principal polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylinositol mannosides. Strains IFM 12276T and IFM 12275 contained mycolic acids that co-migrated with those from the type strain of

N. niwae

. These chemotaxonomic features corresponded to those of the genus

Nocardia

. Meanwhile, the differences in some phenotypic characteristics, along with the results of average nucleotide identity and digital DNA–DNA hybridization analyses, indicated that strains IFM 12276 T and IFM 12275 should be distinguished from the recognized species of the genus

Nocardia

. Therefore, these strains represent a novel species of the genus

Nocardia

, for which the name Nocardia sputorum sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is IFM 12276T (=NBRC 115477T=TBRC 17096T).
Functional annotation with expression validation identifies novel metastasis-relevant genes from post-GWAS risk loci in sporadic colorectal carcinomas
Authors: Thean Lai Fun , Wong Michelle , Lo Michelle , Tan Iain , Wong Evelyn , Gao Fei , Tan Emile , Tang Choong Leong , Cheah Peh Yean
Published: June 2023

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third highest incidence cancer and leading cause of cancer mortality worldwide. Metastasis to distal organ is the major cause of cancer mortality. However, the underlying genetic factors are unclear. This study aims to identify metastasis-relevant genes and pathways for better management of metastasis-prone patients. Multiple lines of evidence have indicated that germline variants play important role in shaping the somatic (tumor) genome. A case-case genome-wide association study comprising 2677 sporadic Chinese CRC cases (1282 metastasis-positive vs 1395 metastasis-negative) was performed using the Human SNP6 microarray platform and analyzed with the correlation/trend test based on the additive model. Single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) variants with association testing -log10p-value ≥ 5 were imported into Functional Mapping and Annotation (FUMA) for functional annotation which uncovered glycolysis as the top hallmark geneset. Transcripts from two of the five genes profiled, HAX1 and HMMR, were significantly down-regulated in the metastasis-positive tumors. In contrast to disease-risk variants with minimal impact on survival, HAX1 appeared to act synergistically with HMMR in significantly impacting metastasis-free survival. Furthermore, examining the subtype datasets with FUMA and Ingenuity Pathway identified distinct pathways demonstrating sexual dimorphism in CRC metastasis. Combining genome-wide association testing with in silico functional annotation and wet-bench validation identified metastasis-relevant genes that could serve as features to develop subtype-specific metastasis-risk signatures for tailored management of Stage I-III CRC patients.
Genome-wide meta-analysis of CSF biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease cohorts
Authors: Ta Michael , Blauwendraat Cornelis , Antar Tarek , Leonard Hampton L , Singleton Andrew B. , Nalls Mike A. , Iwaki Hirotaka ,   Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI),   the Fox Investigation for New Discovery of Biomarkers
Published: June 2023

Background

Amyloid beta (Aβ), phosphorylated tau (p-tau), and total tau (t-tau) in cerebrospinal fluid are established biomarkers for Alzheimer’s disease (AD). In other neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson’s disease (PD), these biomarkers have also been found to be altered, and the molecular mechanisms responsible for these alterations are still under investigation. Moreover, the interplay between these mechanisms and the diverse underlying disease states remains to be elucidated.

Objectives

To investigate genetic contributions to the AD biomarkers and assess the commonality and heterogeneity of the associations per underlying disease status.

Methods

We conducted GWAS for the AD biomarkers on subjects from the Parkinson’s Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), the Fox Investigation for New Discovery of Biomarkers (BioFIND), and the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) and meta-analyzed with the largest AD GWAS.[7] We tested heterogeneity of associations of interest between different disease statuses (AD, PD, and control).

Results

We observed three GWAS signals: theAPOElocus for Aβ, the 3q28 locus betweenGEMC1andOSTNfor p-tau and t-tau, and the 7p22 locus (top hit: rs60871478, an intronic variant forDNAAF5, also known asHEATR2) for p-tau. The 7p22 locus is novel and co-localized with the brainDNAAF5expression. While no heterogeneity from underlying disease status was observed for the above GWAS signals, some disease risk loci suggested disease specific associations with these biomarkers.

