bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring predictors of innovation performance of SMEs: a PLS-SEM approach
Authors: Tian Hongyun , Iqbal Shuja , Akhtar Shamim
Published: March 2023

Purpose

In the competitive business world, companies strive to be innovative, and to do so, they try to implement innovative human resource practices. Therefore, the authors propose an association between innovative human resource practice, organizational commitment, innovation performance and transformational leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

This study gathered data from 1,037 small- and medium-sized enterprises and implied partial least square structural equation modeling PLS-SEM using Smart PLS was adopted to test the hypotheses.

Findings

The findings reveal positive direct relationships between innovative human resource practices, organizational commitment and innovation performance. Moreover, organizational commitment positively mediates and transformational leadership significantly and positively moderates the relationship. Companies should use innovative recruitment and selection, performance management, and innovative compensation to enhance organizational commitment and innovation performance. In addition, the optimized organizational commitment aids in strengthening the connection between innovative human resource practices and firms' innovation performance.

Originality/value

Managers should also develop a sense of affiliation and attachment to increase innovation performance. The study contributes empirically to the literature on innovative human resource practices and their effect on organizational commitment and innovation performance.
Pupils’ experience of noise in two acoustically different classrooms
Authors: Radun Jenni , Lindberg Mikko , Lahti Aleksi , Veermans Marjaana , Alakoivu Reijo , Hongisto Valtteri
Published: March 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine activity-related sound levels and pupils’ perceptions of the acoustic environment in two classrooms, one of which was a traditional classroom (Reference classroom, reverberation time (RT) 0.54 s) and the other a refurbished classroom (Demo classroom, RT 0.32 s).

Design/methodology/approach

Three types of data were gathered: room acoustic measurements, activity sound levels during different activities and pupils’ subjective experience concerning factors related to acoustics. Pupils, 10–11 years old (N = 34), estimated their subjective experience in general and after four test lessons. Teachers planned the test lessons to have four different lesson types: quiet work, one-person speaking, group work and activity-based work. The sound levels of activities were measured during the test lessons.

Findings

The activity sound levels were 2–13 dB LAeq lower in the Demo classroom than in the Reference classroom, depending on lesson type. Pupils were less annoyed by noise in the Demo than in the Reference classroom. Pupils’ speech was the most annoying sound source. More pupils were annoyed by it in the Reference classroom (65%) than in the Demo classroom (15%). Hearing the teacher while not seeing her face, concentrating on teaching and sitting in one’s place were estimated easier in the Demo classroom than in the Reference classroom.

Originality/value

This study offers a new approach using test lessons for studying activity sounds in schools. Activity sounds and their annoyance can be significantly diminished by classroom refurbishments.
Using social marketing strategies to develop and pretest PrEP education materials for transgender women
Authors: Bass Sarah Bauerle , Kelly Patrick J.A. , Brajuha Jesse , Gutierrez-Mock Luis , D'Avanzo Paul , Herrera Samantha , Sevelius Jae
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to develop pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) education materials that directly address the needs of trans women. PrEP medication is an effective HIV prevention strategy, but some groups at high risk of HIV, such as transgender (trans) women, have suboptimal uptake and adherence. Most PrEP marketing has been aimed fat men who have sex with men (MSM) and include trans women as part of that audience, but this strategy ignores important differences in perceptions of and barriers to PrEP.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used a social marketing approach grounded in exchange theory to systematically develop and pretest PrEP messaging and communication materials for trans women through qualitative (focus groups: n = 5, 34 participants) and quantitative (surveys: n = 128) methods in Philadelphia and the San Francisco Bay area. Segmentation analysis, perceptual mapping and vector message modeling techniques were used to create three-dimensional visualizations of PrEP perceptions to identify highly targeted messaging. Working with trans artists, the authors developed prototype materials using the targeted messaging and pretested these (n = 11) in both locations for feedback on content, look and insight on appropriate intervention strategies.

Findings

Using segmentation and perceptual mapping, this study identified key PrEP messaging across different subgroups, including by demographic and psychographic variables. Differences by group were determined to not be significant and overall messages that would resonate with all groups were built into the materials. Pretesting sessions indicated high acceptability of the messaging and trans women-centered approach to increase PrEP uptake.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first study to use a social marketing framework to create targeted PrEP communication materials for trans women in partnership with trans women.
Risk response decisions for projects in project portfolios considering objective adjustments and project interdependencies
Authors: Zhang Xu , Goh Mark , Bai Sijun , Wang Zonghan
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Risk response decisions (RRDs) are vital for project risk mitigation. Although past research has focused on RRDs for independent single projects, it has scarcely explored how to make RRDs for single projects in project portfolios (SPPPs). Consequently, this study aims to bridge the gap in extant literature by developing an integrated approach to select risk response strategies (RRSs) for SPPPs considering objective adjustments and project interdependencies (PIs).

