bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bead-based approaches to CRISPR diagnostics
Authors: Siddiqui Sameed M. , Welch Nicole L. , Nguyen Tien G. , Razmi Amaya , Chang Tianyi , Senft Rebecca , Arizti-Sanz Jon , Mirhashemi Marzieh E. , Stirling David R. , Ackerman Cheri M. , Cimini Beth A. , Blainey Paul C. , Sabeti Pardis C. , Myhrvold Cameron 
Published: September 2023

AbstractCRISPR-based diagnostics have emerged as a promising tool for fast, accurate, and portable pathogen detection. There has been rapid progress in areas such as pre-amplification processes and CRISPR-related enzymes, but the development of reporter systems and reaction platforms has lagged behind. In this paper, we develop new bead-based techniques that can help fill both gaps. First, we develop a novel bead-based split-luciferase reporter system with improved sensitivity compared to standard fluorescence-based reporter design in CRISPR diagnostics. Second, we develop a highly deployable, bead-based platform capable of detecting nine distinct viral targets in parallelized, droplet-based reactions. We demonstrate the enhanced performance of both approaches on synthetic and clinical samples. Together, these systems represent new modalities in CRISPR diagnostics with increased sensitivity, speed, multiplexing, and deployability.
Analysis of rare variants in 470,000 exome-sequenced UK Biobank participants implicates novel genes affecting risk of hypertension
Authors: Curtis David 
Published: September 2023

AbstractBackgroundA previous study of 200,000 exome-sequenced UK Biobank participants to test for association of rare coding variants with hypertension implicated two genes at exome-wide significance,DNMT3AandFES. A total of 42 genes had an uncorrected p value < 0.001. These results were followed up in a larger sample of 470,000 exome-sequenced participants.Methods and ResultsWeighted burden analysis of rare coding variants in a new sample of 97,050 cases and 172,263 controls was carried out for these 42 genes. Those showing evidence for association were then analysed in the combined sample of 167,127 cases and 302,691 controls. The association ofDNMT3AandFESwith hypertension was replicated in the new sample and they and the previously implicated geneNPR1were all exome-wide significant in the combined sample. Also exome-wide significant as risk genes for hypertension wereGUCY1A1,ASXL1andSMAD6, whileGUCY1B1had a nominal p value of < 0.0001. For two genes,INPPL1andDBH, rare coding variants predicted to impair gene function were protective against hypertension, again with exome-wide significance.ConclusionsThe findings offer new insights into biological risk factors for hypertension which could be the subject of further investigation. In particular, genetic variants predicted to impair the function of either membrane-bound guanylate cyclase, activated by natriuretic peptides, or soluble guanylate cyclase, activated by nitric oxide, increase risk of hypertension. Conversely, variants impairing the function of dopamine beta hydroxylase, responsible for the synthesis of norepinephrine, reduce hypertension risk.This research has been conducted using the UK Biobank Resource.
Optical Coherence Tomography-Angiography Metrics in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Cerebral Microbleeds
Authors: Soo Yannie , Cheung Carol Y. , Yang Dawei , Abrigo Jill , Lam Bonnie , Zheng Huijing , Tsang Suk Fung , Ip Bonaventure , Chu Winnie , Mok Vincent , Leung Thomas ,   the iSAVE Investigators
Published: September 2023

