bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Indocyanine Green Imaging in Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy Plus Laparoscopic Common Bile Duct Exploration: A Suitable Option for Patients With Difficult Exploration (With Videos)
Authors: Ma Chenhui , Zhang Lei , Wen Junye , Zhang Wanxing , Chen Hao
Published: June 2023

Background:

The clinical application of indocyanine green (ICG) fluorescence imaging technology in biliary surgery has gradually highlighted its role, and its role in laparoscopic cholecystectomy plus laparoscopic common bile duct exploration (LC+LCBDE) still needs to be further explored. Therefore, we evaluated the clinical value of ICG fluorescence imaging in LC+LCBDE.

Materials and Methods:

Data from 131 patients who underwent LC+LCBDE in our department between January 2019 and June 2021 were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Overall, 59 and 72 patients underwent ICG+LC+LCBDE and LC+LCBDE, respectively, and were assigned to the ICG (ICG+LC+LCBDE) and non-ICG (LC+LCBDE) groups based on their medical records. The clinical data of all patients were obtained, and the differences between the ICG and non-ICG groups were compared.

Results:

A total of 131 patients successfully underwent surgery. There were no differences in baseline characteristics between the 2 groups. In terms of perioperative results, no significant between-group differences in biliary tract exposure before Calot’s triangle dissection were noted; however, patients in the ICG group had better biliary tract observations after Calot’s triangle dissection, shorter operative time, fewer complications, earlier postoperative exhaust, and lower hospital costs.

Conclusions:

ICG imaging can assist surgeons in determining biliary tract structures and injuries during surgery and in preventing operation-related bile leakage. ICG imaging is a technique worthy of promotion in difficult surgery.
Telemedicine for Kidney Transplant Recipients: Current State, Advantages, and Barriers
Authors: Hezer Bartu , Massey Emma K. , Reinders Marlies E.J. , Tielen Mirjam , van de Wetering Jacqueline , Hesselink Dennis A. , van den Hoogen Martijn W.F.
Published: June 2023

Telemedicine is defined as the use of electronic information and communication technologies to provide and support healthcare at a distance. In kidney transplantation, telemedicine is limited but is expected to grow markedly in the coming y. Current experience shows that it is possible to provide transplant care at a distance, with benefits for patients like reduced travel time and costs, better adherence to medication and appointment visits, more self-sufficiency, and more reliable blood pressure values. However, multiple barriers in different areas need to be overcome for successful implementation, such as recipients’ preferences, willingness, skills, and digital literacy. Moreover, in many countries, limited digital infrastructure, legislation, local policy, costs, and reimbursement issues could be barriers to the implementation of telemedicine. Finally, telemedicine changes the way transplant professionals provide care, and this transition needs time, training, willingness, and acceptance. This review discusses the current state and benefits of telemedicine in kidney transplantation, with the aforementioned barriers, and provides an overview of future directions on telemedicine in kidney transplantation.
Peripheral death by neglect and limited clonal deletion during physiologic B lymphocyte development
Authors: Willett Mikala JoAnn , McNees Christopher , Sharma Sukriti , Newen Anna Minh , Pfannenstiel Dylan , Moyer Thomas , Stephany David , Douagi Iyadh , Wang Qiao , Mayer Christian Thomas
Published: June 2023

Autoreactive B cells generated during B cell development are inactivated by clonal deletion, receptor editing or anergy. Up to 97% of immature B cells appear to die before completing maturation, but the anatomic sites and reasons underlying this massive cell loss are not fully understood. Here, we directly quantitated apoptosis and clonal deletion during physiologic B lymphocyte development using Rosa26INDIAapoptosis indicator mice. Immature B cells displayed low levels of apoptosis in the bone marrow but started dying at high levels in the periphery upon release from bone marrow sinusoids into the blood circulation. Clonal deletion of self-reactive B cells was neither a major contributor to apoptosis in the bone marrow nor the periphery. Instead, most peripheral transitional 1 B cells did not encounter the signals required for positive selection into the mature B cell compartments. This study sheds new light on B cell development and suggests that receptor editing and/or anergy efficiently control most primary autoreactivity in mice.

The large amount of cell loss predicted during B lymphocyte development is unexplained by clonal deletion of self-reactive cells. Many transitional 1 B cells die in the periphery due to failed selection in the mature B cell compartments.
Identification of bioactive constituents for colitis from traditional Chinese medicine prescription via deep neural network
Authors: Ren Zhixiang , Ren Yiming , Liu Pengfei , Shu Qi , Ma Huijuan , Xu Huan
Published: June 2023