Design/methodology/approach

An integrated quality function deployment (QFD) method was used throughout this study. More so, a balanced score card (BSC) and stratified-Z-numbers-full consistency method (SZFUCOM) was applied to identify SPPP success criteria (SP3SC) to determine their weights. In addition, a spherical fuzzy set-design structure matrix (SFDSM) was used to quantify the correlation between the risks and the relationship between the risks and the predecessor projects. Consequently, the relationships between the risks and SP3SC and RRSs were described by the spherical fuzzy set (SFS) and Z-numbers, respectively. Besides, the results are weaved into QFD to transform SP3SC into risks and then into RRSs, while a linear optimization model is used to obtain the optimal RRSs. Lastly, a construction project portfolio (PP) was used to test the veracity of the results to prove their validity.

Findings

The approach to RRDs for single projects is observed to be different from that of SPPPs. In addition, this study finds that project portfolio objective adjustments (PPOAs) and PIs have significant impacts on RRDs given that they influence the risk priorities of independent single projects and SPPPs. Moreover, the application of an integrated QFD effectively synthesized the results from the findings of this study, as well as enabled companies to determine robust RRSs. Finally, the consistency results of the SZFUCOM were better than those of the triangular fuzzy number-full consistency method.

Originality/value

The study innovatively explores the method of RRDs for SPPP, which has been ignored by past research. SP3SC highly compatible with PP success is determined. Z-numbers are first used to evaluate the effect of RRSs to enhance the robustness of RRDs. The study proposes a method of RRDs comprehensively considering PPOAs and PIs, which provides robust methodological guidance for SPPP managers to control risks.
Exploring the viability of ChatGPT as an alternative to traditional chatbot systems in library and information centers
Authors: Panda Subhajit , Kaur Navkiran
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the feasibility of using ChatGPT-based chatbot systems as an alternative to traditional knowledge base-based chatbot systems in library and information centers (LICs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a qualitative research approach to examine the viability of ChatGPT-based chatbot systems in LICs. The researchers conducted an extensive literature review and analyzed data collected from interviews with experts in the field of library and information science.

Findings

The findings of the study reveal that ChatGPT-based chatbot systems are a viable alternative to traditional knowledge base-based chatbot systems in LICs. ChatGPT has the potential to provide more accurate and personalized responses to user queries, improve the user experience and reduce the workload of library staff. However, there are some limitations to the use of ChatGPT in LICs, such as the need for substantial training data and the risk of perpetuating biases.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is one of the first to explore the potential of ChatGPT-based chatbot systems in the context of LICs. The research provides insights into the advantages and limitations of ChatGPT-based chatbots and highlights the possibilities for future use of this technology in the information service industry.
Leader green behavior as an outcome of followers' critical thinking and active engagement: the moderating role of pro-environmental behavior
Authors: Javaid Mudaser , Kumari Kalpina , Khan Sajjad Nawaz , Jaaron Ayham A.M. , Shaikh Zainuddin
Published: March 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the role of followership dimensions of active engagement (AE) and independent critical thinking (ICT) in leader green behavior (LGB), and how followers' pro-environmental behavior (FPEB) moderates between the proposed relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

The data was collected from 381 employees working in different small and medium enterprises (SMEs) of Pakistan, through a structured questionnaire with five points Likert scale. The proposed hypotheses were tested by using Smart-partial least square (PLS).V.3.

Findings

Results showed a significant positive impact of followership dimensions on LGB. Moreover, the findings of the study substantiated the moderating role of FPEB between the direct relationship of ICT and LGB, but no significant moderation of FPEB in case of the relationship between AE and LGB was observed.

Practical implications

This paper argues that organizational effective green leadership can be enhanced by followership dimensions of AE and ICT, and by participation of followers in pro-environmental behavior. This has been largely overlooked in the past studies.

Originality/value

The study attempted to empirically test the “Reversing the Lens” perspective by Shamir (2007) in the context of green human resource management (HRM). This study extends a distinct theoretical contribution to the social exchange theory (SET) by focusing on the fact that follower's role is equally as important as that of a leader in the effective leadership process.
Green consumption behaviour among Generation Z college students in China: the moderating role of government support
Authors: Ling Pick-Soon , Chin Chee-Hua , Yi Jia , Wong Winnie Poh Ming
Published: March 2023

Purpose

Green consumption behaviour (GCB) has been advocated to mitigate the environmental consequences of traditional consumption patterns. Besides the current circumstances, Generation Z college students are a sizable consumer group who are likely to be concerned about the future. Thus, this study aims to examine the factors affecting the college students’ GCB and the moderating effect of government support to provide new evidence from college students in China.

Design/methodology/approach

In addition to environmental knowledge and social media influence as the variables, government support was used as a moderator to develop the extended theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model. Purposive sampling was used to obtain 328 valid responses from Chinese college students. The collected data were analysed using partial least squares structural equation modelling.

Findings

The findings indicated that subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, environmental knowledge and social media influence substantially affect students’ GCB. Notably, the moderation analysis suggested that government support greatly strengthens the relationship between subjective norms and social media influence on the GCB of Chinese college students.

Practical implications

The study provides several significant practical implications as the findings could be referred by stakeholders, such as government and businesses entities, in formulating policies and strategies to encourage the consumers’ GCB in mitigating ecological consequences.

