bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Physical determinants of daily physical activity in older men and women
Authors: Karavirta Laura , Aittokoski Timo , Pynnönen Katja , Rantalainen Timo , Westgate Kate , Gonzales Tomas , Palmberg Lotta , Neuvonen Joona , Lipponen Jukka A. , Turunen Katri , Nikander Riku , Portegijs Erja , Rantanen Taina , Brage Søren
Published: April 2024

Introduction

The ability to perform bodily movement varies in ageing men and women. We investigated whether physical fitness may explain sex differences in daily physical activity energy expenditure (PAEE) among older people.

Methods

A population-based cohort of 75, 80, and 85-year-old men and women (n=409, 62 % women) underwent laboratory-based assessment of walking speed, maximal knee extension strength, and body fat percentage. Free-living physical activity was assessed as total PAEE, and light (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) using individually calibrated combined accelerometry and heart rate sensing. Path modelling was used to examine indirect associations between sex, physical fitness, and physical activity.

Results

Men had a more favourable physical fitness profile and higher overall PAEE (mean 34.0 (SD 10.8) kJ/kg/day) than women (28.3 (8.4) kJ/kg/day, p<0.001). The path model for PAEE explained 33 % of the variance. The direct association of sex on PAEE was non-significant, whereas the association between sex and PAEE through body fat (β=0.20, p<0.001) and walking speed (β=0.05, p=0.001) were statistically significant. Similarly, the associations between sex and MVPA through body fat (β=0.11, p=0.002) and walking speed (β=0.05, p=0.001) were significant, as were the associations between sex and LPA through body fat (β=0.24, p<0.001) and walking speed (β=0.03, p=0.019).

Conclusion

Differences in physical activity between men and women may reflect underlying differences in cardiorespiratory fitness and adiposity. These results highlight the importance of maintaining physical fitness to support active living in older adults.
Ultrafast metaproteomics for quantitative assessment of strain isolates and microbiomes
Authors: Kazakova Elizaveta , Ivanov Mark , Kusainova Tomiris , Bubis Julia , Polivtseva Valentina , Petrikov Kirill , Gorshkov Vladimir , Kjeldsen Frank , Gorshkov Mikhail , Delegan Yanina , Solyanikova Inna , Tarasova Irina
Published: April 2024

BACKGROUND

Microbial communities play a crucial role in human health and environmental regulation, but present an especial challenge for the analytical science due to their diversity and dynamic range. Tandem mass spectrometry provides functional insights on microorganisms life cycle, but still lacks throughput and sensitivity. MALDI TOF is widely used for ultrafast identification of species, but does not assess their functional activity. Development of ultrafast mass spectrometry methods and bioinformatic approaches applicable for both accurate identification and functional assessment of microbial communities based on their protein content is of high interest.

RESULTS

We show for the first time that both identity and functional activity of microorganisms and their communities can be accurately determined in experiments as short as 7 minutes per sample, using the basic Orbitrap MS configuration without peptide fragmentation. The approach was validated using strain isolates, mock microbiomes composed of bacteria spiked at known concentrations and human fecal microbiomes. Our new bioinformatic algorithm identifies the bacterial species with an accuracy of 95 %, when no prior information on the sample is available. Microbiome composition was resolved at the genus level with the mean difference between the actual and identified components of 12 %. For mock microbiomes, Pearson coefficient of up to 0.97 was achieved in estimates of strain biomass change. By the example ofRhodococcusbiodegradation ofn-alkanes, phenols and its derivatives, we showed the accurate assessment of functional activity of strain isolates, compared with the standard label-free and label-based approaches.

SIGNIFICANCE

Our approach makes microbial proteomics fast, functional and insightful using the Orbitrap instruments even without employing peptide fragmentation technology. The approach can be applied to any microorganisms and can take a niche in routine functional assessment of microbial pathogens and consortiums in clinical diagnostics together with MALDI TOF MS and 16S rRNA gene sequencing.
Conditional protein splicing of theMycobacterium tuberculosisRecA intein in its native host
Authors: Schneider Ryan F. , Hallstrom Kelly , DeMott Christopher , McDonough Kathleen A.
Published: April 2024

Abstract/summary

TherecAgene, encoding Recombinase A (RecA) is one of threeMycobacterium tuberculosis(Mtb) genes encoding an in-frameintervening proteinsequence (intein) that must splice out of precursor host protein to produce functional protein. Ongoing debate about whether inteins function solely as selfish genetic elements or benefit their host cells requires understanding of interplay between inteins and their hosts. We measured environmental effects on native RecA intein splicing within Mtb using a combination of western blots and promoter reporter assays. RecA splicing was stimulated in bacteria exposed to DNA damaging agents or by treatment with copper in hypoxic, but not normoxic, conditions. Spliced RecA was processed by the Mtb proteasome, while free intein was degraded efficiently by other unknown mechanisms. Unspliced precursor protein was not observed within Mtb despite its accumulation during ectopic expression of MtbrecAwithinE. coli. Surprisingly, Mtb produced free N-extein in some conditions, and ectopic expression of Mtb N-extein activated LexA inE. coli.These results demonstrate that the bacterial environment greatly impacts RecA splicing in Mtb, underscoring the importance of studying intein splicing in native host environments and raising the exciting possibility of intein splicing as a novel regulatory mechanism in Mtb.

