bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
From static to processual analysis: how insights from Austrian economics can advance research on public policy and entrepreneurship
Authors: Bylund Per L. , Packard Mark D. , Rapp David J.
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to illustrate how research on the intersection of public policy and entrepreneurship has been bounded by its static approach and how a processual analysis based on Austrian economics can advance the understanding of the subject matter.

Design/methodology/approach

Rooted in the Austrian school of economics, this conceptual paper adopts a processual approach in order to unveil the effects that public policy exerts upon entrepreneurship and the market process.

Findings

The authors argue that by interfering with the market process, public policy detrimentally alters what otherwise would have been the market's natural evolution reflecting acting individuals' subjective valuations. It causes progressively self-reinforcing market distortions which result in comparatively lower levels of both capital accumulation and societal wealth.

Research limitations/implications

The paper urges future research to rethink public policy's effects on entrepreneurship and to explore them more comprehensively, utilizing market process analysis.

Practical implications

This research suggests that public policy can never be neutral but necessarily comes with distortive and often detrimental effects. That is, public policy comes at the innate expense of hampering the entrepreneurial process. Thus, new public policies and those already in place should be carefully reconsidered in light of these effects.

Originality/value

This paper offers a novel take on how to best understand the effects public policy has on entrepreneurship and the market process.
How can sustainability be effectively regulated?
Authors: Teichmann Fabian Maximilian Johannes , Wittmann Chiara
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the fundamental conditions which are necessary for the construction of a regulation which will affect a genuine advancement in the context of environmental protection.

Design/methodology/approach

The component parts of an adequately built regulation are broken down to concretise the notion of efficacy – and its proposed universality – in a regulatory context. This paper takes a comparative approach of regulations and extends to include a consideration of the monitoring and enforcement of regulation as a necessary tenant of an effective regulation.

Findings

Sustainability regulations have seen a significant development in the 20th century. Notable remain the national discrepancies to so universal problem, as well as an inconsistent acknowledgement of the purpose of sustainability regulations beyond a tick-box compliance commitment.

Originality/value

The importance of sustainability has been amplified without a due consideration of what its translation into regulation must look like. This paper argues that no meaningful change can be lobbied without understanding how its practical implementation is performed.
Relative financial deprivation, financial anxiety and financial satisfaction: the role of access to Islamic financing among MSME owners amidst COVID-19
Authors: Mahmoud Mahmoud Ahmad , Umar Umar Habibu , Baita Abubakar Jamilu , Ado Muhammad Bilyaminu
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to augment the present literature on the relationship between relative financial deprivation (RFD), financial anxiety (FA), access to Islamic financing (AIF) and financial satisfaction (FS) of micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) owners. Principally, the study examines the moderating role of AIF on the RFD–FS and FA–FS relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Quantitative survey approach was used to collect data through self-administered questionnaires from MSME owners. Partial least square (PLS) structural equation modelling (SEM) version 3.2.7 was used to analyse 208 retrieved questionnaires.

Findings

The results confirm that the RFD–FS relationship is negatively significant, but the FA–FS relationship is not significant. However, the direct relationship between AIF and FS is positively significant. Conversely, AIF failed to moderate the RFD–FS and FA–FS relationships.

Practical implications

The study specifies that the existence of RFD will decrease the FS of MSME owners, and therefore, RFD should be eliminated at all costs. However, the greater the AIF, the stronger will be the FS of MSME owners. Thus, policymakers and owners of MSMEs should emphasize on AIF to foster FS. Nevertheless, AIF could not redirect the negative impact of RFD and FA on MSME owners’ FS.

Originality/value

This study, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, is the first to examine the moderating role of AIF on the RFD–FS and FA–FS relationships among MSME owners. Notwithstanding the importance of small business owners for economic development, the literature on MSME entrepreneurs FS has been neglected. This study also uncovers new theoretical knowledge by revealing the inability of AIF to alter the RFD–FS and FA–FS relationships.
Innovative strategies to tackle post-Covid-19 tourism: case of small tourism companies
Authors: Sharma Swati , Sharma Ankita
Published: October 2022

Purpose

The Covid-19 pandemic adversely affected the tourism industry. The highly contagious coronavirus-19 has brought the whole industry to its knees, initiating catastrophic effects in terms of loss of jobs and revenue. The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify the innovative coping strategies adopted by small tourism companies (STCs) to revive business and cope with the pandemic.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used qualitative exploration and asked open-ended questions to senior executives of STCs in India. Written responses were obtained from the respondents. Thematic analysis was performed to analyse the responses of the participants.

Findings

The findings highlight the innovative strategies adopted by STCs to cope with Covid-19-related business loss and present suggestions given by them to benefit the tourism industry.

Research limitations/implications

This study offers insightful practical and theoretical implications for tourism companies, marketing practitioners and policymakers.

