bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Time-lapse mechanical imaging of neural tube closure in live embryo using Brillouin microscopy
Authors: Handler Chenchen , Scarcelli Giuliano , Zhang Jitao
Published: October 2022

Neural tube closure (NTC) is a complex process of embryonic development involving molecular, cellular, and biomechanical mechanisms. While the genetic factors and biochemical signaling have been extensively investigated, the role of tissue biomechanics remains mostly unexplored due to the lack of tools. Here, we developed a new optical modality that can conduct time-lapse mechanical imaging of neural plate tissue as the embryo is experiencing neurulation. This technique is based on the combination of a confocal Brillouin microscope and an on-stage incubator for the modified ex ovo culturing of chick embryo. With this technique, for the first time, we captured the mechanical evolution of the neural plate tissue with live embryos. Specifically, we observed the continuous stiffening of the neural plate during NTC for ex ovo cultured embryos, which is consistent with the data of in ovo culture as well as previous studies. Beyond that, we found the tissue stiffening was highly correlated with the tissue thickening and bending. We foresee this non-contact and label-free technique can open new opportunities to understand the biomechanical mechanisms in development.

Summary statement

An all-optical technique is developed to capture the evolution of tissue mechanics during neural tube closure of live chick embryo.
Pangenome Graph Construction from Genome Alignment with Minigraph-Cactus
Authors: Hickey Glenn , Monlong Jean , Ebler Jana , Novak Adam , Eizenga Jordan M. , Gao Yan ,   Human Pangenome Reference Consortium, Marschall Tobias , Li Heng , Paten Benedict
Published: October 2022

Reference genomes provide mapping targets and coordinate systems but introduce biases when samples under study diverge sufficiently from them. Pangenome references seek to address this by storing a representative set of diverse haplotypes and their alignment, usually as a graph. Alternate alleles determined by variant callers can be used to construct pangenome graphs, but thanks to advances in long-read sequencing, high-quality phased assemblies are becoming widely available. Constructing a pangenome graph directly from assemblies, as opposed to variant calls, leverages the graph’s ability to consistently represent variation at different scales and reduces biases introduced by reference-based variant calls. Pangenome construction in this way is equivalent to multiple genome alignment. Here we present the Minigraph-Cactus pangenome pipeline, a method to create pangenomes directly from whole-genome alignments, and demonstrate its ability to scale to 90 human haplotypes from the Human Pangenome Reference Consortium (HPRC). This tool was designed to build graphs containing all forms of genetic variation while still being practical for use with current mapping and genotyping tools. We show that this graph is useful both for studying variation within the input haplotypes, but also as a basis for achieving state of the art performance in short and long read mapping, small variant calling and structural variant genotyping. We further measure the effect of the quality and completeness of reference genomes used for analysis within the pangenomes, and show that using the CHM13 reference from the Telomere-to-Telomere Consortium improves the accuracy of our methods, even after projecting back to GRCh38. We also demonstrate that our method can apply to nonhuman data by showing improved mapping and variant detection sensitivity with aDrosophila melanogasterpangenome.
Kinetics of blood cell differentiation during hematopoiesis revealed by quantitative long-term live imaging
Authors: Ho Kevin Y.L. , Carr Rosalyn L. , Dvoskin Alexandra D. , Tanentzapf Guy
Published: October 2022

Stem cells typically reside in a specialized physical and biochemical environment that facilitates regulation of their behavior. For this reason, stem cells are ideally studied in contexts that maintain this precisely constructed microenvironment while still allowing for live imaging. Here, we describe a long-term organ culture and imaging strategy for hematopoiesis in flies that takes advantage of powerful genetic and transgenic tools available in this system. We find that fly blood progenitors undergo symmetric cell divisions and that their division is both linked to cell size and is spatially oriented. Using quantitative imaging to simultaneously track markers for stemness and differentiation in progenitors, we identify two types of differentiation that exhibit distinct kinetics. Moreover, we find that infection-induced activation of hematopoiesis occurs through modulation of the kinetics of cell differentiation. Overall, our results show that even subtle shifts in proliferation and differentiation kinetics can have large and aggregate effects to transform blood progenitors from a quiescent to an activated state.
The fate of recessive deleterious or overdominant mutations near mating-type loci under partial selfing
Authors: Tezenas Emilie , Giraud Tatiana , Véber Amandine , Billiard Sylvain
Published: October 2022

