bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Temperature modulates the dissemination potential ofMicrosporidia MB,a malaria-blocking endosymbiont ofAnophelesmosquitoes
Authors: Otieno Fidel Gabriel , Barreaux Priscille , Belvinos Affognon Steeven , Makhulu Edward Edmond , Onchuru Thomas Ogao , Wairimu Anne Wambui , Omboye Stancy Mandere , King’ori Cynthia Nyambura , Mawuko Sokame Bonoukpoè , Kebira Anthony Nyamache , Herren Jeremy Keith 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe endosymbiontMicrosporidia MBis a promising malaria control strategy that inhibits the development ofPlasmodiumnaturally inAnophelesmosquitoes. To be successful, it would be necessary to significantly increase the prevalence ofMicrosporidia MBin populations of malaria mosquitoes to decrease the malaria transmission potential of the mosquito population. However, very little is known about the role of temperature in driving the prevalence ofMicrosporidia MBinfections in mosquito populations. By rearing mosquito larvae under four air temperature regimes (22°C, 27°C, 32°C and 37°C), we show that warm temperatures favour the growth ofMicrosporidia MBinfected larvae. In addition,Microsporidia MBinfected larvae developed faster compared to the uninfected offspring of the same mothers. Starting with 10Microsporidia MBinfected mothers, our population growth model showed that, at 32°C, it would take 15-35 days to reach a population of 1000Microsporidia MBinfected mothers; this represents a dissemination potential of 4.7, 1.3 and 1.7 times higher compared to 22°C, 27°C and 37°C, respectively. Despite a relatively high mosquito mortality rate (20% more compared to 27°C), 32°C was estimated the best temperature for rearingMicrosporidia MBinfected larvae due to the shorter development time and high infection rate. This study gives insight into the favourable conditions forMicrosporidia MBmass rearing and potential release strategies in malarious regions.ImportanceMalaria parasites transmitted byAnophelesmosquitoes cause a life-threatening disease, imposing a massive toll on human health and economic sustainability in sub-Saharan Africa. Relying only on insecticide- and drug-based control products whose efficacy has been eroded by resistance to control malaria is not sufficient anymore. New innovative approaches are urgently needed andMicrosporidia MB, a naturally occurring symbiont across Africa is capable of inhibitingPlasmodiumtransmission inAnopheles gambiaes.l.. Its success in adverting a rebound of malaria cases will depend on the infection dynamic of the symbiont over time and space. Through experimental studies on field derived mosquitoes and mathematical modelling, we demonstrate thatMicrosporidia MBdissemination potential increase with temperature within a viable range forAnophelesmosquitoes, due to trade-offs between mosquito development and survival and the symbiont growth. Future studies should now investigate how fluctuating temperatures modulate thePlasmodiumtransmission blocking performance in nature.
Pan-Cancer Genetic Profiles of Mitotic DNA Integrity Checkpoint Protein Kinases
Authors: Rasteh Ayana Meegol , Liu Hengrui , Wang Panpan 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTBACKGROUNDThe mitotic DNA integrity checkpoint signaling pathway is potentially involved in cancers that regulate genomic stability where protein kinases play a pivotal role. 16 total protein kinase genes are involved in this pathway: ATM, BRSK1, CDK1, CDK2, CHEK1, CHEK2, MAP3K20, NEK11, PLK1, PLK2, PLK3, PRKDC, STK33, TAOK1, TAOK2, and TAOK3. This study aims to provide pan-cancer profiles of the protein kinases in mitotic DNA integrity checkpoint signaling gene set for potential prognostic and diagnostic purposes, as well as future potential therapeutic targets for cancer in a clinical setting.METHODSMulti-omic data was acquired for the 16 genes; over 9000 samples of 33 types of cancer were analyzed to create pan-cancer profiles of SNV, CNV, methylation, mRNA expression, pathway crosstalk, and microRNA regulation networks.RESULTSThe SNV profile showed that most of these genes have a high SNV mutation frequency across some cancer types, such as UCEC and SKCM. The CNVs of some of these genes are associated with the survival of UCEC, KIRP, and LGG. BRCA, KIRC, LUAD, and STAD might be affected by the mRNA expression of these genes which might involve regulation of copy number, methylation, and miRNA. In addition, these genes also cross-talk with some known cancer pathways.CONCLUSIONThe protein kinases in mitotic DNA integrity checkpoint signaling may play a role in cancer development and, with adequate research, could potentially be developed as biomarkers for cancer diagnosis and prognosis. However, further efforts are necessary to validate their clinical value for diagnosis and prognosis and to develop practical applications in clinical settings. Nevertheless, these pan-cancer profiles offer a better overall understanding as well as useful information for future reference regarding mitotic DNA integrity checkpoint signaling in cancer.
From initiations to sales: leveraging social media referral initiatives on customer willingness to participate in the cosmetics landscape in Sri Lanka
Authors: Jayasuriya Nisha , Jayasinghe Punmadara Shyam Kumari , Rajapaksha Ashani , Dharmasiri Tharushi , Sumanasinghe Damith , Dasanayake Ayesha 
Published: November 2024

