bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Synthetic genomes unveil the effects of synonymous recoding
Authors: Nyerges Akos , Chiappino-Pepe Anush , Budnik Bogdan , Baas-Thomas Maximilien , Flynn Regan , Yan Shirui , Ostrov Nili , Liu Min , Wang Meizhou , Zheng Qingmei , Hu Fangxiang , Chen Kangming , Rudolph Alexandra , Chen Dawn , Ahn Jenny , Spencer Owen , Ayalavarapu Venkat , Tarver Angela , Harmon-Smith Miranda , Hamilton Matthew , Blaby Ian , Yoshikuni Yasuo , Hajian Behnoush , Jin Adeline , Kintses Balint , Szamel Monika , Seregi Viktoria , Shen Yue , Li Zilong , Church George M.
Published: June 2024

Engineering the genetic code of an organism provides the basis for (i) making any organism safely resistant to natural viruses and (ii) preventing genetic information flow into and out of genetically modified organisms while (iii) allowing the biosynthesis of genetically encoded unnatural polymers1–4. Achieving these three goals requires the reassignment of multiple of the 64 codons nature uses to encode proteins. However, synonymous codon replacement—recoding—is frequently lethal, and how recoding impacts fitness remains poorly explored. Here, we explore these effects using whole-genome synthesis, multiplexed directed evolution, and genome-transcriptome-translatome-proteome co-profiling on multiple recoded genomes. Using this information, we assemble a syntheticEscherichia coligenome in seven sections using only 57 codons to encode proteins. By discovering the rules responsible for the lethality of synonymous recoding and developing a data-driven multi-omics-based genome construction workflow that troubleshoots synthetic genomes, we overcome the lethal effects of 62,007 synonymous codon swaps and 11,108 additional genomic edits. We show that synonymous recoding induces transcriptional noise including new antisense RNAs, leading to drastic transcriptome and proteome perturbation. As the elimination of select codons from an organism’s genetic code results in the widespread appearance of cryptic promoters, we show that synonymous codon choice may naturally evolve to minimize transcriptional noise. Our work provides the first genome-scale description of how synonymous codon changes influence organismal fitness and paves the way for the construction of functional genomes that provide genetic firewalls from natural ecosystems and safely produce biopolymers, drugs, and enzymes with an expanded chemistry.
Nuclear RNA forms an interconnected network of transcription-dependent and tunable microgels
Authors: Marenda Mattia , Michieletto Davide , Czapiewski Rafal , Stocks Jon , Winterbourne Sophie M , Miles Jamilla , Fleming Olivia CA , Lazarova Elena , Chiang Michael , Grimes Graeme R , Becher Hannes , Cook Atlanta , Marenduzzo Davide , Nozawa Ryu-Suke , Gilbert Nick
Published: June 2024

The human cell nucleus is comprised of proteins, chromatin and RNA, yet how they interact to form supramolecular structures and drive key biological processes remains unknown. Conflicting models have proposed either a fluid-like or solid-like nature for the intranuclear microenvironment. To reconcile this discrepancy, we investigated the 3D structure and properties of the nuclear interior using experiments and computer simulations. We reveal a novel mechanism where newly synthesized RNA interacts with SAF-A (scaffold attachment factor A, or HNRNPU), forming interconnected microgels degraded by the exonuclease XRN2, leading to dynamic cycles of gelation and fluidization. This emergent microgel network depends on transcription, and is disrupted by SAF-A depletion. It also decreases protein mobility and regulates chromatin compaction by modulating microphase separation, thereby opening transcriptionally active regions. This tunable intranuclear network exhibits scale-dependent fluid- and solid-like features, that we suggest may regulate transcription by controlling access to regulatory proteins and polymerases.

Highlights

RNA and SAF-A interact to form clusters that form a nuclear-spanning network of microgels

Emergent microgel network requires transcription and XRN2 activity to undergo gelation and fluidization

Microgel network impacts nuclear protein mobility

Molecular dynamics modelling shows RNA/SAF-A microgels regulate chromatin decompaction by steric hinderance

Graphical Abstract
Filament structures unveil the dynamic organization of human acetyl-CoA carboxylase
Authors: Zhou Fayang , Zhang Yuanyuan , Zhu Yuyao , Zhou Qiang , Shi Yigong , Hu Qi
Published: June 2024

Human acetyl-CoA carboxylases (ACCs) catalyze the carboxylation of acetyl-CoA, which is the rate-limiting step in fatty acid synthesis. The molecular mechanism underlying the dynamic organization of ACCs is largely unknown. Here, we determined the cryo-EM structure of human ACC1 in its inactive state, which forms a unique filament structure and is in complex with acetyl-CoA. We also determined the cryo-EM structure of human ACC1 activated by dephosphorylation and citrate treatment, at a resolution of 2.55 Å. Notably, the covalently linked biotin binds to a site that is distant from the acetyl-CoA binding site when acetyl-CoA is absent, suggesting a potential coordination between biotin binding and acetyl-CoA binding. These findings provide insights into the structural dynamics and regulatory mechanisms of human ACCs.
Prime editor-based high-throughput screening reveals functional synonymous mutations in the human genome
Authors: Niu Xuran , Tang Wei , Liu Yongshuo , Liu Ying , Mo Binrui , Yu Ying , Wei Wensheng
Published: June 2024

