bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Autonomous and non-cell autonomous etiology of ciliopathy associated structural birth defects
Authors: Francis Richard , San Agustin Jovenal T , Szabo Rogers Heather L. , Cui Cheng , Jonassen Julie A. , Eguether Thibaut , Follit John A. , Lo Cecilia W. , Pazour Gregory J.
Published: June 2023

Ciliopathies are associated with wide spectrum of structural birth defects (SBD), indicating important roles for cilia in development. Here we provide novel insights into the temporospatial requirement for cilia in SBDs arising from deficiency inIft140, an intraflagellar transport protein regulating ciliogenesis.Ift140deficient mice exhibit cilia defects accompanied by wide spectrum of SBDs including macrostomia (craniofacial defects), exencephaly, body wall defects, tracheoesophageal fistula, randomized heart looping, congenital heart defects (CHD), lung hypoplasia, renal anomalies, and polydactyly. Tamoxifen inducible CAG-Cre deletion of a floxedIft140allele between E5.5 to 9.5 revealed early requirement forIft140in left-right heart looping regulation, mid to late requirement for cardiac outflow septation and alignment, and late requirement for craniofacial development and body wall closure. Surprisingly, CHD was not observed with four Cre drivers targeting different lineages essential for heart development, but craniofacial defects and omphalocele were observed with Wnt1-Cre targeting neural crest and Tbx18-Cre targeting epicardial lineage and rostral sclerotome through which trunk neural crest cells migrate. These findings revealed cell autonomous role of cilia in cranial/trunk neural crest mediated craniofacial and body wall closure defects, while non-cell autonomous multi-lineage interactions underlie CHD pathogenesis, revealing unexpected developmental complexity for CHD associated with ciliopathy.
Metabolic adaptations leading to lignification in wheat roots under salinity stress
Authors: Dissanayake Bhagya M. , Staudinger Christiana , Ranathunge Kosala , Munns Rana , Rupasinghe Thusitha W. , Taylor Nicolas L. , Millar A. Harvey
Published: June 2023

Analysis of salinity tolerance processes in wheat has focused on salt exclusion from shoots while root phenotypes have received limited attention. Here we consider the varying phenotypic response of four bread wheat varieties that differ in their type and degree of salt tolerance and consider in detail their molecular responses to salinity and changes in root cell wall lignification. These varieties were Westonia introgressed withNax1andNax2root sodium transporters (HKT1;5-A) that reduce Na+accumulation in leaves, as well as the ‘tissue tolerant’ Portugese landrace Mocho de Espiga Branca that has a mutation in the homologous geneHKT1;5-Dand has high Na+concentration in leaves. These three varieties were compared with the more salt-sensitive cultivar Gladius. Through the use of root structural analysis, ion concentrations, as well as differential proteomics and targeted metabolomics we provide an integrated view of the wheat root response to salinity. We show different metabolic re-arrangements in energy conversion, primary metabolic machinery and phenylpropanoid pathway leading to monolignol production in a genotype and genotype by treatment dependent manner that alters the extent and localisation of root lignification which correlated with an improved capacity of wheat roots to cope better under salinity stress.
Characterising genome composition and large structural variation in banana varietal groups
Authors: Higgins Janet , Osorio-Guarín Jaime Andrés , Olave-Achury Carolina , Toloza-Moreno Deisy Lisseth , Enriquez Ayda , Palma Federica Di , Yockteng Roxana , De Vega José J.
Published: June 2023

Background

Bananas and plantains (Musaspp.)are one of the most important crops worldwide. The cultivated varieties are vegetatively propagated, and their diversity is essentially fixed over time. Nevertheless, millennia of diversification and selection have led to hundreds of edible varieties.M. acuminataandM. balbisianarespectively provided the A and B subgenomes that mostly constitute these varieties. Here we aimed to characterise chromosomal exchanges and structural variation among lineages to understand shared foundational events and identify sources of allelic diversity in introgressed loci for genetic improvement.

Methods

We identified clonal somatic groups among 188 banana and plantain accessions introduced for cropping in Colombia, using admixture, principal component, and phylogenetic analyses. We established a new alignment-based metric, namedRelative Averaged Alignment(RAA), to infer subgenome composition (AA, AAB, etc.). We later used comparisons in read coverage along conserved chromosomal windows between the A, B, and S subgenomes to identify introgressions.

Results

In our panel, we identify ten varietal groups composed of somatic clones, plus three groups of tetraploid accessions. We demonstrated RAA can be used to infer subgenome composition in the total genome and individual chromosomes. We identified 20 introgressions, several newly reported, among the AAB and ABB varieties. We did not observe B-donor introgression in any AA/AAA varietal groups. We identified variation in length in at least two introgressions, a B-donor introgression in chromosome 7 between the “Maoli” and a “Popoulu” subdivisions, and an S-donor (M. schizocarpa) introgression in chromosome 2 in four varietal groups with different compositions (AAA, AAB, ABB, and AA).