Significance Statement

Gene regulation and DNA repair are critical to the success ofMycobacterium tuberculosis, a major bacterial pathogen. The present study found significant interplay between the Mtb host environment and splicing behavior of an integrative intein element within the Mtb RecA protein, which is involved in DNA repair. These findings challenge the concept of inteins as strictly selfish genetic elements by showing that activity of the RecA intein in Mtb is finely tuned to its host and raising the possibility that intein exaptation provides Mtb with additional ways to selectively modulate RecA function.
Engineering sequestration-based biomolecular classifiers with shared resources
Authors: Moghimianavval Hossein , Gispert Ignacio , Castillo Santiago R. , Corning Olaf B. W. H. , Liu Allen P. , Samaniego Christian Cuba
Published: April 2024

Constructing molecular classifiers that enable cells to recognize linear and non-linear input patterns would expand the biocomputational capabilities of engineered cells, thereby unlocking their potential in diagnostics and therapeutic applications. While several biomolecular classifier schemes have been designed, the effect of biological constraints such as resource limitation and competitive binding on the function of those classifiers has been left unexplored. Here, we first demonstrate the design of a sigma factor-based perceptron as a molecular classifier working on the principles of molecular sequestration between the sigma factor and its anti-sigma molecule. We then investigate how the output of the biomolecular perceptron,i.e., its response pattern or decision boundary, is affected by the competitive binding of sigma factors to a pool of shared and limited resources of core RNA polymerase. Finally, we reveal the influence of sharing limited resources on multi-layer perceptron neural networks and outline design principles that enable the construction of non-linear classifiers using sigma-based biomolecular neural networks in the presence of competitive resource-sharing effects.
Urine microbiome changes during and after radiotherapy for prostate cancer
Authors: Złoch Michał , Sibińska Ewelina , Monedeiro Fernanda , Miśta Wioletta , Arendowski Adrian , Fijałkowski Piotr , Pietrowska Monika , Mrochem-Kwarciak Jolanta , Jędrzejewska Anna , Telka Ewa , Karoń Kinga , Rabsztyn Małgorzata , Pomastowski Paweł , Gabryś Dorota
Published: April 2024

Background

The urinary microbiome may play a new important role in the development of complications, but still, there is no information about their changes during and after radiotherapy (RT). This study aimed to use the matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry (MALDI MS) technique to identify the microbiome and assess its changes in urine samples of 88 patients irradiated for prostate cancer.

Material and methods

Blood for biochemical analysis and urine samples for MALDI were collected at various time points before gold fiducial implantation (t1) at the beginning (t2) and end of radiotherapy (t3); during follow-up, 1 (t4), 4 (t5), 7 (t6) months after the end of treatment.

Results

We identified 1801 different microbial isolates, in 89% (470/528) samples revealed the presence of at least one microbial species among which 79% (373/470) were polymicrobial. Species level: 136 G+, 29 G-, 2Candidahave been noted. The far most abundant group of the identified microorganisms wasStaphylococcusmembers −51.6% of all isolates followed byMicrococcus(9.1%),Enterococcus(7.6%),Kocuria(5.6%),Corynebacterium(5.4%), andStreptococcus(2.2%). A lower variety of microorganisms incident was observed at the end of RT. The total number of species (TNS) was 50 at t1, increased up to 61 at t2, and then fell to the initial value of 52 at t3. The increase in biodiversity was noted after radiotherapy t4-68, t5-86, and t6-75 (p<0.05). Changes in the biodiversity of the urinary microbiota were also reflected in the differences in the total number of isolates (TNI) – 261, 281, and 273 for time points t1-t3 compared to the 292, 362, and 332 for time points t4-t6 as well as in the total number of detected genera (TNG) – 25, 29, 23 (t1-t3) and 28, 38, 31 (t4-t6).Actinomyces,Corynebacterium,Staphylococcus,Streptococcus, demonstrated significant correlation with the RT stages. Concerning individual species, onlyK. rhizophilaabundance significantly increased with time (p=0.045). Bacteria incidence was strongly correlated with glucose levels in urine. The same correlation was observed for glucose levels in blood, but in a weak manner. Staphylococcus presence was related to higher tPSA.

