bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
An integrated model approach for disaster impact reduction: lessons from a slow onset disaster in Chile
Authors: Gomez-Schwartz David , Castillo-Vergara Mauricio , Contreras González Oscar , Espíndola Arellano Cesar
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The prolonged drought in Chile’s Coquimbo region has created a permanent state of emergency, forcing the state to spend millions each year distributing drinking water to rural communities. The purpose of this article is to detail a study focused on optimizing the supply of drinking water through trucks in the 15 communes of the region and how the problem was faced in a context of a slowonset disaster.

Design/methodology/approach

A geo-referenced census and optimization analysis of the 5.541 households that receive drinking water was conducted to determine the feasibility of removing trucks from the system. To generate a greater reduction in distribution costs, it was suggested to incorporate water distribution infrastructure projects, changing the concept of ‘expenses’ to ‘investment’.

Findings

The study was born out of the concern for the increased demand for drinking water from rural areas. The proposed and implemented framework allowed an additional 20% reduction in the initial transportation costs; this confirmed the assumption that the proposed optimization model alone would not offer a robust solution and was complemented and integrated with this type of alternative, forming an “integrated model”.

Research limitations/implications

The paper has implications for the resilience of territories affected by climate change.

Practical implications

The methodology can be replicated in other areas where similar interactions occur.

Social implications

Families impacted by drought can improve their quality of life and reduce distress in the face of the constant emergency.

Originality/value

This research aims to contribute knowledge from the perspective of a slow-onset disaster where water resources are scarce. It presents a framework where two disciplines converge, resulting in an “integrated model” that, through its implementation, reduces the costs of resource delivery while simultaneously improving the sanitary conditions of the beneficiary families.
Navigating the digital classroom: a qualitative content analysis of MOOC discourses in Indian e-newspapers
Authors: Lexman Rahul Rajan , Krishnan Gopinath , Baral Rupashree , Thomas Shameem Cina
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to explore and unravel the contents portrayed in online news discourses on massive open online courses (MOOCs). Considering sociological dimensions and journalistic strategies, this study examines how online news media reflects, shapes and informs narratives about the social acceptance and use of the MOOC model of learning.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the Gioia methodology as the overarching framework, this study adopted a two-staged qualitative content analysis of 1,162 online news items from the websites of the top seven online English newspapers of India, published between May 2012 and September 2023. In subsequent semi-structured interviews with subject matter experts, broad themes were identified. In addition, this study integrated Van Dijk’s ideological square model with media content theories to comprehensively analyze the intricate complexities in media depictions of MOOCs.

Findings

While manifest content analysis revealed the emergence of 25 categories, latent content analysis unveiled six broad themes: “announcements, user stages, characteristics, benefits, changing facets, and educational inequalities,” which are associated with the MOOC model. Application of Van Dijk’s model evidenced the usage of a positive self-representation strategy by Indian online news media until mid-2020. The application of media content theories underscored the predominant usage of reframing as a journalistic strategy to maintain reader interest in MOOC-related content in online news items, emphasizing the dynamic nature of media portrayals of social phenomena such as MOOCs.

Practical implications

The depth of MOOC-related coverage and the increasing number of news articles discussing MOOCs in Indian online media signify a growing acceptance of this educational innovation in society. Insights from emergent themes can aid administrators and platforms to effectively design and deliver future courses. In addition, understanding these themes can guide the development of media strategies to address contextual issues such as educational inequalities arising from MOOCs. This study also focuses on the necessity of upholding journalistic ethics in content dissemination.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive synthesis of various themes and journalistic strategies adopted by online news media over the last decade in MOOC-based narratives in India. Given the distinctive Indian context, wherein MOOCs are growing rapidly amid widening digital inequalities, this research addresses calls within information systems literature to explore this phenomenon. It pioneers the integration of communication and mass media theories to analyze the complex sociological dynamics in news discourses on MOOCs, offering a novel perspective on the intersection of media representation and educational innovation.
Driving value and impact through a community of practice: a case study from Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand University libraries
Authors: Hart Simon , Logan Joanna , Wallbutton Alison
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study addresses a recognised need in workforce development, a committee of the Council of Australian University Librarians (CAUL) facilitated the establishment of the Value and Impact community of practice (the community) between 2016 and 2017. The aim of this study is to create a structure that allows staff in Australian and Aotearoa New Zealand university libraries to promote best practice and build common capability in planning, performance, evaluation and measurement across a range of activities.

