bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
A Proof-of-Concept Preparation of Lipid-Plasmid DNA Particles Using Novel Extrusion Based 3D Printing Technology, SMART
Authors: Chakka Jaidev , Maniruzzaman Mohammed 
Published: August 2023

AbstractGene therapy is a promising approach with delivery of messenger RNA, small interference RNA, and plasmid DNA to elicit a therapeutic actionin vitrousing cationic or ionizable lipid nanoparticles. In the present study, a novel extrusion based Sprayed Multi-Adsorbed droplet Reposing Technology (SMART) developed in-house was employed for preparation, characterization, and transfection abilities of the green fluorescence protein (GFP) plasmid DNA in cancer cellsin vitro. The lipid composition (ionizable) and plasmid DNA (pDNA, GFP) were mixed in a 1:1 ratio using SMART technology at 1, 5, 8 & 10 N/P ratios. The particles were characterized to determine particle size (DLS), zeta potential and morphology using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The particle size yielded for all N/P ratios is in the range of 100 nm to 200 nm. Thein vitrotransfection was carried out in MG63 cells showed optimal formulation N/P 8 with expression of GFP protein. The toxicity study through MTT assay showed N/P 8 with toxicity lower than other groups. The results showed that the processes developed using SMART technology are consistent and can be utilized for commercial applications.
Construction of superhydrophobic film on the titanium alloy welded joint and its corrosion resistance study
Authors: Zhang Dalei , Zhang Xinwei , Wei Enze , Dou Xiaohui , He Zonghao 
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This study aims to improve the corrosion resistance of TA2-welded joints by superhydrophobic surface modification using micro-arc oxidation technology and low surface energy substance modification.

Design/methodology/approach
The microstructure and chemical state of the superhydrophobic film layer were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, three-dimensional morphology, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Fourier transform infrared absorption spectroscopy. The influence of the superhydrophobic film layer on the corrosion resistance of TA2-welded joints was investigated using classical electrochemical testing methods.

Findings
The characterization results showed that the super hydrophobic TiO2 ceramic membrane was successfully constructed on the surface of the TA2-welded joint, and the construction of the super hydrophobic film greatly improved the corrosion resistance of the TA2-welded joint.

Originality/value
The superhydrophobic TiO2 ceramic membrane has excellent corrosion resistance. The micro nanostructure in the superhydrophobic film can intercept air to form an air layer to prevent the corrosion medium from contacting the surface, thus, improving the corrosion resistance of the sample.
The audit committee and dividend policy: an empirical study of the post-SOX era
Authors: Buertey Samuel , Nguyen Ha Thanh , Thompson Ephraim Kwashie 
Published: August 2023

Purpose
Post-Sarbanes Oxley Act (SOX), the audit committee has been empowered greatly to play a central role in the corporate governance of firms. Embedded in agency theory, this study aims to examine the effect of the audit committee on the likelihood by firms to pay dividends.

Design/methodology/approach
The study population is US firms in the Institutional Shareholder Services (ISS) database from 2007 to 2018. The authors apply the multivariate logit fixed-effect regression for the analyses after conducting the appropriate statistical tests.

Findings
From the results of the research model, the authors find that there is a positive relationship between the size and gender diversity of the audit committee and the propensity to pay dividends suggesting that a larger audit committee with substantial women representation improve the information environment in firms leading to higher dividend distribution. The extent of busyness of the audit committee impacts negatively on the propensity to pay dividends. The results are driven by high-performing firms and not driven by specific levels of firm size.

Research limitations/implications
The findings of the study give impetus to the audit committee as an important component of the corporate governance mechanism that advances the interest of stakeholders. Thus, efforts that seeks to promote the audit committee’s resourcefulness must be embraced by all stakeholders.

Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to focus on audit committee and dividend payout policy of US firms post-SOX. The study demonstrates how the audit committee characteristics including its size, gender diversity and busyness affect dividend policy by mitigating information asymmetry problems.
Tramadol control measures and supply for health-care services: findings from Ghana and other West African countries
Authors: Ane Maria-Goretti 
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This paper aims to explore the role of tramadol in pain management and the impact of regulatory measures on supply and medical access in Ghana and other African countries.

Design/methodology/approach
The study adopted an exploratory design and qualitative methods to explore the perspectives of different actors, including officials of regulatory agencies, law enforcement agents, health-care providers and non-medical tramadol users. Data were collected through individual and group interviews, and transcripts were subjected to thematic analysis.