Colitis is a commonly encountered inflammatory disease in colon tissue, which can be triggered by various causes. Although traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been utilized for the treatment of colitis, it is still a great challenge to identify the major bioactive constituents and their modes of action among thousands of ingredients in TCM prescriptions. Inspired by the success of artificial intelligence and deep learning methods, we proposed a deep neural network (DNN) for TCM prescription recommendation. We constructed a graph-based DNN with 9,845 nodes and 161,950 edges, which integrated microscopic information including bioactive molecules, protein targets, and extracted features of prescriptions through feature embedding. A novel and efficient data augmentation strategy was implemented to expand the sample size based on 378 collected TCM prescriptions. Network pharmacology study revealed that the 10 most frequent ingredients in generated prescriptions were associated with multiple inflammatory signaling pathways. To verify the bioactive constituents in the generated prescriptions, 5 selected constituents were administrated to BALB/c mice with colitis. Suppressive effects of disease progression and pro-inflammatory factors comparable to sulfasalazin were observed with these compounds, revealing the effectiveness of our artificial intelligence strategy on idetification of bioactive constituents from TCM prescriptions.
Spatial and temporal characterization of the rich fraction of plastid DNA present in the nuclear genome ofMoringa oleiferareveals unanticipated complexity in NUPTś formation
Authors: Marczuk-Rojas Juan Pablo , Álamo-Sierra Angélica María , Salmerón Antonio , Alcayde Alfredo , Isanbaev Viktor , Carretero-Paulet Lorenzo
Published: June 2023

Beyond the massive amounts of DNA and genes transferred from the protoorganelle genome to the nucleus during the endosymbiotic event that gave rise to the plastids, stretches of plastid DNA of varying size are still being copied and relocated to the nuclear genome in a process that is ongoing and does not result in the concomitant shrinking of the plastid genome. As a result, plant nuclear genomes are featured by a small, but variable, fraction of their genomes of plastid origin, the so-called nuclear plastid DNA sequences (NUPTs). However, research on the topic was mostly focused on a limited number of species and of plastid DNA. Here, we leveraged a chromosome-scale version of theMoringa oleiferagenome, featured by the largest fraction of plastid DNA in any plant nuclear genome, to examine the chromosomal distribution and arrangement of NUPTs, to explicitly model and test the correlation between their age and size distribution, as well as to characterize their sites of origin at the chloroplast genome and their sites of insertion at the nuclear one. We found a bimodal distribution of NUPT relative ages, which implies NUPTs in moringa were formed through two separate events. Furthermore, NUPTs from every event showed markedly distinctive features, suggesting they originated through distinct mechanisms. Our results reveal an unanticipated complexity of the mechanisms at the origin of NUPTs and of the evolutionary forces behind their fixation and highlight moringa species as an exceptional model to study the mechanisms of origin and evolutionary fate of NUPTs.

Significance statement

Sequencing of plant genomes has revealed the presence of a variable, but significant, content of DNA arising from their organelles,i.e., plastids and mitochondria. However, the mechanisms underlying their origin and fixation are not yet fully elucidated. Here, by thoroughly examining the spatial and temporal distribution of the large fraction of plastid DNA present in the nuclear genome of the orphan cropMoringa oleifera, we identified their episodic origin trough seemingly distinct mechanisms, highlighting the complexity of the molecular and evolutionary dynamics underlying their origin and fixation and revealing moringa as an outstanding model to assess the impact of plastid DNA in the evolution of the architecture and function of plant nuclear genomes.
The impact of molecular variants, crystallization conditions and space group on structure-ligand complexes: A case study on Bacterial Phosphotriesterase Variants and complexes
Authors: Dym Orly , Aggawal Nidhi , Ashani Yaacov , Albeck Shira , Unger Tamar , Rogotner Shelly Hamer , Silman Israel , Tawfik Dan S. , Sussman Joel L.
Published: June 2023

While attempting to study the 3D structure of proteins with bound ligands, one often encounters considerable difficulties. We illustrate, as an example, the bacterial enzyme phosphotriesterase and specifically examine the effects of multiple factors such as the molecular constructs, ligands used during protein expression and purification, crystallization precipitance, and space group on the visualization of molecular complexes of organophosphate ligands bound to the enzyme.

We analyzed twelve crystal structures of the different phosphotriesterase constructs derived by directed evolution in both apo and holo forms (in complex with organophosphate analogs), with resolutions up to 1.38 Å. Crystals obtained from three different crystallization conditions, crystallized in four space groups, with and without N-terminal tags, were utilized to investigate the impact of these factors on visualizing molecular complexes of ligands bound to the enzyme. The study revealed that residual tags used for protein expression can lodge in the active site and hinder ligand binding. Additionally, the space groups in which the proteins are crystallized can significantly impact the visualization of the organophosphate ligands bound to the phosphotriesterase. The study also reveals that the crystallization precipitants can compete with and even preclude ligand binding, leading to false positives or the incorrect identification of lead drug candidates, which is particularly crucial for ligands with pharmacological and toxicological contexts.

Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the challenges and considerations involved in studying the 3D structure of proteins with bound ligands, highlighting the importance of careful experimental design and rigorous data analysis to ensure the accuracy and reliability of the resulting protein-ligand structures.
A detailed Molecular Network Map and Model of the NLRP3 Inflammasome
Authors: Krantz Marcus , Eklund Daniel , Särndahl Eva , Hedbrant Alexander
Published: June 2023

The NLRP3 inflammasome is a key regulator of inflammation that responds to a broad range of stimuli. The exact mechanism of activation has not been determined, but there is a consensus on cellular potassium efflux as a major common denominator. Once NLRP3 is activated, it forms high-order complexes together with NEK7 that trigger aggregation of ASC into specks. Typically, there is only one speck per cell, consistent with the proposal that specks form – or end up at – the centrosome. ASC polymerisation in turn triggers caspase-1 activation, leading to maturation and release of IL-1β and pyroptosis, i.e., highly inflammatory cell death. Several gain-of-function mutations in the NLRP3 inflammasome have been suggested to induce spontaneous activation of NLRP3 and hence contribute to development and disease severity in numerous autoinflammatory and autoimmune diseases. Consequently, the NLRP3 inflammasome is of significant clinical interest, and recent attention has drastically improved our insight in the range of involved triggers and mechanisms of signal transduction. However, despite recent progress in knowledge, a clear and comprehensive overview of how these mechanisms interplay to shape the system level function is missing from the literature. Here, we provide such an overview as a resource to researchers working in or entering the field, as well as a computational model that allows for evaluating and explaining the function of the NLRP3 inflammasome system from the current molecular knowledge. We present a detailed reconstruction of the molecular network surrounding the NLRP3 inflammasome, which account for each specific reaction and the known regulatory constraints on each event as well as the mechanisms of drug action and impact of genetics when known. Furthermore, an executable model from this network reconstruction is generated with the aim to be used to explain NLRP3 activation from priming and activation to the maturation and release of IL-1β and IL-18. Finally, we test this detailed mechanistic model against data on the effect of different modes of inhibition of NLRP3 assembly. While the exact mechanisms of NLRP3 activation remains elusive, the literature indicates that the different stimuli converge on a single activation mechanism that is additionally controlled by distinct (positive or negative) priming and licensing events through covalent modifications of the NLRP3 molecule. Taken together, we present a compilation of the literature knowledge on the molecular mechanisms on NLRP3 activation, a detailed mechanistic model of NLRP3 activation, and explore the convergence of diverse NLRP3 activation stimuli into a single input mechanism.
CRISPRi-TnSeq: A genome-wide high-throughput tool for bacterial essential-nonessential genetic interaction mapping
Authors: Jana Bimal , Liu Xue , Dénéréaz Julien , Park Hongshik , Leshchiner Dmitry , Liu Bruce , Gallay Clément , Veening Jan-Willem , van Opijnen Tim
Published: June 2023

Genetic interaction networks can help identify functional connections between genes and pathways, which can be leveraged to establish (new) gene function, drug targets, and fill pathway gaps. Since there is no optimal tool that can map genetic interactions across many different bacterial strains and species, we develop CRISPRi-TnSeq, a genome-wide tool that maps genetic interactions between essential genes and nonessential genes through the knockdown of a targeted essential gene (CRISPRi) and the simultaneous knockout of individual nonessential genes (Tn-Seq). CRISPRi-TnSeq thereby identifies, on a genome-wide scale, synthetic and suppressor-type relationships between essential and nonessential genes, enabling the construction of essential-nonessential genetic interaction networks. To develop and optimize CRISPRi-TnSeq, CRISPRi strains were obtained for 13 essential genes inStreptococcus pneumoniae,involved in different biological processes including metabolism, DNA replication, transcription, cell division and cell envelope synthesis. Transposon-mutant libraries were constructed in each strain enabling screening of ∼24,000 gene-gene pairs, which led to the identification of 1,334 genetic interactions, including 754 negative and 580 positive genetic interactions. Through extensive network analyses and validation experiments we identify a set of 17 pleiotropic genes, of which a subset tentatively functions as genetic capacitors, dampening phenotypic outcomes and protecting against perturbations. Furthermore, we focus on the relationships between cell wall synthesis, integrity and cell division and highlight: 1) how essential gene knockdown can be compensated by rerouting flux through nonessential genes in a pathway; 2) the existence of a delicate balance between Z-ring formation and localization, and septal and peripheral peptidoglycan (PG) synthesis to successfully accomplish cell division; 3) the control of c-di-AMP over intracellular K+and turgor, and thereby modulation of the cell wall synthesis machinery; 4) the dynamic nature of cell wall protein CozEb and its effect on PG synthesis, cell shape morphology and envelope integrity; 5) functional dependency between chromosome decatenation and segregation, and the critical link with cell division, and cell wall synthesis. Overall, we show that CRISPRi-TnSeq uncovers genetic interactions between closely functionally linked genes and pathways, as well as disparate genes and pathways, highlighting pathway dependencies and valuable leads for gene function. Importantly, since both CRISPRi and Tn-Seq are widely used tools, CRISPRi-TnSeq should be relatively easy to implement to construct genetic interaction networks across many different microbial strains and species.
Expression of ALS-PFN1 impairs vesicular degradation in iPSC-derived microglia
Authors: Funes Salome , Gadd Del Hayden , Mosqueda Michelle , Zhong Jianjun , Jung Jonathan , Shankaracharya  , Unger Matthew , Cameron Debra , Dawes Pepper , Keagle Pamela J. , McDonough Justin A. , Boopathy Sivakumar , Sena-Esteves Miguel , Lutz Cathleen , Skarnes William C. , Lim Elaine T. , Schafer Dorothy P. , Massi Francesca , Landers John E. , Bosco Daryl A.
Published: June 2023

