bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
SLAM-IMU coupling-based construction personnel positioning in invalid scenario of satellite and aerial triangulation
Authors: Gao Yiling , Wang Chen , Huang Liping , Wang Defa , Chen Zhibin
Published: February 2025

Purpose

To help supervisors understand the positions of workers in real-time, provide safety guidance for workers and reduce the occurrence of accidents. This study proposes a real-time positioning algorithm based on multi-source information coupling, aiming to solve the problem of workers’ autonomous positioning in signal-blind areas.

Design/methodology/approach

The proposed algorithm utilizes the visual SLAM and IMU sensors to perceive the environment, construct three-dimensional images, improve the accuracy of corner point matching, pre-integrate the raw IMU data, and adopt the tightly coupled method to couple the visual and inertial navigation data, thereby establishing a binocular visual SLAM and IMU coupling real-time positioning model.

Findings

The real-time positioning technology based on the coupling of visual SLAM and IMU shows good positioning effect and calculation speed in indoor sites, has good adaptability and accuracy in different building construction scenarios, and the positioning error can be controlled within 3%.

Originality/value

The successful construction of the real-time positioning method effectively alleviates the problem of inaccurate positioning caused by signal blind areas in the existing positioning management system, helps protect the lives and safety of construction site workers and improves the management efficiency of construction site supervisors.
Appraising hyperinflation threat to achieving Sustainable Development Goals 1 and 2: Nigerian public sector construction artisans' perspective
Authors: Ebekozien Andrew , Thwala Wellington Didibhuku
Published: February 2025

Purpose

In less than a decade, hyperinflation rate increases in many developing countries have raised pertinent concerns about fundamental issues facing fixed salaries of low-income earners. This may hinder achieving Sustainable Development Goals 1 (no poverty) and 2 (zero hunger). There is a paucity of research regarding the impact of the hyperinflation rate on public sector construction artisans. This study investigated the impact of hyperinflation and its outcome on the Nigerian public sector construction artisans and recommended ways to reduce these impacts and, by extension, improve the achievement of Goals 1 and 2.

Design/methodology/approach

The researchers adopted a qualitative approach to collect data. This study engaged 30 interviewees across three of Nigeria’s cities using semi-structured interviews. This research adopted a thematic approach and attained saturation at the 26th participant.

Findings

This study shows that the impact of hyperinflation on Nigeria’s public sector construction artisans, if not curbed, might hinder achieving Goals 1 and 2. Findings identified the major impacts and suggested ways to mitigate them and, by extension, improve the achievement of Goals 1 and 2. This includes overhauling the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to create people and investment/production policies, addressing foreign exchange rate volatility through financial stabilisation instruments, overhauling Nigerian National Petroleum Corporation, reinstating fuel subsides and addressing the issue of internal insecurity.

Originality/value

As a part of the research’s implications, this study suggested measures to mitigate hyperinflation on public sector construction artisans. Findings also will stir government policymakers to review existing economic policies (fuel subsidy removal, floating of foreign exchange and high interest rates) to be pro-masses friendly and promote productivity.
Intergenerational justice as a framework for social media archiving
Authors: Shiozaki Ryo
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This conceptual study aims to explore the rationale of preservation institutions in archiving new types of documents, such as social media, rather than focusing on traditionally valued materials or established cultural heritage.

Design/methodology/approach

Recognising the need to include the perspectives of both current and future generations, this study reviews and organises various theories of intergenerational justice to determine whether they can provide a solid justification.

Findings

No single theory of intergenerational justice fully endorses the long-term preservation of user-generated content. However, utilitarianism can offer a compelling justification for large-scale archiving, whereas other views, including communitarianism, support selective approaches.

Originality/value

This study is the first to extensively apply intergenerational justice theories to the field of digital preservation, providing a foundational framework for justifying the preservation of emerging forms of digital documents, albeit to a limited extent.
The maverick factor: the role of positively deviant change agents in radical organizational change
Authors: Jordan Ree , Fitzsimmons Terrance W. , Callan Victor J.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper explores the phenomenon of organizational maverickism, proposing that mavericks, alongside innovators and entrepreneurs, play a crucial role in driving transformational change. While the actions of innovators and entrepreneurs as change agents are well understood, this paper focuses predominantly on how the practices of mavericks also provide significant contributions to achieving game-changing organizational outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

A literature review and conceptual paper highlighting the beneficial nature of maverickism to organizational change efforts, positioning maverickism as a valid change agent role alongside entrepreneurship and innovation.

Findings

The positively deviant nature of mavericks has high potential for creating radical organizational change strategies. Organizational change is more likely to be successful when the entrepreneurial, innovator and maverick mindsets are used to their optimum advantage.

Research limitations/implications

From this conceptual paper and its arguments, new research directions to guide theory building and organizational practice are identified.