Originality/value

The study builds on social practice theory, and the findings (prominent themes) are uniquely mapped with the elements of social practice theory.
Can you ask “too much” of your customers?
Authors: Landers V. Myles , Gabler Colin B. , Hardman Haley E. , Northington William Magnus
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Companies are beginning to rely more on customer participation (CP). As a result, consumers are expected to expend more resources throughout the service exchange. Through three studies, this study aims to examine the effect of CP on customers’ evaluations of these exchanges. Study 1 examines the interaction between two levels of CP (low versus high) and shopping experience type (hedonic versus utilitarian). In Study 2, the focus shifts to understanding the negative consequences of high CP. In Study 3, the authors explore how the negative effects of high CP can be mitigated.

Design/methodology/approach

Scenario-based experiments were implemented across three studies. This study used multivariate analysis of variance (Study 1) and PROCESS (Hayes, 2018; Studies 2 and 3) to uncover how consumers respond to CP.

Findings

Results of Study 1 indicate that the CP level negatively impacts satisfaction and positive word-of mouth (PWOM) in a utilitarian context but has no effect in a hedonic context. Study 2 finds that the negative effects of high CP on satisfaction and PWOM are mediated by fairness and frustration. Study 3 suggests that these negative results can be mitigated by offering a financial incentive.

Originality/value

This study’s two primary objectives address specific calls in the CP literature. First, this study examines the effects of increased CP during hedonic and utilitarian shopping experiences. Second, this study investigates mediators and moderators associated with the negative effects of increased CP, shedding light on how the consumer processes high CP service encounters.
Enhancing relationship strategies with the live stream influencers
Authors: Hsu Li-Chun
Published: October 2022

Purpose

Live streaming platforms have become an essential marketing medium. This study constructed a model based on a combination of psychological contract theory and trust transfer theory.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey was administered to viewers who watched live streaming sales videos belonging to the top three most popular categories on Facebook and purchased a featured product in the past 6 months.

Findings

All but one hypothesis were supported. Although psychological contracts significantly increased trust in live streamers and trust in products, trust in products was increased more through trust in live streamers than directly.

Originality/value

The authors identified prerequisites for psychological contract establishment and developed an integrated empirical model.
Why do rewards fail to motivate knowledge sharing behavior among employees?
Authors: Kaushal Sanjay , Nyoni Austin Milward
Published: October 2022

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the factors that lead to the failure of some rewards to induce knowledge sharing behavior among employees, with much focus on employees’ attitudes and leadership’s knowledge of employees’ preferences, and presents a model that depicts the linkages.

Design/methodology/approach

To investigate why the provision of some rewards fails to induce knowledge sharing behavior among employees, this study uses the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses framework to identify and analyze 56 articles published from 2000 to 2021.

Findings

Knowledge sharing is positively linked to organizational performance. Further, employees’ negative attitudes toward a reward system negatively relate to knowledge sharing behavior. Furthermore, management’s lack of knowledge of employees’ preferences regarding rewards leads to the provision of incorrect rewards that do not enhance knowledge sharing behavior. Finally, a conceptual model depicting the linkages among the variables under consideration has been presented.

Research limitations/implications

Through the present study, employees’ attitudes toward rewards and leadership’s knowledge of employees’ preferences have been presented as critical factors that can lead to the failure of some rewards to induce knowledge sharing behavior. Further, the conceptual framework that can guide managers and leaders in strategizing on how best to develop and implement correct reward systems has been presented.

Originality/value

The present study is a significant contribution to the literature by focusing on the negative side of rewards toward knowledge sharing behavior with a focus on employees’ attitudes and leadership’s awareness of employees’ preferences regarding rewards.
Revolutionary Landscapes and Kitchens of Refusal: Tomato Sauce and Sovereignty in Egypt
Authors: Gaul Anny
Published: October 2022

This article presents a cultural history of tasbika, a tomato‐based cooking technique, as a window into transformations of sovereignty in colonial and postcolonial Egypt. It draws on cookbooks, popular magazines and oral histories to argue that tasbika’s relatively recent emergence as one of the country's most ubiquitous home cooking methods was made possible not only by state‐led industrialisation and modernisation projects, but also through a form of sovereignty wielded by women working in their home kitchens. This article describes this ‘kitchen sovereignty’ as an everyday form of power exercised by home cooks making decisions about how to manage scarce resources and feed their families. Moving beyond questions of food policies and market supply, this study of food and power centres the domestic labour that home cooks performed to transform raw ingredients into the flavours of everyday life in Egypt.
Teachers' emotional intelligence as a predictor of their attitude, concerns and sentiments about inclusive education: teacher professional‐related factors as control variables
Authors: Nwosu Kingsley Chinaza , Wahl Williem Petrus , Anyanwu Adeline Nne , Ezenwosu Ngozi Elizabeth , Okwuduba Emmanuel Nkemakolam
Published: October 2022

