bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Effect of a brief psychological intervention for common mental disorders on HIV viral suppression: a non-randomised controlled study of the Friendship Bench in Zimbabwe
Authors: Simms Victoria , Abas Melanie A , Müller Monika , Munetsi Epiphania , Dzapasi Lloyd , Weiss Helen A , Chibanda Dixon
Published: December 2022

Background

For people living with co-morbid HIV and common mental disorders (CMD), it is not known whether a brief psychological intervention for CMD can improve HIV viral suppression.

Methods

We conducted a prospective cohort study in eight primary care clinics in Harare, Zimbabwe, enrolling adults with co-morbid HIV and CMD. Six clinics provided the Friendship Bench (FB), a brief psychological intervention for CMD based on problem-solving therapy, delivered by lay counsellors. Two clinics provided enhanced usual care (EUC). The primary outcome was viral non-suppression after six months (viral load ≥400 copies/mL). Data were analysed using a difference-in-difference approach with linear regression of cluster-level proportions, adjusted for baseline viral non-suppression (aDiD). The secondary outcome was presence of CMD measured by the Shona Symptom Questionnaire.

Results

In FB clinics, 407/500 (81.4%) participants had viral load results at baseline and endline: 58 (14.3%) had viral non-suppression at baseline and 41 (10.1%) at endline. In EUC clinics, 172/200 (86.0%) had viral load results at baseline and endline: 22 (12.8%) were non-suppressed at baseline and 26 (15.1%) at endline (aDiD= -7.3%; 95%CI 14.7% to -0.01%; p=0.05). Of the 499 participants virally suppressed at baseline, the FB group had lower prevalence of non-suppression at endline compared to the EUC group (2.9% vs 9.3%; p=0.002). There was no evidence of a difference in endline viral non-suppression by group among the 80 participants with non-suppression at baseline (53.5% vs 54.6%; p=0.93). The FB group were less likely to screen positive for CMD at endline than the EUC group (aDiD= -21.6%; 95%CI -36.5% to -6.7%; p=0.008).

Conclusion

People living with co-morbid HIV and CMD may benefit from receiving a low-cost mental health intervention to enhance viral suppression, especially if they are already virally suppressed. Research is needed to understand if additional adherence counselling could further improve viral suppression.
Lab evolution, transcriptomics, and modeling reveal mechanisms of paraquat tolerance
Authors: Rychel Kevin , Tan Justin , Patel Arjun , Lamoureux Cameron , Hefner Ying , Szubin Richard , Johnsen Josefin , Mohamed Elsayed Tharwat Tolba , Phaneuf Patrick V. , Anand Amitesh , Olson Connor A. , Park Joon Ho , Sastry Anand V. , Yang Laurence , Feist Adam M. , Palsson Bernhard O.
Published: December 2022

Relationships between the genome, transcriptome, and metabolome underlie all evolved phenotypes. However, it has proved difficult to elucidate these relationships because of the high number of variables measured. A recently developed data analytic method for characterizing the transcriptome can simplify interpretation by grouping genes into independently modulated sets (iModulons). Here, we demonstrate how iModulons reveal deep understanding of the effects of causal mutations and metabolic rewiring. We use adaptive laboratory evolution to generateE. colistrains that tolerate high levels of the redox cycling compound paraquat, which produces reactive oxygen species (ROS). We combine resequencing, iModulons, and metabolic models to elucidate six interacting stress tolerance mechanisms: 1) modification of transport, 2) activation of ROS stress responses, 3) use of ROS-sensitive iron regulation, 4) motility, 5) broad transcriptional reallocation toward growth, and 6) metabolic rewiring to decrease NADH production. This work thus reveals the genome-scale systems biology of ROS tolerance.

Graphical Abstract
An at-home and electro-free COVID-19 rapid test based on colorimetric RT-LAMP
Authors: Tran Diem Hong , Tran Hau Thi , Pham Trang Nguyen Minh , Bui Le Minh , Phung Huong Thi Thu
Published: December 2022

Purpose

In the fight against virus-caused pandemics like COVID-19, the use of diagnostic tests based on RT-qPCR is essential but sometimes limited by their dependence on expensive, specialized equipment and skilled personnel. Consequently, an alternative nucleic acid detection technique that gets over these restrictions, called loop-mediated isothermal amplification following reverse transcription (RT-LAMP), has been broadly investigated. Nevertheless, the developed RT-LAMP assays for SARS-CoV-2 detection still require laboratory devices and are electrically dependent, limiting their widespread use as rapid home tests. In this work, a flexible RT-LAMP assay that gets beyond the drawbacks of the available isothermal LAMP-based SARS-CoV-2 detection was developed, establishing a simple and effective at-home diagnosis tool for COVID-19.

Methods

A multiplex direct RT-LAMP assay modified from the previously developed test was applied to simultaneously identify the two genes of SARS-CoV-2. We used a colorimetric readout, lyophilized reagents, and benchmarked an electro-free and micropipette-free method that enables sensitive and specific detection of SARS-CoV-2 in home settings.