Microglia play a pivotal role in neurodegenerative disease pathogenesis, but the mechanisms underlying microglia dysfunction and toxicity remain to be fully elucidated. To investigate the effect of neurodegenerative disease-linked genes on the intrinsic properties of microglia, we studied microglia-like cells derived from human induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs), termed iMGs, harboring mutations in profilin-1 (PFN1) that are causative for amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). ALS-PFN1 iMGs exhibited lipid dysmetabolism and deficits in phagocytosis, a critical microglia function. Our cumulative data implicate an effect of ALS-linked PFN1 on the autophagy pathway, including enhanced binding of mutant PFN1 to the autophagy signaling molecule PI3P, as an underlying cause of defective phagocytosis in ALS-PFN1 iMGs. Indeed, phagocytic processing was restored in ALS-PFN1 iMGs with Rapamycin, an inducer of autophagic flux. These outcomes demonstrate the utility of iMGs for neurodegenerative disease research and highlight microglia vesicular degradation pathways as potential therapeutic targets for these disorders.
Ultraconserved bacteriophage genome sequence identified in 1300-year-old human palaeofaeces
Authors: Rozwalak Piotr , Barylski Jakub , Wijesekara Yasas , Dutilh Bas E. , Zielezinski Andrzej
Published: June 2023

Bacteriophages are widely recognised as rapidly evolving biological entities. However, we discovered an ancient genome nearly identical to present-dayMushuvirus mushu, a phage that infects commensal microorganisms in the human gut ecosystem. The DNA damage patterns of this genome have confirmed its ancient origin, and, despite 1300 years of evolution, the ancientMushuvirusgenome shares 97.7% nucleotide identity with its modern counterpart, indicating a long-term relationship between the prophage and its host. We also reconstructed and authenticated 297 other phage genomes from the last 5300 years, including those belonging to unknown families. Our findings demonstrate the feasibility of reconstructing ancient phage genomes, expanding the known virosphere, and offering new insights into phage-bacteria interactions that cover several millennia.
Deciphering Neuronal Deficit and Protein Profile Changes in Human Brain Organoids from Patients with Creatine Transporter Deficiency
Authors: Broca-Brisson Léa , Harati Rania , Disdier Clémence , Mozner Orsolya , Gaston-Breton Romane , Maïza Auriane , Costa Narciso , Guyot Anne-Cécile , Sarkadi Balazs , Apati Agota , Skelton Matthew R , Madrange Lucie , Yates Frank , Armengaud Jean , Hamoudi Rifat A. , Mabondzo Aloïse
Published: June 2023

Creatine transporter deficiency (CTD) is an X-linked disease caused by mutations in the SLC6A8 gene. The impaired creatine uptake in the brain results in intellectual disability, behavioral disorders, language delay, and seizures. In this work, we generated human brain organoids from induced pluripotent stem cells of healthy subjects and CTD patients. Brain organoids from CTD donors had reduced creatine uptake compared with those from healthy donors. The expression of neural progenitor cell markers SOX2 and PAX6 was reduced in CTD derived organoids, while GSK3β, a key regulator of neurogenesis, was up-regulated. Shotgun proteomics combined with integrative bioinformatic and statistical analysis identified changes in abundance of proteins associated with intellectual disability, epilepsy, and autism. Re-establishment of the expression a functional SLC6A8 in CTD-derived organoids restored creatine uptake and normalized the expression of SOX2, GSK3β and other key proteins associated with clinical features of CTD patients. Our brain organoid model opens new avenues for further characterizing the CTD pathophysiology and supports the concept that reinstating creatine levels in patients with CTD could result in therapeutic efficacy.

Summary Heading:

Therapeutic targets associated with Creatine Transporter Deficiency
A satellite component contour extraction method for lightweight space mobile platforms
Authors: Li Qianlong , Zhu Zhanxia , Liang Junwu
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Owing to the complex space environment and limited computing resources, traditional and deep learning-based methods cannot complete the task of satellite component contour extraction effectively. To this end, this paper aims to propose a high-quality real-time contour extraction method based on lightweight space mobile platforms.

Design/methodology/approach

A contour extraction method that combines two edge clues is proposed. First, Canny algorithm is improved to extract preliminary contours without inner edges from the depth images. Subsequently, a new type of edge pixel feature is designed based on surface normal. Finally, surface normal edges are extracted to supplement the integrity of the preliminary contours for contour extraction.

Findings

Extensive experiments show that this method can achieve a performance comparable to that of deep learning-based methods and can achieve a 36.5 FPS running rate on mobile processors. In addition, it exhibits better robustness under complex scenes.