Conclusions

Our study identified a novel association at the intronic region ofDNAAF5associated with increased levels of p-tau across all diseases. We also observed some disease specific genetic associations with these biomarkers.
Prediction models for post-discharge mortality among under-five children with suspected sepsis in Uganda: A multicohort analysis
Authors: Wiens Matthew O , Nguyen Vuong , Bone Jeffrey N , Kumbakumba Elias , Businge Stephen , Tagoola Abner , Sherine Sheila Oyella , Byaruhanga Emmanuel , Ssemwanga Edward , Barigye Celestine , Nsungwa Jesca , Olaro Charles , Ansermino J Mark , Kissoon Niranjan , Singer Joel , Larson Charles P , Lavoie Pascal M , Dunsmuir Dustin , Moschovis Peter P , Novakowski Stefanie , Komugisha Clare , Tayebwa Mellon , Mwesigwa Douglas , West Nicholas , Knappett Martina , Mugisha Nathan Kenya , Kabakyenga Jerome
Published: June 2023

Background

In many low-income countries, more than five percent of hospitalized children die following hospital discharge. The identification of those at risk has limited progress to improve outcomes. We aimed to develop algorithms to predict post-discharge mortality among children admitted with suspected sepsis.

Methods

Four prospective cohort studies were conducted at six hospitals in Uganda between 2012 and 2021. Death occurring within six months of discharge was the primary outcome. Separate models were developed for children 0-6 months of age and for those 6-60 months of age, based on candidate predictors collected at admission. Within each age group, three models were derived, each with a maximum of eight variables based on variable importance. Deriving parsimonious models with different sets of predictors was prioritized to improve usability and support implementation in settings where some data elements are unavailable. All models were internally validated using 10-fold cross validation.

Findings

8,810 children were prospectively enrolled, of whom 470 died in hospital and 161 (1·9%) were lost to follow-up; 257 (7·7%) and 233 (4·8%) post-discharge deaths occurred in the 0-6-month and 6-60-month age groups, respectively. The primary models had an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) of 0·77 (95%CI 0·74-0·80) for 0-6-month-olds and 0·75 (95%CI 0·72-0·79) for 6-60-month-olds; mean AUROCs among the 10 cross-validation folds were 0·75 and 0·73, respectively. Calibration across risk strata were good with Brier scores of 0·07 and 0·04, respectively. The most important variables included anthropometry and oxygen saturation. Additional variables included duration of illness, jaundice-age interaction, and a bulging fontanelle among 0-6-month-olds; and prior admissions, coma score, temperature, age-respiratory rate interaction, and HIV status among 6-60-month-olds.

Interpretation

Simple prediction models at admission with suspected sepsis can identify children at risk of post-discharge mortality. Further external validation is recommended for different contexts. Models can be integrated into existing processes to improve peri-discharge care as children transition from the hospital to the community.

Funding

Grand Challenges Canada (#TTS-1809-1939), Thrasher Research Fund (#13878), BC Children’s Hospital Foundation, and Mining4Life.
Vascular risk factors modulate gender-specific aging of brain white matter structural network
Authors: Chen Haojie , Huang Weijie , Dong Xinyi , Feng Guozheng , Wang Yiwen , Liu Zhenzhao , Ma Shuning , Peng Junjie , Su Li , Shu Ni
Published: June 2023

Vascular risk factors (VRFs) are known to increase risk for cerebrovascular disease and dementia, such as Alzheimer’s disease that is described as a dysconnectivity syndrome. The gender-related evidence on associations between VRFs and white matter (WM) structural network in large community-dwelling populations across middle and older age will contribute to understanding the biological underpinnings of sex and gender considerations in dementia. Based on 17,954 participants from the UK Biobank, we present the relationship between VRFs and WM network architecture (measured with network integration and segregation) in different gender groups. First, females exhibit lower network architecture and experience an accelerated decline earlier than males. Second, network integration is more sensitive to VRFs than segregation, with diabetes, hypertension, and excessive alcohol consumption having the greatest impact. Third, we found greater susceptibility of network architecture to VRFs in males, as well as female-preferred effects on regional integration of obesity, particularly on the subcortical structure and occipital lobe. Finally, higher combined risk was associated with more disrupted network architecture particularly on temporal and frontal lobe, as well as lower processing speed and working memory in both genders. Our findings provide new insights into understanding the relationship between VRFs and WM network architecture, guiding interventions to promote successfully cognitive aging and highlighting the importance of considering gender-specific effects in future research.
High-Resolution Additive Manufacturing of a Biodegradable Elastomer with a Low-Cost LCD 3D Printer
Authors: Karamzadeh Vahid , Shen Molly L. , Ravanbakhsh Hossein , Sohrabi-Kashani Ahmad , Savoji Houman , Radisic Milica , Juncker David
Published: June 2023