Design/methodology/approach

Membership is extended to those with roles focusing on quality, standards, analytics, communications or marketing and those with an interest in developing their understanding of these topics. A core group of members play a guardianship role to oversee the operations and liaise with CAUL. In walking the talk, an annual survey gathers performance measures that are reported to CAUL with examples of benefits and shared initiatives. Feedback is used to improve the operations of the community and determine meeting topics. The data and manaakitanga (support and care for each other) have driven these librarians to meet regularly as a community.

Findings

Meetings offer a chance for a “round robin” to share practice and trouble shoot or cover a special topic with members or visiting experts presenting and facilitating discussion. At least 75% of the membership consistently report contact with other members outside of the meetings and that the community contributes to building their capability.

Originality/value

The community’s operating template and lessons learnt will be of value to those seeking to build community beyond a one-off professional development engagement.
Strengths and weaknesses of PhD training to develop alternative careers. Insights from PhD holders working beyond academia
Authors: Garcia-Morante Marina , Weise Crista , Diaz Villalba Laura Karina , Castelló Montserrat
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to critically assesses how Spanish PhD holders working outside academia perceive and value their past PhD training experiences within academic PhD programs, addressing the growing need for skills applicable in various sectors.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a retrospective interpretative design, the authors collected qualitative data from 35 PhD holders who have transitioned to non-academic careers. Through multimodal interviews, the authors gathered in-depth perceptions to understand the strengths and weaknesses of existing PhD training in relation to non-academic employability.

Findings

The findings highlight a significant disconnect between academic-oriented training and the practical demands of non-academic jobs, particularly in non-research roles. While PhD training was valued in research-related non-academic positions, especially in STEM fields, it was considered insufficient for those in managerial or other non-research roles unless the training included specific industry-related projects. Participants suggested a cultural shift in PhD programs towards a more balanced academic and non-academic focus, integrating societal concerns and broader competencies like effective communication and managerial skills. These changes are seen as crucial for better-preparing PhD candidates for diverse professional environments, emphasising the need for PhD programs to evolve continually in response to the changing dynamics of the labour market and societal needs.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the ongoing discussion about the need for PhD programs to evolve by offering a unique perspective from within the Spanish context. It underscores the necessity for educational reforms incorporating comprehensive skill training, aligning more closely with the career opportunities available to PhD graduates.
Global citizenship, global access, and world-class education: constructing institutional narratives at the Sino-British universities
Authors: Goodbody Felix
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to contribute to understandings of how international universities in China construct institutional narratives to attract Chinese students by leveraging themes of global citizenship and international mobility.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative analysis of web and other university materials, and mixed-method analysis of social media (WeChat) to identify and quantify recurring themes in the universities’ student-facing presentation.

Findings

Despite differing operational models, both universities emphasize Western education’s prestige and global citizenship, primarily appealing to affluent families and positioning themselves as pathways to international postgraduate study.

Originality/value

The research provides new insights into the student recruitment strategies of international universities in China, contributing to the broader understanding of higher education internationalization in non-Western contexts.
Common Institutional Ownership and Corporate Carbon Emissions
Authors: Qiang Ji , Lei Lei , Wood Geoffrey , Zhang Dayong
Published: November 2024

There has been a growing interest in comparative work exploring when and why firms embark on green paths. It has been concluded that in national contexts where inter‐firm ties are stronger, progress has been stronger. In turn, this raises questions about the impact of inter‐firm ties within, rather than between, national contexts, and in settings where progress towards renewables has been uneven and contested. Accordingly, we explore how common institutional ownership may foster collaboration among firms within the same industry against climate change. Using a sample of US‐listed firms from 2006 to 2019, we obtain robust evidence that firms with industrial peers that are owned by the same institutional investors have lower carbon emissions. In addition, we find that a threshold exists for which the impact on carbon emissions holds only when firms are commonly connected with a substantial number of peers. The existence of this threshold suggests potential free‐riding issues and highlights the beneficial role of investors in promoting cross‐industry collaboration. Overall, our results highlight the role played by institutional investors in tackling climate issues, with important implications for both climate‐ and antitrust‐related regulations.
Secondary findings in 443 exome sequencing data
Authors: Branković Marija , Han Heonjong , Janković Milena , Marjanović Ana , Andrejic Nikola , Gunjić Ilija , Virić Vanja , Palibrk Aleksa , Lee Hane , Peric Stojan
Published: November 2024

Exome sequencing (ES) may identify and report secondary findings that are unrelated to the primary disease for which the patient underwent genetic testing, but are of potential value in patient care.