Synonymous mutations are generally considered neutral, while their roles in the human genome remain largely unexplored. Herein, we employed the PEmax system to create a library of 297,900 epegRNAs and performed extensive screening to identify synonymous mutations that impact cell fitness. While most synonymous mutations are neutral, we found that some can elicit phenotypic effects. By developing a specialized machine learning tool, we uncovered their impact on various biological processes such as mRNA splicing and transcription, supported by multifaceted experimental evidence. Notably, synonymous mutations can alter RNA folding and affect translation, as demonstrated by PLK1_S2. By integrating screening data with our model, we successfully predicted clinically deleterious synonymous mutations. This research deepens our understanding of synonymous mutations and provides insights for clinical disease studies.
Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis to prevent Group B streptococcal infections in newborn infants: a systematic review and meta-analysis comparing various strategies
Authors: Panneflek Timothy J.R. , Hasperhoven Gea F. , Chimwaza Yamikani , Allen Connor , Lavin Tina , te Pas Arjan B. , Bekker Vincent , van den Akker Thomas
Published: June 2024

Background

Early-onset Group B Streptococcus (EOGBS) leads to substantial morbidity and mortality in newborn infants. Intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis (IAP) prevents EOGBS infection, but IAP strategies vary. The approach to the provision of IAP can be risk-based, universal or a combination of the two strategies. Previous systematic reviews reported that universal strategies might be most optimal in lowering EOGBS infection, but there is no consensus. Therefore, we aimed to provide up-to-date evidence on effectiveness of different strategies by comparing perinatal outcomes.

Methods

A systematic search for EOGBS prevention strategies was performed in MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science. Studies were included if they reported on different strategies and outcomes of interest, including EOGBS infection, IAP administration and antimicrobial resistance. Summary data was extracted from published reports. Study quality was assessed using the ROBINS-I tool. Random-effects meta-analyses were used to determine risk ratios (RR) and 95%-confidence intervals. PROSPERO registration CRD42023411806.

Findings

A total of 6050 records were identified, of which 72 observational studies were included for synthesis with more than 10 million live births. Meta-analysis demonstrated that implementation of any strategy (n=34 studies, RR 0.46 (0.36-0.60)), risk-based strategies (n=11 studies, RR 0.65 (0.48-0.87)), or universal strategies (n=16 studies, RR 0.37 (0.25-0.55)) was associated with a reduced risk of EOGBS infection compared to no strategy. In direct comparison, universal strategies were associated with a reduced risk of EOGBS compared to a risk-based strategy (n=17 studies, RR 0.41 (0.30-0.55)), while the proportion of women receiving IAP did not differ between risk-based (16%) and universal (21%) strategies (n=9 studies, RR 1.29 (0.95-1.75)). There was no antimicrobial resistance of EOGBS isolates to penicillin or ampicillin (n=11 studies).

Interpretation

Any IAP strategy could reduce the risk of EOGBS infection without evidence of increasing antimicrobial resistance. Universal strategies give the largest reduction in the EOGBS burden, while not exposing a significantly higher proportion of pregnancies to IAP compared to risk-based strategies.

Funding

UNDP-UNFPA-UNICEF-WHO-World Bank Special Programme of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction, a cosponsored programme executed by the World Health Organisation.
Metastatic vs. Localized Disease As Inclusion Criteria That Can Be Automatically Extracted From Randomized Controlled Trials Using Natural Language Processing
Authors: Windisch Paul , Dennstädt Fabio , Koechli Carole , Förster Robert , Schröder Christina , Aebersold Daniel M. , Zwahlen Daniel R.
Published: June 2024

Background

Extracting inclusion and exclusion criteria in a structured, automated fashion remains a challenge to developing better search functionalities or automating systematic reviews of randomized controlled trials in oncology. The question “Did this trial enroll patients with localized disease, metastatic disease, or both?” could be used to narrow down the number of potentially relevant trials when conducting a search.

Methods

600 trials from high-impact medical journals were classified depending on whether they allowed for the inclusion of patients with localized and/or metastatic disease. 500 trials were used to develop and validate three different models with 100 trials being stored away for testing.

Results

On the test set, a rule-based system using regular expressions achieved an F1-score of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.64 - 0.81) for the prediction of whether the trial allowed for the inclusion of patients with localized disease and 0.77 (95% CI: 0.69 - 0.85) for metastatic disease. A transformer-based machine learning model achieved F1 scores of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.93 - 1.00) and 0.88 (95% CI: 0.82 - 0.94), respectively. The best performance was achieved by a combined approach where the rule-based system was allowed to overrule the machine learning model with F1 scores of 0.97 (95% CI: 0.94 - 1.00) and 0.89 (95% CI: 0.83 - 0.95), respectively.

