bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Total productive maintenance and sustainability performance: resource-based view perspective
Authors: Samadhiya Ashutosh , Agrawal Rajat
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Sustainability performances (SPs) are the most crucial performances for an organisation in today's world, and they can be measured by economic, social, and environmental metrics. Previous research has not been clear on the role of total productive maintenance (TPM) in the context of sustainability, which motivates the authors to investigate the relationship between TPM and various SPs of the manufacturing firm. Therefore, current research investigates the relationship between TPM and the overall sustainability of the manufacturing firm from the perspective of resource-based view (RBV) theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study proposed, tested and validated a conceptual framework using partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). A total of 326 responses were received to validate the conceptual framework in smartsPLS 3.0 software.

Findings

The research outcomes indicate that TPM considerably impacts a manufacturing firm's economic, environmental and social performance.

Research limitations/implications

This research demonstrates that outstanding shop floor behaviour, such as TPM, can become an important asset to offer competitive advantages in a manufacturing firm. Similarly, TPM might serve as a roadmap for leveraging overall sustainability for manufacturing companies. The study indicates the establishment of a sustainability-oriented training protocol while practising TPM.

Originality/value

No past investigation indicates that a shop floor activity like TPM could be used as an input to offer sustainability in a single index for a manufacturing firm from the perception of RBV theory.
External knowledge sourcing, organizational ambidexterity and manufacturing performance: a new insight for dynamic operation management
Authors: Cheah Seng Cheong , Tan Cheng Ling
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study intends to examine the relationships between external knowledge sourcing (EKS), organizational ambidexterity (OA), and manufacturing performance (MP) in the context of large manufacturing firms within a dynamic environment setting. The research framework and derived hypotheses are grounded in the knowledge-based view (KBV) and dynamic capability (DC) theories.

Design/methodology/approach

A self-administered online survey was used in this study to gather data. Respondents were the operation leaders representing large manufacturing firms. The collected data were screened for invalid responses, and hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The study reveals that OA and EKS play key roles in achieving a better MP. Likewise, OA also mediates the relationship between EKS and MP.

Research limitations/implications

Cross-sectional data were collected from large manufacturing firms within five focus sectors in Malaysia. A similar study can be conducted with more sectors of different contexts to confirm the findings.

Practical implications

Knowledge is critical for the firm to react to environmental dynamism, and the ability to manage it ambidextrously will enable the firm to enhance its performance.

Originality/value

This study offers empirical insights from the perspective of the large manufacturing firms in Malaysia, which are undergoing an Industrial Revolution 4.0 (IR4.0) transformation. This study bridges the knowledge gap by revealing the value that EKS can facilitate MP, exploring OA as the prevalent factor and demonstrating how KBV and DC can be applied in this study.
Factors affecting the adoption of cryptocurrencies for financial transactions
Authors: El Chaarani Hani , EL Abiad Zouhour , El Nemar Sam , Sakka Georgia
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study contributes to examining the factors that drive the adoption of cryptocurrencies for financial transactions in the tourism and hospitality industries. This is crucial to develop tourism and hospitality and stimulate financial inclusion in developing and developed countries.

Design/methodology/approach

This research paper employs the SEM model and bootstrapping method on a sample of 417 French participants involved in tourism and hospitality industries to reveal the causal pathway between a set of independent factors and the willingness to adopt cryptocurrencies for financial transactions.

Findings

The empirical findings reveal that ease of use, perceived usefulness, social influence, and financial literacy increase the willingness to use cryptocurrencies. French hotels need to have a strategic orientation, to deal with customers, competitors and changing technological environment. The study also reveals that social influence and financial literacy reduce the level of perceived financial risk and thus, leads to increase the intention to adopt the new type of decentralized currencies.

Originality/value

In contrast to previous studies that focused on the volatility and risk of cryptocurrencies, this research employs a human-centric approach covering different factors that could lead to the adoption of the new type of currency for financial transactions in tourism and hospitality industries.
The modified model for hyperspectral estimation of soil organic matter using positive and inverse grey relational degree
Authors: Xu Guozhi , Li Xican , Che Hong
Published: July 2023

Purpose

In order to improve the estimation accuracy of soil organic matter, this paper aims to establish a modified model for hyperspectral estimation of soil organic matter content based on the positive and inverse grey relational degrees.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on 82 soil sample data collected in Daiyue District, Tai'an City, Shandong Province, firstly, the spectral data of soil samples are transformed by the first order differential and logarithmic reciprocal first order differential and so on, the correlation coefficients between the transformed spectral data and soil organic matter content are calculated, and the estimation factors are selected according to the principle of maximum correlation. Secondly, the positive and inverse grey relational degree model is used to identify the samples to be identified, and the initial estimated values of the organic matter content are obtained. Finally, based on the difference information between the samples to be identified and their corresponding known patterns, a modified model for the initial estimation of soil organic matter content is established, and the estimation accuracy of the model is evaluated using the mean relative error and the determination coefficient.