Practical implications

When organizational managers and leaders more fully understand the beneficial practices of mavericks, they are more likely to actively employ them in more meaningful roles as organizational change agents, together with innovators and entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

This paper closes the knowledge gap in understanding maverickism that is an under-researched and under-theorized phenomenon. The arguments in this paper identify a number of areas for future research.
Blockchain and smart contracts: transforming digital entrepreneurial finance and venture funding
Authors: Robusti César da Silva , Avelar Aline Bento Ambrósio , Farina Milton Carlos , Gananca Claudio Alexandre
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study conducts a systematic review to analyze the impact of blockchain technology and smart contracts on digital entrepreneurial finance and venture funding. It aims to investigate how these technologies can transform business operations, offering enhanced transparency, security and efficiency in various financial contexts.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines to assess the effectiveness of blockchain and smart contracts in generating business value. The study used the Scopus database to identify relevant articles published between 2015 and 2023. Quantitative and qualitative analyses were performed on the data using IRAMUTEQ software and Bibliometrix tool, both based in the “R” programming language.

Findings

The study reveals significant potential for blockchain and smart contracts to disrupt traditional venture funding models by automating contract execution and reducing administrative costs. Blockchain’s secure, decentralized ledger offers advantages in peer-to-peer transactions and risk mitigation, particularly in supply chain management and international trade. However, challenges related to scalability, energy consumption and regulatory compliance were also identified.

Research limitations/implications

Despite the contributions, systematic review of the literature has limitations. Only articles in English, published in journals, were considered for this research, omitting, for example, conference articles and research in other languages, which may also contain relevant information.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature by synthesizing recent advancements in blockchain and smart contract applications within entrepreneurial finance. It highlights the transformative potential of these technologies while addressing their limitations and offering insights into future research directions. The findings provide valuable implications for academics, practitioners and policymakers interested in leveraging blockchain for financial innovation.
Transformative service in healthcare: understanding secondary vulnerability and coping mechanisms in end-of-life care
Authors: Carlini Joan , Riedel Aimee , Lehman Kim , Ranse Kristen
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the notion of secondary vulnerability among transformative service providers, particularly frontline healthcare professionals (HCP), during the provision of end-of-life care. It seeks to understand how stressors and coping mechanisms influence vulnerability and subsequently impact service outcomes for patients and frontline employees.

Design/methodology/approach

The research framework, based on the Transactional Model of Stress and Coping, was used to explore secondary vulnerability among frontline healthcare providers. A qualitative, interpretive approach was employed involving semi-structured interviews for data collection. The interview transcripts were analysed using a two-stage process, starting with inductive analysis and followed by deductive analysis.

Findings

Secondary vulnerability is conceptualized along with its implications, shedding light on the role of stress and coping mechanisms in responding to vulnerable situations. It identifies the interplay between situational and personal factors that influence service outcomes for both HCPs and patients.

Practical implications

By recognizing stressors and coping strategies, organizations can implement support programs to enhance HCP well-being and improve care quality for patients experiencing vulnerability. Training programs can equip HCPs with effective coping mechanisms to mitigate the impact of secondary vulnerability on service outcomes.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the literature by addressing a gap in understanding regarding secondary vulnerability among transformative service providers. By integrating theories from various fields, including consumer vulnerability, transformative service mediation, healthcare services, and stress and coping mechanisms, it offers a novel perspective on the dynamics of vulnerability in end-of-life care in a healthcare setting.
Impact of family facilitation and work facilitation on work-life balance of female library professionals in Bangladesh
Authors: Tabassum Mashiat , Ahmed S.M. Zabed
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to examine the impact of family facilitation (FF) and work facilitation (WF) on work-life balance (WLB) of female library professionals in Bangladesh.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey questionnaire was distributed to female librarians identified through various professional networks. The questionnaire included demographic questions and scale items measuring satisfaction levels regarding FF, WF and WLB. Ordinal regressions were utilized to analyze the effect of demographic and job-related factors on WLB. Moreover, structural equation modeling was applied to assess the proposed relationships among FF, WF and WLB.

Findings

A total of 158 female librarians participated in this study. Participants expressed satisfaction with family support and colleague relationships but had moderate to low satisfaction with work flexibility and compensation for extra work. Their WLB satisfaction was also found to be moderate. The results of ordinal regressions revealed significant associations between several demographic and work-related factors and different levels of WLB. The results of the structural equation model showed a significant impact of family and work facilitations on WLB. It also revealed the significant indirect effect of FF on WLB through the mediation of WF.

