bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Evaluating the Feasibility of Euler Angles for Bed-Based Patient Movement Monitoring
Authors: Mayer Jonathan , Jose Rejath , Kurgansky Gregory , Singh Paramvir , Coletti Chris , Devine Timothy , Toma Milan
Published: November 2023

In the field of modern healthcare, technology plays a crucial role in improving patient care and ensuring their safety. One area where advancements can still be made is in alert systems, which provide timely notifications to hospital staff about critical events involving patients. These early warning systems allow for swift responses and appropriate interventions when needed. A commonly used patient alert technology is nurse call systems, which empower patients to request assistance using bedside devices. Over time, these systems have evolved to include features such as call prioritization, integration with staff communication tools, and links to patient monitoring setups that can generate alerts based on vital signs. There is currently a shortage of smart systems that use sensors to inform healthcare workers about the activity levels of patients who are confined to their beds. Current systems mainly focus on alerting staff when patients become disconnected from monitoring machines. In this technical note, we discuss the potential of utilizing cost-effective sensors to monitor and evaluate typical movements made by hospitalized bed-bound patients. To improve the care provided to unaware patients further, healthcare professionals could benefit from implementing trigger alert systems that are based on detecting patient movements. Such systems would promptly notify mobile devices or nursing stations whenever a patient displays restlessness or leaves their bed urgently and requires medical attention.
Effects of Land Use on Soil Physical-Hydric Attributes in Two Watersheds in the Southern Amazon, Brazil
Authors: Moratelli Francielli Aloisio , Alves Marco Aurélio Barbosa , Borella Daniela Roberta , Kraeski Aline , Almeida Frederico Terra de , Zolin Cornélio Alberto , Hoshide Aaron Kinyu , Souza Adilson Pacheco de
Published: November 2023

Changes in land use can cause degradation of soil physical quality with negative effects on the environment and agricultural production. The effects of different land uses on soil physical-hydric attributes were studied in the Renato River and Caiabi River watersheds in the southern Brazilian Amazon. Three conditions of land use were evaluated: native forest, crops, and pasture in the headwater, middle, and mouth of each watershed. Particle size, particle density, bulk density, total porosity, macroporosity, microporosity, water contents at field capacity and permanent wilting point, and available water capacity in soil were evaluated in three soil layers down to 0.4 m. Data collected were subjected to the Kruskal–Wallis nonparametric test and Pearson’s correlations. Multivariate analyses were also performed using the principal component method. In the Renato watershed, in comparison with native forest, conventional management of pasture and crops caused soil physical degradation, increasing soil density in the surface layer and reducing macroporosity and total porosity. In the Caiabi watershed, converting native forest areas into pasture and crops altered water quality, influencing the water dynamics in the soil, by reducing soil water conductivity. Soil attributes varied by watershed, with texture variations between the headwater and mouth, indicating that changes in soil properties result from both management and the granulometric composition of the soil in different regions of the same watershed. Adoption of crop and pasture conservation practices can improve soil physical attributes in regions bordering agricultural areas in the southern Amazon.
Life Cycle Assessment of Polyol Production from Lignin via Organosolv and Liquefaction Treatments
Authors: Cavalaglio Gianluca , Mecca Ippolita , Iodice Paola , Giannoni Tommaso , Gelosia Mattia , Nicolini Andrea , Barros Lovate Temporim Ramoon
Published: November 2023

This study aimed to conduct a comprehensive Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) of lignin-based polyol production through organosolv fractionation of cardoon stalks and subsequent lignin liquefaction. The LCA employed a cradle-to-gate approach, encompassing cardoon cultivation and all processing steps leading to polyol production. The research involved laboratory-scale optimization of the organosolv and liquefaction processes, followed by industrial-scale implementation. The analysis revealed that all stages of the production chain, including crop cultivation, organosolv, and liquefaction, significantly influenced overall environmental impacts. Specific materials and processes played pivotal roles, such as harvesting machinery and fertilizers in crop production, γ-Valerolactone (GVL) as the primary contributor (72–100%) to environmental impacts in the organosolv phase, and materials like polyethylene glycol 400 (PEG 400) and glycerin in the liquefaction phase, accounting for the majority (96–100%) of environmental impacts in this stage. When considering endpoint damage categories, it became evident that this production chain had a notable impact on human health, primarily due to emissions in air, water, and soil from agricultural processes. Lignin-based polyols demonstrated a moderate improvement compared to their petroleum-based counterparts, with an approximate reduction of 3–16% in environmental impact.
Development of Compact Bandpass Filter Using Symmetrical Metamaterial Structures for GPS, ISM, Wi-MAX, and WLAN Applications
Authors: Vineetha Kottapadikal Vinodan , Madhav Boddapati Taraka Phani , Kumar Munuswamy Siva , Das Sudipta , Islam Tanvir , Alathbah Moath
Published: November 2023