Findings

The results show that the methods of logarithmic reciprocal first order differential and the first-order differential of the square root for transforming the original spectral data are more effective, which could significantly improve the correlation between soil organic matter content and spectral data. The modified model for hyperspectral estimation of soil organic matter has high estimation accuracy, the average relative error (MRE) of 11 test samples is 4.091%, and the determination coefficient (R2) is 0.936. The estimation precision is higher than that of linear regression model, BP neural network and support vector machine model. The application examples show that the modified model for hyperspectral estimation of soil organic matter content based on positive and inverse grey relational degree proposed in this article is feasible and effective.

Social implications

The model in this paper has clear mathematical and physics meaning, simple calculation and easy programming. The model not only fully excavates and utilizes the internal information of known pattern samples with “insufficient and incomplete information”, but also effectively overcomes the randomness and grey uncertainty in the spectral estimation of soil organic matter. The research results not only enrich the grey system theory and methods, but also provide a new approach for hyperspectral estimation of soil properties such as soil organic matter content, water content and so on.

Originality/value

The paper succeeds in realizing both a modified model for hyperspectral estimation of soil organic matter based on the positive and inverse grey relational degrees and effectively dealing with the randomness and grey uncertainty in spectral estimation.
Research on the properties of separable binary functions
Authors: Jiang Zhi Cheng , Wei Yong
Published: July 2023

Purpose

According to the fact that the single function transformation which can both reduce the class ratio dispersion and keep the relative error no enlargement after the inverse transformation does not exist, this paper provides the separable binary function transformation F(x(k),k)=f(x(k))⋅g(k). The authors select the appropriate f(x(k)) and g(k) to get F(x(k),k)=f(x(k))⋅g(k). The sequence {F(x(k),k)}k=1n can not only improve the modeling accuracy but also ensure that the inverse transformation relative error has no enlargement.

Design/methodology/approach

First of all, to meet that the sequence reduces the class ratio dispersion after binary function transformation, the sufficient and necessary condition of binary function transformation with reduced class ratio dispersion is obtained. Secondly, to meet the condition that the inverse transformation relative error is not enlarged, the necessary condition of separable binary function transformation is obtained respectively for monotonically increasing and monotonically decreasing function f(x). Finally, the feasibility and correctness of this method are illustrated by example analysis and application.

Findings

The sufficient and necessary condition of binary function transformation with reduced class ratio dispersion and the necessary condition of separable binary function transformation with the inverse transformation relative error no enlargement.

Practical implications

According to the properties of separable binary function transformation provided in this paper, the grey prediction function model is established, which can improve the modeling accuracy.

Originality/value

This paper provides a binary function transformation, and researches the sufficient and necessary condition of binary function transformation with reduced class ratio dispersion and the necessary condition of separable binary function transformation with the inverse transformation relative error no enlargement. It is easy for scholars to carry out the pretest before selecting the separable binary function transformation. The binary function transformation is the further extension of single function transformation, which broadens and enriches the choice of function transformation.
Pandemic-oriented customer mistreatment, service sabotage and service performance: a self-presentation perspective
Authors: Khademi-Gerashi Mehdi , Akhgari Fatemeh , Damberg Svenja , Moradi Fatemeh
Published: July 2023

Purpose

In this study, the authors develop a path model and investigate the effect of pandemic-oriented customer mistreatment on service sabotage through the lens of self-presentation theory. Moreover, the authors question the role of service climate as a moderator of the relationship between service sabotage and service performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected via a survey of 165 F&B frontline employees in restaurants in Iran. The hypotheses are examined using confirmatory factor analysis, structural equation modeling and ordinary least squares regression.

Findings

The findings reveal that POCM has a substantial and positive effect on service sabotage, and service climate mitigates the effect of service sabotage on service performance.

Practical implications

The study introduces and conceptually defines the term POCM. Furthermore, the authors apply the self-presentation theory as the overarching theory to explain underlying conditions in customer mistreatment and service sabotage. Moreover, although prior literature has described the saboteur–customer relationship as a one-line interaction, this study contributes to employee sabotage as a multi-linear transaction.

Originality/value

In this study, the authors identify new perspectives on the dark side of hospitality services in crises, such as the COVID-19 pandemic. The authors argue that pandemic-induced changes are essential not simply because they change customers’ moods and lower their patience threshold, but they further provoke ostentatious behaviors in saboteur–customer relations. These findings shed new light on the literature and provide managerial implications for enhancing hospitality performance.
Do CSR practices necessarily increase social capital? A sustainable development perspective
Authors: Lv Qiuying , Yang Nannan
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Do corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices necessarily increase their social capital? The key to answering this question lies in understanding the impact of the interactive behavior of CSR and social capital on the sustainable operation and development of enterprises. This paper finds that existing studies cannot accurately describe the inherent interaction between CSR and social capital, and the results verified by econometric models are often abstract and do not adequately reflect the actual business situation of enterprises.

