bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Empire and Military Organization
Authors: Morris Ian
Published: November 2021

The history of empire is the history of organized violence. The ability to impose and manage violence is the most basic demand and highest priority for the survival of any empire. This chapter outlines the various forms of military organizations different empires have employed throughout history. It describes the internal and external functions of these military organizations in protecting and expanding the empire, as well as the problems faced by imperial regimes of financing and controlling military organizations that might otherwise turn against the very same regimes they were created to protect. Lastly, the chapter gives a historical walk-through of the “Revolutions in Military Affairs” (RMAs) that have propelled the advancement in military affairs through history, which has allowed empires to grow in scale and size.
The Political Economy of Empire
Authors: Haldon John
Published: November 2021

Empires are both simple and complex, since on the one hand they are broadly identifiable through a small number of key elements in common, yet on the other hand, no single “version” of empire exists. The political economy of traditional empires can be approached through certain key features, even if their forms and their “cultural geography” vary widely—in particular, the acquisition of and control over resources, and the closely associated issue of how rulers or governments maintain control over those who manage resources on their behalf. Understanding these entails analysis of many other features, including the ways in which central and local elites were formed or transformed and the ways in which identities and loyalties evolved or were created, compromised, or transformed to generate what we might call “imperial capital” (in kind and in ideas). Their importance is crucial to understanding how empires rise, reproduce themselves, and fail or transform.
Mapping, Registering, and Ordering
Authors: Hostetler Laura
Published: November 2021

This chapter examines imperial initiatives in mapping space, registering people, and ordering knowledge. The author draws a distinction between the mapping practices of pre-modern or tributary empires and those of early modern and modern imperial formations. In the latter case, authority was increasingly derived from the production and accumulation of knowledge via scientific techniques that relied on abstraction and quantification, whether at home or abroad. The author shows that modern imperial practices based on measurement were not limited to the West, but were also employed in the Ottoman Empire, Qing China, and parts of Mughal India. The chapter’s focus is the emergence of coordinate mapping as a tool of imperial expansion and control from the Renaissance through the mid-twentieth century. Similar techniques of legibility and quantification were applied to registering people and ordering knowledge. James C. Scott’s work on legibility in modern state building is foundational to this chapter.
The End of Empires
Authors: Hall John A.
Published: November 2021

This chapter describes social forces that have led to the end of empires. Attention is given to pre-industrial empires as well as to those, whether land- or sea-based, of the modern world. The factors analyzed derive both from the empires themselves and from contemporary social science. Particular concentration is given to internal “corruption,” the loss of necessary elite unity, overextension, geopolitical rivalry with other great powers and—especially in modern circumstances—nationalism. The chapter concludes with a discussion of the position, character, and future prospects of the United States.
Belief and Counterfactuals
Authors: Huber Franz
Published: November 2021

This book is the first of two volumes on belief and counterfactuals. It consists of six of a total of eleven chapters. The first volume is concerned primarily with questions in epistemology and is expository in parts. Among other theories, it provides an accessible introduction to belief revision and ranking theory. Ranking theory specifies how conditional beliefs should behave. It does not tell us why they should do so nor what they are. This book fills these two gaps. The consistency argument tells us why conditional beliefs should obey the laws of ranking theory by showing them to be the means to attaining the end of holding true and informative beliefs. The conditional theory of conditional belief tells us what conditional beliefs are by specifying their nature in terms of non-conditional belief and counterfactuals. In addition, the book contains several novel arguments, accounts, and applications. These include an argument for the thesis that there are only hypothetical imperatives and no categorical imperatives; an account of the instrumentalist understanding of normativity, or rationality, according to which one ought to take the means to one’s ends; as well as solutions to the problems of conceptual belief change, logical learning, and learning conditionals. A distinctive feature of the book is its unifying methodological approach: means-end philosophy. Means-end philosophy takes serious that philosophy is a normative discipline, and that philosophical problems are entangled with each other. It also explains the importance of logic to philosophy, without being a technical theory itself.
Divergent Potentialism: A Modal Analysis With an Application to Choice Sequences
Authors: Brauer Ethan , Linnebo Øystein , Shapiro Stewart
Published: November 2021

Modal logic has been used to analyze potential infinity and potentialism more generally. However, the standard analysis breaks down in cases of divergent possibilities, where there are two or more possibilities that can be individually realized but which are jointly incompatible. This paper has three aims. First, using the intuitionistic theory of choice sequences, we motivate the need for a modal analysis of divergent potentialism and explain the challenges this involves. Then, using Beth–Kripke semantics for intuitionistic logic, we overcome those challenges. Finally, we apply our modal analysis of divergent potentialism to make choice sequences comprehensible in classical terms.
The mycorrhizal-induced growth promotion and insect resistance reduction in Populus alba × P. berolinensis seedlings: a multi-omics study
Authors: Jiang Dun , Lin Ruoxuan , Tan Mingtao , Yan Junxin , Yan Shanchun
Published: November 2021

Arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM) fungi are an alternative to chemical insecticides or fertilizers, and there is an urgent need to extend the application of AM fungi to woody plants. This study aims to investigate the growth and resistance against the gypsy moth larvae (Lymantria dispar) in Glomus intraradices-colonized Populus alba × P. berolinensis seedlings, and to unravel the transcriptome and metabolome phenotypes recruited by AM fungus colonization that affect plant growth and insect resistance. Our results showed a positive mycorrhizal growth response, i.e., growth and biomass of mycorrhizal seedlings were enhanced. However, AM fungus inoculation reduced the resistance of poplar to gypsy moth larvae, as evidenced by the decreased carbon/nitrogen ratio in leaves, as well as the increased larval growth and shortened larval developmental duration. Transcriptome analysis revealed that in both auxin and gibberellin signaling transductions, all nodes were responsive to AM symbiosis and most differentially expressed genes belonging to effectors were up-regulated in mycorrhizal seedlings. Furthermore, the two key enzymes (4-coumarate-CoA ligase and trans-cinnamate 4-monooxygenase) involved in the synthesis of p-Coumaroyl-CoA, an initial metabolite in flavonoid biosynthesis and the first rate-limiting enzyme (chalcone synthase) in flavonoid biosynthesis, were down-regulated at the transcriptional level. Consistent with the transcriptome results, metabolome analysis found that the amounts of all differentially accumulated flavonoid compounds (e.g., catechin and quercetin) identified in mycorrhizal seedlings were decreased. Taken together, these findings highlight the diverse outcomes of AM fungi–host plant–insect interaction and reveal the regulatory network of the positive mycorrhizal growth response and mycorrhizal-induced reduction of insect resistance in poplar.
Phytophthoraspp. Associated with Appalachian Oak Forests and Waterways in Pennsylvania, withP.abietivoraas a Pathogen of Five Native Woody Plant Species
Authors: Bily Devin , Nikolaeva Ekaterina , Olson Tracey , Kang Seogchan
Published: November 2021

To document the distribution of potentially harmful Phytophthora spp. within Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture collected 89 plant, 137 soil, and 48 water samples from 64 forested sites during 2018 to 2020. In total, 231 Phytophthora strains were isolated using baiting assays and identified based on morphological characteristics and sequences of nuclear and mitochondrial loci. Twenty-one Phytophthora spp. in nine clades and one unidentified species were present. Phytophthora abietivora, a recently described clade 7a species, was recovered from diseased tissue of 10 native broadleaved plants and twice from soil from 12 locations. P. abietivora is most likely endemic to Pennsylvania based on pathogenicity tests on six native plant species, intraspecific genetic diversity, wide distribution, and recoveries from Abies Mill. and Tsuga Carrière plantations dating back to 1989. Cardinal temperatures and morphological traits are provided for this species. Other taxa, in decreasing order of frequency, include P. chlamydospora, P. plurivora, P. pini, P. cinnamomi, P. xcambivora, P. irrigata, P. gonapodyides, P. cactorum, P. pseudosyringae, P. hydropathica, P. stricta, P. xstagnum, P. caryae, P. intercalaris, P. ‘bitahaiensis’, P. heveae, P. citrophthora, P. macilentosa, P. cryptogea, and P. riparia. Twelve species were associated with diseased plant tissues. This survey documented 53 new plant-Phytophthora associations and expanded the known distribution of some species.
An opinion on the interpretation of social release in rats
Authors: Blystad M. H.
Published: November 2021

This commentary concerns a controversial animal model in rodent social release research wherein one rat releases another rat from entrapment in a plastic tube. Release from the plastic tube has been proposed as a model to study empathically motivated behaviour. However, empathic motivations have been contested by others who have provided evidence for social reinforcement motivating release behaviour. Furthermore, helping, or other forms of pro-social behaviour could exist independent of empathy or empathetic motivation and the stimuli occasioning this helping behaviour are not known. In addition, there is a dearth in the citations of published studies whose results fail to support this model. In other words, the controversial aspect of the rodent social release model is often overlooked. This controversy is described in the current opinion piece.
Wind field reconstruction with adaptive random Fourier features
Authors: Kiessling Jonas , Ström Emanuel , Tempone Raúl
Published: November 2021

We investigate the use of spatial interpolation methods for reconstructing the horizontal near-surface wind field given a sparse set of measurements. In particular, random Fourier features is compared with a set of benchmark methods including kriging and inverse distance weighting. Random Fourier features is a linear modelβ(x)=∑k=1Kβk eiωkxapproximating the velocity field, with randomly sampled frequenciesωkand amplitudesβktrained to minimize a loss function. We include a physically motivated divergence penalty|∇⋅β(x)|2, as well as a penalty on the Sobolev norm ofβ. We derive a bound on the generalization error and a sampling density that minimizes the bound. We then devise an adaptive Metropolis–Hastings algorithm for sampling the frequencies of the optimal distribution. In our experiments, our random Fourier features model outperforms the benchmark models.
A symmetry-preserving difference scheme and analytical solutions of a generalized higher-order beam equation
Authors: Tian Shou-Fu , Xu Mei-Juan , Zhang Tian-Tian
Published: November 2021