Findings
Findings show that tramadol fills a critical gap in treating pain across Ghana in areas with an acute shortage of opioid analgesics due to scheduling-related barriers. This was partly due to porous borders allowing for an influx of tramadol into the countries. The study further found that most tramadol purchases in Ghana and other West African countries were made from market traders rather than from health-care settings and were mainly generic medicines categorised as “substandard/spurious/falsely-labelled/falsified/counterfeit medical products” within the World Health Organization standards.

Research limitations/implications
Although the findings are instructive, there were some limitations worth noting. The study encountered several limitations, especially with the non-medical users, because the environment is highly criminalised, People who use drugs were unwilling to avail themselves for fear of law enforcement officers’ harassment. Obtaining ethical clearance had its own bureaucracy – challenges that delayed the study time frame.

Practical implications
Placing tramadol under the list of internationally controlled substances would create barriers to access to effective pain medications, particularly by the poor, and encourage victimisation of users by law enforcement authorities.

Originality/value
The study is based on empirical research on tramadol use and regulation in African countries, contributing to knowledge in an under-researched subject area on the continent. The comparative approach further adds value to the research.
Intellectual capital development; a pre-requisite for leaders’ heuristics in times of uncertainties
Authors: Hevi Stewart Selase , Agbenorxevi Clemence Dupey , Malcalm Ebenezer 
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This paper investigates the relationship between intellectual capital development, managerial heuristics and innovation capability among SMEs in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach
A purposive sampling technique was used in the selection of 33 SMEs (Hospitality and Retail Industries) in the Greater Accra Region-Ghana. The study employed a mixed-method approach to investigate the study objectives.

Findings
The findings show that intellectual capital development positively predicts innovation capability among SMEs. Further, it was revealed that managerial heuristics are predominant among retailing firms than firms within the hospitality industry.

Originality/value
This study is one of the first to explore intellectual capital development from the viewpoint of managerial heuristics in decision making in times of uncertainties within the context of emerging economies.
Diversity and inclusion in employer branding: an explorative analysis of European companies' digital communication
Authors: Confetto Maria Giovanna , Ključnikov Aleksandr , Covucci Claudia , Normando Mara 
Published: August 2023

PurposeThe study aims to investigate the usage of diversity and inclusion (D&I) signals in communications for employer branding through digital channels made by European companies.Design/methodology/approachA quali-quantitative content analysis approach was employed to detect the usage of D&I signals of the top 43 European companies ranked in the 2021 Refinitiv Diversity and Inclusion index. These signals were organized according to Plummer's Big 8 diversity's dimensions. A correlation analysis was conducted to verify a relationship between D&I initiatives and digital communication for employer branding on corporate websites and LinkedIn. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the D&I dimensions' pervasiveness in digital communications and relevance on LinkedIn.FindingsThe results show that the correlation exists only between D&I initiatives and communication on the corporate website, while LinkedIn is still underused in this field. The most pervasive and relevant D&I dimensions for European companies are “Gender” and “Sexual Orientation”.Originality/valueThis paper enriches employer branding research by providing original insights into the use of D&I dimensions in digital communications.
How teachers perceive innovations in education
Authors: Karolčík Štefan , Marková Michaela 
Published: August 2023

PurposeThis research study explores the perceptions of the importance and meaning of innovation in education by qualified teachers. The authors deliberately selected geography teachers for the research because the extraordinary dynamics of changes and innovations the teacher has to deal with are significantly reflected, particularly in geography teaching.Design/methodology/approachThe main aim of the research was to determine geography teachers' views on the importance, role and meaning of innovation in teaching. The research group consisted of 12 qualified teachers, and a semistructured interview was chosen as the research method. The research was conducted over six months, from October 2020 to March 2021.FindingsThis research confirmed the interest in introducing innovations into teaching by the teachers interviewed. Teachers mainly think of innovation as new ways of teaching that aim to revive and make teaching more attractive, to increase the motivation of all actors in the learning process. While teachers with more ample teaching experience connect innovations mainly with presentations, education games, and excursions, teachers-beginners and teachers with shorter teaching experience understand innovations mainly as the application of new trends in education, such as research projects and working with GIS and digital technologies. The research confirmed that lectures supported by presentations are the most frequently used teaching method for explaining the geography curriculum in primary and secondary schools. Presentations in which teachers focus on linking relationships and explaining connections more deeply replace existing textbooks and teaching texts for most teachers interviewed.Research limitations/implicationsThe number and qualifications of the teachers involved in the research.Practical implicationsTeachers see the quality of the school environment and the education system as the significant barriers to providing better geography education. They often come to innovations through their own study and activities and feel a significant lack of available materials for the practical application of innovations in teaching. They also perceive the support for creation by state authorities and educational institutions as insufficient. Most teachers interviewed would welcome regular training courses and vocational education on the appropriate introduction and use of innovations in the classrooms in the form of practical examples and developed methodologies.Originality/valueThe selection of teachers for the research was deliberate and included active teachers of both genders working in primary and secondary schools. The selected teachers had varying teaching experiences and studied different combinations of teaching subjects with geography.
Understanding long-term thinking as a management strategy to support sustainable quality development: perspectives from education
Authors: Mårtensson Anna , Snyder Kristen , Ingelsson Pernilla , Bäckström Ingela 
Published: August 2023