Originality/value

The extended TPB model that integrated environmental knowledge and social media influence with the government support as the moderator contributes to the extant literature with the evidence derived from Generation Z in China.
Is the relationship between bank stability, competition, and intervention quality nonlinear? Evidence from North African countries
Authors: Ghazouani Ines , Basty Nadia
Published: March 2023

This paper highlights the existence of a nonlinear relationship between bank stability and competition and analyzes the role that government intervention plays in shaping this relationship. We used a sample of 45 banks in North African countries over the period 2005–2019. We applied a semiparametric approach based on penalized spline estimation. The results unveil the specific shape of the competition–stability relationship at different levels of competition; banks reconsider their risk‐taking behavior at each level of competition. This nonmonotonic stability at different levels of competition is attributed to the quality of intervention, which is found to be an important determinant in shaping this relationship. Thus, we explain the dispersion of risk levels among North African banks in part by the quality of regulation in each country and conclude by recommending the strengthening of regulation, supervision and the macro‐prudential framework.
Wiley Lecture 2022. Communicating climate change with comics: Life beyond apocalyptic imaginaries
Authors: Sou Gemma
Published: March 2023

Drawing on my experience with creative research translation, in this work I discuss how comics provide several possibilities to communicate climate change using geographical analysis and anti‐essentialist representations. Comics can be deployed as a multi‐modal method that encourages researchers to use thick description to communicate embodied, intangible, and hidden experiences of life with climate change that are difficult to capture in other ways. Comics are also a powerful way for authors to visualise how life with climate change is multi‐temporal and to capture diverse images of still‐possible and alternative climate futures that move beyond apocalyptic imaginaries to inform debates about the geographies of hope as they relate to climate change. Finally, comics can enhance the participatory nature of research and facilitate a move to more ‘desire‐based’ research frameworks that emphasise character‐driven and anti‐essentialist narratives. The work reported here should be of broad interest among geographers engaging in geohumanities and climate change researchers experimenting with creative methods to narrativise and communicate human experiences of climate change. My intentions are to move beyond disciplinary boundaries; speak to scholars working in the interdisciplinary fields of climate change, comics studies, climate change communication, and visual studies; and invite more engagement with this mode of creative research translation.
MiFID II and the unbundling of analyst research from trading execution
Authors: Lourie Ben , Shanthikumar Devin , Yoo Il Sun
Published: March 2023

The revised Markets in Financial Instruments Directive (MiFID II) requires the unbundling of research payments from trading execution, fundamentally changing the way in which investors typically pay for analyst research in Europe. We examine the effectiveness of the regulation in changing the link between analyst research and trading, the research‐trading link, and the analyst response to this potential change in incentives. Using a difference‐in‐differences research design, we find that forecast frequency, optimism, and accuracy are less associated with the brokerage trading share after MiFID II, suggesting that MiFID II weakened the link between the brokerage share of trading and analyst research. Following MiFID II, analysts in Europe are less likely than analysts in the United States to continue high forecast frequency, optimism, and accuracy for stocks with high share importance for the analyst's brokerage house. We find similar results throughout for buy/sell recommendations. Overall, our evidence suggests that MiFID II is at least partially successful in unbundling research from execution, and impacts both the trading effects and the production of analyst research.
High‐phosphate diet causes atrial remodeling and increases atrial fibrillation vulnerability via STAT3/NF‐κB signaling and oxidative stress
Authors: Hsu Yu‐Juei , Chang Gwo‐Jyh , Lai Ying‐Ju , Chan Yi‐Hsin , Chen Wei‐Jan , Kuo Chi‐Tai , Yeh Yung‐Hsin
Published: March 2023

Aim

Hyperphosphatemia is associated with adverse cardiovascular outcomes in both the general population and patients with end‐stage renal disease. We evaluated whether high inorganic phosphate (Pi) intake causes atrial remodeling and increased atrial fibrillation (AF) risk.

Methods

The 5/6 nephrectomized chronic kidney disease (CKD) mice were fed a high‐Pi (2%) diet for 10 weeks. AF vulnerability was evaluated through transesophageal burst atrial pacing. Phosphoproteomic, Western blotting, and immunohistochemistry were used to evaluate the effects of high Pi in atrial fibroblasts, atrial myocytes, and HL‐1 myocytes.

Results

CKD and sham mice fed a high‐Pi diet exhibited increased AF vulnerability, atrial fibrosis, and oxidative stress compared with mice fed a normal diet. Compared with normal (1 mM) Pi, high (2 mM) Pi significantly increased the activity of atrial fibroblasts and mitochondrial oxidative stress. Phosphoproteomic analysis revealed that compared with normal Pi, high Pi considerably increased the phosphorylation of intracellular proteins in atrial fibroblasts, including proteins related to NF‐κB signaling and STAT3. Inhibition of NF‐κB, STAT3, and Nox4 by small interfering RNA reduced the high‐Pi‐induced expression of collagen. In HL‐1 myocytes, the high Pi induced the degradation of myofibril proteins and hyperphosphorylation of RyR2, which was abolished by Nox4 and CaMKII inhibition. Switching back to a normal‐Pi diet improved the atrial abnormalities induced by high‐Pi diet.