Conclusion

Automatic classification of cancer trials with regard to the inclusion of patients with localized and or metastatic disease is feasible. Turning the extraction of trial criteria into classification problems could, in selected cases, improve text-mining approaches in evidence-based medicine.
Magnetoencephalography-based interpretable automated differential diagnosis in neurodegenerative diseases
Authors: Klepachevskyi D , Romano A , Aristimunha B , Angiolelli M , Trojsi F , Bonavita S , Sorrentino G , Andreone V , Minino R , Lopez E Troisi , Polverino A , Jirsa V , Saudargienė A , Corsi M.-C. , Sorrentino P
Published: June 2024

Automating the diagnostic process steps has been of interest for research grounds and to help manage the healthcare systems. Improved classification accuracies, provided by ever more sophisticated algorithms, were mirrored by the loss of interpretability on the criteria for achieving accuracy. In other words, the mechanisms responsible for generating the distinguishing features are typically not investigated. Furthermore, the vast majority of the classification studies focus on the classification of one disease as opposed to matched controls. While this scenario has internal validity, concerning the appropriateness toward answering scientific questions, it does not have external validity. In other words, differentiating multiple diseases at once is a classification problem closer to many real-world scenarios. In this work, we test the hypothesis that specific data features hold most of the discriminative power across multiple neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, we perform an explorative analysis to compare metrics based on different assumptions (concerning the underlying mechanisms). To test this hypothesis, we leverage a large Magnetoencephalography dataset (N=109) merging four cohorts, recorded in the same clinical setting, of patients affected by multiple sclerosis, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, and mild cognitive impairment. Our results show that it is possible to reach a balanced accuracy of 67,1% (chance level = 35%), based on a small set of (non-disease specific) features. We show that edge metrics (defined as statistical dependencies between pairs of brain signals) perform better than nodal metrics (considering region while disregarding the interactions. Moreover, phase-based metrics slightly outperform amplitude-based metrics. In conclusion, our work shows that a small set of phase-based connectivity metrics applied to MEG data successfully distinguishes across multiple neurological diseases.
Interval timing clock property in the rat granular retrosplenial cortex
Authors: Kurotani Tohru , Nixima Ken’ichi , Tanaka Tomohiro , Sakurai Yoshio , Okanoya Kazuo
Published: June 2024

The rodent granular retrosplenial cortex (gRSC), densely interconnected with the hippocampal formation and the anterior thalamic nuclei, plays an important role in learning and memory. We had revealed that small pyramidal neurons in the superficial layers of the rat gRSC exhibit late-spiking (LS) firing properties. It has been suggested that neural circuits containing LS neurons can encode time intervals on the order of seconds, known as “interval timing”. To test the possibility that the rat gRSC is involved in the processing of interval timing, we employed a trace fear conditioning paradigm in which the conditioned stimulus (CS) and the unconditioned stimulus (US) were temporally separated. First, we examined the effect of cytotoxic lesions made in the RSC prior to trace fear conditioning. We found that intact rats exhibited freezing behavior after CS tone presentation, whereas lesioned rats did not exhibit such freezing behavior. Next, we conductedin vivochronic or acute recordings of neural activity from the rat gRSC in a test session conducted one week after the conditioning. In both recordings, we observed a distinct spike activity in which there was a transient increase in the firing rate around the presentation of the CS tone, followed by a rapid suppression and then ramping activity (a gradual elevation of the firing rate) until the next CS presentation. This “ramping activity” is thought to be one way in which interval timing is represented in the brain. Post stimulus histogram analysis revealed the existence of ramping activity in the gRSC, which reached its peak at various time intervals after the onset of the CS tone. Interestingly, this activity was specifically observed in response to the CS tone but not to the non-CS tone. Moreover, in naive rat gRSC (no trace fear conditioning), no such ramping activity was observed. These results indicate that gRSC neurons can encode time information on the order of tens to hundreds of seconds, integrating incoming sensory input with past memory traces.
Vimentin promotes collective cell migration through collagen networks via increased matrix remodeling and spheroid fluidity
Authors: Thanh Minh Tri Ho , Poudel Arun , Ameen Shabeeb , Carroll Bobby , Wu M. , Soman Pranav , Zhang Tao , Schwarz J.M. , Patteson Alison E.
Published: June 2024