Large regions of suppressed recombination having extended over time occur in many organisms around genes involved in mating compatibility (sex-determining or mating-type genes). The sheltering of deleterious alleles has been proposed to be involved in such expansions. However, the dynamics of deleterious mutations partially linked to genes involved in mating compatibility are not well understood, especially in finite populations. In particular, under what conditions deleterious mutations are likely to be maintained for long enough near mating-compatibility genes remains to be evaluated, especially under selfing, which generally increases the purging rate of deleterious mutations. Using a branching process approximation, we studied the fate of a new deleterious or overdominant mutation in a diploid population, considering a locus carrying two permanently heterozygous mating-type alleles, and a partially linked locus at which the mutation appears. We obtained analytical and numerical results on the probability and purging time of the new mutation. We investigated the impact of recombination between the two loci and of the mating system (outcrossing, intra and inter-tetrad selfing) on the maintenance of the mutation. We found that the presence of a fungal-like mating-type locus (i.e. not preventing diploid selfing) always sheltered the mutation under selfing,i.e. it decreased the purging probability and increased the purging time of the mutations. The sheltering effect was higher in case of automixis (intra-tetrad selfing). This may contribute to explain why evolutionary strata of recombination suppression near the mating-type locus are found mostly in automictic (pseudo-homothallic) fungi. We also showed that rare events of deleterious mutation maintenance during strikingly long evolutionary times could occur, suggesting that deleterious mutations can indeed accumulate near the mating-type locus over evolutionary time scales. In conclusion, our results show that, although selfing purges deleterious mutations, these mutations can be maintained for very long times near a mating-type locus, which may contribute to promote the evolution of recombination suppression in sex-related chromosomes.
Glia-specific expression of neuropeptide receptor Lgr4 regulates development and adult physiology in Drosophila
Authors: Lee Seung Gee , Kaur Jasdeep , Miao Hongyu , Kim Woo Jae
Published: October 2022

Similar to the human brain, Drosophila glia may well be divided into several subtypes that each carry out specific functions. Glial GPCRs plays key roles in crosstalk between neurons and glia. Drosophila Lgr4 (dLgr4) is a human relaxin receptor homolog involved in angiogenesis, cardiovascular regulation, collagen remodeling, and wound healing. Recent study suggests that ilp7 might be the ligand for Lgr4 and regulates escape behavior of Drosophila larvae. Here we demonstrate that Drosophila Lgr4 expression in glial cells, not neurons, is necessary for early development, adult behavior, and lifespan. Reducing the Lgr4 level in glial cells, but not neurons, disrupts Drosophila development, although knocking down other LGR family members in glia has no impact. Adult-specific knockdown of Lgr4 in glia but not neurons reduce locomotion, male reproductive success, and animal longevity. The investigation of how glial expression of Lgr4 contributes to this behavioral alteration will increase our understanding of how insulin signaling via glia selectively modulates neuronal activity and behavior.
Baculoviral COVID-19 Delta DNA vaccine cross-protects against SARS-CoV2 variants in K18-ACE2 transgenic mice
Authors: Jang Yuyeon , Cho Hansam , Chun Jungmin , Park Kihoon , Nowakowska Aleksandra , Kim Jinha , Lee Hyeondong , Lee Chanyeong , Han Yejo , Lee Hee-Jung , Shin Ha-Youn , Kim Young Bong
Published: October 2022

After severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV2) made the world tremble with a global pandemic, SARS-CoV2 vaccines were developed. However, due to the coronavirus’s intrinsic nature, new variants emerged, such as Delta and Omicron, refractory to the vaccines derived using the original Wuhan strain. We developed an HERV-enveloped recombinant baculoviral DNA vaccine against SARS-CoV2 (AcHERV-COVID19S). A non-replicating recombinant baculovirus that delivers the SARS-CoV2 spike gene showed a protective effect against the homologous challenge in a K18-hACE2 Tg mice model; however, it offered only a 50% survival rate against the SARS-CoV2 Delta variant. Therefore, we further developed the AcHERV-COVID19 Delta vaccine (AcHERV-COVID19D). Cross-protection experiments revealed that mice vaccinated with the AcHERV-COVID19D showed 100% survival upon challenge with Delta and Omicron variants and 71.4% survival against prototype SARS-CoV2. These results support the potential of the viral vector vaccine, AcHERV-COVID19D, in preventing the spread of coronavirus variants such as Omicron and SARS-CoV2 variants.

