bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Why do upgrades worsen consumers’ experience with their possessions?
Authors: Pasdiora Maria Alice , Brei Vinicius A. , Nicolao Leonardo
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate how product upgrades influence consumers’ hedonic responses to currently owned products, focusing on the underlying attentional mechanism.

Design/methodology/approach

Six experiments were conducted, including one pilot study and five main studies, employing various stimuli and methodologies. These experiments used longitudinal designs, manipulated upgrade awareness and measured hedonic decline over time. Mediation and moderation analyses were performed to test the proposed attentional mechanism.

Findings

The studies demonstrate that awareness of product upgrades induces consumers to experience a faster hedonic decline with their current possessions. This effect occurs because upgrades prompt consumers to shift their attention away from the currently owned product. The research provides both mediation-based and moderation-based evidence for this attentional mechanism.

Research limitations/implications

The study primarily focused on product upgrades, and future research could explore this effect in nonproduct domains and investigate potential boundary conditions.

Practical implications

The findings have implications for both consumers and companies in managing product enjoyment and upgrade cycles. Consumers can make more informed decisions about upgrades, while companies can develop strategies to maintain customer satisfaction with current products.

Originality/value

This work offers a novel perspective on the influence of upgrades on consumer behavior by introducing an attention-based account of hedonic adaptation and the consequent upgrade phenomenon, contrasting with previous research that relied on justifiability or contrast effects.
Evaluation of graduated compression stockings: a multi-size analysis of fabric properties and leg pressures
Authors: Gorea Adriana , Megivern Sarah
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical properties of a full-size range (S-XXL) of a commonly used brand of medical grade GCS, aimed to provide consistent leg pressures across all sizes, assisting patients recovering from Achilles tendon rupture surgery.

Design/methodology/approach

This experimental study analyzed the fabric properties of a full-size range of GCS and evaluated their applied pressures on the Ankle and Calf levels of 14 patients recovering from Achilles tendon rupture surgery. ANOVA was run across multiple dependent variables, Density, Thickness, Weight, Air Permeability, Force, Elongation and Stiffness of stocking fabrics.

Findings

Results revealed significant effects for several factors. Sock Size had a significant main effect on Density, Thickness and Force. Level had a significant main effect on Weight, but no interaction effects were significant. Air Permeability was significantly influenced by its main effect and by its interaction with Sock Size. No significant main effects or interactions were found for Elongation. Both Sock Size and Level had significant main effects on Stiffness. The Pressure results showed that the Level variable had a significant effect on Pressure, explaining 40.4% of the variance in Pressure.

Research limitations/implications

Because of the chosen research approach, samples and participants, the research results may lack some generalizability.

Practical implications

The results highlight the inconsistent fabric properties across a size range of medical grade GCS, with the larger sizes having smaller differences between pressures on the Calf relative to Ankle than the smaller sizes.

Originality/value

This paper fulfils an identified need to study the size range of GCS and the material properties in relation to body pressures. Understanding these differences could help GCS manufacturers improve their sock sizing design process, resulting in more consistent pressure properties across sock sizes, and better therapeutic and recovery patient experience.
Cost stickiness and managerial resilience within organizations: evidence from China
Authors: Bai Min , Zhang Dong , Dong Fangying , Qin Yafeng
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The concept of cost stickiness has emerged as a crucial factor affecting organizational resilience. While prior literature has mainly focused on the short-term performance implications of cost stickiness, this study aims to investigate its influence on organizational resilience over the long term.

Design/methodology/approach

Using data from Chinese A-share listed companies spanning from 2010 to 2019, we examine how cost stickiness impacts organizational resilience and explore the underlying mechanisms. This study contributes to the theoretical understanding of cost stickiness and organizational resilience and offers practical insights for businesses aiming to strengthen their resilience amid economic uncertainties.

Findings

Our findings suggest that cost stickiness not only promotes sustained performance growth and stabilizes financial outcomes but also enhances organizational resilience. Moreover, we find that macroeconomic policy uncertainty and micro-level corporate governance positively moderate the relationship between cost stickiness and organizational resilience. Additionally, our analysis reveals that organizational slack plays a partial mediating role in this relationship.

Research limitations/implications

It is essential to clarify the concepts of cost and cost stickiness. Enterprises should scientifically implement the policy concept of “cutting overcapacity and reducing costs” while maintaining a reasonable cost stickiness.

Practical implications

Shareholders and institutional investors of enterprises should pay close attention to the behavior of managers to reduce the possibility of “inferior” stickiness due to agency problems. Both external institutional investors and inner shareholders play essential roles in supervising managers.

Social implications

Enterprises should focus on cultivating organizational resilience. Resilience is vital for an enterprise to adapt quickly to external changes, overcome adversity, and make progress. Enterprises should reduce the excessive emphasis on short-term performance, focus on long-term development, cultivate strategic thinking, and establish a corporate culture.