Design/methodology/approach

This article tries to make a breakthrough in two aspects: the article identifies the common practice object of CSR and social capital by using the “stakeholder” mechanism and puts forward the hypothesis of the relationship between CSR and social capital by observing the interaction behavior between enterprises and stakeholders; based on the perspective of sustainable development, the article proposes the elements of “trust, norm and rationality,” analyzes the behavioral choices of enterprises in social responsibility practice and social capital accumulation and clarifies the inherent relationship between them.

Findings

The article points out the impact of the multifaceted nature of the relationship between CSR practices and social capital enrichment on the sustainable development of enterprises and proposes that manufacturing enterprises in transformation and innovation should be analyzed using an objective position rather than value judgment.

Originality/value

This paper synthesizes the assessment data from the questionnaire, interview data and sustainability analysis to answer the questioning of existing research: CSR does not necessarily increase corporate social capital, and the relationship between the two is complex and multifaceted, depending on the specific target and business state of the company. The focus of this paper is to analyze in detail the three relationship assumptions that form when companies interact with their stakeholders, based on the sustainability perspective of “trust,” “norms” and “rationality.”
COVID-19: a Kano model and AHP-based classification of preventive activities under Fuzzy environment
Authors: Avikal Shwetank , Singh Rohit , Barthwal Anurag , Ram Mangey
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The aim of the present work is to develop a method to find the preventive measures for COVID-19 and their priorities. These preventive measures are prioritized according to the expert opinion.

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated method using the Kano model and Fuzzy-AHP is used to achieve the study objectives. First, the preventive measures are identified according to the expert. Next, the Kano model is used to determine the different Kano categories for remedial activities that are identified by the World Health Organization (WHO) and other medical authorities. Finally, Fuzzy-AHP is applied to determine the weights of these activities and assign the priorities according to their impact.

Findings

It is observed that the activity Avoid Travelling is the most important classification or category with the highest weight as compared to the other activities and sub-activities. It is also noticed that the category packed food items get the lowest weight and is the least important classification or category. In this work, two different approaches, designed for different purposes, provide similar results and verify each other.

Originality/value

Research contributing to the classification and prioritization of preventive activities using Kano and Fuzzy-AHP methods is not available. In the critical time of COVID-19, when governments are obliged to deal with many infected patients and a high number of deaths, one can focus on different preventive activities according to their classification, weights and ranks.
Modification and application of notch equivalent stress method for fatigue assessment on welded structures
Authors: Liu Bo , Wang Yue-dong , Zhang Zhe , Dong Qi
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to study and modify the notch equivalent stress method, as well as to establish the notch equivalent stress range S–N curve and apply it to the fatigue assessment of engineering examples.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper studies the notch equivalent stress method and puts forward the concept of “singular equivalent crack”. Combined with the fatigue test results, by proposing to consider the singular coefficient of the transition angle of the welded structure and the introduction of material correction factors, this paper derives the notch equivalent stress equation for commonly used welded joints applicable to steel, and finally establishes the notch equivalent stress range of the S–N curve.

Findings

The obtained results show that the dispersion of fatigue data is 65.6 and 75.4% for T-joints and transverse cross-joints, respectively, under S–N curves using notched equivalent stress compared to the nominal stress range. The fatigue evaluation error of the modified notch equivalent stress equation for transverse cross welded joints improved by 50.65%, 53.1 and 39.6% on average, respectively, compared to the original other methods. The fatigue evaluation error for T-joints improved by 13.4 and 13.9%, respectively, compared to the original other methods.

Originality/value

There are relatively few studies on the fatigue assessment of notch equivalent stress method. In this paper, the notch equivalent stress method is studied and modified to improve the accuracy of fatigue assessment of welded structures with singular stresses.
Entrepreneurship development in universities across Gulf Cooperation Council countries: a systematic review of the research and way forward
Authors: Syed Raihan Taqui , Singh Dharmendra , Agrawal Reena , Spicer David Philip
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Entrepreneurship has been recognized as a vital tool to combat youth unemployment and rising exclusion, as it is an incredible force that impacts economic development and societal growth by stimulating innovation, job creation and social empowerment. On the other hand, higher education institutions (HEIs) can foster entrepreneurship and thus develop entrepreneurial self-efficacy, self-employment, innovation, enhanced ability to risk-taking and thus result in benefiting people, society, organizations and economy. This prompted the authors to carry out an in-depth investigation of published research on entrepreneurship development and HEIs across Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries.