Author Summary

After the SARS-CoV2 pandemic, it is known that the existing vaccine has diminished efficacy against the emerging variants. We developed a baculoviral COVID19 DNA vaccine for the Delta variant (AcHERV-COVIS19D). Compared to AcHERV-COVID19S, designed to protect from the prototype of SARS-CoV2, AcHERV-COVID19D elicited higher humoral and cellular immunity and showed perfect protection against SARS-CoV2 delta strain and Omicron challenge. The broad and robust cellular immunity of the AcHERV-COVID19D vaccine appears to have played a significant role in the cross-protection of the Omicron variant. Our AcHERV-COVID19D can be a potential vaccine against emerging SARS-CoV2 variants.
Stromal STAT5-mediated trophic activity regulates hematopoietic multipotent progenitor niche factors
Authors: Wang Zhengqi , Emmel Grace , Lim Hong Seo , Zhu Wandi , Kosters Astrid , Ghosn Eliver E.B. , Qiu Peng , Bunting Kevin D.
Published: October 2022

Signal transducer and activator of transcription 5 (STAT5a and STAT5b) are intrinsically critical for normal hematopoiesis but are also expressed in stromal cells. Here, STAT5ab knockout (KO) was generated with a variety of bone marrow hematopoietic and stromal Cre transgenic mouse strains. Vav1-Cre, the positive control for loss of multipotent hematopoietic function, surprisingly dysregulated niche factor mRNA expression and deleted STAT5ab in CD45neg cells. Single cell transcriptome analysis of bone marrow from wild-type or Vav1-Cre KO mice showed hematopoietic stem cell myeloid commitment priming and upregulated protein translation genes. Nes+ cells were detected in both CD45neg and CD45+ clusters and deletion of STAT5ab with Nes-Cre caused hematopoietic repopulating defects. To follow up on these promiscuous Cre promoter deletions in CD45neg and CD45+ bone marrow cell populations, more stroma-specific Cre strains were generated and demonstrated reduction in multipotent hematopoietic progenitors. Functional support for niche-supporting activity was assessed using STAT5-deficient MSCs. With Lepr-Cre, niche factor mRNAs were downregulated by STAT5ab deletion with validation of reduced IGF-1 and CXCL12 proteins. Furthermore, computational analyses (differential expression/co-expression) revealed a key role for STAT5ab/Cish balance with Cish strongly co-expressed in MSCs and HSCs primed for differentiation. Therefore STAT5ab-associated gene regulation supports the bone marrow microenvironment.
Evaluating rotations as a strategy to delay the evolution of insecticide resistance in vectors of human diseases
Authors: Hastings Ian , Jones Sam , South Andy
Published: October 2022

Introduction

Insecticide resistance threatens the control of important human vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue. The current de facto strategy is to target the insect vectors using a sequential deployment of insecticides i.e. use one insecticide (usually the cheapest available) until resistance has made it ineffective and then replace it with the next insecticide in the repertoire. Rotations of insecticides are often advocated as a potentially superior method of using the insecticide repertoire to delay the evolution of resistance. Testing this hypothesis in the field is logistically demanding and an in silico approach offers a much faster, flexible and transparent method of evaluating rotations.

Methods

We develop an in silico approach to evaluate rotations using sequential deployment as the baseline. We explored a wide range of deployment scenarios, underlying genetics of resistance, and incorporated costs of resistance and gene flow to/from untreated refugia.

Results

We found that, under most circumstances, resistance to all the insecticides in the repertoire were reached at very similar times for rotations and sequences. Any advantages of one strategy over the other tended to be small (typically <10%) and unpredictable.

Conclusions

Operational factors, such as cost or supply-chain security, may therefore largely determine the optimal choice of insecticide deployment strategies.
The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic in higher education: a gender perspective
Authors: Hamadeh Randah R , AlSabbagh Maha , Bugawa Afaf Mubarak , Kamal Adel , Ali Fuad , Al Bufalasa Ghada Abdulla , AlShaibani Tarik
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The study will inform relevant workplace gendered policies at the university and other academic institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross -sectional study was conducted on all the Arabian Gulf University full-time employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, in June 2021. A questionnaire was sent to the employees requesting data that included sociodemographic data, living conditions, psychological status, social aspects, work productivity and satisfaction. The generalized anxiety disorder questionnaire (GAD-7) was used to screen for anxiety.

Findings

Gender disparity was noted in the increase of responsibilities at home and towards young children, and in stress and anxiety. Women’s reductions in peer (90.7%) and social (88%) interactions were higher than among males (81.8%, 73%, respectively). There was a narrow gender gap in work productivity and workload. More males reported that the university was concerned about its employees during COVID-19 and were satisfied with the measures taken. There was a gender disparity with respect to superiors periodically checking if the workload was manageable and discussing the mental health and well-being of the employees.

Research limitations/implications

Future research directions may focus on how gender impacts the perception and response to crises in higher education in Arab countries.

