bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Dendritic degeneration and altered synaptic innervation of a central auditory neuron during age-related hearing loss
Authors: Wang Meijian , Zhang Chuangeng , Lin Shengyin , Xie Ruili 
Published: November 2022

ABSTRACTCellular morphology and synaptic configuration are key determinants of neuronal function and are often modified under pathological conditions. In the first nucleus of the central auditory system, the cochlear nucleus (CN), principal bushy neurons specialize in processing temporal information of sound critical for hearing. These neurons alter their physiological properties during aging that contribute to age-related hearing loss (ARHL). The structural basis of such changes remains unclear, especially age-related modifications in their dendritic morphology and the innervating auditory nerve (AN) synapses. Using young (2-5 months) and aged (28-33 months) CBA/CaJ mice of either sex, we filled individual bushy neurons with fluorescent dye in acute brain slices to characterize their dendritic morphology, followed by immunostaining against vesicular glutamate transporter 1 (VGluT1) and calretinin (CR) to identify innervating AN synapses. We found that dendritic morphology of aged bushy neurons had significantly reduced complexity, suggesting age-dependent dendritic degeneration, especially in neurons with predominantly non-CR-expressing synapses on the soma. These dendrites were innervated by AN bouton synapses, which were predominantly non-CR-expressing in young mice but had increased proportion of CR-expressing synapses in old mice. While somatic AN synapses degenerated substantially with age, as quantified by VGluT1-labeled puncta volume, no significant difference was observed in the total volume of dendritic synapses between young and old mice. Consequently, synaptic density on dendrites was significantly higher in old mice. The findings suggest that dendritic degeneration and altered synaptic innervation in bushy neurons during aging may underlie their changed physiological activity and contribute to the development of ARHL.HIGHLIGHTSDendrites of bushy neurons degenerate during aging with reduced complexityBushy dendrites receive AN input primarily from SGNs with medium/high thresholdDendritic synapses show similar total volume but increased density during agingDendritic degeneration in bushy neurons and altered AN input may underlie ARHL
Fisetin Attenuates Cellular Senescence Accumulation During Culture Expansion of Human Adipose-Derived Stem Cells
Authors: Mullen Michael , Goff Alexander , Billings Jake , Kloser Heidi , Huard Charles , Mitchell John , Hambright William Sealy , Ravuri Sudheer , Huard Johnny 
Published: November 2022

AbstractMesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have long been viewed as a promising therapeutic for musculoskeletal repair. However, regulatory concerns including tumorgenicity, inconsistencies in preparation techniques, donor-to-donor variability, and the accumulation of senescence during culture expansion have hindered the clinical application of MSCs. Senescence, in particular, is a driving mechanism for MSC dysfunction with advancing age. Often characterized by increased reactive oxygen species, senescence-associated heterochromatin foci, inflammatory cytokine and chemokine secretion, and reduced proliferative capacity, senescence directly inhibits MSCs efficacy as a therapeutic for musculoskeletal regeneration and repair. Furthermore, autologous delivery of senescent MSCs can further induce disease and aging progression through the secretion of the senescence-associated secretory phenotype (SASP) and mitigate the regenerative potentetial of MSCs. To combat these issues, the use of senolytic agents to selectively clear senescent cell populations has become popular. However, their benefits to human MSCs during the culture expansion process have not yet been elucidated. To address this, analyzed markers of senescence during culturing of human primary adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs), a population of fat-resident MSCs commonly used in regenerative medicine applications. Next, we used the senolytic agent fisetin to determine if we can reduce these markers of senescence within our culture-expanded ADSC populations. Our results indicate that ADSCs acquire common markers of cellular senescence including increased reactive oxygen species, senescence-associated β-galactosidase, and senescence-associated heterochromatin foci. Furthermore, we found that the senolytic agent fisetin works in a dose-dependent manner and selectively attenuates these markers of senescence while maintaining the differentiation potential of the expanded ADSCs.Signficance StatementThe accumulation of dysfunctional, senescent cells throughout aging is not confined to specific tissues and cell types, but instead effects the whole body, including stem cells. Similarly, during culture expansion stem cells accumulate senescence while concurrently losing their regenerative potential. In this study, we found that fisetin (a well known senotherapeutic agent) can reduce the number of senescent cells during stem cell expansion. The current results indicate that fisetin may be used not only as a promising therapeutic to remove senescent cells in stem cell isolates from older individuals but also to reduce the accumulation of senescence during culture expansion.
Automatic tolerance analyses by generation of assembly graph and mating edges from STEP AP 242 file of mechanical assembly
Authors: S. Mukunthan , R. Manu , Lawrence K. Deepak 
Published: November 2022

Purpose
This paper aims to propose a method to automate the tolerance analyses of mechanical assembly using STandard for the Exchange of Product model data-Application Protocol Part 242 (STEP AP 242) files derived from the 3-D computer-aided design (CAD) models.