Results

Forty-one nasopharyngeal swab samples were tested using the home-testing RT-LAMP (HT-LAMP) assay developed, showing 100% agreement with the RT-qPCR results.

Conclusions

This is the first electrically independent RT-LAMP assay successfully developed for SARS-CoV-2 detection at home setting. Our HT-LAMP assay is thus an important development for diagnosing COVID-19 or any other infectious pandemic on a population scale.
Psychiatric Residential Treatment Facilities for Child Behavioral Health Services in North Carolina Medicaid
Authors: Lanier Paul , Rose Roderick , Gibbs Daniel , Hyman Jacob , Kamdar Neil , Konstanzer Joseph , Lich Kristen Hassmiller
Published: December 2022

Background

Psychiatric residential treatment facilities (PRTFs) are a type of non-hospital inpatient treatment setting for children with severe behavioral health disorders. PRTFs are a restrictive and costly form of care that can potentially be avoided with community-based behavioral health services.

Method

Statewide Medicaid enrollment and claims data for 2015 to 2022 were used to describe PRTF utilization in North Carolina. We examined annual episodes of care in PRTFs and compared trends before and during the COVID-19 public health emergency.

Results

From 2015 to 2022, 10,038 children insured by North Carolina Medicaid entered a PRTF across 10,966 episodes of care. In the past five years (2018-2022), care in PRTFs resulted in Medicaid expenditures of over $550 million total, or over $100 million per year. In 2022, 42% of children who entered PRTFs were in foster care and 44% of children were placed in PRTFs outside of North Carolina.

Limitations

Analysis limited to data collected for administrative purposes.

Conclusions

Current trends indicate ongoing overrepresentation of children in foster care placed in PRTFs and increased out-of-state PRTF placements. Coordinated efforts in future research, policy, and practice are needed to determine the cause of these trends and identify solutions.
Collective Intelligent Strategy for Improved Segmentation of COVID-19 from CT
Authors: Das Surochita Pal , Mitra Sushmita , Shankar B. Uma
Published: December 2022

The devastation caused by the coronavirus pandemic makes it imperative to design automated techniques for a fast and accurate detection. We propose a novel non-invasive tool, using deep learning and imaging, for delineating COVID-19 infection in lungs. The Ensembling Attention-based Multi-scaled Convolution network (EAMC), employing Leave-One-Patient-Out (LOPO) training, exhibits high sensitivity and precision in outlining infected regions along with assessment of severity. The Attention module combines contextual with local information, at multiple scales, for accurate segmentation. Ensemble learning integrates heterogeneity of decision through different base classifiers. The superiority of EAMC, even with severe class imbalance, is established through comparison with existing state-of-the-art learning models over four publicly-available COVID-19 datasets. The results are suggestive of the relevance of deep learning in providing assistive intelligence to medical practitioners, when they are overburdened with patients as in pandemics. Its clinical significance lies in its unprecedented scope in providing low-cost decision-making for patients lacking specialized healthcare at remote locations.
Polarity-driven three-dimensional spontaneous rotation of a cell doublet
Authors: Lu Linjie , Guyomar Tristan , Vagne Quentin , Berthoz Rémi , Torres-Sánchez Alejandro , Lieb Michèle , Martin-Lemaitre Cecilie , van Unen Kobus , Honigmann Alf , Pertz Olivier , Salbreux Guillaume , Riveline Daniel
Published: December 2022

Cell mechanical interactions play a fundamental role in the self-organisation of organisms. How these interactions drive coordinated cell movement in three-dimensions remains unclear. Here we report that cell doublets embedded in a 3D extracellular matrix undergo spontaneous rotations and we investigate the rotation mechanism using live cell imaging, quantitative measurements, mechanical perturbations, and theory. We find that rotation is driven by a polarized distribution of myosin within cell cortices. The mismatched orientation of this polarized distribution breaks the doublet mirror symmetry. In addition, cells adhere at their interface through adherens junctions and with the extracellular matrix through focal contacts near myosin clusters. Using a physical theory describing the doublet as two interacting active surfaces, we find that rotation is driven by myosin-generated gradients of active tension, whose profiles are dictated by interacting cell polarity axes. We show that interface three-dimensional shapes can be understood from the Curie principle: shapes symmetries are related to broken symmetries of myosin distribution in cortices. To test for the rotation mechanism, we suppress myosin clusters using laser ablation and we generate new myosin clusters by optogenetics. Our work clarifies how polarity-oriented active mechanical forces drive collective cell motion in three dimensions.
T-cell cellular stress and reticulocyte signatures, but not loss of naïve T lymphocytes, characterize severe COVID-19 in older adults
Authors: Jergović Mladen , Watanabe Makiko , Bhat Ruchika , Coplen Christopher P. , Sonar Sandip A. , Wong Rachel , Castaneda Yvonne , Davidson Lisa , Kala Mrinalini , Wilson Rachel C. , Twigg Homer L. , Knox Kenneth , Erickson Heidi E. , Weinkauf Craig C. , Bime Christian , Bixby Billie A. , Parthasarathy Sairam , Mosier Jarrod M. , LaFleur Bonnie J. , Bhattacharya Deepta , Nikolich Janko Ž.
Published: December 2022

In children and younger adults up to 39 years of age, SARS-CoV-2 usually elicits mild symptoms that resemble the common cold. Disease severity increases with age starting at 30 and reaches astounding mortality rates that are ~330 fold higher in persons above 85 years of age compared to those 18-39 years old.