Originality/value

This is one of the few studies in the region that examined the gendered psychosocial impact of COVID-19 and productivity in the workplace using a higher education institution as an example.
M-PoP: leveraging the systematic modeling of processes-of-business processes
Authors: Cagnin Maria Istela , Nakagawa Elisa Yumi
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper presents M-PoP, a method to model large, complex, and dynamic business processes. These processes have sometimes resulted from alliances of organizations (i.e. joint ventures and mergers and acquisitions) and are referred to as Processes-of-Business Processes (PoP). Due to the difficulty of modeling these dynamic processes, alliances of organizations have often lost opportunities, competitiveness, and profitability, so requiring suitable modeling methods.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors proposed M-PoP that can model PoP through three views in different abstraction levels and using well-known techniques in industry and academia, mainly those from Business Process Model and Notation (BPMN). For this, M-PoP presents three main steps: identification of PoP elements, modeling of PoP, and verification of PoP models. To evaluate M-PoP, we applied it in a real-world business process in the health domain.

Findings

The evaluation results point out the capability and viability of M-PoP to deal with dynamic business processes.

Research limitations/implications

M-PoP still needs to be applied in various real-world scenarios to gather evidence of its productivity, efficiency, and scalability.

Practical implications

This novel method could change the way organizations model their business processes and, as a consequence, it could leverage strategic business opportunities.

Originality/value

M-PoP is the first method that makes it possible to model large and complex business processes and, most importantly, dynamic processes.
Customer responses to the Airbnb platform: the role of Airbnb experience and memorability
Authors: Li Jing , So Kevin Kam Fung , Hudson Simon
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Guided by memory-dominant logic, this study aims to examine how Airbnb experiences (i.e. home benefits, social interaction and authenticity) lead to memorability, which subsequently results in platform attachment and loyalty. The mediating role of memorability and the moderating role of arousal in forming platform loyalty were also investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

A quantitative method was adopted including the use of a national survey with US travelers who had an Airbnb accommodation experience in the past six months. Data were collected from a representative sample generated from the Qualtrics consumer panel using an online self-administered survey.

Findings

Results suggested that Airbnb experiences have a positive impact on memorability, which leads to platform attachment and loyalty. The findings further supported the full mediation. The results also revealed a moderating role of arousal in influencing the relationship between social interaction and memorability.

Research limitations/implications

This study contributes to the literature by investigating the role of Airbnb experiences and memorability in influencing customer responses to the Airbnb platform. This study also provides a holistic understanding of how platform attachment and loyalty develop through the mechanism of memorability.

Practical implications

Given the continuous competition from hotels, Airbnb providers should continue to improve critical Airbnb attributes and balance its hedonic and functional values. The moderating role of arousal suggests that Airbnb could maintain a virtual community or a social platform where guests can interact with hosts or the locals before, during and after Airbnb experiences.

Originality/value

The findings provide a holistic understanding of the experiences with insight into the new business model of the sharing economy.
A systematic review of trust in sharing accommodation: progress and prospects from the multistakeholder perspective
Authors: Song Xiaoxiao , Gu Huimin , Li Yunpeng , Ye Weijiao
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Trust has emerged as a crucial research topic in the sharing economy. However, scholarship on trust in sharing accommodation remains limited. By using stakeholder theory, this study aims to provide a systematic framework for integrating trust among multiple stakeholders and identify potential knowledge gaps and future research directions for trust in sharing accommodation.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors select papers using a combination of multiple keywords from EBSCOhost and Web of Science. The analysis includes 172 journal papers published between 2011 and 2021. The authors conduct a systematic review through thematic content analysis, and each paper is analyzed using manual coding.

Findings

The analysis shows that key stakeholders for trust building in sharing accommodation include consumers, hosts, platforms, residents and governments, with most studies focusing on the consumer perspective. The study integrates various trust antecedents and outcomes from the above multistakeholder. Second, this study summarizes the most commonly used theories, and more diversified theories could be applied to future research. Third, this study finds that most studies use quantitative methods, and researchers should introduce more integrated methodologies such as machine learning on a large scale. Furthermore, the current research disciplinary paradigm should be extended to multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches to promote innovation in trust research. Finally, the COVID-19 pandemic has brought both challenges and opportunities to industry as well as researchers, and more institutional rather than commercial perspectives need to be addressed.

Research limitations/implications

The study contributes to the trust and the sharing economy literature by providing a systematic framework for integrating trust from multistakeholder perspectives. The study also points out several future research directions by combining micro and macro multistakeholder perspectives, identifying more diversified theories and methodologies and specifying multidisciplinary and interdisciplinary approaches.

Originality/value

The study advances knowledge by providing a systematic framework for integrating trust among multiple stakeholders and proposing future research directions for trust in sharing accommodation.
Flood susceptibility mapping in anthropogenic wetland area, Shadegan County, Southwest of Iran
Authors: Khaleghi Somaiyeh , Jadmavinejad Ahmad
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Shadegan County as a wetland area was selected because of its susceptibility to flooding hazards and inundation. The purpose of this paper is to analyze flooding hazard based on the analytical hierarchy process methodology.

