bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Large-scale brain correlates of sweet versus cocaine reward in rats
Authors: Lenoir Magalie , Navailles Sylvia , Vandaele Youna , Vouillac-Mendoza Caroline , Guillem Karine , Ahmed Serge H.
Published: June 2022

Cocaine induces many supranormal changes in neuronal activity in the brain, notably in learning- and reward-related regions, in comparison to nondrug rewards - a difference that is thought to contribute to its relatively high addictive potential. However, when facing a choice between cocaine and a nondrug reward (e.g., water sweetened with saccharin), most rats do not choose cocaine, as one would expect from the extent and magnitude of its global activation of the brain, but instead choose the nondrug option. We recently showed that cocaine, though larger in magnitude, is also an inherently more delayed reward than sweet water, thereby explaining why it has less value during choice and why rats opt for the more immediate nondrug option. Here we used a large-scale fos brain mapping approach to measure brain responses to each option in saccharin-preferring rats, with the hope to identify brain regions whose activity may explain the preference for the nondrug option. In total, fos expression was measured in 142 brain levels corresponding to 52 brain subregions and composing 5 brain macrosystems. Overall, our findings confirm in rats with a preference for saccharin that cocaine induces more global brain activation than the preferred nondrug option does. Only very few brain regions were uniquely activated by saccharin. They included regions involved in taste processing (i.e., anterior gustatory cortex) and also regions involved in processing reward delay and intertemporal choice (i.e., some components of the septohippocampal system and its connections with the lateral habenula).
Conditional termination of transcription is shaped by Rho and translated uORFS inMycobacterium tuberculosis
Authors: D’Halluin Alexandre , Polgar Peter , Kipkorir Terry , Patel Zaynah , Cortes Teresa , Arnvig Kristine B.
Published: June 2022

Little is known about the decisions behind transcription elongationversustermination in the human pathogenMycobacterium tuberculosis. By applying Term-seq toM. tuberculosiswe found that the majority of transcription termination is premature and associated with translated regions, i.e. within previously annotated or newly identified open reading frames. Computational predictions and Term-seq analysis upon depletion of termination factor Rho suggests that Rho-dependent transcription termination dominates all TTS including those associated with regulatory 5’ leaders. Moreover, our results suggest that tightly coupled translation, in the form of overlapping stop and start codons, may suppress Rho-dependent termination. This study provides detailed insights into novelM. tuberculosis cis-regulatory elements, where Rho-dependent, conditional termination of transcription and translational coupling together play major roles in gene expression control. Our findings contribute to a deeper understanding of the fundamental regulatory mechanisms that enableM. tuberculosisadaptation to the host environment offering novel potential points of intervention.
ssDNA is not superior to dsDNA as long HDR donors for CRISPR-mediated endogenous gene tagging in human diploid cells
Authors: Mabuchi Akira , Hata Shoji , Genova Mariya , Tei Chiharu , Ito Kei K , Hirota Masayasu , Komori Takuma , Fukuyama Masamitsu , Chinen Takumi , Toyoda Atsushi , Kitagawa Daiju
Published: June 2022

Recent advances in CRISPR technology have enabled us to perform gene knock-in in various species and cell lines. CRISPR-mediated knock-in requires donor DNA which serves as a template for homology-directed repair (HDR). For knock-in of short sequences or base substitutions, ssDNA donors are frequently used among various other forms of HDR donors, such as linear dsDNA. However, for insertion of long transgenes such as fluorescent reporters in human cells, the optimal type of HDR donors remains unclear. In this study, we established a simple and efficient CRISPR-mediated knock-in method for long transgenes using linear dsDNA and ssDNA donors, and systematically compared the performance of these two donors for endogenous gene tagging in human non-transformed diploid cells. Quantification using flow cytometry revealed higher efficiency of fluorescent tagging with dsDNA donors than with ssDNA. By analyzing knock-in outcomes using long-read amplicon sequencing and a classification framework, a variety of mis-integration events were detected regardless of the donor type. Importantly, the ratio of precise insertion was higher with dsDNA donors than with ssDNA. Moreover, in off-target integration analyses, dsDNA and ssDNA were comparably prone to non-homologous integration. These results indicate that ssDNA is not superior to dsDNA as long HDR donors for gene knock-in in human cells.
Color Constant Representations in Early Visual Cortex
Authors: Albers Anke Marit , Baumgartner Elisabeth , Gegenfurtner Karl R.
Published: June 2022