Design/methodology/approach

This study strives to analyze the work carried out until now on entrepreneurship development in HEIs across GCC countries and describe the constructs characterizing it. Bibliometric and content analysis were carried out, integrating citations in Scopus database for last 10 years. Two software packages – Bibliometric R and VOS viewer – were used to investigate the research questions and construct various visualizations of bibliometric networks. Thematic mapping of this multidimensional research area is demonstrated, and evolving trends are identified.

Findings

Findings revealed that research on entrepreneurship development in HEIs is more prevalent in UAE and Saudi Arabia followed by Oman and Qatar. However, more efforts are required to further consolidate cross-national collaborations among all the GCC countries to obtain a comprehensive overview of the regional context.

Originality/value

Such a comprehensive bibliometric review coupled with content analysis on entrepreneurship development in HEIs across GCC countries has not yet been published, to the best of the authors’ knowledge.
Discovering the antecedents of virtual leadership in universities and higher education institutions of Iran during Covid-19 pandemic: a qualitative study
Authors: Vahdati Soudabeh , Seyyed Naghavi Mir Ali , Vaezi Reza , Sharifzadeh Fattah
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to discover the components of virtual leadership in universities and higher education institutions during Covid-19 pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This research uses the qualitative research design, and semi-structured interviews with senior leaders were conducted with non-random purposeful and snowball sampling methods. Also, grounded theory was used for analyzing, coding and classifying the data.

Findings

After analyzing data, five main components influencing virtual leadership including leader's personality traits, followers' characteristics, technological, environmental and organizational components were identified.

Research limitations/implications

As leadership, particularly virtual leadership, highly depends on context such as the level of technology in that certain region, the results cannot be generalized to other sectors or countries.

Originality/value

The research advances leadership development theory by highlighting the main components of virtual leadership in educational sector as a comprehensive perspective and complement the other aspects of virtual leadership such as consequences and challenges investigated by other studies.
Preparing for retirement: the influence of message frame, message appeal and life stage
Authors: Fenton Andrea Gaye , Sands Sean , Ferraro Carla , Pallant Jason Ian , Ghafoori Eraj
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Although saving for retirement is critical, many people are reluctant to contribute money now in anticipation of a future event, namely their retirement. This study aims to investigate the interaction effect between message frame and message appeal on individual preparedness for retirement, specifically in terms of an individual’s willingness to contribute to retirement savings.

Design/methodology/approach

Across three studies, the authors show that message frames with a gain-orientation are more persuasive when self-oriented rather than oriented towards socially distant others. In Study 1, the authors use a 2 (gain-loss message frame) × 3 (self, close-other, distant-other message appeal) experimental design with ad copy manipulating the scenarios. In Study 2, the authors replicate and extend Study 1 to validate the findings. In Study 3, the authors overlay life-stage to determine how consumers differ in terms of their willingness to contribute to retirement.

Findings

Across the studies the authors find that message frame and message appeal influence consumer preparedness for retirement. The authors investigate these effects in terms of willingness to contribute to retirement savings (Studies 1–3) as well as satisfaction with retirement savings, anticipated retirement enjoyment, positive emotions and negative emotions (Studies 1 and 2).

Originality/value

While a substantive amount of research has been devoted to retirement planning, gaps remain as to the efficacy of communication message strategies on influencing retirement preparedness. This research seeks to contribute towards this literature stream by uncovering the ways in which individuals can be encouraged to contribute towards retirement planning.
Supply portfolio selection for lead-time sensitive manufacturers under operational and disruption risks
Authors: Taghavi S.M. , Ghezavati V. , Mohammadi Bidhandi H. , Mirzapour Al-e-Hashem S.M.J.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper proposes a two-level supply chain including suppliers and manufacturers. The purpose of this paper is to design a resilient fuzzy risk-averse supply portfolio selection approach with lead-time sensitive manufacturers under partial and complete supply facility disruption in addition to the operational risk of imprecise demand to minimize the mean-risk costs. This problem is analyzed for a risk-averse decision maker, and the authors use the conditional value-at-risk (CVaR) as a risk measure, which has particular applications in financial engineering.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology of the current research includes two phases of conceptual model and mathematical model. In the conceptual model phase, a new supply portfolio selection problem is presented under disruption and operational risks for lead-time sensitive manufacturers and considers resilience strategies for risk-averse decision makers. In the mathematical model phase, the stages of risk-averse two-stage fuzzy-stochastic programming model are formulated according to the above conceptual model, which minimizes the mean-CVaR costs.

Findings

In this paper, several computational experiments were conducted with sensitivity analysis by GAMS (General algebraic modeling system) software to determine the efficiency and significance of the developed model. Results show that the sensitivity of manufacturers to the lead time as well as the occurrence of disruption and operational risks, significantly affect the structure of the supply portfolio selection; hence, manufacturers should be taken into account in the design of this problem.