Artificial organs and organs-on-a-chip are of great clinical and scientific interest and have recently been made by additive manufacturing, but depend on, and benefit from, biocompatible, biodegradable, and soft materials. Poly(octamethylene maleate (anhydride) citrate (POMaC) meets these criteria and has gained popularity, and as in principle, it can be photocured and is amenable to vat-photopolymerization (VP) 3D printing, but only low-resolution structures have been produced so fa. Here, we introduce a VP-POMaC ink and demonstrate 3D printing of high resolution (80 µm) and complex 3D structures using low-cost (∼US$300) liquid-crystal display (LCD) printers. The ink includes POMaC, a diluent and porogen additive to reduce viscosity within the range of VP, and a crosslinker to speed up reaction kinetics. The mechanical properties of the cured ink were tuned to match the elastic moduli of different tissues simply by varying the porogen concentration. The biocompatibility was assessed by cell culture which yielded 80% viability and the potential for tissue engineering illustrated with a 3D printed gyroid seeded with cells. VP-POMaC and low-cost LCD printers make the additive manufacturing of high resolution, elastomeric, and biodegradable constructs widely accessible, paving the way for a myriad of applications in tissue engineering, implants, organ-on-a-chip, wearables, and soft robotics.
Acute exposure of fruit bats to low concentrations of heavy metals affects oxidative stress markers
Authors: Destro Ana Luiza Fonseca , Alves Thaís Silva , Dias Fernanda Ribeiro , Gonçalves Reggiani Vilela , de Oliveira Jerusa Maria , de Oliveira Leandro Licursi , Freitas Mariella Bontempo
Published: June 2023

Cadmium (Cd), chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), and nickel (Ni) are heavy metals and common environmental pollutants. We aimed to investigate heavy metals’ effects on fruit-bats’ organs. Adult males (Artibeus lituratus) were captured and exposed to heavy metals (1.5 mg/kg). The Integrated Biomarker Response helped us understand the interrelationship in a multi-biomarker global approach to oxidative stress. The liver was more sensitive to Ni and Pb than Cd and Cr. In the kidney, Pb did not cause hazardous effects, unlike the other metals. In testes, Ni doubled damage levels compared to the other metals. Ni did not cause serious effects in muscles, which was more sensitive to Pb and Cd than to Cr. The brain was more susceptible to Pb and Ni than Cr and Cd. We observed that acute doses, even in low concentrations, are deleterious to fruit-bats. We propose the following order of metal toxicity: Ni> Pb> Cd> Cr.

SUMMARY STATEMENT

The investigation of heavy metals toxicity in fruit bats reveals differential sensitivities of organ and highlights the harmful effects of acute exhibitions even at low concentrations.
Flexible coding schemes in dorsomedial prefrontal cortex underlie decision-making during delay discounting
Authors: White Shelby M. , Morningstar Mitchell D. , Falco Emanuela De , Linsenbardt David N. , Ma Baofeng , Parks Macedonia A. , Czachowski Cristine L. , Lapish Christopher C.
Published: June 2023

Determining how an agent decides between a small, immediate versus a larger, delayed reward has provided insight into the psychological and neural basis of decision-making. The tendency to excessively discount the value of delayed rewards is thought to reflect deficits in brain regions critical for impulse control such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC). This study tested the hypothesis that dorsomedial PFC (dmPFC) is critically involved in flexibly managing neural representations of strategies that limit impulsive choices. Optogenetic silencing of neurons in the rat dmPFC increased impulsive choices at an 8 sec, but not 4 sec, delay. Neural recordings from dmPFC ensembles revealed that, at the 8-sec delay, the encoding landscape transitions to reflect a deliberative-like process rather than the schema-like processes observed at the 4-sec delay. These findings show that changes in the encoding landscape reflect changes in task demands and that dmPFC is uniquely involved in decisions requiring deliberation.
Regulatory properties of transcription factors with diverse mechanistic function
Authors: Ali Md Zulfikar , Guharajan Sunil , Parisutham Vinuselvi , Brewster Robert C.
Published: June 2023