Originality/value

The results show that cost stickiness can enhance organizational resilience. Economic policy uncertainty, the shareholding ratio of institutional investors, and the shareholding ratio of the largest shareholder can inhibit the opportunistic behavior of management, thereby positively regulating the relationship between cost stickiness and organizational resilience.
The impacts of competition and corporate social responsibility on commercial banks’ stability: case study from Vietnam
Authors: Nguyen Linh Ha , Le Tam Thanh , Ha Hoa Quynh , Nguyen Hung Viet , Bui Minh Tue , Pham Anh Tran Xuan , Bui Anh Quang , Trieu Huong Nguyet
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This research examines how bank competition and corporate social responsibility (CSR) affect the stability of Vietnamese commercial banks.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing data collected from 24 commercial banks spanning the period from 2015 to 2022, the paper employs the two-step system generalized method of moments (SGMM) regression method to find the impact of competition and CSR on commercial banks’ stability in Vietnam.

Findings

The key findings are (1) increased competition boosts commercial bank stability; (2) economic and environmental CSR initiatives adversely affect bank stability, while social CSR has a positive impact; (3) seven other factors are also identified to enhance bank stability, including bank size, cost management efficiency, independent management, inflation, gross domestic product (GDP) growth, monetary policy and volatility time.

Originality/value

Prior studies have not concurrently incorporated both CSR and bank competition in their investigations of bank financial stability. Specifically, the comprehensive components of CSR remain underexplored, with a predominant focus on its environmental dimension. This research stands out as one of the few endeavors scrutinizing the influence of competition and CSR on commercial bank financial stability in Vietnam, with a detailed investigation of all three components of CSR.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-04-2024-0316
The Anthropocene rift and social policy – rethinking ontological and epistemological perspectives
Authors: Yuda Tauchid Komara , Mahaswa Rangga Kala
Published: January 2025

Purpose

For over two decades, diverse social sciences disciplines have placed the Anthropocene among the key factors influencing contemporary ontological and epistemological advancements. However, social policy research and literature focus little on the Anthropocene discussion loop. This article, therefore, discusses how debates on the Anthropocene unfold in social policy understanding and practices; and how they challenge core premises in the path-dependence model on which policy processes are explained.

Design/methodology/approach

With a brief reflection on social and public policy studies, we summarise the core literature from the debates regarding the Anthropocene. In this regard, we revisited established policy school traditions that, to our knowledge, have never yet provided a solid basis for responding to the epoch of the Anthropocene rift around the globe.

Findings

The Anthropocene crisis is characterised by constantly evolving social-ecological problems that lack fixed reference points for ending. However, globally, social policy decisions remain bound by conventional practices and ways of thinking developed in static, path-dependency-oriented institutional models. These models and practices ignore the “non-human world”, which has become a central threat to human civilisation and its institutions. As a counter to discourse hegemony, we then present an alternative ontology and epistemology that can navigate uncertainty and socio-ecological relationality, primarily linked to the proposed idea of path-situational. We also emphasise the need for co-production governance that involves meaningful collaboration among various stakeholders within policy-making.

Originality/value

This article contributes to the literature on the intersection between social policy and Anthropocene issues by offering a new narrative that embraces uncertainty and a more assertive political ontology in describing the actual and objective conditions of the crisis. Our argument evolves around two well-established fields of social and public policy scholarship: policy process, policy paradigm and policy practices for outlining future ontological and epistemological elements of policy studies that require researchers and policymaking to move away from static territories (such as path dependency or gradualism) and towards a more dynamic one.
Self-efficacy, learning motivation and academic satisfaction of university students: mediating role of classroom engagement
Authors: Chahal Aarti , Kadian Ravin , Yadav Ritu , Prakash Chand
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This research was conducted to establish and validate a model between self-efficacy, learning motivation and academic satisfaction. The mediating effect of classroom engagement between learning motivation and academic satisfaction was also tested.

Design/methodology/approach

This empirical investigation was conducted over a sample of 446 students from state-owned universities in Haryana, India. The sample was drawn using the stratified random sampling technique. A semi-structured questionnaire was distributed for data. Structural Equation Modeling (SEM) using AMOS was used for data analysis.

Findings

The study’s results found that self-regulation, perceived control, persistence and competence were significantly associated with learning motivation, which further proved the significant association with academic satisfaction. The mediating effect of classroom engagement between learning motivation and satisfaction was significant.

Originality/value

This study uniquely examines the interplay between self-efficacy, learning motivation and academic satisfaction among university students, highlighting the crucial mediating role of classroom engagement. By focusing on students from top state-owned universities, it provides valuable insights into how classroom dynamics influence academic outcomes.
A multilayer network model for studying business ecosystems: insights from enterprise architectures in the real estate sector
Authors: Vigren Olli , Eriksson Kent
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This article proposes a Multilayer Network (MLN) model for studying business ecosystems. The model focuses on the flows of products, services and money between buyers and sellers, emphasizing that these flows form both actor-level and emergent system-level ecosystem structures.

Design/methodology/approach

The article examines two case studies of real estate owners and their suppliers, using financial transaction data to provide a detailed, data-driven view of business ecosystems.

Findings

The study advances real estate theory by deepening research on the digitalization of real estate owners, especially on their enterprise architectures and supplier networks. Despite size differences, both case firms have similar, complex supplier-network structures. The findings may inform enterprise architecture management and procurement practices in the real estate sector.