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to explore the concept of long-term thinking in a non-business context to gain deeper insights into bridging the gap between the theory of long-term thinking and its application as a management strategy.Design/methodology/approachTo explore the concept of long-thinking further in a non-business setting, a grounded theory study was conducted with preschool leaders in a municipality in Sweden to examine how the leaders describe, define and apply the concept of long-term thinking in their schools. Interviews with school leaders, both written and oral, were used for data collection.FindingsThis study illustrates that the concept of long-term thinking can be twofold. First, the description can be as an anchor that reflects a mission. Second, the description can be a steering mechanism that guides decision-making. The findings also reinforce the importance of organisations developing an organisational culture that connect their vision and goals with the values and needs of their customers.Research limitations/implicationsThis study was carried out in a single organisation and shows a snapshot of the organisation's status at the time the data were collected. Therefore, the findings are not generalisable to all organisational settings; rather the findings may be transferable to other settings.Practical implicationsThe results can be used to help identify areas where preschools in a municipal context can engage with sustainable quality development in order to build systems that support work with quality in a more structured way.Originality/valueLong-term thinking is seen, within both theory and organisations, as necessary to achieve success in terms of sustainable development and quality, and this study contributes with knowledge about the current gap between theories of long-term thinking and practice in organisations.
Review article: Detaining patients against their will: Can duty of care be used to justify detention and restraint in emergency departments?
Authors: Kelly Anne‐Maree , Eburn Michael , Cockburn Tina , Senthi Anand 
Published: August 2023

AbstractEvery day in EDs, clinicians are faced with situations where they need to decide whether to detain a patient for assessment and treatment. For patients who meet the relevant criteria, provisions of mental health legislation can be used. For other patients, clinicians often rely on so‐called ‘duty of care’. This article briefly explores this complex area of law, including the relevant legislation, common law principles and grey areas. It also proposes an approach to decision‐making in this area.
Targeting Haemaphysalis longicornis serpin to prevent tick feeding and pathogen transmission
Authors: Feng Tingting , Tong Hao , Zhang Qianqian , Ming Zhihao , Song Zhenyu , Zhou Xia , Dai Jianfeng 
Published: August 2023

AbstractSerine proteinase inhibitors (serpins), identified from the hard tick Haemaphysalis longicornis of China, play significant roles in various animal physiological processes. In this study, we showed that H. longicornis serpins (Hlserpin‐a and Hlserpin‐b) were induced during blood‐feeding in nymph ticks and exhibited anticoagulation activity in vitro. Silencing Hlserpins through RNA interference (RNAi) significantly impaired tick feeding. Immunization of mice with recombinant Hlserpins or passive transfer of Hlserpin antiserum significantly curtails the efficacy of tick feeding. Concurrently, the transmission of the Langat virus (LGTV) from ticks to mice witnessed a substantial decrease when Hlserpins were silenced. Our findings suggest that inhibiting Hlserpins can hamper tick engorgement and pathogen transmission, indicating the potential of Hlserpins as a vaccine to counter tick‐borne diseases.
Expanding the genetic programmability of Lactiplantibacillus plantarum
Authors: Blanch‐Asensio Marc , Dey Sourik , Tadimarri Varun Sai , Sankaran Shrikrishnan 
Published: August 2023

AbstractLactobacilli are ubiquitous in nature and symbiotically provide health benefits for countless organisms including humans, animals and plants. They are vital for the fermented food industry and are being extensively explored for healthcare applications. For all these reasons, there is considerable interest in enhancing and controlling their capabilities through the engineering of genetic modules and circuits. One of the most robust and reliable microbial chassis for these synthetic biology applications is the widely used Lactiplantibacillus plantarum species. However, the genetic toolkit needed to advance its applicability remains poorly equipped. This mini‐review highlights the genetic parts that have been discovered to achieve food‐grade recombinant protein production and speculates on lessons learned from these studies for L. plantarum engineering. Furthermore, strategies to identify, create and optimize genetic parts for real‐time regulation of gene expression and enhancement of biosafety are also suggested.
Practice Makes Better: Using Immersive Cases to Improve Student Performance on Day 1 of the Common Final Examination*
Authors: Lapointe‐Antunes Pascale , Sainty Barbara 
Published: August 2023

