bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Quantitative bias analysis methods for summary level epidemiologic data in the peer-reviewed literature: a systematic review
Authors: Shi Xiaoting , Liu Ziang , Zhang Mingfeng , Hua Wei , Li Jie , Lee Joo-Yeon , Dharmarajan Sai , Nyhan Kate , Naimi Ashley , Lash Timothy L. , Jeffery Molly M. , Ross Joseph S. , Liew Zeyan , Wallach Joshua D. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractObjectiveQuantitative bias analysis (QBA) methods evaluate the impact of biases arising from systematic errors on observational study results. This systematic review aimed to summarize the range and characteristics of quantitative bias analysis (QBA) methods for summary level data published in the peer-reviewed literature.Study Design and SettingWe searched MEDLINE, Embase, Scopus, and Web of Science for English-language articles describing QBA methods. For each QBA method, we recorded key characteristics, including applicable study designs, bias(es) addressed; bias parameters, and publicly available software. The study protocol was pre-registered on the Open Science Framework (https://osf.io/ue6vm/).ResultsOur search identified 10,249 records, of which 53 were articles describing 57 QBA methods for summary level data. Of the 57 QBA methods, 51 (89%) were explicitly designed for observational studies, 2 (4%) for non-randomized interventional studies, and 4 (7%) for meta-analyses. There were 29 (51%) QBA methods that addressed unmeasured confounding, 20 (35%) misclassification bias, 5 (9%) selection bias, and 3 (5%) multiple biases. 38 (67%) QBA methods were designed to generate bias-adjusted effect estimates and 18 (32%) were designed to describe how bias could explain away observed findings. 22 (39%) articles provided code or online tools to implement the QBA methods.ConclusionIn this systematic review, we identified a total of 57 QBA methods for summary level epidemiologic data published in the peer-reviewed literature. Future investigators can use this systematic review to identify different QBA methods for summary level epidemiologic data.What is New?Key findingsThis systematic review identified 57 quantitative bias analysis (QBA) methods for summary level data from observational and non-randomized interventional studies.Overall, there were 29 QBA methods that addressed unmeasured confounding, 20 that addressed misclassification bias, 5 that addressed selection bias, and 3 that addressed multiple biases.What this adds to what is known related to methods research within the field of clinical epidemiology?This systematic review provides an overview of the range and characteristics of QBA methods for summary level epidemiologic that are published in the peer-reviewed literature and that can be used by researchers within the field of clinical epidemiology.What is the implication, what should change now?This systematic review may help future investigators identify different QBA methods for summary level data. However, investigators should carefully review the original manuscripts to ensure that any assumptions are fulfilled, that the necessary bias parameters are available and accurate, and that all interpretations and conclusions are made with caution.
Age-patterns of severity of clade I mpox in historically endemic countries
Authors: Whittles Lilith K , Mbala-Kingebeni Placide , Ferguson Neil M 
Published: April 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundThe last two years have seen mpox emerge as a notable pandemic threat. The global 2022-23 outbreak of clade II mpox caused over 93,000 cases worldwide, while the 2023-24 epidemic of the more severe clade I virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) has caused over 14,000 cases and over 650 deaths thus far. Of particular concern is that both case incidence and mortality in the DRC outbreak are concentrated in children.However, quantification of age variation in severity for clade I infections has been lacking to date.MethodsUsing Bayesian binomial regression models, we analysed data from systematically reviewed clade I outbreaks to estimate case fatality ratios (CFR) by age, smallpox vaccination status and over time. We compared model predictive performance using leave-one-out cross-validation and compared our findings to the ongoing DRC outbreak.FindingsThe CFR had a near-reciprocal relationship with age, declining from 9.7% (95% credible interval: 6.9%-13.0%) among 5-year-olds to 1.2% (95%CrI: 0.3%-3.7%) by age 30. Accounting for vaccination status in addition to age did not improve model fit, but posterior parameter estimates suggest substantial vaccine-protection against death. Reanalysis incorporating cases from the ongoing DRC outbreak suggested less steep declines in severity with age and a protective effect of vaccination against death of 64% (95%CrI: - 3.4%-95.6%) and reduction in severity over time.InterpretationWe provide estimates of the mpox clade I CFR in historically endemic settings by vaccine status, and find the highest risk of death in the youngest children.FundingWellcome, NIHR, MRC, Community Jameel
JNK and PI3K signaling pathways mediate synapse formation and network spontaneous activities in primary neurons
Authors: Jia Xiaoli , Zhu Qiuyan , Wu Shaohua , Zhou Zhihong , Jiang Xian 
Published: April 2024