Originality/value

The MLN model defines terminology for ecosystem layers and provides methods for establishing ecosystem boundaries. This aligns with the micro-level critique in management and ecosystems research. We conclude by highlighting that event data, when available, can enhance future business ecosystem analysis by enabling the study of broader ecosystem structures with the MLN model.
Muslim employees’ religious and intersectional identities as sources of discrimination: how deeper understanding can improve managerial practice
Authors: Gottardello Debora , Cascón-Pereira Rosalía , Anderson Deirdre
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aims to explore how intersecting identities shape experiences of workplace discrimination faced by Muslim employees in Catalonia, Spain. We seek to understand the interplay of religion, ethnicity, gender and age in their employment experiences in order to improve managerial practices.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs a qualitative approach, conducting in-depth interviews with 39 diverse Muslim employees in Catalonia through convenience and snowball sampling to support an intersectional analysis.

Findings

Findings reveal that Muslim employees navigate a workplace environment where their experiences of discrimination are shaped by intersecting identities including religion, age, gender and ethnicity which become salient at various stages of their careers, prompted by HRM practices such as recruitment, selection and promotion. Their experiences as recipients of these practices illuminate the complex ways in which intersecting identities shape the experiences of discrimination. The study reveals the hiding of their religious identity, giving up on traditional career paths, seeking social support from other Muslims and emphasizing privileged identities, to deal with discrimination.

Originality/value

This study deepens understanding of the complexity of religious identity in minorities and explores its role in workplace discrimination. In particular, the research sheds light on the psychological impact in the form of feelings of guilt and shame which arise from coping strategies such as concealing religious markers which are adopted by these employees in response to organizational and managerial practices. Lastly, the paper stresses the need for intersectional approaches in order to improve effectiveness of HR policies and managerial practices.
Modelling financing mechanisms using mini bonds for green and zero-waste projects
Authors: Bužinskė Julija , Stankevičienė Jelena , Zopiatis Anastasios , Nguyen Thanh Hung
Published: January 2025

Purpose

To close the gap in scientific literature and practice of applying green finance instruments, such as green mini-bonds, for financing environmentally beneficial projects with the practical application case of municipal waste reduction.

Design/methodology/approach

It follows a case study and scenario analysis to investigate the financing options for green and zero-waste projects. Data for the analysis has been collected from the financial reports of waste management companies for the years 2016–2020, operating in the ten counties of Lithuania. Five scenarios have been developed for the study – financing of large-scale projects with company funds, loan financing, EU funds or subsidies, municipal green bond issuance and mixed financing. The investment analysis relies on the cost-benefit analysis principles recommended by the European Commission.

Findings

The research shows that the issuance of green mini-bonds can serve as an alternative to the funding with the EU funds, delivering the same economic benefits and providing better financial performance. Analysis also shows that the issuance of green mini-bonds is the most favourable financing option.

Research limitations/implications

Further research can be expanded with the analysis of other municipalities in Lithuania to test the relevance of the accuracy of the conceptual model.

Practical implications

Results also show that small issuers, such as municipalities or waste management companies, can create value and cover their financing needs. As a result, municipalities can consider the issuance of mini-bonds to fund environmentally friendly projects.

Originality/value

The research provides alternatives to traditional financing ways such as bank loan financing. A new economic model of scenarios for municipal waste management was developed, and its effectiveness was evaluated.
Methodological reflections on tracing networked images
Authors: Pritchard Katrina , Williams Helen C. , Miller Maggie C.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Many scholars highlight a need for reflexive methodological accounts to support visual research. Therefore, this paper offers detailed reflection on the methods involved in tracing and analysing 248 commercial images of entrepreneurship. This account supports our published work examining entrepreneurial masculinities and femininities, which conceptualised the gendering of entrepreneurial aesthetics, and proposed the significance of image networks in the reproduction of neoliberal ideals.

Design/methodology/approach

Now based on further methodological reflexivity, we offer insights on both the possibilities and challenges of tracing networked images by reviewing four methodological complexities: reflexive engagement with online images; working with and across platforms; tracing as a potentially never-ending process and montage approaches to analysis.

Findings

Our account focuses on a specific form of imagery – commercial images – on a certain representation – the gendered entrepreneur – and on a particular complex site of encounter – online. This work mapped a visual repertoire of gendered entrepreneurship online by tracing visual constructions of entrepreneurial masculinity and femininity. In this paper, we open the methodological “black box” of our study and explain our belief that methodological advances can only be built through exposing our working practice.