The light entering our eyes is the product of the illumination and the surface reflectance of an object. Although this light changes considerably when the illumination changes, we are usually able to perceive objects as stable in color. To investigate how the brain achieves color constancy, we measured BOLD fMRI while 19 participants either observed patches of light that appear colored (yellow, blue) under a spectrally neutral illuminant, or spectrally neutral gray patches that appear colored under simulated blue and yellow illumination conditions. Under bluish illumination, the neutral gray patches appeared yellow; under yellowish illumination, the same gray patches appeared blue. We successfully trained a classifier to discriminate between the blue- and yellow-colored patches in V1-V4. Crucially, we then tested whether this same classifier could also distinguish between the apparent blue and yellow induced by the illuminants. The neural representations for apparent blue and yellow resembled colorimetric blue and yellow in V1, V3 and V4. A control experiment showed that apparent lightness cannot explain these effects. These findings suggest that not only colorimetric, but also apparent color is represented to some degree in retinotopic visual cortex, as early as in V1. Furthermore, a small frontal region, the Rolandic operculum, showed activation for apparent color, possibly playing a role in color constancy.
A transcriptome atlas of leg muscles from healthy human volunteers reveals molecular and cellular signatures associated with muscle location
Authors: Abbassi-Daloii Tooba , el Abdellaoui Salma , Voortman Lenard M. , Veeger Thom , Cats Davy , Mei Hailiang , Meuffels Duncan E. , van Arkel Ewoud , ’t Hoen Peter A.C , Kan Hermien E. , Raz Vered
Published: June 2022

Skeletal muscles support the stability and mobility of the skeleton but differ in biomechanical properties and physiological functions. The intrinsic factors that regulate muscle-specific characteristics are poorly understood. To study these, we constructed a large atlas of RNA-seq profiles from six leg muscles and two locations from one muscle, using biopsies from 20 healthy young males. We identified differential expression patterns and cellular composition across the seven tissues using three bioinformatics approaches confirmed by large-scale newly developed quantitative immune-histology procedures. With all three procedures, the muscle samples clustered into three groups congruent with their anatomical location. Concomitant with genes marking oxidative metabolism, genes marking fast- or slow-twitch myofibers differed between the three groups. The groups of muscles with higher expression of slow-twitch genes were enriched in endothelial cells and showed higher capillary content. In addition, expression profiles of Homeobox (HOX) transcription factors differed between the three groups and were confirmed by spatial RNA hybridization. We created an open-source graphical interface to explore and visualize the leg muscle atlas (https://tabbassidaloii.shinyapps.io/muscleAtlasShinyApp/). Our study reveals molecular specialization of human leg muscles and provides a novel resource to study muscle-specific molecular features, which could be linked with (patho)physiological processes.
PPIX-binding Proteins Reveal Porphyrin Synthesis and Ferroptosis Link
Authors: Lynch John , Wang Yao , Li Yuxin , Kavdia Kanisha , Fukuda Yu , Ranjit Sabina , Robinson Camenzind G. , Grace Christy R. , Xia Youlin , Peng Junmin , Schuetz John D.
Published: June 2022

All aerobic organisms require the cofactor heme to survive, but its synthesis requires formation of a potentially toxic intermediate protoporphyrin IX (PPIX). Little is known about the extent of PPIX’s cellular interactions. Here, we report the development of PPB, a biotin-conjugated, PPIX-probe that captures proteins capable of interacting with PPIX. Quantitative proteomics with PPB identified common proteins among a diverse panel of mammalian cell lineages. Pathway and quantitative difference analysis revealed PPB-bound proteins related to iron and heme metabolism and suggested that these processes might be altered by heme/porphyrin synthesis. We show that increased heme/porphyrin synthesis in cells promotes ferroptosis that is pharmacologically distinct from canonical ferroptosis driven by erastin, an inhibitor of the cystine/glutamate antiporter. Proteomic data derived from PPB revealed an interactor, PRDX3, a mitochondrial peroxidase, that modulated heme/porphyrin biosynthesis driven ferroptosis. Consistent with a role in porphyrin-induced ferroptotic death targeted gene knockdown of PRDX3, but not peroxidases, PRDX1 or 2, enhanced porphyrin-induced ferroptotic death. The relationship between increased heme/porphyrin synthesis and ferroptosis was also found in a ferrochelatase-deficient T-lymphoblastoid leukemia cell line, suggesting potential strategy for treating certain cancers. We demonstrate that when the PPB probe is coupled with unbiased proteomics a previously unreported relationship between heme/porphyrin synthesis, and ferroptosis was discovered.
Radiation therapy promotes unsaturated fatty acids to maintain survival of glioblastoma
Authors: De Martino Mara , Daviaud Camille , Minns Hanna E. , Attarwala Nabeel , Chen Qiuying , Dephoure Noah , Choi Seung-Won , Rabadàn Raùl , Gartrell Robyn D. , Laiakis Evagelia C. , Vanpouille-Box Claire
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Radiation therapy (RT) is essential for the management of glioblastoma (GBM). However, GBM frequently relapses within the irradiated margins, thus suggesting that RT might stimulate mechanisms of resistance that limits its efficacy. GBM is recognized for its metabolic plasticity, but whether RT-induced resistance relies on metabolic adaptation remains unclear.