To understand age-specific immune pathobiology of COVID-19 we have analyzed soluble mediators, cellular phenotypes, and transcriptome from over 80 COVID-19 patients of varying ages and disease severity, carefully controlling for age as a variable. We found that reticulocyte numbers and peripheral blood transcriptional signatures robustly correlated with disease severity. By contrast, decreased numbers and proportion of naïve T-cells, reported previously as a COVID-19 severity risk factor, were found to be general features of aging and not of COVID-19 severity, as they readily occurred in older participants experiencing only mild or no disease at all. Single-cell transcriptional signatures across age and severity groups showed that severe but not moderate/mild COVID-19 causes cell stress response in different T-cell populations, and some of that stress was unique to old severe participants, suggesting that in severe disease of older adults, these defenders of the organism may be disabled from performing immune protection. These findings shed new light on interactions between age and disease severity in COVID-19.
À la carte,Streptococcus pneumoniaecapsular typing: using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and machine learning algorithms as complementary tools for the determination of PCV13 serotypes and the most prevalent NON PCV13 serotypes according to Argentina’s epidemiology
Authors: Zintgraff Jonathan , Rocca Florencia , Eluchans Nahuel Sánchez , Irazu Lucía , Moscoloni Maria Luisa , Lara Claudia , Santos Mauricio
Published: December 2022

Laboratory surveillance ofStreptococcus pneumoniaeserotypes is crucial for the successful implementation of vaccines to prevent invasive pneumococcal diseases. The reference method of serotyping is the Quellung reaction, which is labor-intensive and expensive.

In the last few years, the introduction of MALDI-TOF MS into the microbiology laboratory has been revolutionary. In brief, this new technology compares protein profiles by generating spectra based on the mass to charge ratio (m/z).

We evaluated the performance of MALDI-TOF MS for typing serotypes ofS. pneumoniaeisolates included in the PCV13 vaccine using a machine learning approach. We challenged our classification algorithms in “real time” with a total of new 100 isolates ofS. pneumoniaefrom Argentinian nationwide surveillance.

Our best approach could correctly identify the isolates with a sensitivity of 58.33 % ([95%IC 40.7-71.7]); specificity of 81.48 % ([95%IC 53.6-79.7]); accuracy of 63.0% ([95%IC 61.9-93.7]); PPV of 80.77% ([95%IC 64.5-90.6]) and NPV of 59.46% ([95%IC 48.9-69.2]).

In this work, it was possible to demonstrate that the combination of MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry and multivariate analysis allows the development of new strategies for the identification and characterization of Spn isolates of clinical importance; and we consider that by using AI, as more data becomes available the models will get better and more precise.
Three linked opposing regulatory variants under selection associate withIVD
Authors: Brown Elizabeth A. , Kales Susan , Boyle Michael J. , Vitti Joseph , Kotliar Dylan , Schaffner Stephen F. , Tewhey Ryan S. , Sabeti Pardis C.
Published: December 2022

While genome-wide association studies (GWAS) and selection scans identify genomic loci driving human phenotypic diversity, functional validation is required to discover the variant(s) responsible. We dissected theIVDlocus, implicated by selection statistics, multiple GWAS, and clinical genetics as important to function and fitness. We combined luciferase assays, CRISPR/Cas9 genome-editing, massively parallel reporter assays (MPRA), and bashing of regulatory loci. We identified three regulatory variants, including an indel, that may underpin GWAS signals for pulmonary fibrosis and testosterone, and that are linked on a positively selected haplotype in the Japanese population. These regulatory variants exhibit synergistic and opposing effects onIVDexpression experimentally. Alleles at these variants lie on a haplotype tagged by the variant most strongly associated withIVDexpression and metabolites, but with no functional evidence itself. This work demonstrates how comprehensive functional investigation and multiple technologies are needed to discover the true genetic drivers of phenotypic diversity.
Cleavage furrow-directed cortical flows bias mechanochemical pathways for PAR polarization in theC. elegansgerm lineage
Authors: Ng KangBo , Hirani Nisha , Bland Tom , Borrego-Pinto Joana , Goehring Nathan W.
Published: December 2022