Practical implications

The proposed method is expected to promote the deployment process of satellite component contour extraction tasks on lightweight space mobile platforms.

Originality/value

A pixel feature for edge detection is designed and combined with the improved Canny algorithm to achieve satellite component contour extraction. This study provides a new research idea for contour extraction and instance segmentation research.
An exploration of the practices of locational flexibility in developing economies: insights from the Nigerian higher education sector
Authors: Mordi Chima , Ajonbadi Hakeem Adeniyi , Adekoya Olatunji David , Oruh Emeka Smart
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study explores the practices of locational flexibility in the Nigerian higher education sector. It examines the realities of remotely organising and managing academics' teaching and administrative workload, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

Relying on the interpretative paradigm, the dataset consists of semi-structured interviews with 92 professionals in the Nigerian higher educational institution (HEI) sector drawn from private and public federal government-owned and regional (otherwise known as state government) tertiary institutions.

Findings

The study highlights the practices of locational flexibility across the Nigerian higher education sector. Therefore, it underscores the notions of locational flexibility from the perspective of Nigerian academics. It reveals a paucity in the range and usage of locational flexibility options across the Nigerian higher education sector, as well as the factors shaping its implementation and utilisation. Ultimately, in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, the findings reveal that locational flexibility is predominantly environmentally induced.

Originality/value

This study focused on a salient topic that explores the practices of locational flexibility, particularly in an underresearched context of developing economies, specifically Nigeria. Moreover, the study contributes to the scarce literature on locational flexibility. Additionally, unlike previous studies that are mostly preoccupied with the meaning of the concept and the importance of the practice to employees' work-life balance, organisational flexibility, and overall operational performance, this study underpins the practices, utilisation and barriers to implementing locational flexibility.
Time to build a new practice of foresight for national economies? Ireland, and uncertain futures in forecasts and scenarios
Authors: O’Mahony Tadhg , Luukkanen Jyrki , Vehmas Jarmo , Kaivo-oja Jari Roy Lee
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The literature on economic forecasting, is showing an increase in criticism, of the inaccuracy of forecasts, with major implications for economic, and fiscal policymaking. Forecasts are subject to the systemic uncertainty of human systems, considerable event-driven uncertainty, and show biases towards optimistic growth paths. The purpose of this study is to consider approaches to improve economic foresight.

Design/methodology/approach

This study describes the practice of economic foresight as evolving in two separate, non-overlapping branches, short-term economic forecasting, and long-term scenario analysis of development, the latter found in studies of climate change and sustainability. The unique case of Ireland is considered, a country that has experienced both steep growth and deep troughs, with uncertainty that has confounded forecasting. The challenges facing forecasts are discussed, with brief review of the drivers of growth, and of long-term economic scenarios in the global literature.

Findings

Economic forecasting seeks to manage uncertainty by improving the accuracy of quantitative point forecasts, and related models. Yet, systematic forecast failures remain, and the economy defies prediction, even in the near-term. In contrast, long-term scenario analysis eschews forecasts in favour of a set of plausible or possible alternative scenarios. Using alternative scenarios is a response to the irreducible uncertainty of complex systems, with sophisticated approaches employed to integrate qualitative and quantitative insights.

Research limitations/implications

To support economic and fiscal policymaking, it is necessary support advancement in approaches to economic foresight, to improve handling of uncertainty and related risk.

Practical implications

While European Union Regulation (EC) 1466/97 mandates pursuit of improved accuracy, in short-term economic forecasts, there is now a case for implementing advanced foresight approaches, for improved analysis, and more robust decision-making.

Social implications

Building economic resilience and adaptability, as part of a sustainable future, requires both long-term strategic planning, and short-term policy. A 21st century policymaking process can be better supported by analysis of alternative scenarios.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the article is original in considering the application of scenario foresight approaches, in economic forecasting. The study has value in improving the baseline forecast methods, that are fundamental to contemporary economics, and in bringing the field of economics into the heart of foresight.
Examining employee performance through knowledge management practices, organisational commitment and capacity building in the Malaysian hotel industry
Authors: Patwary Ataul Karim , Azam Nor Rabiatul Adawiyah Nor , Ashraf Muhammad Umair , Muhamed Yusoff Abdullah , Mehmood Waqas , Rabiul Md Karim
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the role of knowledge management practices, organisational commitment and capacity building on employee performance in the hotel industry. This study also investigated the mediating role of organisational commitment and capacity building between knowledge management practices and employee performance.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative approach and questionnaire survey were used to collect data from hotel employees from Malaysia. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to collect data from 291 participants, and partial least squares structural equation modelling was used to analyse the hypotheses.

Findings

The results of this study confirm that knowledge management practices positively and significantly affect knowledge-employee performance. Employees achieve this performance through the mediating influence of organisational commitment and capacity building culture.

Practical implications

This study offers several implications for Malaysian practitioners and policymakers regarding learning and knowledge management practices in the hospitality industry. The results suggest that organisations can manage knowledge assets and key processes of the organisational environment to create and use knowledge to improve sustainable employee performance through knowledge management practices.