Methods

We analyzedin vitroextracellular flux and profiled targeted metabolites as well as free fatty acids in two syngenic models of glioblastomas 24hrs post RT. Metabolic adaptation of irradiated GBM were confirmedin vivoby mass spectrometry imaging. The role of the fatty acid synthase (FASN) in RT-induced lipid metabolites was assessed by genetical and pharmacological inhibition ofFasnin irradiated GBM cells. The impact of FASN-mediated lipids on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress and apoptosis of irradiated GBM cells were performed by transmission electronic microscopy, western blot, clonogenic assay and flow cytometry. Inhibition of FASN combined with focal RT was assessed in mice. Analysis of a public dataset of GBM patients was performed to correlate preclinical findings.

Results

Here, we showin vitroandin vivothat irradiated GBM tumors switch their metabolic program to accumulate lipids, especially unsaturated fatty acids. This resulted in an increase formation of lipid droplets to prevent ER stress. We uncovered that FASN is critical for lipid accumulation of irradiated GBM and demonstrate that genetic suppression and pharmacological inhibition of FASN lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis. Combination of FASN inhibition with focal RT improved the median survival of GBM-bearing mice. Supporting the translational value of these findings, retrospective analysis of the GLASS consortium dataset of matched GBM patients revealed an enrichment in lipid metabolism signature in recurrent GBM compared to primary.

Conclusions

Overall, these results demonstrate that RT drives GBM resistance by generating a lipogenic environment permissive to GBM survival. Targeting lipid metabolism might be required to develop more effective anti-GBM strategies.
Metagenomic classification with KrakenUniq on low-memory computers
Authors: Pockrandt Christopher , Zimin Aleksey V. , Salzberg Steven L.
Published: June 2022

Kraken and KrakenUniq are widely-used tools for classifying metagenomics sequences. A key requirement for these systems is a database containing all k-mers from all genomes that the users want to be able to detect, where k = 31 by default. This database can be very large, easily exceeding 100 gigabytes (GB) and sometimes 400 GB. Previously, Kraken and KrakenUniq required loading the entire database into main memory (RAM), and if RAM was insufficient, they used memory mapping, which significantly increased the running time for large datasets. We have implemented a new algorithm in KrakenUniq that allows it to load and process the database in chunks, with only a modest increase in running time. This enhancement now makes it feasible to run KrakenUniq on very large datasets and huge databases on virtually any computer, even a laptop, while providing the same very high classification accuracy as the previous system.
High emotional reactivity is associated with activation of a molecularly distinct hippocampal-amygdala circuit modulated by the glucocorticoid receptor
Authors: Wei Qiang , Kumar Vivek , Moore Shannon , Li Fei , Murphy Geoffrey G. , Watson Stanley J. , Akil Huda
Published: June 2022

Emotions are characterized not only by their valence but also by whether they are stable or labile. Yet, we do not understand the molecular or circuit mechanisms that control the dynamic nature of emotionality. We have shown that glucocorticoid receptor overexpression in the forebrain (GRov) leads to a highly reactive mouse with increased anxiety behavior coupled with greater swings in emotional responses. This phenotype is established early in development and persists into adulthood. However, the neural circuitry mediating this lifelong emotional lability remains unknown. In the present study, optogenetic stimulation in ventral dentate gyrus (vDG) of GRov mice led to a greater range and a prolonged duration of anxiety behavior. cFos expression showed that the amplified behavioral response to vDG activation in GRov mice is coupled to increased neuronal activity in specific brain regions. Relative to wild type mice, GRov mice displayed glutamatergic/GABAergic activation imbalance in ventral CA1 (vCA1) and selectively increased glutamatergic activation in the basal posterior amygdaloid complex. Fluorescence in situ hybridization chain reaction studies showed that forebrain GR overexpression led to increased activation of molecularly distinct subpopulations of neurons within the hippocampus and the posterior basolateral amygdala (pBLA). Increased cFos labeling was observed in the Calbindin 1 (Calbn1+) glutamatergic neurons in vCA1 and in the DARPP-32/Ppp1r1b+ glutamatergic neurons in pBLA. We propose that a molecularly distinct hippocampal-amygdala circuit is shaped by stress early in life and tunes the dynamics of emotional responses.
Improving classification and reconstruction of imagined images from EEG signals
Authors: Shimizu Hirokatsu , Srinivasan Ramesh
Published: June 2022

