Structural Modeling Approach Research Articles

Designing a Constructive Leadership Implementation Model in the Higher Education System Using an Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) Approach

The present study designed a model for the implementation of constructive leadership in the higher education system using an interpretive structural modeling approach. This study was applied in terms of aim and qualitative type of descriptive in terms of method of implementation. The statistical population of the study included experts in educational and constructive leadership in higher education at Urmia University. Based on the principle of random sampling, 7 of them were selected as a sample using convenience and snowball sampling methods. A semi-structured interview with experts whose questions were designed based on the theoretical foundations of constructive leadership in higher education with the help of professors was used as the study tool. The validity of the results was examined and confirmed by the triangulation method. Also, its face validity was confirmed by the opinions of experts who were not members of the study, and its reliability was calculated at 0.83 using the inter-coder coefficient of the agreement method. The data obtained from semi-structured interviews were analyzed with open, axial, and selective coding based on grounded theory in MAXQDA software. The results showed that the model of constructive leadership in higher education based on grounded theory included 12 components and 9 dimensions. The category of causal conditions included two dimensions of the necessity of constructive management (with two components of knowledge management and organizational innovation) and organizational culture (with two components of collaborative management and innovative atmosphere). The category of contextual conditions included two dimensions of management maturity (with the component of evaluating and applying policies for constructive management) and the system of fostering change and transformation (with the component of establishing relationships with aligned people and organizations). The category of intervening conditions included the dimension of competition with the surrounding environment and increasing progress (with the component of planning and paying attention to facilities). The category of strategies included two dimensions having facilities and requirements (with the component of financing and equipment) and responsibility and cooperation (with the components of empathy and public desire). Finally, the category of implications included two dimensions of academic development (with 2 components of individual competence development and university development) and social development (with the component of gaining public trust).

Bioinformatics approach for structure modeling, vaccine design, and molecular docking of Brucella candidate proteins BvrR, OMP25, and OMP31

Brucellosis is a zoonotic disease with significant economic and healthcare costs. Despite the eradication efforts, the disease persists. Vaccines prevent disease in animals while antibiotics cure humans with limitations. This study aims to design vaccines and drugs for brucellosis in animals and humans, using protein modeling, epitope prediction, and molecular docking of the target proteins (BvrR, OMP25, and OMP31). Tertiary structure models of three target proteins were constructed and assessed using RMSD, TM-score, C-score, Z-score, and ERRAT. The best models selected from AlphaFold and I-TASSER due to their superior performance according to CASP 12 – CASP 15 were chosen for further analysis. The motif analysis of best models using MotifFinder revealed two, five, and five protein binding motifs, however, the Motif Scan identified seven, six, and eight Post-Translational Modification sites (PTMs) in the BvrR, OMP25, and OMP31 proteins, respectively. Dominant B cell epitopes were predicted at (44–63, 85–93, 126–137, 193–205, and 208–237), (26–46, 52–71, 98–114, 142–155, and 183–200), and (29–45, 58–82, 119–142, 177–198, and 222–251) for the three target proteins. Additionally, cytotoxic T lymphocyte epitopes were detected at (173–181, 189–197, and 202–210), (61–69, 91–99, 159–167, and 181–189), and (3–11, 24–32, 167–175, and 216–224), while T helper lymphocyte epitopes were displayed at (39–53, 57–65, 150–158, 163–171), (79–87, 95–108, 115–123, 128–142, and 189–197), and (39–47, 109–123, 216–224, and 245–253), for the respective target protein. Furthermore, structure-based virtual screening of the ZINC and DrugBank databases using the docking MOE program was followed by ADMET analysis. The best five compounds of the ZINC database revealed docking scores ranged from (− 16.8744 to − 15.1922), (− 16.0424 to − 14.1645), and (− 14.7566 to − 13.3222) for the BvrR, OMP25, and OMP31, respectively. These compounds had good ADMET parameters and no cytotoxicity, while DrugBank compounds didn't meet Lipinski's rule criteria. Therefore, the five selected compounds from the ZINC20 databases may fulfill the pharmacokinetics and could be considered lead molecules for potentially inhibiting Brucella’s proteins.