Originality/value

This study sheds light on the knowledge management literature by examining the effect of knowledge management practices on organisational commitment, particularly in the hospitality industry in Malaysia.
Meaning making and relatedness: exploring critical data literacies on social media
Authors: Nguyen Ha , Parameswaran Prasina
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The goal of this study is to explore how content creators engage in critical data literacies on TikTok, a social media site that encourages the creation and dissemination of user-created, short-form videos. Critical data literacies encompass the ability to reason with, critique, control, and repurpose data for creative uses. Existing work on critical data literacies on social media has focused on understanding of personal data, critique of data use, and strategies to protect privacy. This work focuses on how TikTok content creators repurpose data to construct their own narratives.

Design/methodology/approach

Through hashtag search, the authors created a corpus of 410 TikTok videos focused on discussing environmental and climate action, and qualitatively coded the videos for data literacies practices and video features (audio, footage, background images) that may support these practices.

Findings

Content creators engaged in multiple practices to attach meanings to data and situate environmental and climate action discourse in lived experiences. While there were instances of no data practices, we found cases where creators compiled different data sources, situated data in personal and local contexts, and positioned their experiences as data points to supplement or counter other statistics. Creators further leveraged the platform’s technical features, particularly the ability to add original audio and background images, to add narratives to the collective discourse.

Originality/value

This study presents a unique focus on examining critical data literacies on social media. Findings highlight how content creators repurpose data and integrate personal experiences. They illustrate platform features to support data practices and inform the design of learning environments.
Differentiated SnSb grain size distribution for improved tribological properties of Babbitt alloy
Authors: Ni Yuquan , Guo Peng , Ren Chonggang , Yin Jicai , Bian Bingchuan
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The grain size and grain distribution mode have a significant impact on the tribological properties of Babbitt alloy. The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of differentiated SnSb grain size distribution on the improvement of tribological properties of Babbitt alloy.

Design/methodology/approach

Babbitt (marked by babbitt-cr), with a differentiated SnSb grain size distribution, was fabricated using a selective zone laser surface treatment. Bare Babbitt with coarse SnSb grain was marked as babbitt-c, and Babbitt with refined SnSb grain was marked as babbitt-r. The microstructure, microhardness and wettability of specimens were tested. The tribological properties of babbitt-c, babbitt-r and babbitt-cr were evaluated under dry and lubricated conditions.

Findings

The microstructure transforms from single coarse SnSb grain distribution or single refined SnSb grain distribution to differentiated SnSb grain size distribution, as a result of selective zone laser surface treatment. Among three specimens of microhardness, babbitt-cr showed the highest microhardness. The lipophilicity property of babbitt-cr was better compared to babbitt-c. A mixture of coarse and refined grain is beneficial to improve the tribological properties of Babbitt alloy under dry condition. Furthermore, compared with babbitt-c, the wear resistance of babbitt-cr was enhanced under lubricated condition. However, the anti-wear property of babbitt-cr was not significantly improved relative to babbitt-r with an increase in the loads.

Originality/value

The study demonstrates that modulated different grain size alternating distribution modes can improve the tribological properties of Babbitt alloy.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/ILT-09-2022-0259/
The presence of women in family SMEs' succession process: a conceptual framework guided by gender perspective
Authors: Franco Mário , Nagilla Mayara , Rodrigues Margarida
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aims to analyze how the presence of women is seen in family small and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) succession process from the successors' perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

To do so, the multiple case study method (qualitative approach) was used: five Brazilian SMEs and three Portuguese SMEs, and the data-collecting techniques were the online interview and documentary analysis. Data analysis was through content analysis using NVivo software.

Findings

The empirical evidence obtained led to the conclusion that the natural succession process is predominant in the family SMEs studied here. Although succession planning is present in some firms, these plans are informal and not rigid as regards deadlines. Nor do they present stages and tasks that could be considered as a planned succession.

Practical implications

The study shows that successors do not see gender as a relevant criterion for the choice of successor. It is concluded that women's participation in family SME succession, even to a lesser extent, is still marked by gender inequality. So, this study provides directions to policymakers and researchers to focus on developmental programmes for the presence of women in family SMEs' succession process.