SummaryBackgroundPresence of cerebral microbleeds (CMB) on MRI brain, increases risk of intracerebral haemorrhage in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) who require anticoagulation. The retina shares similar embryological and pathological properties with cerebral vessels. Studying changes in retinal vasculature at capillary level associated with presence of CMB may provide complementary prognostic information to assess risk of anticoagulant-related intracerebral hemorrhage.We aimed to investigate changes in the retinal capillary network associated with presence of CMB in patients with AF using Optical Coherence Tomography-Angiography (OCT-A).MethodsPatients with AF were prospectively recruited to undergo both OCT-A and MRI brain. OCT-A metrics of the superficial capillary plexus (SCP) and deep capillary plexus (DCP) at macular region, along with the radial peripapillary capillary network at disc center were measured quantitatively by an automated image analysis program. Multivariable logistic regression and quasi-poisson regression were performed to investigate the association of OCT-A metrics with presence and burden of CMBs respectively. Significant OCT-A metrics were compared between patients with AF and healthy control subjects.ResultsAmong 99 patients with AF, 29 patients had CMB. A larger foveal avascular zone (FAZ) in SCP, also higher vessel diameter index (VDI) across SCP, DCP and disc center were significantly associated with presence and burden of CMB, after adjusting for age, diabetes mellitus, white matter hyperintensities ratio, image quality index, age, duration between OCT-A and MRI. A lower vessel density in SCP was associated with presence but not burden of CMB. Compared with healthy control, FAZ and VDI across SCP, DCP and disc area remained consistently different between patients with AF and control group.ConclusionsThis pilot study provides preliminary data supporting potential role of OCT-A to assist risk-stratification of bleeding-prone microangiopathy for patients with AF who require anticoagulation. Further studies with larger sample size and different ethnic groups are needed.
COVID-19 vaccines and autoimmune disorders: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Chaufan Claudia , Manwell Laurie , Heredia Camila , McDonald Jennifer 
Published: September 2023

AbstractBackgroundTwo years into the global vaccination program, important questions about the association between COVID-19 vaccines and autoimmune diseases have arisen. A growing number of reports have documented associations between COVID-19 vaccination and autoimmunity, suggesting, for example, a causal link between vaccination and new-onset and/or relapsing autoimmune disorders such as type 1 diabetes mellitus, rheumatoid arthritis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus, Graves disease, and Hashimoto’s thyroiditis. These autoimmune phenomena have occurred with various COVID-19 vaccines and research is required to elucidate the underlying mechanisms and causal directions, for example, whether persons with no history of autoimmune disorders may experience them upon vaccination or persons with autoimmune disorders may experience exacerbation or new adverse events post-vaccination.Methods and analysisSpecific objectives of this scoping review will address the following questions: Can COVID-19 vaccination trigger and/or exacerbate autoimmune disorders? Are persons with autoimmune disorders at higher risk of experiencing additional autoimmune disorders? What are the mechanisms connecting autoimmune disorders with COVID-19 vaccination? Can COVID-19 vaccination interact with immunosuppressive therapy in persons with autoimmune disorders? Does the risk of autoimmune disorders following COVID-19 vaccination differ by vaccine type, age, gender, or other still unidentified characteristics (e.g., SES)? What is the consensus of care concerning COVID-19 vaccination in persons with autoimmune disorders and what evidence informs it? Our review will follow Arksey and O’Malley’s (2005) framework, enhanced by Levac et al.’s team-based approach (2010), and adhering to the recommendations of the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR) Checklist. To capture the broadest range of perspectives on the phenomenon of interest, data will be synthesized through numerical summaries describing general characteristics of included studies and thematic analysis. Subgroup analysis of primary outcomes will be performed to compare findings according to 1) the previous existence of autoimmune disorder, 2) the presence of relevant co-morbidities, 3) vaccine type; and other relevant factors that we may encounter as the research proceeds.SignificanceCOVID-19 has triggered the largest vaccination campaign in history, targeting literally the global human community. Drug safety is a crucial aspect of any medical intervention, critical to a proper assessment of the balance of risks and benefits. Our investigation should yield information useful to improve medical and public health practice in multiple ways, including assisting in clinical decision-making, policy development, and ethical medical practice.
Protein coopted from a phage restriction system dictates orthogonal cell division plane selection inStaphylococcus aureus
Authors: Ramos-León Félix , Anjuwon-Foster Brandon R. , Anantharaman Vivek , Ferreira Colby N. , Ibrahim Amany M. , Tai Chin-Hsien , Missiakas Dominique M. , Camberg Jodi L. , Aravind L. , Ramamurthi Kumaran S. 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACTThe spherical bacteriumStaphylococcus aureus, a leading cause of nosocomial infections, undergoes binary fission by dividing in two alternating orthogonal planes, but the mechanism by whichS. aureuscorrectly selects the next cell division plane is not known. To identify cell division placement factors, we performed a chemical genetic screen that revealed a gene which we termedpcdA. We show that PcdA is a member of the McrB family of AAA+ NTPases that has undergone structural changes and a concomitant functional shift from a restriction enzyme subunit to an early cell division protein. PcdA directly interacts with the tubulin-like central divisome component FtsZ and localizes to future cell division sites before membrane invagination initiates. This parallels the action of another McrB family protein, CTTNBP2, which stabilizes microtubules in animals. We show that PcdA also interacts with the structural protein DivIVA and propose that the DivIVA/PcdA complex recruits unpolymerized FtsZ to assemble along the proper cell division plane. Deletion ofpcdAconferred abnormal, non-orthogonal division plane selection, increased sensitivity to cell wall-targeting antibiotics, and reduced virulence in a murine infection model. Targeting PcdA could therefore highlight a treatment strategy for combatting antibiotic-resistant strains ofS. aureus.
Development of a microcosting protocol to determine the economic cost of diagnostic genomic testing for rare diseases in Australia
Authors: Mordaunt Dylan A , Stark Zornitza , Gonzalez Francisco Santos , Dalziel Kim , Goranitis Ilias 
Published: September 2023