AbstractBackgroundCellular signals orchestrating synapse formation and neuronal network function remain poorly understood. To explore the critical signaling pathways in neurons and their influence on network development, pharmacological assays were employed to inhibit multiple signaling pathways in cultured neurons.MethodsImmunofluorescence and western blotting are applied to identify the expression of synapse-related proteins within neurons. micro-electrode arrays (MEAs) are employed to study the developmental characteristics of neuronal networks. RNA sequencing is utilized to determine the gene expression profiles pertaining to multiple signaling pathways.ResultsCanonical c-jun N-terminal kinases (JNK) pathway is necessary for pre- and post-synaptic specializations, while phosphatidylinositide3-kinases (PI3K) is a key to postsynaptic specialization and affects the puncta sizes of presynaptic marker. Unexpectedly, pharmacological inhibition of JNK pathway significantly suppressed the mean firing rate (MFR), network burst frequency (NBF) and regularity of network firing after 4 weeks, but did not alter the synchrony of the network. During network development, PI3K pathway regulates the longer burst duration and lower network synchrony. Gene sets associated with neurodevelopmental processes and myelination was disturbed during restraining these signal pathways. Furthermore, inhibition of the PI3K signaling pathway obviously transformed voltage-gated ion channel activity, synaptic transmission and synaptic plasticity of neurons.ConclusionThis study reveals that JNK and PI3K signaling pathways play different roles during synapse formation, and these signaling pathways have a lasting impact on the development of neuronal networks. Thus, this study provides further insights into the intracellular signaling pathways associated with synapse formation in the development of neuronal networks.
Quantitative single cell mass spectrometry reveals the dynamics of plant natural product biosynthesis
Authors: Vu Anh Hai , Kang Moonyoung , Wurlitzer Jens , Heinicke Sarah , Li Chenxin , Wood Joshua C. , Grabe Veit , Buell C. Robin , Caputi Lorenzo , O’Connor Sarah E. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractPlants produce an extraordinary array of complex natural products (specialized metabolites). Since the biosynthetic genes that are responsible for synthesis of these molecules are often localized to rare or distinct cell types, recently developed single cell RNA-sequencing (scRNA-seq) approaches have tremendous potential to resolve these complex pathways. In contrast, detection, identification, and quantification of metabolites in single cells has remained challenging. Here, we report a robust method for single cell mass spectrometry in which we rigorously characterize and quantify the concentrations of four classes of natural products in individual cells of leaf, root, and petal of the medicinal plantCatharanthus roseus. These single cell mass spectrometry datasets reveal information about the biosynthetic processes that cannot be determined from the corresponding scRNA-seq data alone, providing a highly resolved picture of natural product biosynthesis at cell-specific resolution.
Short- and long-range roles of UNC-6/Netrin in dorsal-ventral axon guidancein vivoinCaenorhabditis elegans
Authors: Hooper Kelsey M. , Lundquist Erik A. 
Published: April 2024

AbstractRecent studies in vertebrates andCaenorhabditis eleganshave reshaped models of how the axon guidance cue UNC-6/Netrin functions in dorsal-ventral axon guidance, which was traditionally thought to form a ventral-to-dorsal concentration gradient that was actively sensed by growing axons. In the vertebrate spinal cord, floorplate Netrin1 was shown to be largely dispensable for ventral commissural growth. Rather, short range interactions with Netrin1 on the ventricular zone radial glial stem cells was shown to guide ventral commissural axon growth. InC. elegans, analysis of dorsally-migrating growth cones during outgrowth has shown that growth cone polarity of filopodial extension is separable from the extent of growth cone protrusion. Growth cones are first polarized by UNC-6/Netrin, and subsequent regulation of protrusion by UNC-6/Netrin is based on this earlier-established polarity (the Polarity/Protrusion model). In both cases, short-range or even haptotactic mechanisms are invoked: in vertebrate spinal cord, interactions of growth cones with radial glia expressing Netrin-1; and inC. elegans, a potential close-range interaction that polarizes the growth cone. To explore potential short-range and long-range functions of UNC-6/Netrin, a potentially membrane-anchored transmembrane UNC-6 (UNC-6(TM)) was generated by genome editing.unc-6(tm)was hypomorphic for dorsal VD/DD axon pathfinding, indicating that it retained someunc-6function. Polarity of VD growth cone filopodial protrusion was initially established inunc-6(tm), but was lost as the growth cones migrated away from theunc-6(tm)source in the ventral nerve cord. In contrast, ventral guidance of the AVM and PVM axons was equally severe inunc-6(tm)andunc-6(null). Together, these results suggest thatunc-6(tm)retains short-range functions but lacks long-range functions. Finally, ectopicunc-6(+)expression from non-ventral sources could rescue dorsal and ventral guidance defects inunc-6(tm)andunc-6(null). Thus, a ventral directional source of UNC-6 was not required for dorsal-ventral axon guidance, and UNC-6 can act as a permissive, not instructive, cue for dorsal-ventral axon guidance. Possibly, UNC-6 is a permissive signal that activates cell-intrinsic polarity; or UNC-6 acts with another signal that is required in a directional manner. In either case, the role of UNC-6 is to polarize the pro-protrusive activity of UNC-40/DCC in the direction of outgrowth.
Financial inclusion, digital finance and agricultural participation
Authors: Mumtaz Muhammad Zubair 
Published: April 2024