During development, the conserved PAR polarity network is continuously redeployed, requiring that it adapts to changing cellular contexts and environmental cues. How it does so and the degree to which these adaptations reflect changes in its fundamental design principles remain unclear. Here, we investigate the process of PAR polarization within the highly tractableC. elegansgermline P lineage, which undergoes a series of iterative asymmetric stem cell-like divisions. Compared to the zygote, we observe significant differences in the pattern of polarity emergence, including an inversion of the initial unpolarized state, changes in symmetry breaking cues, and the timings with which anterior and posterior PARs segregate. Beneath these differences, however, polarity establishment remains reliant on the same core pathways identified in the zygote, including conserved roles for cortical actin flows and PAR-dependent self-organization. Intriguingly, we find that cleavage furrow-directed cortical actin flows play a similar symmetry-breaking role for the germline cell P1 as centrosome-induced cortical flows in the zygote. Through their ability to induce asymmetric accumulation of PAR-3 clusters, these furrow-directed flows directly couple the geometry of polarization to cell division, which could be a general strategy for cells to ensure proper organization within dynamically growing systems, such as embryos. In summary, our data suggest that coupling of novel symmetry-breaking cues with highly adaptable core mechanochemical circuits enable robust PAR polarity in response to changing developmental contexts.
An optimized approach for multiplexing single-nuclear ATAC-seq using oligonucleotide conjugated antibodies
Authors: Bera Betelehem Solomon , Thompson Taylor V. , Sosa Eric , Nomaru Hiroko , Reynolds David , Dubin Robert A. , Maqbool Shahina B. , Zheng Deyou , Morrow Bernice E. , Greally John M. , Suzuki Masako
Published: December 2022

Background

Single-cell technologies to analyze transcription and chromatin structure have been widely used in many research areas to reveal the functions and molecular properties of cells at single-cell resolution. Sample multiplexing techniques are valuable when performing single-cell analysis, reducing technical variation and permitting cost efficiencies. Several commercially available methods are available and have been used in many scRNA-seq studies. On the other hand, while several methods have been published, the multiplexing techniques for single nuclear Assay for Transposase-Accessible Chromatin (snATAC)-seq assays remain under development. We developed a simple nucleus hashing method using oligonucleotide conjugated antibodies recognizing nuclear pore complex proteins, NuHash, to perform snATAC-seq library preparations by multiplexing.

Results

We performed multiplexing snATAC-seq analyses on the mixture of human and mouse cell samples (two samples, 2-plex, and four samples, 4-plex) using NuHash. The demultiplexing accuracy of NuHash was high, and only ten out of 9,144 nuclei (2-plex) and 150 of 12,208 nuclei (4-plex) had discordant classifications between NuHash demultiplexing and discrimination using reference genome alignments. We compared results between snATAC-seq and deeply sequenced bulk ATAC-seq on the same samples and found that most of the peaks detected in snATAC-seq were also detected in deeply sequenced bulk ATAC-seq. The bulk ATAC-seq signal intensity was positively correlated with the number of cell subtype clusters detected in snATAC-seq, but not the subset of peaks detected in all clusters. These subsets of snATAC-seq peaks showed different distributions over different genomic features, suggesting that the peak intensities of bulk ATAC-seq can be used to identify different types of functional loci.

Conclusions

Our multiplexing method using oligo-conjugated anti-nuclear pore complex proteins, NuHash, permits high accuracy demultiplexing of samples. The NuHash protocol is straightforward, it works on frozen samples, and requires no modifications for snATAC-seq library preparation.
Murine Vaginal Co-infection with Penicillinase-ProducingNeisseria gonorrhoeaeFails to Alleviate Amoxicillin-Induced Chlamydial Persistence
Authors: Onorini Delia , Leonard Cory Ann , Pesch Theresa , Prähauser Barbara , Schoborg Robert V. , Borel Nicole
Published: December 2022

Chlamydia trachomatis(CT) andNeisseria gonorrhoeae(NG) cause most bacterial sexually transmitted infections (STIs) worldwide. CT/NG co-infection is more common than expected due to chance, suggesting CT/NG interaction. However, CT/NG co-infection remains largely unstudied. Obligate intracellular CT has a characteristic biphasic developmental cycle consisting of two bacterial forms, infectious elementary bodies (EBs) and non-infectious, replicating reticulate bodies (RBs), which reside within host-derived, membrane-bound intracellular inclusions. Diverse stressors cause divergence from the normal chlamydial developmental cycle to an aberrant state called chlamydial persistence. Persistence can be induced by host-specific factors such as intracellular nutrient deprivation or cytokine exposure, and exogenous factors such as beta-lactam exposure, which disrupts RB to EB conversion. Persistent chlamydiae are atypical in appearance and, as such, are called aberrant bodies (ABs), but remain viable. The primary hallmark of persistence is reversibility of this temporary non-infectious state; upon removal of the stressor, persistent chlamydiae re-enter normal development, and production of infectious EBs resumes. The beta-lactam amoxicillin (AMX) has been shown to induce chlamydial persistence in a murine vaginal infection model, using the mouse pathogenC. muridarum(CM) to model human CT infection. This remains, to date, the sole experimentally tractablein vivomodel of chlamydial persistence. Recently, we found that penicillinase-producing NG (PPNG) can alleviate AMX-induced CT and CM persistencein vitro.We hypothesized that PPNG vaginal co-infection would also alleviate AMX-induced CM persistence in mice. To evaluate this hypothesis, we modified the CM/AMX persistence mouse model, incorporating CM/PPNG co-infection. Contradicting our hypothesis, and recentin vitrofindings, PPNG vaginal co-infection failed to alleviate AMX-induced CM persistence.
Fine-Mapping and Credible Set Construction using a Multi-population Joint Analysis of Marginal Summary Statistics from Genome-wide Association Studies
Authors: Shen Jiayi , Jiang Lai , Wang Kan , Wang Anqi , Chen Fei , Newcombe Paul J. , Haiman Christopher A. , Conti David V.
Published: December 2022