This article describes the development of a compact microstrip bandpass filter (BPF) for multiple wireless communication utilizations. The proposed bandpass filter consists of metamaterial unit cells that are symmetrical in shape. The design process involves the placement of four symmetrical split-ring resonators (SRRs) on the top plane of the BPF. It exhibits improved filter characteristics through the implementation of these SRRs. The filter was modeled and fabricated and its performance was evaluated using a Vector Network Analyzer. The designed bandpass filter shows a 5 GHz bandwidth covering the frequency band spanning from 1 to 5.2 GHz, with a quality factor value of 1.85 across 1.9 GHz, 3.3 across 3.3 GHz and 5.1 across 5.1 GHz. The metamaterial analysis was carried out using ANSYS ELECTRONIC DESKTOP. The proposed filter measures 20 × 18 × 1.6 mm3, which is significantly smaller than current filters. The designed bandpass filter occupies 50% of the space of a conventional filter. The designed bandpass filter exhibits a distributed surface current of 84 A/m, and 94 A/m across the wide- and narrow-band operating frequency. The simulated and measured results indicate that the suggested metamaterial filter is well-suited for multiband wireless applications like GPS (1.57 GHz), WLAN (2.4, 3.6, and 5.2 GHz), Wi-MAX (2.3, 2.5, and 3.5 GHz), and ISM (2.5 GHz).
The Chromatic Entropy of Linear Supertrees and Its Application
Authors: Fu Feng , Deng Bo , Dai Liming
Published: November 2023

Shannon entropy plays an important role in the field of information theory, and various graph entropies, including the chromatic entropy, have been proposed by researchers based on Shannon entropy with different graph variables. The applications of the graph entropies are found in numerous areas such as physical chemistry, medicine, and biology. The present research aims to study the chromatic entropy based on the vertex strong coloring of a linear p-uniform supertree. The maximal and minimal values of the p-uniform supertree are determined. Moreover, in order to investigate the generalization of dendrimers, a new class of p-uniform supertrees called hyper-dendrimers is proposed. In particular, the extremal values of chromatic entropy found in the research for supertrees are applied to explore the behavior of the hyper-dendrimers.
Entanglement and Symmetry Structure of N(= 3) Quantum Oscillators with Disparate Coupling Strengths in a Common Quantum Field Bath
Authors: Hsiang Jen-Tsung , Hu Bei-Lok
Published: November 2023

In this paper, we study the entanglement structure of a system of N quantum oscillators with distinctive coupling strengths, all linearly coupled to a common massless scalar quantum field. This study is helpful in characterizing the notion of an entanglement domain and its symmetry features, which is useful for understanding the interplay between different levels of structure in many-body quantum systems. The effect of the quantum field on the system is derived via the influence functional and the correlation functions are obtained from the solutions of the evolutionary operator of the reduced density matrix. They are then used to construct the covariance matrix, which forms the basis for our analysis of the structure of quantum entanglement in this open system. To make the physical features explicit, we consider a system of three quantum coupled oscillators placed at the vertices of an equilateral triangle with disparate pairwise couplings. We analyze the entanglement between one oscillator and the other two with equal (symmetric) and unequal (asymmetric) coupling strengths. As a physical illustration, we apply the results for these two different configurations to address some basic issues in macroscopic quantum phenomena from the quantum entanglement perspective.
How Memorable Are Agrifood Travel Experiences?
Authors: Baby Jibin , Barbieri Carla , Knollenberg Whitney
Published: November 2023

Destinations seek to increase their competitiveness by offering memorable experiences that can stimulate repeat visitation and positive word of mouth. Travel experiences centered on agrifood systems (i.e., agrifood tourism) encompass a set of attributes (e.g., authenticity and interaction with locals) that tend to be memorable. However, the extent to which these attributes contribute to memorability warrants further investigation. Thus, this study identified common and distinct elements of memorability across agritourism, culinary tourism, and craft-beverage tourism compared to beach tourism (control group). We surveyed a panel (n = 1019) in 2023 using a hypothetical travel scenario with four experience options. A multivariate analysis of variance showed high levels of memorability across various attributes of the agrifood experiences (e.g., learning opportunities and hands-on participation), with few differences across them, as compared to beach tourism. This study advances the scholarly construct of agrifood tourism by incorporating memorability within its complex dynamics. The study results also provide insights that marketers and managers of destinations with a mix of agrifood experiences can use to improve destination competitiveness and memorability (e.g., increasing educational offerings and adding more participative activities).
An Exploration of Novel Bioactives from the Venomous Marine Annelid Glycera alba
Authors: Campos Sónia , Rodrigo Ana P. , Moutinho Cabral Inês , Mendes Vera M. , Manadas Bruno , D’Ambrosio Mariaelena , Costa Pedro M.
Published: November 2023