Conclusions

The extensive distribution of introgressions and the variation in the length of some introgressions between varieties support that the emergence of many varieties can be attributed to intricate founding events, which encompassed multiple instances of hybridisation and subsequent residual backcrossing. We also showed the contribution ofM. schizocarpato four cultivated varieties, and proposed subdivision-specific intergenomic recombination in chromosome 7 between subgroups Maoli and Popoulu plantains. Introgressed loci over these 20 introgressions likely provide an extensive resource of allelic diversity to further explore their contribution to disease resistance, climatic adaption, etc. and potential for exploiting in breeding and genome editing.
Genome-scale targeted mutagenesis inBrassica napususing a pooled CRISPR library
Authors: He Jianjie , Zhang Kai , Yan Shuxiang , Tang Mi , Zhou Weixian , Yin Yongtai , Chen Kang , Zhang Chunyu , Li Maoteng
Published: June 2023

The recently constructed mutant libraries of diploid crops by the CRISPR-Cas9 system have provided abundant resources for functional genomics and crop breeding. However, because of the genome complexity, it is a big challenge to accomplish large-scale targeted mutagenesis in polyploid plants. Here, we demonstrate the feasibility of using a pooled CRISPR library to achieve genome-scale targeted editing in an allotetraploid crop ofBrassica napus. A total of 18,414 sgRNAs were designed to target 10,480 genes of interest, and afterward, 1104 regenerated transgenic plants harboring 1088 sgRNAs were obtained. Editing interrogation results revealed that 93 of the 178 genes were identified as mutated, thus representing an editing efficiency of 52.2%. Furthermore, we have discovered that Cas9-mediated DNA cleavages tend to occur at all the target sites guided by the same individual sgRNA, a novel finding in polyploid plants. Finally, we show the strong capability of reverse genetic screening for various traits with the postgenotyped plants. Several genes, which might dominate the fatty acid profile and seed oil content and have yet to be reported, were unveiled from the forward genetic studies. Our research provides valuable resources for functional genomics, elite crop breeding, and a good reference for high-throughput targeted mutagenesis in other polyploid plants.
Promoting unlearning at work through paradox mindset: a grounded theory approach
Authors: Yin Jun
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aims to qualitatively investigate when and how individuals' paradox mindset influences their individual unlearning.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted Charmaz's constructivist grounded theory approach based on constructivist ontology and interpretive epistemology. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 16 employees of a research company. The employees were asked about their perceptions of their roles and other factors that stimulated them to unlearn in a tension-setting environment.

Findings

This study developed a process model of paradox mindset for enhancing individual unlearning through three relational mechanisms, namely, enabling motivation to unlearn, understanding to unlearn and engaging in the unlearning process. The unlearning process is found to be influenced by paradoxical frames and emotions. Moreover, external factors, such as organizational changes, stimulate the adoption of paradoxical cognition and emotions while resource availability facilitates the unlearning process.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to qualitatively investigate how a paradox mindset facilitates the process of unlearning through relational mechanisms. This model provides a holistic understanding of the cognitive, emotional and motivational processes involved in accepting the tensions of unlearning and promoting the unlearning process. The findings also have implications for research on paradox theory and the management of unlearning tensions at the micro level.
The principled principal: the case of Australian Steiner schools
Authors: Eacott Scott
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Steiner schools represent a natural experiment in the provision of schooling. With a history dating back more than 100 years, leadership, leaders and the principal do not sit easily with Steiner educators. The contemporary regulatory environment requires a “principal” or legal authority at the school-building level, creating a tension for Steiner schools. This makes Steiner schools an ideal case study for understanding the contemporary role of the principal.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper is based on an interview-based study with 24 heads of Australian Steiner schools. Conducted on Microsoft Teams, all by the principal investigator, the interviews generated a 171,742-word corpus subjected to an inductive analytical approach. Data reduction led to four themes, and this paper focuses on one (principles not prescription) and its implications for the principalship and school governance.

Findings

Embedding the principalship in a philosophy (or theory) of education re-couples school administration with schooling and bases decision-making in principles rather than individuals. It also alters the role of data and evidence from accountability to justifying principles.

Research limitations/implications

Rather than a focus on individuals or roles, this paper argues that the underlying principles of organisational decision-making should be the central focus of research.

Practical implications

Ensuring organisational coherence, by balancing the diversity of positions on core principles is the core task of the contemporary principal.