In this study, we evaluated 81 American College of Medical Genetics (ACMG) medically actionable genes in 443 patients with various neurological disorders. The variants identified were classified and reported following the 2015 ACMG Standards and Guidelines for the interpretation of sequence variants and the ACMG recommendations for reporting secondary findings (v3.2).

We detected a total of 17 variants in 17 patients across 9 different genes as secondary findings. Seven heterozygous variants were found in BRCA1, MSH2, and PALB2 which are part of the cancer phenotype category. Nine heterozygous variants were found in MYH7, TTN, LDLR, DSC2, and DSP which are part of the cardiovascular phenotype category. Finally, one heterozygous variant was found in TTR which is part of the miscellaneous phenotype category. Thirteen of above mentioned variants were classified as known pathogenic and four as expected pathogenic.

The information collected in our study may lead to the prevention of severe morbidity and mortality and provides additional insight into the genetic background of the Serbian population.
Role of intra‐individual variation in the detection of thresholds for DFI and for misclassification rates: A retrospective analysis of 14,775 SCSA® tests
Authors: Christensen Preben , Fischer Robert , Schulze Wolfgang , Baukloh Vera , Kienast Kimberly , Coull Graham , Parner Erik T.
Published: November 2024

Background

Sperm DNA damage is associated with reduced male fertility after natural conception and intrauterine insemination. However, the impact on in vitro fertilization (IVF) and especially intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatments is still unclear. Few studies have focused on the intra‐individual variation in DFI even though it may have an important role to play in terms of detection of thresholds and for misclassification rates.

Methods

Results for Sperm Chromatin Structure Assay (SCSA®) tests performed for 70 European fertility clinics between January 1st, 2008 and December 31st, 2022 were examined. A small retrospective study included 406 couples receiving their first treatment with IVF or ICSI. These results were then used for a mathematical simulation to investigate the role of intra‐individual variation. The large retrospective study included a total of 14,138 diagnostic tests and 637 tests from an IUI study. The distribution of DFI was assessed for the IUI cohort and cohorts of patients attending Sims IVF and Fertility Center Hamburg (FCH). Descriptive analysis of the data was performed regarding time of year, male age, and year.

Results

When DFI was above the thresholds of 15 and 25, a significant reduction in ongoing pregnancies after 12 weeks of gestation was observed for IVF and ICSI treatments, respectively. For IVF treatments, the pregnancy rate was reduced from 45.1% to 24.6%, odds ratio = 2.58 (p = 0.004). For ICSI treatments, the pregnancy rate was reduced from 48.6% to 29.6%, odds ratio = 2.00 (p = 0.032). Intra‐individual variation was significantly related to the misclassification rate and the sample size required to identify a threshold. The percentage of patients with a DFI below 15 was 64.8% for the IUI cohort and 51.7% and 41.6% for cohorts of patients attending Sims IVF and FCH, respectively. The median DFI for these cohorts differed significantly and was 11.6, 15.0 and 17.2, respectively. DFI shows a seasonal variation, and increases with male age. During the past 15 years, the median DFI has increased by 0.05% per year (p = 0.02).

Discussion and conclusions

Ongoing pregnancy rates are reduced significantly for both IVF and ICSI treatments when DFI is above the thresholds of 15 and 25, respectively. The misclassification rate and the required sample size increase with increasing intra‐individual variation. Couples with a DFI above 15 are more likely to experience failed assisted reproductive technology (ART) cycles. DFI appears to have increased during the past 15 years.
Associations of vasectomy with sexual dysfunctions and the sex life of middle‐aged men
Authors: Jahnen Matthias , Rechberger Anna , Meissner Valentin H. , Schiele Stefan , Schulwitz Helga , Gschwend Jürgen E. , Herkommer Kathleen
Published: November 2024

Background

Vasectomy is a safe and effective form of contraception. However, fear of altered sexual function is still associated with vasectomy in many men.

Objectives

To assess the prevalence of vasectomy among middle‐aged men in Germany and to investigate possible associations between a previous vasectomy and sexual dysfunctions.