Our study determined the impact of emotional intelligence (EI) on teachers' attitudes, concerns and sentiments about inclusive education while controlling for teachers' professional‐related factors. This is predicated on the increasing influence of EI on teacher effectiveness. The sample size consisted of 508 regular classroom teachers. Using hierarchical regression analysis, our findings revealed that teacher EI was significantly associated with attitude and concerns about inclusive education after controlling teacher professional‐related factors. There was no significant relationship between EI and teachers' sentiments about inclusive education, and teachers' professional‐related factors did not account for individual contributions to the variances in teachers' sentiments. It was concluded that teachers' EI, may be a crucial factor that can impact aspects of teachers' perception of inclusive education such as attitude, and concerns about inclusive education but may not be able to erase teachers' deep‐seated beliefs on inclusion. Implications of the study were highlighted.
Lesion probability map in cerebral vein thrombosis due to Behçet's disease
Authors: Emekli Ahmed Serkan , Doğan Faruk Uğur , Gündüz Tuncay , Sezgin Mine , Ekizoğlu Esme , Yeşilot Nilüfer , Çoban Oğuzhan , Akman Gülşen , Kürtüncü Murat
Published: October 2022

Aim

Behçet's disease (BD) is a multisystemic inflammatory disease. Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) is the second most common form of neuro‐BD after parenchymal central nervous system involvement. The purpose of this study was to construct flow‐void probability maps of patients with CVST with and without BD to visually illustrate the impacted cerebral venous sinuses, to compare the subgroups of patients, and investigate the effect of thrombus localization on clinical findings.

Methods

Seventeen patients with a diagnosis of BD‐related CVST (CVST‐BD) and 23 patients with a diagnosis of CVST related to other etiologies (CVST‐O) were included. We collected data including gender, age at onset of BD and CVST, presenting symptoms, neurological findings, and the etiology. High‐resolution magnetic resonance venographies obtained during CVST were used to mark and digitalize thrombosed areas. Thrombus probability and subtraction maps were created to reveal the differences between the subgroups.

Results

Remarkably, all patients with CVST‐BD had thrombosis in the transverse sinus (TS). However, TS was affected in 73.9% of the CVST‐O patients (17/17 in CVST‐BD vs 17/23 in CVST‐O, P = .03). Thrombosis developed mostly in the superior sagittal sinus (SSS) and TS in the CVST‐O group (11/23, 47.8% and 17/23, 73.9%, respectively). The frequency of SSS thrombosis tended to be higher in the CVST‐O (47.8% vs 23.5%, P = .19).

Conclusion

Venous infarction and hemorrhage were less common in patients with CVST‐BD. The only clinical symptom in most of the CSVT patients with BD was headache due to elevated intracranial pressure. TS thrombosis was more common in patients with BD.
Does research performance explain the “leaky pipeline” in Indian academia? A study of agricultural and applied economics
Authors: Bansal Sangeeta , Viswanathan Brinda , Meenakshi J. V.
Published: October 2022

This article documents the existence of a leaky pipeline based on complete enumeration of faculty in two large public academic networks: state agricultural universities and institutions of the Indian Council of Social Science Research. We then examine if there are gender differences in the quantity and quality of research publications of women relative to men that can explain this. As proxies for quality and visibility, we use several metrics, including the number of citations, h‐index, i10 index, and Scimago rank of the journal in which the research is featured. A novel aspect of the analysis is the comparison of time paths of cumulative publications over career paths of men and women professors. Our analysis of research performance is based on scraping publicly‐available data sources, including faculty and institutional websites, and google scholar pages, and represents one‐third (and likely positively selected) of all faculty in these institutions. Our results suggest that women are disadvantaged in terms of number of publications during early career years, however, the disadvantage is mitigated with seniority and women perform equally well or even surpass men later in their careers. Women are more likely to write single‐authored articles and have fewer collaborators than men, indicating that they do not access collaborative spaces as much, and are less networked than men. In spite of this, there is suggestive evidence that women are more quality conscious than men. This nuanced look at research productivity suggests the source of the leaky pipeline does not arise from differences in performance.
Does tenure influence sustainable use? The ecological impacts of harvesting baobab (Adansonia digitata)
Authors: Kozanayi Witness , Wynberg Rachel , Hoffman Michael Timm
Published: October 2022

Using the lens of the baobab tree, this paper explores the ecological outcomes of different tenurial arrangements and implications for resource sustainability. With the emergence of markets for baobab products, a central concern is to confirm whether use patterns differ across different tenure regimes and, if so, their ecological outcomes. The study is based on an ecological survey in Zimbabwe of 244 baobab trees located across three tenure regimes – communal, private and state – and also draws on interviews with key informants. The results suggest that tenure has a strong influence on the sustainability of baobab harvesting. Based on identified parameters of ecological sustainability, trees under state tenure were shown to be harvested unsustainably, and showed excessive bark harvesting, while those under private and communal tenure had fewer signs of debarking and produced more fruits, suggesting their use was more sustainable. Excessive bark harvesting was found to negatively affect fruit and bark production and, to a lesser extent, the overall health of the tree. The research illustrates that in order to understand ecologically sustainable use, an understanding of resource use patterns across different tenure regimes is crucial, suggesting the design of bespoke interventions to manage the use of natural resources in different tenure systems.
Operative and oncological outcomes after robotic rectal resection compared with laparoscopy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Flynn Julie , Larach Jose T. , Kong Joseph C. H. , Rahme Jessica , Waters Peadar S. , Warrier Satish K. , Heriot Alexander
Published: October 2022

Background

Most studies comparing robotic and laparoscopic surgery, show little difference in clinical outcomes to justify the expense. We systematically reviewed and pooled evidence from studies comparing robotic and laparoscopic rectal resection.