The immense biodiversity of marine invertebrates makes them high-value targets for the prospecting of novel bioactives. The present study investigated proteinaceous toxins secreted by the skin and proboscis of Glycera alba (Annelida: Polychaeta), whose congenerics G. tridactyla and G. dibranchiata are known to be venomous. Proteomics and bioinformatics enabled the detection of bioactive proteins that hold potential for biotechnological applications, including toxins like glycerotoxins (GLTx), which can interfere with neuromuscular calcium channels and therefore have value for the development of painkillers, for instance. We also identified proteins involved in the biosynthesis of toxins. Other proteins of interest include venom and toxin-related bioactives like cysteine-rich venom proteins, many of which are known to interfere with the nervous system. Ex vivo toxicity assays with mussel gills exposed to fractionated protein extracts from the skin and proboscis revealed that fractions potentially containing higher-molecular-mass venom proteins can exert negative effects on invertebrate prey. Histopathology, DNA damage and caspase-3 activity suggest significant cytotoxic effects that can be coadjuvated by permeabilizing enzymes such as venom metalloproteinases M12B. Altogether, these encouraging findings show that venomous annelids are important sources of novel bioactives, albeit illustrating the challenges of surveying organisms whose genomes and metabolisms are poorly understood.
Characterizing the Influence of a Heterotrophic Bicosoecid Flagellate Pseudobodo sp. on the Dinoflagellate Gambierdiscus balechii
Authors: Liu Xiaowan , Ma Yihan , Wu Jiajun , Wang Pengbin , Wang Yinuo , Wang Anli , Yin Qizhao , Ma Haiying , Chan Leo Lai , Wu Bin
Published: November 2023

Microbial interactions including competition, mutualism, commensalism, parasitism, and predation, which can be triggered by nutrient acquisition and chemical communication, are universal phenomena in the marine ecosystem. The interactions may influence the microbial population density, metabolism, and even their environmental functions. Herein, we investigated the interaction between a heterotrophic bicosoecid flagellate, Pseudobodo sp. (Bicoecea), and a dinoflagellate, Gambierdiscus balechii (Dinophyceae), which is a well-known ciguatera food poisoning (CFP) culprit. The presence of Pseudobodo sp. inhibited the algal proliferation and decreased the cardiotoxicity of zebrafish in the algal extract exposure experiment. Moreover, a significant difference in microbiome abundance was observed in algal cultures with and without Pseudobodo sp. Chemical analysis targeting toxins was performed by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) combined with molecular networking (MN), showing a significant alteration in the cellular production of gambierone analogs and some super-carbon chain compounds. Taken together, our results demonstrated the impact of heterotrophic flagellate on the photosynthetic dinoflagellates, revealing the complex dynamics of algal toxin production and the ecological relationships related to dinoflagellates in the marine environment.
Dynamic Aether as a Trigger for Spontaneous Spinorization in Early Universe
Authors: Balakin Alexander , Efremova Anna
Published: November 2023

In the framework of the Einstein–Dirac-aether theory we consider a phenomenological model of the spontaneous growth of the fermion number, which is triggered by the dynamic aether. The trigger version of spinorization of the early Universe is associated with two mechanisms: the first one is the aetheric regulation of behavior of the spinor field; the second mechanism can be related to a self-similarity of internal interactions in the spinor field. The dynamic aether is designed to switch on and switch off the self-similar mechanism of the spinor field evolution; from the mathematical point of view, the key of such a guidance is made of the scalar of expansion of the aether flow, proportional to the Hubble function in the isotropic cosmological model. Two phenomenological parameters of the presented model are shown to be considered as factors predetermining the total number of fermions born in the early Universe.
Pneumonia Mortality Trends in Children under 5 Years of Age in the Context of Pneumococcal Conjugate Vaccination in Peru, 2003–2017
Authors: Sanchez Carlos A. , Lozada-Urbano Michelle , Best-Bandenay Pablo
Published: November 2023

Worldwide, conjugated pneumococcal vaccines (PCVs) have proven effective against invasive pneumococcal disease, but non-invasive pneumonia is a major cause of mortality in young children and serotypes vary geographically, affecting effectiveness. We analyze nationwide death certificate data between 2003–2017 to assess the impact of PCVs on pneumonia mortality among young children from Peru. We report descriptive statistics and perform timeseries analysis on annual mortality rates (AMRs) and monthly frequencies of pneumonia deaths. Children under 5 years of age accounted for 6.2% (n = 10,408) of all pneumonia deaths (N = 166,844), and 32.3% (n = 3363) were children between 1–4 years of age, of which 95.1% did not report pneumonia etiology. Comparing periods before and after PCV introduction in 2009, mean AMRs dropped 13.5% and 26.0% for children between 1–4 years of age (toddlers/preschoolers), and children under 1 year of age (infants), respectively. A moderate correlation (Spearman’s r = 0.546, p < 0.01) in the monthly frequency of pneumonia deaths was estimated between both age groups. Quadratic regression suggests a change in direction around 2005 (highest pneumonia mortality) for both age groups, but percentage change analysis identified an inflection point in 2013 for infants only, not for toddlers/preschoolers, suggesting that the impact of PCVs might be different for each age group.
Increases in Cellular Immune Responses Due to Positive Effect of CVC1302-Induced Lysosomal Escape in Mice
Authors: Yu Xiaoming , Zhang Yuanyuan , Hou Liting , Qiao Xuwen , Zhang Yuanpeng , Cheng Haiwei , Lu Haiyan , Chen Jin , Du Luping , Zheng Qisheng , Hou Jibo , Tong Guangzhi
Published: November 2023