Methods

Data on lifestyle, sexual activity, satisfaction, and dysfunction from 5425 middle‐aged, heterosexual men were collected. Differences between vasectomized (VM) and non‐vasectomized men (NVM) were assessed. Multiple logistic regression analyses were calculated to determine variables associated with erectile dysfunction (ED), premature ejaculation (PE), and low libido.

Results

5425 men with a mean age of 50.6 ± 0.8 years were included in this analysis. Vasectomy was performed in 12.5% (679/5425) on average 8.6 ± 5.8 years ago. 84.4% were sexually active in the last 3 months (93.0% in vasectomized men vs. 83.2% in non‐vasectomized men; p < 0.001), and 45.4% were satisfied with their sexual life (55.2% in vasectomized men vs. 44.0% in non‐vasectomized men; p < 0.001). The prevalence of erectile dysfunction was significantly lower in vasectomized men (12.1% vs. 20.1%; p < 0.001), and a previous vasectomy was associated with a decreased risk for erectile dysfunction in multivariable regression analysis (OR: 0.65 [0.40–0.83]). The prevalence of low libido (4.7% in vasectomized men vs. 7.1% in non‐vasectomized men; p = 0.02) was marginally higher among non‐vasectomized men. The prevalence of premature ejaculation (7.1% in vasectomized men vs. 6.1% in non‐vasectomized men, p = 0.5) did not differ significantly between vasectomized and non‐vasectomized men.

Discussion

A previous vasectomy is not associated with an increased risk for sexual dysfunction, and vasectomized middle‐aged men are more sexually active and satisfied compared to their non‐vasectomized counterparts. The main limitations are the retrospective design and missing pre‐vasectomy data.

Conclusions

Men can be reassured that the fear of sexual dysfunctions and diminished sex life after a vasectomy is unwarranted.
Research on bluish‐white porcelain glazes of Fanchang kiln in China
Authors: Cui Mingfang , Guan Mingxue , Zhu Jie , Hu Rui , Zhu Jianhua
Published: November 2024

Polarized light microscopy, thermal dilatometery and energy‐dispersive X‐ray fluorescence spectrometry (EDXRF) were conducted to analyse the microstructures, sintering temperature and chemical compositions of ancient porcelain glazes excavated from Fanchang kiln, China. The origin, development and decline of Fanchang bluish‐white porcelain were thoroughly investigated from the perspective of the formula and firing technology from the Five dynasties (907–906 CE) to the middle Northern Song dynasty (1015–1070 CE). The contents of major elements in glazes were compared with those of Ding, Yue, Qingshan and Hutian kilns over the same period. It was indicated that the glazes of Fanchang bluish‐white porcelain were prepared by mixing limestone and plant ashes into the ‘glaze stone’. After the middle Northern Song, the content of limestone and plant ashes gradually increased, which was related to the change of raw materials and the formula technology. The glaze formula of Fanchang kiln was much closer to the southern kilns. Evidence revealed that Fanchang bluish‐white porcelains had reached a high firing level in the Five dynasties. At that time, the firing temperature was maintained in the range of 1100–1220°C, and their colour and texture showed at their best. In the middle Northern Song, the quality decreased as the firing temperature decreased, implying signals of a gradual decline.
Optical control of cardiac electrophysiology by the photochromic ligand azobupivacaine 2
Authors: Fehrentz Timm , Amin Ehsan , Görldt Nicole , Strasdeit Tobias , Moussavi‐Torshizi Seyed‐Erfan , Leippe Philipp , Trauner Dirk , Meyer Christian , Frey Norbert , Sasse Philipp , Klöcker Nikolaj
Published: November 2024

Background and Purpose

Patients suffering from ischaemic heart disease and heart failure are at high risk of recurrent ventricular arrhythmias (VAs), eventually leading to sudden cardiac death. While high‐voltage shocks delivered by an implantable defibrillator may prevent sudden cardiac death, these interventions themselves impair quality of life and raise both morbidity and mortality, which accentuates the need for developing novel defibrillation techniques.

Experimental Approach

Photopharmacology allows for reversible control of biological processes by light. When relying on synthetic and externally applied chromophores, it renders genetic modification of target cells dispensable and may hence be advantageous over optogenetic approaches. Here, the photochromic ligand azobupivacaine 2 (AB2) was probed as a modulator of cardiac electrophysiology in an ex vivo intact mouse heart model.