Under investigation in this work is a generalized higher-order beam equation, which is an important physical model and describes the vibrations of a rod. By considering Lie symmetry analysis, and using the power series method, we derive the geometric vector fields, symmetry reductions, group invariant solutions and power series solutions of the equation, respectively. The convergence analysis of the power series solutions are also provided with detailed proof. Furthermore, by virtue of the multipliers, the local conservation laws of the equation are derived as well. Furthermore, an effective and direct approach is proposed to study the symmetry-preserving discretization for the equation via its potential system. Finally, the invariant difference models of the generalized beam equation are successfully constructed. Our results show that it is very useful to construct the difference models of the potential system instead of the original equation.
Physics-informed Dyna-style model-based deep reinforcement learning for dynamic control
Authors: Liu Xin-Yang , Wang Jian-Xun
Published: November 2021

Model-based reinforcement learning (MBRL) is believed to have much higher sample efficiency compared with model-free algorithms by learning a predictive model of the environment. However, the performance of MBRL highly relies on the quality of the learned model, which is usually built in a black-box manner and may have poor predictive accuracy outside of the data distribution. The deficiencies of the learned model may prevent the policy from being fully optimized. Although some uncertainty analysis-based remedies have been proposed to alleviate this issue, model bias still poses a great challenge for MBRL. In this work, we propose to leverage the prior knowledge of underlying physics of the environment, where the governing laws are (partially) known. In particular, we developed a physics-informed MBRL framework, where governing equations and physical constraints are used to inform the model learning and policy search. By incorporating the prior information of the environment, the quality of the learned model can be notably improved, while the required interactions with the environment are significantly reduced, leading to better sample efficiency and learning performance. The effectiveness and merit have been demonstrated over a handful of classic control problems, where the environments are governed by canonical ordinary/partial differential equations.
Social dominance has limited effects on spatial cognition in a wild food-caching bird
Authors: Heinen Virginia K. , Benedict Lauren M. , Pitera Angela M. , Sonnenberg Benjamin R. , Bridge Eli S. , Pravosudov Vladimir V.
Published: November 2021

Social dominance has long been used as a model to investigate social stress. However, many studies using such comparisons have been performed in captive environments. These environments may produce unnaturally high antagonistic interactions, exaggerating the stress of social subordination and any associated adverse consequences. One such adverse effect concerns impaired cognitive ability, often thought to be associated with social subordination. Here, we tested whether social dominance rank is associated with differences in spatial learning and memory, and in reversal spatial learning (flexibility) abilities in wild food-caching mountain chickadees at different montane elevations. Higher dominance rank was associated with higher spatial cognitive flexibility in harsh environments at higher elevations, but not at lower, milder elevations. By contrast, there were no consistent differences in spatial learning and memory ability associated with dominance rank. Our results suggest that spatial learning and memory ability in specialized food-caching species is a stable trait resilient to social influences. Spatial cognitive flexibility, on the other hand, appears to be more sensitive to environmental influences, including social dominance. These findings contradict those from laboratory studies and suggest that it is critical to investigate the biological consequences of social dominance under natural conditions.
Testosterone amplifies the negative valence of an agonistic gestural display by exploiting receiver perceptual bias
Authors: Anderson Nigel K. , Grabner Martina , Mangiamele Lisa A. , Preininger Doris , Fuxjager Matthew J.
Published: November 2021

Many animals communicate by performing elaborate displays that are incredibly extravagant and wildly bizarre. So, how do these displays evolve? One idea is that innate sensory biases arbitrarily favour the emergence of certain display traits over others, leading to the design of an unusual display. Here, we study how physiological factors associated with signal production influence this process, a topic that has received almost no attention. We focus on a tropical frog, whose males compete for access to females by performing an elaborate waving display. Our results show that sex hormones like testosterone regulate specific display gestures that exploit a highly conserved perceptual system, evolved originally to detect ‘dangerous' stimuli in the environment. Accordingly, testosterone makes certain gestures likely to appear more perilous to rivals during combat. This suggests that hormone action can interact with effects of sensory bias to create an evolutionary optimum that guides how display exaggeration unfolds.
The neural correlates of grandmaternal caregiving
Authors: Rilling James K. , Gonzalez Amber , Lee Minwoo
Published: November 2021