AbstractIntroductionGenomic testing is a relatively new, disruptive and complex health technology with multiple clinical applications in rare diseases, cancer and infection control. Genomic testing is increasingly being implemented into clinical practice, following regulatory approval, funding and adoption in models of care, particularly in the area of rare disease diagnosis. A significant barrier to the adoption and implementation of genomic testing is funding. What remains unclear is what the cost of genomic testing is, what the underlying drivers of cost are and whether policy differences contribute to cost variance in different jurisdictions, such as the requirement to have staff with a medical license involved in testing. This costing study will be useful in future economic evaluations and health technology assessments to inform optimal levels of reimbursement and to support comprehensive and comparable assessment of healthcare resource utilisation in the delivery of genomic testing globally.MethodsA framework is presented that focuses on uncovering the process of genomic testing for any given laboratory, evaluating its utilization and unit costs, and modelling the cost drivers and overall expenses associated with delivering genomic testing. The goal is to aid in refining and implementing policies regarding both the regulation and funding of genomic testing. A process-focused (activity-based) methodology is outlined, which encompasses resources, assesses individual cost components through a combination of bottom-up and top-down microcosting techniques and allows disaggregation of resource type and process step.Ethics and disseminationThe outputs of the study will be reported a relevant regional genetics and health economics conferences, as well as submitted to a peer-reviewed journal focusing on genomics.Article SummaryThis method uses key stakeholder interviews, health care resource utilisation and unit cost data collection for estimating the economic cost of diagnostic genomic testing in Australia.Advancements may include time in motion studies or greater reporting detail but with a trade-off in feasibility.Probabilistic modelling addresses uncertainty inherent in input estimates.The study does not incorporate variations in testing pathways, such as resequencing stored DNA costs or reanalysis of existing sequencing data.Automating ongoing monitoring of changes in genomic testing workflows, resource utilisation and costs would be beneficial.
Gender diversity of board of directors and shareholders: Machine learning exploration during COVID-19
Authors: Papíková Lenka , Papík Mário 
Published: September 2023

Purpose
European Parliament adopted a new directive on gender balance in corporate boards when by 2026, companies must employ 40% of the underrepresented sex into non-executive directors or 33% among all directors. Therefore, this study aims to analyze the impact of gender diversity (GD) on board of directors and the shareholders’ structure and their impact on the likelihood of company bankruptcy during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach
The data sample consists of 1,351 companies for 2019 and 2020, of which 173 were large, 351 medium-sized companies and 827 small companies. Three bankruptcy indicators were tested for each company size, and extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost) and logistic regression models were developed. These models were then cross-validated by a 10-fold approach.