This study found a higher percentage of CD8+ T cells in piglets immunized with a CVC1302-adjuvanted inactivated foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) vaccine. We wondered whether the CVC1302-adjuvanted inactivated FMDV vaccine promoted cellular immunity by promoting the antigen cross-presentation efficiency of ovalbumin (OVA) through dendritic cells (DCs), mainly via cytosolic pathways. This was demonstrated by the enhanced levels of lysosomal escape of OVA in the DCs loaded with OVA and CVC1302. The higher levels of ROS and significantly enhanced elevated lysosomal pH levels in the DCs facilitated the lysosomal escape of OVA. Significantly enhanced CTL activity levels was observed in the mice immunized with OVA-CVC1302. Overall, CVC1302 increased the cross-presentation of exogenous antigens and the cross-priming of CD8+ T cells by alkalizing the lysosomal pH and facilitating the lysosomal escape of antigens. These studies shed new light on the development of immunopotentiators to improve cellular immunity induced by vaccines.
The Relationship between Mastitis and Antimicrobial Peptide S100A7 Expression in Dairy Goats
Authors: Yan Yutong , Zhu Kunyuan , Liu Haokun , Fan Mingzhen , Zhao Xiaoe , Pan Menghao , Ma Baohua , Wei Qiang
Published: November 2023

S100A7 is an inflammation-related protein and plays an essential role in host defenses, yet there is little research about the relationship between mastitis and S100A7 expression in dairy goats. Here, according to the clinical diagnosis of udders, SCC, and bacteriological culture (BC) of milk, 84 dairy goats were grouped into healthy goats (n = 25), subclinical mastitis goats (n = 36), and clinical mastitis goats (n = 23). The S100A7 concentration in subclinical mastitis goats was significantly upregulated than in healthy dairy goats (p = 0.0056) and had a limited change with clinical mastitis dairy goats (p = 0.8222). The relationship between log10 SCC and S100A7 concentration in milk was positive and R = 0.05249; the regression equation was Y = 0.1446 × X + 12.54. According to the three groups, the log10 SCC and S100A7 were analyzed using the receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve; in subclinical mastitis goats, the area under the ROC curve (AUC) of log10 SCC was 0.9222 and p < 0.0001, and the AUC of S100A7 concentration was 0.7317 and p = 0.0022, respectively; in clinical mastitis goats, the AUC of log10 SCC was 0.9678 and p < 0.0001, and the AUC of S100A7 concentration was 0.5487 and p = 0.5634, respectively. In healthy goats, S100A7 was expressed weakly in the alveolus of the mammary gland of healthy goats while expressed densely in the collapsed alveolus of mastitis goats. Moreover, S100A7 expression increased significantly in mastitis goats than in healthy dairy goats. In this research, results showed the effects of mastitis on the S100A7 expression in the mammary gland and S100A7 concentration in milk and the limited relationship between SCC and mastitis, which provided a new insight into S100A7’s role in the host defenses of dairy goats.
Some procedural problems of refusal of work by an employee
Authors:   Department of Labor Law, Ural State Law University named after V.F. Yakovlev, Russia, Yekaterinburg,, Zolotov I.S.
Published: November 2023

The article examines procedural problems of the realization by employees of the only form of self-protection provided by labor legislation. Particular attention is paid to such labor-law defect as the logical incompleteness of the legal construction of the refusal of work, which is demonstrated in a variety of judicial practice. In connection with the identified disadvantages, the author’s proposals for their solution are offered.
Cerebrovascular Function is Altered in Hemodialysis Patients
Authors: Richerson Wesley T. , Meier Timothy B. , Cohen Alexander D. , Wang Yang , Goodman Max J. , Schmit Brian D. , Wolfgram Dawn F.
Published: November 2023

Key Points

Hemodialysis patients have impaired cerebrovascular reactivity.

Hemodialysis patients have cerebral structural deficits.

Background

Hemodialysis patients have declines in cerebral blood flow (CBF) and cerebral oxygenation during hemodialysis that may lead to ischemic brain injury. Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) may indicate which individuals are more susceptible to intradialytic hypoperfusion and ischemia. We hypothesized that hemodialysis patients would have decreased CVR and increased CBF relative to controls and deficits in CVR would be related to brain structural deficits.

Methods

We measured cortical thickness and white matter hyperintensity (WMH) volume from T1 and T2 fluid attenuation inversion recovery images, respectively; CVR from a breath hold blood oxygen level–dependent CVR functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI); and arterial transit time and CBF from arterial spin labeling. Cerebrovascular and structural deficits in gray matter and white matter (GM and WM) were tested by averaging across the tissue and with a pothole analysis. Finally, we correlated cortical thickness and WMH volume with GM and WM cerebrovascular variables to assess the relationship between brain structure and cerebrovascular health.