In many societies, grandmothers are important caregivers, and grandmaternal investment is often associated with improved grandchild well-being. Here, we present, to our knowledge, the first study to examine grandmaternal brain function. We recruited 50 grandmothers with at least one biological grandchild between 3 and 12 years old. Brain function was measured with functional magnetic resonance imaging as grandmothers viewed pictures of their grandchild, an unknown child, the same-sex parent of the grandchild, and an unknown adult. Grandmothers also completed questionnaires to measure their degree of involvement with and attachment to their grandchild. After controlling for age and familiarity of stimuli, viewing grandchild pictures activated areas involved with emotional empathy (insula and secondary somatosensory cortex) and movement (motor cortex and supplementary motor area). Grandmothers who more strongly activated areas involved with cognitive empathy (temporo-parietal junction and dorsomedial prefrontal cortex) when viewing pictures of the grandchild desired greater involvement in caring for the grandchild. Finally, compared with results from an earlier study of fathers, grandmothers more strongly activated regions involved with emotional empathy (dorsal anterior cingulate cortex, insula and secondary somatosensory cortex), and motivation (nucleus accumbens, ventral pallidum and caudate nucleus). All in all, our findings suggest that emotional empathy may be a key component of grandmaternal responses to their grandchildren.
A single intronic single nucleotide polymorphism in splicing site of steroidogenic enzyme
hsd17b1
is associated with phenotypic sex in oyster pompano,
Trachinotus anak
Authors: Fan Bin , Xie Dizhi , Li Yanwei , Wang Xulei , Qi Xin , Li Shuisheng , Meng Zining , Chen Xinghan , Peng Junyao , Yang Yongjian , Li Yuanyou , Wang Le
Published: November 2021

Teleosts show varied master sex determining (MSD) genes and sex determination (SD) mechanisms, with frequent turnovers of sex chromosomes. Tracing the origins of MSD genes and turnovers of sex chromosomes in a taxonomic group is of particular interest in evolutionary biology. Oyster pompano (
Trachinotus anak
), a marine fish, belongs to the family Carangidae, in which
17b-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase 1
(
hsd17b1
) has repeatedly evolved to an MSD gene. Whole-genome resequencing identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at chromosome 24 to be strictly associated with phenotypic sex, with females being the heterozygous sex. This SNP is located in a splicing site at the first exon/intron boundary of
hsd17b1
. The Z-linked SNP results in malfunction of all spliced isoforms, whereas the W-linked isoforms were predicted to have open reading frames that are conserved among vertebrates, suggesting that
hsd17b1
is a female-determining gene. The differential alternative splicing patterns of ZZ and ZW genotypes were consistently observed both in undifferentiated stages and differentiated gonads. We observed elevated recombination around the SD locus and no differentiation between Z and W chromosomes. The extreme diversity of mutational mechanisms that
hsd17b1
evolves to an MSD gene highlights frequent
in situ
turnovers between sex chromosomes in the Carangidae.
Auricular transcutaneous vagus nerve stimulation acutely modulates brain connectivity in mice
Authors: Brambilla-Pisoni Cecilia , Muñoz-Moreno Emma , Gallego-Amaro Ianire , Maldonado Rafael , Ivorra Antoni , Soria Guadalupe , Ozaita Andrés
Published: November 2021

Background

Brain electrical stimulation techniques take advantage of the intrinsic plasticity of the nervous system, opening a wide range of therapeutic applications. Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) is an approved adjuvant for drug-resistant epilepsy and depression. Its non-invasive form, auricular transcutaneous VNS (atVNS), is under investigation for applications, including cognitive improvement.

Objective

We aimed to study the effects of atVNS on brain connectivity, under conditions that improved memory persistence in CD-1 male mice.

Methods

Acute atVNS in thecymba conchaeof the left ear was performed using a standard stimulation protocol under light isoflurane anesthesia, immediately or 3 h after the training/familiarization phase of the novel object-recognition memory test (NORT). Another cohort of mice was used for bilateral c-Fos analysis after atVNS administration. Spearman correlation of c-Fos density between each pair of the thirty brain regions analyzed allowed obtaining the network of significant functional connections in stimulated and non-stimulated control brains.

Results

NORT performance was enhanced when atVNS was delivered just after, but not 3 h after, the familiarization phase of the task. No alterations in c-Fos density were associated to electrostimulation, but a significant effect of atVNS was observed on c-Fos-based functional connectivity. atVNS induced a clear reorganization of the network, increasing the inter-hemisphere connections and the connectivity of locus coeruleus.

Conclusion

Our results provide new insights in the effects of atVNS on memory performance and brain connectivity extending our knowledge of the biological mechanisms of bioelectronics in medicine.

Highlights

atVNS, delivered immediately after NORT training phase, improves memory persistence

atVNS did not promote significant changes in brain c-Fos density

atVNS induced a significant reorganization of c-Fos-based functional brain network

atVNS produced an enhancement in correlated activity between hemispheres

atVNS did not engage the prefrontal-retrosplenial axis, characteristic of the DMN
The impact of organizational culture on supply chain integration in the hotel sector
Authors: Gebril Taha Mahmoud , Espino-Rodríguez Tomás F. , Gil-Padilla Antonia M.
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Supply chain integration (SCI) has become a key strategy for hotels in facing their environment. The purpose of this study is to analyze the effects of the organizational culture on the three dimensions of SCI. The competing value framework divides the organizational culture into four types, namely, hierarchical, group, rational and developmental cultures.