Transcription factors (TFs) regulate the process of transcription through the modulation of different kinetic steps. Although models can often describe the observed transcriptional output of a measured gene, predicting a TFs role on a given promoter requires an understanding of how the TF alters each step of the transcription process. In this work, we use a simple model of transcription to assess the role of promoter identity, and the degree to which TFs alter binding of RNAP (stabilization) and initiation of transcription (acceleration) on three primary characteristics: the range of steady-state regulation, cell-to-cell variability in expression, and the dynamic response time of a regulated gene. We find that steady state regulation and the response time of a gene behave uniquely for TFs that regulate incoherently, i.e that speed up one step but slow the other. These TFs function as activators when regulating weak promoters but switch to repression when the promoters are strong or vice versa. Furthermore, we find that TFs with this regulatory make-up have dynamic implications, with one type of incoherent mode configuring the promoter to respond more slowly at intermediate TF concentrations. We also demonstrate that the noise of gene expression for these TFs is sensitive to promoter strength, with a distinct non-monotonic profile that is apparent under stronger promoters. Taken together, our work uncovers the coupling between promoters and TF regulatory modes with implications for understanding natural promoters and engineering synthetic gene circuits with desired expression properties.
Exploring phytoconstituents ofJuglans regiato treat cervical cancer using integrative Bioinformatics
Authors: Dua Riya , Bhardwaj Tulika , Ahmad Irshad , Somvanshi Pallavi
Published: June 2023

Cervical cancer is the fourth most common malignancy among women, which also turns out to be the most common cause of death in women worldwide. Medicinal plants have traditionally been used to treat various diseases and disorders. The current study utilizes the molecular docking technique to investigate the anticancer potential ofJuglans regiaphytoconstituents against cervical cancer target proteins. This study includes the microarray dataset analysis of GSE63678 from the NCBI Gene Expression Omnibus database to identify differentially expressed genes. Furthermore, network biology approaches were employed to construct protein-protein interaction of differentially expressed genes. Next, the computation of topological parameters utilizing Cytohubba renders the top five hub genes (IGF1, FGF2, ESR1, MYL9, and MYH11). In addition,Juglans regiaphytocompounds mined from the IMPPAT database were subjected to molecular docking analysis against identified hub genes. The application of molecular dynamics simulation validated the stability of prioritized docked complexes with minimum binding energy.
Uncovering Alterations in Cancer Epigenetics via Trans-Dimensional Markov Chain Monte Carlo and Hidden Markov Models*
Authors: Shokoohi Farhad , Khaniki Saeedeh Hajebi
Published: June 2023

Epigenetic alterations are key drivers in the development and progression of cancer. Identifying differentially methylated cytosines (DMCs) in cancer samples is a crucial step toward understanding these changes. In this paper, we propose a trans-dimensional Markov chain Monte Carlo (TMCMC) approach that uses hidden Markov models (HMMs) with binomial emission, and bisulfite sequencing (BS-Seq) data, calledDMCTHM, to identify DMCs in cancer epigenetic studies. We introduce the Expander-Collider penalty to tackle under and overestimation in TMCMC-HMMs. We address all known challenges inherent in BS-Seq data by introducing novel approaches for capturing functional patterns and autocorrelation structure of the data, as well as for handling missing values, multiple covariates, multiple comparisons, and family-wise errors. We demonstrate the effectiveness ofDMCTHMthrough comprehensive simulation studies. The results show that our proposed method outperforms other competing methods in identifying DMCs. Notably, withDMCTHM, we uncovered new DMCs and genes in Colorectal cancer that were significantly enriched in the Tp53 pathway.
Injectable ventral spinal stimulator evokes programmable and biomimetic hindlimb motion
Authors: Lin Dingchang , Lee Jung Min , Wang Chonghe , Park Hong-Gyu , Lieber Charles M.
Published: June 2023

Spinal cord neuromodulation can restore partial to complete loss of motor functions associated with neuromotor disease and trauma. Current technologies have made substantial progress, but have limitations as dorsal epidural or intraspinal devices that are either remote to ventral motor neurons or subject to surgical intervention in the spinal tissue. Here, we describe a flexible and stretchable spinal stimulator design with nanoscale thickness that can be implanted by minimally-invasive injection through a polymeric catheter to target the ventral spinal space of mice. Ventrolaterally implanted devices exhibited substantially lower stimulation threshold currents and more precise recruitment of motor pools than comparable dorsal epidural implants. Functionally relevant and novel hindlimb movements were achieved via specific stimulation patterns of the electrodes. This approach holds translational potential for improving controllable limb function following spinal cord injury or neuromotor disease.
Impact of transparency law on the post-award development phase of Toll and Annuity PPPs
Authors: Nayyer Mojahedul Islam , Aravindan Mukkai R. , Annamalai Thillai Rajan
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Involvement of lenders for PPP highway projects in India starts after the bid award. The post-award development phase of Toll and Annuity PPPs differ significantly in terms of potential risk assumed by lenders. This study aims to assess the impact of the transparency law on the post-award development phase of Toll and Annuity PPPs.