Originality/value

This is the first study to assess the influence of FF and WF on WLB among female library and information science professionals in Bangladesh. The study findings emphasize the need for implementing policies and practices to improve their WLB.
Corporate social responsibility and brand love: attractiveness and authenticity
Authors: Raza Ali , Farrukh Muhammad , Latif Khawaja Fawad , Glinska-Newes Aldona
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study, drawing on the attribution, attachment, and regret theories, examined the predictors of brand love. It also aimed to assess the mediating role of brand authenticity dimensions, i.e. brand continuity, brand credibility and brand naturalness, on the relationship between customer perception of hotel corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives and brand love. The moderating role of alternative attractiveness was also evaluated in relation to customer perception of hotel CSR initiatives and brand authenticity dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors surveyed customers from hotels in different cities in Pakistan. To test the theoretical framework, partial least square-based structural equation modeling was used.

Findings

The results confirm customer perception of hotel CSR initiatives as a predictor of brand love. The partial mediating role of brand naturalness and brand credibility was found between customer perception of hotel CSR initiatives and brand love, and no mediation of brand continuity was found. Alternative attractiveness negatively moderated the link between customer perception of hotel CSR initiatives, brand credibility and brand naturalness. However, alternative attractiveness did not moderate the relationship between customer perception of hotel CSR initiatives and brand continuity.

Practical implications

Hospitality practitioners can enhance brand love by strategically communicating CSR initiatives to customers, prioritizing brand credibility and brand naturalness and considering the role of attractive alternatives. This knowledge empowers practitioners to make informed decisions that can significantly impact their brand’s success.

Originality/value

This is the first study to explore the moderating role of alternative attractiveness on the relationship between customer perception of hotel CSR initiatives and brand authenticity dimensions. Equally, it is the first to investigate the mediating role of brand authenticity dimensions on the relationship between customer perception of hotel CSR initiatives and brand love.
Double materiality concept in practice: impact in a construction company
Authors: Dyczkowska Joanna , Szalacha Paweł
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The primary aim of this paper is to explore the practical application of the double materiality (DM) assessment process and to identify potential problems and challenges that may arise.

Design/methodology/approach

This research entails a single case study of one of the leading Polish construction companies. Using internal documentation, the study records, analyses and assesses the DM implementation in a company that was an early adopter of this concept.

Findings

The results indicate that the DM assessment was a complex project, covering specific stages and posing various challenges, such as establishing objective criteria for selecting materiality thresholds. Other issues include the need to weight various stakeholder opinions in the process and to appropriately determine the reporting boundaries. The problem of discretionary judgements in DM assessments was also observed.

Practical implications

This study provides practical insights for practitioners involved in the DM assessment process in sustainability reporting.

Originality/value

One of the novelties of this study is that it presents an authentic implementation of the DM concept, which was designed according to the European Sustainability Reporting Standards requirements.
Integrating sustainability and quality orientation in the disassembly line balancing operations
Authors: Kazançoğlu Yigit , Ozturkoglu Yucel , Sarma P.R.S. , Kabak Mehmet , Ozbiltekin-Pala Melisa
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The main objective of this paper is to integrate quality with triple bottom line dimensions as well as economic, social and environmental concerns within a disassembly line balancing problem.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a new disassembly line balancing model to maintain the triple bottom line. This proposed model applies a hybrid MCDM considering social, environmental, quantitative and qualitative business and quality dimensions. In this research, fuzzy AHP prioritizes the dimensions and fuzzy TOPSIS ranks the disassembly operations.

Findings

The findings show that the disassembly line’s cycle time decreased from 36 s to 32 s, with the main and sub-criteria considered. Therefore, this study reveals that integrating sustainability dimensions with quality may not result in sacrificing cycle time.

Originality/value

Globalization, the increase in demand, the complexity of supply chains and the environmental, economic and social dimensions should be examined together for these operations to be sustainable. Not only these dimensions but also the perception of quality, an essential aspect of production, must be reflected in the disassembly line balancing. There is a need for sustainability issues in disassembly line balancing, which is becoming increasingly important due to environmental concerns, resource conservation, corporate social responsibility and potential cost savings. However, a significant gap in the literature points to the need to cover all three dimensions of the triple bottom line and other production-related dimensions in the disassembly line balancing problem.
Against the odds: career narratives of black male police chiefs
Authors: Foley Pamela F. , Hanna Collins Michelle , Blau Chloe , Jayashankar Shruthi , Merise Jesse , Schlosser Lewis Z.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of the present study was to explore the challenges and pathways to success for Black police chiefs, who remain under-represented in Law Enforcement.

Design/methodology/approach

Two pilot interviews and four subsequent in-depth interviews were conducted with Black male police chiefs. Interview transcripts were analyzed through Interpretive Phenomenological Analysis.

Findings

The data revealed five themes describing barriers and challenges, but also substantial rewards of law enforcement work.

Research limitations/implications

The qualitative design of the present study builds on prior quantitative studies exploring reasons for choosing a police career. The findings invite future research in a broader geographic area, as the results may not generalize beyond the northeast U.S., or to other diverse groups.