Discovering Latent Topics and Trends in Digital Technologies and Disaster Management Research: A Structural Topic Modeling Approach

The application of Digital Technologies (DTs) in disaster management has recently received much attention. It is imperative to summarize the existing literature in this area to identify the key research topics and possible future directions. Our study is the first of its kind to use an efficient, scalable, data-driven review approach using structural topic modeling to identify the links between DTs and disaster management. The paper has analyzed peer-reviewed Scopus-indexed journal articles on DTs and disaster management published between 2011 and 2023. Nine key research topics were identified, including topics such as technology awareness and education in disaster management, Use of social media in crisis communication, Disaster management interventions through autonomous systems, Communication networks and data applications in disasters, and Disaster management modelling. The topics and future directions represent areas where research and exploration make an important contribution to disaster management by leveraging DTs for better preparedness, response, and recovery in crisis situations.

Influence of modelling approach for reinforced concrete underground structures, with application to the CMS cavern at CERN

Representative modelling of reinforced concrete (RC) components in underground structures is essential for accurate assessment of structural performance (deformations and internal forces) within numerical simulations. This paper examines the implications of selecting different structural modelling approaches within the seismic (dynamic) finite element analysis of a buried structure of complex shape, using the CMS (Compact Muon Solenoid) Detector Cavern of the Large Hadron Collider in Geneva, Switzerland, as a case study. Two alternate modelling approaches were employed to model the cavern lining: (i) a composite continuum approach, with the concrete and embedded reinforcement being explicitly modelled; and (ii) the use of a nonlinear elasto-plastic plate element. The pre-earthquake ground initial conditions were determined through simulation of the construction and detector installation operations consistent with field measurements from extensometers and internal survey of floor deformations. The results demonstrate the importance of adopting a non-linear continuum modelling approach in representing the RC lining under strong shaking events to avoid under-prediction of seismic actions at locations of potential seismically induced damage. Such an approach will be essential in 3D problems where multi-axial dynamically varying stresses are applied on the RC section. Finally, it offers a realistic approach in representing structures of complex shape and that contains volume and thick elements.

Analysis of Barriers to the Successful Implementation of Digitalization in South Africa Using the Interpretive Structural Modelling Approach

Many digitalization programmes fail in the implementation phase due to unforeseen obstacles. This study examines the barriers that affect the successful implementation of digitalization using the interpretive structural model and also evaluates the interrelationships among the barriers in the implementation of digitalization. Previous articles in the discipline of digitalization were used in the literature to mainly draw barriers found during the implementation phase of digitalization. Interpretive Structural Modelling results helped to find different levels of barriers and their influence on the system. The high cost of digital technologies and political instability were identified as the leading barriers affecting the successful implementation of digital systems in South Africa. The findings will aid in decision-making for problem-solving to eliminate the most critical barriers to improve the implementation process.

Between Technological Utopia and Dystopia: Online Expression of Compulsory Use of Surveillance Technology

This study investigated people’s ethical concerns of surveillance technology. By adopting the spectrum of technological utopian and dystopian narratives, how people perceive a society constructed through the compulsory use of surveillance technology was explored. This study empirically examined the anonymous online expression of attitudes toward the society-wide, compulsory adoption of a contact tracing app that affected almost every aspect of all people’s everyday lives at a societal level. By applying the structural topic modeling approach to analyze comments on four Hong Kong anonymous discussion forums, topics concerning the technological utopian, dystopian, and pragmatic views on the surveillance app were discovered. The findings showed that people with a technological utopian view on this app believed that the implementation of compulsory app use can facilitate social good and maintain social order. In contrast, individuals who had a technological dystopian view expressed privacy concerns and distrust of this surveillance technology. Techno-pragmatists took a balanced approach and evaluated its implementation practically.