Findings
XGBoost models achieved area under curve (AUC) over 98%, which is 25% higher than AUC achieved by logistic regression. Prediction models with GD features performed slightly better than those without them. Furthermore, this study indicates the existence of critical mass between 30% and 50%, which decreases the probability of bankruptcy for small and medium companies. Furthermore, the representation of women in ownership structures above 50% decreases bankruptcy likelihood.

Originality/value
This is a pioneering study to explore GD topics by application of ensembled machine learning methods. Moreover, the study does analyze not only the GD of boards but also shareholders. A highly innovative approach is GD analysis based on company size performed in one study considering the COVID-19 pandemic perspective.
Resolving conflict in interpersonal relationships using passive, aggressive, and assertive verbal statements
Authors: Winer Steve , Ramos Salazar Leslie , Anderson Amy M. , Busch Mike 
Published: September 2023

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to extend Bippus and Young’s (2005) study and examine the effectiveness of the “I-you,” “I,” “You,” “We,” “But” and Question-based “Why” statements from Winer’s (2021) verbal coding program of conflict management using Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory (SLT).

Design/methodology/approach
Mixed methods were used using 175 university students from Texas and New York. A cross-sectional convenience sampling approach was conducted. Survey data was collected using Qualtrics.

Findings
Descriptive results demonstrated that the “We” statement was the most passive, the “I-you” statement was the most assertive and the “But,” “I,” “You” and Question statements were perceived to be aggressive. In addition, assertive “I-You” statements were perceived to be more effective in resolving the conflict and maintaining a relationship, whereas aggressive statements were less likely to resolve the conflict and maintain the relationship. Qualitative themes also support the “I-You” statement as the most assertive, while the “But,” “You” and “I” statements were found to be the most aggressive statements.

Practical implications
Implications and applications are discussed to stimulate future research among researchers and practitioners when addressing conflict. Being aware of the verbal statements that de-escalate conflict may be helpful in solving conflict in interpersonal, family and professional relationships. Future trainings can adopt effective verbal statements to resolve conflict when experiencing anger issues. Future research can continue to investigate verbal communication statements using SLT to help practitioners and managers address conflict in interpersonal relationships.

Originality/value
This study examines verbal statements in relation to communication styles and conflict management.
Can a firm's hierarchical complexity affect its stock price behavior? Evidence from stock price crash risk
Authors: Phan Hoàng Long , Zurbruegg Ralf 
Published: September 2023

PurposeThis paper examines how a firm's hierarchical complexity, which is determined by the way it organizes its subsidiaries across the hierarchical levels, can impact its stock price crash risk.Design/methodology/approachThe authors employ a measure of hierarchical complexity that captures the depth and breadth of how subsidiaries are organized within a firm. This measure is calculated using information about firms' subsidiaries extracted from the Bureau van Dijk (BvD) database that allows the authors to construct each firm's hierarchical structure. The data sample includes 2,461 USA firms for the period from 2012 to 2017 (11,006 firm-year observations). Univariate tests and panel regression are used for the main analysis. Two-stage-least-squares (2SLS) instrumental variable regression and various other tests are employed for robustness check.FindingsThe results show a positive relationship between hierarchical complexity and stock price crash risk. This relationship is amplified in firms with a greater number of subsidiaries that are hierarchically distanced from the parent company as well as in firms with a greater number of foreign subsidiaries in countries with weaker rule of law.Originality/valueThis paper is the first to investigate the impact hierarchical complexity has on crash risk. The results highlight the role that a firm's organizational structure can have on asset pricing behavior.
When suppliers engage in sustainable supply chain management: how does the stock market react?
Authors: Wang Jason X. , Choi Tsan-Ming , Wood Lincoln C. , Olesen Karin , Reiners Torsten 
Published: September 2023