PurposeFinancial inclusion and digital finance go side by side and help enhance agricultural activities; however, the magnitude of digital financial services varies across countries. In line with this argument, this study aims to examine whether financial inclusion enhances agricultural participation and decompose the significance of the difference in determinants of agricultural participation between financially included – not financially included households and digital finance – no digital finance households.Design/methodology/approachThis study uses Pakistan’s household integrated economic survey 2018/19 to test hypotheses. The logit model is used to examine the effect of financial inclusion on agriculture participation. Moreover, this study employs a nonlinear Fairlie Oaxaca Blinder technique to investigate the difference in determinants of agricultural participation.FindingsThis study reports that financial inclusion positively influences agricultural participation, meaning households may have access to financial services and participate in agricultural activities. The results suggest that the likelihood of participating in agriculture in households with mobiles and smartphones is higher. Moreover, household size, income, age, gender, education, urban, remittances from abroad, fertilizer, pesticides, wheat, cotton, sugarcane, fruits and vegetables are the significant determinants of agricultural participation. To distinguish the financially included – not financially included households’ gap, this study employs a nonlinear Fairlie Oaxaca Blinder decomposition and finds that differences in fertilizer explain the substantial gap in agricultural participation. Likewise, this study tests the digital finance – no digital finance gap and finds that the difference in fertilizer is a significant contributor, describing a considerable gap in agricultural participation.Research limitations/implicationsEmpirically identified that various factors cause agricultural participation including financial inclusion and digital finance. Regarding the research limitation, this study only considers a developing country to analyze the findings. However, for future research, scholars may consider some other countries to compare the results and identify their differences.Practical implicationsThe accessibility of fertilizer can reduce the agricultural participation gap. However, increased income level, education and cotton and sugar production can also overcome the differences in agriculture participation between digital finance and no digital finance households.Originality/valueThis is the first study to decompose the difference in determinants of agricultural participation between financially and not financially included households.
Our Common Gulf Cities: agenda for equitable AEC industries for sustainable urban development
Authors: Ottmann Daniela A. 
Published: April 2024

PurposeThis paper delves into the critical role of women in the domains of architecture, engineering, construction and urban planning, particularly within the context of the United Nations sustainable development goals (SDGs) and the imperative of achieving gender parity. Concentrating on the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, this paper explores the profound importance of women as essential contributors to urbanisation and sustainable development. It scrutinizes the existing gender disparities within the architecture, engineering and construction (AEC) industries; evaluates prevailing women empowerment indices in diverse sectors; and presents a strategic framework for harnessing women’s engagement to cultivate inclusive and sustainable urban cultures in the GCC. This conceptual paper introduces an actionable framework that can serve as a guiding agenda for empowering women in the AEC sectors by incorporating their socio-cultural, economic and ecological contributions towards creating sustainable cities.Design/methodology/approachCentring its focus on Gulf Cities, this paper employs a comprehensive approach to examine the current gender disparities within the architecture, engineering and construction sectors. It probes potential barriers and advocates for leveraging women’s participation to foster inclusive and sustainable urban development in the GCC. The study introduces the Women’s Empowerment Index (WEI) for the Gulf AEC industry elucidating how these measures are translated into a tailored framework.FindingsThe paper presents a practical framework that provides actionable guidance for engaging various stakeholders, including governments, academia and industry players, to empower women within the AEC industries. An “Agenda for equitable AEC industries for sustainable urban development: Our Common Gulf Cities” is culminated in a Women Empowerment Index for the AEC Industry (WEI-AEC) designed to serve as a guidance tool to monitor progress within industry, governments and academia.Research limitations/implicationsFuture research endeavours could advance the framework by conducting institutional support analyses, multi-stakeholder collaboration studies and practical testing of the framework within real-world scenarios.Practical implicationsThe findings of this study can guide and influence a diverse range of initiatives, including policy development, educational strategies, corporate endeavours, awareness campaigns, capacity-building programs, skill enhancement initiatives and knowledge exchange among the Gulf Cooperation Council countries.Originality/valueThis conceptual paper introduces a practical framework that can serve as a roadmap for implementing the study’s potential to shape policies, educational programs and corporate initiatives aimed at advancing both gender equality and the development of sustainable cities.
Buick at a Crossroads: Building Brand Momentum
Authors: Whitler Kimberly A. , Wells Graham D. , Yemen Gerry 
Published: April 2024