PurposeReferral marketing can be identified as the commercial form used to encourage word-of-mouth (WOM) communication. It has become popular in recent times, supporting organisations to attract new customers towards making strides in how customers are pursued to purchase certain types of products/industries. However, some factors impact the success of referral marketing programmes. This study focuses on analysing the impact of such factors as brand, rewards and celebrity endorsement on user engagement in social media referral marketing programmes.Design/methodology/approachFurther, this study discusses the moderating impact of social ties on this relationship mainly focusing on the cosmetic industry. The data were collected from respondents with exposure to referral marketing programmes through the social media platforms: Facebook, LinkedIn, WhatsApp and Instagram. The structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) was used to analyse the data collected.FindingsThe results of the study revealed that brand, reward and celebrity endorsement significantly impact the participation willingness of customers in social media referral marketing programmemes. Moreover, it showed that the social tie moderates only the brand impact on the participation willingness of customers, whereas it does not moderate the impact of rewards and celebrity endorsement on the participation willingness of customers. In doing so, the study looks extensively into the elements that drive or shape customer behaviour within this specific market niche by investigating the effect of brand, incentives and endorsements by celebrities on customer engagement.Originality/valueAccordingly, this study sheds light on the complex relationship among brands, rewards and celebrity endorsements, while also considering social ties within the context of social media referral marketing initiatives. It also delivers useful information for academics as well as practitioners. Limited studies have been conducted in this field, and therefore, this study adds some knowledge, also highlighting the moderation effect of social ties.
Indulging in virtual luxuries: unveiling the allure of impulse buying in metaverse
Authors: Jee Teck Weng , Zhao Si-Di , Wee Gabriel Wei-En , Kalantari Hassan D , Wei-Han Tan Garry 
Published: November 2024

PurposeThis study aimed to examine consumers’ impulse purchases of luxury products in the metaverse, specifically by exploring how consumers’ motivational and emotional experiences affect virtual luxury product purchases in the metaverse.Design/methodology/approachAn online survey was administered to a total of 230 users of various metaverse platforms in China. The data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) disjoint two-stage approach.FindingsThe findings indicated that motivational experience (goal importance and goal interest) and positive emotion (fantasy, feeling and fun) have positive effects on impulse buying of luxury products in the metaverse, but none for negative emotions (loneliness and isolation).Practical implicationsThis study indicated that understanding and leveraging consumers’ motivational experiences and positive emotions can drive their impulse buying behaviour of luxury products in the metaverse, hence providing virtual and brand retailers with a testbed for their products before they launch in the physical market.Originality/valueThis study enriches our comprehension of consumers’ metaverse luxury purchases by delving into the impacts of motivational and emotional experiences on impulse buying behaviours.
Effects of entrepreneurial bricolage on innovation performance and firm performance: perspectives from Ghanaian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Abukari Abdul Jelil , Li Wenyuan , Alhassan Alolo Abdul Rasheed Akeji , Wisdom Wise Kwabla Pomegbe , Epezagne Assamala Ingrid Ruth , Sulemana Ibrahim 
Published: November 2024