Design/methodology/approach

A unique dataset of 469 PPP highway projects implemented in India was used to conduct this empirical study. An OLS regression model was developed to assess the impact of the transparency law on the post-award development phase.

Findings

Enacting the transparency law increased the duration of the post-award development phase of Toll projects; however, its impact on Annuity projects was not significant. Moreover, Toll and Annuity projects with a longer post-award development phase had a shorter construction phase. The post-award development phase of the Toll projects was relatively more sensitive to technical, economic and location-specific variables than Annuity projects. Length of road stretch, duration of the concession period and individual income of end-users significantly impacted the duration of this phase of Toll projects.

Practical implications

Transparency law can improve risk mitigation of Toll projects during the post-award development phase.

Originality/value

The impact of transparency law on PPP projects has never been assessed. This study assesses its impact on the two forms of PPPs. It also highlights the determinants of this phase and how they differ for the two forms of PPPs.
Workplace deviance, emotional state and reparative behaviors: task visibility as a boundary condition in a mediated moderation model
Authors: Dadaboyev Sherzodbek Murodilla Ugli , Baek Yoonjung , Paek Soyon
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Grounding upon moral cleansing and self-completion theories, this paper examines how workplace deviant behavior motivates employees to engage in subsequent compensatory actions—organizational citizenship behavior and prosocial behavior—triggered by the state of moral emotion – guilt. The article also explores and tests the role of task characteristics—task visibility—as a boundary condition in the guilt-mediated relationship between deviant employee behavior and compensatory behaviors.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey study on 396 full-time employees working for organizations operating in various industries is conducted to test the hypothesized mediated moderation model empirically. The authors conducted a structural equation modeling to provide empirical evidence for the proposed hypotheses.

Findings

Offering both theoretical and practical implications, the findings of the study revealed that a deviance-triggered state of guilt encourages subsequent reparative actions, such as organizational citizenship behavior and prosocial behaviors. The results also showed that the level of task visibility had a significant role as a boundary condition in the relationships between workplace deviant behavior and reparative behaviors.

Originality/value

Unlike previous research, which mainly found a negative connection between harming actions (i.e. deviant behavior) and helping behaviors (i.e. citizenship and prosocial behavior), this paper investigated and found how the state of guilt could be a mediator to link workplace deviant behavior to organizational citizenship behavior and prosocial behavior through moral cleansing and self-completion processes.
Corporate archives in the wild
Authors: Niu Jinfang
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the archives management practices and needs of corporations that do not employ professional archivists and propose strategies for helping corporations manage and preserve their archives.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey was distributed to non-profit and for-profit corporations located in the XX area, USA.

Findings

The majority of surveyed corporations did not have archivists on staff and were not satisfied with their archives management practices. Many of them have unaddressed archives management needs and preferred no-cost or low-cost approaches to address those needs. Most surveyed corporations had digital archives but lacked knowledge about digital archiving. Free archiving resources and services provided by libraries/archives were dramatically less well known than commercial archiving resources and services.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this is one of the very few empirical studies on corporate archives not under professional control. Findings from this study inspired thoughts on how archival education programs, professional associations, cultural heritage organizations and other relevant parties could help corporations better manage and preserve their archives.
A transformative online approach to sustainable development in management education: the case of a Brazilian business school
Authors: Viera Trevisan Laís , Machado do Nascimento Luis Felipe , Leal Filho Walter , Ávila Pedrozo Eugênio
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to present an innovative and transformative online approach to sustainable development in management education.

Design/methodology/approach

A case study and action research were carried out in a Brazilian business school during an academic semester. Specifically, in the context of a discipline entitled “Socio-environmental Management in Companies”, several pedagogical strategies were designed and implemented to ensure undergraduate students’ learning. This study involved the collection and analysis of both quantitative and qualitative data from multiple sources, which were analysed using descriptive statistics, thematic and content analysis techniques.

Findings

By assessing the strategies, tools and resources used during the course, the findings of this study show that the discipline supported the students' transformative learning towards sustainability.

Research limitations/implications

This study has both theoretical and practical implications by describing and evaluating an innovative and engaging pedagogical approach to sustainable development in management education.