Few cases allow the student to understand the relationship between brand strategy, marketing strategy, implementation, and analysis. While some conceive of the process as being sequential, this case demonstrates that in fact, this process is more fluid, and that implementation and analysis impact subsequent strategy.This field-based case provides a rare glimpse into the turnaround of a brand that was all but dead. After Buick suffered more than five decades of declining business results and an inferior brand image versus all rivals, few thought that the brand could be resuscitated. This case provides a valuable under-the-hood look at how the Buick team, over time, progresses through a series of marketing improvements all anchored on an evolved strategy. Specifically, Buick introduced a shift in brand strategy behind an evolved brand essence statement (i.e., brand positioning), improved product lineup, new-to-the-world innovation, enhanced dealership service, and more compelling advertising. The results led to a record number of product awards, significantly improved advertising measures, improved service ratings, and better business results.Despite significant improvement across multiple dimensions of the business, Buick still trailed key competitors on one of the most important measures Buick tracked—the brand momentum rating—suggesting that there was still more work needed to complete the brand turnaround. The case introduces Molly Peck, the new marketing director on Buick, who is wondering what more, if anything, Buick should do. The material allows for instruction around marketing strategy and the process of converting it into implementation through the use of a creative brief.
Analyzing consumer perceptions and adoption intentions of central bank digital currency: a case of the digital rupee
Authors: Ogunmola Gabriel A. , Das Ujjwal 
Published: April 2024

Purpose
This paper aims to comprehensively analyze the factors influencing the adoption intentions of the digital rupee, a digital currency, among users in India.

Design/methodology/approach
Drawing upon the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study examines the relationships between cognitive beliefs (perceived usefulness, perceived ease of use, perceived trust, perceived self-efficacy, perceived cost and awareness), affective belief (attitude) and adoption intention of the digital rupee. The study uses a structured questionnaire to collect primary data from 1,707 respondents, which are then analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings
The results indicate that perceived usefulness and perceived ease of use significantly impact users' attitudes toward the digital rupee, as well as their adoption intentions. The findings further reveal that perceived trust, perceived self-efficacy, and awareness positively influence attitude and adoption intention. On the other hand, perceived cost exhibits a negative effect on attitude and adoption intention. These results provide empirical evidence on the factors that shape users' attitudes and intentions toward adopting the digital rupee.

Research limitations/implications
The research methodology used in this study ensures rigorous data collection and analysis. The structured questionnaire enabled the collection of detailed information from a large sample of respondents, allowing for robust statistical analysis. The utilization of structural equation modeling facilitated the examination of complex relationships among variables, enhancing the reliability and validity of the findings.

Practical implications
The study's findings offer practical guidance for policymakers, financial institutions and researchers in shaping digital currency regulatory frameworks, tailored financial services and further exploration of adoption dynamics.

Social implications
The research has social implications by potentially influencing the way individuals and communities in India engage with digital currencies, impacting financial inclusion and digital economic participation.

Originality/value
This research contributes to the understanding of the adoption of digital currencies in India and provides valuable insights for policymakers, financial institutions and researchers in the field of digital finance and technology adoption.
Luxury hotel technology trends: a multigenerational analysis
Authors: Cain Lisa Nicole , Mistry Trishna G. , Douglas Shenee , Rahman Imran , Moreo Andrew 
Published: April 2024

Purpose
This study aims to analyze the importance and performance of customer-facing technologies in luxury hotels. The study also assessed differences between and within the four generations in the importance-performance analysis (IPA).

Design/methodology/approach
Data were collected using a Qualtrics panel of recent luxury hotel customers in the USA belonging to all four generations. The cross-generational IPA was conducted using t-tests and (ANAOVA).

Findings
The IPA matrix concentrated most technology items in either low importance – low performance or high importance – high performance quadrants. One-way ANOVA revealed significant differences between generations on the importance ratings of all technology items except wireless charging power solutions and on the performance ratings of all technology items. Furthermore, post hoc tests indicated that millennials rated luxury technology most favorably among the four cohorts, followed by generations Z, X and Baby Boomers. In addition, significant differences between the importance and performance of many technology items within each generational cohort were observed. Overall, Wi-Fi was unanimously ranked across generations as the most important technology among luxury guests, but it was the only one that scored lower in performance than importance.

Research limitations/implications
The findings of this study contribute to hospitality scholarship in two primary ways: the importance and performance of technology and generational differences. The results advance the understanding of the impact of generational factors on customer-facing technological adoptions in the luxury hotel sector.

Practical implications
Technologies that are pervasive in the home also become vital offerings for hotels. The more pervasive technology, the more a luxury hotel must work to ensure that it performs at optimal levels. Additionally, which technologies are most important to targeted generations are provided so practitioners may budget for their implementation.

Originality/value
This research is a pivotal step forward in unraveling the intricate interplay between generational factors and technological evaluations, providing a foundation for future research and practical applications in a rapidly evolving technological landscape in the hospitality industry.