Originality/value

Exploiting natural experiments in the provision of schooling makes it possible to argue for how schooling, and specifically the principalship, can be different.
Let's talk about it: the impact of nurses' implicit voice theories on individual agility and quality of care
Authors: Fournier Pierre-Luc , Bahl Lionel , van Dun Desirée H. , Johnson Kevin J. , Cadieux Jean
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The complexity and uncertainty of healthcare operations increasingly require agility to safeguard a high quality of care. Using a microfoundations of dynamic capabilities perspective, this study investigates the effects of nurses' implicit voice theories (IVTs) on the behaviors that influence their individual agility.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses quantitative survey data collected from 2,552 Canadian nurses during the fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the fall of 2021. Structural equation modeling is used to test a conceptual model that hypothesizes the effects of three different IVTs on nurses' creativity, spontaneity, agility and the quality of care they deliver to patients.

Findings

The results reveal that voice-inhibiting cognitions (like “suggestions are criticisms for higher-ups”, “I first need a solution or solid data”, and “speaking up has negative repercussions”) negatively impact nurses' creativity and spontaneity in crafting solutions to problems they face daily. In turn, this affects nurses' individual agility as they attempt to adapt to changing circumstances and, ultimately, the quality of care they provide to their patients.

Practical implications

Even if organizations have little control over employees' pre-held beliefs regarding voice, they can still reverse them by developing and nurturing a voice-welcoming culture to boost their workers' agility.

Originality/value

This study combines two theoretical frameworks, voice theory and dynamic capabilities theory, to study how individual-level factors (cognitions and behaviors) contribute to nurses' individual agility and the quality of care they provide to their patients. It answers the recent calls of scholars to study the mechanisms through which healthcare operations can develop and sustain dynamic capabilities, such as agility, and better face the “new normal”.
The mediating role of self-efficacy in the relationship between the online learning environment and academic self-regulation
Authors: Do Minh Ngoc , Lai Phuong Hoai
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to explore the interrelation between internal factors of learners and the external environment. The results of this study help to design a learning environment that improves students' self-efficacy and consequently self-regulated learning (SRL) behaviors of students.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a quantitative approach to explore the relationship between learner's self-efficacy, self-regulation behavior and three factors in the online learning environment: course design, learning activities and relationship with instructors and peers. Participants of the study are 350 students in two universities in Vietnam.

Findings

The study finds that factors in the learning environment namely course design, learning activities and relationship within class significantly affect students' self-regulation. Moreover, results show that students' self-efficacy plays the mediating role in the relationship between learning environment and self-regulation.

Research limitations/implications

Samples are taken by convenience sampling method, which may lead to sampling bias, and results may, to some extent, be misleading. The study was conducted in only two universities with limited student populations. A larger sample of students from other institutions may contribute to a better explanation of the relationships.

Practical implications

The study has a practical implication of contributing to the limited understanding of learners in an underdeveloped-research country context. The study also implies necessary changes to the long-standing, prevalent yet ineffective teaching and learning style.

Social implications

The study calls for a renovation in the nation's traditional educational practices, having a social implication of creating a learning environment beneficial for learners.

Originality/value

This study is the first to investigate the impact of online learning environment and students' internal factors on their learning behaviors in Vietnam. The study is among the very few empirical research studies on the country's education generally and on self-regulation specifically, contributing to better understanding of learning experiences and the improvement of teaching.
Open innovation in SMEs: a dynamic capabilities perspective
Authors: Al Nuaimi Fatima Mohamed Saif , Singh Sanjay Kumar , Ahmad Syed Zamberi
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationships between organizational learning capabilities, open innovation and firm performance (FP) in the context of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the emerging economies.

Design/methodology/approach

Data collected from 384 manufacturing SMEs operating across the seven emirates of the UAE were statistically analyzed using SmartPLS 3 to examine the hypotheses of this study.

Findings

The results show that organizational learning capabilities positively influences both inbound and outbound dimensions of open innovation (OI). Inbound open innovation (IP) practice positively impacted both market effectiveness and profitability, while outbound open innovation (OP) practice only affected profitability. Findings further confirmed the mediating role of IP practice on the relationships of organizational learning capabilities with market effectiveness and profitability. In contrast, OP practice did not mediate the relationships of organizational learning capabilities with market effectiveness and profitability.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors knowledge, this is among the first study contributing to the extant innovation literature in terms of investigations into the significant and complex interrelations of organizational learning capabilities, OI and FP in a single study, demonstrating various theoretical implications in the context of manufacturing SMEs in emerging countries. Overall, the findings of this study confirmed that the owners/managers of the UAE’s manufacturing SMEs need to be acquainted with the need of creating a working environment fostering organizational learning processes and capabilities to enhance IP and OP activities, thereby improving their market effectiveness and profitability.
Is money laundering a hurdle to achieving Sustainable Development Goals?
Authors: Gueddari Arij , Saafi Sami , Nouira Ridha
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study provide answers to the following research questions: Whether and to what extent money laundering affects the achievability and the trend of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)?; Does the influence of money laundering on the SDGs’ achievement differ from developing to developed countries?; How does the influence of money laundering vary among the 17 SDGs?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper’s analysis involves two key parts. In the first part, the authors perform a multivariate analysis to examine the influence of money laundering on the achievement of SDGs, and then in the second part, the authors make use of an ordered probit regression model to investigate the impact of money laundering on the trend of attaining each SDG.