Originality/value

The results may provide a deeper understanding of the challenges of diversifying police agencies, and may assist agencies in better attracting and supporting the advancement of individuals from minority groups.
Leveraging the pandemic: exploring how Covid exposure shapes capital structure using a text-based approach
Authors: Ongsakul Viput , Chatjuthamard Pattanaporn , Chintrakarn Pandej , Jiraporn Pornsit
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study investigates how firm-specific exposure to COVID-19 influences capital structure choices, a topic of significant importance due to the pandemic’s unprecedented economic disruption. We leverage a novel text-based measure of firm-specific COVID exposure to explore these dynamics.

Design/methodology/approach

Our research adopts an innovative text-based approach to measure firm-specific COVID exposure, developed by prior studies, which analyzes earnings conference call transcripts using advanced machine learning algorithms. The analysis is based on a comprehensive sample of US firms spanning over 20 years. Various statistical techniques, including firm-fixed effects, propensity score matching, entropy balancing and instrumental-variable analysis, are employed to ensure robust results.

Findings

Our findings indicate that firms with higher COVID exposure significantly alter their leverage, favoring debt financing over equity financing. This effect is less pronounced in larger and more profitable firms as well as those more vulnerable to climate change risk. The unique impact of COVID on leverage is contrasted with other infectious diseases, which do not exhibit similar effects.

Originality/value

Our study’s originality lies in its application of a novel text-based metric, borrowed from existing research, to measure firm-specific COVID exposure, marking a significant advancement in the field. This method provides a timely and precise assessment of exposure, offering insights that traditional metrics cannot capture. It is the first study to document the significant role of COVID exposure in determining corporate leverage, enhancing the understanding of capital structure dynamics in the context of unprecedented global disruptions.
What Sort of a Thing is an Archetype? Archetypes, Complexes and Self‐Organization Revisited
Authors: Skar Patricia
Published: February 2025

A core group of mainly Jungian analysts have contributed to an ongoing archetype debate in the Journal of Analytical Psychology since the 1990s. Most of the participants have provided some sort of scientific definition for Jung’s archetype‐as‐such. However, to view the archetype as a property of the dynamic inherent in complex formation, as in Saunders & Skar (2001), is quite different from what others have proposed. This has led to misunderstandings of our theory. The current paper examines some of these misunderstandings alongside other issues that have arisen in the debate. For example, some writers have suggested that we could get rid of the term archetype altogether and still retain the important aspects of Jung’s psychology. While this may be true, for some Jungians archetypes may serve symbolically as progenitor gods acting within a system that is a good substitute for traditional religions. Others may simply consider the term useful for their clinical work. A key feature of Saunders and Skar’s theory is that it requires no progenitor archetypes for complexes to form. It permits us to keep the concept of the archetype firmly within the Jungian canon while at the same time respecting the findings of modern science.
The association between BMI and postoperative pulmonary complications in adults undergoing non‐cardiac, non‐obstetric surgery: a retrospective cohort study
Authors: Qin Pei‐pei , Wang Zhi‐qiao , Liu Ling , Xiong Qiu‐ju , Liu Dan , Min Su , Wei Ke
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Conflicting results have been reported regarding the influence of BMI on postoperative adverse events. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between BMI and postoperative pulmonary complications in adults undergoing non‐cardiac, non‐obstetric surgical procedures.

Methods

This large‐scale retrospective study included 125,082 adults who underwent surgery at a university‐affiliated tertiary care hospital between 2019 and 2023. The primary endpoint was the incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications. Multivariable logistic regression analyses, subgroup analyses, sensitivity analyses and restricted cubic splines were used to assess the association between BMI and postoperative pulmonary complications.

Results

A total of 6671 patients (5.3%) developed one or more postoperative pulmonary complications. After adjusting for confounders, compared with those patients with a normal weight (BMI 18.5–24.9 kg.m‐2), patients who were underweight (BMI < 18.5 kg.m‐2) had an increased risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (OR 1.24, 95%CI 1.12–1.39, p < 0.001). Patients who were overweight (BMI 25.0–29.9 kg.m‐2) or living with class 1 obesity (BMI 30.0–34.9 kg.m‐2) had a lower risk of postoperative pulmonary complications (OR 0.88, 95%CI 0.83–0.94, p < 0.001 and OR 0.82, 95%CI 0.70–0.96; p = 0.01, respectively). Patients living with obesity class 2/3 (BMI ≥ 35 kg.m‐2) had a similar risk of postoperative pulmonary complications as patients with a normal weight (OR 1.23, 95%CI 0.91–1.66, p = 0.17). There was a J‐shaped association between BMI and incidence of postoperative pulmonary complications with the lowest risk at a BMI of 27.4 kg.m‐2.