Opioid Coprescription Through Risk Mitigation Guidance and Opioid Agonist Treatment Receipt

At the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, the government of British Columbia, Canada, released clinical guidance to support physicians and nurse practitioners in prescribing pharmaceutical alternatives to the toxic drug supply. These alternatives included opioids and other medications under the risk mitigation guidance (RMG), a limited form of prescribed safer supply, designed to reduce the risk of SARS-CoV-2 infection and harms associated with illicit drug use. Many clinicians chose to coprescribe opioid medications under RMG alongside opioid agonist treatment (OAT). To examine whether prescription of hydromorphone tablets or sustained-release oral morphine (opioid RMG) and OAT coprescription compared with OAT alone is associated with subsequent OAT receipt. This population-based, retrospective cohort study was conducted from March 27, 2020, to August 31, 2021, included individuals from 10 linked health administrative databases from British Columbia, Canada. Individuals who were receiving OAT at opioid RMG initiation and individuals who were receiving OAT and eligible but unexposed to opioid RMG were propensity score matched at opioid RMG initiation on sociodemographic and clinical variables. Data were analyzed between January 2023 and February 2024. Opioid RMG receipt (≥4 days, 1-3 days, or 0 days of opioid RMG dispensed) in a given week. The main outcome was OAT receipt, defined as at least 1 dispensed dose of OAT in the subsequent week. A marginal structural modeling approach was used to control for potential time-varying confounding. A total of 4636 individuals (2955 [64%] male; median age, 38 [31-47] years after matching) were receiving OAT at the time of first opioid RMG dispensation (2281 receiving ongoing OAT and 2352 initiating RMG and OAT concurrently). Opioid RMG receipt of 1 to 3 days in a given week increased the probability of OAT receipt by 27% in the subsequent week (adjusted risk ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 1.25-1.30), whereas receipt of opioid RMG for 4 days or more resulted in a 46% increase in the probability of OAT receipt in the subsequent week (adjusted risk ratio, 1.46; 95% CI, 1.43-1.49) compared with those not receiving opioid RMG. The biological gradient was robust to different exposure classifications, and the association was stronger among those initiating opioid RMG and OAT concurrently. This cohort study, which acknowledged the intermittent use of both medications, demonstrated that individuals who were coprescribed opioid RMG had higher adjusted probability of continued OAT receipt or reengagement compared with those not receiving opioid RMG.

The influence of corporate social responsibility on impulse buying

PurposeCorporate social responsibility (CSR) ISO standards have been noted as an essential marketing strategy by which firms can achieve consumer trust while improving environmental, social, and quality factors. This study discloses the contextual relationship between CSR ISO standards and sustainable impulse buying behavior. This study also looks to uncover the CSR ISO driving and linkage factors that motivate consumers to make sustainable impulsive purchases.Design/methodology/approachThree distinct research methods were employed in this research. First, a consumer expert opinion-based Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) approach was adopted to reveal the contextual relationship between CSR ISO factors and sustainable impulse buying behavior. Secondly, Matrice Impacts Croises Multiplication Appliques Classement (MICMAC) was used to examine these factors' driving and dependent power. In addition, Minitab package software was also used to check the statistical validation of ISM-MICMAC results.FindingsThe results indicate that although environmentally responsible CSR ISO 14001, socially responsible CSR ISO 26000, and consumer perception of product quality CSR ISO 9001 standards contain strong driving power, their dependent power was weak. All these CSR ISO factors (14,001, 26,000, and 9001) strongly impact each other and sustainable impulse buying. Therefore, these three CSR ISO factors have been placed at the bottom of the ISM model. The CSR ISO 14020 standard (labeling of the product), knowledge of CSR ISO standards, consumer trust, and advertising about CSR ISO standards have been placed in the middle. The mentioned factors have intense driving and dependent power and are classified as linkage factors for sustainable impulse buying. Impulse buying behavior has weak driving and strong dependent power, yet this factor strongly depends on other CSR ISO factors. Hence, this factor is placed at the top of the ISM model. In addition, the Minitab package software results indicate that ISM-MICMAC results are statistically valid.Originality/valueTo the best of our knowledge, this research is unique and examines the influence of CSR ISO factors on sustainable impulse buying in the context of Pakistani consumers. Secondly, our study has thoroughly investigated several CSR ISO factors and allied these factors in the context of consumer buying behavior. Third, several CSR ISO factors and impulse buying behavior were examined using a mix of ISM-MICAC and Minitab methods. Thus, including these steps in our study has led to the development of a novel technique.