Conclusions

High‐Pi intake causes atrial structural and electrical remodeling and increases AF vulnerability, which is mediated through STAT3/NF‐κB signaling and oxidative stress. High dietary Pi intake can exert detrimental effects on atria and may increase AF risk.
Association between patient attitudes towards deprescribing and subsequent prescription changes
Authors: McCarthy Caroline , Flood Michelle , Clyne Barbara , Smith Susan M. , Boland Fiona , Wallace Emma , Moriarty Frank
Published: March 2023

Deprescribing is an essential component of safe prescribing, especially for people with higher levels of polypharmacy. Identifying individuals prepared to consider medicine changes may facilitate deprescribing‐orientated reviews. We aimed to explore the relationship between revised patients' attitudes towards deprescribing (rPATD) scores and medication changes in older people prescribed ≥15 medicines. A secondary analysis of rPATD scores and prescription data from a cluster randomised controlled trial of a GP‐delivered, deprescribing‐orientated medication review was conducted. The association between number of medicines stopped, started and changed and baseline rPATD scores was assessed using Poisson regression, adjusting for patient age, gender, study group allocation, baseline number of medicines and effects of clustering. Participants (n = 404) had a mean age of 76.4 years and were prescribed a mean of 17.1 medicines at baseline. Willingness to stop a medicine was associated with higher rates of both deprescribing (IRR: 1.40; 95% CI: 1.06–1.84) and initiating medicines (IRR: 1.43; 95% CI: 1.09–1.88). Satisfaction with current medicines was associated with a lower rate of deprescribing (IRR: 0.69; 95% CI: 0.57–0.85). The rPATD questionnaire could be used as part of a deprescribing intervention to identify participants who may be prepared to engage in deprescribing, enabling more efficient use of clinician time during complex consultations.
Targeting formyl peptide receptor 1 with anteiso‐C13‐surfactin for neutrophil‐dominant acute respiratory distress syndrome
Authors: Yang Shun‐Chin , Wang Yi‐Hsuan , Ho Chiu‐Ming , Tsai Yung‐Fong , Sung Ping‐Jyun , Lin Tony Eight , Hwang Tsong‐Long
Published: March 2023

Background and Purpose

Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) is a catastrophic pulmonary inflammatory dysfunction with a high mortality rate. An overwhelming immune response by neutrophils is a key feature in infective or sterile ARDS. The formyl peptide receptor 1 (FPR1) is a crucial damage‐sensing receptor for inflammatory reactions in the initiation and progression of neutrophil‐mediated ARDS. However, effective targets for controlling dysregulated neutrophilic inflammatory injuries in ARDS are limited.

Experimental Approach

Human neutrophils were used to explore the anti‐inflammatory effects of cyclic lipopeptide anteiso‐C13‐surfactin (IA‐1) from marine Bacillus amyloliquefaciens. The lipopolysaccharide‐induced model of ARDS in mice was used to determine the therapeutic potential of IA‐1 in ARDS. Lung tissues were harvested for histology analyses.

Key Results

The lipopeptide IA‐1 inhibited immune responses of neutrophils, including respiratory burst, degranulation, and expression of adhesion molecules. IA‐1 inhibited the binding of N‐formyl peptides to FPR1 in human neutrophils and in hFPR1‐transfected HEK293 cells. We identified IA‐1 as a competitive FPR1 antagonist, thus diminishing the downstream signalling pathways involving calcium, mitogen‐activated protein kinases and Akt. Furthermore, IA‐1 ameliorated the inflammatory damage to lung tissue, by decreasing neutrophil infiltration, reducing elastase release and oxidative stress in endotoxemic mice.

Conclusion and Implications

The lipopeptide IA‐1 could serve as a therapeutic option for ARDS by inhibiting FPR1‐mediated neutrophilic injury.
Pleckstrin‐2‐promoted PPM1B degradation plays an important role in transforming growth factor‐β‐induced breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis
Authors: Du Liping , Li Junyan , Tian Yonglu , Feng Renqing
Published: March 2023

Transforming growth factor‐β (TGF‐β) is known to promote breast cancer cell migration, invasion, and dissemination; however, the underlying molecular mechanisms are not yet well characterized. Here, we report that TGF‐β induces pleckstrin‐2 (PLEK2) expression by Smad3 and signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) activating PLEK2 promoter activity. Higher PLEK2 expression is associated with poor prognosis in breast cancer patients. Overexpression and knockout experiments in MDA‐MB‐231 and MCF‐7 breast cancer cells revealed that PLEK2 promotes cell migration, invasion, and dissemination in 2D and 3D cell culture. Moreover, PLEK2 promotes metastasis of breast cancer cells in vivo. Pleckstrin‐2 localizes to the cell membrane and cell protrusions following TGF‐β treatment. Furthermore, inhibition of PI3K phosphorylation abolishes TGF‐β‐ and PLEK2‐induced cell invasion. The carboxyl‐terminal PH domain of PLEK2 is critical for TGF‐β‐ and PLEK2‐induced Akt activation and plays an important role in cell invasion. Pleckstrin‐2 interacts with PPM1B and promotes its ubiquitin‐dependent degradation. The PLEK2‐PPM1B axis utilizes nuclear factor‐κB signaling to promote cell migration and invasion. Our data implicate the TGF‐β‐STAT3/Smad3‐PLEK2‐PPM1B signaling cascade in TGF‐β‐induced breast cancer cell migration and invasion. These findings suggest that PLEK2/PPM1B could represent novel targets for the intervention of breast cancer metastasis.
Sphingosine kinase‐2 silencing modulates sensitivity of HT‐29 human colorectal cancer cells to paclitaxel‐induced cell death through altering apoptosis‐related proteins
Authors: Mu Yagang , Wang Jian , Li Guang
Published: March 2023