Design/methodology/approach

The eight influencing factors (slope, distance from wetland, distance from river, drainage density, elevation, curve number, population density and vegetation density) were considered for flood mapping within the Shadegan County using analytical hierarchical process, geographical information system and remote sensing. The validation of the map was conducted based on the comparison of the historical flood inundation of April 21, 2019.

Findings

The results showed that around 32.65% of the area was under high to very high hazard zones, whereas 44.60% accounted for moderate and 22.75% for very low to the low probability of flooding. The distance from Shadegan Wetland has been gained high value and most of the hazardous areas located around this wetland. Finally, the observed flood density in the different susceptibility zones for the very high, high, moderate, low and very low susceptible zones were 0.35, 0.22, 0.15, 0.19, and 0.14, respectively.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the flood susceptibility map developed here is one of the first studies in a built wetland area which is affected by anthropogenic factors. The flood zonation map along with management and restoration of wetland can be best approaches to reduce the impacts of floods.
Linking entrepreneurial orientation with export performance: mediation effects of multiple differentiation strategies
Authors: Hossain Kamal , Che Abdullah Ahmad Sufian , Mohd Balwi Mohd Abd Wahab Fatoni , Lubis Asmuliadi , Azizan Noor Azlinna , Alam Mohammad Nurul , Taha Azni Zarina
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study aims to examine the effect of entrepreneurial orientation (EO) on the export performance of apparel small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) and the role of multiple differentiation strategy as a mediation effect between their relationships. It has also investigated the moderation impact of export market category between EO and performance relationship. The multiple differentiation strategy comprises the product (PDD), customer (CTD), service (SVD) and brand (BDD) differentiations.

Design/methodology/approach

A cross-sectional survey was carried out by providing a questionnaire to senior managers and owners of the apparel SMEs from the developed and developing markets exporters. The primary data of 550 was treated by the partial least squares-structural equation modelling) technique for final analysis.

Findings

The study revealed EO’s positive and significant effect on SMEs’ export performance. The study has found the mediation effect of product, customer and brand differentiation strategies between EO and export performance relationships from the mediation analysis. In contrast, service differentiation has found no mediation effect. However, the moderation effect (export market category) has revealed an insignificant effect between EO and performance association.

Research limitations/implications

The findings of this study are based on one country data analysis. This study has been conducted in the SMEs of the apparel industry in Bangladesh, considering only owners and senior-level managers of the firms.

Originality/value

This research has drawn the attention of managers/owners to EO and multiple differentiation strategies enhancing export performance from the developing country context, such as Bangladesh. Multiple differentiation as a competitive strategy is the pioneer application of mediating effect between EO and export performance relationships. Moreover, this research has investigated the effect of the export market category as a moderator. Dearth research has applied the export market category to investigate the moderation effect between EO-performance models. Therefore, current research has theoretical and practical contributions to the international entrepreneurship and strategic management literature.
Negotiating digital public spaces: context, purpose and audiences
Authors: Bettivia Rhiannon Stephanie , Stainforth Elizabeth
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to investigate digital public spaces and audiences and to explore the relationship of digital public spaces to both ideas of nationhood and physical public institutions.

Design/methodology/approach

The article investigates tensions arising from the conjuncture of public spaces and digital culture through the lens of the Digital Public Library of America (DPLA). This research uses qualitative content analysis of a range of data sources including semi-structured interviews, primary texts and secondary texts.

Findings

The construction of the public library space as a digital entity does not attract anticipated audiences. Additionally, the national framing of the DPLA is not compatible with how audiences engage with digital public spaces.

Originality/value

Drawing on original, qualitative data, this article engages with the prevalent but undertheorized concept of digital public spaces. The article addresses unreflexive uses of the digital public and the assumptions connected to the imagined audiences for platforms like the DPLA.
COVID-19 pandemic resilience: an analysis of firm valuation and disclosure of sustainability practices of listed firms
Authors: Phang Soon-Yeow , Adrian Christofer , Garg Mukesh , Pham Anh Viet , Truong Cameron
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the effect of firms’ sustainability practices on firm performance and valuation during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a sample of Australian listed firms from 2011 to 2021, the authors perform textual analysis on sustainability practices from annual reports and sustainability report disclosures and include this variable in various regression models that assess firm valuation. The authors also use propensity score matching and Heckman two-stage regression methodology to address endogeneity concerns.

Findings

The authors find that firms disclosing sustainability practices exhibit higher market valuations relative to other firms. Specifically, loss-making firms exhibit higher market valuation during the COVID-19 crisis relative to prior period. The authors also observe a negative association between sustainability practices and firm performance proxied by return on assets. The findings suggest that engagement in sustainable practices helps loss-making firms remain resilient during the pandemic. In addition, the authors find that the positive relation between sustainability practices and firm value is stronger among firms with a higher level of annual report readability.