African time travellers: What can we learn from 500 years of written accounts?

AbstractIn this paper we study 500 years of African economic history using traveller accounts. We systematically collected 2464 unique documents, of which 855 pass language and rigorous data quality requirements. Our final corpus of texts contains more than 230 000 pages. Analysing such a corpus is an insurmountable task for traditional historians and would probably take a lifetime's work. Applying modern day computational linguistic techniques such as a structural topic model approach (STM) in combination with domain knowledge of African economic history, we analyse how first‐hand accounts (topics) evolve across space and time. Apart from obvious accounts of climate, geography, and zoology, we find topics around imperialism, diplomacy, conflict, trade/commerce, health/medicine, evangelization, and many more topics of interest to scholarship. We illustrate how this novel database and text analysis can be employed in three applications (1) What views are introduced by travellers as a result of their occupational background? (2) Did the adoption of quinine as treatment and prophylaxis against malaria facilitate European expansion into Africa? (3) When and how did the diffusion of New World crops alter the African economic landscape?

Deep learning insights into the architecture of the mammalian egg-sperm fusion synapse

A crucial event in sexual reproduction is when haploid sperm and egg fuse to form a new diploid organism at fertilization. In mammals, direct interaction between egg JUNO and sperm IZUMO1 mediates gamete membrane adhesion, yet their role in fusion remains enigmatic. We used AlphaFold to predict the structure of other extracellular proteins essential for fertilization to determine if they could form a complex that may mediate fusion. We first identified TMEM81, whose gene is expressed by mouse and human spermatids, as a protein having structural homologies with both IZUMO1 and another sperm molecule essential for gamete fusion, SPACA6. Using a set of proteins known to be important for fertilization and TMEM81, we then systematically searched for predicted binary interactions using an unguided approach and identified a pentameric complex involving sperm IZUMO1, SPACA6, TMEM81 and egg JUNO, CD9. This complex is structurally consistent with both the expected topology on opposing gamete membranes and the location of predicted N-glycans not modeled by AlphaFold-Multimer, suggesting that its components could organize into a synapse-like assembly at the point of fusion. Finally, the structural modeling approach described here could be more generally useful to gain insights into transient protein complexes difficult to detect experimentally.

Deep learning insights into the architecture of the mammalian egg-sperm fusion synapse.

A crucial event in sexual reproduction is when haploid sperm and egg fuse to form a new diploid organism at fertilization. In mammals, direct interaction between egg JUNO and sperm IZUMO1 mediates gamete membrane adhesion, yet their role in fusion remains enigmatic. We used AlphaFold to predict the structure of other extracellular proteins essential for fertilization to determine if they could form a complex that may mediate fusion. We first identified TMEM81, whose gene is expressed by mouse and human spermatids, as a protein having structural homologies with both IZUMO1 and another sperm molecule essential for gamete fusion, SPACA6. Using a set of proteins known to be important for fertilization and TMEM81, we then systematically searched for predicted binary interactions using an unguided approach and identified a pentameric complex involving sperm IZUMO1, SPACA6, TMEM81 and egg JUNO, CD9. This complex is structurally consistent with both the expected topology on opposing gamete membranes and the location of predicted N-glycans not modeled by AlphaFold-Multimer, suggesting that its components could organize into a synapse-like assembly at the point of fusion. Finally, the structural modeling approach described here could be more generally useful to gain insights into transient protein complexes difficult to detect experimentally.