Originality/value

The study proposes a new two-stage fuzzy-stochastic scenario-based mathematical programming model for the resilient supply portfolio selection for risk-averse decision-makers under disruption and operational risks. This model assumes that the manufacturers are sensitive to lead time, so the demand of manufacturers depends on the suppliers who provide them with services. To manage risks, this model also considers proactive (supplier fortification, pre-positioned emergency inventory) and reactive (revision of allocation decisions) resilience strategies.
Industry specialization and tax avoidance in the Australian banking industry
Authors: Mnif Yosra , Tahri Marwa
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to examine the impact of industry specialization of audit partners and audit committee members on the level of tax avoidance in Australian banks.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a multivariate regression analysis based on hand-collected data consisting of 180 observations from Australian domestic banks between 2010 and 2018.

Findings

The primary results of the empirical analysis indicate that audit partner industry specialization is negatively associated with the level of tax avoidance in Australian banks. Regarding the audit committee, the proportion of industry specialists among audit committee members reduces the magnitude of tax avoidance. These results are robust, as they hold the same for alternative measures of tax avoidance and industry specialization of audit partner and audit committee members. Results from supplementary analysis reveal that the interactive effect of both audit firm and audit partner industry specialization strengthens the auditors’ effectiveness in reducing the level of tax avoidance.

Practical implications

As this study highlights the importance of the industry specialization in decreasing tax avoidance, it can be beneficial for policymakers to assess the impact of good governance on the level of tax avoidance in the banking industry.

Originality/value

Even though the existing studies examine the link between the governance actors’ industry specialization and tax avoidance in nonfinancial firms, this paper explores the banking industry that differs from nonfinancial firms in among others; accounting and fiscal regulations. This study further provides unique evidence indicating that industry specialization of the audit partner constitutes a significant determinant of minimizing the bank’s level of tax avoidance.
Internationalization as a strategy to enhance higher education quality in Vietnam – reflections from university leaders
Authors: Hoai Nguyen Trong , Duy Luong Vinh Quoc , Cassells Damien
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Internationalization is viewed as an important strategy in the context of a country in transition from central planning to market orientation. Efforts to internationalize universities are being carried out at both national and institutional levels. However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, there has been no study to investigate how individual institutions approach internationalization and what they gain from that process. This paper aims to investigate the enhancement of teachers’ and students’ knowledge and skills using internationalization in Vietnam universities as a strategy.

Design/methodology/approach

Semi-structured interviews with leaders from 12 universities were conducted to investigate their perceptions, strategies and perceived outcomes of the internationalization process of their universities. Data analysis involved coding the transcripts of interviews into themes.

Findings

Results show that current approaches to internationalized activities in Vietnamese universities are ad hoc in nature, while resources and language incompetence of staff and students are limited. In line with other previous studies, limited resources and lack of English competence among educators and students were found to be the key obstacles and challenges for internationalized activities. The authors also note an issue that apparently has not been raised elsewhere in the relevant research literature, which is the challenge for the sustainability of knowledge production via research and publications.

Originality/value

Findings from this study not only contribute to Vietnamese universities but also to other developing institutions which do not have strong international exchange programs or have not experienced strong benefits from international exchange programs.
Esculentoside A ameliorates DNCB‐induced atopic dermatitis by suppressing the ROS‐NLRP3 axis via activating the Nrf2 pathway
Authors: Liu Tao , He Yuanmin , Liao Yongmei
Published: July 2023

Atopic dermatitis (AD) is a chronic inflammatory skin condition with a high prevalence. Inflammation and oxidative stress are strongly associated with AD progression. Esculentoside A (EsA) inhibits inflammation and oxidative stress in various diseases. However, whether EsA mitigates AD by suppressing inflammation and oxidative stress remains unknown. A mouse model of AD was constructed by the induction of 1‐chloro‐2,4‐dinitrochlorobenzene (DNCB). The mechanism of EsA and its effects on AD symptoms, pathology, inflammation and oxidative stress were investigated through histopathological staining, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay, blood cells analysis, colorimetric measurement and western blot analysis. EsA improved the clinical symptoms and increased clinical skin scores in AD mice. Skin thickening of the epidermis and dermal tissues and the mast cell numbers in AD mice were reduced with the EsA treatment. EsA decreased the relative mRNA level of thymic stromal lymphopoietin, interleukin (IL)‐4, IL‐5 and IL‐13; the serum concentrations of immunoglobulin E (IgE) and IL‐6; and the numbers of white blood cells (WBC) and WBC subtypes, including basophil, lymphocytes, eosinophil, neutrophil and monocytes in DNCB‐induced mice. DNCB caused higher levels of oxidative stress, which was reversed with the administration of EsA. Mechanically, EsA upregulated the expression of Nrf2 but downregulated the level of NLRP3 inflammasome in AD mice. The inhibitor of Nrf2 significantly recovered the EsA‐induced changes in the NLRP3 inflammasome proteins in DNCB‐treated mice. Therefore, EsA improved the clinical and pathological symptoms, inflammation and oxidative stress experienced by DNCB‐induced mice and was involved in the inactivation of NLRP3 inflammasome by activating Nrf2.
Floral hairs of Tradescantia fluminensis (Commelinaceae) manipulate behavior of hoverflies for effective pollination
Authors: Tagawa Kazuki
Published: July 2023