Originality/value

Considering the conflicting evidence in the literature on the economic benefits of sustainability practices, this study takes advantage of the heterogeneity in corporate practices and provides empirical evidence that a firm’s sustainability practices can build economic resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. The authors believe the findings of the study is timely in informing the regulators and standard-setters on changes in reporting required to increase sustainability in the business practices.
Success or failure in equity crowdfunding? A systematic literature review and research perspectives
Authors: Mazzocchini Francesco James , Lucarelli Caterina
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a multidisciplinary framework that allows an integrated understanding of reasons of success or failure in equity crowdfunding (ECF), a Fintech digital innovation of the traditional entrepreneurial finance, defining a future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) has been conducted on 127 documents extracted from two multidisciplinary repositories (Elsevier’s Scopus and Clarivate Analytics Web of Science) for the period between 2015 and early 2022. After a systematized series of inclusion and exclusion criteria, in line with the objectives and conceptual boundaries, a final list of 32 peer-reviewed articles written in English was analyzed by the authors through a meta-synthesis and thematic analysis to identify the key themes and dominant concepts.

Findings

Results show that the body of literature is recent and fast growing. The proposed integrative framework of existing research indicates that the outcome of an ECF campaign is related to signals conveyed by entrepreneurs in the form of hard information (firm characteristics, financial information, business characteristics and project description) and soft information (intellectual capital, human capital, social capital and social media network), catalyzed by digital media that facilitate also personal interactions between entrepreneurs and investors. Similarly, external factors (investors and campaign characteristics, with the fundamental role of ECF platform managers in building trust between entrepreneurs and investors) allow for the alleviation of information asymmetries. The present study sheds light on which signal mechanisms are decisive in improving the outcome, taking into consideration various disciplines which follow different but complementary perspectives.

Practical implications

Entrepreneurs should adapt to the transition toward the digital era, exploiting alternative financial instruments and learning effective signaling strategies, within a large variety of skills requested. Platform managers can obtain more focused information on selected entrepreneurial projects more efficiently.

Originality/value

Although it is fast-growing, the field of research is very recent, still fragmented and limited to the perspective/discipline followed. This SLR is, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the first multidisciplinary and integrative analysis of reasons that motivates success, or failure, of an equity-based crowdfunding campaign. The digital nature of ECF encourages future research to move toward more pioneering and unconventional theories and research methods. Hence, the authors add to the existing literature by proposing future patterns of research based on an integration of highly technological skills and behavioral/psychological approaches.
A view similarity-based shape complexity metric to guide part selection for additive manufacturing
Authors: Jayapal Jayakrishnan , Kumaraguru Senthilkumaran , Varadarajan Sudhir
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a view similarity-based shape complexity metric to guide part selection for additive manufacturing (AM) and advance the goals of design for AM. The metric helps to improve the selection process by objectively screening a large number of parts and identifying the parts most suited for AM and enabling experts to prioritize parts from a smaller set based on relevant subjective/contextual factors.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology involves calculating a part’s shape complexity based on the concept of view similarity, that is, the similarity of different views of the outer shape and internal cross-sectional geometry. The combined shape complexity metric (weighted sum of the external shape and internal structure complexity) has been used to rank various three dimensional (3D) models. The metric has been tested for its sensitivity to various input parameters and thresholds are suggested for effective results. The proposed metric’s applicability for part selection has also been investigated and compared with the existing metric-based part selection.

Findings

The proposed shape complexity metric can distinguish the parts of different shapes, sizes and parts with minor design variations. The method is also efficient regarding the amount of data and computation required to facilitate the part selection. The proposed method can detect differences in the mass properties of a 3D model without evaluating the modified parameters. The proposed metric is effective in initial screening of a large number of parts in new product development and for redesign using AM.

Research limitations/implications

The proposed metric is sensitive to input parameters, such as the number of viewpoints, design orientation, image resolution and different lattice structures. To address this issue, this study suggests thresholds for each input parameter for optimum results.

Originality/value

This paper evaluates shape complexity using view similarity to rank parts for prototyping or redesigning with AM.
To be more different or just the same? Means versus ends in hybrid organizational legitimacy
Authors: Gauthier Jeffrey , Kappen Jeffrey A. , Zhang Justin Zuopeng
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to consider the legitimacy challenges faced by hybrid organizations, examining the narrative strategies hybrids use in responding to these challenges and offering a framework for managers to consider in their choice of narratives.

Design/methodology/approach

A narrative analysis of texts addressing the legitimacy of the business models used by four hybrid organizations is conducted.