Originality/value

The approach developed through this research provides educators and higher education institutions with innovative strategies for transformative learning towards sustainability in management education. Moreover, the approach can be adapted and implemented in other fields of knowledge.
Addressing the information needs of informal carers in Malawi: a healthcare intervention based on co-creation
Authors: Zamani Efpraxia D. , Sbaffi Laura , Kalua Khumbo
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The aim of this study was to address the unmet information needs of Malawian informal carers. We report on a three-year project which we co-created with informal carers, medical doctors and NGOs with the view to disseminate health advisory messages.

Design/methodology/approach

This study was developed on the principles of co-production. The impact of our health advisory messaging approach was assessed through observations and questionnaire-based surveys for quality, clarity and usefulness.

Findings

The messages were disseminated beyond the local support groups and reached a much wider community via word of mouth. The messages also led to short and medium term benefits for informal carers and their loved ones.

Originality/value

Our findings highlight the importance of understanding the contextual conditions of informal caring and that of co-producing interventions with the people these aim to benefit.
Airports’ public infrastructure and sources of inefficiency
Authors: Ripoll-Zarraga Ane Elixabete
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The Spanish airport system contains several regional airports within an amenity distance and alternative travel modes. Profitable airports cross-subsidise small airports, which are not required for regional development or connectivity. Airports are government-owned and centralised-managed by Spanish Airports and Air Navigation (AENA, for its Spanish acronym). This study aims to analyse the probability of an under-used public infrastructure and the AENA’s managerial ability as per the financial sustainability of the network in the long term.

Design/methodology/approach

The national regulatory framework determines the airports’ environment. Six airports revealed unobserved heterogeneity, avoiding model misspecification. The framework is defined through proxies of the singularities of the Spanish framework: public investments and geographical specifications. The stochastic frontier analysis model follows two time-varying specifications, accounting for airports’ environmental factors, to ensure the robustness of the results to differ from the inefficiency caused by AENA and external factors.

Findings

Airports’ infrastructure capacity and traffic are not correlated; regional airports become a financial burden for the system unless they specialise or differentiate. Proxies defining the airports’ context are relevant. Because airports do not compete for airlines and passengers, there are too many regional airports with little traffic, resulting in disused public infrastructure that falls far short of improving connectivity and regional development.

Originality/value

This study contributes to paying attention to the characteristics of the regulatory framework, such as management strongly centralised in AENA, airport charges decided by the owner, lack of competition and lack of an independent regulatory entity. Another original contribution considers reliable capital measures (airports’ infrastructure).
Default prediction of small and medium enterprises: Portuguese construction sector
Authors: Costa Magali , Lisboa Inês
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to study the default risk of small and medium-sized enterprises in the construction sector.

Design/methodology/approach

An unbalanced sample of 2,754 Portuguese companies from the construction sector, from 2008 to 2020, is analysed. Companies are classified in default or compliant following an ex-ante criterion. Then, using the stepwise analysis, the most relevant variables are selected, which are later used in the logit model. To verify the robustness of the results, a sample of legally insolvent companies is added (mixed criterion) and the initial sample is split into two subperiods.

Findings

Financial variables are the most relevant to predict the pattern for this sample. The main conclusions show that smaller and older companies, more indebted, with more liquidity and with higher EBIT have a higher probability of default. These conclusions are confirmed using a mixed criterion to classify companies as default or compliant and including a macroeconomic dummy.

Practical implications

This work not only contributes to enlarging the literature review but also makes relevant contributions to practice. Companies from the construction sector can understand which indicators must control to avoid financial problems. The government also has relevant information that can help in adapting or creating regulations for recovering or revitalizing companies.

Originality/value

This study proposed an ex-ante criterion that can be used for all types of companies. Most works use a legal or a mixed criterion that does not allow for detecting signs of financial problems in advance. Moreover, the sample used is almost unexplored – SMEs from a sector with great mortality rate.
Integrated evaluation of visitor experience factors in the scope of museum management
Authors: Çolak Okan , Karakan Halil Ibrahim
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aims to determine museum experiences by analyzing the TripAdvisor reviews of the museum visitors in Gaziantep and offer suggestions for improving the visitors' experiences by taking museum curators' opinions.

Design/methodology/approach

The case study method was used as one of the qualitative approaches in the study. The research comprises two stages. TripAdvisor reviews about five museums in Gaziantep were analyzed in the first stage, and museum curators' opinions on the visitor complaint reasons and solution suggestions were discussed in the second stage.