Hairs often form on the flowers of Commelinaceae plants; however, their role in pollination ecology remains unclear. I examined the hypothesis that the dense hairs on the floral filaments of Tradescantia fluminensis (Commelinaceae) induce prolonged walking of pollinators on the petals, thus promoting effective pollination. This was done by comparing the behavior of flower‐visiting hoverflies on hair‐trimmed and control flowers. Hoverflies, the main pollinators of T. fluminensis, exhibited proboscis extension behavior towards hairs on floral filaments. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that the floral hairs increased the number of times the hoverflies touched the stamens, owing to the longer time that the hoverflies walked on the petals. These results suggest that the floral hairs of T. fluminensis mimic stamens, thereby enhancing pollination efficiency.
Microbiome predators in changing soils
Authors: Hu Shunran , Li Guixin , Berlinches de Gea Alejandro , Teunissen Joliese , Geisen Stefan , Wilschut Rutger A. , Schwelm Arne , Wang Yuxin
Published: July 2023

Microbiome predators shape the soil microbiome and thereby soil functions. However, this knowledge has been obtained from small‐scale observations in fundamental rather than applied settings and has focused on a few species under ambient conditions. Therefore, there are several unaddressed questions on soil microbiome predators: (1) What is the role of microbiome predators in soil functioning? (2) How does global change affect microbiome predators and their functions? (3) How can microbiome predators be applied in agriculture? We show that there is sufficient evidence for the vital role of microbiome predators in soils and stress that global changes impact their functions, something that urgently needs to be addressed to better understand soil functioning as a whole. We are convinced that there is a potential for the application of microbiome predators in agricultural settings, as they may help to sustainably increase plant growth. Therefore, we plea for more applied research on microbiome predators.
ACEM adding its voice to the Voice hits the wrong note
Authors: Macdonald Stephen
Published: July 2023

ACEM has endorsed the proposal for an Aboriginal Voice to Parliament in Australia as a means of delivering its objectives to provide culturally safe care in EDs and to improve health outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Unfortunately the Voice proposal has become a politically conentious issue. There is currently insufficient detail about how the Voice would operate and whether it will achieve the outcomes its proponents intend. This article argues that the claims in the ACEM statement are speculative rather than based on facts. In addition, by taking a position on this complex and controversial political matter ACEM is operating beyond its remit and risks distracting attention from its core mission.
Revisiting the effectiveness of HOPE/swift‐certain‐fair supervision programs: A meta‐analytic review
Authors: Pattavina April , Long Joshua S. , Petrich Damon M. , M. Byrne James , Cullen Francis T. , Taxman Faye S.
Published: July 2023

Research Summary

Originated nearly two decades ago in Hawaii by Judge Steven Alm, a community supervision‐court model known as “Project HOPE” proposed to reduce probation failure by responding to violations with immediate but short jail terms. Despite negative evidence from Lattimore and colleagues’ 2016 Demonstration Field Experiment (DFE) across four locations, advocates continued to trumpet programs based on Project HOPE's core principles of swift, certain, and fair (SCF) sanctions, arguing that these deterrence‐oriented interventions—now known under the acronym SCF programs–reduce recidivism. To assess this claim, a meta‐analysis was conducted of 18 studies reporting on 24 separate evaluations of programs falling under the Project HOPE/SCF umbrella. The analysis revealed that the intervention had a statistically significant but substantively small impact on recidivism (the main overall effect = −.058). Moderator analyses revealed weak to null findings across variations in methodological and HOPE/SCF program characteristics.