Design/methodology/approach

A structural equations model was developed to test the hypotheses proposed. The data were collected by means of a questionnaire with a seven-point Likert-type rating scale that was distributed to managers and assistant managers of 114 four- or five-star hotels located in two Egyptian cities, Hurgada and Sharm El Sheikh.

Findings

The results of the structured model confirm the direct link between the organizational culture and SCI. The findings suggest that rational culture is the most appropriate for SCI because it is fully associated with SCI. In contrast, hierarchical culture and developmental culture are significantly related to internal and customer integration. Group culture only has a positive influence on internal integration.

Originality/value

This study is the first to analyze the impact of organizational culture on SCI in the hospitality sector. The results contribute to the literature by providing managers with practical knowledge about the significant influence of organizational culture on SCI.
Sustainability practices at higher education institutions in Asia
Authors: Leal Filho Walter , Dinis Maria Alzira Pimenta , Sivapalan Subarna , Begum Halima , Ng Theam Foo , Al-Amin Abul Quasem , Alam Gazi Mahabubul , Sharifi Ayyoob , Salvia Amanda Lange , Kalsoom Qudsia , Saroar Mustafa , Neiva Samara
Published: November 2021

Purpose

It is still unclear how Asian universities incorporate the theory or practice of sustainable development (SD) in their research and education programmes. To address this gap, the purpose of this paper is to report on a study that has examined how universities in Asian countries handle and address matters related to SD.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a bibliometric analysis and an online survey-method. The online survey data were analysed through descriptive analysis and one-sample student’s t-test.

Findings

The study indicates that there is considerable variation among the Asian countries regarding sustainability practices in higher education institutions (HEIs). The HEIs in far eastern countries, such as Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are perceived to demonstrate more sustainability practices.

Research limitations/implications

Even though a substantial number of participants participated in the survey, it did not cover all Asian countries. The online survey was carried out over a limited period of time, and not all HEIs in the field may have received information about the study.

Practical implications

Asia is the largest continent facing a number of sustainability challenges. In this context, the contribution of HEIs is very important. The findings of the current study may serve as a baseline for Asian HEIs to take more initiatives towards SD goals, as HEIs are responsible for the education and training of hundreds of thousands of students who will be occupying key positions in industry, government or education in the coming years.

Originality/value

The study contributes to the existing literature in two distinct ways. First, it was possible to develop a comprehensive instrument to measure sustainability practices in HEIs. Second, this study has filled the gap of the scarcity of studies regarding sustainability practices in HEIs in Asia.
Service quality and self-determination theory towards continuance usage intention of mobile banking
Authors: Inan Dedi I. , Hidayanto Achmad Nizar , Juita Ratna , Soemawilaga Faiz Fadhillah , Melinda Fivi , Puspacinantya Puspacinantya , Amalia Yasmin
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This research set out to investigate the quality service and self-determination theory (SDT) that contributes to the continuance usage of m-banking.

Design/methodology/approach

A valid of 310 respondents who experienced and intensified using the m-banking is collected. The proposed research model is empirically tested using structural equation modelling.

Findings

The result informs that the service quality can not only be significantly mediated by the SDT, but it also has a direct effect to the satisfaction. It also informs that the satisfaction and the perceived usefulness indeed have a significant effect to the continuance usage intention of the m-banking. In addition, it also demonstrates that the perceived competence and perceived relatedness of the SDT significantly influence satisfaction and perceived usefulness towards the continuance usage intention of the m-banking.

Practical implications

Practically, the results inform the bank management the factors to be taken into account to increase the motivation of the existing customers for them to continue using the m-banking.

Originality/value

Theoretically, these results contribute to the existing literatures of the m-banking by introducing the SDT that determines the continuance usage intention of it.
Vocabulary usage among Asian EFL learners during speech: a corpus-based quantitative analysis of the effects of L1 type, L2 proficiency and task type
Authors: Ishikawa Shin'ichiro
Published: November 2021

Purpose

Using a newly compiled corpus module consisting of utterances from Asian learners during L2 English interviews, this study examined how Asian EFL learners' L1s (Chinese, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Taiwanese and Thai), their L2 proficiency levels (A2, B1 low, B1 upper and B2+) and speech task types (picture descriptions, roleplays and QA-based conversations) affected four aspects of vocabulary usage (number of tokens, standardized type/token ratio, mean word length and mean sentence length).

Design/methodology/approach

Four aspects concern speech fluency, lexical richness, lexical complexity and structural complexity, respectively.

Findings

Subsequent corpus-based quantitative data analyses revealed that (1) learner/native speaker differences existed during the conversation and roleplay tasks in terms of the number of tokens, type/token ratio and sentence length; (2) an L1 group effect existed in all three task types in terms of the number of tokens and sentence length; (3) an L2 proficiency effect existed in all three task types in terms of the number of tokens, type-token ratio and sentence length; and (4) the usage of high-frequency vocabulary was influenced more strongly by the task type and it was classified into four types: Type A vocabulary for grammar control, Type B vocabulary for speech maintenance, Type C vocabulary for negotiation and persuasion and Type D vocabulary for novice learners.