ABSTRACTIn the context of an accredited CPA program, we investigate whether an immersive case delivered over several weeks in a team‐based environment in the Performance Management elective module improves student performance on Day 1 examinations and whether all students benefit equally from the immersive case. Results show that using an immersive case prior to Capstone 1 significantly improves student performance on practice Day 1 examinations and Day 1 of the Common Final Examination (CFE). Although high‐ability students and non‐English‐as‐a‐second‐language (ESL) students with co‐op experience perform better regardless of whether an immersive case is used, ESL students benefit from using an immersive case when evaluating performance on Day 1 of the CFE. In addition, spending six to eight weeks preparing extensively for the CFE after graduate classes end in July seems to contribute to closing performance gaps between students. This study benefits the education process by identifying a tool that educators can use to improve performance on the CFE. It provides insights that may prove useful to CPA Canada and accredited post‐secondary institutions as they revamp their programs to align with Competency Map 2.0.
A semiochemical view of the ecology of the seed beetle Acanthoscelides obtectus Say (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae, Bruchinae)
Authors: Vuts József , Powers Stephen J. , Venter Eudri , Szentesi Árpád 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe dried bean beetle, Acanthoscelides obtectus, is an economically important pest of stored legumes worldwide. Tracking the human‐aided dispersion of its primary hosts, the Phaseolus vulgaris beans, it is now widespread in most bean‐growing areas of the tropics and subtropics. In temperate regions where it can only occasionally overwinter in the field, A. obtectus proliferates in granaries, having multiple generations a year. Despite its negative impact on food production, no sensitive detection or monitoring tools exist, and the reduction of local populations still relies primarily on inorganic insecticides as fumigating agents. However, in the quest to produce more nutritious food more sustainably and healthily, the development of environmentally benign crop protection methods is vital against A. obtectus. For this, knowledge of the biology and chemistry of both the host plant and its herbivore will underpin the development of, among others, chemical ecology‐based approaches to form an essential part of the toolkit of integrated bruchid management. We review the semiochemistry of the mate‐ and host‐finding behaviour of A. obtectus and provide new information about the effect of seed chemistry on the sensory and behavioural ecology of host acceptance and larval development.
Benzoic acid promotes Fusarium wilt incidence by enhancing susceptibility and reducing photosynthesis of faba bean
Authors: Yang Wenhao , Guo Yuting , Li Yu , Lv Jiaxing , Dong Yan 
Published: August 2023

AbstractContinuous faba bean (Vicia faba L.) cropping causes adverse effects, including increased secretion of autotoxic substances (benzoic acid) and incidence of diseases (Fusarium wilt). Fusarium commune infects faba bean seedlings and is treated with different benzoic acid concentrations. Therefore, this investigation analysed the association of benzoic acid with faba bean wilt incidence and the mechanisms involved. Furthermore, seedling growth, tissue structure, Fusarium wilt incidence, cell wall degrading enzymes (CWDEs) activity, lignin levels, and leaf photosynthetic parameters were assessed. The results indicated that fungal infection markedly reduced biomass and photosynthesis in the faba bean. Microscopic analysis showed slightly thickened stems' xylem vessels. Benzoic acid treatment with F. commune infection substantially increased F. commune‐mediated CWDEs activity in the faba bean stem and lignin level but reduced photosynthesis and biomass, elevating Fusarium wilt incidence. Furthermore, broken tissues, xylem thickening, and stem cavities were observed. The investigation indicated that benzoic acid treatment and F. commune infection‐induced stem lignin might be a resistance response; however, increased pathogenicity and reduced photosynthesis enhanced susceptibility and aggravated Fusarium wilt.
Group budget‐based bonus scheme and group cooperation: The role of social value orientation, goal alignment, and group identity
Authors: Braga Aguiar Andson , Dieng Mamadou , Guerreiro Reinaldo 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIn a workgroup setting, we use a quasi‐experiment to examine whether and why proself rather than prosocial employees benefit more from high group identity to foster group cooperation. We validate the goal‐transformation hypothesis that proself rather than prosocial employees benefit more from high group identity. Consistent with the goal‐expectation hypothesis, we show that goal alignment explains why proself rather than prosocial employees benefit more from high group identity. The main implication of our results is that, when group identity is high, proself employees reinforce their strategic behaviour to cooperate with the group to obtain higher individual payoffs through greater goal alignment.