Results

In ten hemodialysis patients, cortical thickness was found to be decreased (P = 0.002), WMH volume increased (P = 0.004), and WM CBF increased (P = 0.02) relative to ten controls. Pothole analysis indicated a higher number of increased GM and WM CBF voxels (P = 0.03, P = 0.02) and a higher number of decreased GM and WM CVR voxels (P = 0.02, P = 0.01).

Conclusions

This pilot study demonstrates that hemodialysis patients have decreased CVR and increased CBF relative to controls, along with reduced brain integrity. Further investigation is required to fully understand whether these cerebrovascular deficits may lead to structural changes.
The VUS Challenge in Cystic Kidney Disease: A Case-Based Review
Authors: Aklilu Abinet M. , Gulati Ashima , Kolber Kayla J. , Yang Hana , Harris Peter C. , Dahl Neera K.
Published: November 2023

Genetic testing in nephrology is becoming increasingly important to diagnose patients and to provide appropriate care. This is especially true for autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) because this is a common cause of kidney failure and genetically complex. In addition to the major genes, PKD1 and PKD2, there are at least six minor loci, and phenotypic, and in some cases, genetic overlap with other cystic disorders. Targeted next-generation sequencing, a low-cost, high-throughput technique, has made routine genetic testing viable in nephrology clinics. Appropriate pre- and post-testing genetic counseling is essential to the testing process. Carefully assessing variants is also critical, with the genetic report classifying variants in accordance with American College of Medical Genetics and Genomics guidelines. However, variant of uncertain significance (VUSs) may pose a significant challenge for the ordering clinician. In ADPKD, and particularly within PKD1, there is high allelic heterogeneity; no single variant is present in more than 2% of families. The Mayo/Polycystic Kidney Disease Foundation variant database, a research tool, is the best current database of PKD1 and PKD2 variants containing over 2300 variants identified in individuals with polycystic kidney disease, but novel variants are often identified. In patients with a high pretest probability of ADPKD on the basis of clinical criteria, but no finding of a pathogenic (P) or likely pathogenic (LP) variant in a cystic kidney gene, additional evaluation of cystic gene VUS can be helpful. In this case-based review, we propose an algorithm for the assessment of such variants in a clinical setting and show how some can be reassigned to a diagnostic grouping. When assessing the relevance of a VUS, we consider both patient/family-specific and allele-related factors using population and variant databases and available prediction tools, as well as genetic expertise. This analysis plus further family studies can aid in making a genetic diagnosis.
Automated models of visual information processing
Authors: Oleksandr Mohylnyi
Published: November 2023

The article presents a study devoted to the development and research of an automated model of visual information processing. The goal of the research was to create a comprehen-sive model capable of automatically processing and analyzing various forms of visual data, such as images and videos. The model is developed on the basis of a combined approach that combines various algorithms and methods of visual information processing. The literature review conducted within the scope of this study allowed us to study the existing methods and algorithms for visual information processing. Various image processing approaches were analyzed, including segmentation, pattern recognition, object classification and detection, video analysis, and other aspects. As a result of the review, the advantages and limitations of each approach were identified, as well as the areas of their application were determined. The developed model showed high accuracy and efficiency in visual data processing. It can suc-cessfully cope with the tasks of segmentation, recognition and classification of objects, as well as video analysis. The results of the study confirmed the superiority of the proposed model. Potential applications of the automated model are considered, such as medicine, robotics, security, and many others. However, limitations of the model such as computational resource requirements and quality of input data are also noted. Further development of this research can be aimed at optimizing the model, adapting it to specific tasks and expanding its func-tionality. In general, the study confirms the importance of automated models of visual infor-mation processing and its important place in modern technologies. The results of the research can be useful for the development of new systems based on visual data processing and con-tribute to progress in the field of computer vision and artificial intelligence.
Leadership and Negotiation in Public Health Management: A Systematic Review of the Literature
Authors: C P Marques Isabel , Nogueira Fernanda , P Gonçalves Sónia , Geaquinto Rocha Raysa
Published: November 2023