Findings

The results of the analysis suggest that the nature of conflicting stakeholder demands – centered on goals or means – is an integral factor influencing hybrids’ choice of narrative strategies to emphasize distinctiveness or conformity.

Research limitations/implications

This paper adds to extant research examining the challenges hybrid organizations face and emphasizes that the choice of narrative strategies is an important factor hybrids must consider when managing legitimacy. Generalizability is a notable limitation of the case approach; the authors suggest areas for future research to address this limitation.

Practical implications

The research offers a practical framework for hybrids’ leaders, as they manage legitimacy, choosing to emphasize distinctiveness or conformity in the face of conflicts regarding goals or means.

Originality/value

By studying the legitimacy challenges faced by hybrid organizations, this study can form a more complete view of legitimation, encompassing different types of enterprises offering distinct value propositions.
Employee experience: the new employee value proposition
Authors: Panneerselvam Sivapragasam , Balaraman Kavitha
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Knowing what employees expect in the never normal environment post-COVID-19 can help organizations understand talent needs and preferences – including how and where they want to work, as well as what they need to feel productive – and then initiate action on those expectations. So, this paper aims to delineate the factors that makes an employee experience (EX) that align, empower and accelerate business impact.

Design/methodology/approach

This viewpoint paper draws on extant literature review – academic journals and mainstream business magazines – and establish a case for EX as an emerging concept in employer–employee relationship.

Findings

EX is the function of work, workplace culture, empowering technologies, flexible human resource policies/practices and importantly inclusive leadership. Positive EX determines employee engagement, which is likely to create a “positivity spiral” of culture, engagement and importantly organisational bottom-line.

Originality/value

EX is the new value proposition. This paper delineates five critical elements of EX and establish the case for continuing the research on EX as a critical line of inquiry in the human resource management (HRM) research tradition.
Fake news: a classification proposal and a future research agenda
Authors: Rahmanian Emad
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to unify fragmented definitions of fake news and also present a comprehensive classification of the concept. Additionally, it provides an agenda for future marketing research based on the findings.

Design/methodology/approach

A review of 36 articles investigating fake news from 1990 to 2020 was done. In total, 615 papers were found, and the article pool was refined manually in two steps; first, articles were skimmed and scanned for nonrelated articles; second, the pool was refined based on the scope of the research.

Findings

The review resulted in a new definition and a collective classification of fake news. Also, the feature of each type of fake news, such as facticity, intention, harm and humor, is examined as well, and a definition for each type is presented.

Originality/value

This extensive study, to the best of the author’s knowledge, for the first time, reviews major definitions and classification on fake news.
Government regulation and organizational effectiveness in the health-care supply chain
Authors: Hussain Matloub , Ahmad Syed Zamberi , Visvizi Anna
Published: October 2022

Purpose

In the context of the debate on ensuring health-care efficiency, this study aims to identify and prioritize factors and subfactors that influence organizational effectiveness (OE) in the health-care supply chain.

Design/methodology/approach

For the purpose of this qualitative study, triangulation was applied to identify, explore and systematically analyze the OE-related practices used by diverse stakeholders along the health-care supply chain. Sixty-two OE practices were thus identified. Subsequently, these were grouped in six different nodes before the analytical hierarchical process (AHP) was used to identify the weightings of specific practices (and related factors) and their impact on OE.

Findings

The findings suggest that external factors associated with government regulation, including government directives and branding, are the most critical factors that influence OE-related practices, while cost-related factors are the least important.

Originality/value

The originality of this study derives from the introduction of system theory supported by a modified supplier-input-process-output-customer (SIPOC) framework. Two important factors – government regulation and branding – have been introduced to the existing SIPOC chart as a valuable process structure for the health-care chain.
Understanding peer pressure on joint consumption decisions: the role of social capital during emerging adulthood
Authors: Li Zhen , Choi Soochan , Forrest Jeffrey Yi-Lin
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the effect of peer pressure on joint consumption decisions among emerging adults. Building on prospect theory and characteristics of emerging adulthood, the authors propose that influence from peers (i.e. informational and normative influence) serves as a channel to understand how peer pressure shapes joint consumer behaviors at different levels of social capital.

Design/methodology/approach

An online survey is distributed to the emerging adults, aged 18 to 25, in the south, west, east and middle of the USA. Construct validity and reliability are tested by using confirmatory factor analysis. Structural equation modeling is used to test the mediating and moderating effects.

Findings

The results show that social capital moderates the relationship between peer pressure and group-oriented consumer decisions, such that the relationship is positive in groups with high-level social capital but negative in groups with low-level social capital. Furthermore, such effects tend to be achieved via peer influence. And peer influence is stronger in groups with high-level social capital than those with low-level social capital.