Recent advancement in Genome-wide Association Studies (GWAS) comes from not only increasingly larger sample sizes but also the shifted focus towards underrepresented populations. Multi-population GWAS may increase power to detect novel risk variants and improve fine-mapping resolution by leveraging evidence from diverse populations and accounting for the difference in linkage disequilibrium (LD) across ethnic groups. Here, we expand upon our previous approach for single-population fine-mapping through Joint Analysis of Marginal SNP Effects (JAM) to a multi-population analysis (mJAM). Under the assumption that true causal variants are common across studies, we implement a novel version of JAM that conditions on multiple SNPs while explicitly incorporating the different LD structures across populations. The mJAM framework can be used to first select index variants using the mJAM likelihood with any feature selection approach. In addition, we present a novel approach leveraging the ideas of mediation to construct credible sets for these index variants. Construction of such credible sets can be performed given any existing index variants. We illustrate the implementation of the mJAM likelihood through two implementations: mJAM-SuSiE (a Bayesian approach) and mJAM-Forward selection. Through simulation studies based on realistic effect sizes and levels of LD, we demonstrated that mJAM performs better than other existing multi-ethnic methods for constructing concise credible sets that include the underlying causal variants. In real data examples taken from the most recent multi-population prostate cancer GWAS, we showed several practical advantages of mJAM over other existing methods.
Autophagy inspects Rim4-mRNA interaction to safeguard programmed meiotic translation
Authors: Zhang Rudian , Feng Wenzhi , Qian Suhong , Li Shunjin , Wang Fei
Published: December 2022

Autophagy can degrade RNA, with an intricate preference for specific RNAs. However, the mechanism remains unclear. During yeast meiosis, autophagy is active, while a subset of transcripts needs to survive until their programmed translation during and at the end of meiotic divisions. Thus, the challenge here is how meiotic autophagy temporally spares specific mRNAs. Rim4, a meiosis-specific RNA binding protein (RBP), sequesters a specific set of mid-late meiotic transcripts during early meiosis to suppress premature translation. Recently, we reported that autophagy degrades Rim4, while the underlying mechanism and the fate of transcripts in complex with Rim4 remain uncharacterized. Here, we show that Rim4 utilizes a nuclear localization signal (NLS) to enter the nucleus to load its mRNA substrates before the nuclear export. Once in the cytoplasm, the active autophagy spares Rim4-mRNA. Using combined genetic, biochemical, and cell imaging approaches, we show that autophagy selectively degrades Rim4 during meiotic divisions in an Atg11-dependent manner upon Rim4-bound mRNAs released for translation; meanwhile, released mRNAs also become sensitive to autophagy.In vitro, purified Rim4 and its RRM-motif-containing variants, but not Rim4-mRNA complex, activate Atg1 kinase activity in meiotic cell lysates and in the immunoprecipitated Atg1 complex, suggesting that the conserved RRMs are involved in stimulating Atg1 and hence selective autophagy. These findings indicate that autophagy inspects Rim4-mRNA interaction to ensure meiotic stage-specific translation.
Mechanism of ATP hydrolysis dependent rotation of ATP synthases
Authors: Nakano Atsuki , Kishikawa Jun-ichi , Mitsuoka Kaoru , Yokoyama Ken
Published: December 2022

F1domain of ATP synthase is a rotary ATPase complex in which rotation of central γ-subunit proceeds in 120° steps against a surrounding α3β3fueled by ATP hydrolysis. How the ATP hydrolysis reactions occurring in three catalytic αβ dimers are coupled to mechanical rotation is a key outstanding question. Here we describe catalytic intermediates of the F1domain during ATP mediated rotation captured using cryo-EM. The structures reveal that three catalytic events and the first 80° rotation occur simultaneously in F1domain when nucleotides are bound at all the three catalytic αβ dimers. The remaining 40° rotation of the complete 120° step is driven by completion of ATP hydrolysis at αDβD, and proceeds through three sub-steps (83°,91°,101°, and120°) with three associated conformational intermediates. All sub-steps except for one between91°and101°associated with phosphate release, occur independently of the chemical cycle, suggesting that the 40° rotation is largely driven by release of intramolecular strain accumulated by the 80° rotation. Together with our previous results, these findings provide the molecular basis of ATP driven rotation of ATP synthases.
Exploring the integration of blockchain technology into supply chain: challenges and performance
Authors: Ghode Dnyaneshwar Jivanrao , Yadav Vinod , Jain Rakesh , Soni Gunjan
Published: December 2022

Purpose

In the era of digitization, blockchain technology (BCT) has gained huge attraction in a variety of business processes including operations and supply chains (SC) of different industrial sectors. This paper aims that the adoption of BCT in SC enables the industries to integrate the stakeholders and its distinct features enhance the performance of SC.