Findings

Using a sample of 98 developed and developing countries, the regression results from multivariate analysis estimates show that money laundering has a strong inhibiting effect on the achievement of almost all the SDGs in the whole sample of countries and the sub-sample of developing countries, whereas no significant effect is observed for developed countries. However, for the SDG trends, the ordered probit estimates reveal that the harmful effect of money laundering occurs for all countries regardless their development level. In addition, perhaps surprisingly, the results from both the approaches yield also evidence advocating that money laundering activities might be associated with positive externalities on production and consumption. In fact, money laundering is found to have a significant positive influence on the achievement and the trend of SDG12 (Sustainable Consumption and Production). Overall, this study’s findings do have interesting policy implications, especially for developing countries. In these countries, prioritising the formulation and implementation of sound anti-money laundering policies is a necessary requirement for their progress towards achieving the SDGs.

Originality/value

The long-standing tradition of previous empirical studies examining the nexus between money laundering and sustainable development concentrates mainly on the economic dimension of sustainability (i.e. economic growth). However, little is known about the consequences of money laundering activities on the environment and the societies. Consequently, this study seeks to fill this gap by assessing the influence of money laundering on the achievement of the economic, environmental and social goals of sustainable development. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first integrated study to analyse the potential repercussions of money laundering on the SDGs’ achievement.
The moderating effect of educational support on the relationship between self-efficacy and intention in cyber entrepreneurship
Authors: Al Amimi Maitha Hareb , Ahmad Syed Zamberi
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study investigates the influence of cyber entrepreneurial self-efficacy (CESE) and educational support (ES) on cyber entrepreneurial intentions (CEIs) among individuals in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Additionally, in the context of cyber-entrepreneurship (CE), it examines the potential moderating effect of ES on the relationship between self-efficacy and intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Online surveys were administered via the SurveyMonkey platform to UAE-based individuals who graduated from top-ranking universities within the past five years. A total of 283 valid responses were obtained, and the hypotheses were evaluated using partial least squares structural equation modeling.

Findings

The findings reveal that CESE and ES both exhibit a significant positive relationship with CEIs. However, the study also indicates that ES does not moderate the relationship between CESE and CEIs.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the existing academic literature by applying the theory of planned behavior to CE for individuals in the UAE. Furthermore, in contrast with prior studies, this study demonstrates that ES significantly impacts CEIs. From a practical standpoint, this study offers valuable insights to policymakers and educational institutions regarding the importance of utilizing ES to increase the number of cyber entrepreneurs in the UAE.
The role of personal and job resources for telework's affective and behavioral outcomes
Authors: Junça Silva Ana , Violante Carolina , Brito Sílvio
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Recently new forms of telework emerged, such as the hybrid model; however, little is known about how and when it promotes performance. Based on the job demands-resources (JD-R) model, the authors developed a conceptual framework to demonstrate that the hybrid model of telework positively influences performance via positive affect. Furthermore, the authors identified both personal (emotional intelligence [EI]) and job resources (autonomy) as moderators of this relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

To test the proposed model, the authors collected data from teleworkers who were in a hybrid telework regime from the telecommunications industry (N = 290).

Findings

The results showed that (1) telework positively influenced positive affect and, in turn, performance and (2) the indirect effect of telework on performance through positive affect was moderated by both EI and autonomy.

Originality/value

These results appear to be fundamental for a better conceptual and practical understanding of how and when hybrid telework can improve performance.
A novel scenic spots assessment and recommendation method based on network attention: augmented mining model using probabilistic linguistic term set combined with VIKOR
Authors: Luo Yuyan , Yu Xiaojing , Xie Fei , Yang Zheng , Wang Jun
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The purpose is to provide decision support for tourists recommending scenic spots and corresponding suggestions for the management of scenic spots.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the Baidu index data generated, this paper analyzes the temporal and spatial characteristics of network attention of 5A scenic spots in Sichuan Province. The online comment data are used to build the assessment model of scenic spots based on network attention, and the comment information of tourists is mined and analyzed through statistical analysis. At the same time, the key attributes of scenic spots from the perspective of network attention are evaluated and analyzed by using the probabilistic linguistic term set. Finally, this paper further constructs a recommendation model based on the key attribute set of scenic spots.

Findings

This paper uses different types of tourism network information, integrates multi-types of data and methods, fully excavates the value information of tourism network information, constructs the research framework of “scenic spot assessment + scenic spot recommendation” from the perspective of network attention, analyzes the network attention characteristics of scenic spots, evaluates the performance of scenic spots, and implements scenic spot recommendation.