The domain of public health management has seen an increase in emerging issues that require attention to improve organizational performance. To address these challenges, this study presents a systematic review of the literature conducted between 2015 and 2023 to illuminate trends in healthcare research, including leadership and negotiation. Based on the PRISMA analysis framework developed by Liberati et al. (2009), we took an approach to assess the coverage of public health management research. Using selection criteria based on the SCOPUS database, our investigation identified 2674 articles. These publications were subjected to analysis, selecting 54 articles deemed particularly insightful and impactful. Furthermore, we developed a conceptual model using Grounded Theory that accentuates the key determinants that influence organisational performance in healthcare institutions. The main factors examined in our model include healthcare negotiation, organizational behaviour, leadership, evidence-based practices, sustainability, and corporate governance. The results of our study shed light on the intricate relationships between these determinants and their impact on overall performance in the public health sector. By elucidating these dynamics, our research provides valuable information to policymakers, administrators, and practitioners striving to achieve excellence in healthcare management. Based on our analysis, we propose an agenda for future research in public health management. This agenda seeks to address knowledge gaps, explore new approaches, and stimulate innovation in addressing healthcare organizations' complex challenges. By focusing on areas such as adaptive leadership strategies, transformative negotiation techniques, evidence-based practice, and sustainable governance models, our proposed agenda aims to catalyse advances in this field, ultimately leading to better health outcomes for individuals and communities. In conclusion, this study represents a significant contribution to public health management. Its review and the development of a conceptual model and research agenda provide stakeholders with the tools and knowledge needed to promote optimal organizational performance and drive positive change in this domain.
Governance in family firms: how to ensure continuity
Authors: Jayantitlal Shital , Jorge Sílvia F. , Alcarva Paulo
Published: November 2023

Family firms play a key role in the world economy, yet their success is often plagued by family-related issues and conflict. Succession is one of the most critical hurdles they face. The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how specific governance instruments, such as the family protocol, can aid mitigate the conflicts by establishing a set of guidelines and procedures to aid govern the operation, management and continuity of family firms. To study the underlying strategic decision making process of the multiple stakeholders involved, this paper resorts to game theory. The results will provide valuable determinants of the family protocol which may aid smooth managerial transfer in the family firm and uphold harmony in the family setting.
Leadership Development Programs Today: A Guide to Effective Strategy Execution or Fads du Jour?
Authors: Nienaber Hester , McNeill Richard
Published: November 2023

Leaders are answerable. Organizational performance is attained by successful strategy execution. Consequently, organizations heavily spend on leadership development to hone leaders’ competence aimed at ensuring the organization’s competitive success. However, the success of such programs is questioned because of, amongst others, (a) frequently reported strategy implementation failure, allegedly owing to the absence of a competitive advantage and (b) observations that leadership as a mandatory source of competitive advantage has declined, despite leadership development initiatives. Thus, the question arises whether organizations systematically use leadership development foundational metrics (e.g., direction-setting capacity, trust, etc.) for effective strategy implementation. As part of a larger study, this report accounts for organizational use of leadership development metrics in strategy implementation. We followed the guidance of reputable scholars in conducting the empirical study. Limited information on the topic dictated an exploratory approach to gain insights to lay the foundation for future descriptive and explanatory studies. The considerable amount of data required to answer the question necessitated an exploratory survey. We collected data from a purposely selected population with an online questionnaire, based on a literature review and pre-tested with Human Resource professionals, complying with ethical principles. The findings include: The study met norms for exploratory surveys and trustworthiness criteria. More than half of the diverse respondents (concerning demographic variables, strategies applied, and ensuing organizational performance) reported the use of leadership development metrics in strategy implementation. However, few respondents linked the metrics used to competitive advantage. The implications include that the leadership development interventions may not have been optimal in ensuring effective strategy implementation based on competitive advantage. It can be concluded that the leadership metrics the respondents’ organizations have used may have been ineffective in ensuring competitive success. The value of this paper stems from its actionable insights based on proven theory and validated by an exploratory survey. However, the main limitation of the study is its cross-sectional nature. Hence, we recommend further descriptive and explanatory research to enable broader generalizations.
Neurofinance: Exploratory Analysis Stock Trader's Decision-Making Process by Real-Time Monitoring of Emotional Reactions
Authors: Hsu Hsin-Tzu , Lobo Marques João Alexandre
Published: November 2023

Human emotions can be associated with decision-making, and emotions can generate behaviors. Due to the fact that it could be biased and exhaustively complex to examine how human beings make choices, it is necessary to consider relevant groups of study, such as stock traders and non-traders in finance. This work aims to analyze the connection between emotions and the decision-making process of investors and non-investors submitted to the same set of stimuli to understand how emotional arousal might dictate the decision process. Neuroscience monitoring tools such as Real-Time Facial Expression Analysis (AFFDEX), Eye-Tracking, and Galvanic Skin Response (GSR) were adopted to monitor the related experiments of this paper and its accompanying analysis process. Thirty-seven participants attended the study, 24 were classified as stock traders, and 13 were non-traders; the mean age for the groups was 35 and 25, respectively. The designed experiment initially disclosed a thought-provoking result between the two groups under the certainty and risk-seeking prospect theory; there were more risk-takers among non-investors at 75%, while investors were inclined toward certainty at 79.17%. The implication could be that the non-investing individuals were less complex in thought and therefore pursued higher returns besides a high probability of losing the game. In addition, the automatic emotion classification system indicates that when non-investors confronted a stock trending chart beyond their acquaintance or knowledge, they were psychologically exposed to fear, anger, sadness, and surprise. On the contrary, investors were detected with disgust, joy, contempt, engagement, sadness, and surprise, where sadness and surprise overlapped in both parties. Under time pressure conditions, 54.05% of investors or non-investors tend to make decisions after the peak(s) of emotional arousal. Variations were found in the deciding points of the slopes: 2.70% were decided right after the peak(s), 37.84% waited until the emotions turned stable, and 13.51% were determined as the emotional indicators started to slide downwards. Several combinations of emotional responses were associated with decisions. For example, negative emotions could induce passive decision-making, in this case, to sell the stock; nevertheless, it was also examined that as the slope slipped downwards to a particular horizontal point, the individuals became more optimistic and selected the "BUY" option. Future works may consider expanding the study to larger sample size, different demographic groups, and other biometrics for further analysis and conclusions.
From Academic Design Science Research to Start-up: Building a Digital Platform Ecosystem to Promote a Sustainable Knowledge Co-Creating Community
Authors: Schmitt Ulrich
Published: November 2023