Originality/value

Through our detailed reflective account, we aim to open discussions to aid development and use of complex visual methods online.
Dermoscopic findings in two cases of trichogerminoma
Authors: Miura George , Maeda Takuya , Ujiie Hideyuki
Published: January 2025

Trichogerminoma (TG) is a rare, benign, cutaneous adnexal tumor originating from the hair germ epithelium. It typically presents as an asymptomatic, slowly enlarging nodule predominantly on the head, face, or trunk. Despite its benign nature, precise diagnosis is crucial because of its potential to become malignant. There has been no previous report on the dermoscopic findings of TG. In this study, we reviewed the dermoscopic findings of two cases in detail and contrasted them with the pathological findings. In the first case, an 80‐year‐old male presented with a forehead nodule that was initially suspected to be basal cell carcinoma (BCC). Dermoscopic examination revealed arborizing vessels, milia‐like cysts, and comedo‐like openings. Histological examination supported a diagnosis of TG, showing basaloid cell nests with peripheral palisading and pathognomonic “cell balls.” The second case involved a 50‐year‐old female with a nodular lesion on her scalp. Dermoscopy showed arborizing vessels, milia‐like cysts, and blue‐gray ovoid nests. Based on the presence of “cell balls” observed in histopathological examination, this case was also diagnosed as TG. This report is seminal in documenting the specific dermoscopic patterns associated with TG, notably the presence of arborizing vessels in conjunction with features indicative of adnexal differentiation, such as milia‐like cysts and comedo‐like openings. Although differentiating TG from other follicular tumors such as BCC and trichoblastoma based solely on dermoscopy is challenging, these features suggest follicular differentiation in TG. This report contributes uniquely to the existing data on TG, enhancing our understanding of this rare tumor and how to diagnose it.
Genome Analysis of Japanese Yersinia pseudotuberculosis Strains Isolated From Kawasaki Disease Patients and Other Sources and Their Phylogenetic Positions in the Global Y. pseudotuberculosis Population
Authors: Yasuoka Kazuaki , Gotoh Yasuhiro , Taniguchi Itsuki , Nagano Debora Satie , Nakamura Keiji , Mizuno Yumi , Abe Tomoko , Ogura Yoshitoshi , Nakajima Hiroshi , Uesugi Masayoshi , Miura Masaru , Seto Kazuko , Wakabayashi Yuki , Isobe Junko , Watari Takashi , Senda Sonoko , Hayakawa Noboru , Ogawa Eiki , Sato Toshio , Nanishi Etsuro , Sakai Yasunari , Kato Atsushi , Miyata Ippei , Ouchi Kazunobu , Ohga Shouichi , Hara Toshiro , Hayashi Tetsuya
Published: January 2025

Yersinia pseudotuberculosis (Ypt) is a gram‐negative bacterium that infects both humans and animals primarily through fecal‒oral transmission. While Ypt causes acute gastroenteritis in humans, an association with Kawasaki disease (KD), a disease that primarily affects infants and young children and causes multisystemic vasculitis, has also been suspected. Although KD represents a significant health concern worldwide, the highest annual incidence rate is reported in Japan. Previously, a geographical origin‐dependent population structure of Ypt comprising the Asian, transitional, and European clades was proposed. However, genomic data on KD‐associated Ypt strains is currently unavailable. In this study, to analyze the phylogenetic and genomic features of KD‐associated strains, we determined the whole‐genome sequences of 35 Japanese Ypt strains, including 11 KD‐associated strains, and constructed a genome set (n = 204) representing the global population of Ypt by adding publicly available Ypt genomes. In a phylogenetic analysis, all sequenced Japanese strains, including the KD‐associated strains, belonged to the Asian clade, which appeared to be the ancestral clade of Ypt, and the KD‐associated strains belonged to multiple lineages in this clade. Strains from patients with Far East scarlet‐like fever (FESLF), a KD‐related disease, also belonged to the Asian clade. Moreover, no KD strain‐specific genes were identified in pan‐genome‐wide association study analyses. Notably, however, the gene encoding a superantigen called Yersinia pseudotuberculosis‐derived mitogen (YPM) showed a distribution pattern highly biased to the Asian clade. Although further studies are needed, our results suggest that Asian clade strains may have a greater potential to trigger KD.
Tenderness in meat and meat alternatives: Structural and processing fundamentals
Authors: Xie Hexiang , Grossmann Lutz
Published: January 2025

The demand for meat alternatives based on ingredients sourced from nonanimal materials with equivalent quality of muscle tissue is increasing. As more consumers switch to meat alternatives, a growing body of research has investigated the tenderness and related texture attributes in plant‐based meats to increase consumer acceptance. A deeper understanding of tenderness including the differences and similarities between meat and meat alternatives is crucial to developing products that meet consumer expectations, as it directly influences consumer acceptance. Meat tenderness is commonly quantified using sensory evaluation and instrumental tests and is influenced by various factors such as the intrinsic features of the animal before the slaughter, naturally occurring proteolysis during the post‐slaughter process, and several tenderization techniques. In contrast, meat alternative tenderness can be actively tailored through the selection of ingredients and the operating conditions of the structuring process. Especially, extrusion parameters such as moisture content and barrel temperature can greatly modulate tenderness‐related attributes. Postprocessing methods that have traditionally been utilized for tenderizing have also been applied to meat alternatives, but more studies are needed to fully reveal the underlying mechanisms. This review offers an overview and critical discussion on tenderness, covering the structural origins, influencing factors, analytical methods, oral processing, and tenderization processes for both meat and meat alternatives. The discussion is based on the existing knowledge of muscle tissue, which evolves to critically reviewing how this understanding can be applied to the textural attributes of meat alternatives and what kind of novel tenderization techniques can be developed for these new sustainable food products.
What Are the Performance Indicators for Successful New Product Development Projects in Small and Medium‐Sized Enterprises?*
Authors: Blais Caroline , St‐Pierre Josée
Published: January 2025