The sphingosine kinase‐2 (SphK2), a main component of sphingolipid signal transduction, is reported as an innovative therapeutic candidate for cancer treatment. This study was conducted to investigate the suppression of SphK2 in increasing HT‐29 colorectal cancer cells sensitivity to paclitaxel via inducing apoptosis and targeting c‐FLIPS, MCL‐1, and survivin expressions. Cells were transfected with siRNA against SphK2, PTX, or SphK2 activator. Proliferation and apoptosis were evaluated by MTT assay, and trypan blue staining and ELISA, respectively. SphK2, c‐FLIPS, MCL‐1, and survivin expression were determined by qRT‐PCR and Western blotting. SphK2 siRNA increased cell death induced PTX. SphK2 agonist abolished silencing impact on cell survival. We found down‐expression of C‐FLIPS, MCL‐1, and survivin by SphK2 siRNA transfection either alone or in paclitaxel treated cells, as well as elevation in cell apoptosis. Our results showed that SphK2 suppression may be an effective important modality to enhance cell sensitivity to paclitaxel via the induction of apoptosis in colorectal cancers.
Therapeutic efficacy of caffeic acid phenethyl ester in cancer therapy: An updated review
Authors: Pandey Pratibha , Khan Fahad , Upadhyay Tarun Kumar , Giri Pavan Prakash
Published: March 2023

Nowadays, there is a lot of public and scientific interest in using phytochemicals to treat human ailments. Existing cancer medicines still run across obstacles, despite significant advancements in the field. For instance, chemotherapy may result in severe adverse effects, increased drug resistance, and treatment failure. Natural substances that are phytochemically derived provide innovative approaches as potent therapeutic molecules for the treatment of cancer. Bioactive natural compounds may enhance chemotherapy for cancer by increasing the sensitivity of cancer cells to medicines. Propolis has been found to interfere with the viability of cancer cells, among other phytochemicals. Of all the components that make up propolis, caffeic acid phenethyl ester (CAPE) (a flavonoid) has been the subject of the most research. It demonstrates a broad spectrum of therapeutic uses, including antitumor, antimicrobial, antiviral, anti‐inflammatory, immunomodulatory, hepatoprotective, neuroprotective, and cardioprotective effects. Studies conducted in vitro and in vivo have demonstrated that CAPE specifically targets genes involved in cell death, cell cycle regulation, angiogenesis, and metastasis. By altering specific signaling cascades, such as the NF‐κB signaling pathway, CAPE can limit the proliferation of human cancer cells. This review highlights the research findings demonstrating the anticancer potential of CAPE with a focus on multitargeted molecular and biological implications in various cancer models.
Numerical Coarsening with Neural Shape Functions
Authors: Ni Ning , Xu Qingyu , Li Zhehao , Fu Xiao‐Ming , Liu Ligang
Published: March 2023

We propose to use nonlinear shape functions represented as neural networks in numerical coarsening to achieve generalization capability as well as good accuracy. To overcome the challenge of generalization to different simulation scenarios, especially nonlinear materials under large deformations, our key idea is to replace the linear mapping between coarse and fine meshes adopted in previous works with a nonlinear one represented by neural networks. However, directly applying an end‐to‐end neural representation leads to poor performance due to over‐huge parameter space as well as failing to capture some intrinsic geometry properties of shape functions. Our solution is to embed geometry constraints as the prior knowledge in learning, which greatly improves training efficiency and inference robustness. With the trained neural shape functions, we can easily adopt numerical coarsening in the simulation of various hyperelastic models without any other preprocessing step required. The experiment results demonstrate the efficiency and generalization capability of our method over previous works.
Parenting measurement, normativeness, and associations with child outcomes: Comparing evidence from four non‐Western cultures
Authors: Ren Huiguang , Hart Craig H. , Cheah Charissa S. L. , Porter Chris L. , Nelson David A. , Yavuz‐Müren H. Melis , Gao Wen , Haron Fatimah , Jiang Liuqing , Kawashima Akiko , Shibazaki‐Lau Ai , Nakazawa Jun , Nelson Larry J. , Robinson Clyde C. , Selçuk Ayşe Bilge , Evans‐Stout Cortney , Tan Jo‐Pei , Yang Chongming , Quek Ai‐Hwa , Zhou Nan
Published: March 2023