As the new digital era is accompanied by accelerating change, people as well as institutions need to adapt and transform. Crucial for their success is how well leaders can cultivate the absorption and sharing of knowledge as a resource and its integration into the organisational endeavours. Innovative system designs may prove vital to providing crucial support.

Based on a prior academic design science research project and published outputs, a recently established start-up aims to create a digital community platform for knowledge co-creation to serve members with diverse ambitions and potentials in their personal and collaborative contexts. The digital platform ecosystem follows a novel knowledge management approach by favouring personalization, mobility, generativity, and entropy reduction. How to sustainably address the inherent system complexities and scaling needs in an entrepreneurial environment known for short iterative cycles of minimum viable developments have proven to be an expected challenge, closely followed by the limited power of academic detail and lingo to create enthusiasm in start-up spaces where attention slots are measured in pitch decks and elevator rides.

This paper looks at this particular case and at the lessons learnt in the transition phase from academia to a business incubation space and, hence, aims to contribute to the discourse between scholars, practitioners, and clients on how digital entrepreneurship and innovation spaces may be best served for mutual benefit.
Factors Influencing the Human Talent Recruitment Process in Private Companies: A Systematic Review
Authors: Chalco-Chávez Cinthya Liliana , Fernandez-Hurtado Gisela Analy , Cordova-Buiza Franklin
Published: November 2023

Over time, organizations have made important changes with respect to the perspectives of human capital management, going from being a resource that is easy to replace to a resource with a sustainable vision in the company. Changing situations and technological advances have allowed organizations to give due importance to human participation, since it is a resource that, through its activities, makes the achievement of objectives possible. Therefore, organizations consider that the recruitment process must go through more demanding filters where the productive factors possessed by human talent are reliably captured. The present review has been submitted to databases such as: Dialnet, Redalyc, Scielo and Scopus, obtaining 25 articles, Redalyc had a greater contribution with 48% and the countries with greater implication for the study were Ecuador and Peru with 24%, the methodological design with greater use in the literatures was quantitative with 48% and the most used instrument was the questionnaire with 52%. Likewise, to detail the search procedure, the PRISMA 2020 diagram was used, and from a total of 3411 articles, a total of 2857 was excluded between non-retrieved and ineligible reports, arriving later under a final filter to a total of 25 articles. In conclusion, the results showed that the most influential factors in the recruitment process were education; where relevance is given to knowledge and professional and specialized training for effective decision making around their functions; on the other hand, work experience that links the technical and practical aspect of the collaborator who seeks efficiency in the processes; finally, the psychological traits that reflect the emotional balance and management of pressure situations and soft skills that affect productivity and performance. This research contributes to future researchers to identify the most used parameters in human recruitment processes for success and consistency in business decision making.
Creation of a method for the adoption of digital transformation for medium enterprises in the education business in Switzerland
Authors: Krey Mike , Anderegg Jan , Burri Pascal , Röthlin Matthias , Müller Armando
Published: November 2023

The education sector, like most others, is currently experiencing a rapidly advancing digital transformation. Due to the current COVID-19 pandemic, this process is taking place faster than it would have without the virus. Currently, there are no methods that allow the affected educational institutions to quickly and efficiently implement the digital transformation. As a first step of this work, online research was conducted to determine the current state of digital transformation in the education sector in relation to the elaborated requirements. To identify differences between educational institutions of different sizes and to reach a specific analysis of the domain, the educational institutions were divided into different categories according to the number of their employees. A survey was then prepared and sent to all identified educational institutions for processing. The main goal of the survey was to reflect the current state of the educational institutions. Furthermore, the requirements as well as the efforts of the individual institutions in the area of digital transformation were of high interest. As a second step, based on the analysis of the survey, a method was created to support the educational institutions in the digital transformation, taking into account their current situation and their progress and status of digital transformation. For further research, a more detailed investigation of how the method works in practice could be conducted.
Technological vs. Non-Technological Mindsets: Learning From Mistakes, and Organizational Change Adaptability to Remote Work
Authors: Kucharska Wioleta , Kucharski Maciej
Published: November 2023