New product development (NPD) has become essential for many small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs) to ensure their competitiveness and survival. However, NPD is fraught with pitfalls that can lead to project failure. To increase the likelihood of success, SMEs need to monitor the performance of their NPD projects using accurate indicators. The literature is underdeveloped when it comes to the indicators used by SMEs, with most research focusing on larger companies. Our research aims to fill this gap by taking a closer look at the indicators used by five Canadian SMEs that have successfully carried out NPD projects. Drawing on resource‐based view theory, we identify the stages and activities carried out and the indicators used at different points in the NPD process of SMEs characterized by some resource constraints. Situation awareness theory helps to select quality criteria in the identification of indicators such as measurability. Our results show that a wide variety of indicators are used by SMEs to measure different dimensions of performance. Many of these indicators have not been previously identified in the literature.
6‐Nitrodopamine is an endogenous mediator of rat seminal vesicles contractility
Authors: Fuguhara Vivian , Stocco Gabriel Augusto Oliveira , Britto‐Júnior José , Ribeiro Luiz Fernando , Scarini João Figueira , Mariano Fernanda Viviane , de Souza Valéria B. , Schenka Andre Almeida , Antunes Edson , De Nucci Gilberto
Published: January 2025

Background

6‐Nitrodopamine (6‐ND) released from rat vas deferens acts an endogenous modulator of vas deferens contractility.

Objectives

To investigate whether rat isolated seminal vesicles (RISV) releases 6‐ND, the mechanisms involved in the release, and the modulatory role of 6‐ND on tissue contractility.

Methods

Rat seminal vesicles were removed and placed in Krebs–Henseleit's solution at 37°C for 30 min, and an aliquot was used to analyze the concentrations of 6‐ND, dopamine, noradrenaline, and adrenaline by liquid chromatography with tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS). The effect of mechanical removal of the epithelium and the effects of pre‐incubation of RISV strips with Nω‐nitro‐L‐arginine methyl ester (L‐NAME; in combination or not with L‐arginine), tetrodotoxin (TTX), GKT137831, and hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) on 6‐ND release were evaluated. For functional studies, RISV strips were mounted in an organ bath and tied to an isometric force transducer. The expressions of tyrosine hydroxylase and endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS, type III NOS) were investigated by immunohistochemistry and/or fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH).

Results

6‐ND was the major released catecholamine from RISV strips compared with noradrenaline, adrenaline, and dopamine. Epithelium removal significantly reduced the release of 6‐ND, noradrenaline and dopamine. In RISV strips obtained from animals chronically treated with L‐NAME, the 6‐ND release significantly reduced. Pre‐incubation with L‐NAME reduced 6‐ND release, which was partly restored by co‐incubation with L‐arginine. Pre‐incubation with TTX had no effect on the release of any catecholamine, whereas GKT137831 and H2O2 significantly increased 6‐ND release. All catecholamines produced concentration‐dependent RISV contractions, but 6‐ND was approximately 30× less potent than the others. 6‐ND (0.1 nM) significantly potentiated noradrenaline‐, adrenaline‐, and dopamine‐induced contractions, with such potentiations inhibited by TTX. Immunohistochemistry and FISH assays in RISV tissues identified tyrosine hydroxylase in epithelial cells and eNOS expression in both epithelial and endothelial cells.

Discussion and conclusion

This is the first demonstration that epithelial‐derived 6‐ND modulates rat seminal vesicle contractility.
The Relationship Between Family Socio‐Economic Status and Preschool Children Parents' Parenting Sense of Competence: The Chain Mediating Role of Social Support and Psychological Capital
Authors: Yuan Haojie , Yan Zhonglian , Yue Yaping , Zhao Yifei , Lei Jiayuan
Published: January 2025

The present study investigated the potential mediating role of social support and parental psychological capital in the relationship between family socio‐economic status and parenting sense of competence among preschool parents in China. Stratified sampling was employed for participant selection, with a total of 1473 parents completing questionnaires on family socio‐economic status, social support, psychological capital and parenting sense of competence. The findings revealed positive correlations between family socio‐economic status, social support, psychological capital and parenting sense of competence among parents of preschool children. Moreover, social support and psychological capital were found to play a chain mediating role in the relationship between family socio‐economic status and parental parenting sense of competence for preschool children. These results suggest that high‐quality social support should be provided within the Chinese context to cultivate positive psychological capital and enhance parental parenting sense of competence, thereby mitigating the impact of low family socio‐economic status on parenting stress.
Atopische Dermatitis und die Auswirkungen auf Schwangerschaft und Nachkommen: Eine landesweite bevölkerungsbasierte Studie in Taiwan
Authors: Weng Pei‐Chun , Zhang Jun‐Fu , Kuo Chang‐Fu , Huang Yu‐Huei
Published: January 2025

Hintergrund und Ziele

Frühere Studien haben ein erhöhtes Risiko für Schwangerschaftskomplikationen bei werdenden Müttern mit atopischer Dermatitis (AD) gezeigt. Der Zusammenhang zwischen mütterlicher AD und ungünstigen Schwangerschafts‐ und Geburtsergebnissen bei Asiaten ist bisher jedoch nicht untersucht worden. Ziel dieser Studie war es, den Zusammenhang zwischen mütterlicher AD und ungünstigen Schwangerschafts‐ und Geburtsergebnissen in Taiwan zu untersuchen.