PurposeSustainable supply chain management (SSCM), driven by the downstream buyers' power, transfers sustainability responsibilities to the upstream supplier. In contrast to the heavily-focused buyers' perspective in the literature, the authors investigate how this buyer-driven SSCM influences suppliers' performance, using the measure of stock market reaction.Design/methodology/approachGrounded by the resource dependence theory (RDT), the authors empirically analyze the power effect on suppliers. Event study methodology and regression analysis are used, based on a sample of 1977 paired supplier observations from 1990 to 2016.FindingsThe result suggests that although a negative stock market reaction for suppliers in SSCM exists, the effect is less negative at a high level of buyer and supplier dependence. For the investigation of the “consolidated SSCM initiative,” where buyers acquire exogenous power by collaboratively managing SSCM with their peers, the authors uncover that the negative impact of this consolidated SSCM initiative can be mitigated by the high interdependence that generates relational norms in the dyads.Research limitations/implicationsThe authors focus on dyadic relationships. Future research can use the study's findings to study the SSCM diffusion to lower-tier suppliers.Practical implicationsThis paper has good managerial implications for both suppliers and buyers. The authors propose dependence-based strategies for supplier managers to reduce uncertainty in SSCM. Moreover, buyer managers can use the study's findings to strengthen suppliers' commitment.Originality/valueThe novelty of examining the suppliers' perspective contributes to exploring the supply chain impact of SSCM. The authors extend RDT and show that high dependence is not necessarily detrimental to suppliers in this buyer-driven SSCM context. The interesting finding of interdependence in the context of the consolidated SSCM initiative brings new insights that relational norms constrain the leverage of power in the dyads and are beneficial to the power-disadvantageous suppliers.
Methods of regulatory impact assessment: critical analysis and alternative method
Authors: El Kadiri Boutchich Driss 
Published: September 2023

Purpose
This study aims to carry out a critical analysis of the methods used to deal with the regulatory impact assessment while proposing an alternative method to overcome some of the drawbacks of the aforementioned methods.

Design/methodology/approach
To achieve the objective of this work, the methods currently used in regulatory impact analysis are presented by highlighting their scope and the problems they may pose during their applications. After that, the adjusted variant of radial measure is suggested as an alternative method to the aforementioned methods while showing its relevance with regard to other methods using pertinent criteria. Finally, for concretization, a case study related to the sanctions against Russia after its invasion of Ukraine is presented.

Findings
The findings show that regulations related to the sanctions against Russia are good enough, with a score of 0.846. However, this score is less good in several countries like Germany (0.671), Italy (0.677) and France (0.745) and in the poorest countries.

Originality/value
The originality of this work resides in using a novel method in the regulatory impact analysis field, which is adjusted variant of radial measure. This method increases the effectiveness of the regulatory impact assessment.
Generation Z and Millennial esports gamers’ perceived toxicity risk and game brand loyalty: moderated mediation effects of brand identification, self-efficacy, and support from game brand
Authors: Chang Kun , Lee Hyun-Woo , Bennett Gregg 
Published: September 2023

Purpose
The rampant toxic gaming environment in most major esports games has become a challenge in maintaining gamers’ loyalty to the game. Guided by the theory of stress and coping, this study aims to investigate how and under what condition esports gamers’ perceived risk of toxicity may affect game brand loyalty through the moderated mediation effects of game brand identification, self-efficacy, and perceived support from game brand.

Design/methodology/approach
The moderated mediation model was tested using the conditional process analysis (N = 311). The moderating effects of game brand identification on the mediated processes were tested in the model.

Findings
The authors found that self-efficacy and perceived support from game brand were critical mediators between the perceived risk of toxicity and game brand loyalty. However, these mediating effects varied depending on the level of game brand identification.

Originality/value
This study took the step forward by theorizing and empirically examining the relationship between perceived risk of toxicity and consumption outcome by considering both internal and social coping resources and game brand identification, among Generation Z and Millennial gamers in the esports context.