Originality/value

These findings provide clues for better understanding L2 English vocabulary usage among Asian learners during speech.
How and when does relational governance impact lead-time performance of developing-country suppliers in global value chains?
Authors: Islam Mohammad Tarikul , Chadee Doren , Polonsky Michael Jay
Published: November 2021

Purpose

This study aims to integrate social capital theory and the knowledge-based view of firms to develop and test a theoretical framework of the mechanisms that explain the influence of relational governance (RG) on lead-time performance (LTP) of developing-country suppliers in global value chains (GVCs). The authors distinguish between the relational and structural dimensions of RG to explain how they interact to create knowledge and leaning opportunities that transform into performance outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Hypotheses were tested using data collected from a sample of 321 Bangladeshi suppliers embedded in apparel GVCs by using structural equation modeling.

Findings

RG creates knowledge and learning opportunities that transform into LTP. Relationship quality (RQ) is found to contribute positively to knowledge learned (KL) contingent on relationship structure. KL is found to fully mediate the influence of buyer-supplier RQ on LTP of suppliers.

Research limitations/implications

The dyadic nature of buyer-supplier interactions calls for multisource approaches in measuring buyer-supplier RQ. The authors also recommend future research to test the model in other industries for greater generalizability.

Practical implications

Developing-country suppliers in low-technology labor-intensive GVCs can improve their LTP by strengthening their capabilities for internalizing external knowledge and developing and maintaining high quality relationships with wide networks of buyers.

Originality/value

The conceptualization of RG that explicitly distinguishes between the relational and structural dimensions is novel and should inspire future theoretical and empirical research on GVC governance and performance.
Adverse events of alpelisib: A postmarketing study of the World Health Organization pharmacovigilance database
Authors: Chen Xiao , Wei Lianhui , Chi Lijie , Guo Xiaojing , Chen Chenxin , Guo Zhijian , Liang Jizhou , Zheng Yi , He Jia , Ye Xiaofei
Published: November 2021

Aims

To explore and describe the adverse reaction signals in the safety reporting for alpelisib.

Methods

We performed a disproportionality analysis of the World Health Organization's VigiBase pharmacovigilance database from 1 January 2019 to 30 June 2021. Disproportionality analysis by information components (ICs) were used to evaluate the potential association between adverse events (AEs) and alpelisib.

Results

A total of 33 327 reports were extracted, 5695 of them were chosen with alpelisib as the suspected drug. After combining the same ID, 687 cases remained. The 45–64‐years group had the most cases (n = 203, 29.55%). There were 129 Preferred Terms with significant signals. Hyperglycaemia (IC025 = 6.74), breast cancer metastatic (IC025 = 5.85) and metastases to liver (IC025 = 4.70) were the AEs with the strongest signal. AEs with the most cases were hyperglycaemia (n = 595), rash (n = 535) and diarrhoea (n = 475).

Conclusion

We established a comprehensive list of AEs potentially associated with alpelisib. AEs with the most significant signals were hyperglycaemia, breast cancer metastatic, metastases to liver. The AEs with the most cases were hyperglycaemia, rash, diarrhoea, blood glucose increase and nausea.
Vascular risk factors as predictors of epilepsy in older age: The Framingham Heart Study
Authors: Stefanidou Maria , Himali Jayandra J. , Devinsky Orrin , Romero Jose R. , Ikram Mohammad Arfan , Beiser Alexa S. , Seshadri Sudha , Friedman Daniel
Published: November 2021

Objective

Stroke is the most common cause of epilepsy in older age. Subclinical cerebrovascular disease is believed to underlie some of the 30%–50% of late‐onset epilepsy without a known cause (Li et al. Epilepsia. 1997;38:1216; Cleary et al. Lancet. 2004;363:1184). We studied the role of modifiable vascular risk factors in predicting subsequent epilepsy among participants ages 45 or older in the Framingham Heart Study (FHS), a longitudinal, community‐based study.

Methods

Participants of the Offspring Cohort who attended FHS exam 5 (1991–1995) were included who were at least 45‐years‐old at that time, had available vascular risk factor data, and epilepsy follow‐up (n = 2986, mean age 58, 48% male). Adjudication of epilepsy cases included review of medical charts to exclude seizure mimics and acute symptomatic seizures. The vascular risk factors studied included hypertension, diabetes mellitus, smoking, and hyperlipidemia. The role of the Framingham Stroke Risk Profile score was also investigated. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used for the analyses.

Results

Fifty‐five incident epilepsy cases were identified during a mean of 19 years of follow‐up. Hypertension was associated with a near 2‐fold risk (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.93, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.10–3.37, p = .022) of developing epilepsy, even after adjustment for prevalent and interim stroke. In secondary analysis, excluding patients with normal blood pressure who were receiving anti‐HTN (anti‐hypertensive) treatment (n = 2613, 50 incident epilepsy cases) the association was (HR: 2.44, 95% CI: 1.36–4.35, p = .003).