Decoding brain activity related to specific tasks, such as imagining something, is important for brain computer interface (BCI) control. While decoding of brain signals, such as functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) signals and electroencephalography (EEG) signals, during observing visual images and while imagining images has been previously reported, further development of methods for improving training, performance, and interpretation of brain data was the goal of this study. We applied a Sinc-EEGNet to decode brain activity during perception and imagination of EEG stimuli, and added an attention module to extract the importance of each electrode or frequency band. We also reconstructed images from brain activity by using a generative adversarial network (GAN). By combining the EEG recorded during a visual task (perception) and imagination task, we have successfully boosted the accuracy of classifying EEG data in the imagination task and improved the quality of reconstruction by GAN. Our result indicates that the brain activity evoked during the visual task is present in the imagination task and can be used for better classification of the imagined image. By using the attention module, we can derive the spatial weights in each frequency band and contrast spatial or frequency importance between tasks from our model. Imagination tasks are classified by low frequency EEG signals over temporal cortex, while perception tasks are classified by high frequency EEG signals over occipital and frontal cortex. Combining data sets in training results in a balanced model improving classification of the imagination task without significantly changing performance in the visual task. Our approach not only improves performance and interpretability but also potentially reduces the burden on training since we can improve the accuracy of classifying a relatively hard task with high variability (imagination) by combining with the data of the relatively easy task, observing visual images.
Structural and functional characterization of TraI from pKM101 reveals basis for DNA processing
Authors: Breidenstein Annika , ter Beek Josy , Berntsson Ronnie P-A
Published: June 2022

Type 4 Secretion Systems (T4SSs) are large and versatile protein machineries that facilitate the spread of antibiotic resistance and other virulence factors via horizontal gene transfer. Conjugative T4SSs depend on relaxases to process the DNA in preparation for transport. TraI from the well-studied conjugative plasmid pKM101 is one such relaxase. Here, we report the crystal structure of the trans-esterase domain of TraI in complex with its substrateoriTDNA, highlighting the conserved DNA binding mechanism of conjugative relaxases. Additionally, we present an apo structure of the trans-esterase domain of TraI that includes most of the flexible thumb region. This allows us for the first time to visualize the large conformational change of the thumb domain upon DNA binding. We also characterize the DNA binding, nicking and religation activity of the trans-esterase domain, helicase domain and full-length TraI. Unlike previous indications in the literature, our results reveal that the TraI trans-esterase domain from pKM101 behaves in a conserved manner with its homologs from the R388 and F plasmids.
The SpoVA membrane complex is required for dipicolinic acid import during sporulation and export during germination
Authors: Gao Yongqiang , Barajas-Ornelas Rocio Del Carmen , Amon Jeremy D. , Ramírez-Guadiana Fernando H. , Alon Assaf , Brock Kelly P. , Marks Debora S. , Kruse Andrew C. , Rudner David Z.
Published: June 2022

In response to starvation, endospore-forming bacteria differentiate into stress-resistant spores that can remain dormant for years yet rapidly germinate and resume growth in response to nutrients. The small molecule dipicolinic acid (DPA) plays a central role in both the stress resistance of the dormant spore and its exit from dormancy during germination. The spoVA locus is required for DPA import during sporulation and has been implicated in its export during germination, but the molecular bases are unclear. Here, we define the minimal set of proteins encoded in the Bacillus subtilis spoVA operon required for DPA import and demonstrate that these proteins form a membrane complex. Structural modeling of these components combined with mutagenesis and in vivo analysis reveal that the C and Eb subunits form a membrane channel, while the D subunit functions as a cytoplasmic plug. We show that point mutations that impair the interactions between D and the C–Eb membrane complex reduce the efficiency of DPA import during sporulation and reciprocally accelerate DPA release during germination. Our data support a model in which DPA transport into spores involves cycles of unplugging and then replugging the C–Eb membrane channel, while nutrient detection during germination triggers DPA release by unplugging it.
Stability analysis of Mars soft landing under uncertain landing conditions and two landing strategies
Authors: Ding Jianzhong , Liu Xueao , Dong Yang , Wang Chunjie
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to study the landing performance of the Mars lander considering uncertain landing conditions under two landing modes.

Design/methodology/approach

A dynamics analysis model for the legged Mars lander is established for landing simulation, where the nonlinear large-deformation flexible buffer rods are equivalently modeled with a rigid-body mechanism with external forces and movement limit. Sensitivities of the landing stability to various landing conditions are analyzed using the Quasi–Monte-Carlo-based Sobol’ method and computer-aided landing simulations. Moreover, based on the results of sensitivity analysis, sensitive parameters are selected for estimating the safe boundaries for stability indices of rotation and clearance.

Findings

It can be concluded from this study that the lander has excellent ability against overturning. The shutdown-before-touchdown strategy helps to maintain than landing pose, and the shutdown-at-touchdown strategy helps to prevent the nozzle from colliding with the surface of Mars.

Practical implications

This study provides a theoretical reference to choose the better landing strategies for Mars landers considering uncertain landing conditions.