Design/methodology/approach
Product manufacturing information and mating information available in ISO 10303 STEP AP242 files resulting from the 3-D CAD model of mechanical assembly are extracted. The extracted geometric attributes, geometric dimensioning and tolerancing (GD&T) and mating information are used to automatically generate assembly graph and mating edges required for the tolerance analyses of the mechanical assembly by using the matrix approach.

Findings
The feasibility of the proposed method is verified through two mechanical assembly case studies. The results of manual calculations and tolerance values computed by the automated method are very closely matching.

Practical implications
Tolerance analysis is an integral part of product development that directly influences the cost and performance of a product. Apart from the academic interest, the work is expected to have positive implications for the digital design and smart manufacturing industry that involve in the development of solutions for automation of design and manufacturing system functions.

Originality/value
The approach presented in the paper that aids the automation of tolerance analyses of mechanical assembly is an innovative application of the STEP AP 242 file. The automation of tolerance analyses would improve the productivity and efficiency of the product realization process.
Employability skills of the next generation of Chinese factory workers
Authors: Froese Fabian Jintae , Hong Lin-Ya 
Published: November 2022

PurposeThe main purpose of this study was to develop and test an employability scale in a Chinese context. Moreover, the authors investigated how socioeconomic status indicators (education and occupation of parents, household income and hukou, i.e. household registration location) affect the endowment and development of adolescents' employability skills in China.Design/methodology/approachData were collected via paper-based surveys from 1,146 vocational school students in rural and urban areas in China at two points in time one year apart. The authors developed a scale to measure employability skills in China and conducted general linear modeling to test the hypotheses.FindingsThe findings indicate that adolescents whose parents have more education, highly skilled occupations, relatively affluent household income and urban hukou are more likely to attain higher employability skills than those from lower socioeconomic status backgrounds. Moreover, adolescents with these background characteristics tend to improve their employability skills more than those without such characteristics. This suggests that social capital may further widen the inequality gap among adolescents.Research limitations/implicationsThe framework of employability skills focuses on the general basic transferable employability skills of vocational students. Future studies could develop measures of employability skills for college graduates and widen the measurements of social capital based on the study’s findings. The findings suggest that higher education institutions should be encouraged to integrate resources to improve education inequality between rural and urban regions to the disparity in adolescents' employability skills development.Originality/valueBuilding on Western frameworks, the study defines and develops an employability scale in the Chinese context that can be a practical measurement tool for researchers, educators and policymakers. The authors investigated the endowment and development of employability skills in relation to social capital. Exposure to social capital tends to affect an individual's skills and capability development at an early stage, and in the long term, this calls attention to access to quality education between rural and urban youth.
Investigating the impact of emerging technologies on construction safety performance
Authors: Dobrucali Esra , Demirkesen Sevilay , Sadikoglu Emel , Zhang Chengyi , Damci Atilla 
Published: November 2022

PurposeConstruction safety is heavily affected by using new technologies in this growing trend of technology adoption. Especially, safety performance is enhanced through the utilization of some effective technologies such as artificial intelligence, virtual reality, BIM and wearable devices. Therefore, the main purpose of this study is to investigate the influence of emerging technologies on construction safety performance and quantify the relationship between those. The proposed components of emerging technologies are BIM, GIS, VR, RFID, AI, ML, eye tracking and serious games and wearable devices, whereas the dimensions of construction safety performance are safety planning, safety training, safety inspection and monitoring, safety audits and reviews and safety leadership.Design/methodology/approachA structural model was composed consisting of emerging technologies and safety performance indicators. Then, a questionnaire was designed and administered to construction professionals, and data from 167 projects were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The data were analyzed by using software, called SPSS AMOS.FindingsThe analysis of the structural model proves that there is a positive and significant relationship between emerging technologies and construction safety performance. Moreover, the factor loadings for each factor were found to be high indicating a good representation of the construct by the components developed. Among the technologies, BIM, robotics and automation, AI and wearable devices were detected to be the most significant technologies in terms of impacting safety performance.Originality/valueThe study contributes to the body of knowledge in that it develops a conceptual framework consisting of specific technologies in terms of emerging technologies, reveals the impact of such technologies on safety performance and proposes several tools and strategies for enabling effective safety management along the project lifecycle. Industry practitioners may benefit from the framework developed by adopting such technologies to enhance their safety performance on construction projects.
Transformational leadership, employee self-efficacy, employee innovativeness, customer-centricity, and organizational competitiveness among insurance firms
Authors: Iddris Faisal , Dogbe Courage Simon Kofi , Kparl Emmanuel Mensah 
Published: November 2022

Purpose
This study aims to assess how employee innovativeness, employee self-efficacy and customer-centricity intervene in the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational competitiveness of insurance firms.