Significance

Our results offer further evidence that hypertension, a potentially modifiable and highly prevalent vascular risk factor in the general population, increases 2‐ to 2.5‐fold the risk of developing late‐onset epilepsy.
Molecular mechanisms and biological roles of GOMED
Authors: Noguchi Saori , Shimizu Shigeomi
Published: November 2021

We previously discovered an autophagy‐like proteolysis mechanism that uses the Golgi membrane, namely, Golgi membrane‐associated degradation (GOMED). Morphologically, GOMED resembles canonical autophagy, but the two mechanisms have different cellular functions, as they degrade different substrates and use different membrane sources. Furthermore, although the molecules involved partially overlap, the core molecules are completely different. GOMED preferentially degrades Golgi‐trafficking proteins, including insulin granules in pancreatic β‐cells and ceruloplasmin in neurons, and is involved in a wide variety of physiological events.
An extensive intraoral blue nevus in an elder patient
Authors: Cunha John Lennon Silva , Tomo Saygo , Marinho Neto Edmundo , Silva João Vitor Rocha , Sá Melka Coelho , de Carvalho Melo Allan Ulisses , de Albuquerque‐Júnior Ricardo Luiz Cavalcanti
Published: November 2021

Objective

To report a rare case of intraoral extensive blue nevus in an elder patient.

Background

Oral blue nevi is a well‐recognised skin melanocytic neoplasm that rarely occurs in the oral cavity and may mimic melanoma in the early stages.

Methods

An incisional biopsy was performed, and the diagnosis was blue nevus.

Conclusion

Both the clinician and pathologist must be aware of such a presentation to diagnose and treat appropriately.
Can impact assessments tame legislative drift? Event history analysis of modifications of laws across Europe
Authors: Brenner Dominik , Fazekas Mihály
Published: November 2021

Laws should endure and change only if assumed benefits don't materialize over time. Yet frequent modifications of laws shortly after their enactment distort this compromise between stability and change. While, Impact Assessments (IAs) are designed to improve the quality of legislation, we know little about IAs' impact on legal stability post‐enactment. We fill this gap by analysing whether the ex‐ante application of IAs influences the incidence and frequency of legal modifications. The analysis is based on a complete dataset of more than 2500 laws in France, Hungary, Italy, and the UK between 2006 and 2012. We apply a comparative event history analysis to account for both first and subsequent modifications. We find across‐the‐board that IAs are associated with legal stability. IAs are predicted to have the largest effect when political power changes both in terms of seat shares and party ideology, suggesting that IAs can, to some degree, tame legislative drift.
Health for all?: Histories of international and global health
Authors: Brazelton Mary Augusta
Published: November 2021

This essay presents a survey of recent work in the history of international and global health from the mid‐nineteenth to the early twenty‐first centuries. It considers longstanding narratives alongside recent studies that have deployed approaches consonant with scholarship in the emerging global history of science and medicine. The cumulative impact of this work is to show how the history of international health has long been embedded in colonial landscapes of power, even as it also fostered revolutionary nationalism and grew from anti‐colonial socialist internationalism; and how the absence, as well as presence, of intervention has shaped understandings of global health in recent decades.
Production of hydroxyapatite‐based adsorbent for the removal of cobalt ions from the aqueous solution
Authors: Vahdat Armin , Ghasemi Behrooz , Yousefpour Mardali
Published: November 2021

The aim of the current study was to recover and separate cobalt ions from multielement solution, using hydroxyapatite (HAp) and magnetic nanocomposite of HAp/Fe3O4 as adsorbents. Cobalt ion adsorption process was conducted batchwise within the temperature 25˗55°C, exposure duration 5˗120 min by applying a dose of 0.25–5 g/L as the adsorbent at pH 2 to 9.  Adsorbent characterization was performed using advanced spectroscopic techniques such as Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy, Scanning electron microscopy, and Energy‐dispersive X‐ray spectroscopy. The maximum ionic adsorption efficiency using HAp was 90.48% against 94.72% in the case of the magnetic nanocomposite of HAp, under optimal conditions. Various isotherm models were used to evaluate the adsorption capacity and equilibrium coefficients for adsorption of the cobalt ions by the prepared adsorbents. The isotherm models data showed that the adsorption process is desirable by the adsorbents and by adding nanoparticles of Fe3O4 the adsorption capacity improves.
Property modifications of low‐grade clay through physical treatments and its incidence in the pozzolanic activity
Authors: Vásquez‐Torres Oscar O. , Cabrera‐Poloche Francisco D.
Published: November 2021