Design/methodology/approach

An attempt is made to develop a BCT platform a pilot case of bearing-SC and identify the challenges and their solutions in the integration of BCT with SC. Moreover, the impact of BCT on measures of SC performance is also studied.

Findings

The results show enhanced transparency in the transactions, better security of the data, diminished latency period for transfer of information, improved traceability of the bearing, reduced time for payment transfer process and decreased nonvalue-added activities. Ultimately, overall trust of the customer can be improved by the integration of BCT in bearing-SC.

Originality/value

In the same way, BCT can be applied to SC of other components to assure the product quality to the end-users.
Women entrepreneurs during COVID-19 pandemic: does their social capital matter?
Authors: Tiwari Divya , Shastri Shruti
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to the role of bonding and bridging social capital of women entrepreneurs in dealing with the business crisis induced by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 24 women entrepreneurs from Deoria district from the state of Uttar Pradesh in India are selected through the snowball sampling technique. Out of these 24 female entrepreneurs, 14 belong to some network and 10 are not a part of any network. A qualitative methodology based upon in-depth personal interviews is used to get insights about the personal views of the female entrepreneurs on the role played by their bonding and bridging social capital to deal with the problems during the current business crisis.

Findings

Contrary to the general belief that women-owned businesses succumb easily to business crises and respond to reduce risks, the findings suggest that women business owners confidently faced the adverse business conditions. The bonding social capital of women entrepreneurs provided emotional support and motivation through internal interactions and responsibility sharing, and business networks (bridging capital) facilitated identification of new opportunities. The respondents emphatically mentioned the role of peer entrepreneurs as sources of information and resources.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study in the Indian context that seeks to investigate the role of bonding and bridging social capital during the business crisis induced by the current pandemic using qualitative data generated through in-depth interviews.
Exploring measures to enhance the low adoption rate of IR 4.0 technologies: a qualitative inquiry with hotels during COVID-19
Authors: Osei Benjamin Appiah , Ragavan Neethiahnanthan Ari , Kandappan Balasubramanian , Frempong Foster
Published: December 2022

Purpose

While there was heightened awareness on the technologies of the fourth industrial revolution (IR 4.0) prior to COVID-19, studies have shown that the adoption of these advanced technologies (e.g. Big Data, robotics, Internet of Things, etc.) continues to remain low across global industries. This qualitative study sought to explore the reasons for the low rate of adoption of these technologies and appropriate measures to enhance their adoption at hotels, through the lens of hotel executives.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on interpretivist's ideals, this study follows a case study design and adopts a qualitative method of enquiry. The heterogenous purposive sampling technique was employed to gather data for the study, using semi-structured interviews.

Findings

Grounded on the technology-organisation-environment (TOE) framework, the thematic analysis revealed technology, organisation and environment-related reasons for the low rate of IR 4.0 technologies adoption at hotels in Malaysia. Also, the study uncovered some interesting measures that will enhance the adoption of these advanced technologies at hotels.

Originality/value

This study unearths technology, organisation and environment-related reasons for low adoption, and measures to enhance the adoption of IR 4.0 technologies in hotels. This study also enlightens hotel owners and technology providers about practical issues that will ensure the successful adoption of such technologies to enhance hotel business. In line with SDG 9, this study also seeks to promote sustainable innovation in the hospitality industry. Practical and theoretical implications have also been discussed in this study.
Shifting language ideologies and pedagogies to be anti-racist: a reconstructive discourse analysis of one ELA teacher inquiry group
Authors: Schieble Melissa , Vetter Amy , Monét Martin Kahdeidra
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to present findings from a three-year qualitative study that used a model of teacher learning referred to as teaching as inquiry (Manfra, 2019). Teaching as inquiry centers the teacher as a learner in a prolonged and “systematic process of data collection and analysis focused on changing teaching” (p. 167). Findings from the larger qualitative study demonstrate the work of collecting transcripts and using discourse analysis to analyze classroom discourse fostered high school English teachers’ knowledge and skills for facilitating critical conversations (Schiebleet al., 2020). For this paper, the authors highlight Paula, a white, female secondary teacher who is dual certified in English Language Arts and ESL. Findings from Paula’s case demonstrate the ways the teacher inquiry group disrupted Paula’s language ideologies of linguistic purism, an ideology embedded in white supremacist and colonialist, hegemonic language policies and practices (Kroskrity, 2004), and transformed her instructional practices over time.

Design/methodology/approach

The research used qualitative methods for design and scope to generate an information-rich instrumental case study (Stake, 1995). Case study is a form of qualitative inquiry that concentrates on experiential knowledge of the case. This study used case study methods to construct an instrumental case to understand how participation in the teacher inquiry group shaped Paula’s facilitation of critical conversations. Data analysis used inductive and deductive qualitative coding procedures and discourse analysis (Gee, 2004; Rogers, 2018) to address the research questions.

Findings

Findings demonstrate that prior to meeting with the teacher inquiry group, Paula’s teaching practices embodied linguistic separatism by emphasizing that standardized English was the “appropriate” way to participate in critical conversations. Through studying her classroom discourse, the inquiry group supported her to critically question these instructional practices and ideologies. Findings demonstrate that the work of the inquiry group supported her embodiment and articulation of a translanguaging ideology that supported her facilitation of critical conversations.