Discussion

Patients who were overweight or living with class 1 obesity undergoing non‐cardiac, non‐obstetric surgery had paradoxically lower risks of postoperative pulmonary complications compared with those of a normal weight. These findings may contradict traditional assumptions about surgical risk and obesity, highlighting the need to re‐evaluate the relationship between BMI and postoperative pulmonary complications.
A comparison of the treatment outcome of Asherman's syndrome which developed within and outside the puerperal period: A matched cohort study
Authors: Yang Lingling , Tian Tingting , Yang Xue , Guo Yan , Huang Xiaowu , Xia Enlan , Li Tin Chiu , Song Dongmei
Published: February 2025

Introduction

The outcome following hysteroscopy adhesiolysis of Asherman’s syndrome in the puerperal period who appeared to do less well than the participants who developed the syndrome unrelated to child birth. As there is no literature to support or refute the observation, we decided to conduct a retrospective cohort study to compare the outcome of hysteroscopic adhesiolysis in women who developed Asherman's syndrome within or outside the puerperal period.

Material and Methods

This retrospective cohort study aimed to compare the outcome of hysteroscopic adhesiolysis in women who developed Asherman's syndrome within the puerperal period and women who developed the Asherman's syndrome outside the puerperal period. Fifty‐one women suffered from Asherman's syndrome in the puerperal period and 153 women suffered from Asherman's syndrome which developed outside the puerperal period. Second‐look and third‐look hysteroscopy were performed 4 and 8 weeks after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis.

Results

The primary outcome measures were the postoperative adhesion reformation rate and the magnitude of reduction in American Fertility Society score as assessed at second‐look hysteroscopy. The secondary outcome measure was the change in menstrual pattern at 3 months after surgery. The adhesion reformation rate in puerperal group was 86.3%, which was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that of 38.6% in the non‐puerperal (non‐puerperal) group. The median reduction in the adhesion score was 4.5 (4–6) in the puerperal group, which was significantly (p < 0.001) lower than the median reduction 7 (6–8) of the non‐puerperal group. In the puerperal group, the reduction rate of American Fertility Society score after hysteroscopic adhesiolysis was 42.4%, which was significantly lower than that of 72.6% in the non‐puerperal group. In the puerperal group, only 56.9% of women experienced improvement in menstruation defined as subjective increase in menstrual flow after surgery, which was significantly lower than that of 83.7% observed in the non‐puerperal group.

Conclusions

Following hysteroscopic adhesiolysis, the outcome of Asherman's syndrome in women who developed the condition in the puerperal period was worse than those who developed the condition outside the puerperal period. Strategies to minimize damage and promote regeneration of the endometrium in the puerperal period in women at risk of developing intrauterine adhesions should be promoted.
The Type, Impacts, and Experiences of Peer Support for People Living With Bipolar Disorder: A Scoping Review
Authors: Morton Emma , Willis Elsy , Brozena Jeff , Kcomt Andrew , Michalak Erin E.
Published: February 2025

Background

Internationally, mental health policy has highlighted the exchange of peer support between people with lived experience as a key component of recovery‐oriented care. There is some evidence to support the benefits of peer support in mixed‐diagnosis groups, major depressive disorder, and schizophrenia. However, no reviews have specifically described the types and impacts of peer support interventions for bipolar disorder (BD).

Methods and Analysis

A scoping review was conducted to explore the type, outcomes, and experience of peer support interventions in BD. Databases searched were MEDLINE, EMBASE, and PsycINFO, using terms related to peer support and BD. Extracted data included study design, participant demographics, intervention characteristics, and qualitative or quantitative data on outcomes and experiences.

Results

Thirty studies met eligibility criteria and were included in the review. A diverse array of interventions incorporating peer support were evaluated, including unstructured face‐to‐face group programs, peer‐facilitated psychoeducation, and web‐based psychoeducation with accompanying peer support. Quantitative studies largely assessed clinical outcomes, with some attention to functioning and quality of life. Qualitative data included observations of interaction patterns and subjective experiences of programs.

Discussion

Given this heterogeneous literature, the effects of peer support in BD cannot be firmly concluded. However, qualitative research and rates of engagement with peer support programs are suggestive of subjective appeal. Priorities for future research include comparative studies to parse out the effects of different types of peer support, routine reporting of the characteristics of peer support programs, assessment of recovery‐oriented outcomes, and partnership with community organizations to optimize trial designs.
Call for Non‐Verbal Mind‐Mindedness Measures for Use in Infancy and Across Cultures
Authors: Bigelow Ann E.
Published: February 2025