Originality/value

Although some successors consider that these firms' performance may be different due to gender characteristics, others emphasize that management is the same. Therefore, this study provides the futuristic direction to policymakers, researchers and educators for focusing on the enhancement of women entrepreneurs which plays a crucial role in the family SMEs' succession process. Therefore, a conceptual framework is proposed that explains the articulation of different categories to understand the gender perspective in family firms' succession.
Election campaigns and the cyclical nature of emotions—How politicians engage in affective polarization
Authors: Öhberg Patrik , Cassel Felix
Published: June 2023

Do politicians get emotional during an election campaign? We examine the existence of changes in partisan in‐group favoritism and partisan out‐group hostility among political elites by evaluating the degree to which they fluctuate before, during and after election campaigns. The lack of elite level panel data has prevented scholars from studying the dynamics of politicians' emotions around the most emotionally intense political event in democracies: elections. We focus on Sweden around the 2014 election and follow more than 700 Swedish politicians before, during and after a national election campaign using a unique three‐wave panel survey. The results reveal that politicians' emotions towards other parties are affected during the election, but less so for their own party. Our study adds to the body of recent evidence that campaigns mobilize partisan identities and increase partisan animus.
GC–MS‐based metabolomics approach reveals metabolic variations between probiotics incorporated cow and goat milk yoghurt
Authors: Sharma Heena , Ramanathan Ranjith
Published: June 2023

The work is aimed at elucidation of metabolite profile of probiotic yoghurts prepared from cow milk (CPY) and goat milk (GPY) using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry‐based untargeted metabolomics approach. A total of 192 metabolites including 49 differentially expressed metabolites (DEMs) were observed, wherein amino‐acids, peptides and analogues constituted 41.93% of the metabolite sub‐class. Acetic acid, glycine, Thr‐Ala, octanoic acid, l‐kynurenine and 2‐amino adipic acid were among the top 15 DEMs. A significant relationship with seven key metabolic pathways including glycolysis, lysine degradation, purine metabolism, fatty acid biosynthesis, tryptophan metabolism, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism and glycine, serine and threonine metabolism has been established based on their impact values.
Factors affecting tourist expectations of wildlife tour programs for mindfulness and conservative wildlife tourism: The case of Dong Phayayen‐Khao Yai, a World Heritage Site in Thailand
Authors: Manowaluilou Nongluck , Sangchoey Thanakrit
Published: June 2023

The objectives of this study are to (1) classify wildlife tourists' behaviors and attitudes toward wildlife tourism; (2) analyze expectations of wildlife tour programs in the Dong Phaya Yen‐Khao Yai World Heritage Site in Thailand. The data collection methods were: questionnaires and focus groups conducted from September 2021 to February 2022. A path analysis model analyzed factors influencing wildlife tourists' decisions. This study proposed four wildlife tourist groups: true wildlife, researchers, generalists, and tag‐along. Tourists' wildlife tourism programs and models have been proposed to respond to the needs of each wildlife tourist with mindfulness and conservation as the focus. The results indicated that the wildlife tourism development in this area must use value‐creation with conservative wildlife activities and attractions. Based on these results concerning tourism development, wildlife tourist types should be considered significant concerns of wildlife tourist activities. For effective tourism development, priority should be given to developing facilities and providing quality services.
A systematic review of gut microbiota profile in COVID‐19 patients and among those who have recovered from COVID‐19
Authors: Simadibrata Daniel Martin , Lesmana Elvira , Gunawan Jeffri , Quigley Eamonn Martin , Simadibrata Marcellus
Published: June 2023

Objectives

Given the scale and persistence of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID‐19), significant attention has been devoted to understanding the relationship between human gut microbiota and COVID‐19. In this systematic review we aimed to comprehensively assess the gut microbiota composition in patients infected with COVID‐19 and those recovered from COVID‐19 in comparison to healthy controls (HCs).

Methods

Peer‐reviewed articles and preprints published up to September 1, 2022, were searched in Ovid MEDLINE, Ovid EMBASE, and SCOPUS. Observational studies reporting the gut microbiota profile in adult (≥18 years) COVID‐19 patients or those recovered from COVID‐19 compared to HCs were eligible for inclusion in this systematic review. The quality assessment of studies was performed using the Newcastle‐Ottawa scale.

Results

We identified 27 studies comprising 18 studies that compared COVID‐19 patients and six that compared recovered COVID‐19 patients to HCs, while the other three studies compared both COVID‐19 and recovered COVID‐19 patients to HCs. Compared to HCs, decreased gut microbial diversity and richness and a distinctive microbial composition were reported in COVID‐19 patients and recovered COVID‐19 patients. In COVID‐19 patients, Bacteroidetes were found to be enriched, and Firmicutes depleted. Decreased short‐chain fatty acid (SCFA)‐producing bacteria, such as Faecalibacterium, Ruminococcus, and Bifidobacterium, among others, were also observed in COVID‐19 patients, which were not restored to normal levels in those who recovered.

Conclusion

Gut dysbiosis was evident in COVID‐19, and available data suggested that dysbiosis persisted even in recovered COVID‐19 patients, with decreased Firmicutes and SCFA‐producing bacteria.
Estimating the cumulative impact and zone of influence of anthropogenic features on biodiversity
Authors: Niebuhr Bernardo Brandão , Van Moorter Bram , Stien Audun , Tveraa Torkild , Strand Olav , Langeland Knut , Sandström Per , Alam Moudud , Skarin Anna , Panzacchi Manuela
Published: June 2023

The concept of cumulative impacts is widespread in policy documents, regulations and ecological studies, but quantification methods are still evolving. Infrastructure development usually takes place in landscapes with preexisting anthropogenic features. Typically, their impact is determined by computing the distance to the nearest feature only, thus ignoring the potential cumulative impacts of multiple features. We propose the cumulative ZOI approach to assess whether and to what extent anthropogenic features lead to cumulative impacts.