In the cement industry, it is usual to use calcined clays due to structural changes caused by thermal activations; however, there are other activation methods, such as mechanical activation by grinding. This method is not so common and has been relegated to the second level. Thus, in this work, the physical and mechanical changes in the structure of clays, induced by comminution processes, of standard clays and a low‐grade kaolinitic multicomponent clay, derived from weathering of metamorphic rock, were evaluated. These changes were measured using X‐ray fluorescence, X‐ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, specific surface area (SSA) by Brunauer–Emmett–Teller method, and lime fixing as a measure of pozzolanic activity. It was found that the milling process modified the structure of the clays and the pozzolanic activity, since the main reflection (001) disappeared, the dehydroxylation temperature decreased to a maximum differential of 150°C with 120 s of milling time, especially in T:O:T clays, and the SSA increased along with the lime fixing to a maximum of 119 m2/g and 46%, respectively. In this way, the milling process is effective for the mechanical activation of the clay, especially in multicomponent clay, making it interesting for use as supplementary cementitious material.
Moving beyond velocity: Opportunities and challenges to quantify immune cell behavior*
Authors: Schienstock Dominik , Mueller Scott N.
Published: November 2021

The analysis of cellular behavior using intravital multi‐photon microscopy has contributed substantially to our understanding of the priming and effector phases of immune responses. Yet, many questions remain unanswered and unexplored. Though advancements in intravital imaging techniques and animal models continue to drive new discoveries, continued improvements in analysis methods are needed to extract detailed information about cellular behavior. Focusing on dendritic cell (DC) and T cell interactions as an exemplar, here we discuss key limitations for intravital imaging studies and review and explore alternative approaches to quantify immune cell behavior. We touch upon current developments in deep learning models, as well as established methods from unrelated fields such as ecology to detect and track objects over time. As developments in open‐source software make it possible to process and interactively view larger datasets, the challenge for the field will be to determine how best to combine intravital imaging with multi‐parameter imaging of larger tissue regions to discover new facets of leukocyte dynamics and how these contribute to immune responses.
Huoxin pill prevents acute myocardial ischaemia injury via inhibition of Wnt/β‑catenin signaling
Authors: Wang Qing , Ma En , Wo Da , Chen Jinxiao , He Jia , Peng Jun , Zhu Weidong , Ren Dan‐ni
Published: November 2021

Myocardial infarction (MI) is one of the leading causes of death worldwide, and due to the widespread and irreversible damage caused, new therapeutic treatments are urgently needed in order to limit the degree of ischaemic damage following MI. Aberrant activation of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway often occurs during cardiovascular diseases including MI, which results in excess production of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and further promotes myocardial dysfunction. Huoxin pill (HXP) is a Traditional Chinese Medicine formula that has been widely used in the treatment of coronary heart disease and angina; however, its mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we performed mouse models of MI and examined the effects and mechanisms of HXP in protecting against MI‐induced ischaemic damage. Our study showed that administration with HXP robustly protected against MI‐induced cardiac injuries, decreased infarct size and improved cardiac function. Moreover, HXP attenuated ischaemia‐induced DNA damage occurrence in vivo and H2O2‐induced DNA damage occurrence in vitro, via potent inhibition of adverse Wnt/β‑catenin signalling activation. Our study thus elucidated the role and mechanism of HXP in protecting against MI and oxidative stress‐induced injuries and suggests new therapeutic strategies in ischaemic heart disease via inhibition of Wnt/β‐catenin signalling pathway.
Bartonellaspp. seroepidemiology and associations with clinicopathologic findings in dogs in the United States
Authors: Lashnits Erin , Thatcher Brendon , Carruth Ariel , Mestek Anton , Buch Jesse , Beall Melissa , Neupane Pradeep , Chandrashekar Ramaswamy , Breitschwerdt Edward B.
Published: November 2021

Background

Improved understanding ofBartonellaspp. serology in dogs may aid clinical decision making.

Objective

Describe demographic and geographic patterns ofBartonellaspp. seroreactivity in dogs, and describe hematologic and serum biochemical abnormalities inBartonellaspp. seroreactive and nonseroreactive dogs.

Animals

Serum samples from 5957 dogs in the United States, previously submitted to IDEXX Reference Laboratories.

Methods

Serum was tested using 3 indirect ELISAs forB. henselae,B. vinsoniisubsp.berkhoffii, andB. koehlerae. Complete blood count and serum biochemistry panel results were reviewed retrospectively.

Results

Overall, 6.1% of dogs wereBartonellaspp. seroreactive. Toy breeds were less likely to be seroreactive (3.9%) than mixed breeds (7.5%; adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.48; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32‐0.72), and dogs <1 year old were less likely to be seroreactive (3.4%) than dogs 1 to 5.5 years of age (7.3%; aOR, 0.42; 95% CI, 0.23‐0.72). Dogs in the West South Central (9.8%) and South Atlantic (8.8%) regions were more likely than dogs elsewhere in the United States to be seroreactive (aOR, 2.22; 95% CI, 1.31‐3.87; aOR, 2.44; 95% CI, 1.38‐4.36).

Conclusions and Clinical Importance

Demographic and geographic findings forBartonellaspp. exposure were broadly comparable to previously reported patterns.