Design/methodology/approach
This study was a survey, with data collected using a structured questionnaire. The population was the insurance firms in Ghana, and the target respondents were employees. The sample comprises 218 employees drawn from 19 insurers. Data was analyzed using structural equation modeling.

Findings
This study concludes that transformational leadership had a direct effect on organizational competitiveness. Employee innovativeness partially mediated the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational competitiveness. Employee self-efficacy moderated the effect of transformational leadership on employee innovativeness. Finally, customer-centricity moderated the effect of employee innovativeness on the organizational competitiveness of insurance firms.

Research limitations/implications
Future studies should pay particular attention to the individual dimensions of transformational leadership (individualized consideration, intellectual stimulation, inspirational motivation and idealized influence), in combination with the other constructs studied.

Practical implications
Insurance is a service industry, which sells mostly unsolicited products. Customer-centricity is therefore very crucial in achieving organizational competitiveness. Attention should also be paid to transformational leadership and employee self-efficacy, as they enhanced employee innovativeness needed for competitive advantage.

Originality/value
This study contributed to the understanding of the relationship between transformational leadership and organizational competitiveness, by identifying employee innovativeness, employee self-efficacy and customer centricity, as intervening variables.
Alliance learning process and alliance success: the moderating role of openness
Authors: Waheed Abdul , Shafiq Saad , Mirza Bilal 
Published: November 2022

Purpose
Industry and academia are interested to understand how companies develop alliance capabilities through managing the knowledge, for alliance success. This study aims to investigate how alliance learning process is related to the overall success of any alliance, and how openness culture moderates the relationship of alliance learning process and alliance success.

Design/methodology/approach
English language questionnaires were sent to top executives of 400 companies because English is a commonly understood language at managerial level in Pakistani companies. In total, 186 usable answers were received. Hierarchical linear regression was used for hypothesis testing.

Findings
Alliance learning is significantly and positively related to alliance success. Openness plays a role as moderator between the relationship of alliance learning process and alliance success. Contrary to the literature, at low level of alliance learning, high level of openness increases the chances of alliance but as we move toward high level of alliance leaning, low level of openness is more effective to achieve the alliance success.

Research limitations/implications
The data in this study was collected from Pakistan. The results may not be generalized to other regions, especially to developed countries.

Practical implications
The results have implications for managers involved in alliances. They can be benefitted by this study to understand the role of alliance (knowledge) learning process on alliance success and contingent role of openness on this relationship.

Originality/value
This study is an important contribution to understand the notion of organizational learning and knowledge management in alliance context. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to investigate openness as a moderator of the relationship between alliance learning process and alliance success.
Task information types related to data gathering in media studies
Authors: Korkeamäki Laura , Keskustalo Heikki , Kumpulainen Sanna 
Published: November 2022

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to examine what types of task information media scholars need while gathering research data to create new knowledge.Design/methodology/approachThe research design is qualitative and user-oriented. A total of 25 media scholars were interviewed about their research processes and interactions with their research data. The interviews were semi-structured, complemented by critical incident interviews. The analysis focused on the activity of gathering research data. A typology of information (task, domain and task-solving information) guided the analysis of information types related to data gathering, with further analysis focusing only on task information types.FindingsMedia scholars needed the following task information types while gathering research data to create new knowledge: (1) information about research data (aboutness of data, characteristics of data, metadata and secondary information about data), (2) information about sources of research data (characteristics of sources, local media landscapes) and (3) information about cases and their contexts (case information, contextual information). All the task information types should be considered when building data services and tools to support media scholars' work.Originality/valueThe paper increases understanding of the concept of task information in the context of gathering research data to create new knowledge and thereby informs the providers of research data services about the task information types that researchers need.
New bed configurations and discharge timing policies: A hospital‐wide simulation
Authors: Hassanzadeh Hamed , Khanna Sankalp , Boyle Justin , Jensen Felicity , Murdoch Allison 
Published: November 2022