Factors influencing customers’ intention to adopt e-banking: a TAM and cybercrime perspective using structural equation modelling

PurposeThis study assesses the factors influencing customers’ intention to adopt e-banking in the context of the technology acceptance model and the moderation role of cybercrime.Design/methodology/approachThe variables in the study are measured using a five-point Likert scale with measures adopted from existing literature. The independent variables are perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness and security and privacy. These are postulated to be moderated by the perceived risk of cybercrime and to influence e-banking adoption intentions. A quantitative approach is used. Primary data are collected from a sample of 209 randomly selected bank customers. The study uses a two-step (measurement model and structural model) approach to data analysis.FindingsThe key findings in this study are that perceived risk of cybercrime strengthens the positive relationship between perceived ease of use and e-banking adoption intentions but dampens or weakens the positive relationship between perceived usefulness and customers’ e-banking adoption intentions. The study makes several recommendations to inform scholarship, policy and practice.Originality/valueUnlike existing literature, the study makes a unique contribution by including perceived risk of cybercrime as a moderating variable of theoretical significance in the relationship between adoption of e-banking and its determinants.

Factors affecting team performance of external auditors in Iran: A Delphi–interpretive structural modelling approach

Factors affecting team performance of external auditors in Iran: A Delphi–interpretive structural modelling approach

Harvest to basket: understanding drivers of organic food purchase behaviour through interpretive structural modelling and MICMAC approach

PurposeThe purpose of this study is to examine the determinants impacting consumer behaviour in organic food consumption in Bangladesh. This study aims to identify the key factors facilitating organic food consumption and establish a framework by analysing their contextual relationships.Design/methodology/approachThe study used interpretive structural modelling (ISM), relying on expert perspectives from experienced academicians and marketing professionals. A Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliqués à un Classement (MICMAC) analysis was performed to assess the driving forces and interdependencies among these determinants.FindingsThe MICMAC analysis grouped determinants influencing organic food purchases into four categories. The dependent factors, like attitude and food safety, showed moderate driving forces and high dependence. Linkage determinants, such as environmental concern and price, exerted considerable influence with moderate dependence. Independent variables, especially knowledge about organic food, had a strong impact with relatively low dependence.Practical implicationsThis study’s insights offer valuable guidance for managers in the organic food industry, providing strategies to address consumer behaviour. Prioritising education on environmental benefits, transparent pricing, collaborating on policies, ensuring food safety and understanding determinants impacting purchase intent can aid in designing effective marketing strategies and product offerings aligned with consumer needs, ultimately promoting sustainability.Originality/valueTo the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to investigate the interconnections and relative significance of determinants influencing organic food purchases, using the ISM approach and MICMAC analysis. It delves into the previously unexplored territory of understanding the relationships and hierarchical significance of these determinants in shaping consumer behaviour towards organic food purchases.

Analysis of Key Constraint Factors in the Implementation of Regional Innovation Systems with Interpretive Structural Modeling Approaches

Analysis of Key Constraint Factors in the Implementation of Regional Innovation Systems with Interpretive Structural Modeling Approaches

SARS-CoV-2 Mpro oligomerization as a potential target for therapy

The main protease (Mpro) of SARS-CoV-2 is critical in the virus's replication cycle, facilitating the maturation of polyproteins into functional units. Due to its conservation across taxa, Mpro is a promising target for broad-spectrum antiviral drugs. Targeting Mpro with small molecule inhibitors, such as nirmatrelvir combined with ritonavir (Paxlovid™), which the FDA has approved for post-exposure treatment and prophylaxis, can effectively interrupt the replication process of the virus. A key aspect of Mpro's function is its ability to form a functional dimer. However, the mechanics of dimerization and its influence on proteolytic activity remain less understood. In this study, we utilized biochemical, structural, and molecular modelling approaches to explore Mpro dimerization. We evaluated critical residues, specifically Arg4 and Arg298, that are essential for dimerization. Our results show that changes in the oligomerization state of Mpro directly affect its enzymatic activity and dimerization propensity. We discovered a synergistic relationship influencing dimer formation, involving both intra- and intermolecular interactions. These findings highlight the potential for developing allosteric inhibitors targeting Mpro, offering promising new directions for therapeutic strategies.