Conclusion

RT for prostate cancer induces a dynamic response in the urinary microbiome, characterized by an initial reduction in diversity post-RT followed by a subsequent increase. Our findings highlight the significant influence of glucose levels in both urine and blood on the urinary microbiota. These insights contribute to the evolving understanding of the interplay between RT, the urinary microbiome, and patient health, paving the way for more targeted interventions and personalized approaches in prostate cancer treatment.
Structural basis of iron piracy by a prominent human gut symbiont
Authors: Silale Augustinas , Soo Yung Li , Mark Hannah , Basle Arnaud , van den Berg Bert
Published: April 2024

Iron is an essential element that can be growth-limiting in microbial communities, particularly those present within host organisms. To acquire iron, many bacteria secrete siderophores, secondary metabolites that chelate ferric iron. These iron chelates can be transported back into the cell via TonB-dependent transporters in the outer membrane, followed by intracellular liberation of the iron.Salmonellaproduces siderophores during gut infection. In response to iron starvation, the human gut symbiontBacteroides thetaiotaomicronupregulates an iron piracy system, XusABC, which steals iron-bound siderophores from the invadingSalmonella. Here, we investigated the molecular details of ferric enterobactin uptake by the XusAB complex. Our crystal and cryogenic electron microscopy structures explain how the XusB lipoprotein recognises iron-bound siderophores and passes them on to the XusA TonB-dependent transporter for translocation across the outer membrane. Moreover, our results suggest that XusABC and homologous systems can transport a variety of siderophores with different iron-chelating functional groups.
Alternate recognition by dengue protease: Proteolytic and binding assays provide functional evidence beyond an induced-fit
Authors: Behnam Mira A. M. , Klein Christian D.
Published: April 2024

Proteases are key enzymes in viral replication, and interfering with these targets is the basis for therapeutic interventions. We previously introduced a hypothesis about conformational selection in the protease of dengue virus and related flaviviruses, based on conformational plasticity noted in X-ray structures. The present work presents the first functional evidence for alternate recognition by the dengue protease, in a mechanism based primarily on conformational selection rather than induced-fit. Recognition of distinct substrates and inhibitors in proteolytic and binding assays varies to a different extent, depending on factors known to influence the dengue protease structure such as pH and salinity. Furthermore, the buffer type and temperature cause a change in binding, proteolysis, or inhibition behavior. Using representative inhibitors with distinct structural scaffolds, we identify two contrasting binding profiles to dengue protease. Noticeable effects are observed in the binding assay upon inclusion of a non-ionic detergent in comparison to the proteolytic assay. The findings highlight the impact of the selection of testing conditions on the observed ligand affinity or inhibitory potency. From a broader scope, the dengue protease presents an example, where the induced-fit paradigm appears insufficient to explain binding events with the biological target. Furthermore, this protein reveals the complexity of comparing or combining biochemical assay data obtained under different conditions. This can be particularly critical for artificial intelligence (AI) approaches in drug discovery that rely on large datasets compiled from different sources.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Buffer type, pH, salt, and temperature influence ligand recognition.

- Experimental conditions in binding and proteolytic assays affect the obtained data.

- Ligand recognition in DENV protease involves mainly conformational selection.

Graphic for table of contents
Single-nuclei histone modification profiling of the adult human central nervous system unveils epigenetic memory of developmental programs
Authors: Kabbe Mukund , Agirre Eneritz , Carlström Karl E. , Baldivia Pohl Fabio , Ruffin Nicolas , van Bruggen David , Meijer Mandy , Seeker Luise A. , Bestard-Cuche Nadine , Lederer Alex R. , Zhang Jilin , Ahola Virpi , Goldman Steven A. , Bartosovic Marek , Jagodic Maja , Williams Anna , Castelo-Branco Gonçalo
Published: April 2024

The adult human central nervous system (CNS) is remarkably complex, with neural cells displaying extensive transcriptional heterogeneity. However, how different layers of epigenetic regulation underpin this heterogeneity is poorly understood. Here, we profile the adult human CNS from distinct regions, for chromatin accessibility at the single-nuclei level. In addition, we simultaneously co-profiled the histone modifications H3K27me3 and H3K27ac at the single nuclei-level, providing their first map in all major human CNS cell types. We unveil primed chromatin signatures at HOX loci in spinal cord-derived human oligodendroglia (OLG) but not microglia. These signatures were reminiscent of developmental OLG but were decoupled from robust gene expression. Moreover, using high-resolution Micro-C, we show that induced pluripotent stem cell (iPS) derived human OLGs exhibit a HOX chromatin architecture compatible with the primed chromatin in adult OLGs, and bears a strong resemblance not only to OLG developmental architecture, but also high-grade pontine gliomas. Thus, adult OLG retain epigenetic memory from developmental states, which might enable them to promptly transcribe Hox genes, in contexts of regeneration, but also make them susceptible to gliomagenesis.
Cryo-EM analysis of complement C3 reveals a reversible major opening of the macroglobulin ring
Authors: Gadeberg Trine Amalie Fogh , Jørgensen Martin Høgholm , Olesen Heidi Gytz , Lorentzen Josefine , Harwood Seandean Lykke , Almeida Ana Viana , Fruergaard Marlene Uglebjerg , Jensen Rasmus Kjeldsen , Kanis Philipp , Pedersen Henrik , Tranchant Emil , Petersen Steen Vang , Thøgersen Ida Buch , Kragelund Birthe Brandt , Lyons Joseph Anthony , Enghild Jan Johannes , Andersen Gregers Rom
Published: April 2024