Patienten und Methodik

In dieser retrospektiven Kohortenstudie wurden Daten aus der Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database und der Taiwan Maternal and Child Health Database zwischen 2003 und 2019 gesammelt. Es wurden 15 495 Mütter mit AD und 77 475 Mütter ohne AD sowie 19 173 Kinder von Müttern mit AD und 95 865 Kinder von Müttern ohne AD rekrutiert Die Gruppen wurden mittels Propensity Score Matching abgeglichen. Die maternalen und kindlichen Verläufe wurden in den mütterlichen und kindlichen Kohorten verglichen.

Ergebnisse

Mütter mit AD wiesen ein erhöhtes Risiko auf für drohende Frühgeburten, Präeklampsie/Eklampsie, vorzeitigen Blasensprung, drohende vorzeitige Wehen ohne Entbindung, fetale Wachstumsrestriktion, ante‐ und postpartale Blutungen, Anämie, chirurgische Komplikationen, Infektionen, pulmonale und renale Ereignisse mit adjustierten Hazard Ratios von 1,09–1,71. Kinder von Müttern mit AD hatten ein erhöhtes Risiko für AD, allergische Rhinitis, Asthma, Alopecia areata und Aufmerksamkeitsdefizit‐/Hyperaktivitätsstörung mit adjustierten Hazard Ratios von 1,05–2,29.

Schlussfolgerungen

Es besteht ein signifikanter Zusammenhang zwischen mütterlicher atopischer Dermatitis (AD) und ungünstigen Schwangerschafts‐ und kindlichen Verläufen in Taiwan.
Metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease and cancer risk: A cohort study
Authors: Peng Yu , Wang Peng , Liu Fubin , Wang Xixuan , Si Changyu , Gong Jianxiao , Zhou Huijun , Gu Jiale , Qin Ailing , Song Weijie , Song Fangfang
Published: January 2025

Background

Fatty liver disease may be associated with increased risks of intrahepatic and extrahepatic cancers. Our objective was to investigate associations between new subcategories of steatotic liver disease (SLD) recently proposed by nomenclature consensus group and cancer risk.

Methods

A total of 283 238 participants from the UK Biobank were included. Based on information on cardiometabolic factors, alcohol consumption and the specific aetiology of SLD, individuals were categorized into four groups: no SLD (n = 170 885), metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD, n = 74 510), MASLD with increased alcohol intake (MetALD, n = 23 320) and other SLD (n = 6718). Outcomes were overall incident cancer (n = 39 352) and 21 site‐specific cancers. The Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate relationships between subcategories of SLD and cardiometabolic factors in MASLD with cancer risk. Population attributable risk (PAR) of cancer associated with SLD was estimated.

Results

MASLD was the most prevalent SLD in the general population. All SLD subcategories were associated with elevated risks of overall cancer, digestive system cancers (except gastric cancer) and breast cancer (HRs 1.079–4.663). Additionally, MASLD was associated with increased risks of renal cancer, endometrial cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma. Compared to MetALD and other SLDs, MASLD has a higher PAR% for the majority of aforementioned cancers. This could be largely explained by its common metabolic abnormalities, dominantly characterized by overweight/obesity and elevated blood pressure, concomitant with hyperglycaemia and hyperlipidaemia.

Conclusions

All subcategories of SLD, particularly MASLD with multiple metabolic abnormalities, were associated with increased risks of multiple cancers, providing a new perspective for cancer prevention.
Pannexin 1 crosstalk with the Hippo pathway in malignant melanoma
Authors: Sayedyahossein Samar , Huang Kenneth , Zhang Christopher , Karimi Mehdi , Bahmani Mehrnoosh , O'Donnell Brooke L. , Wakefield Brent , Li Zhigang , Johnston Danielle , Leighton Stephanie E. , Huver Matthew S. , Dagnino Lina , Sacks David B. , Penuela Silvia
Published: January 2025