The permanent implementation of the change in working methods, e.g., working in the virtual space, is problematic for some employees and, as a result, for management leaders. To explore this issue deeper, this study assumes that mindset type: technological vs. non-technological, may influence the organizational adaptability to change. Moreover, the key interest of this research is how non-technological mindsets adapt to remote work in the long run. Based on the OLS  regression (SPSS PROCESS), authors analyze three data sets gathered via the questionnaire distributed using the CAWI method among Polish knowledge workers; the first data set was gathered in December 2019 before the COVID-19 crisis, and the next in 2021 and 2022. Findings revealed that before COVID-19, high intensity of contacts via technology-supported change adaptability only for the IT industry. Results obtained two and three years later exposed that interactions via technology also increased the change adaptability in other sectors. This study confirms that the technological environment can change the employee mindset. Nevertheless, at the same time, the adaptability process can be prolonged and complex even for highly educated knowledge workers’ groups. Since there is no development without technology today - patience and long-run perspective thinking are recommended to achieve sustainable growth. It is critical. Adaptation to technology-dominated virtual workspaces must continue, even if this is problematic for non-technological mindsets; abandoning this idea will only make the inevitable transformation longer and more challenging. Collective intelligence creation requires inclusion and patience instead of exclusion of those who face problems or abandonment of change when facing implementation problems rooted in mindsets.
What are the drivers of competence management?
Authors: GAUDENS Lisa , Davies Muriel , Buisine Stephanie
Published: November 2023

Globalization and technological transformations emphasize the need for developing new skills and acting at the peak of one’s capacities. Competence is defined as the combination of external and individual resources to fulfill one’s job demands and contribute to the organization’s purpose. It corresponds to feeling effective and efficient in one’s actions. As such, competence is one of the basic psychological needs, according to self-determination theory. In this paper we focus on diagnosing the drivers of competence in order to implement transformations in a specific organization to improve the use of existing resources, stimulate the development of skills and increase performance. The study was conducted in a major French company from the energy sector. We re-analyzed the corpus of an annual survey gathering the perception of about 11,000 respondents representing all job categories and all hierarchical levels. We conducted a Principal Component Analysis followed by multiple regressions in order to identify the predictors of feeling competent. The first analysis shows that the data could be summarized in 5 key indicators: 1. Involvement and trust in the unit, 2. Team management, 3. Meaningfulness at work, 4. Working conditions, 5. Organization and cooperation. We observed that the item addressing the feeling of competence showed high correlation with the third dimension related to meaningfulness, which further highlights the importance of competence for self-accomplishment. The next step was to search for the drivers of feeling competent in several job categories. The results show that production and maintenance exhibit very different profiles. The only common driver appears to be the role of the manager in developing employee’s skills. For production employees, feeling competent is mainly linked to external resources (unit organization and social identification) whereas for maintenance employees, feeling competent rather depends on individual resources (work content, professional development). Beyond the design of custom interventions based on the specific needs of each job category, this study emphasizes that there is no unique solution for managing competence and that the key to performance and fulfilment should be found in careful analysis of the organization and its members.
Intelligent Behaviour Analytics: A Novel Framework for Effective Leadership Style Transitioning
Authors: Johnson Stephen , Crizzle Adam , Lam Katharine , Toner Louise , Marcovich Ryan , Coulter Paul
Published: November 2023

The last three decades saw a reliance on the use of personality tests by businesses and organisations trying to gain a competitive advantage in the market through avenues such as recruitment, team building, leadership development and culture alignment. The commissioning of early 20th Century personality models such as DISC and Myers-Briggs are claimed to provide valuable insights and benefits in various aspects of the employment process. They have however been controversially debated in the academic community due to issues surrounding validity and reliability. Discussions concerning leadership styles and leaders responsible for managing employees, are similarly indeterminate despite being subject to extensive research and analysis for many decades. Academics have yet to provide a comprehensive explanation of the holistic mechanisms underlying effective leadership. Instead, they have argued over factors such as a leader’s traits, attributes, power relations or unidimensional versus collaborative models of engaging a work force. Current leadership theory literature demonstrates a paucity of leader self-understanding and self-reflection. We consider these two attributes as fundamental qualities of effective leadership, whereby an individual can transform and enhance their use of any leadership style. In this paper, we propose an advanced 21st Century solution that leverages the Intelligent Behaviour Analytics (IBA) framework, incorporating a deep and more effective understanding of leaders and their ability to transition between different leadership styles. Additionally, this framework offers methods for transitioning to more effective leadership styles based on situational requirements and takes into account a leader’s own emotional and behavioural registers. This approach offers a structured opportunity for leaders to identify any biases, understand the reasons that these may develop and furthermore, evaluate the efficacy of their own behavioural traits and the way they, as individuals interact, manage and lead a team. The IBA framework is a multi-stage, holistic approach that proposes to improve performance metrics, organisational culture, business outcomes and increased wellbeing.