Method

Medical Literature Analysis and Retrieval System Online (MEDLINE), Excerpta Medica (EMBASE), and Cochrane databases were searched for studies between 1996 and 2021 comparing clinical outcomes between laparoscopic and robotic rectal surgeries involving total mesorectal excision. Outcome measures included operative times, conversions to open, complications, recurrence and survival rates.

Results

Fifty eligible studies compared outcomes between robotic and laparoscopic rectal resections; three were randomized trials. Pooled results showed significantly longer operating times for robotic surgery but lower conversion and complications rates, shorter lengths of stay in hospital, better rates of complete mesorectal resection and better three‐year overall survival. However, the low number of randomized studies makes most data subject to bias.

Conclusion

Available evidence supports the safety and ongoing use of robotic rectal cancer surgery, while further high‐quality evidence is sought to justify the expense.
Viral clearance, pharmacokinetics and tolerability of ensovibep in patients with mild to moderate COVID‐19: A phase 2a, open‐label, single‐dose escalation study
Authors: Prins Manon L. M. , van der Plas Johan L. , Vissers Maurits F. J. M. , Berends Cécile L. , Tresch Gaby , Soergel Marianne , Fernández Elena , van den Berge Nikita , Duijsings Daniël , Zitt Christof , Stavropoulou Vaia , Zimmermann Maya , Drake Roxana F. , Burggraaf Jacobus , Groeneveld Geert H. , Kamerling Ingrid M. C.
Published: October 2022

Aim

To assess viral clearance, pharmacokinetics, tolerability and symptom evolution following ensovibep administration in symptomatic COVID‐19 outpatients.

Methods

In this open‐label, first‐in‐patient study a single dose of either 225 mg (n = 6) or 600 mg (n = 6) of ensovibep was administered intravenously in outpatients with mild‐to‐moderate COVID‐19 symptoms. Pharmacokinetic profiles were determined (90‐day period). Pharmacodynamic assessments consisted of viral load (qPCR and cultures) and symptom questionnaires. Immunogenicity against ensovibep and SARS‐CoV‐2‐neutralizing activity were determined. Safety and tolerability were assessed throughout a 13‐week follow‐up.

Results

Both doses showed similar pharmacokinetics (first‐order) with mean half‐lives of 14 (SD 5.0) and 13 days (SD 5.7) for the 225‐ and 600‐mg groups, respectively. Pharmacologically relevant serum concentrations were maintained in all subjects for at least 2 weeks postdose, regardless of possible immunogenicity against ensovibep. Viral load changes from baseline at day 15 were 5.1 (SD 0.86) and 5.3 (SD 2.2) log10 copies/mL for the 225‐ and 600‐mg doses, respectively. COVID‐19 symptom scores decreased from 10.0 (SD 4.1) and 11.3 (SD 4.0) to 1.6 (SD 3.1) and 3.3 (SD 2.4) in the first week for the 225‐ and 600‐mg groups, respectively. No anti‐SARS‐CoV‐2 neutralizing activity was present predose and all patients had SARS‐CoV‐2 antibodies at day 91. Adverse events were of mild‐to‐moderate severity, transient and self‐limiting.

Conclusion

Single‐dose intravenous administration of 225 or 600 mg of ensovibep appeared safe and well tolerated in patients with mild‐to‐moderate COVID‐19. Ensovibep showed favourable pharmacokinetics in patients and the pharmacodynamic results warrant further research in a larger phase 2/3 randomized‐controlled trail.
Hydrodynamics in early animal evolution
Authors: Nielsen Claus
Published: October 2022

Choanoflagellates and sponges feed by filtering microscopic particles from water currents created by the flagella of microvillar collar complexes situated on the cell bodies of the solitary or colonial choanoflagellates and on the choanocytes in sponges. The filtering mechanism has been known for more than a century, but only recently has the filtering process been studied in detail and also modelled, so that a detailed picture of the water currents has been obtained. In the solitary and most of the colonial choanoflagellates, the water flows freely around the cells, but in some forms, the cells are arranged in an open meshwork through which the water can be pumped. In the sponges, the choanocytes are located in choanocyte chambers (or choanocyte areas) with separate incurrent and excurrent canals/pores located in a larger body, which enables a fixed pattern of water currents through the collar complexes. Previous theories for the origin of sponges show evolutionary stages with choanocyte chambers without any opening or with only one opening, which makes separation of incurrent and excurrent impossible, and such stages must have been unable to feed. Therefore a new theory is proposed, which shows a continuous evolutionary lineage in which all stages are able to feed by means of the collar complexes.
Bone vitality and vascularization of mandibular and maxillary bone grafts in maxillary sinus floor elevation: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Wu Vivian , Schulten Engelbert A. J. M. , Helder Marco N. , ten Bruggenkate Christiaan M. , Bravenboer Nathalie , Klein‐Nulend Jenneke
Published: October 2022

Objectives

Mandibular retromolar (predominantly cortical) and maxillary tuberosity (predominantly cancellous) bone grafts are used in patients undergoing maxillary sinus floor elevation (MSFE) for dental implant placement. The aim of this retrospective cohort study was to investigate whether differences exist in bone formation and vascularization after grafting with either bone source in patients undergoing MSFE.