The intermediate filament (IF) protein vimentin is associated with many diseases with phenotypes of enhanced cellular migration and aggressive invasion through the extracellular matrix (ECM) of tissues, but vimentin’s role in in-vivo cell migration is still largely unclear. Vimentin is important for proper cellular adhesion and force generation, which are critical to cell migration; yet the vimentin cytoskeleton also hinders the ability of cells to squeeze through small pores in ECM, resisting migration. To identify the role of vimentin in collective cell migration, we generate spheroids of wide-type and vimentin-null mouse embryonic fibroblasts (mEFs) and embed them in a 3D collagen matrix. We find that loss of vimentin significantly impairs the ability of the spheroid to collectively expand through collagen networks and remodel the collagen network. Traction force analysis reveals that vimentin null spheroids exert less contractile force than their wild-type counterparts. In addition, spheroids made of mEFs with only vimentin unit length filaments (ULFs) exhibit similar behavior as vimentin-null spheroids, suggesting filamentous vimentin is required to promote 3D collective cell migration. We find the vimentin-mediated collective cell expansion is dependent on matrix metalloproteinase (MMP) degradation of the collagen matrix. Further, 3D vertex model simulation of spheroid and embedded ECM indicates that wild-type spheroids behave more fluid-like, enabling more active pulling and reconstructing the surrounding collagen network. Altogether, these results signify that VIF plays a critical role in enhancing migratory persistence in 3D matrix environments through MMP transportation and tissue fluidity.
Phthalate monoesters affect membrane fluidity and cell-cell contacts in endometrial stromal cell lines
Authors: Lavogina Darja , Kask Keiu , Kopanchuk Sergei , Visser Nadja , Laws Mary , Flaws Jodi A. , Kallak Theodora Kunovac , Olovsson Matts , Damdimopoulou Pauliina , Salumets Andres
Published: June 2024

Phthalate monoesters have been identified as endocrine disruptors in a variety of models, yet understanding of their exact mechanisms of action and molecular targets in cells remains incomplete. Here, we set to determine whether epidemiologically relevant mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) can affect biological processes by altering cell plasma membrane fluidity or formation of cell-cell contacts. As a model system, we chose endometrial stromal cell lines, one of which was previously used in a transcriptomic study with MEHHP or MEHHP-containing mixtures. A short-term exposure (1 h) of membrane preparations to endocrine disruptors was sufficient to induce changes in membrane fluidity/rigidity, whereas different mixtures showed different effects at various depths of the bilayer. A longer exposure (96 h) affected the ability of cells to form spheroids and highlighted issues with membrane integrity in loosely assembled spheroids. Finally, in spheroids assembled from T-HESC cells, MEHHP interfered with the formation of tight junctions as indicated by the immunostaining ofzonula occludens1 protein. Overall, this study emphasized the need to consider plasma membrane, membrane-bound organelles, and secretory vesicles as possible biological targets of endocrine disruptors and offered an explanation for a multitude of endocrine disruptor roles documented earlier.
Fast and space-efficient taxonomic classification of long reads with hierarchical interleaved XOR filters
Authors: Ulrich Jens-Uwe , Renard Bernhard Y.
Published: June 2024

Metagenomic long-read sequencing is gaining popularity for various applications, including pathogen detection and microbiome studies. To analyze the large data created in those studies, software tools need to taxonomically classify the sequenced molecules and estimate the relative abundances of organisms in the sequenced sample. Because of the exponential growth of reference genome databases, the current taxonomic classification methods have large computational requirements. This issue motivated us to develop a new data structure for fast and memory-efficient querying of long reads. Here, we present Taxor as a new tool for long-read metagenomic classification using a hierarchical interleaved XOR filter data structure for indexing and querying large reference genome sets. Taxor implements severalk-mer-based approaches, such as syncmers, for pseudoalignment to classify reads and an expectation-maximization algorithm for metagenomic profiling. Our results show that Taxor outperforms state-of-the-art tools regarding precision while having a similar recall for long-read taxonomic classification. Most notably, Taxor reduces the memory requirements and index size by >50% and is among the fastest tools regarding query times. This enables real-time metagenomics analysis with large reference databases on a small laptop in the field.
Analysis of hadronic weak decays of charmed baryons in the topological diagrammatic approach
Authors: Zhong Huiling , Xu Fanrong , Cheng Hai-Yang
Published: June 2024

We perform a global fit to the experimental data of two-body charmed baryon decays based on the topological diagrammatic approach (TDA) and take into account the phase shifts between S- and P-wave amplitudes as inspired by the recent BESIII measurement of the decay asymmetry in the decay Λc+→Ξ0K+. The TDA has the advantage that it is more intuitive, graphic, and easier to implement model calculations. The measured branching fractions and decay asymmetries are well accommodated in the TDA except for a few modes, in particular, the predicted B(Ξc0→Ξ−π+)=(2.83±0.10)% is larger than its current value. The equivalence of the TDA and the irreducible SU(3) approach (IRA) is established. We show that the number of the minimum set of tensor invariants in the IRA and the topological amplitudes in the TDA is the same and present their relations. The predicted magnitudes of S- and P-wave amplitudes and their phase shifts are presented for measured and yet-to-be-measured modes in both the TDA and IRA which can be tested in the near future. Besides the decay Λc+→Ξ0K+, there exist several modes which proceed only through W-exchange. In particular, the observed channel Ξc0→Σ+K− should have phase shifts similar to that in Λc+→Ξ0K+ and its decay asymmetry is predicted to be −0.21±0.17 which can be used to test our theoretical framework. In contrast, the TDA leads to a large α of order −0.93 for the decay Ξc+→Ξ0π+ even after the phase-shift effect is incorporated in the fit.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Conservative Black Hole Scattering at Fifth Post-Minkowskian and First Self-Force Order
Authors: Driesse Mathias , Jakobsen Gustav Uhre , Mogull Gustav , Plefka Jan , Sauer Benjamin , Usovitsch Johann
Published: June 2024