Originality/value

This paper integrates multi-source data and multidisciplinary theoretical methods to form a scenic spot research framework of “assessment + recommendation” from the perspective of network attention.
Mediating effect of entrepreneurial passion in the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and innovative work behavior
Authors: Flores Pérez Jorge Javier , Guevara Ruben
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to analyze the mediating effect of entrepreneurial passion on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and innovative work behavior in employees of small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Peru.

Design/methodology/approach

A nonexperimental cross-sectional design was used. Data were obtained from a random sample of 300 employees of SMEs in the manufacturing, agricultural and livestock sectors in Peru.

Findings

The results showed that entrepreneurial orientation has a direct and positive effect on entrepreneurial passion and innovative work behavior. Also, entrepreneurial passion was found to have a mediating effect on the relationship between entrepreneurial orientation and innovative work behavior.

Originality/value

The research provides evidence-based knowledge of the causal relationships between three important constructs related to entrepreneurship, analyzing their direct and indirect effects on innovative work behavior.
Integrated analysis shows how the effects of extreme flooding events propagate through fish communities to impact amphibians
Authors: Grace James B.
Published: June 2023

Research Highlight: Davis, C. L., Walls, S. C., Barichivich, W. J., Brown, M. E., & Miller, D. A. (2022). Disentangling direct and indirect effects of extreme events on coastal wetland communities. Journal of Animal Ecology, https://doi.org/10.1111/1365‐2656.13874. Catastrophic events such as floods, hurricanes, winter storms, droughts and wildfires increasingly touch our lives either directly or indirectly. These events draw our attention to the seriousness of changes in climate not only to human well‐being but also to the integrity of ecological systems upon which we depend. Understanding the impacts of extreme events on ecological systems requires the ability to characterize the cascading effects of environmental changes on the environments in which organisms live and the altered biological interactions produced. This scientific ambition represents no small challenge for the study of animal communities, which are typically difficult to census as well as dynamic in time and space. Davis et al. (2022) in a recent study in the Journal of Animal Ecology examined the amphibian and fish communities found in depressional coastal wetlands to better understand how they respond to major rainfall and flooding events. Data from the U.S. Geological Survey's Amphibian Research and Monitoring Initiative provided an 8‐year record of observations as well as environmental measurements. For this study, the authors integrated techniques for assessing the dynamics of animal populations with a Bayesian implementation of structural equation modelling. Using their integrated methodological approach permitted the authors to reveal the direct and indirect effects of extreme weather events on co‐occurring amphibian and fish communities while accounting for observational uncertainty and temporal variation in population‐level processes. Their findings indicate that the most prominent effects of flooding on the amphibian community were caused by changes in the fish community that led to increased predation and resource competition. In their conclusions, the authors emphasize the importance of understanding networks of abiotic and biotic effects if we are to predict and mitigate the influence of extreme weather events.
Light‐demanding tree species are more susceptible to lianas than shade‐tolerant tree species in a subtropical secondary forest
Authors: Song Shuling , Schnitzer Stefan A. , Ding Yonggang , Wang Guobing , Chen Lin , Liu Jun , Wen Renquan , Luan Fenggang , Fang Xiong , Yang Qingpei , Song Qingni
Published: June 2023

Tree‐tree competition has been widely studied as a mechanism responsible for maintaining forest plant species diversity. Other common plant types, such as lianas, may influence tree species competition. Previous studies reported the negative effects of lianas on trees; however, variation in susceptibility to lianas among tree species and the species‐specificity of liana species for tree hosts remain unclear. If lianas have species‐specific interactions with trees, based either on tree or liana species identity, then lianas may influence tree‐tree interactions by altering tree species‐specific competitiveness.

We surveyed 5676 lianas (DBH ≥ 0.5 cm) and 61,538 trees (DBH ≥ 1 cm) in a 12‐ha subtropical secondary forest plot to assess liana‐tree interactions. We tested variation among the 20 most common tree species in their susceptibility to lianas, including whether light‐demanding and shade‐tolerant tree species differed. We quantified liana‐tree network structure and evaluated the specificity between the 20 most common tree species and the 15 most common liana species. We expected that: (1) tree species would vary in their susceptibility to lianas, and the extent of this variation would be predicted by tree shade‐tolerance; and (2) liana species would have distinct species‐specific interactions with host trees.

Tree species differed greatly in their susceptibility to lianas, with some tree species accumulating many more lianas than others. Light‐demanding tree species particularly had greater susceptibility to lianas than shade‐tolerant tree species. Both the liana‐tree network structure and the interaction intensity between the 15 liana species and 20 tree species showed distinct specialization of liana‐tree interactions.