Methods

Fifteen patients undergoing MSFE were treated with retromolar (n = 9) or tuberosity (n = 6) bone grafts. Biopsies were taken 4 months postoperatively prior to dental implant placement, and histomorphometrically analyzed to quantify bone and osteoid area, number of total, apoptotic, and receptor activator of nuclear factor‐κB ligand (RANKL)‐positive osteocytes, small and large‐sized blood vessels, and osteoclasts. The grafted area was divided in three regions (caudal‐cranial): RI, RII, and RIII.

Results

Bone volume was 40% (RII, RIII) higher and osteoid volume 10% (RII) lower in retromolar compared to tuberosity‐grafted areas. Total osteocyte number and number of RANKL‐positive osteocytes were 23% (RII) and 90% (RI, RII) lower, but osteoclast number was higher (retromolar: 12, tuberosity: 0) in retromolar‐grafted areas. The total number of blood vessels was 80% (RI) to 60% (RIII) lower, while the percentage of large‐sized blood vessels was 86% (RI) to 25% (RIII) higher in retromolar‐grafted areas. Number of osteocyte lacunae and apoptotic osteocytes were similar in both bone grafts used.

Conclusions

Compared to the retromolar bone, tuberosity bone showed increased bone vitality and vascularization in patients undergoing MSFE, likely due to faster bone remodeling or earlier start of new bone formation. Therefore, tuberosity bone grafts might perform better in enhancing bone regeneration.
Coupling future climate and land‐use projections reveals where to strengthen the protection of Mediterranean Key Biodiversity Areas
Authors: Verniest Fabien , Galewski Thomas , Julliard Romain , Guelmami Anis , Le Viol Isabelle
Published: October 2022

Identifying sites that are both important for biodiversity and likely to be heavily affected by anthropogenic pressures in the future is crucial to settle priorities in the implementation of conservation measures, such as the designation of new protected areas. Although assessing the exposure of terrestrial Key Biodiversity Areas to global change would support such identification, it has never been performed to our knowledge. In addition, previous exposure assessments have been limited to few metrics of climate change and have not considered other global change components. Here, we assess the extent to which terrestrial (including inland water) Key Biodiversity Areas are exposed to future climate change and land‐use modifications in 29 countries of the Mediterranean region, and identify countries where additional protection efforts are most needed. To this end, we calculated two local and two regional exposure metrics using projections of climate and land‐use for late 21st century under four scenarios that were used in the sixth assessment report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (SSP1‐2.6, SSP2‐4.5, SSP3‐7.0, and SSP5‐8.5). These four exposure metrics were subsequently combined into an exposure index ranking sites from least to most exposed to climate and land‐use changes. We highlight that the most exposed non‐protected Key Biodiversity Areas are located in countries where the protection of this network is lowest (i.e., high number and percentage of non‐protected sites). We also found that Key Biodiversity Areas were overall more exposed than the rest of the study zone and that the sites most in need of conservation actions were similar across future scenarios. Our study reinforces the pressing necessity to strengthen and extend conservation measures in Mediterranean Key Biodiversity Areas, especially in Middle‐East and Maghreb countries whose Key Biodiversity Areas are both at risk to be strongly affected by anthropogenic pressures and insufficiently protected.
Sleep and wake in a model of the thalamocortical system with Martinotti cells
Authors: Bugnon Tom , Mayner William G. P. , Cirelli Chiara , Tononi Giulio
Published: October 2022

The mechanisms leading to the alternation between active (UP) and silent (DOWN) states during sleep slow waves (SWs) remain poorly understood. Previous models have explained the transition to the DOWN state by a progressive failure of excitation because of the build‐up of adaptation currents or synaptic depression. However, these models are at odds with recent studies suggesting a role for presynaptic inhibition by Martinotti cells (MaCs) in generating SWs. Here, we update a classical large‐scale model of sleep SWs to include MaCs and propose a different mechanism for the generation of SWs. In the wake mode, the network exhibits irregular and selective activity with low firing rates (FRs). Following an increase in the strength of background inputs and a modulation of synaptic strength and potassium leak potential mimicking the reduced effect of acetylcholine during sleep, the network enters a sleep‐like regime in which local increases of network activity trigger bursts of MaC activity, resulting in strong disfacilitation of the local network via presynaptic GABAB1a‐type inhibition. This model replicates findings on slow wave activity (SWA) during sleep that challenge previous models, including low and skewed FRs that are comparable between the wake and sleep modes, higher synchrony of transitions to DOWN states than to UP states, the possibility of triggering SWs by optogenetic stimulation of MaCs, and the local dependence of SWA on synaptic strength. Overall, this work points to a role for presynaptic inhibition by MaCs in the generation of DOWN states during sleep.
Understanding child support arrangements in Colombia: A social exchange theory perspective
Authors: Cuesta Laura , Guarin Angela , Eickmeyer Kasey J.
Published: October 2022

Objective

In this research, we examine the characteristics of custodial‐mother families with a child support arrangement in Colombia and how key concepts from social exchange theory are associated with having these arrangements.