Originality/value

Findings from this study contributes to scholarly and professional knowledge about how models of teaching as inquiry (Manfra, 2019) demonstrate a positive or reconstructive impact on teacher and student learning. This study highlights the potential for reconstructive shifts in the context of how teachers learn together and the tools that support them in doing so.
Perceived organizational politics and workplace gossip: the moderating role of compassion
Authors: Khan Aamna , Chaudhary Richa
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine perceived organizational politics (POP) as an antecedent to workplace gossip. While the commonly held belief is that POP is consequential to the existence of negative workplace gossip, an alternate hypothesis can be that POP may predict positive workplace gossip as well. The study further explores the role of compassion as a boundary condition in the relationship of POP with negative and positive valences of workplace gossip.

Design/methodology/approach

Using purposive sampling technique, the data were collected through time-lagged (two-wave) surveys from employees working in private (Study 1, n = 366) and public (Study 2, n = 206) sector organizations across India, and analyzed using SPSS AMOS 27 and PROCESS Macro (Model 1).

Findings

The results of Study 1 and Study 2 revealed that POP correlated positively with negative as well as positive workplace gossip. Further, it was found that compassion moderated the relationship of POP with negative workplace gossip but failed to moderate in the case of positive workplace gossip in both the studies.

Practical implications

This study makes practitioners aware of the ubiquity of the phenomenon of workplace gossip and encourages them to embrace gossip in the workplace rather than banishing it altogether.

Originality/value

This study delineates the link between POP and the valences of workplace gossip that remains unexplored in the literature. The study also takes into account the intervening role of compassion in the aforementioned relationships. The striking results of the study open new realms of research possibilities not only in the field of workplace gossip, but POP and compassion as well.
How social interaction can prevent interpersonal conflict from inducing turnover intentions and diminishing championing behaviour
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Belausteguigoitia Imanol
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to draw from conservation of resources theory to examine how employees’ experience of resource-draining interpersonal conflict might diminish the likelihood that they engage in championing behaviour. Its specific focus is on the mediating effect of their motivation to leave the organization and the moderating effect of their peer-oriented social interaction in this connection.

Design/methodology/approach

The research hypotheses are empirically assessed with quantitative survey data gathered from 632 employees who work in a large Mexican-based pharmacy chain. The statistical analyses involved an application of the Process macro, which enabled concurrent estimations of the direct, mediating and moderating effects predicted by the proposed conceptual framework.

Findings

Emotion-based tensions in co-worker relationships decrease employees’ propensity to mobilize support for innovative ideas, because employees make plans to abandon their jobs. This mediating role of turnover intentions is mitigated when employees maintain close social relationships with their co-workers.

Practical implications

For organizational practitioners, this study identifies a core explanation (i.e. employees want to quit the company) for why frustrations with emotion-based quarrels can lead to a reluctance to promote novel ideas – ideas that otherwise could add to organizational effectiveness. It also highlights how this harmful process can be avoided if employees maintain good, informal relationships with their colleagues.

Originality/value

For organizational scholars, this study explicates why and when employees’ experience of interpersonal conflict translates into complacent work behaviours, in the form of tarnished idea championing. It also identifies informal peer relationships as critical contingency factors that disrupt this negative dynamic.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) for the Asia–Pacific region and world
Authors: Zreik Mohamad
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The regional comprehensive economic partnership (RCEP) is promising as per the claims and can be revolutionary for the Asia–Pacific Region. The member countries will get a boost in the post-pandemic world due to the RCEP. According to Brookings, the RCEP is going to be an agreement reshaping the global economics. This study aims to clarify the aspects related to the RCEP and how it can boost global economics.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs qualitative descriptive analysis to address the status of RCEP in the region and the consequences of such main transnational partnership. The study is based on economic reports, official documents and data directly related to the subject of the study.

Findings

Findings show that the RCEP will be a significant driver of regional trade despite its faults. The RCEP's tariff benefits and rules of origin, notwithstanding their relatively restricted scope, will encourage enterprises to source products and services from RCEP members, and in combination, RCEP and Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) are anticipated to replace at least some competing US commodities, services and farm exports. For items that integrate parts and components from inside the area, such as from China, the RCEP is projected to reduce tax and trade facilitation costs, allowing enterprises to avoid US Section 301 tariffs.

Originality/value

By examining how the RCEP operates within the framework of domestic and international trade, this study contributes to a deeper understanding of RCEP and analyses its nature based on data and official reports.
Accounting for customer satisfaction: evidence of corporate performance value relevance from top global brands
Authors: AbuRaya Rania , Yassin Mohamed , Ali Salah A.
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Customer satisfaction (CS) is a key factor in maintaining customer relations and achieving corporate success. This paper aims to empirically investigate the value relevance of CS accounting for corporate performance (CP) of top global brands worldwide.

Design/methodology/approach

A sample of top 100 global brands located in different countries and operating over various industries is examined for a period of three years comprising 2020 till 2022. A quantitative research methodology is used for conducting content analysis of companies’ annual reports and carrying out ordinary least squares multiple regression tests using different financial and market measures, as proxies for CP.