Key Results

By reversibly blocking voltage‐gated Na+ and K+ channels, photoswitching of AB2 modulated both the ventricular effective refractory period and the conduction velocity in native heart tissue. Moreover, photoswitching of AB2 was able to convert VA into sinus rhythm.

Conclusion and Implications

The present study provides the first proof of concept that AB2 enables gradual control of cardiac electrophysiology by light. AB2 may hence open the door to the development of an optical defibrillator based on photopharmacology.
Eye diseases in chronic kidney disease: A nationwide longitudinal case–control study in Sweden
Authors: Ballester Dolz Pablo , Ålander Karin , Smedberg Petra , Vihlborg Per , Bryngelsson Ing‐liss , Westerlund Jessica , Makdoumi Karim
Published: November 2024

Background

Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a growing health issue that is becoming more prevalent globally, increasing financial cost on healthcare systems. The purpose of this study is to investigate the incidence of eye diseases in patients diagnosed with CKD in Sweden and to evaluate which eye diseases are most likely to develop.

Methods

A longitudinal population‐based retrospective case–control study was conducted including all individuals diagnosed with chronic kidney disease during the time period 2001–2019. A total of 19 455 cases and 38 890 controls were included. For each case, two controls were matched with the same sex, age, and county of residence.

Results

CKD patients had a significantly higher risk of contracting any eye disease compared to individuals without kidney disease HR 1.73 (CI 1.67–1.79), with an elevated risk for all blocks of diagnoses except for glaucoma HR 0.95 (CI 0.85–1.06). However, this condition developed earlier in cases than in controls. Subanalyses showed an increased risk for chronic eye disease patients to develop cataract HR 1.70 (CI 1.63–1.78), other retinal disorders HR 1.86 (CI 1.72–2.02), and retinal vascular occlusions HR 2.08 (CI 1.73–2.51). In general, diagnosis of an eye disease occurred earlier in cases than controls.

Conclusions

The results from this study suggest that CKD patients have an increased risk to develop eye disease. Ocular disease seems to develop considerably earlier in CKD, even without staging the severity of the disease, with particularly high risk of developing retinal diseases and cataracts. Screening for eye disease in CKD should be considered.
Variation Across Organ Procurement Organizations in Deceased‐Donor Kidney Offer Notification Practices
Authors: Cron David C. , Kuk Arnold E. , Parast Layla , Husain S. Ali , Welten Vanessa M. , Yu Miko , Mohan Sumit , Adler Joel T.
Published: November 2024

Introduction

How offer notifications are distributed early in the kidney allocation timeline, including how widely they are offered, is unclear. A better understanding of offer notification practices across organ procurement organizations (OPOs) may identify opportunities for more efficient allocation.

Methods

We merged the Scientific Registry of Transplant Recipients potential transplant recipient file with additional offer notification time stamps to identify 54 631 deceased‐donor kidney match runs from 2017 to 2023. Offer notifications for a given match run are sent to candidates/centers in “batches.” We quantified the number of offers in the initial batch—which theoretically reflects the OPO's initial estimate of how widely a kidney should be offered—and compared this metric across OPOs.

Results

Kidneys were offered to a median of 14 candidates (IQR 9–38) in the first batch of notifications, and this varied across OPOs from 3 to 746 candidates per initial batch. Batch size at the OPO‐level did not correlate with rank at kidney placement or OPO nonuse rate. OPOs in the highest quartile of batch size sent more offers (median 100) than presumably necessary to place kidneys (median rank at placement 21), and OPOs in the lowest quartile of batch size sent fewer offers (6) than needed to place kidneys (rank at placement 19).

Conclusions

Offer notification practices vary widely across OPOs, and many OPOs offer kidneys far more widely than necessary for placement. Optimization of offer notification practices may reduce unnecessary communications. Further research into allocation processes is needed to identify opportunities to improve efficiency of allocation for OPOs and transplant centers.
Development and Clinical Validation of Liquid Chromatography–Tandem Mass Spectrometry for Measuring Ruxolitinib in Steroid‐Refractory Graft‐Versus‐Host Disease: A First Step Towards Optimized Treatment
Authors: Redondo Sara , Costa María , Moreno‐Martinez Maria‐Estela , Arguello‐Tomas Miguel , Riba Mireia , Aso Olga , Iranzo Eva , Esquirol Albert , Sierra Jorge , Briones Javier , Martino Rodrigo , Zapico Edgar , García‐Cadenas Irene
Published: November 2024

Objective

This non‐interventional, prospective, single‐center study aimed to develop a technique to measure ruxolitinib (RUX) concentrations and provide preliminary data on the distribution of plasma drug levels in patients with steroid refractory (SR) GvHD.