Synthesis. Variation in trees species' susceptibility to lianas implies that lianas may alter tree species‐specific competitive abilities by disproportionately affecting some tree species more than others. In contrast to studies in neotropical forests, light‐demanding tree species were more susceptible to lianas than shade‐tolerant tree species, suggesting that lianas could reduce light‐demanding tree performance in this forest. The distinct species specialization between liana and tree species suggests that increases in the relative abundance of liana species, which is occurring in many forests, may alter the tree community composition by reducing the relative abundance of preferred host tree species.
Quality of life beyond measure: Advanced cancer patients, wellbeing and medicinal cannabis
Authors: Smith Alexandra , Olson Rebecca E. , da Costa Nathalia Cordeiro , Cuerton Maddison , Hardy Janet , Good Philip
Published: June 2023

Experiences of advanced cancer are assembled and (re)positioned with reference to illness, symptoms and maintaining ‘wellbeing’. Medical cannabis is situated at a borderline in this and the broader social domain: between stigmatised and normalised; recreational and pharmaceutical; between perception, experience, discourse and scientific proof of benefit. Yet, in the hyper‐medicalised context of randomised clinical trials (RCTs), cancer, wellbeing and medical cannabis are narrowly assessed using individualistic numerical scores. This article attends to patients’ perceptions and experiences at this borderline, presenting novel findings from a sociological sub‐study embedded within RCTs focused on the use of medical cannabis for symptom relief in advanced cancer. Through a Deleuzo–Guattarian‐informed framework, we highlight the fragmentation and reassembling of bodies and propose body‐situated experiences of wellbeing in the realm of advanced cancer. Problematising ‘biopsychosocial’ approaches that centre an individualised disconnected patient body in understandings of wellbeing, experiences of cancer and potential treatments, our findings foreground relational affect and embodied experience, and the role of desire in understanding what wellbeing is and can be. This also underpins and enables exploration of the affective reassembling ascribed to medical cannabis, with particular focus on how it is positioned within RCTs.
Fishing, thieving, witchcraft: apprehension and mistrust in maritime West Africa
Authors: Diggins Jennifer
Published: June 2023

This article explores the ‘apprehension’ that permeates life in coastal Sierra Leone as fisherfolk struggle to navigate a precarious economy of overfished waters and overstrained relationships. In a context of deepening uncertainty, social vigilance has come to be regarded as a key survival skill. At sea, even as fishermen strain their senses for evidence of shoaling fish, they remain equally vigilant to rival crews, who may seek to deceive them in their competition for the same depleted resource. When crews return home with empty nets, again, exchange partners regard them with suspicion, watchful for clues that they could have sold their catch covertly in another coastal town. When businesses founder or savings evaporate, people are quick to assume their fortunes must have been invisibly robbed ‘in a witch way’ by one of their neighbours. And yet, despite the deep mistrust and apprehension through which people regard their social world, moral discourses about this supposedly rampant trickery are nuanced. Despair at believing themselves to have been grifted in some unseen way is often tempered by a weary empathy for their antagonists’ poverty, and even grudging respect for their skills of dissimulation.
Doubly disadvantaged: Unemployment, young age, and electoral participation in the United Kingdom
Authors: Azzollini Leo
Published: June 2023

Previous studies examine how unemployment affects socio‐political behaviour, but this literature has scarcely focused on the role of the life‐course. Integrating the frameworks of unemployment scarring and political socialisation, we posit that unemployment experiences, or scars, undermine electoral participation, and that this is exacerbated at younger ages. We test these hypotheses relying on the British Household Panel Survey and Understanding Society datasets (1991–2020), employing panel data analysis approaches as Propensity Score Matching, Individual Fixed Effects, and Individual Fixed Effects with Individual Slopes. Results suggest that unemployment experiences depress electoral participation in the UK, with effect sizes around −5% of a Standard Deviation in turnout. However, this effect varies powerfully by age: the impact of unemployment on electoral participation is stronger at younger ages (−21% SD at age 20), and weaker to not significant after age 35. This is robust across the three main approaches and several robustness checks. Further analyses show that the first unemployment spell matters the most for electoral participation, and that for individuals under 35, there is a scar effect lasting up to 5 years after the first unemployment spell. The life‐course emerges as central to better understand the relationship between labour market hardships and socio‐political behaviour.
It depends who you ask: Divergences in staff and external stakeholder narratives about the causes of a healthcare failure
Authors: Hald E. Julie , Gillespie Alex , Reader Tom W.
Published: June 2023

Investigations of institutional failure in healthcare typically use staff narratives to identify the cultural factors contributing to the incident. But, to what extent can staff, who are embedded in the culture and who were part of the failing, reflect on and report on the culture? We investigate this by comparing 40 witness statements from staff and 53 witness statements from patients and relatives collected by a public inquiry into a major UK healthcare failure (Clostridium difficile outbreak). Through quantitative text analysis, we found that, while staff and external stakeholders both recognised problems in care, they diverged on the factors considered paramount. Staff emphasised underlying factors such as under‐resourcing and training (causal culture), while patients and relatives emphasised corrective behaviours such as communication for identifying and taking precautions against the spread of C. difficile (corrective culture). The results indicate that patients and relatives may be able to report on cultural factors that staff do not report or are unaware of, thus allowing a more complete analysis. Even in light of an institutional failure, staff may have incomplete accounts of the contributing cultural factors, with implications for learning and postincident improvement.
Premium subsidies and selection in the federal crop insurance program
Authors: Yu Jisang , Perry Edward D.
Published: June 2023