The C3 protein is the central molecule within the complement system and undergoes pattern-recognition-dependent proteolytic activation to C3b in the presence of pathogens and damage-associated patterns. Spontaneous pattern-independent activation of C3 occurs via hydrolysis, resulting in C3(H2O). However, the structural details of C3 hydrolysis remain elusive. Here, we show that the conformation of the C3(H2O) analog, C3MA, in which the C3 thioester is broken by aminolysis is indistinguishable from C3b except for the 77-residue anaphylatoxin (ANA) domain. In contrast, the reaction intermediate C3* formed during C3 adopts a dynamic conformation dramatically different from both C3 and C3MA/C3b. In C3*, unlocking of the macroglobulin (MG) 3 domain creates a large opening in the MG-ring through which the ANA domain translocates. In support of this mechanism, C3MA formation is inhibited by an MG3/MG4-interface-specific nanobody and prevented by linking the ANA domain to the C3 β-chain. Our study reveals an unexpected dynamic behavior of C3 where an exceptional conformational change allows the translocation of an entire domain through a large dynamic opening. These results form the basis for elucidation of thein vivocontribution of C3 hydrolysis to complement activation and offer a rational approach for modulation of C3(H2O) with the potential for preventing complement activation caused by intravascular hemolysis and surface contacts.
The impact of extinction timing on pre-extinction arousal and subsequent return of fear
Authors: Kampa Miriam , Stark Rudolf , Klucken Tim
Published: April 2024

Exposure-based therapy is effective in treating anxiety, but a return of fear in the form of relapse is common. Exposure is based on the extinction of Pavlovian fear conditioning. Both animal and human studies point to increased arousal during immediate compared to delayed extinction (>+24 h), which presumably impairs extinction learning and increases the subsequent return of fear. Impaired extinction learning under arousal might interfere with psychotherapeutic interventions. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether arousal before extinction differs between extinction groups and whether arousal before extinction predicts the return of fear in a later (retention) test. As a highlight, both the time between fear acquisition and extinction (immediate vs. delayed) and the time between extinction and test (early vs. late test) were systematically varied. We performed follow-up analyses on data from 103 young, healthy participants to test the above hypotheses. Subjective arousal ratings and physiological arousal measures of sympathetic and hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis activation (tonic skin conductance and salivary cortisol) were collected. Increased pre-extinction arousal in the immediate extinction group was only confirmed for subjective arousal. In linear regression analyses, none of the arousal measures predicted a significant return of fear in the different experimental groups. Only when we aggregated across the two test groups, tonic skin conductance at the onset of extinction predicted the return of fear in skin conductance responses. The overall results provide little evidence that pre-extinction arousal affects subsequent extinction learning and memory. In terms of clinical relevance, there is no clear evidence that exposure could be improved by reducing subjective or physiological arousal.
Depth-dependent magnetic crossover in a room-temperature skyrmion-hosting multilayer
Authors: Hicken T. J. , Wilson M. N. , Salman Z. , Zhang S. L. , Holt S. J. R. , Prokscha T. , Suter A. , Pratt F. L. , van der Laan G. , Hesjedal T. , Lancaster T.
Published: April 2024

Skyrmion-hosting multilayer stacks are promising avenues for applications, although little is known about the depth dependence of the magnetism. We address this by reporting the results of circular dichroic resonant elastic x-ray scattering (CD-REXS), micromagnetic simulations, and low-energy muon-spin rotation (LE-μ+SR) measurements on a stack comprising [Ta/CoFeB/MgO]16/Ta on a Si substrate. Energy-dependent CD-REXS shows a continuous, monotonic evolution of the domain-wall helicity angle with incident energy, consistent with a three-dimensional hybrid domain-wall-like structure that changes from Néel-like near the surface to Bloch-like deeper within the sample. LE-μ+SR reveals that the magnetic field distribution in the trilayers near the surface of the stack is distinct from that in trilayers deeper within the sample. Our micromagnetic simulations support a quantitative analysis of the μ+SR results. By increasing the applied magnetic field, we find a reduction in the volume occupied by domain walls at all depths, consistent with a crossover into a region dominated by skyrmions above approximately 180 mT.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Strangeness plus-one (
S=+1
) resonance-state
P0+*
via
K+n→K*0p
Authors: Lee Dayoung , Nam Seung-il
Published: April 2024