Methods

Between April 2023 and May 2024, we analyzed 48 blood samples from 29 patients with SR‐GvHD.

Results

Median individual plasma concentrations varied across different RUX doses and largely overlapped: 39.2 ng/mL at 10 mg b.i.d (range: 0–73), 13.1 ng/mL at 10–5 mg (range, 6.1–35.6), and 31.6 ng/mL at 5 mg b.i.d (range: 0.7–99.9). Samples taken under non‐optimal temperature conditions showed a lower median concentration of 0.77 ng/mL (range: 0–7.4 ng/mL). The four patients who did not respond at days +28 and +180 after RUX initiation (3 with lower gastrointestinal aGvHD, and 1 with ocular, hepatic, and pulmonary cGvHD) showed a median concentration of only (7.4 ng/mL (range, 0–29) ng/mL) with full dosing.

Conclusions

The introduction and validation of a liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry method for quantifying plasma RUX concentrations was feasible in our center. Administering predetermined and fixed doses of RUX in patients with SR‐GvHD showed highly variable and overlapping plasma drug concentrations. This underscores the potential importance of RUX‐ pharmacokinetics (PK) monitoring.
ResNet‐Transformer deep learning model‐aided detection of dens evaginatus
Authors: Wang Siwei , Liu Jialing , Li Shihao , He Pengcheng , Zhou Xin , Zhao Zhihe , Zheng Liwei
Published: November 2024

Background

Dens evaginatus is a dental morphological developmental anomaly. Failing to detect it may lead to tubercles fracture and pulpal/periapical disease. Consequently, early detection and intervention of dens evaginatus are significant to preserve vital pulp.

Aim

This study aimed to develop a deep learning model to assist dentists in early diagnosing dens evaginatus, thereby supporting early intervention and mitigating the risk of severe consequences.

Design

In this study, a deep learning model was developed utilizing panoramic radiograph images sourced from 1410 patients aged 3–16 years, with high‐quality annotations to enable the automatic detection of dens evaginatus. Model performance and model's efficacy in aiding dentists were evaluated.

Results

The findings indicated that the current deep learning model demonstrated commendable sensitivity (0.8600) and specificity (0.9200), outperforming dentists in detecting dens evaginatus with an F1‐score of 0.8866 compared to their average F1‐score of 0.8780, indicating that the model could detect dens evaginatus with greater precision. Furthermore, with its support, young dentists heightened their focus on dens evaginatus in tooth germs and achieved improved diagnostic accuracy.

Conclusion

Based on these results, the integration of deep learning for dens evaginatus detection holds significance and can augment dentists' proficiency in identifying such anomaly.
Genomic Prediction Using Imputed Whole‐Genome Sequence Data in Australian Angus Cattle
Authors: Kamprasert Nantapong , Aliloo Hassan , van der Werf Julius H. J. , Duff Christian J. , Clark Samuel A.
Published: November 2024

Whole‐genome sequence (WGS) data was used to estimate genomic breeding values for growth and carcass traits in Australian Angus cattle. The study aimed to compare the accuracy and bias of genomic predictions with three marker densities, including 50K, high‐density (HD) and WGS. The dataset used in this study consisted of animals born between 2013 and 2022. Body weight traits included birthweight, weight at 400 days and weight at 600 days of age. The carcass traits were carcass weight, carcass intramuscular fat and carcass marbling score. The accuracy and bias of prediction were assessed using the cross‐validation. Further, for the growth traits, animals in the validation group were subdivided into two subgroups, which were moderately or highly related to the reference. Genomic best linear unbiased prediction (GBLUP) was used to compare genomic predictions with the three marker densities. The prediction accuracies were generally similar across the marker densities, ranging between 0.61 and 0.68 for the body weight traits and between 0.40 and 0.52 for the carcass traits. However, the accuracies marginally decreased as the marker density increased for all the traits studied. A similar lack of difference was found when considering the accuracy by the relatedness subgroups. The results indicated that no meaningful difference in prediction accuracy was estimated when comparing the three marker densities due to the population structure. In conclusion, there was no substantial improvement in genomic prediction when using the WGS in this study.
Recalibrating the Local Lens: Drivers and Transformations of the European Union's Territorial Agenda in the Southern Neighbourhood
Authors: Rivera‐Escartin Adrià , Fernández Fernández Fátima
Published: November 2024