Findings

The study showed that satisfying or non-satisfying experience factors might differ according to visitors, museum curators and both visitors and museum curators. Therefore, each museum curator should effectively manage every component of visitor experience factors by its target audience.

Research limitations/implications

Although this study has some valuable findings and contributes to the literature, it also has limitations. The study's sample consists of five museums in Gaziantep. Further studies can be carried out on a larger population and sample. The data for determining visitor experiences, the first stage of the research, were obtained only from an online platform (TripAdvisor).

Practical implications

The proposed model provides a holistic perspective on evaluating and managing visitor experience. There may be structural problems (small size of the museum area, lack of parking spaces and elevators, etc.) with the museum beyond the manager's control. Also, the lack of information and communication (limited concept, lack of artifacts, etc.) causes criticisms of the museum.

Social implications

This paper contributes to the museum management literature with a model for enriching the quality of the museum experience and increasing the museum's attractiveness. The study showed that museums contribute to the visitor's experience in all dimensions. While visitors thought museums primarily contribute to object experience, museum curators thought museums contribute more to visitors' cognitive experience and other experience elements.

Originality/value

The present study analyzed the visitor comments and the opinions of museum curators from a holistic perspective, considering the internal and external factors that are effective in the visitor experience, and revealed the reasons for the visitors' negative experience and the solution suggestions toward the improvement of the visitor experience.
The impact of a benevolently sexist organizational climate on individual self-esteem: an exploration of the moderating impact of dyadic communication
Authors: Warren Catherine , Wax Amy , Galvez Gino , Van Geffen Kelly-Anne , Zernick Michelle V.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Current events such as the #metoo and #timesup movements have ushered in an era of heightened awareness of sexist organizational climate. Increasingly, supporters have called for top-down changes, demanding that organizations embrace a culture of accountability. Accordingly, the current study proposed and investigated the concept of benevolently sexist organizational climate and explored the impact on women's state self-esteem, while testing for the potential moderating effects of power and gender.

Design/methodology/approach

The current experimental study utilized a video video-based manipulation to introduce benevolently sexist organizational climate with a 2 (content of communication) x 2 (gender of communicator) x 2 (status of communicator) between-subjects design. The hypotheses were tested using an analysis of variance moderation model, based on a sample of 652 women.

Findings

Results indicated a significant two-way interaction between benevolently sexist organizational climate and power on self-esteem. Specifically, results suggested that benevolently sexist organizational climates have a greater negative impact on women's self-esteem when a supervisor communicates the information on the climate as opposed to a coworker.

Practical implications

Benevolently sexist climate had a deleterious impact on women's organizational outcomes especially when communicated by a supervisor. These findings can be used for guidance on the development of training and interventions targeted at mitigating the prevalence of benevolently sexist workplace climate.

Originality/value

This study was the first to propose the concept of a benevolently sexist organizational climate. Additionally, the study demonstrated the negative impact of a benevolently sexist organizational climate on women's state self-esteem providing important implications for organizations. Further theoretical and practical implications are discussed.
The effects of strain rate on the effective yield strength of high-strength steel at elevated temperatures
Authors: Kimura Kei , Onogi Takeshi , Ozaki Fuminobu
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This work examines the effects of strain rate on the effective yield strength of high-strength steel at elevated temperatures, through tensile coupon tests at various strain rates, to propose appropriate reduction factors considering the strain rate effect.

Design/methodology/approach

The stress–strain relationships of 385 N/mm2, 440 N/mm2 and 630 N/mm2-class steel plates at elevated temperatures are examined at three strain rate values (0.3%/min, 3.0%/min and 7.5%/min), and the reduction factors for the effective yield strength at elevated temperatures are evaluated from the results. A differential evolution-based optimization is used to produce the reduction-factor curves.

Findings

The strain rate effect enhances with an increase in the standard design value of the yield point. The effective yield strength and standard design value of the yield point exhibit high linearity between 600 and 700 °C. In addition to effectively evaluating the test results, the proposed reduction-factor curves can also help determine the ultimate strength of a steel member at collapse.