In our current study, we delve into the peak-like structure observed during the reaction process of K+n→K0p at approximately s≈2.5 GeV. Our focus centers on exploring the potential S=+1 resonance P0+*≡P0* as an excited state within the extended vector-meson and baryon (VB) antidecuplet. To achieve this aim, we employ the effective Lagrangian method in conjunction with the (u,t)-channel Regge approach, operating within the tree-level Born approximation. We thoroughly examine various spin-parity quantum numbers for the resonance, resulting in a compelling description of the data, where MP0*≈2.5 GeV and ΓP0*≈100 MeV. Furthermore, we propose an experimental technique to amplify the signal-to-noise ratio (S/N) for accurately measuring the resonance. Notably, our findings reveal that background interference diminishes significantly within the K* forward-scattering region in the center-of-mass frame when the K* is perpendicularly polarized to the reaction plane. Additionally, we explore the recoil-proton spin asymmetry to definitively determine the spin and parity of the resonance. This study stands to serve as a valuable reference for designing experimental setups aimed at investigating and comprehending exotic phenomena in quantum chromodynamics. Specifically, our insights will inform future J-PARC experiments, particularly those employing higher kaon beam energies.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Improved analysis of isovector nucleon matrix elements with
Nf=2+1
flavors of
O(a)
improved Wilson fermions
Authors: Djukanovic Dalibor , von Hippel Georg , Meyer Harvey B. , Ottnad Konstantin , Wittig Hartmut
Published: April 2024

We present an update of our determination of the isovector charges gAu−d, gSu−d and gTu−d, and the isovector twist-2 forward matrix elements ⟨x⟩u−d, ⟨x⟩Δu−Δd and ⟨x⟩δu−δd on the Nf=2+1 gauge ensembles generated by the Coordinated Lattice Simulations (CLS) effort. We have significantly extended our coverage of the parameter space by adding ensembles at the physical pion mass and fine lattice spacing, at nearly physical pion masses and very fine lattice spacings, and at very large physical lattice volumes, enabling a well-controlled extrapolation to the physical point. Another major improvement is achieved owing to the extended range of source-sink separations, which allows us to perform two-state fits to summed correlator ratios, leading to a much higher level of control over excited-state effects. Systematic uncertainties from the chiral, continuum and infinite-volume extrapolations are incorporated via model averages based on the Akaike information criterion. Our final results at the physical point are gAu−d=1.254(19)stat(15)sys[24]total, gSu−d=1.203(77)stat(81)sys[112]total, gTu−d=0.993(15)stat(05)sys[16]total, ⟨x⟩u−d=0.153(15)stat(10)sys[17]total, ⟨x⟩Δu−Δd=0.207(15)stat(06)sys[16]total, and ⟨x⟩δu−δd=0.195(17)stat(15)sys[23]total. While our results for the isovector charges are in excellent agreement with the FLAG 21 averages, we note that our error for the tensor charge gTu−d is considerably smaller.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Fully heavy tetraquark states and their evidences in LHC observations
Authors: Liu Ming-Sheng , Liu Feng-Xiao , Zhong Xian-Hui , Zhao Qiang
Published: April 2024

Stimulated by the exciting progress on the observations of the fully charmed tetraquarks at LHC, we carry out a combined analysis of the mass spectra and fall-apart decays of the 1S-, 2S-, and 1P-wave ccc¯c¯ states in a nonrelativistic quark model. It is found that the X(6600) structure observed in the di-J/ψ invariant mass spectrum can be explained by the 1S-wave state T(4c)0++(6550). This structure may also bear some feed-down effects from the higher 2S and/or 1P tetraquark states. The X(6900) structure observed in both the di-J/ψ and J/ψψ(2S) channels can be naturally explained by the 2S-wave state T(4c)0++(6957). The small shoulder structure around 6.2–6.4 GeV observed at CMS and ATLAS may be due to the feed-down effects from some 1P-wave states with C=−1 and/or some 2S-wave states with JPC=0++. Other decay channels are implied in such a scenario and they can be investigated by future experimental analyses. Considering the large discovery potential at LHC, we also present predictions for the bbb¯b¯ states which can be searched for in the future.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Developing organizational performance through talent management practices: employee satisfaction’s mediating role in learning organizations
Authors: Shah Naimatullah , Bano Safia , Saraih Ummi Naiemah , Abdelwaheed Nadia A. Abdelmageed , Soomro Bahadur Ali
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Talent management research today is increasing as organizational requirements attempt to meet the challenges of effectively managing talent to achieve organizations’ strategic agendas. However, in learning organizations specifically, investigations of talent management practices are limited, with this study exploring the role of talent management practices in employee satisfaction and organizational performance in Pakistan.

Design/methodology/approach

The study was conducted in various universities (public and private) in Pakistan using a quantitative approach. Cross-sectional data are collected through a questionnaire, with analysis and conclusions based on completed questionnaires from 403 respondents.

Findings

The study’s findings from the analysis by structural equation modeling (SEM) emphasize the positive and significant effects of most talent management practices (i.e. talent identification, talent development, talent culture and talent retention) on employee satisfaction and organizational performance (talent attraction is the exception). Employee satisfaction positively and significantly affects organizational performance and is found to have a mediating effect, bridging the relationships of most talent management practices (talent identification, talent development, talent culture and talent retention) with organizational performance.

Practical implications

The study’s findings support human resource professionals, academics and policymakers in managing talent practices to enhance organizational performance. The findings assist in developing core skills and talent-related competencies to achieve organizational goals and success.