We compute the fifth post-Minkowskian (5PM) order contributions to the scattering angle and impulse of classical black hole scattering in the conservative sector at first self-force order using the worldline quantum field theory formalism. This challenging four-loop computation required the use of advanced integration-by-parts and differential equation technology implemented on high-performance computing systems. Use of partial fraction identities allowed us to render the complete integrand in a fully planar form. The resulting function space is simpler than expected: In the scattering angle, we see only multiple polylogarithms up to weight three and a total absence of the elliptic integrals that appeared at 4PM order. All checks on our result, both internal—cancellation of dimensional regularization poles and preservation of the on-shell condition—and external—matching the slow-velocity limit with the post-Newtonian (PN) literature up to 5PN order and matching the tail terms to the 4PM loss of energy—are passed.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Engaging management accountants in corporate sustainability
Authors: Kurki Martina , Järvenpää Marko
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Expectations regarding the participation of management accountants (MAs) in the promotion of sustainability of multinational enterprises (MNEs) have been poorly realised. This raises the question of whether MAs are invited to join in sustainability promotion or does sustainability not fit the perceived professional role of MAs. We suggest that the development of individual-level engagement of corporate sustainability is required for MAs to start contributing to corporate sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

We utilise the psychological ownership theory to investigate how MAs’ professional role could develop to incorporate advancing sustainability. Our qualitative study is based on 32 interviews conducted in seven local business units of three different technology-oriented MNEs.

Findings

We reveal features connected to the professional role of MAs that may impede the activation of the routes to psychological ownership of corporate sustainability, thus undermining their involvement in corporate sustainability enhancement. Moreover, we show that MAs’ own perceptions of their professional role may impede the stimulation of the routes.

Originality/value

From a managerial viewpoint, our study helps readers to understand how the routes to psychological ownership of corporate sustainability could be cultivated in the development of the future role of MAs. It also gives input for MA professional organisations and MA professional education providers to develop conditions that foster sustainability thinking among MAs. Moreover, by integrating the examination of MAs’ professional role with the psychological ownership theory, we broaden the theoretical scene both in management accounting and in business sustainability research.
Comparative analysis of convolutional neural network and DenseNet121 transfer learning in agriculture focusing on crop leaf disease identification
Authors: Santoso Heru Agus , Fandhi Safsalta Brylian , Febrianto Nanang , Wilujeng Saraswati Galuh , Haw Su-Cheng
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Plant cultivation holds a pivotal role in agriculture, necessitating precise disease identification for the overall health of plants. This research conducts a comprehensive comparative analysis between two prominent deep learning algorithms, convolutional neural network (CNN) and DenseNet121, with the goal of enhancing disease identification in tomato plant leaves.

Design/methodology/approach

The dataset employed in this investigation is a fusion of primary data and publicly available data, covering 13 distinct disease labels and a total of 18,815 images for model training. The data pre-processing workflow prioritized activities such as normalizing pixel dimensions, implementing data augmentation and achieving dataset balance, which were subsequently followed by the modeling and testing phases.

Findings

Experimental findings elucidated the superior performance of the DenseNet121 model over the CNN model in disease classification on tomato leaves. The DenseNet121 model attained a training accuracy of 98.27%, a validation accuracy of 87.47% and average recall, precision and F1-score metrics of 87, 88 and 87%, respectively. The ultimate aim was to implement the optimal classifier for a mobile application, namely Tanamin.id, and, therefore, DenseNet121 was the preferred choice.

Originality/value

The integration of private and public data significantly contributes to determining the optimal method. The CNN method achieves a training accuracy of 90.41% and a validation accuracy of 83.33%, whereas the DenseNet121 method excels with a training accuracy of 98.27% and a validation accuracy of 87.47%. The DenseNet121 architecture, comprising 121 layers, a global average pooling (GAP) layer and a dropout layer, showcases its effectiveness. Leveraging categorical_crossentropy as the loss function and utilizing the stochastic gradien descent (SGD) Optimizer with a learning rate of 0.001 guides the course of the training process. The experimental results unequivocally demonstrate the superior performance of DenseNet121 over CNN.
Revisiting corporate governance mechanisms and real earnings management activities in emerging economies
Authors: Mansoori Ebrahim , Al-Abdallah Ghaith
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the effects of main corporate governance (CG) mechanisms used in Iran on the relationship between managers’ rewards and real earnings management activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Panel data analysis is performed on 101 companies listed on the Tehran Stock Exchange during the past seven years (from 2015 to 2021).