This study compared parenting across four non‐Western cultures to test cross‐cultural commonality and specificity principles in three aspects: measurement properties, parenting normativeness, and their associations with child outcomes. Both mothers and fathers (N = 1509 dyads) with preschool‐aged children (M = 5.00 years; 48% girls) from urban areas of four countries (Malaysia, N = 372; China, N = 441; Turkey, N = 402; and Japan, N = 294) reported on four parenting constructs (authoritative, authoritarian, group harmony socialization, and intrusive control) and their sub‐dimensions using modified culturally relevant measures. Teachers reported on children's internalizing, externalizing, and prosocial behaviors. The commonality principle was supported by two sets of findings: (1) full measurement invariance was established for most parenting constructs and sub‐dimensions, except that intrusive control only reached partial scalar invariance, and (2) no variations were found in associations between parenting and any child outcomes across cultures or parent gender at the construct level for all four parenting constructs and at the sub‐dimensional level for authoritarian and intrusive control sub‐dimensions. The specificity principle was supported by the other two sets of findings: (1) cross‐cultural differences in parenting normativeness did not follow the pattern of economic development but yielded culture‐specific patterns, and (2) at the sub‐dimensional level, the authoritative parenting and group harmony socialization sub‐dimensions were differently associated with child outcomes across cultures and/or parent gender. The findings suggested that examining specific dimensions rather than broad parenting constructs is necessary to reflect cultural specificities and nuances. Our study provided a culturally‐invariant instrument and a three‐step guide for future parenting research to examine cross‐cultural commonalities/specificities.

Research Highlights

This is the first study to use an instrument with measurement invariance across multiple non‐Western cultures to examine the commonality and specificity principles in parenting.

Measurement invariance was achieved across cultures for authoritative and authoritarian parenting, group harmony socialization, intrusive control, and their sub‐dimensions, supporting the commonality principle.

Cross‐cultural differences in parenting normativeness did not follow the pattern of economic development but yielded culture‐specific patterns, supporting the specificity principle.

Both commonalities and specificities were manifested in associations between parenting and child outcomes across cultures.
Use of continuous glucose monitors in low‐ and middle‐income countries: A scoping review
Authors: Bernabe‐Ortiz Antonio , Carrillo‐Larco Rodrigo M. , Safary Elvis , Vetter Beatrice , Lazo‐Porras María
Published: March 2023

Aims

The use of continuous glucose monitors (CGMs) has been shown to have positive impact on diabetes management for people with type 1 diabetes (T1DM), type 2 diabetes (T2DM) and gestational diabetes (GDM) in high‐income countries. However, as useful as CGMs are, the experience in low‐ and middle‐income countries (LMICs) is limited and has not been summarized.

Methods

A scoping review of the scientific literature was conducted. Medline, Embase, Global Health and Scopus were used to seek original research conducted in LMICs. The search results were screened by two reviewers independently. We included studies assessing health outcomes following the use of CGMs at the individual level (e.g. glycaemic control or complications) and at the health system level (e.g. barriers, facilitators and cost‐effectiveness) in English, Portuguese, Spanish and French. Results were summarized narratively.

Results

From 4772 records found in database search, 27 reports were included; most of them from China (n = 7), Colombia (n = 5) and India (n = 4). Thirteen reports studied T1DM, five T2DM, seven both T1DM and T2DM and two GDM. Seven reports presented results of experimental studies (five randomized trials and two quasi‐experimental); two on cost‐effective analysis and the remaining 18 were observational. Studies showed that CGMs improved surrogate glycaemic outcomes (HbA1c reduction), hard endpoints (lower hospitalization rates and diabetes complications) and patient‐oriented outcomes (quality of life). However, several caveats were identified: mostly observational studies, few participants in trials, short follow‐up and focused on surrogate outcomes.

Conclusions

The scoping review identified that studies about CGMs in LMICs have several limitations. Stronger study designs, appropriate sample sizes and the inclusion of patient‐important outcomes should be considered to inform the evidence about CGMs for the management of people with diabetes in LMICs.
Efficacy and safety of bexagliflozin in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Pasqualotto Eric , Figueiredo Watanabe Janine Midori , Gewehr Douglas Mesadri , da Silva Maintinguer Raphaela , van de Sande‐Lee Simone , de Araujo Gustavo Neves , Leal Fidel Silveira , Pinheiro Carlos Eduardo Andrade
Published: March 2023

Aim

To assess the efficacy of bexagliflozin in reducing glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and the occurrence of side effects in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2DM).

Methods

We searched the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane and ClinicalTrials.gov databases for placebo‐controlled, randomized clinical trials published up until 15 February 2023. The primary outcome was change in HbA1c. We computed weighted mean differences (WMDs) for continuous outcomes and odds ratios (ORs) for binary endpoints, with 95% confidence intervals (CIs).