Originality/value

The study fills the research gaps by developing a framework of talent management practices for employee satisfaction and organizational performance in learning organizations, which warrants further consideration.
Natural disasters and agricultural trade in China: analyzing the role of transportation, government and diplomacy
Authors: Zhao Yixin , Cheng Zhonghai , Chai Yongle
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Natural disasters profoundly influence agricultural trade sustainability. This study investigates the effects of natural disasters on agricultural production imports in China within 2002 and 2018. This exploration estimates the mediating role of transportation infrastructure and agriculture value-added and the moderating role of government effectiveness and diplomatic relations.

Design/methodology/approach

This investigation uses Probit, Logit, Cloglog and Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) models.

Findings

The results confirm the mediating role of transportation infrastructure and agriculture value-added and the moderating role of government effectiveness and diplomatic relations in China. According to the findings, natural disasters in trading partners heighten the risk to the agricultural imports. This risk raises, if disasters damage overall agricultural yield or transportation infrastructure. Moreover, governments’ effective response or diplomatic ties with China mitigate the risk. Finally, the effect of disasters varies by the developmental status of the country involved, with events in developed nations posing a greater risk to China’s imports than those in developing nations.

Originality/value

China should devise an early warning system to protect its agricultural imports by using advanced technologies such as data analytics, remote sensing and artificial intelligence. In addition, it can leverage this system by improving its collaboration with trading partners, involvement in international forums and agreement for mutual support in crisis.
Responding to representations of fatphobia in prose and comics
Authors: Amato Nicole Ann
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore teacher candidates’ response to young adult literature (prose and comics) featuring fat identified protagonists. The paper considers the textual and embodied resources readers use and reject when imagining and interpreting a character’s body. This paper explores how readers’ meaning making was influenced when reading prose versus comics. This paper adds to a corpus of scholarship about the relationships between young adult literature, comics, bodies and reader response theory.

Design/methodology/approach

At the time of the study, participants were enrolled in a teacher education program at a Midwestern University, meeting monthly for a voluntary book club dedicated to reading and discussing young adult literature. To examine readers’ responses to comics and prose featuring fat-identified protagonists, the author used descriptive qualitative methodologies to conduct a thematic analysis of meeting transcripts, written participant reflections and researcher memos. Analysis was grounded in theories of reader response, critical fat studies and multimodality.

Findings

Analyses indicated many readers reject textual clues indicating a character’s body size and weight were different from their own. Readers read their bodies into the stories, regarding them as self-help narratives instead of radical counternarratives. Some readers were not able to read against their assumptions of thinness (and whiteness) until prompted by the researcher and other participants.

Originality/value

Although many reader response scholars have demonstrated readers’ tendencies toward personal identification in the face of racial and class differences, there is less research regarding classroom practices around the entanglement of physical bodies, body image and texts. Analyzing reader’s responses to the constructions of fat bodies in prose versus comics may help English Language Arts (ELA) educators and students identify and deconstruct ideologies of thin-thinking and fatphobia. This study, which demonstrates thin readers’ tendencies to overidentify with protagonists, suggests ELA classrooms might encourage readers to engage in critical literacies that support them in reading both with and against their identities.
No use of schools: the heterogenous effects of conflict in Pakistan on enrolment rates of boys and girls
Authors: Gillani Abbas Ali , Bari Khadija M.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to estimate the impact of conflict witnessed in Pakistan on the enrolment rates of boys and girls. Pakistan has the world’s second-highest number of out-of-school children, with an estimated 22.8 million children aged 5–16 years not attending school.

Design/methodology/approach

By merging data on violence with the data on enrolment rates, this paper finds that exposure to violence is correlated with a decline in overall district-level enrolment rates in the short run at primary-level schools and middle-level schools.

Findings

However, for boys, violence is also negatively correlated with enrolment rates at middle-level schools in the medium run. One possible mechanism tested in this paper is the potential substitution of boys into the labour market during a period of conflict.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this paper adds to the existing literature in several ways. Firstly, the effect of conflict on the labour market by impacting schooling for boys and girls is examined for the first time in Pakistan. Secondly, the district-level data set on enrolment rates used for this study is novel and has not been used before for this type of analysis. Thirdly, while this study strengthens the evidence that the short run effects of conflict are stronger than the long-run effects, it also confirms the negative effects of conflict do not fade away immediately. Fourthly, this study emphasizes that each conflict is unique in terms of its heterogeneous effects across different cohorts, such as gender, as these effects are dependent on the mechanism through which conflict impacts each individual.
How and when effective customer journeys drive brand loyalty: the role of consumer-brand identification
Authors: Reitsamer Bernd F. , Stokburger-Sauer Nicola E. , Kuhnle Janina S.
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Effective customer journey design (ECJD) is considered a key variable in customer experience management and an essential source of brand meaning and pro-brand behavior. Although previous research has confirmed its importance for driving brand attitudes and loyalty, the role of consumer-brand identification as a social identity-based influence in this relationship has not yet been discussed. Drawing on construal level and social identity theories, this paper aims to investigate whether effective journeys and the resulting overall journey experience are equally powerful in driving brand loyalty among customers with different levels of consumer-brand identification.