Originality/value

A parameterized dynamics Mars lander model and a simplification method are proposed to simulate the landing on Mars. Uncertain landing conditions are parameterized and considered in the dynamics model. Sensitivity analysis and safe boundary methods are used to compare the landing performances with two landing strategies.
Forecasting with Bayesian vector autoregressive models: comparison of direct and iterated multistep methods
Authors: Sugita Katsuhiro
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The paper compares multi-period forecasting performances by direct and iterated method using Bayesian vector autoregressive (VAR) models.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper adopts Bayesian VAR models with three different priors – independent Normal-Wishart prior, the Minnesota prior and the stochastic search variable selection (SSVS). Monte Carlo simulations are conducted to compare forecasting performances. An empirical study using US macroeconomic data are shown as an illustration.

Findings

In theory direct forecasts are more efficient asymptotically and more robust to model misspecification than iterated forecasts, and iterated forecasts tend to bias but more efficient if the one-period ahead model is correctly specified. From the results of the Monte Carlo simulations, iterated forecasts tend to outperform direct forecasts, particularly with longer lag model and with longer forecast horizons. Implementing SSVS prior generally improves forecasting performance over unrestricted VAR model for either nonstationary or stationary data.

Originality/value

The paper finds that iterated forecasts using model with the SSVS prior generally best outperform, suggesting that the SSVS restrictions on insignificant parameters alleviates over-parameterized problem of VAR in one-step ahead forecast and thus offers an appreciable improvement in forecast performance of iterated forecasts.
Total quality management in Peruvian goods companies during the COVID-19 pandemic
Authors: Benzaquen Jorge Benny , Narro Juan Pedro
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The aim of this research is to empirically assess the nine dimensions of the Total Quality Management (TQM) model, which have been categorized into four blocks: the top management block, the supplier block, the process management block and the customer block. The nine dimensions represent key strategic activities of company performance. A comparative analysis of companies with ISO 9001 certification and those without certification in a developing country during the COVID-19 pandemic is carried out.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was administered to the management of 259 Peruvian goods companies (in the mining, repair and manufacturing sectors) during the COVID-19 pandemic. The survey consisted of 35 Likert-scale items, which were grouped into the following nine TQM dimensions: Top management (leadership), quality planning, quality audit and assessment, product design, suppliers' quality management, process control and improvement, education and training, quality circles and focus on customer satisfaction. Then, Cronbach's alpha, the Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, the Mann–Whitney U test and means were computed for each of the dimensions. This analysis made it possible to estimate significant differences between ISO 9001 certified and non-certified goods companies in terms of the dimensions.

Findings

The results showed that, for ISO 9001 certified companies, the averages for all of the dimensions were significantly different from those of non-certified companies, except for the education and training dimension. ISO 9001 certified companies scored higher than non-certified companies in the TQM dimensions. For both certified and non-certified companies, the leadership dimension had the highest average and the quality circles dimension had the lowest average.

Originality/value

This study addresses two main gaps highlighted in the research on quality management: the application of Quality Management Systems (QMS) in developing countries like Peru, and the impact of ISO 9001 on the performance of goods companies during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The impact of priority issues for publicly traded companies in corporate governance (CG) rating notes: an empirical study in Turkey
Authors: Kartal Mustafa Tevfik , Kılıç Depren Serpil , Depren Özer
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to determine priority issues in the corporate governance (CG) principles to increase CG rating notes of publicly traded companies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study defines the priority issues for publicly traded companies that should be focused to increase the CG rating notes. In this context, this study considers the companies in Borsa Istanbul CG index (XKURY), use data for 2018, 2019, 2020, and applies machine learning algorithms.

Findings

Overall, importance of each CG principle changes for the CG rating notes; first five CG principles in terms of significance have a total of 43.6% importance for the CG rating notes; following a straight-line approach in completing deficiencies of the CG principles cannot help increase the CG rating notes. Hence, empirical results highlight the impact of the most significant CG principles in terms of the CG rating notes that should be focused on by publicly traded companies so that CG ratings can be increased.

Research limitations/implications

This study uses Turkey data and considers publicly traded companies in the XKURY index. The main cause of this condition is that consolidated data of compliance report format for all publicly traded companies cannot be obtained.

Practical implications

The publicly traded companies can increase the CG rating notes by considering the results of this study while focusing on priority issues in the CG principles.

Social implications

The study determines the most important CG principles that companies can focus on, highlights the importance of usage of machine learning algorithms in determining the most influential CG principles in terms of the CG rating notes and reflects on the difficulties for gathering consolidated CG principles compliance reporting data for all publicly traded companies. Hence, societies can have better companies that are ruled more efficiently and corporately by increasing their compliance with the CG principles.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first empirical study that determines the priority issues to increase the CG rating notes of publicly traded companies based on the new CG principles compliance reporting scheme in Turkey. Following this aim, machine learning algorithms, which can present better results with regard to most of the econometric models, are used in this study.
The return volatility and shock transmission patterns of chosen S&P and Dow Jones sustainability indices and their conventional counterpart
Authors: Almansour Bashar Yaser , Alshater Muneer M. , Marashdeh Hazem , Dhiaf Mohamed , Atayah Osama F.
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the dynamic return volatility connectedness among S&P, Dow Jones (DJ) sustainability indices and their conventional counterparts.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses time-series daily data for 10 S&P and DJ indices over the period of December 1, 2012 to December 8, 2021. The authors divide the data into three periods; over the whole sample, pre and during the Covid-19 pandemic. The study adopts the connectedness approach developed by Diebold and Yilmaz (2014).