Findings

The percentage of non-executive members of the company’s board of directors and the percentage of acquisition of the company’s largest shareholders have a negative significant effect on the relationship between abnormal operating cash flows and managers’ remuneration. Moreover, the separation of the CEO from the chairman and vice chairman of the board has also a negative significant effect on this relationship. However, concentration of ownership does not have a significant effect on the relationship between abnormal operating cash flows and managers’ rewards.

Practical implications

The study provides policymakers and governing bodies with a better understanding of the effects of the percentage of non-executive board members, concentration of ownership, percentage of major shareholders and duality of the role of CEO (or president) from the chairman and vice chairman of the board on the relationship between managers’ rewards and earnings management.

Originality/value

Previous studies focus mainly on accrual-based earnings management. This study investigates real earnings management and provides empirical evidence on the most effective and significant CG dimensions in Iran. It embraces the fact that CG may have the same principal concept in different markets, but the mechanisms may vary significantly, thus opening the door for more comparative future research.
Digital inclusive finance and entrepreneurship in rural areas: evidence from China
Authors: Yu Chenwei , Hui Eddie Chi-man , Dong Zhaoyingzi
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the impact of digital inclusive finance on entrepreneurial activities in rural areas, as well as the underlying mechanisms and the variations of this impact across regions and household characteristics.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing the China Household Finance Survey Data, this paper applies the Two-Stage Least Squares with instrumental variables to assess the effect of digital inclusive finance on rural entrepreneurship.

Findings

The empirical findings indicate that digital inclusive finance significantly promotes entrepreneurial activities in rural areas by alleviating credit constraints, reducing financial information barriers, and altering risk attitudes for rural households. Additionally, this effect is more pronounced in the eastern region of China and for the “opportunity entrepreneurial activities.” Furthermore, the impact varies across rural households' income and consumption status, as well as the personal characteristics of household heads.

Originality/value

Firstly, this study broadens our understanding of the mechanisms through which digital inclusive finance influences entrepreneurial activities, thereby filling a gap in existing entrepreneurship research. Secondly, the study's findings affirm the inclusive nature of digital finance, contributing significantly to the literature on regional equality and illuminating potential pathways toward achieving “common prosperity.”
Corporate network formation in Kuwait: board interlocks network analysis using exponential random graph models
Authors: Alebrahim Ebrahim , Alnahedh Mishari
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Interlocking directorates are a common phenomenon across several markets around the world. Yet, the institutional environment and the role of corporate elites in forming board networks promote some developing markets as a unique setting to understand the corporate boards network structure. This study aims to first explore the board directors’ network of all publicly listed companies in Kuwait. This paper then evaluates the effects of exogenous factors and endogenous network structural processes on the likelihood of board interlock.

Design/methodology/approach

This study analyzes the interlocks network structures of 167 listed companies in 13 different market sectors in Kuwait relying on hand-collected directors’ data and using four measures of network centrality: betweenness, degree, closeness and eigenvector. The authors predict board interlocks using exponential random graph models (ERGM) and firm-level information from the Bloomberg database.

Findings

This study observes that both the firms and directors’ networks consist of 55 components, with the largest component containing about half of the total number of firms/directors. The firm’s network consists of one giant component of 85 firms, including all but one bank. This study shows the importance of endogenous network variables, such as the number of edges, centralization and triangles on the estimation of the factors that promote the board interlocks. Highly centralized firms are less likely to interlock with other firms, while two firms that are interlocked with a common third firm are more likely to interlock.

Originality/value

This paper is the first to analyze in-depth the structure of the directors network of companies in Kuwait. This study illustrates the complex map of interfirm and directors social networks in Kuwait. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is among the first to exploit ERGM in the context of board interlocks to account for potential cross-dependencies and emergent network structures. Managers can identify the director interlock with other firms in the network and take advantage of the connection as a source of external knowledge and influence.
Understanding the frames before Fox: the development of unitary and pluralist views on organisations
Authors: Hodder Andy
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This article examines the intellectual antecedents of Alan Fox’s frames of reference and contributes to academic work that seeks to unravel the pre-Donovan roots of British industrial relations. It examines the origins of the unitary and pluralist frames of reference with a particular focus on the work of Norman Ross.

Design/methodology/approach

This article draws on published academic materials to examine the origins of the unitary and pluralist frames of reference.

Findings

The article identifies usage of the term “frame of reference” in industrial relations literature from the 1940s and demonstrates the origins of the unitary and pluralist conceptions of the firm in the works of Ross in the 1950s and 1960s.