Background

A significant proportion of custodial‐mother families do not receive financial support from noncustodial fathers. Prior research has identified processes behind low rates of child support receipt, but little is known about which factors determine whether separated parents make a child support arrangement in the first place, especially in less affluent countries.

Methods

Using data on custodial mothers interviewed in the Colombian Longitudinal Survey, we used descriptive statistics to examine the characteristics of custodial mothers with a child support arrangement and estimated logistic regression models to examine how economic dependence and commitment before separation are associated with having a child support arrangement.

Results

Only 35.7% of custodial‐mother families had a child support arrangement, typically a private one. Mothers with an arrangement were more socioeconomically advantaged than those who did not have one. Only economic independence factors were significantly associated with having an arrangement, and a custodial mother's economic independence discouraged having any child support arrangement.

Conclusion

Economic factors may bear more weight than interpersonal ties in decisions to pursue a child support arrangement in Colombia.

Implications

An assessment of the costs associated with pursuing a child support arrangement in Colombia is an important step to improve the child support system's outreach to custodial mothers, current programming, and type of services provided at different stages of the process.
Creating fairer futures for sustainability transitions
Authors: Fitzgerald Louise M. , Davies Anna R.
Published: October 2022

Futures thinking is an expanding interdisciplinary field which is seen as a key element of transitioning towards a more sustainable planet and society. Developing fairer futuring is increasingly urgent in the context of the radical reconfiguration of current systems needed to meet complex global sustainability challenges. However, explicit consideration of uneven power and participation and the nature‐society relations that feature in contemporary futuring processes has been given little explicit attention to date. This deficit is addressed in this paper through a critical review of dominant futuring approaches and outlining insights from critical perspectives which (a) identify limitations of current futuring approaches and (b) provide important perspectives to help shape fairer futuring in geographical research.
Are curmudgeon personality scales resistant to response distortion?
Authors: Bowling Nathan A. , Eschleman Kevin J. , Zelazny Lucian , Burns Gary
Published: October 2022

Curmudgeon personality, which is assessed by having participants evaluate a heterogeneous set of attitude objects, provides an applied value beyond that of more established personality traits. Recent research, for instance, suggests that curmudgeon personality is distinct from the Five Factor Model personality traits and that it predicts unique variance in important criteria, such as job attitudes and well‐being. In the current paper we contribute to this literature by testing an explanation of how curmudgeon personality is distinct from other traits—their potential resistance to response distortion. We estimated response distortion for scales of curmudgeon personality and FFM traits across two quasi‐experimental studies. As expected, the score shifts between nonapplicant and applicant conditions were smaller for scales of curmudgeon personality compared to scales of emotional stability and conscientiousness. We argue that curmudgeon personality scales may be more resistant to response distortion than are measures of other traits because curmudgeon personality items are semi‐implicit and lack an obvious desirable response. The resistance to response distortion should serve as a call to future researchers to test the criterion validity of curmudgeon personality in regard to performance criteria.
Myofilaments promote wing expansion and maintain genitalia morphology in the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana
Authors: Liu Fangfang , Cui Yingying , Lu Huna , Chen Xiaoyi , Li Qin , Ye Ziqi , Chen Wanyi , Zhu Shiming
Published: October 2022

Insects are the most widely distributed and successful animals on the planet. A large number of insects are capable of flight with functional wings. Wing expansion is an important process for insects to achieve functional wings after eclosion and healthy genital morphology is crucial for adult reproduction. Myofilaments are functional units that constitute sarcomeres and trigger muscle contraction. Here, we identified four myofilament proteins, including Myosin, Paramyosin, Tropomyosin and Troponin T, from the wing pads of nymphs in the American cockroach, Periplaneta americana. RNAi‐mediated knockdown of Myosin, Paramyosin, Tropomyosin and Troponin T in the early stage of final instar nymphs caused a severely curly wing phenotype in the imaginal moult, especially in the Paramyosin and Troponin T knockdown groups, indicating that these myofilament proteins are involved in controlling wing expansion behaviours during the nymph‐adult transition. In addition, the knockdown resulted in abnormal external genitalia, caused ovulation failure, and affected male accessory gland development. Interestingly, the expression of myofilament genes was induced by methoprene, a juvenile hormone (JH) analogue, and decreased by the depletion of the JH receptor gene Met. Altogether, we have determined that myofilament genes play an important role in promoting wing expansion and maintaining adult genitalia morphology, and their expression is induced by JH signalling. Our data reveal a novel mechanism by which wing expansion is regulated by myofilaments and the functions of myofilaments are involved in maintaining genitalia morphology.
Islet‐specific CD8+ T cells gain effector function in the gut lymphoid tissues via bystander activation not molecular mimicry
Authors: Okada Mirei , Zhang Vivian , Loaiza Naranjo Jeniffer D , Tillett Bree J , Wong F Susan , Steptoe Raymond J , Bergot Anne‐Sophie , Hamilton‐Williams Emma E
Published: October 2022