Design/methodology/approach

The present article develops and tests a research model using data from the European and US service sectors (N = 1,454) to investigate how and when ECJD affects service brand loyalty.

Findings

Across two cultural contexts, four service industries and 33 service brands, the results reveal that ECJD is a crucial driver of service brand loyalty for customers with low consumer-brand identification. Moreover, the findings show that different aspects of journey effectiveness positively impact the valence of customers’ experience related to those journeys – a process that is ultimately decisive for their brand loyalty.

Originality/value

This study is unique because it generates theoretical and practical knowledge by combining the literature streams of customer journey design, customer experience and branding. Furthermore, this work demonstrates that consumer-brand identification is a critical boundary condition to be considered in the relationship between ECJD and brand loyalty in services.
Digital technologies, poverty and microfinance in developing countries
Authors: Subramaniam Yogeeswari , Masron Tajul Ariffin
Published: April 2024

Purpose

The objective of this study is to examine the moderating effect of microfinance on the digital divide in developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

On the methodology, the econometric method employed to estimate the equation is based on the two-stage least squares (2SLS).

Findings

This study confirms that microfinance can play an important role in mitigating the adverse effect of digitalization on poverty.

Research limitations/implications

Thus, governments should prioritize and encourage the integration of digital technologies with robust microfinance systems to effectively combat poverty, given the importance of microfinance.

Originality/value

Given the importance of digital technology to businesses and economic development, we need to search for a better solution that allows digital technology to be further developed but at the same time, is not harmful to the poor. The issue of the poor, either financially or technically can be partially resolved if the poor is given the necessary and sufficient assistance. Therefore, this paper examines whether microfinance can be part of solutions to the digital divide in developing countries.
A research on the influence mechanism of humanization degree of service robots on user misbehavior
Authors: Wan Xiaoyu , Chen Haodi
Published: April 2024

Purpose

Explore how the degree of humanization affects user misconduct, and provide effective misconduct prevention measures for the wide application of artificial intelligence in the future.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the “Uncanny Valley theory”, three experiments were conducted to explore the relationship between the degree of humanization of service machines and user misbehavior, and to analyze the mediating role of cognitive resistance and the moderating role of social class.

Findings

There is a U-shaped relationship between the degree of humanization of service machines and user misbehavior; Social class not only regulates the main effect of anthropomorphism on misbehavior, but also regulates the intermediary effect of anthropomorphism on cognitive resistance, thus affecting misbehavior.

Research limitations/implications

The design of the service robot can be from the user’s point of view, combined with the user’s social class, match different user types, and provide the same preferences as the user’s humanoid service robot.

Practical implications

This study is an important reference value for enterprises and governments to provide intelligent services in public places. It can prevent the robot from being vandalized and also provide users with a comfortable human-computer interaction experience, expanding the positive effects of providing smart services by government and enterprises.

Social implications

This study avoids and reduces users' misbehavior towards intelligent service robots, improves users' satisfaction in using service robots, and avoids service robots being damaged, resulting in waste of government, enterprise and social resources.

Originality/value

From the perspective of product factors to identify the inducing factors of improper behavior, from the perspective of social class of users to analyze the moderating effect of humanization degree and user improper behavior.
From exclusion to establishment: Organizational birthmarks and imprinting within populist parties
Authors: Andersen Johan Erik , Trondal Jarle
Published: April 2024

This paper bridges literature on political parties and organizational studies by providing a new theoretical lens on political party developments. There has been growing scholarly interest in populist parties and the issues that serve as the raison d'être for their political platform. While the literature has been preoccupied with the journey of the anti‐hero rising to power, less has been written about the organization of the party once it has transcended to political influence. Likewise, whereas organizational birthmarks and imprinting have been integral concepts in the study of organizations, there has been little permeation of the concepts into the study of political parties. The Danish People's Party and Norwegian Progress Party provide two illustrative cases, showing that their original formation and later transformation into the current parties brought with it challenges to their structure and ideology. Our findings show that while an increase in external support to the political party, that is, votes, imprints organizational birthmarks, it is during a decrease in the very same external support that organizational birthmarks are uncovered and challenged. Through process‐tracing and our theoretical model, we identify organizational birthmarks and causal mechanisms in which competing organizational birthmarks create an internal division within the political party.
Using the Tasmanian Palliative and End of Life Care Policy Framework (2022) to assess service delivery in a rural general practice
Authors: Ridge Andrew , Seidel Bastian
Published: April 2024

Aims

This commentary uses the Tasmanian Palliative and End of Life Care Policy Framework (2022; the TPE Framework) to reflect upon palliative care services delivered by a rural Tasmanian general practice.

Context

Rural populations have challenges in accessing many healthcare services, including palliative care. General practitioners (GPs) and other primary healthcare workers are frequently relied upon to deliver palliative care in rural Australia. Palliative care is often needed before the end‐of‐life phase and patients prefer this to be delivered in the community or at home. GPs face challenges and barriers in continuing to deliver home‐based palliative care services.