Originality/value

The article provides a “fresh look” at the origins of the frames of reference.
Grey multi-criteria group consensus decision-making based on cobweb model
Authors: Guo Sandang , Guan Liuzhen , Li Qian , Jia Jing
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Considering the bounded confidence of decision-makers (DMs), a new grey multi-criteria group consensus decision-making (GMCGCDM) model is established by using interval grey number (IGN), cobweb model, social network analysis (SNA) and consensus reaching process (CPR).

Design/methodology/approach

Firstly, the model analyzes the social relationship of DM under social networks and proposes a calculation method for DMs’ weights based on SNA. Secondly, the model defines a cobweb model to consider the preferences of decision-making alternatives in the decision-making process. The consensus degree is calculated by the area surrounded by the connections between each index value of DMs and the group. Then, the model coordinates the different opinions of various DMs to reduce the degree of bias of each DM and designs a consensus feedback mechanism based on bounded confidence to guide DMs to reach consensus.

Findings

The advantage of the proposed method is to highlight the practical application, taking the selection of low-carbon suppliers in the context of dual carbon as an example. Comparison analysis is performed to reveal the interpretability and applicability of the method.

Originality/value

The main contribution of this paper is to propose a new GMCGCDM model, which can not only expand the calculation method of DM’s weight and consensus degree but also reduce the time and cost of decision-making.
Tell me more: examining consumer perception and behavior toward animal welfare certification labels in Japan
Authors: Toyota Nozomi , Tan Caroline S.L.
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors that influence Japanese consumer purchase intention toward products bearing animal welfare (AW) certification labels.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model was developed with the constructs of informativeness, trust, consumer perception, health consciousness, moral norms and purchase intention and tested using a sample of 513 Japanese consumers. Data were collected using an online panel with the direct effects analyzed using regression while the mediation analysis was performed using Hayes PROCESS macro.

Findings

The findings have confirmed that informativeness, consumer perception and trust contribute to consumer purchase intention of products with AW certification labels. Moral norm has a significant indirect effect on the relationship between consumer perception and intention to purchase. However, health consciousness did not demonstrate any indirect effect on the relationship between consumer perception and intention to purchase.

Originality/value

This study contributes significantly to our understanding of Japanese consumers' perception toward AW certification labels, especially considering the limited discussion surrounding this topic in Japan. By highlighting the importance of informativeness, it sheds light on how enhancing consumer knowledge can potentially boost the demand for AW foods. Moreover, it challenges the conventional belief in the impact of health consciousness and consumer behavioral intention, thereby expanding the discourse on the role of health consciousness in consumer choices. Through this exploration, the study not only enhances consistency in discussing consumer behavior but also strengthens the coherence and argumentation of the research findings.
Research on information behavior in communities: a scoping review of community types, featured information behavior and research methods
Authors: Du Jia Tina , Ke Qing , Chu Clara M. , Partridge Helen , Ma Dandan
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This scoping review article examined research on information behavior in communities over the past two decades (2000–2023). The review aims to uncover the characteristics and types of communities studied, the featured information behaviors, and the research methods employed.

Design/methodology/approach

The PRISMA-ScR guidelines were followed to conduct this review. Five databases were selected to search for relevant empirical research. A total of 57 studies met the inclusion criteria for review. Thematic synthesis was used to analyze the multidimensional findings of included studies.

Findings

A steady increase in the number of articles is evident in the past two decades. The review suggests that information behavior in community studies involved collaboration from other disciplines, such as public health and business management. More than half of the communities studied are virtual communities (56.1%), followed by communities of identity, professional communities and support communities, communities of interest, geographic communities, and academic communities. There are overlaps among these categories. Information sharing (63.2%) and information seeking (57.9%) were the most studied behavior of communities, followed by information use, information needs, and information judgment. Questionnaires (38.6%) and interviews (35.1%) were the most commonly used data collection techniques in studying information behavior in communities. It is noteworthy that eleven (19.3%) mentioned utilizing community-engaged approaches.

Originality/value

This is the first scoping review to explore the intersecting constructs of community research and information behavior studies. We call for further research to understand the contextual factors that shape the community’s information environments and to increase awareness of the partnership between communities and researchers.
Resilience of rural micro-businesses in an adverse entrepreneurial environment: adapting to the energy crisis
Authors: Apostolopoulos Nikolaos , Makris Ilias , Apostolopoulos Sotiris , Dimitrakopoulos Panos
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the potential adaptability and resilience of rural micro-businesses within a business environment affected by successive crises, specifically drawing conclusions on crisis management, while simultaneously highlighting enterprises’ capabilities in managing the current energy crisis, basis the experiences and best practices that they themselves have gained previously.

Design/methodology/approach

Convenience sampling was applied, effectively identifying 18 micro-entrepreneurs in rural Greece. Subsequently, qualitative research was conducted through semi-structured in-depth interviews.