Originality/value

The novelty of this study is the quantitative evaluation of the relationship between the standard design value of yield point at ambient temperature and the strain-rate effect at elevated temperatures. It has been observed that the effect of the strain rate at elevated temperatures increases with the increase in the standard design value of the yield point for various steel strength grades.
Quantitative PCR overestimation of DNA in samples contaminated with tin
Authors: Bonsu Dan Nana Osei , Higgins Denice , Simon Claire , Goodwin Corey S. , Henry Julianne M. , Austin Jeremy J.
Published: June 2023

Metals can pose challenges while conducting forensic DNA analysis. The presence of metal ions in evidence‐related DNA extracts can degrade DNA or inhibit PCR as applied to DNA quantification (real‐time PCR or qPCR) and/or STR amplification, leading to low success in STR profiling. Different metal ions were spiked into 0.2 and 0.5 ng of human genomic DNA in an “inhibition study” and the impact was evaluated by qPCR using the Quantifiler™ Trio DNA Quantification Kit (Thermo Fisher Scientific) and an in‐house SYBR Green assay. This study reports on a contradictory finding specific to tin (Sn) ions, which caused at least a 38,000‐fold overestimation of DNA concentration when utilizing Quantifiler Trio. This was explained by the raw and multicomponent spectral plots, which indicated that Sn suppresses the Quantifiler Trio passive reference dye (Mustang Purple™, MP) at ion concentrations above 0.1 mM. This effect was not observed when DNA was quantified using SYBR Green with ROX™ as the passive reference, nor when DNA was extracted and purified prior to Quantifiler Trio. The results show that metal contaminants can interfere with qPCR‐based DNA quantification in unexpected ways and may be assay dependent. The results also highlight the importance of qPCR as a quality check to determine steps for sample cleanup prior to STR amplification that may be similarly impacted by metal ions. Forensic workflows should recognize the risk of inaccurate DNA quantification of samples that are collected from substrates containing tin.
Hexamerin and allergen are required for female reproduction in the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana
Authors: Zhu Shiming , Chen Xiaoyi , Xia Sishi , Li Qin , Ye Ziqi , Zhao Shaoting , Liu Kexin , Liu Fangfang
Published: June 2023

Reproduction is of great importance for the continuation of the species. In insects, the fat body is the major tissue for nutrient storage and involved in vitellogenesis, which is essential for female reproduction. Here, 2 proteins, hexamerin and allergen, were separated from the fat bodies of adult female American cockroaches (Periplaneta americana) and identified as storage proteins, encoding for 733 amino acids with molecular weight of 87.88 kDa and 686 amino acids with molecular weight of 82.18 kDa, respectively. The encoding genes of these 2 storage proteins are mainly expressed in the fat body. RNA interference‐mediated knockdown of Hexamerin and Allergen in the early stage of the first reproductive cycle in females suppressed vitellogenesis and ovarian maturation, indicating that these storage proteins are involved in controlling reproduction. Importantly, the expression of Hexamerin and Allergen was repressed by knockdown of the juvenile hormone (JH) receptor gene Met and the primary response gene Kr‐h1, and was induced by methoprene, a JH analog, in both in vivo and in vitro experiments. Altogether, we have determined that hexamerin and allergen are identified as storage proteins and play an important role in promoting female reproduction in the American cockroach. The expression of their encoding genes is induced by JH signaling. Our data reveal a novel mechanism by which hexamerin and allergen are necessary for JH‐stimulated female reproduction.
Indigenous biocultural rights and the Blue Mountains: Local and international policy challenges
Authors: Aime Elodie , Robinson Daniel
Published: June 2023

Indigenous knowledges play a critical role in addressing the environmental crisis, and the United Nations system has adopted a suite of international treaties to protect and strengthen Indigenous peoples’ rights, which are often described as biocultural rights. Because World Heritage Areas are nominated and monitored by UNESCO, an initial hypothesis in this study was that such areas would be subject to higher than normal standards in regard to Indigenous people’s biocultural rights. By reference to the Greater Blue Mountains World Heritage Area, Australia, this research examined how the international legislative framework influences conservation practices. We held semi‐structured interviews with conservation and Indigenous local experts and compared park management practices in the Area against those used in an Indigenous Protected Area. Findings align with the literature and suggest that Indigenous and scientific knowledge systems can generate new insights for the Area and other sites. Yet, Indigenous knowledges are only marginally applied in practice. Some barriers to full participation of Indigenous people are specific to the colonial history of the area. Yet, findings point to a lack of action by Australian governments and UNESCO, and that needs to be redressed. The study calls attention to the need to support and resource Indigenous people to enable collaborative partnerships to yield significant benefits for biodiversity and protection of Country.