Findings

The results reveal a high degree of connectedness between S&P and DJ indices and their relative sustainability indices over the whole sample, pre and during the Covid-19 pandemic, indicating that the sustainability indices converge toward their conventional peers. The results further show that the conventional S&P500, S&P Euro 50 and DJWI are the main transmitters of shocks, whereas the S&P400, S&P500 and S&P50 sustainability indices are the main receivers of shocks.

Originality/value

The study provides novel insights in terms of shock transmission of S&P and DJ sustainability indices and their conventional counterparts, where there is a lack of investigation of the connectedness between indices in this field.

Practical implications

The study has significant implications for investors and portfolio managers to devise portfolio strategies to minimize risk and trace the cause, the direction and the magnitude of risk transmission among different indices. Also, the results help policymakers to manage diverse types of risks associated with S&P and DJ indices. Finally, faith-based and ethical investors would be able to predict the pairwise spillover connectedness between these indices.
Assessing the research profile of highly productive authors of Pakistan
Authors: Wahid Nazia , Warraich Nosheen Fatima , Tahira Muzammil
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Assessing the research performance of researchers offers inducement toward excellence in research. This study aims to analyze the research productivity of the most prolific authors of Pakistan considering their trends toward publications, citations and collaboration.

Design/methodology/approach

Top 100 authors from the top 10 Pakistani universities from Web of Science over the 10 years with the rigorous data cleaning process were selected. Scientometric analysis techniques were carried out to evaluate the research profile of these authors.

Findings

The findings revealed that majority of the productive authors were male working in the position of Professor in the physical sciences area. The publications and citations gradually increase with time. They preferred to collaborate for their publications, while first authorship publications were found less in number. Moreover, the propensity to collaborate at the international level increases double-fold from the first five years to the next five years period. In addition, the position of the authors was explored among different performance metrics. The finding exhibits variation in the ranking of authors among them. The impact of numbers of authors, funding status, publication of articles, presence of collaboration and international collaboration on the dependent variable and citation count was insignificant. However, the publication of review papers has a significant impact on the citation counts.

Practical implications

Findings have significant implications for policymakers to make maximum opportunities for researchers to strengthen linkages for collaboration and increase the funding prospects.

Originality/value

Studies on this topic are scarce, and therefore, this study provides useful recommendations to researchers and institutes to improve research productivity.
Conceptualization in ontology based on Peirce’s triadic model of the sign: a qualitative content analysis
Authors: Moradi Khadije
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This study aims to identify the effective components in object interpretation based on Pierce’s triadic sign model to determine how meaning is created and identify the components affecting conceptualization in ontology.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was adopted, and 6320 comments posted on the Instagram pages of five groups forming the research population were analyzed by qualitative content analysis.

Findings

Concepts are dynamic and context-oriented. Over time, a person’s concepts and mental patterns about an object are altered or eliminated. Social, political and economic conditions, governance, technology, interactions, language, environment, culture and social habits contribute to object interpretation and meaning creation.

Practical implications

In designing ontologies, especially in a context-dependent field, attention should be paid to users’ mental preconceptions, mental patterns, context and personal characteristics. Instead of using words, researchers can use visual and multimedia signs. In addition to logic, statistics and computer science, personal and anthropological characteristics should be considered in the ontology design.

Originality/value

This study dealt with conceptualization, which is a principal component of ontology. Using Pierce’s triadic model sign and unstructured Instagram data, ontology was studied from a user and pragmatic viewpoint, independently of technical aspects.
How does quality of mobile food delivery services influence customer loyalty? Gronroos’s service quality perspective
Authors: Su Diep Ngoc , Nguyen-Phuoc Duy Quy , Duong Tien Hanh , Dinh My Than Tran , Luu Tuan Trong , Johnson Lester
Published: June 2022

Purpose

The aims of this study are twofold: to examine mobile food delivery service (MFDS) from the perspectives of functional and technical quality, and to empirically evaluate the influences of functional and technical quality on customer loyalty toward MFDS.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual framework of customer loyalty toward MFDSs was developed based on Gronroos’s service quality model. By using the PLS-SEM approach, the proposed model was empirically tested with a sample of 494 MFDS users through a survey via online social groups of food delivery service review.