The approach estimates both effect size and zone of influence (ZOI) of anthropogenic features and allows for estimation of cumulative effects of multiple features distributed in the landscape. First, we use simulations and an empirical study to understand under which circumstances cumulative impacts arise. Second, we demonstrate the approach by estimating the cumulative impacts of tourist infrastructure in Norway on the habitat of wild reindeer (Rangifer t. tarandus), a near‐threatened species highly sensitive to anthropogenic disturbance.

In the simulations, we showed that analyses based on the nearest feature and our cumulative approach are indistinguishable in two extreme cases: when features are few and scattered and their ZOI is small, and when features are clustered and their ZOI is large. The empirical analyses revealed cumulative impacts of private cabins and tourist resorts on reindeer, extending up to 10 and 20 km, with different decaying functions. Although the impact of an isolated private cabin was negligible, the cumulative impact of ‘cabin villages’ could be much larger than that of a single large tourist resort. Focusing on the nearest feature only underestimates the impact of ‘cabin villages’ on reindeer.

The suggested approach allows us to quantify the magnitude and spatial extent of cumulative impacts of point, linear, and polygon features in a computationally efficient and flexible way and is implemented in the oneimpact R package. The formal framework offers the possibility to avoid widespread underestimations of anthropogenic impacts in ecological and impact assessment studies and can be applied to a wide range of spatial response variables, including habitat selection, population abundance, species richness and diversity, community dynamics and other ecological processes.
Incidence and genetic diversity of raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV) in Rubus spp. in Turkey
Authors: Çağlayan Kadriye , Ördek Kivilcim , Gazel Mona , Elçi Eminur , Roumi Vahid , Lamovšek Janja , Mavrič Pleško Irena
Published: June 2023

Raspberry bushy dwarf virus (RBDV), recently renamed to Idaeovirus rubi, is one of the most common viruses infecting Rubus species worldwide but there is still a limited number of genome sequences available in the GenBank database and the majority of the sequences include partial sequences of RNA‐1 and RNA‐2. The distribution and incidence of RBDV in main raspberry and blackberry growing provinces in Turkey were monitored during 2015–2019 and 537 Rubus spp. samples were tested by both DAS‐ELISA and RT‐PCR. Among the tested samples, 36 samples tested positive for RBDV by DAS‐ELISA and 67 samples by RT‐PCR. There was relatively low nucleotide diversity among the Turkish isolates. Turkish isolates shared 93%–97.7%, 84.3%–98.9%, and 85%–99.2% nucleotide sequence identities with available sequences in the GenBank, in partial RNA‐1, movement protein (MP) and coat protein (CP) genes, respectively. In the phylogenetic tree constructed for RNA‐1, MP, and CP sequences, all Turkish raspberry isolates were clustered in a distinct clade. However, the blackberry isolates showed considerable variation in nucleotide sequences and were placed in three distinct groups. The divergent blackberry isolates showed high variability in MP (84.5%–89.3%) and CP (85.5%–89.7%) regions and were placed in a distinct group. The rest of blackberry isolates clustered together with sweet cherry RBDV isolates adjacent to the grapevine clade or together with raspberry isolates. The comparative analysis conducted on three RNA segments of RBDV highlighted the high sequence diversity of Turkish RBDV isolates. This study also emphasizes the importance of regular monitoring of RBDV infections in Turkey, with special regard to those Rubus spp. and grapevine accessions employed in conservation and selection programmes. In particular, the presence of new RBDV genetic variants and infection of Rubus species must be taken into account to choose a correct detection protocol and management strategy.
Prediction models in prehospital and emergency medicine research: How to derive and internally validate a clinical prediction model
Authors: Buick Jason E. , Austin Peter C. , Cheskes Sheldon , Ko Dennis T. , Atzema Clare L.
Published: June 2023

Clinical prediction models are created to help clinicians with medical decision making, aid in risk stratification, and improve diagnosis and/or prognosis. With growing availability of both prehospital and in‐hospital observational registries and electronic health records, there is an opportunity to develop, validate, and incorporate prediction models into clinical practice. However, many prediction models have high risk of bias due to poor methodology. Given that there are no methodological standards aimed at developing prediction models specifically in the prehospital setting, the objective of this paper is to describe the appropriate methodology for the derivation and validation of clinical prediction models in this setting. What follows can also be applied to the emergency medicine (EM) setting. There are eight steps that should be followed when developing and internally validating a prediction model: (1) problem definition, (2) coding of predictors, (3) addressing missing data, (4) ensuring adequate sample size, (5) variable selection, (6) evaluating model performance, (7) internal validation, and (8) model presentation. Subsequent steps include external validation, assessment of impact, and cost‐effectiveness. By following these steps, researchers can develop a prediction model with the methodological rigor and quality required for prehospital and EM research.