Results

A total of six studies and 3111 patients were included, of whom 1951 were prescribed bexagliflozin. Compared with placebo, bexagliflozin significantly reduced HbA1c levels (WMD –0.53%; 95% CI –0.75, –0.31), fasting plasma glucose levels (WMD –1.45 mmol/L; 95% CI –2.32, –0.57), systolic blood pressure (WMD –4.66 mmHg; 95% CI –6.41, –2.92), diastolic blood pressure (WMD –2.12 mmHg; 95% CI –3.94, –0.30), body weight overall (WMD –1.61 kg; 95% CI –2.14, –1.07), and body weight in patients with a body mass index >25 kg/m2 (WMD –2.05 kg; 95% CI –2.78, –1.31). The proportion of patients who achieved HbA1c < 7% was higher in patients who received bexagliflozin as compared with placebo (OR 1.94; 95% CI 1.36‐2.78). There were no significant differences between groups regarding side effects such as hypoglycaemia, genital mycotic infection, urinary tract infection, diarrhoea, headache, nausea, polyuria, diabetic ketoacidosis, or all‐cause mortality.

Conclusions

In this meta‐analysis, the use of bexagliflozin was associated with improved clinical and laboratory measures in patients with T2DM compared with placebo, with a similar profile of side effects. These findings support the efficacy of bexagliflozin in the treatment of T2DM.
Does geopolitical risk matter for corporate investment decisions? Evidence from cross‐border acquisitions
Authors: Cao Chunfang , Li Xiaoyang , Liu Guilin
Published: March 2023

Heightened geopolitical risk has become the new normal. We study the effects of geopolitical risks on cross‐border acquisition activity. Using military alliance to proxy for the degree of geopolitical risks, we find that the formation of military alliance between two countries is associated with greater cross‐border acquisition flows. Using the recent North Atlantic Treaty Organization enlargements as identification strategy, we find stronger effects of military alliance, especially with defense pacts. One important channel is that military alliance can substitute for target countries’ institutional quality and minimize extreme geopolitical threats faced by acquirers. We find that countries with poor governance and weaker legal enforcement benefit more from military alliance, especially by receiving inbound acquisitions from major military powers. These findings highlight the role of military alliance in the global market for corporate control by reducing geopolitical risks.
On Deciding The Aims and Content of Public Schooling
Authors: Tillson John
Published: March 2023

In this paper, John Tillson defends an approach to deciding the aims and content of public schooling from the critique of Public Reason Liberalism. The approach that he defends is an unrestricted pairing of the Epistemic Criterion and of the Momentousness Criterion. On the Epistemic Criterion, public schooling should align students' credence with credibility. On the Momentousness Criterion, public schooling ought to include content that it is costly for children to lack the correct view about, where they are otherwise unlikely to have it. Public Reason Liberals seek to restrict both the Epistemic and Momentousness Criteria to within a range that is acceptable to politically reasonable citizens. In response, Tillson argues, first, that the considerations that encourage Public Reason Liberalism instead motivate unrestricted versions of the Epistemic and Momentousness Criteria; and, second, that Public Reason Liberalism faces a dilemma, that it either entails absurd consequences or must undermine itself in addressing these.
Self‐reported restrictions in different life domains and associated factors among people with multiple sclerosis in Sweden
Authors: Teni Fitsum Sebsibe , Machado Alejandra , Murley Chantelle , Fink Katharina , Gyllensten Hanna , Dervish Jessica , Hillert Jan , Friberg Emilie
Published: March 2023

Background and purpose

The heterogeneous symptoms of multiple sclerosis (MS) can considerably impact the lives of people with MS (PwMS). The aim of this study was to describe the extent of restrictions in different life domains that PwMS experience in relation to their symptoms and level of disability.

Methods

A cross‐sectional survey was conducted among working‐age PwMS in Sweden. The 4052 participants who answered the questions on restrictions in work and private life domains (family, leisure activities, and contact with friends/acquaintances) were included. Predictors of restrictions in the four domains were determined through multinomial logistic regression.

Results

Approximately one‐third of the PwMS reported no restrictions in the domains of work (35.7%), family (38.7%), leisure activities (31.1%) or contact with friends/acquaintances (40.3%), the remaining participants reported moderate to severe restrictions. Tiredness/fatigue was the most commonly reported most‐limiting symptom (49.5%). PwMS with Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS) scores of zero reported restrictions in life domains ranging from 39.6% (friends/acquaintances) to 45.7% (leisure activities). Age, sex, education, type of living area, MS type, type of most‐limiting symptom, and EDSS score predicted restrictions in work and private life domains.

Conclusions

Most PwMS reported similar levels of restrictions in both their work and private lives. Restrictions in these life domains were also reported by PwMS with low disability levels (EDSS = 0) and were often associated with invisible symptoms such as fatigue. Even in a contemporary MS cohort, close to 90% of PwMS report limitations due to MS.
Edge computing driven sustainable development: A case study on professional farmer cultivation mechanism
Authors: Yuan Hui , Nie Hong
Published: March 2023