Type 1 diabetes (T1D) is caused by aberrant activation of autoreactive T cells specific for the islet beta cells. How islet‐specific T cells evade tolerance to become effector T cells is unknown, but it is believed that an altered gut microbiota plays a role. Possible mechanisms include bystander activation of autoreactive T cells in the gut or “molecular mimicry” from cross‐reactivity between gut microbiota‐derived peptides and islet‐derived epitopes. To investigate these mechanisms, we use two islet‐specific CD8+ T cell clones and the non‐obese diabetic mouse model of type 1 diabetes. Both insulin‐specific G9C8 cells and IGRP‐specific 8.3 cells underwent early activation and proliferation in the pancreatic draining lymph nodes but not in the Peyer's patches or mesenteric lymph nodes. Mutation of the endogenous epitope for G9C8 cells abolished their CD69 upregulation and proliferation, ruling out G9C8 cell activation by a gut microbiota derived peptide and molecular mimicry. However, previously activated islet‐specific effector memory cells but not naïve cells migrated into the Peyer's patches where they increased their cytotoxic function. Oral delivery of butyrate, a microbiota derived anti‐inflammatory metabolite, reduced IGRP‐specific cytotoxic function. Thus, while initial activation of islet‐specific CD8+ T cells occurred in the pancreatic lymph nodes, activated cells trafficked through the gut lymphoid tissues where they gained additional effector function via non‐specific bystander activation influenced by the gut microbiota.
The catalytic activity of the Pr2Zr2−xFexO7±δ system for the CO oxidation reaction
Authors: dos Santos Veiga Emerson Luiz , Villafruela Xavier Vendrell , Llorca Jordi , Beltrán‐Mir Hector , Cordoncillo Eloísa
Published: October 2022

One of the alternatives to decrease the concentration of CO is its oxidation reaction to CO2, which can be made more efficient using catalysts. In this work, it is shown that pyrochlore structures are a promising candidate to act as heterogeneous catalysts due to their chemical and physical properties. For use as a catalyst in this reaction, the Pr2Zr2−xFexO7±δ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, and 0.15) system was synthesized by the solvothermal method, firing the powder obtained at temperatures of 1200 and 1400°C. The diffraction patterns confirmed the pyrochlore structure as the single phase in all the nominal compositions. The Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method and dynamic light‐scattering analysis showed an increase in the particle size and a decrease in the specific surface area when increasing the iron concentration and increasing the calcination temperature. The compositions that presented the best catalytic activity were the samples with the highest iron concentration. Moreover, these samples were able to convert all the CO oxidation reactions in a narrower temperature range than a conventional CeO2 sample. The presence of vacancies and the redox behavior of the elements present are the key factors for the catalysis of this system in the CO oxidation reaction.
Optimal taxation with positional considerations
Authors: Karakosta Ourania , Zacharias Eleftherios
Published: October 2022

This paper analyzes the optimal commodity tax policy, in a generalized vertical differentiation model in which consumers have positional considerations. Consumers enjoy having a product which is better than that owned by others, and feel envy when others own a better product than them. We examine the impact of these positional considerations on the optimal tax and welfare when a monopoly produces two variants of such good. The standard result that the government should subsidize the product, can be reversed in our setting. In the presence of positional concerns, the optimal tax rate can be positive. Furthermore, the positional effects determine the level of the tax pass‐through on prices. Finally, the tax levied on the high‐quality variant affects the price of the low‐quality variant and vice versa.
N‐Acetylserotonin is an oxidation‐responsive activator of Nrf2 ameliorating colitis in rats
Authors: Kang Changyu , Jeong Seongkeun , Kim Jaejeong , Ju Sanghyun , Im Eunok , Heo Gwangbeom , Park Soyeong , Yoo Jin‐Wook , Lee Juho , Yoon In‐Soo , Jung Yunjin
Published: October 2022

N‐Acetylserotonin (NAS) is an intermediate in the melatonin biosynthetic pathway. We investigated the anti‐inflammatory activity of NAS by focusing on its chemical feature oxidizable to an electrophile. NAS was readily oxidized by reaction with HOCl, an oxidant produced in the inflammatory state. HOCl‐reacted NAS (Oxi‐NAS), but not NAS, activated the anti‐inflammatory nuclear factor erythroid 2‐related factor 2 (Nrf2)‐heme oxygenase (HO)‐1 pathway in cells. Chromatographic and mass analyses demonstrated that Oxi‐NAS was the iminoquinone form of NAS and could react with N‐acetylcysteine possessing a nucleophilic thiol to form a covalent adduct. Oxi‐NAS bound to Kelch‐like ECH‐associated protein 1, resulting in Nrf2 dissociation. Moreover, rectally administered NAS increased the levels of nuclear Nrf2 and HO‐1 proteins in the inflamed colon of rats. Simultaneously, NAS was converted to Oxi‐NAS in the inflamed colon. Rectal NAS mitigated colonic damage and inflammation. The anticolitic effects were significantly compromised by the coadministration of an HO‐1 inhibitor.
Efficient estimation of tuned liquid column damper inerter (TLCDI) parameters for seismic control of base‐isolated structures
Authors: Masnata Chiara , Di Matteo Alberto , Adam Christoph , Pirrotta Antonina
Published: October 2022