PurposeThe study constructs a novel theoretical model based on resource orchestration theory and examines it using data from Ghanaian small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).Design/methodology/approachEntrepreneurial bricolage (EB) represents a creative mechanism by which SMEs navigate resource challenges to become competitive. The purpose of this paper is to examine the link between EB to both innovation performance and firm performance among manufacturing SMEs in Ghana. In addition, we also examine the mediating role of polychronicity in the relationship between EB, innovation performance and firm performance.FindingsThe results suggest that EB positively and significantly influences both innovation performance and firm performance. Furthermore, polychronicity partially mediates the relationship between EB and innovation performance and between EB and firm performance.Originality/valueThis study enhances our understanding of the conditions under which EB may facilitate the attainment of innovation and firm performance among manufacturing SMEs. These findings also proffer practical and managerial implications for managing SMEs under resource constraints.
Breeding distrust during artificial intelligence (AI) era: how technological advancements, job insecurity and job stress fuel organizational cynicism?
Authors: Sharma Kanika , Davidson Benny Godwin J. , George Jossy P. , Muttungal Peter Varghese 
Published: November 2024

PurposeThis study examines how technological advancements and psychological capital contribute to job stress. Furthermore, the paper examines how job insecurity, job stress and job involvement influence the cynicism of recently laid-off employees. Despite various research studies, there is a lack of understanding of employees’ views on their work future and its probable influence on their job behaviors in this era of technology.Design/methodology/approachA quantitative method was used to collect a sample of 403 recently laid-off employees. The research tool of this study was a questionnaire, and the sampling technique was stratified random sampling. IBM SPSS and AMOS software were utilized to ensure the trustworthiness and accuracy of constructs via factor analysis. The proposed hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.FindingsThe analysis showed that technological advancements, specifically in job-related stress, job involvement and job insecurity, significantly affect organizational cynicism. Job involvement is negatively associated with employee’s cynicism.Practical implicationsThe current study adds to the comprehension of shifts in the perceived behavior of employees toward their organizations due to factors like the adoption of new technology in the organization, job stress, job insecurity and job involvement. Accordingly, there will be a need to form a favorable working atmosphere so that employees can perform their jobs with positive psychology and without any insecurity or stress.Originality/valueThe study is thought to contribute to the literature in terms of measuring organizational cynicism while layoffs continue due to AI advancements.
Extracurricular internships and university students’ evaluation of higher learning: a cross-cultural adaptation perspective
Authors: Li Huan , Dai Weiwei , Li Xiaoshi 
Published: November 2024

PurposeAs competition in the graduate labor market intensifies, extracurricular internships have become increasingly popular among university students. This paper explores whether and how students’ evaluation of the higher learning that they have received changes during extracurricular internships.Design/methodology/approachWe interviewed 47 undergraduate students who had extracurricular internships across five Chinese universities. Data were analyzed innovatively through the lens of cross-cultural adaptation theory, which guides us to view internships as a transition from university culture to workplace culture through the stress-adaptation-growth dynamic.FindingsThe findings reveal that participants faced stress from multiple sources at the beginning of their internships, which collectively prompted them to adapt proactively to the workplace culture. While acquiring new habits and trying to acculturate into the surrounding work milieu, many participants deculturated from their old habits and student identity, putting aside higher learning. As the adaptation progressed, over half of the participants even began to critique university curricula and depreciate the value of higher learning.Originality/valueThe study offers theoretical insights into internships and the broader university-to-work transition as well as practical implications for universities in balancing learning and employability goals from a novel cross-cultural adaptation perspective.
Evaluating the benefits and risks of facial recognition payment systems adoption in Malaysia
Authors: Lim Hui Ting , Vafaei-Zadeh Ali , Hanifah Haniruzila , Nikbin Davoud 
Published: November 2024