Policy Implications

At present, evaluation evidence is weak and not robust enough to support the continued government funding and implementation of SCF programs in their current form on grounds of recidivism reduction. Such deterrence‐oriented programs may be based on a flawed theory of recidivism that fails to identify criminogenic risk factors for change. SCF programs might prove more effective if integrated with treatment modalities, though this remains to be demonstrated. More broadly, a range of community supervision approaches now exist that emphasize building relationships with individuals under supervision and guiding their prosocial development. These alternatives might offer a more promising avenue for reform than current programs based on SCF principles.
Dopamine D1‐like receptor activation decreases nicotine intake in rats with short or long access to nicotine
Authors: Chellian Ranjithkumar , Behnood‐Rod Azin , Wilson Ryann , Lin Karen , King Grace Wing‐Yan , Bruijnzeel Adriaan W.
Published: July 2023

The use of nicotine and tobacco products is highly addictive. The dopaminergic system plays a key role in the initiation and maintenance of nicotine intake. Dopamine D1‐like receptor blockade diminishes nicotine intake in rats with daily short (1 h) access to nicotine, but little is known about the effects of dopamine receptor antagonists or agonists on nicotine intake in rats with intermittent long (23 h) access. Because of the extended access conditions and high nicotine intake, the intermittent long access procedure might model smoking and vaping better than short access models. We investigated the effects of the dopamine D1‐like receptor antagonist SCH 23390 and the D1‐like receptor agonist A77636 on nicotine intake in male rats with intermittent short or long access to nicotine. The rats self‐administered nicotine for 5 days (1 h/day) and were then given 15 intermittent short (1 h/day) or long (23 h/day) access sessions (3 sessions/week, 0.06 mg/kg/inf). The D1‐like receptor antagonist SCH 23390 decreased nicotine intake to a similar degree in rats with short or long access to nicotine. The D1‐like receptor agonist A77636 induced a greater decrease in nicotine intake in the rats with long access to nicotine than in rats with short access. Treatment with A77636 induced a prolonged decrease in nicotine intake that lasted throughout the dark and light phase in the long access rats. These findings indicate that blockade and stimulation of D1‐like receptors decrease nicotine intake in an intermittent long access animal model that closely models human smoking and vaping.
Effectiveness of an integrated motivational cognitive–behavioral group intervention for adolescents with gaming disorder: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Ji Yinan , Wong Daniel Fu Keung
Published: July 2023

Aims, Design and Setting

The aim of this study was to test the efficacy of the integrated cognitive–behavioral therapy with a strength‐based motivational approach [integrated cognitive–behavioral therapy (ICBT)] intervention to change gaming disorder (GD) symptoms and other outcomes and to study the therapeutic mechanism. A two‐arm parallel randomized waiting‐list controlled trial with 3‐ and 6‐month follow‐ups were conducted in a secondary vocational school in mainland China.

Participants

Participants comprised 77 Chinese adolescents with GD symptoms with a mean age of 16.36 years [standard deviation (SD) = 0.93]; 88.3% were male

Interventions

Participants were randomized into an ICBT group (n = 38) and a waiting‐list control (WLC, n = 39) group. ICBT intervention comprised eight weekly sessions to encourage participants to identify their interests and strengths and set goals for developing personally meaningful real‐life activities.

Measurements and Findings

The outcomes were measured at pre‐treatment (t0), post‐treatment (t1), 3‐month (t2) and 6‐month (t3) follow‐ups. The primary outcome was GD symptoms at t3. Secondary outcomes included GD symptoms at t1 and t2, and gaming motivation, maladaptive gaming cognition, depression and anxiety symptoms at t1, t2 and t3. With the intention‐to‐treat principle, the GD scores at t3 were significantly different between the CBT and WLC groups [mean difference 62.08 (SD = 10.48) versus 73.64 (SD = 11.70); Hedges’ g = 1.15, 95% confidence interval = 0.67–1.62]. Linear mixed‐effects modeling showed significant group × time interaction for the secondary outcomes (P < 0.01), with a moderate to strong between‐group effect size in the reduction in depression symptoms (g = 0.67–0.84) and anxiety symptoms (g = 0.6–0.64). Path analysis shows ICBT leads to GD reduction through reducing gaming motivation and maladaptive gaming cognition.

Conclusions

An integrated cognitive–behavioral therapy with strength‐based motivational approach intervention reduced gaming disorder symptoms and time spent gaming over a 6‐month period by decreasing maladaptive gaming motivation and cognition.
Parallel endodontic education via social media: An exploratory survey study
Authors: Nawar Nawar Naguib , Elkholy Mostafa M. A. , Ha William Nguyen , Bürklein Sebastian , Saber Shehabeldin Mohamed
Published: July 2023

There is insufficient research to evaluate social media's influence on endodontic education. Therefore, this study assessed the percentage of students utilising Facebook in their education and the factors influencing their engagement. A survey was conducted on dental students, interns and dentists undertaking specialist programmes. Categorical data were analysed using Fisher's Exact test and multiple pairwise comparisons. The significance level was set at p < 0.05. Responses were received from 801 participants, with 98.4% using Facebook for endodontic knowledge. Although most students knew that scientific evidence is not always provided, they still deemed such information valuable as it was a practical demonstration of clinical cases. Most students turn to Facebook for endodontic education to compensate for the gap between their academic education and clinical practice. The utilisation of social media for education can be a concerning phenomenon and should not be ignored by academic institutes.
Revisiting the size–productivity relationship with imperfect measures of production and plot size
Authors: Ayalew Hailemariam , Chamberlin Jordan , Newman Carol , Abay Kibrom A. , Kosmowski Frederic , Sida Tesfaye
Published: July 2023