Findings

The study validated the multi-dimensionality of MFDS functional quality including six dimensions (e.g. ease of use, app design, responsiveness, privacy and security, information quality, and personalization) and MFDS technical quality including two dimensions (e.g. safety and quality of delivered food, and quality of delivery service). The results indicated a significant direct link between functional quality and loyalty toward MFDS, while the effect of technical quality on loyalty was not found. Both functional quality and technical quality of MFDS demonstrated positive associations with customer perceived value of MFDS, which had a positive linkage with customer loyalty toward MFDS.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of the study advances Gronroos’ (1990) service quality perspective to m-commerce contexts, therefore and also offers MFDS providers effective strategies to launch a successful food delivery service.

Originality/value

The current study provides a first theoretical perspective on mobile service quality based on Gronroos’s model, which has not yet been examined. This study broadens the understanding of the loyalty toward a mobile-based service, particularly MFDS from the influences of two perspectives of service quality, namely, functional and technical quality.
Determinants of local government innovation: the case of green public procurement in the United States
Authors: Dimand Ana Maria
Published: June 2022

Purpose

Green public procurement (GPP) may be a viable solution and an innovative policy tool for public managers to address complex environmental issues facing communities globally. Given their substantial purchasing power, local GPP initiatives and success can accelerate a transition toward a more sustainable society through governments' influence over the private sector. The study's central research question is: What are the factors associated with US local governments' engagement with GPP practices?

Design/methodology/approach

This research applies the Mohr's (1969) model of motivations, obstacles and resources (MOR) and draws on original, comprehensive and national survey data collected in collaboration with NIGP: The Institute for Public Procurement to explain adoption of GPP as an innovative policy tool. To ensure the robustness of the findings, the data are analysed by running two types of regression – ordinal logistic and negative binomial – using two different operationalizations for the dependent variable, a GPP scale (ordinal) and a GPP scorecard (count).

Findings

The decision surrounding GPP adoption is ultimately driven by organizations’ strategic visions, organizations’ familiarity with the GPP concept and practices, and mandates from the federal government through funding mechanisms.

Originality/value

This study offers guidance to both academic researchers and policymakers in public management and public budgeting and finance on strategies and policy options to expand GPP adoption and utilization.
Numerical analysis of supercritical CO2 dry gas seals with phase transitions
Authors: Zhang Cong , Jiang Jinbo , Peng Xudong
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to acquire the phase distribution and sealing performance of supercritical carbon dioxide (SCO2) dry gas seals with phase transitions.

Design/methodology/approach

The SCO2 spiral groove dry gas seal is taken as the research object. The finite differential method is applied to solve the governing equations. Furthermore, the phase distribution and the sealing performance are obtained. Compared to the ideal gas model, the effect of phase transitions on sealing performance is also explored.

Findings

Vaporization is likely to occur near the inner radius when SCO2 dry gas seals are operated near the critical point. Whether phase transitions are considered in the model affects the sealing performance seriously. When phase transitions are considered, the sealing performance depends significantly on the working conditions, and unexpected results are produced when inlet conditions approach the critical point.

Originality/value

The numerical model for SCO2 dry gas seals with phase transitions is established. The phase distribution and the sealing performance of SCO2 dry gas seals are explored.
A prescriptive framework to support express delivery supply chain expansions in highly urbanized environments
Authors: Diaz Rafael , Phan Canh , Golenbock Daniel , Sanford Benjamin
Published: June 2022

Purpose

With the proliferation of e-commerce companies, express delivery companies must increasingly maintain the efficient expansion of their networks in accordance with growing demands and lower margins in a highly uncertain environment. This paper provides a framework for leveraging demand data to determine sustainable network expansion to fulfill the increasing needs of startups in the express delivery industry.

Design/methodology/approach

While the literature points out several hub assignment methods, the authors propose an alternative spherical-clustering algorithm for densely urbanized population environments to strengthen the accuracy and robustness of current models. The authors complement this approach with straightforward mathematical optimization and simulation models to generate and test designs that effectively align environmentally sustainable solutions.

Findings

To examine the effects of different degrees of demand variability, the authors analyzed this approach's performance by solving a real-world case study from an express delivery company's primary market. The authors structured a four-stage implementation framework to facilitate practitioners applying the proposed model.

Originality/value

Previous investigations explored driving distances on a spherical surface for facility location. The work considers densely urbanized population and traffic data to simultaneously capture demand patterns and other road dynamics. The inclusion of different population densities and sustainability data in current models is lacking; this paper bridges this gap by posing a novel framework that increases the accuracy of spherical-clustering methods.
Does the MTEF shape annual budgets in a developing country?
Authors: Mkasiwa Tausi Ally
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This paper explores how the Medium-Term Expenditure Framework (MTEF) conflicts with annual budgeting and how University actors responded to such conflicting demands in a public university in Tanzania, a developing country.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for this study were collected from interviews, observations and document reviews. Data analysis processes were guided by the concepts of organizational façades and organized hypocrisy.