Understanding how subsidies affect the selection of farms with different risk exposure into insurance products is key to evaluating the efficiency of government‐supported insurance programs. We study the US crop insurance program, which is a major federally supported insurance program, to assess the impact of premium subsidies on the riskiness of the insured. By exploiting two waves of policy changes, we find that the average loss per insured liability falls as premium subsidies increase, which implies that crop producers with lower risk are more responsive to the price of insurance.
Fatal intoxication with 1,4‐butanediol: Case report and comprehensive review of the literature
Authors: Fischer Victoria , Kamphausen Thomas , Büttner Andreas , Andresen‐Streichert Hilke
Published: June 2023

A fatal case of 1,4‐butanediol (1,4‐BD) oral ingestion is reported here, in which a 51‐year‐old man was found dead in his bed. According to the police report, the deceased was a known drug user. A glass bottle labeled (and later confirmed to be) “Butandiol 1,4” (1,4‐BD) was found in the kitchen. Furthermore, the deceased's friend stated that he consumed 1,4‐BD on a regular basis. The autopsy and histological examination of postmortem parenchymatous organ specimens did not revealed a clear cause of death. Chemical‐toxicological investigations revealed gammahydroxybutyrat (GHB) in body fluids and tissues in the following quantities: femoral blood 390 mg/L, heart blood 420 mg/L, cerebrospinal fluid 420 mg/L, vitreous humor 640 mg/L, urine 1600 mg/L, and head hair 26.7 ng/mg. In addition, 1,4‐BD was qualitatively detected in the head hair, urine, stomach contents, and the bottle. No other substances, including alcohol, were detected at pharmacologically relevant concentrations. 1,4‐BD is known as precursor substance that is converted in vivo into GHB. In the synoptic assessment of toxicological findings, the police investigations and having excluded other causes of death, a lethal GHB‐intoxication following ingestion of 1,4‐BD, can be assumed in this case. Fatal intoxications with 1,4‐BD have seldom been reported due to a very rapid conversion to GHB and, among other things, non‐specific symptoms after ingestion. This case report aims to give an overview to the published of fatal 1,4‐BD‐intoxications and to discuss the problems associated with detection of 1,4‐BD in (postmortem) specimens.
Radiocarbon dating as tool to assist in triaging cases of unidentified human remains in Victoria, Australia: A case series
Authors: Blau Soren , Johnstone‐Belford Eden , Rowbotham Samantha K.
Published: June 2023

In cases where human remains are unidentified because there is no initial identification hypothesis, limited contextual information, and/or poor preservation, radiocarbon (14C) dating may be a useful tool to further assist with identification. Through measuring the amount of 14C remaining in organic material, such as bone, teeth, nail, or hair, radiocarbon dating may provide an estimated year of birth and year of death for a deceased person. This information, may assist in, establishing whether a case of unidentified human remains (UHR) is actually of medicolegal significance and therefore, requires forensic investigation and identification. This case series highlights the application of 14C dating to seven of the 132 UHR cases in Victoria, Australia. Cortical bone was sampled from each case and the level of 14C was measured to provide an estimated year of death. Four of the seven cases analyzed contained the levels of 14C consistent with an archeological timeframe, one contained a level of 14C consistent with a modern (i.e., of medicolegal significance) timeframe, and the results for the remaining two samples were inconclusive. Applying this technique not only reduced the number of UHR cases in Victoria but also has investigative, cultural, and practical implications for medicolegal casework in general.
Electrospun chitosan‐based nanofibers loading tea tree oil for fresh salmon fillet shelf‐life extension
Authors: Xia Yuhua , Tang Xu , Wu Xudong , Li Yizhen , Xu Changan , Chen Shaohua , Wu Peng
Published: June 2023

Bioactive packaging can improve the shelf‐life of food products and enhance consumer health. It can also alleviate environmental stress on the planet by reducing food waste. Here, the electrospinning of tea tree oil‐loaded 2‐hydroxypropyltrimethyl ammonium chloride chitosan nanofibers was investigated. The fabricated nanofiber films were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, thermal gravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and contact angle meter analysis. The prepared nanofibers have a well‐defined diameter of about 200 nm and a smooth shape. They have good antibacterial properties against Staphylococcus aureus and Escherichia coli in vitro. Tea tree oil‐loaded chitosan‐based nanofibers were found to be effective in delaying spoilage and extending the shelf life of salmon by sensory evaluation, texture analysis, color, total viable counts, thiobarbituric acid, and total volatile basic nitrogen during storage in the freshness experiments, thus indicating their health benefits in bioactive packaging.
Service Recovery via Twitter: An Exploration of Responses to Consumer Complaints*
Authors: Istanbulluoglu Doga , Oz Seda
Published: June 2023