Originality/value

The current literature has shown contradictory results: it is usually believed that emerging adults may conform to pressure and engage in group-oriented decisions; however, some research has reported the opposite result. To better understand this relationship, the authors aim at a group-level factor – perceived social capital – as a boundary condition. This research contributes to the young consumer decision-making literature by involving the interplay among peer pressure, perceived social capital and peer informational and normative influence.
Microecosystem of yak rumen on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau is stable and is unaffected by soil or grass microbiota
Authors: Fan Qingshan , Xie Kaili , Cui Xiongxiong , Zhang Guangyun , Zheng Haozhe , Chang Shenghua , Hou Fujiang
Published: October 2022

The rumen of livestock grazing on the Qinghai‐Tibetan Plateau (QTP) acts as a transfer station for the circulation of soil, grass, faecal mineral elements and nutrients. Whether the microorganisms from the soil and grass could circulate through livestock rumen and excreted faeces. We studied the structural composition and interactive networks of microbiomes (bacteria and fungi) in soil, grass, and grazing yaks (rumen and faeces) on the QTP by using 16S rRNA gene and internally transcribed spacer (ITS) sequencing technology and to calculate the contribution rate of microorganisms from one habitat to another habitat using SourceTracker analysis. The meta‐co‐occurrence network revealed that soil, grass, rumen, and faeces comprise four independent habitats. The bacterial and fungal composition was significantly different in these four habitats. Soil microbiota showed the highest alpha diversity and microbial network complexity. Rumen microbiota demonstrated the highest microbial network stability and synergy, while grass endophytes showed the lowest microbial network complexity, stability, and synergy. According to the SourceTracker model, grass contributes 0.02% to the rumen microbes of yaks, while soil microorganisms do not circulate in the rumen. The soil and grass microbiota originating from faeces were 4.5% and 1.2%, respectively. The contribution of soil to grass was found to be 1.1%. Overall, the rumen microbiota of yaks is relatively stable and is only minimally influenced by the microbiota inhabiting the environment under natural grazing conditions. However, the contribution of yaks to soil and grass microbiota is relatively high when compared with the contribution of soil and grass to yaks microbiota.
Agency: The constraint of instrumentality
Authors: Wahl Rachel
Published: October 2022

Enhancing agency—or in a more colloquial term, promoting empowerment—is typically viewed as an unquestioned good. International organisations promote the empowerment of girls and other vulnerable groups around the world. Domestically, democracies rely for their legitimacy on the idea that citizens have agency; hence, civic educators aim to strengthen student ‘voice’ and their inclination to participate. This is all for good reason, as justice does depend in part on the agency of individuals and oppressed groups. But a focus on individual or even collective agency has a dark side. For if people feel that they can change the world, then they also often feel that they should. This sense of responsibility to use one's agency at all times can encourage an instrumental relationship to others and make it difficult to learn receptively, particularly from people with whom we disagree, and especially in moments of crisis.
Mine closure, women, and crime in Matjhabeng, South Africa
Authors: Sesele Kentse , Marais Lochner
Published: October 2022

Research from the Global North suggests that crime increases during a mining boom but not during mining decline. Our evidence from the South African gold mining town of Matjhabeng (formerly Welkom) shows that crime increases during mining decline and affects women in particular. We use social disruption theory to explain women’s experiences of crime and also their involvement in it. We find that criminal activities harm women in particular, that crime has become entrenched within female‐headed households, and that women are conflicted in their roles as parents and become participants in crime and beneficiaries of criminal activities. It is a matter for concern that research generally ignores the sociospatial nature of mine closure and its effects on women.
A New Species ofJiangxialepis(Galeaspida) from the Lower Telychian (Silurian) of Jiangxi and its Biostratigraphic Significance
Authors: SHAN Xianren , ZHAO Wenjin , GAI Zhikun
Published: October 2022

A new species of Shuyuidae (Eugaleaspiformes, Galeaspida),Jiangxialepis jiujiangensissp. nov., is described from the lower Telychian (Llandovery, Silurian) Qingshui Formation in Jiujiang, Jiangxi Province, China. The new species differs from the type speciesJ. retrospinafrom Wuhan, Hubei Province in its sharp and posteriorly positioned median dorsal spine and narrow spine‐shaped inner cornual processes. The Silurian strata in Xiushui–Wuning area has provided a standard framework for the correlation of Silurian shallow marine red beds in South China. Thus, the finding ofJ. jiujiangensisfrom the Silurian Lower Red Beds (LRBs) in Jiangxi Province bears very important biostratigraphic significance. It can directly compare toJiangxialepis retrospinafrom the Fentou Formation in Wuhan, Hubei Province in the genus level. This indicates that the age of the fish‐bearing strata in Wuhan is most likely to be the early Telychian rather than middle Telychian as previously assumed.