Findings

Rural micro-businesses have shown adaptability and resilience to both economic and health crises through financial support received and interventions implemented. However, different crises’ types carry different business risks. The energy crisis has led to business operation’s energy costs and raw material prices multiplying exponentially. Additionally, they received limited financial support causing them to respond to the energy crisis though concrete defensive strategies and innovative interventions.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should examine local bodies and trade unions’ perception on the energy crisis’ impact towards rural entrepreneurship.

Practical implications

The findings are useful to Greek and European policy-makers and rural micro-entrepreneurs as the experience of dealing with several previous crises can be a useful tool when dealing with current and future crises.

Originality/value

This paper adds to international literature on rural micro-businesses resilience, operating in crisis mode. Additionally, it constitutes novel research exclusively focused on the new challenges faced by rural micro-businesses during the recent energy crisis.
Moderating role of firm characteristics on the relationship between corporate social responsibility and financial performance: evidence from India
Authors: Prakash Nisha , Hawaldar Aparna
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The effect of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on corporate financial performance (CFP) is shown to depend on both firm-specific and external factors. This study investigates the moderating role of two firm-specific factors – the firm life-cycle stage and ownership structure – on the CSR–CFP relationship in a developing economy setting – India.

Design/methodology/approach

The study covers 1,419 listed companies in India during 2015–21. The firm lifecycle is represented using firm age and future growth prospects. Ownership is represented through a dummy variable and promoters’ holding percentages. Return on assets (RoA) is used as a measure of CFP, while CSR intensity, i.e. the ratio of CSR expenditure to profit after tax (PAT), is used to represent CSR. Fixed effect panel regression and generalized method of moments (GMM) models are used for data analysis.

Findings

CSR expenditure has a significant negative impact on CFP. Firm age and future growth prospects amplify this negative impact, indicating that the firm life-cycle has a significant negative moderating effect on the CSR–CFP relationship. Furthermore, the impact of CSR on CFP is worse for government companies than private ownership. Promoters’ holdings have a positive impact on the CSR–CFP relationship.

Research limitations/implications

The results question the validity of mandatory CSR expenditure on companies operating in developing countries and call for a differentiated policy approach to CSR expectations based on firm characteristics. This study also enhances the existing literature on CSR–CFP.

Originality/value

The growing research on CSR–CFP has limited coverage of firm characteristics as contributing factors. Hence, this paper helps in enhancing the existing literature on CSR–CFP and makes it more relevant to firms with specific characteristics.
Tackling digital payment frauds: a study of consumer preparedness in India
Authors: Lonkar Ameya , Dharmadhikari Sonali , Dharurkar Neha , Patil Kanchan , Phadke Ravi Ashok
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to present a study to measure “Consumer Preparedness” (CP) towards digital payment frauds by considering factors such as awareness regarding fraud risk (“Awareness”), implementation of measures (“Protection”) and actions to be taken in case of fraud (“Responsiveness”).

Design/methodology/approach

This study reviews existing literature to understand various typologies of digital payment fraud. The data of 372 consumers was collected using a structured questionnaire. The data was analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-square. CP score was calculated based on awareness score, protection score and responsiveness score.

Findings

The study shows that the score for the level of awareness was low, for the level of protection was moderate and for the level of responsiveness was high, leading to an overall moderate level of preparedness. Further, a moderate association was observed between demographic factors and the level of preparedness.

Practical implications

The authors recommend proactive and reactive measures for Central Banks regarding central fraud registry and intelligence exchange, consumer fraud vulnerability assessment model and mandating fraud risk management controls. Further, financial institutions are recommended to permit payment from registered devices only, implement strong customer authentication (including biometric authentication) and conduct periodic awareness sessions.

Originality/value

The existing body of knowledge does not have a model or scoring mechanism to assess the preparedness of consumers to tackle digital payment fraud. The research paper adds a classification of fraud typologies and an exploratory approach to measure the CP score.
The future of work: a symbiotic balance of technology and interpersonal skills
Authors: Haldar Sirsha
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The article explores the evolving nature of the workplace, emphasising the importance of soft skills alongside technological proficiency for organisational success and employee retention.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach to examine the role of soft skills in the contemporary workplace, drawing insights from the ADP People at Work 2023 report and expert opinion to highlight the significance of interpersonal competencies in driving collaboration, innovation and employee loyalty.

Findings

The findings underscore the pivotal role of soft skills in fostering cohesive work environments, enhancing employee engagement and mitigating turnover rates. It emphasises the need for organisations to prioritise the development of soft skills through recruitment, training and performance management initiatives to achieve sustained success in a dynamic business landscape.

Originality/value

The article contributes to the existing literature by synthesising insights from various sources to advocate for the integration of soft skills into organisational practices. It highlights the strategic imperative for HR leaders to embed soft skills into recruitment processes, training initiatives and performance management practices to nurture a culture of resilience, innovation and collective success in the modern workplace.