Maternal mind‐mindedness, which examines mothers' representational capacity to treat their children as individuals with their own minds, has traditionally been operationalized by coding mothers' mental state comments to or about their children. Mind‐mindedness has been studied predominantly in Western cultures, where it predicts children's social‐cognitive developments. However, in many non‐Western cultures, mothers do not readily talk about their children's mental states; they may use nonverbal behaviors to manifest their mind‐mindedness. Nonverbal behaviors may also be the way mind‐mindedness is conveyed to young infants. Theorists have been puzzled by the fact that mind‐mindedness in mothers' speech prior to when infants understand language predicts infants' later social‐cognitive developments. In this article, I call for mind‐mindedness measures to include nonverbal behaviors. Such measures may reveal behaviors involved in communicating mind‐mindedness to infants and provide an avenue to equitable investigations of mind‐mindedness in diverse cultures, thus advancing the theory and scope of the field.
Biodiversity Patterns Redefined in Environmental Space
Authors: Graham Catherine H. , Araujo Matheus Lima , Barreto Elisa , Dambros Christian S. , Diniz‐Filho José Alexandre Felizola , Zimmermann Niklaus E. , Rangel Thiago F. , Coelho Marco Túlio Pacheco
Published: February 2025

Ecological and evolutionary questions addressing diversity‐environment relationships have been evaluated almost entirely in geographic space, yet most hypotheses are formulated in terms of environmental conditions. Recent examples evaluating macroecological patterns directly in environmental space suggest that such refocusing provides different perspectives on the mechanisms driving broad‐scale patterns of diversity. Yet, we lack both conceptual frameworks and targeted studies to fully evaluate the potential contribution of such a refocus. Here, we focus on the concept of environmental space by briefly reviewing its use in ecology and evolution and suggesting avenues for further development. We encourage a re‐evaluation of hypotheses and frameworks that have dominated ecological theory since the foundations of ecology with a very simple shift in the lens, that is, from geographical to environmental space. Focusing on environmental space also provides a crucial lens for climate change research, enabling a comprehensive evaluation of biodiversity dynamics and offering a holistic view of the interplay between species and their evolving environments. This shift enhances our ability to predict and adapt to future changes, enriching our understanding of biodiversity beyond more commonly done geographic analyses.
Evaluation of a stent dressing and abdominal bandage on surgical site infection following emergency equine laparotomy: A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Isgren Cajsa M. , Pinchbeck Gina L. , Salem Shebl E. , Hann Michelle J. , Townsend Neil B. , Cullen Matthew D. , Archer Debra C.
Published: February 2025

Background

Surgical site infection (SSI) is a frequent complication following emergency equine laparotomy, negatively impacting equine welfare, increasing treatment costs and presenting a hospital biosecurity risk.

Objectives

To determine if a sutured‐on stent dressing for incisional protection during anaesthetic recovery reduced SSI following emergency laparotomy.

Study Design

Randomised controlled trial.

Methods

Eligible horses were randomised to a sutured‐on stent (intervention) or textile dressing (control) as the primary component of a 3‐layer abdominal bandage placed for anaesthetic recovery. Horses were followed up to 90 days postoperatively. Data were analysed according to intention‐to‐treat principles. Time to SSI (primary outcome) for each group was analysed using a Cox proportional hazard model. Secondary outcomes (SSI and pyrexia during hospitalisation, days hospitalisation and incisional hernia formation at 90 days) were analysed using Chi‐squared tests and a univariable logistic regression model (categorical data) or by comparing means between groups (continuous data).

Results

Of 352 eligible horses enrolled (167 intervention group, 185 control group), SSI developed in 101 (28.7%) at a mean of 9.7 days (SD 4.6 days). Rate of SSI was not significantly different between groups unadjusted (hazard ratio [HR] 0.83, 95% CI 0.56–1.23, p = 0.4) or adjusted for variables significantly associated with rate of SSI (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.59–1.30, p = 0.5). There were no significant differences in secondary outcomes between intervention and control groups.

Main Limitations

Single‐centre study evaluating incisional protection from a primary dressing under a secondary adhesive and tertiary fabric abdominal bandage for anaesthetic recovery.

Conclusions

Use of a sutured‐on stent compared with a textile adhesive dressing as the primary layer of an abdominal bandage for anaesthetic recovery did not reduce the rate of SSI. Further RCT are warranted to investigate efficacy of other interventions on reduction of SSI following emergency laparotomy in horses.
Entering‐In, Tuning‐In: Linking Urban Public Space and Migrant Integration From a Place and Design Perspective
Authors: Qu Chen
Published: February 2025