Approach

All Medical Benefit Scheme billings for after‐hours or home‐based palliative care provided by the practice, between September 2021 and August 2022, were identified and patient demographic and clinical details collated. To further understand this data, nine GPs were surveyed to explore their attitudes to provision of palliative care service to the local rural communities they serve. These data highlighted several priority areas of the TPE Framework. The TPE Framework is used here to add to the shared understanding of palliative care service delivery in a rural community, and to see if GP's responses align with the priorities of the TPE Framework. Of the 258 after‐hours and home‐visits delivered over a 12‐month period, almost 58% (n = 150) were for palliative care. Patients receiving palliative care were generally older than non‐palliative patients visited (79.9 years vs. 72.0 years respectively; p = 0.004). Patients not at imminent risk of death (64.0%) were more frequently recipients of home‐visits. Of the nine GPs responding to the survey, most intended to continue home visits for palliative patients. Disincentives to providing palliative care during home visits included a lack of time during the day (or after hours), low levels of interdisciplinary coordination or role‐definition, and inadequate remuneration.

Conclusion

Existing frameworks can be used as an implementation and evaluation guide to help understand local palliative care services. Using a Framework, a rural general practice in Tasmania reflected on their provision of palliative care services. Providing holistic palliative care services from a rural general practice is desirable and achievable with a coordinated, team‐based approach. Access to and integration with specialist services remains a key component of community‐based palliative care pathways.
vNOTES retroperitoneal sentinel lymph node dissection for endometrial cancer staging: First multicenter, prospective case series
Authors: Baekelandt Jan , Jespers Astrid , Huber Daniela , Badiglian‐Filho Levon , Stuart Andrea , Chuang Linus , Ali Oudai , Burnett Alexander
Published: April 2024

Introduction

The current standard treatment for endometrial cancer is a laparoscopic hysterectomy with adnexectomies and bilateral sentinel node resection. A retroperitoneal vNOTES sentinel node resection has several theoretical potential advantages. These include being less invasive, leaving no visible scars, operating without Trendelenburg, and therefore offering the anesthetic advantage of easier ventilation in obese patients and following the natural lymph node trajectory from caudally to cranially and therefore a lower risk of missing the sentinel node. The aim of this study is to determine the feasibility of a retroperitoneal vNOTES approach to sentinel lymph node dissection for staging of endometrial cancer.

Material and methods

A prospective multicenter case series was performed in four hospitals. A total of 64 women with early‐stage endometrial carcinoma suitable for surgical staging with sentinel lymph node removal were operated via a transvaginal retroperitoneal vNOTES approach. The paravesical space was entered through a vaginal incision after injecting the cervix with indocyanine green. A vNOTES port was placed into this space and insufflation of the retroperitoneum was performed. Sentinel lymph nodes were identified bilaterally using near‐infrared light followed by endoscopic removal of these nodes.

Results

A total of 64 women with early‐stage endometrial cancer underwent sentinel lymph node removal by retroperitoneal vNOTES technique. All patients also underwent subsequent vNOTES hysterectomy and bilateral salpingo‐oophorectomy. The median age was 69.5 years, median total operative time was 126 min and the median estimated blood loss was 80 mL. In 97% of the cases bilateral sentinel nodes could be identified. A total of 60 patients had negative sentinel nodes, three had isolated tumor cells and one had macroscopically positive sentinel nodes. No complications with sequel occurred.

Conclusions

This prospective multicenter case series demonstrates the feasibility of the vNOTES approach for identifying and removing sentinel lymph nodes in women with endometrial carcinoma successfully and safely. vNOTES allows sole transvaginal access with exposure of the entire retroperitoneal space, following the natural lymph trajectory caudally to cranially, and without the need for a Trendelenburg position.
Honour, acculturation and well‐being: Evidence from the UK and Canada
Authors: Uskul Ayse K. , Cila Jorida , Gul Pelin , Kirchner‐Häusler Alexander , Hubená Barbora
Published: April 2024

Adopting a social psychological approach, across three studies (N = 927) in two western immigrant‐receiving societies (UK and Canada), we examined the role of honour in acculturation variables (i.e., immigrants' heritage and mainstream cultural orientation and well‐being), controlling for some of the commonly studied predictors of immigrant adaptation. We assessed honour as concern (Studies 1 and 2) and as a desired attribute for men and women (Study 3) and studied well‐being in terms of acculturative stress (Study 1) and subjective evaluation of one's life (Studies 1 and 3). We examined our questions among groups of immigrants originating from honour (Studies 1 and 2) and dignity cultural groups (Study 1) and from first‐ and second‐generation immigrants (Study 3). Overall, despite some significant associations at the bivariate level between honour and acculturation outcomes, findings provided mixed support for the claim that honour (measured as concerns and cultural codes) plays a significant role in immigrant acculturation above and beyond commonly studied predictors of immigrant adaptation.