This paper presents an enhanced base‐isolation (BI) system equipped with a novel passive control device composed of a tuned liquid damper and an inerter (TLCDI). With the aim of reducing the seismic response of BI systems, this contribution focuses on the design of the TLCDI providing analytical solutions for the optimal TLCDI parameters, easily implementable in the design phase. The effectiveness of the proposed approach in terms of seismic response reduction and computational gain is validated by comparison with classical numerical optimization techniques. The control performance of two different base‐isolated TLCDI‐controlled structures is assessed by employing real‐ground motion records, and relevant comparisons with both uncontrolled base‐isolated structures and equipped with a conventional TLCD are presented.
Importance of aspartyl protease 5 in the establishment of the intracellular niche during acute and chronic infection of Toxoplasma gondii
Authors: Dogga Sunil Kumar , Lunghi Matteo , Maco Bohumil , Li Jiagui , Claudi Beatrice , Marq Jean‐Baptiste , Chicherova Natalia , Kockmann Tobias , Bumann Dirk , Hehl Adrian B. , Soldati‐Favre Dominique , Hammoudi Pierre‐Mehdi
Published: October 2022

Virulence and persistence of the obligate intracellular parasite Toxoplasma gondii involve the secretion of effector proteins belonging to the family of dense granule proteins (GRAs) that act notably as modulators of the host defense mechanisms and participate in cyst wall formation. The subset of GRAs residing in the parasitophorous vacuole (PV) or exported into the host cell, undergo proteolytic cleavage in the Golgi upon the action of the aspartyl protease 5 (ASP5). In tachyzoites, ASP5 substrates play central roles in the morphology of the PV and the export of effectors across the translocon complex MYR1/2/3. Here, we used N‐terminal amine isotopic labeling of substrates to identify novel ASP5 cleavage products by comparing the N‐terminome of wild‐type and Δasp5 lines in tachyzoites and bradyzoites. Validated substrates reside within the PV or PVM in an ASP5‐dependent manner. Remarkably, Δasp5 bradyzoites are impaired in the formation of the cyst wall in vitro and exhibit a considerably reduced cyst burden in chronically infected animals. More specifically two‐photon serial tomography of infected mouse brains revealed a comparatively reduced number and size of the cysts throughout the establishment of persistence in the absence of ASP5.
Diabetes mellitus is an independent risk factor for a greater frequency of early satiation and diarrhea at one and three years: Two prospective longitudinal population‐based studies
Authors: Koloski Natasha A. , Jones Michael , Walker Marjorie M. , Horowitz Michael , Holtmann Gerald , Talley Nicholas J.
Published: October 2022

Background

Psychological and lifestyle factors have been associated with gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms in individuals with diabetes mellitus, but it remains unclear whether they explain the relationship over time. We aimed to determine in two independent population‐based studies whether diabetes is an independent risk factor for GI symptoms at a 1‐ and 3‐year follow‐up, adjusting for these factors.

Methods

In study 1, 1900 individuals completed a baseline and 1‐year follow‐up survey, while in study 2, 1322 individuals completed a baseline and 3‐year follow‐up survey. Both studies asked about self‐reported diagnoses of diabetes and GI symptoms over the previous 3 months. Psychological, lifestyle factors (body mass index [BMI], smoking) and age and sex were assessed.

Key Results

The baseline prevalence of diabetes was 7.8% in Survey 1 and 8.9% in Survey 2. In a multivariate model that included age, sex, BMI, anxiety, depression and smoking status at follow‐up, reporting diabetes at baseline was an independent predictor of at least weekly early satiation (OR 1.58, 95% CI 1.05, 2.39,p = 0.03; OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.14, 2.45,p = 0.009), fecal urgency (OR 1.44,95% CI 1.06, 1.95,p = 0.02; OR = 2.17, 95% CI 1.47, 3.22,p = 0.0001), > 3 bowel motions a day (OR 1.50, 95% CI 1.08, 2.07,p = 0.02; OR = 1.67, 95% CI 1.11, 2.51,p = 0.01), and loose stools (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.04, 1.90,p = 0.03; OR = 1.68, 95% CI 1.13, 2.51,p = 0.01) at the 1‐ and 3‐year follow‐ups, respectively.

Conclusions & Inferences

Diabetes is an independent risk factor for a greater frequency of early satiation and diarrhea, adjusting for lifestyle and psychological factors.
Congenital mandibular coronoid process hyperplasia and associated diseases
Authors: Wang Weihong
Published: October 2022

Coronoid process hyperplasia (CPH) is an oral and maxillofacial surgical disease that can result in restricted jaw movement due to an enlarged and elongated mandibular coronoid process. It is characterized by the painless progressive restriction of unilaterally or bilaterally mouth opening. Clinically, unexplained bilateral CPH is less common and therefore often overlooked or misdiagnosed, and coronoidectomy can be very effective on improving mouth opening. Currently, the exact etiology and mechanism of congenital CPH have not yet been fully understood, but it is generally believed to be genetically related. In this paper, the relationship of the congenital mandibular CPH with the related diseases was examined based on cases collected in our clinic and literature review for the clinical diagnosis and treatment of patients with restricted mouth opening associated with CPH.