This paper identifies migration integration as an important theme in migration studies that has been multiple‐dimensionally conceptualised, especially from a social, economic, cultural, and political aspect, but pre‐existing studies lack explorations of the role of urban public or urban design in the integration, though such space is critical to democratic life and cultural diversity. I review leisure, spatial studies and geographies literature on urban public space and urban experience and present how such space can relate to migrant integration as a socialising stage or entertaining hub, as well as the potential of adopting the human‐environment nexus embodied in urban experience to understand social (non‐)inclusion and migrant integration. In view of these linkages, integration is arguably redefined from a people–place interactive, spatial and design perspective, with the everyday experience of migrants and influence of urban public space’s (in)visible features on human bodies and minds, behaviours and emotions noted. Place integration as a new dimension indicated by sense of place such as place attachment/belonging is proposed that can contribute to place‐based politics of belonging.
Nation Building Through Translation: Kleist's “Earthquake” in Meiji Japan
Authors: Teupert Jonas
Published: February 2025

In this essay, I consider Mori Ogai's translation of Heinrich von Kleist's “Das Erdbeben in Chili” as a contribution to the linguistic reform debates in Meiji Japan, which centered on the unification of the spoken and written language. I analyze the syntax of Ogai's translation and argue that his stylistic reduction of the original transforms Kleist's text into reading material for popular education in the new Japanese nation state. Drawing on Yoko Tawada, I then illuminate the constitutive foreignness of Kleist's language, which resists national appropriations. Nuancing Tawada's claims, I show that Ogai's Kleist translation negotiates the tensions between various languages, an instance of what Lydia Liu calls “translingual practice,” and thus participates in the ongoing transformation of Japanese during the Meiji era. Ultimately, I contribute a new understanding of nation building through translation, emphasizing that this process embeds the nation in a transnational and translingual network.
Enhancing Learning Transfer From Continuing Education to the Workplace Through an Actor‐Oriented Approach: A Design‐Based Research Study
Authors: Hirv‐Biene Jaanika , Tammets Kairit , Ley Tobias , Wagner Marlene
Published: February 2025

In academic continuing education, the transfer of learning from an academic setting to the workplace is critical. Current research on transfer of training has focused less on the situative determinants for such transfer, and how these are construed by the learner. We assume an actor‐oriented perspective on transfer for investigating the individual pathways of what and how professional learners transfer between contexts. Using the lens of self‐directed learning, the paper sheds light on the support useful in this process. We conducted a design‐based research project, in which we created and implemented a learning design for a continuing education course with a specific focus on learning transfer. We then interviewed a cohort of students on their transfer experience 8 months after the course to understand what the students were transferring, evaluate the support provided during the course and detect opportunities for further support. Results indicated that it was important to establish structures that bridge the academic and work contexts, and prompt reflection and interaction. We discuss the opportunities for further support, especially improving possibilities for personalised feedback.
Combining Percentage Prostate‐Specific Antigen Reduction and Multiparametric Magnetic Resonance Imaging to Reduce Unnecessary Biopsy After Focal Therapy With High‐Intensity Focused Ultrasound for Prostate Cancer
Authors: Hsieh Po‐Fan , Naruse Jun , Yuzuriha Soichiro , Umemoto Tatsuya , Huang Chi‐Ping , Shoji Sunao
Published: February 2025

Objectives

To test the feasibility of combining percentage prostate‐specific antigen (PSA) reduction and multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) to determine the clinical scenario in which follow‐up biopsy could be avoided after focal therapy (FT) with high‐intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) for prostate cancer.

Methods

We reviewed 90 men treated with FT. Percentage PSA reduction was calculated by PSA nadir within postoperative 6 months. mpMRI was arranged at postoperative 6 months, followed by routine biopsy. Logistic regression analyses were performed to identify predictors for clinically significant prostate cancer (csPC) on follow‐up biopsy. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was done to assess the area under the curve (AUC). The diagnostic performance of percentage PSA reduction and mpMRI to predict csPC was also calculated.

Results

Eight patients had csPC recurrence. Percentage PSA reduction and Prostate Imaging–Reporting and Data System (PI‐RADS) ≥ 3 at postoperative 6 months were predictors for csPC (p = 0.033 and p = 0.02, respectively). The AUC of mpMRI, percentage PSA reduction, and their combination were 0.95, 0.816, and 0.982, respectively. The sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, and negative predictive value of PSA reduction < 70% and PI‐RADS ≥ 3 to predict csPC were 87.5%, 69.5%, 21.9%, 98.3%, and 87.5%, 96.3%, 70%, 98.8%, respectively. Using the criteria of PSA reduction < 70% or PI‐RADS ≥ 3 to determine biopsy candidates could avoid 60% of biopsies, without missing csPC.