In this study, we explored the intricate relationship between Pannexin 1 (PANX1) and the Hippo signaling pathway effector, Yes‐associated protein (YAP). Analysis of The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data revealed a significant positive correlation between PANX1 mRNA and core Hippo components, Yes‐associated protein 1 [YAP], Transcriptional coactivator with PDZ‐binding motif [TAZ], and Hippo scaffold, Ras GTPase‐activating‐like protein IQGAP1 [IQGAP1], in invasive cutaneous melanoma and breast carcinoma. Furthermore, we demonstrated that PANX1 expression is upregulated in invasive melanoma cell lines and is associated with increased YAP protein levels. Notably, our investigations uncovered a previously unrecognized interaction between endogenous PANX1 and the Hippo scaffold protein IQGAP1 in melanoma cells. Moreover, our findings revealed that IQGAP1 exhibits differential expression in melanoma cells and plays a regulatory role in cellular morphology. Functional studies involving PANX1 knockdown provided compelling evidence that PANX1 modulates YAP protein levels and its cotranscriptional activity in melanoma and breast carcinoma cells. Importantly, our study highlights the potential therapeutic significance of targeting PANX1. Pharmacological inhibition of PANX1 using selective FDA‐approved inhibitors or PANX1 knockdown reduced YAP levels in melanoma cells. Furthermore, our Clariom™ S analysis unveiled key genes implicated in cell proliferation, such as neuroglin1 (NRG1), β‐galactoside binding protein and galectin‐3 (LGALS3), that are affected in PANX1‐deficient cells. In summary, our investigation delves into the intricate interplay between PANX1 and YAP in the context of invasive melanoma, offering valuable insights into potential therapeutic strategies for effective treatment.
Disagreement and returns: The case of cryptocurrencies
Authors: Garfinkel Jon A. , Hsiao Lawrence , Hu Danqi
Published: January 2025

We present the first evidence of investor‐trading‐based disagreement's influence on cross‐sectional cryptocurrency daily returns. We interpret abnormal trading volume as investor disagreement and find evidence in support of Miller's disagreement model: when short‐sale constraints are binding, high abnormal volume (high disagreement) assets experience lower future returns. Further supporting Miller, these same conditions associate with higher contemporaneous order imbalance, and ex post decreases in both buying and selling activities, with the former exceeding the latter in magnitude. By contrast, the effect of high disagreement disappears after a coin's margin trading is activated. We conclude that price‐optimism models explain the disagreement‐returns relationship when opinion divergence is likely the dominant determinant of returns.
Interfacial microstructure and mechanical properties of B4C/TC4 brazed joints based on Ag–Cu–Ti + AlN/Mo foil/Nb foil
Authors: Chen Zhaoran , Zhang Zhaoquan , Liu Xuejian
Published: January 2025

The bonding between titanium alloy (TC4) and B4C ceramics was enhanced by employing a Mo foil/AgCuTi–AlN/Nb foil sandwich composite filler. The impact of varying AlN contents and brazing temperatures on the microstructure and mechanical attributes of the joints was explored. The joint strength was augmented through the utilization of AlN doping modification, which had a low expansion coefficient, and the plastic deformation of Mo and Nb foils. The findings revealed that AlN doping could refine the brazing organization of the joint, and the outstanding plasticity of Mo/Nb foils adapted to greater strain mismatches through elastic deformation. The most effective system emerged as nickel‐plated B4C + Mo foil + AgCuTi–3 wt% AlN + Nb foil + TC4, which achieved the highest shear strength of approximately 109 MPa. This represents an enhancement of about 1.5 times compared to the shear strength of the system lacking additional brazing material.
Preparation and dynamics of silicate based sintered materials using high content solid waste
Authors: Ma Minglong , Yang He , Liu Shengnan , Zhou Miao , Wang Yuzheng
Published: January 2025

In this paper, steel slag and fly ash as the main raw materials, silicate‐based sintering materials (SBSM) were prepared by using high‐temperature firing method. The effects of steel slag addition and firing temperature on the linear shrinkage, water absorption, bulk density, and compressive strength parameters of SBSM were studied. The results show that with the increase of steel slag addition and firing temperature, the water absorption rates of SBSM show a trend of first decreasing and then increasing; the volume density, shrinkage rate, and compressive strength show a trend of first increasing and then decreasing. The main phase of SBSM is anorthite; however, a higher amount of steel slag and higher firing temperature can promote the formation of pyroxene phase. The microstructure composed of anorthite, pyroxene, and glass phases is similar to that of “reinforced concrete,” which is more conducive to improving the strength and toughness of the SBSM. By calculating the crystallization activation energy and crystal index, a crystal activation energy of 50.72 kJ/mol is obtained, which is helpful for crystal formation. The crystal index is 1.22, indicating that the crystallization mode in the SBSM is surface crystallization.
Probiotics Combined With Trimebutine for the Treatment of Irritable Bowel Syndrome Patients: A Systematic Review and Meta‐Analysis
Authors: Yu Qiu‐Xiang , Wang Dong‐Dong , Dong Peng‐Ju , Zheng Li‐Hua
Published: January 2025

Objective

This study aimed to assess the efficacy and safety of probiotics combined with trimebutine in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), addressing an important gap in current treatment strategies.

Methods

Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of trimebutine combined with probiotics for the treatment of IBS were collected from various databases. All retrieved articles were screened and assessed for quality. The methodological quality of the included studies was assessed following the guidelines recommended by the Cochrane Collaboration. The meta‐analysis of the included studies was conducted using RevMan 5.3 software.