AbstractObjectiveOptimising patient flow is becoming an increasingly critical issue as patient demand fluctuates in healthcare systems with finite capacity. Simulation provides a powerful tool to fine‐tune policies and investigate their impact before any costly intervention.MethodsA hospital‐wide discrete event simulation is developed to model incoming flow from ED and elective units in a busy metropolitan hospital. The impacts of two different policies are investigated using this simulation model: (i) varying inpatient bed configurations and a load sharing strategy among a cluster of wards within a medical department and (ii) early discharge strategies on inpatient bed access. Several clinically relevant bed configurations and early discharge scenarios are defined and their impact on key performance metrics are quantified.ResultsSharing beds between wards reduced the average and total ED length of stay (LOS) by 21% compared to having patients queue for individual wards. The current baseline performance level could be maintained by using fewer beds when the load sharing approach was imposed. Earlier discharge of inpatients resulted in reducing average patient ED LOS by approximately 16% and average patient waiting time by 75%. Specific time‐based discharge targets led to greater improvements in flow compared to blanket approaches of discharging all patients 1 or 2 hours earlier.ConclusionsED access performance for admitted patients can be improved by modifying downstream capacity or inpatient discharge times. The simulation model was able to quantify the potential impacts of such policies on patient flow and to provide insights for future strategic planning.
CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated knockout of period reveals its function in the circadian rhythms of the diamondback moth Plutella xylostella
Authors: Wang Danfeng , Chen Jing , Yuan Yao , Yu Lingqi , Yang Guang , Chen Wenfeng 
Published: November 2022

AbstractCircadian clocks control the rhythmicity of many behaviors and physiological features of insects. To study the circadian clock of the moth Plutella xylostella, we employed CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated genome editing to investigate the effect of loss of the clock gene period on the circadian rhythms. P. xylostella harbors a single copy of period. Phylogenetic analysis showed that P. xylostella PERIOD is more homologous to mouse PERIOD than the PERIOD proteins from bees, flies, mosquitos, and many other Lepidoptera, such as Danaus plexippus and Bombyx mori. The circadian rhythms in adult locomotor activity were altered in the period knockout strain of P. xylostella under light–dark (LD) and continuous dark (DD) conditions. Under the LD cycle, the wild‐type moths displayed nocturnal activity with activity peaking very early after lights off and quickly declining after lights on. In contrast, the period knockout strain had no peak in activity when the lights were turned off and exhibited steady activity throughout the hours of darkness. Interestingly, under DD conditions, our results showed that the locomotor rhythm can be maintained without period gene, but at a lower rhythmicity ratio than wild‐type. In addition, knockout of period in P. xylostella changed circadian rhythms patterns related to pupal eclosion, mating, egg‐laying, and egg hatching. Mechanistically, loss of PERIOD disrupted the molecular rhythm of period and changed the clock transcription rhythm in the heads of the moths under LD and DD conditions. Together, our study indicates that the PERIOD is required for normal expression of many behavioral rhythms in P. xylostella.
Circulating CD200 is increased in the secretory phase of women with endometriosis as is endometrial mRNA, and endometrial stromal cell CD200R1 is increased in spite of reduced mRNA
Authors: Hamilton Matthew , Turpin Victoria , Ayoub Anmar , Reihani Amir , Arredondo Jorge , Ask Kjetil , Clark David A. , Foster Warren G. 
Published: November 2022

AbstractProblemEstrogen‐dependent extrauterine implantation and growth of menstrual endometrial tissue affects roughly 10% of reproductive age women and depends on suppression of local innate immune defenses to prevent ectopic tissue rejection. Immunohistochemistry has shown the immune check‐point inhibitor CD200 which can suppress rejection is expressed in eutopic endometrium and in ectopic deposits. Soluble CD200 accumulated in venules draining eutopic and ectopic endometrium of endometriosis cases in the secretory phase but not proliferative phase of the menstrual cycle, and should be increased in the circulation.Method of StudySera from endometriosis and non‐endometriosis controls were tested by ELISA for CD200. Endometrial CD200, CD200R1 and CD200R2 mRNA in eutopic was quantified by RT‐PCR and localized by in situ hybridization. CD200R1 protein was quantified by immunohistochemistry.ResultsSecretory phase serum CD200 was elevated in women with endometriosis compared to controls. Serum CD200 correlated with matched endometrial CD200 mRNA levels. Expression of mRNA for CD200R1 which signals immune suppression was decreased whereas mRNA for the CD200R2 activating receptor was increased. In situ staining of CD200R1 and CD200R2 mRNA showed both receptors were expressed and the fraction of CD200R that is CD200R1 was reduced in secretory and menstrual phase endometriosis endometrium consistent with the RT‐PCR result. By contrast, CD200R1 protein and CD200R1 fraction of total CD200R protein were increased in endometriosis.ConclusionsFailure to suppress circulating CD200 levels in the secretory phase had an 87% specificity and 90% sensitivity for endometriosis. CD200 and increased CD200R1 expression may facilitate development of ectopic deposits by suppressing rejection mechanisms.