Findings

The findings show that while the state required the university to implement the MTEF, budget preparers and managers were concentrating on basic budgeting problems in annual budgeting. As a result of these conflicting demands decoupling occurred, as there were inconsistencies between the talk and actions of actors in MTEF implementation. In response, actors engaged in organized hypocrisy. The talk and actions were organized by developing pro-effective and symbolic layers. The pro-effective layer showed that actors were concentrating on annual budgeting, while the symbolic layer, through the creation of façades, showed that actors symbolically implemented the MTEF.

Practical implications

The paper suggests that budgetary reforms of governments, Western donors, such as the International Monetary Fund and the World Bank, and bilateral donors should focus on addressing the basic problems in annual budgeting rather than advocating complex reforms that compel actors to engage in hypocrisy and developing façades. Moreover, university management should address basic budgeting problems to avoid budgeting games during annual budgeting.

Originality/value

This is the first paper to employ the concept of organized hypocrisy to investigate the MTEF. By demonstrating the pro-effective layer, the paper responds to the call for investigation of how accounting works in practice (van Helden et al., 2021). Moreover, by presenting the symbolic layer, the paper responds to the call to investigate how facades are created (Michelon et al., 2016). The paper demonstrates how the concept of organized hypocrisy works well with the concept of organizational facades.
The effect of financial reporting regimes on audit report lags and audit fees: evidence from firms cross-listed in the USA
Authors: Zhou Yu , Liu Jiaxin , Lei Dongliang
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate whether the two dominant financial reporting regimes, US Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (US GAAP) and International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), are associated with audit pricing and audit report lags.

Design/methodology/approach

In 2007, the US SEC eliminated the requirement for foreign registrants to reconcile their financial statements to US GAAP from IFRS. In this post-reconciliation setting in the USA, the authors use panel ordinary least square regressions to examine a sample of foreign firms cross-listed in the USA reporting under IFRS and US domestic firms reporting under US GAAP during the fiscal year 2007–2019.

Findings

The authors find that the firms reporting under IFRS have longer audit report lags than firms reporting under US GAAP. In addition, the authors find that firms reporting under IFRS pay higher audit fees than their US GAAP counterparts. The results are robust after controlling for the firm- and country-specific characteristics as well as using propensity-score matching.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to provide empirical evidence that the differences between the two reporting regimes are associated with auditor behavior, possibly through additional audit efforts and audit complexity associated with auditing the principle-based IFRS relative to the rule-based US GAAP.
Does a discharge to assess programme introduced in England meet the quadruple aim of service improvement?
Authors: Jeffery Stuart , MacInnes Julie , Bertini Lavinia , Walker Susie
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This paper intends to examine and evaluate the implementation and delivery of a discharge to assess pathway based on the UK Department of Health and Social Care Hospital Discharge Policy in relation to the quadruple aim of healthcare improvement: improving patient experience, reducing costs, benefiting the wider population and improving the work life of staff.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a place based partnership in the south of England, 18 staff involved the delivery of discharge to assess and four patients who had recently been through the pathway were interviewed and the narratives analysed using a framework method.

Findings

All four dimensions of the quadruple aim were felt to be positively impacted by the discharge to assess pathway in varying degrees. Staff described improvements to working lives; patients described a positive experience. There was no evidence of reduced costs and wider benefit through reduced length of stay was suggested rather than demonstrated. The study showed a need to ensure both information flows and discharge process are smooth, that there is sufficient community capacity and capability, a need for strong relationships and shared goals, for clarity of pathway and empowered staff, and for an avoidance of the over prescription of care.

Originality/value

The revised discharge to assess pathway in England has been in place since 2020 and no other assessments of the pathway were found that related the changes to the quadruple aim framework.
Investigating relationships between production transfer management and transfer success
Authors: Mogos Maria Flavia , Fredriksson Anna , Alfnes Erlend , Strandhagen Jan Ola
Published: June 2022

Purpose

This paper explores the operationalization of production network coordination – the production transfer (PT) – and the relationships between transfer risk sources, preventive actions, supply chain disruptions, corrective actions and losses to better understand how to mitigate the risk and achieve an effective transfer process.

Design/methodology/approach

A longitudinal field study of a PT process from Norway to Spain was studied in depth for 25 months.

Findings

The paper presents the implications of three areas of importance for PT success: (1) how the transfer influences the plant roles, (2) the cross-locational management of the transfer project at the sender and receiver and (3) whether adapting the transferred production to the receiver's environment is an enabler or an inhibitor of transfer success.

Practical implications

The findings about how to mitigate the transfer risk and the frameworks of risk sources, supply chain disruptions, losses and preventive and corrective actions, along with the examples from the in-depth study, can aid the practitioners in managing PTs and achieving the relocation goals.

Originality/value

This is one of the first studies of PT, which is from the perspective of both transfer parties, and addresses both preventive and corrective actions and all the transfer phases. Moreover, this study addresses the operational aspects of production network coordination, which received limited attention in earlier research.