The online response to customer complaints (i.e., service recovery) is a central feature of modern organizations' customer‐focused performance management systems. Motivated by the lack of descriptive information related to complaint handling that can be used in assessing managerial performance, we collect organizations' responses to consumer complaints via Twitter and apply Zemke and Schaaf's (1990) traditional service recovery model to explore these. We collected 10,305 tweets that describe the use of Twitter for service recovery by organizations across four industries: airlines, casual dining chain restaurants, hotels, and fast‐food restaurants. The findings show that in our sample, the traditional service recovery model with five service recovery elements (apology, urgent reinstatement, empathy, symbolic atonement, and follow‐up) is implemented to various degrees. Furthermore, we identify three additional service recovery elements not previously discussed by prior research: channel transfer, feedback acknowledgment, and information request. Our findings have research implications and highlight the importance of incorporating online customer complaints into managerial performance systems.
Rainforest litter invertebrates decimated by high severity burns during Australia's gigafires
Authors: Gibb Heloise , Grubb Joshua J. , Black Dennis , Porch Nick , Decker Orsolya , McGeoch Melodie , Deane David , Murphy Nicholas
Published: June 2023

Climate change is increasing the frequency of extreme fires. In 2019–2020, extreme fires burned 97 000 km2 of native vegetation in south‐eastern Australia, affecting many areas of rainforest, which has historically burned less frequently. One year post‐fires, we surveyed litter macroinvertebrates in 52 temperate rainforest sites. Sites had experienced increasing levels of fire severity (unburnt, medium severity and high severity). We asked how fire severity affected: (1) litter macroinvertebrate habitats; (2) the abundance of litter macroinvertebrate taxa per unit area; and (3) abundance relative to litter habitat (volumetric density). We also estimated the loss of litter macroinvertebrates across rainforests in the study region. High severity burns supported only a fifth of the litter volume and canopy cover as unburnt sites, lower soil moisture and higher herb cover. Medium burns were intermediate. Macroinvertebrate abundance declined with burn severity: high severity burns supported only 26% of the abundance in unburnt sites; medium severity burns supported 80% of that in unburnt sites. Patterns were similar for all taxa, with millipedes declining most. High severity fires resulted in up to 1.90 million fewer macroinvertebrates per hectare; 0.53 million fewer per hectare of medium burn rainforest. Across the study region, we estimate that 60 billion fewer litter macroinvertebrates persisted in temperate rainforests alone. Volumetric densities of many litter macroinvertebrate taxa in high severity burns were marginally higher than in unburnt sites, suggesting nutrients may be more available post‐fire, or that persisting individuals become concentrated in the leaf litter. For less desiccation‐tolerant groups (e.g., amphipods), density declines with increasing severity may reflect the combined impact of low soil moisture and reduced litter cover. Many taxa persisted following high severity fires, but declines were substantial, and taxa differed in their vulnerability. Longer‐term monitoring is required to understand the recovery trajectory and impacts on ecological function.
Long‐read sequencing assays designed to detect potential gene editing events in the myostatin gene revealed distinct haplotype signatures in the Thoroughbred horse population
Authors: Maniego Jillian , Giles Orla , Hincks Pamela , Stewart Graham , Proudman Christopher , Ryder Edward
Published: June 2023

We present here the use of targeted, long‐read sequencing of the myostatin (MSTN) gene as a model to detect potential gene editing events in Thoroughbred horses. MSTN is a negative regulator of muscle development, making the gene a prime candidate target for gene doping. By sequencing the complete gene in one PCR product, we can catalogue all mutations without the need to produce short‐fragment libraries. A panel of reference material fragments with defined mutations was constructed and successfully sequenced by both Oxford Nanopore and Illumina‐based methods, showing that gene doping editing events can be detected using this technology. To ascertain the normal variation within the population, we sequenced the MSTN gene in 119 UK Thoroughbred horses. Variants from the reference genome were assigned to haplotypes and eight distinct patterns, designated Hap1 (reference genome) to Hap8, were determined with haplotypes Hap2 and Hap3 (which includes the ‘speed gene’ variant) being far the most prevalent. Hap3 was most abundant in flat‐racing horses, whereas Hap2 was most abundant in jump‐racing. Within this data set, results for 105 racehorses from out‐of‐competition sampling were compared between matrices of extracted DNA and direct PCR of whole blood from lithium heparin gel tubes, and strong agreement was found between the two methods. The direct‐blood PCR was achieved without compromising the sample prior to plasma separation for analytical chemistry, and could thus be used as part of a routine screening workflow for gene editing detection.