Conclusion

For patients whose PSA reduction > 70% and PI‐RADS < 3, we suggested avoiding routine biopsy at 6 months after FT with HIFU.
Real‐world outcomes after endovascular thrombectomy in patients with large infarct cores
Authors: Wellington Daniel James , Donnelly Joseph , Hong Jae Beom , Diprose William K. , Barber P. Alan
Published: February 2025

Patients with large infarct cores on imaging at hospital presentation who are then treated with endovascular thrombectomy achieved functional independence rates ranging from 14%–30% in randomised controlled trials. We describe our ‘real‐world’ experience with these patients. About one‐third were independent at day 90, similar to trial results. This was associated with higher rates of complications and double the length of stay.
Care Tasks and Caregiver Burden Among Family Caregivers of Patients With Mental Disorders in China: Illness Perception as a Mediator and Social Support as a Moderator
Authors: Huang Zhuoer , Yi Qifeng , Yao Hao , Li Kunmei , Li Chuan , Shi Yimeng , Hu Shuang , Chen Jianhua , Xu Yifeng
Published: February 2025

Introduction

Caring for a family member with mental disorders is burdensome, which may not only damage the caregivers' well‐being and health, but also hinder patients' recovery. It is critical to investigate the underlying mechanisms for caregiver burden.

Aim

To examine the mediating effect of illness perception and the moderating function of social support on the association between care tasks and caregiver burden.

Method

A total of 1169 family caregivers of patients with mental disorders were recruited via convenience sampling across China. Data were collected using acceptable reliability scales (Cronbach's α > 0.6). The relationships among care tasks, illness perception, social support and caregiver burden were examined in the SPSS PROCESS macro.

Results

Illness perception partially mediates the relationship between care tasks and overall caregiver burden, personal strain and role strain, while social support only alleviates the impact of care tasks on personal strain but not on role strain.

Discussion

Care tasks could positively predict caregiver burden. As a mediating moderating mechanism, illness perception and social support could further explain how care tasks affect caregiver burden.

Implications for Practice

Psychiatric nurses should provide psychoeducation for family caregivers of patients with mental illness to improve their negative illness perception, as well as increase their social support.
Genomic Vulnerability of a Sentinel Mammal Under Climate Change
Authors: Schmidt Danielle A. , Russello Michael A.
Published: February 2025

Climate change poses a significant threat to biodiversity, particularly in alpine ecosystems where species have already undergone elevational range shifts. Genomics can be used to estimate the adaptive potential of species, as well as the shift in adaptive genomic composition necessary for populations to adjust to climate change (e.g., genomic offset). Here, we investigated patterns of climate‐mediated adaptive genetic variation and predicted the degree of genomic offset under multiple climate change scenarios for a sentinel alpine mammal, the American pika (Ochotona princeps). We collected genome‐wide data (29,709 SNPs) from 363 individuals spanning the entire range in western North America and employed genotype‐environment association analyses to identify 924 robust outlier SNPs, several of which were linked to genes previously associated with high elevation and hypoxia responses in various pika species (Ochotonidae). Adaptive genomic variation was most strongly influenced by mean warmest month temperature, followed by precipitation of the coldest quarter. Spatial patterns of genomic offset were heterogeneous, significantly predicted by levels of adaptive genetic variation, elevation and latitude. Sites within the Northern Rocky Mountains exhibited the highest genomic offset under projected climate change despite possessing high levels of adaptive genetic variation. As such, while our study provides an example of how genomic data can be used to explore the potential consequences of climate change, it further highlights the need for careful consideration of genomic offset values within their proper ecological context.
Selection Over Small and Large Spatial Scales in the Face of High Gene Flow
Authors: Rumberger C. , Armstrong M. , Kim M. , Ponce R. , Melendez J. , DeBiasse M. , Caplins S. , Bay R.
Published: February 2025

Local adaptation represents the balance of selection and gene flow. Increasingly, studies find that adaptation can occur on spatial scales much smaller than the scale of dispersal, resulting in balanced polymorphisms within populations. However, microgeographic adaptation might be facilitated or hindered by large‐scale environmental heterogeneity, such as across latitude. Marine systems present a special case, as many marine species have high dispersal capacity so that dispersal ‘neighbourhoods’ may encompass environmental heterogeneity over both small and large spatial scales. Here, we leverage fine‐scale sampling across the California range of the Pacific purple sea urchin (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus), a species with previous evidence of both local adaptation and extremely high gene flow. We find that despite the complete absence of neutral population structure, satellite‐based sea surface temperature and tidal zone are associated with subtle genetic differences among populations, suggesting that balanced polymorphisms can lead to adaptation across both large (latitudinal) and small (subtidal vs. intertidal) scales. In fact, some of the same genetic variants differentiate populations at both spatial scales, potentially because both environmental parameters are related to temperature. Further, we find that genes that are expressed at a single tissue or life history stage are more divergent than expected across both latitudinal and tidal zone comparisons, suggesting that these genes have specific functions that might generate phenotypic variation important for local adaptation. Together, these results suggest that even in species with little population structure, genetic variation can be sorted across varying spatial scales, potentially resulting in local adaptation across complex environmental mosaics.