Digital Transformation of Incumbent Pipeline Firms through Platformization

ABSTRACT Advancements in digital technology necessitate a shift from traditional linear buyer-supplier value chains to a network-centric approach facilitated by digital platforms. Despite digital platforms being a dominant model for transformation, limited research has explored the enablers for incumbent pipeline firms to embrace platformization. To address this gap, this study reviews existing literature on digital transformation, identifying nine enablers for digital platformization: changing client behavior, information technology (IT) capabilities development, structural efficiencies, disruptive competitive forces, scope advantages, economic triggers, disruptive third-party technology, creation of autonomous corporate structures, and regulatory compliance. Case studies of platformization in diverse industries are analyzed using the modified total interpretive structural modeling (m-TISM) approach, resulting in a hierarchical model with five levels. This model delineates interrelationships among trigger events, external enablers, internal organizational enablers, process enablers, and outcome drivers. Furthermore, the study highlights that the creation and extraction of value from digital platforms are operationalized through e-business strategies, contributing insights to e-business literature by discussing the implications of these enablers on dimensions such as commerce, collaboration, communication, connection, and computing.

Modeling of success factors of using PU coats in concrete construction projects

Polyurea coatings are well recognized for their remarkable protective properties, making them highly appropriate for practical use in the field of concrete building. The use of polyurea coatings in the concrete building business is currently constrained, despite its prevalent application in industrialized nations. The limited use may be ascribed to ambiguities about the determinants of effective implementation in this particular setting, as well as the dearth of extensive study in the realm of new building materials. The primary objective of this research is to assess and conceptualize the key determinants linked to the use of polyurea coatings in concrete building endeavors. Utilizing a quantitative research approach, a comprehensive literature analysis was conducted to identify a total of 21 probable success variables. The reliability of the questionnaire was established by the administration of a pilot survey, and afterwards, an exploratory factor analysis (EFA) was performed to enhance the clarity and precision of the underlying components. The researchers used structural modeling (SEM) approaches to develop a robust model using the primary data obtained from the questionnaire survey. The EFA revealed the presence of five unique constructs that have an impact on the effectiveness of polyurea coatings in concrete building projects. These constructions comprise several characteristics, including environmental considerations, functional requirements, protective properties, execution processes, and creative elements. The significance and relevance of this research are shown by the validation of the study's results using SEM. The study makes a valuable contribution towards the progression of polyurea coating use within the concrete building sector.

REVIVAL OF THE HOTEL INDUSTRY: THE IMPACT OF FOOD WASTE REDUCTION ON SERBIA’S ECONOMIC PROSPECTS

Food waste represents a global issue with serious economic, environmental, and social implications. This study investigates the impact of food waste on the economic stability of hotels and restaurants in the Republic of Serbia using a structural modeling approach. The survey included 136 managers across 30 hotels in various cities and mountainous regions of the Republic of Serbia. Results indicate a high awareness of the food waste issue and identify key factors affecting the economic stability of these enterprises. Although no significant link was found between biodiversity, climate, and environment, as well as economy with economic stability, a positive relationship between social environment and economic stability was discovered. This research model provides a deeper understanding of the factors shaping food waste management practices in hotels and restaurants, thereby offering guidelines for enhancing the economic stability of these sectors.

How Does Interorganizational Inclusive Leadership influence Affiliated Sport Organization Employees? A bifactor Structural Model Approach with a Moderator of Power Distance

PURPOSE Inclusive leadership has become increasingly important in sport organizations. Accordingly, this study examines interorganizational inclusive leadership effects on organizational trust and affiliated organizations’ employees depending on power distance.METHODS A total of 250 affiliated sport organization employees participated, and latent moderated structural equation modeling with a bifactor structural model was employed to test the hypotheses.RESULTS The results indicated that macro inclusive leadership as well as its two components significantly enhance organizational trust. Interestingly, power distance positively moderated the macro effect of interorganizational inclusive leadership on organizational trust. Lastly, organizational trust enhanced job performance and well-being, and reduced turnover intention.CONCLUSIONS The results provide meaningful insight into the relationship between lead and affiliated organizations in the context of highly competitive and collaborative sport organizations.