Findings

Results show that CS can significantly enhance CP. Findings indicate a significant positive association of current and lagged CS with both profitability and market value, thereby documenting consistent evidence in a global market setting.

Research limitations/implications

The study provides an aggregate picture of the value relevance of CS while a disaggregated view across different industries can reveal deeper insights. However, the study has important implications for corporate executives, investors, accountants and standard setters, offering global insights that appreciate CS for improving CP and creating value for businesses. It helps in understanding customers preferences, designing corporate policies and strategies, predicting CP, developing alternative methods of CS measurement and reporting and recommending possible accounting treatments.

Originality/value

This study adds to the relatively limited literature on the potential contribution of CS within the accounting literature. It extends the scope of prior research by documenting quantitative empirical evidence of the value relevance of CS for CP of top global brands, using different financial and market measures. It provides international insights into a global market setting, in which diversity is inherent and competition is fierce. Hence, the study largely contributes to resolving existing debate by documenting consistent objective evidence over a wide regional diversity using various indicators.
Can innovative work behaviour spur creativity while working remotely? The role of work–home conflict and social isolation
Authors: Garlatti Costa Grazia , Bortoluzzi Guido , Černe Matej
Published: December 2022

Purpose

During the COVID-19 pandemic, huge numbers of employees shifted to remote working, with various consequences for their family and working lives. This study aims to focus on the factors that affect their creativity while working from home. As individual creativity is shaped by context, the authors investigate the moderating role of the domestic environment on employees’ creative contributions while working remotely.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors base the arguments on the complexity perspective on innovative work behaviour (IWB) and consider innovation a recursive process in which innovative behaviour can inform, and not simply follow, subsequent creative acts. The sudden spur of the pandemic interrupted the natural recursiveness of the creativity–innovation process and allowed them to empirically investigate the direct and indirect effects that levels of pre-pandemic IWB had on individuals’ creative behaviour. The authors hypothesise that this relationship is moderated by two resource-conserving contextual factors: work–home conflict and a feeling of social isolation. The participants were 803 employees from several Italian corporations. The data were collected during the first lockdown period (April–May 2020).

Findings

The findings support the existence of a three-way interaction, suggesting that IWB affects further creative behaviours when both work–home conflict and social isolation are low.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study that investigates what happened to employees’ creativity during the COVID-19 massive remote working situation. The results should be interpreted beyond the unique context because remote working will continue.
Using natural language processing to measure cognitive load during use-of-force decision-making training
Authors: Ta-Johnson Vivian , Suss Joel , Lande Brian
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Few studies have tested the efficacy of instruction based on cognitive load theory in police use-of-force (UoF) training due to limitations of existing cognitive load measures. Although linguistic measures of cognitive load address these limitations, they have yet to be applied to police UoF training. This study aims to discuss the aforementioned issue.

Design/methodology/approach

Officers’ verbal behavioral data from two UoF de-escalation projects were used to calculate cognitive load and assess how it varied with officer experience level (less-experienced, experienced). The verbal data were further analyzed to examine specific thinking patterns that contributed to heightened cognitive load across officer experience levels.

Findings

Across both studies, responses from less-experienced officers contained greater usage of cognitive language than responses from experienced officers. Specific cognitive processes that contribute to cognitive load in specific situations were also identified.

Originality/value

This paper enables police trainers to facilitate the development of adaptive training strategies to improve police UoF training via the reduction of cognitive load, and also contributes to the collective understanding of how less-experienced and experienced officers differ in their UoF decision-making.
Interpopulation variation in leaf out phenology of Fagus crenata along topographic variation associated with the late frost regime in the Hakkoda Mountains, northern Japan
Authors: Sugimoto Saki , Ishida Kiyoshi
Published: December 2022

We studied local variations in temperature from winter to spring, and interpopulation variations in leaf out phenology (the day and the temperature sum for budburst and leaf expansion) of Siebold's beech (Fagus crenata) canopy trees. We focused on local topographic variation associated with the late frost regime for the canopy trees using 5–10 years of in situ observation of the temperature at 12 sites and leaf out phenology of two populations inhabiting a basin (basin populations) and 4 populations inhabiting hillside slopes (hillside slope populations) in the Hakkoda Mountains, northern Japan. The late frost regime differed between topographies; late frosts occurred during warmer periods in the basin compared to hillside slopes. The basin populations exhibited a larger temperature sum for leaf out than the hillside slope populations, regardless of altitude, suggesting that local variation in the late frost regime is an abiotic factor causing local variations in leaf out phenology. The six studied populations exhibited earlier days and smaller temperature sum of budburst in years with longer chilling duration. However, the extent of phenotypic plasticity in the temperature sum was small for the basin compared to hillside slopes. The temperature sum of leaf expansion in the hillside slope populations also negatively correlated with chilling duration, whereas that of the basin populations responded in the opposite direction. The safety margin from the last frost differed between the topographies, but not that from the last fatal frost, suggesting local adaptation to the late frost regime in each habitat.