New‐type professional farmers are new‐type rural talents with scientific and cultural literacy and professional knowledge of agriculture under the background of rural revitalization. The new type of professional farmers is of great significance for accelerating agricultural modernization and promoting the construction of a powerful modern socialist country. In the process of cultivating new types of professional farmers in rural areas, it is necessary to break through the previous informatization constraints of poor information flow, and give full play to the role of advanced information technology to promote the sustainable economic development. This paper proposes a new type of professional farmer cultivation platform based on edge computing architecture to improve the cultivation efficiency of new type of professional farmers, so as to better promote the development of rural informatization. Aiming at the challenges of energy consumption under the edge platform architecture, this paper proposes a dynamic scheduling method for semi‐online tasks for edge computing platforms. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the algorithm, the method in this paper is compared with the classic scheduling algorithm, and simulated and verified on the CloudSim platform. Experimental results show that the proposed method outperforms other algorithms in the task completion time metric. With the expansion of task scale, more energy consumption can be saved by using the algorithm proposed in this paper.
A hierarchical automatic phoneme recognition model forHindi‐Devanagariconsonants using machine learning technique
Authors: Malakar Mousumi , Keskar Ravindra B. , Zadgaonkar Ajit
Published: March 2023

A phoneme is perceptually the smallest distinct sound unit distinguished among words in a particular language. Every language has its own set of phonemes, and all the words are ordered sequences of phonemes. Therefore, phoneme recognition is essential to automatic speech recognition (ASR) systems. Phonemes of a language can be classified together using a single machine learning (ML) model through the direct classification (also known as thebaselineorflatclassification) approach. However, it is observed that the performance of such phoneme recognition degrades with the increase in the number of phoneme classes. The challenge is pronounced in languages with a larger number of phoneme classes, like Hindi, which has 48 phonemes. In this paper, we propose a speaker‐independent hierarchical classification approach for 33 Hindi‐Devanagari consonants/phonemes using cepstral features with ML techniques like support vector machine (SVM), random forest (RF) and fully connected deep neural network (DNN). In this hierarchical approach, a given phoneme is classified into successive subgroups until the particular phoneme class is identified. To perform the classification task, a binary or multi‐class classifier is invoked for each internal (non‐leaf) node in the hierarchy tree. Our model identified pairs ofOptimal Feature Sets(based onmutual information) and thebest suitable ML classifierfor each internal decision node in the hierarchy using 10‐fold cross‐validation to help in efficient classification. Our proposed hierarchical model leads to better accuracy and 57% improved performance for phoneme recognition compared with the non‐hierarchical, that is, thedirect classificationapproach.
Satellite solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence tracks physiological drought stress development during 2020 southwest US drought
Authors: Zhang Yao , Fang Jianing , Smith William Kolby , Wang Xian , Gentine Pierre , Scott Russell L. , Migliavacca Mirco , Jeong Sujong , Litvak Marcy , Zhou Sha
Published: March 2023

Monitoring and estimating drought impact on plant physiological processes over large regions remains a major challenge for remote sensing and land surface modeling, with important implications for understanding plant mortality mechanisms and predicting the climate change impact on terrestrial carbon and water cycles. The Orbiting Carbon Observatory 3 (OCO‐3), with its unique diurnal observing capability, offers a new opportunity to track drought stress on plant physiology. Using radiative transfer and machine learning modeling, we derive a metric of afternoon photosynthetic depression from OCO‐3 solar‐induced chlorophyll fluorescence (SIF) as an indicator of plant physiological drought stress. This unique diurnal signal enables a spatially explicit mapping of plants' physiological response to drought. Using OCO‐3 observations, we detect a widespread increasing drought stress during the 2020 southwest US drought. Although the physiological drought stress is largely related to the vapor pressure deficit (VPD), our results suggest that plants' sensitivity to VPD increases as the drought intensifies and VPD sensitivity develops differently for shrublands and grasslands. Our findings highlight the potential of using diurnal satellite SIF observations to advance the mechanistic understanding of drought impact on terrestrial ecosystems and to improve land surface modeling.
Fatigue resistance and damage mechanisms of 2D woven SiC/SiC composites at high temperatures
Authors: Zeng Bin , Ma Qin , Xue Yudong , Liao Chunjing , Qin Hao , Chen Xiaowu , Hu Jianbao , Zhang Xiangyu , Yang Jinshan , Dong Shaoming
Published: March 2023

Fatigue resistance and damage mechanisms of 2D woven SiC/SiC composites at high temperatures were investigated in this research. Fatigue behavior tests were performed at 1200℃ and 1000°C at 10 Hz and stress ratio of 0.1 for maximum stresses ranging from 80 to 120 MPa, and the fatigue run‐out could be defined as 106 cycles. Evolution of the cumulative displacement and normalized modulus with cycles was analyzed for each fatigue condition. Fatigue run‐out was achieved at 80 MPa and 1000°C. It could be found that the cycle lifetimes of the composites decreased sharply with the increasing maximum stress and temperature conditions significantly affected the fatigue performance under matrix cracking stress. The cumulative displacement showed no noticeable increase before 1000 cycles and the modulus of the failed specimens decreased before fracture. The retained properties of composites that achieved fatigue run‐out, as well as the microstructures, were characterized in order to understand the fatigue behavior and failure mechanisms. The composites exhibited similar fracture morphology with matrix crack extension and glass phase oxidation formation under different conditions. In general, the high‐temperature fatigue damage and failure of composites could be affected by combination of stress damage and oxidative embrittlement.