Monitoring smallholder agricultural productivity growth, one of the targets of the Sustainable Development Goals, rests on accurate measures of crop production and land area. Existing methods and protocols for measuring smallholder production and plot size are prone to various sources and forms of mismeasurement. Inaccuracies in production and land area measurement are likely to distort descriptive and predictive inferences. We examine the sensitivity of empirical assessments of the relationship between agricultural productivity and land area to alternative measurement protocols. We implement six production and six land area measurement protocols, and show that most of these protocols differ systematically in their accuracy. We find that an apparent inverse size–productivity relationship in our data is fully explained by measurement error in both production and plot size. Moreover, we show that some of the previously used “gold standard” measures are themselves prone to nonclassical measurement error, and hence can generate spurious inverse size–productivity findings. Our results also show that slight improvements in the precision of objective measures significantly reduce the inferential bias associated with the size–productivity relationship.
From decolonizing knowledge to postimperialism
Authors: Ribeiro Gustavo Lins
Published: July 2023

To open new disciplinary imaginings, we must reinvigorate the relationship between utopian and anthropological thought. This is already underway in efforts to decolonize knowledge. Though such efforts have different emphases, they are located within a field of ideological and utopian struggles that must be understood in the context of imperialism‐colonialism, of subalternized subject positions, and of the armed and cognitive struggles that imperialism‐colonialism has entailed. Based on my Latin American positionality, I analyze the decolonization of anthropological knowledge as part of this wider field and of the discipline's history of reexamining itself. In a critical dialogue with postcolonial and decolonial thought, I proposepostimperialismas a framework that aims to deimperialize the world, overcoming the hierarchical positions between hegemonic and nonhegemonic anthropologies. Moreover, a postimperial research program would entail studying how global elites’ power affects those who struggle to end an unfair regime that is destroying the planet.
An anti‐genealogical take on US anthropology and disciplinary reform
Authors: Rouse Carolyn
Published: July 2023

The “decolonizing generation” is a critical new movement that has captured the imaginations of many younger scholars. While the author would like to consider herself an older member of this generation, she questions whether this moment needs periodization. Is today's moment really so different from the past, when we saw the rise of world anthropologies, postmodernism, the crisis in representation, neo‐Marxism, and anti‐racist movements? And what is meant by “decolonizing anthropology” when experiences with colonialism and decolonization differ around the world? While acknowledging the value of reforming the discipline, the author encourages her colleagues to separate the very important critique of anthropologists’ gatekeeping practices from idealized renderings of what anthropology should be. Rather than decolonization, the discipline ought to focus on establishing a continual decentering of hegemonic knowledge production.
Livestock grazing is an effective conservation tool for Californian coastal grassland ecology: An eight‐year study on vegetation dynamics
Authors: Evans Andrew W. , Woodward Brian D. , Wyckoff A. Christy , Toledo David , Duke Sara , Fischer Christy , Núñez Claudio , Sierra‐Corona Rodrigo
Published: July 2023

Questions

Livestock grazing is an expanding land management tool for habitat and fuel management in California grassland ecosystems, despite mixed conclusions about its effects. Our study investigated the following questions:

Does a targeted grazing regime promote grassland functioning by clearing bare ground and reducing dead litter cover?

Does targeted grazing reduce grassland fuels?

Does targeted grazing promote native species cover and diversity?

Does targeted grazing reduce non‐native, invasive species cover and diversity?

Location

The Santa Lucia Preserve, Carmel, California, USA.

Methods

Monitoring grazed and ungrazed treatment plots within 17 study sites, we surveyed the effects of a targeted grazing regime on bare ground cover, litter cover and depth, herb height, and diversity and cover of different native and non‐native species groups over an eight‐year period.

Results

On average, grazing successfully increased bare ground (by 2.8% cover), decreased litter depth (by 3.5 cm) and cover (by 12%), and decreased herb height (by 3.9 cm). Grazed plots had greater cover of native annual forbs (+1.2% cover), while decreasing invasive Bromus diandrus (by 6.0% cover). There was no difference in either native or non‐native species diversity.

Conclusions

Targeted grazing can be an appropriate tool to accomplish conservation goals, including biomass management and canopy clearing, while improving native annual forbs without risk to native species as a whole. Further steps in adaptive management must examine how the application of grazing may be altered to further promote native species and to inhibit invasive species.