PurposeCurrent developments in the FinTech payment industry have shown a rapid revolution in Industry 4.0, and understanding the factors affecting individual acceptance of facial recognition payment (FRP) is crucial. Hence, this study aims to evaluate the benefits and risks of FRP system adoption in Malaysia.Design/methodology/approachThe perceived risks and benefits framework is adopted as the foundation in this study to examine the various risks and benefits that users perceive, along with the trust factor, to study the relationships between these variables. Data were collected via an online questionnaire, and the hypotheses were tested using Partial Least Squares analysis on 277 responses.FindingsThe results revealed that perceived risk is a significant predictor of users' intention to use the FRP system. Privacy risk and financial risk significantly influence perceived risks, while security risk does not. Although convenience, perceived ease of use and perceived trust positively influence perceived benefits, perceived benefits do not significantly influence adoption intention. Moreover, perceived trust negatively affects perceived risks while positively affecting both perceived benefits and adoption intention. Additionally, personal innovativeness moderates the relationship between perceived risks and the intention to use the FRP system.Practical implicationsThis study helps policymakers and service providers understand individuals’ concerns and expectations regarding FRP systems. It aids practitioners in developing strategies to build trust, address innovativeness differences and mitigate risks, serving as a roadmap for integrating these systems into Malaysia's financial landscape.Originality/valueThis study distinguishes itself from prior research by evaluating FRP system adoption in Malaysia through the lens of perceived risks and benefits framework. It also explores personal innovativeness as a moderator, examining its impact on the relationship between usage intention and perceived risks and benefits. Additionally, it highlights perceived trust as a crucial factor influencing individuals' intention to adopt FRPs.
Exploiting a non-mainstream financial scheme to innovate: SMEs in the developing world
Authors: Tajeddin Mahdi , Simba Amon , Liguori Eric W. , Edeh Jude , Nuhu Nuraddeen 
Published: November 2024

PurposeThe study aims to explore the role of non-mainstream financial schemes in supporting innovation within SMEs in developing countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. It investigates how informal credit, business group affiliation and foreign and state ownership arrangements influence SMEs’ innovative activities in environments with limited access to formal financial resources.Design/methodology/approachThe research utilizes data from the World Bank’s Enterprise Surveys, focusing on 8,466 firms across 11 sub-Saharan African countries from 2011 to 2020. A logistic regression analysis was conducted to assess the impact of various financial sources on SMEs’ innovation outputs, particularly incremental innovations, due to data constraints on radical innovations.FindingsThe findings reveal that informal credit significantly supports SME innovation, while business group resources can hinder innovative activities by restricting firms to routine tasks. State ownership positively influences innovation, whereas the impact of foreign ownership is inconclusive. These results highlight the critical role of alternative financial mechanisms in the innovation activities of SMEs in resource-limited settings.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the effects of non-mainstream financial schemes on SME innovation in developing countries. It offers new theoretical insights into how SMEs navigate financial constraints to foster innovation and suggests policy implications for improving financial support systems for SMEs in such contexts. The research underscores the importance of contextualizing entrepreneurship studies to better understand the unique challenges and opportunities faced by SMEs in developing regions.
The faster the better? Comparing sustainability performance information in fast and luxury fashion
Authors: Tickle Matthew , Hannibal Claire , Zapparoli Mieda 
Published: November 2024