Results

A total of 37 RCTs involving 4360 participants were included in this study. Among them, the treatment group consisted of 2177 participants, and the control group consisted of 2183 participants. The results showed that the overall efficacy of trimebutine combined with probiotics in the treatment of IBS was significantly higher than that of trimebutine alone (odds ratio [OR] = 5.09, 95 % confidence interval [CI] [4.19, 6.20], p < 0.00001). The effective rate in the combination therapy group was 93.5 % compared with 73.8 % in the trimebutine alone group. The safety profile was favorable, with adverse event rates of 1.75 % and 1.69 % in the combination and monotherapy groups, respectively. The most common adverse events were mild and included dry mouth, nausea and dizziness. No serious adverse events were reported in either group. Subgroup analysis based on the type of probiotic intervention showed that combination use was better than trimebutine alone, and the differences between each subgroup were statistically significant. Combination use of compound Lactobacillus capsules had the best effect (OR = 16.03, 95 % CI [4.57, 56.21], p < 0.0001]. These results highlight the potential role of strain‐specific benefits in IBS treatment and suggest that probiotic strain selection may significantly influence treatment outcomes.

Conclusions

The combination of trimebutine and probiotics is more effective in the treatment of IBS compared with trimebutine alone.

Clinical Trial Registration

https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/, identifier: CRD42024516044.
Engineering carbon assimilation in plants
Authors: Qin Kezhen , Ye Xingyan , Luo Shanshan , Fernie Alisdair R. , Zhang Youjun
Published: January 2025

Carbon assimilation is a crucial part of the photosynthetic process, wherein inorganic carbon, typically in the form of CO2, is converted into organic compounds by living organisms, including plants, algae, and a subset of bacteria. Although several carbon fixation pathways have been elucidated, the Calvin–Benson–Bassham (CBB) cycle remains fundamental to carbon metabolism, playing a pivotal role in the biosynthesis of starch and sucrose in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. However, Ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase (RuBisCO), the key carboxylase enzyme of the CBB cycle, exhibits low kinetic efficiency, low substrate specificity, and high temperature sensitivity, all of which have the potential to limit flux through this pathway. Consequently, RuBisCO needs to be present at very high concentrations, which is one of the factors contributing to its status as the most prevalent protein on Earth. Numerous attempts have been made to optimize the catalytic efficiency of RuBisCO and thereby promote plant growth. Furthermore, the limitations of this process highlight the potential benefits of engineering or discovering more efficient carbon fixation mechanisms, either by improving RuBisCO itself or by introducing alternative pathways. Here, we review advances in artificial carbon assimilation engineering, including the integration of synthetic biology, genetic engineering, metabolic pathway optimization, and artificial intelligence in order to create plants capable of performing more efficient photosynthesis. We additionally provide a perspective of current challenges and potential solutions alongside a personal opinion of the most promising future directions of this emerging field.
Working at Boimondau: A Community Experience
Authors: Lallement Michel
Published: January 2025

In the 1940s and 1950s, France witnessed the emergence of labor communities whose ambition was to escape capitalism and abolish wage labor. This article focuses on Boimondau, the best‐known community at the time. In terms of work, the central activity in the life of the community, two main tensions lastingly structured the collective and caused it to evolve to the point of eroding the original project. The first concerns the relationship between the goal of attractive and cheerful work and an active practice of Taylorian‐inspired work rationalization. The second involves an opposition between the promise of freedom and democracy through work, and the administration of social justice through recognition of the value of everyone’s work.
How Accurately Does Bone Mineral Density Predict Bone Strength? A Clinical Observational Study of Osteoporosis Vertebral Compression Fractures in Postmenopausal Women
Authors: Mu Xuemeng , Zhang Hengyan , Zhang Jia
Published: January 2025

Objectives

Dual energy x‐ray absorptiometry (DXA) provides incomplete information about bone strength. There are few data on the relationship between osteoporosis‐related examinations and bone strength. The objective of the present study was to determine which osteoporosis‐related examinations best predicted trabecular bone strength, and to enhance a formula for predicting bone strength on the basis of bone density examination.

Methods

This observational study included postmenopausal women (aged over 50 years) who underwent unilateral percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) surgery in the lumbar spine between September 2021 and June 2023. The pressure within each balloon expansion circle was extracted to reflect the true bone strength. The NHANES 2013–2014 data were used to assess the performance of the formula. The performance of the formula was compared with that of the observed actual fractures. Bland–Altman analysis was used to compare the agreement between the formula and the fracture risk assessment tool (FRAX) score.

Results

A total of 40 postmenopausal women (mean age ± standard deviation, 70.90 years ± 10.30) were enrolled. The average balloon pressure was 59.23 psi (± 12.40, means ± SDs). The mean BMD of total lumbar spine (average of L1–L4) was 0.89 g/cm2 ± 0.20 (mean ± standard), and the Pearson correlation coefficient between lumbar BMD and bone strength was 0.516. After adjusting for age and BMI, the DXA response rate to bone strength reached 72%. Calibration plots of the observed actual fractures versus those estimated via the bone strength formula were considered good fits. The Bland–Altman analysis revealed a nonsignificant difference between the formula and the FRAX score in predicting fracture risk.

Conclusions

After adjustment, the DXA response rate to bone strength reached 72%, indicating a strong correlation. In addition, Bone Strength = DXA × 27 − Age × 0.585‐BMI × 0.887 + 98.