PurposeFashion brands, including fast and luxury segments, receive harsh criticism for engaging in unethical practices such as poor working conditions and environmental damage. As a result, fashion supply chains are pressured by stakeholders to publicly disclose internal supply chain performance information and to show a high level of supply chain transparency. This paper compares supply chain transparency in fast and luxury fashion in Europe.Design/methodology/approachBy applying the maturity curve of fashion supply chain transparency, developed by Muratore and Marques (2022), the websites of 20 fast and 20 luxury fashion brands were analysed and classified as Opaque, Translucent or Transparent.FindingsDespite its reputation, fast fashion demonstrated higher levels of transparency than luxury fashion. Luxury fashion only performed better in terms of the accessibility of sustainability information. Luxury brands avoided disclosing key transparency information, suggesting that they may be operating in contradiction to that which is inferred on their websites.Originality/valueThe findings of the study shed light on the sustainability credentials of the fashion industry, which has the potential to influence the purchase intentions of consumers, particularly millennials and Generation Z. Implications for practice are developed to highlight how fashion can improve its supply chain transparency.
ISO 9001 as a catalyst: linking staff training to university performance
Authors: Iqbal Shahzaf 
Published: November 2024

PurposeThis study investigates the impact of staff training on university performance (UP), focusing particularly on the mediating role of ISO 9001 implementation in the higher education (HE) sector.Design/methodology/approachEmploying a quantitative research design, data were collected via online surveys using purposive sampling techniques from academic and administrative staff affiliated with ISO 9001-certified universities. Subsequent analysis utilized SmartPLS-4 software.FindingsThe findings indicate that staff training significantly influences both ISO 9001 standard implementation and UP. Additionally, the mediating effect of ISO 9001 in the relationship between staff training and UP was found to be positive and significant.Research limitations/implicationsLimitations of the study include its cross-sectional design, reliance on purposive sampling and exclusive focus on academic and administrative staff from seven ISO-certified universities in Pakistan, potentially limiting generalizability. Nonetheless, the study enriches the discourse on quality management in HE by emphasizing the role of staff training in fostering knowledge creation and enhancing staff competencies within organizational learning theory (OLT), and by integrating ISO 9001 into the dynamic capability theory (DCT) framework.Practical implicationsThe study provides practical insights for policymakers, administrators and quality managers, emphasizing the importance of staff training, resource allocation for compliance and continuous improvement efforts to effectively implement ISO 9001 requirements and enhance overall UP.Originality/valueThis study contributes by introducing ISO 9001 adoption as a mediator between staff training and UP while integrating OLT and DCT theories within the university context.
Analyzing Healthcare Production Under Uncertainty in a State‐Contingent Framework
Authors: Shankar Sriram 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTIn health care, decision‐makers grapple with uncertainty, influencing production choices. This paper introduces a model exploring healthcare production under uncertainty using a state‐contingent framework. Employing a parametric model and a general utility function, it calculates decision‐makers' subjective probabilities for potential future states. Through numerical examples, it illustrates how optimal production choices are made. The model defines production technologies as state‐allocable, facilitating resource allocation among various states and allowing for substitution of state‐specific outputs. This approach offers more flexibility compared to traditional production analyses, empowering healthcare producers to better adapt and respond to uncertainties.
Navigating the Limits of Diagnosis: Young Adults' Experiences of Chronic Living
Authors: Harper Imogen , Kenny Katherine , Broom Alex 
Published: November 2024

ABSTRACTYoung adults living with chronic illness often experience considerable uncertainty across the emotional, cultural and medical spheres of their everyday lives. The process of seeking, receiving and reckoning with a diagnosis has frequently been an in‐road for qualitative examinations of these experiences. As a result, the biomedical diagnosis has often taken centre stage in research concerning how uncertainty is managed and/or more stability is found. However, the significance of diagnosis can shift over time, and in many cases, the promise of diagnosis deteriorates as life unfolds. This study draws on a series of in‐depth qualitative interviews with 33 young adults (ages 19–29) living with a range of chronic illnesses, which include auto‐immune illnesses, fatigue syndromes and neurological conditions. Undertaking an inductive interpretative analysis based on constructivist grounded theory, we examine the role and meaning of diagnosis for our participants and find that they iteratively de‐centre diagnosis in various circumstances. We suggest that while the way young adults manage chronic illness may involve seeking a diagnosis, navigating the shortcomings of diagnosis takes a significant emotional toll, and a failure to recognise this work is one important way that the experience of chronic illness when young can be misunderstood.