Since its inception, the European Neighbourhood Policy (ENP) has incorporated a local lens in its engagement with Southern partners. However, the capacity of local authorities to enact the political autonomy expected by the European Union (EU) is distant from reality. The article mobilizes the concept of hegemonic narratives in the cases of Morocco and Tunisia to problematize the set of discourses that establish the common understanding of ‘the local’ in the ENP's territorial agenda. We present three narratives that became hegemonic across ENP implementation: ‘the local’ as an agent of development, ‘the local’ as an agent of democratization and ‘the local’ as a provider of resilience. The evidence presented allows us to conclude that ‘the local’ acts as an empty signifier in the EU's territorial agenda in its Southern Neighbourhood. Whilst these narratives have certainly served centralizing trends, they have also been mobilized by or in support of emerging actors that contest them.
The readability of contracts: Big data analysis
Authors: Arbel Yonathan A.
Published: November 2024

The plain language movement waged a silent revolution in the last generation, passing nearly 800 laws nationwide with little public debate. The movement asserted that it could scientifically show that there is a widespread readability crisis in legal documents, particularly contracts, that are unreadable to most adults. This article presents the largest empirical analysis of these claims to date, utilizing a dataset of 2 million contracts spanning multiple decades and industries and applying machine learning techniques. The study challenges fundamental tenets of the plain language movement. Contrary to prevailing beliefs, consumer agreements have median reading scores almost indistinguishable from those of daily news articles. A critical evaluation further exposes that readability tools endorsed by the movement are shoddy and manipulable and can produce grade‐level differences of up to 4.6 years for identical texts. Moreover, the movement's core belief that Americans cannot read past the level of an eighth grader is exposed as an unsubstantiated myth. These findings fundamentally challenge the premises and effectiveness of one of the central consumer protection policies. These results call for a radical rethinking of legal access strategies, suggesting a shift from superficial readability metrics to addressing substantive issues in market dynamics and focusing on truly vulnerable populations. More broadly, this case study serves as a cautionary tale about the propagation of myths in legal scholarship and the potential for well‐intentioned reform movements to divert attention and resources from more effective interventions.
Chain novel, or Markov chain? Estimating the authority of U.S. Supreme Court case law
Authors: Dahl Matthew
Published: November 2024

How does the authority of case law evolve over time? On the Dworkinian legal formalist view, cases increase in authority as they become more embedded in the “chain” of legal precedent, but on the Holmesian legal realist view, each case's authority is proportional to its ability to predict future legal outcomes. In this article, I show how modeling the citation network of U.S. Supreme Court case law not as a chain novel (à la Dworkin) but instead as a Markov chain (à la Holmes, or so I argue) unlocks an intuitive measure of case authority—called HolmesRank—that outperforms the existing approach in a variety of validation tasks. I then demonstrate how the authority scores produced using this Markov machinery empower the analysis of two important normative questions: (1) the ideological basis of lasting precedential authority and (2) the causal effect of the Supreme Court's citation choices on lower court compliance.
Paying for performance? Attorneys' fees in fraud class actions
Authors: Choi Stephen J. , Erickson Jessica M. , Pritchard A. C.
Published: November 2024

This paper studies whether plaintiffs' lawyers matter in securities class actions. We use inverse propensity score weighting (IPW) to compare the results in cases led by top‐tier firms against those brought by lower‐tier firms. This technique addresses case selection effects by using all of the cases led by a top‐tier firm and then weighting the cases led by lower‐tier firms based on how similar these cases are to the cases led by top‐tier firms. We do find that top‐tier lawyers obtain better outcomes for shareholders in a subset of securities class actions, specifically the cases against the larger (although not the very largest) companies. Outside of these cases, we find that most of the difference in the results obtained by top‐ and lower‐tier firms disappears when we balance observable characteristics using the IPW technique. Although the top‐tier firms do not get better results in most cases, they do invest more hours and money into their cases.
Investigation of Cross‐Sectional Characteristics of Internal Meshing Screw Mixing Flow Field for Dough Paste
Authors: Guo Fang , Liu Genhao , Meng Dezhao , Ma Yu , Wu Guifang , Hou Zhanfeng , Li Xiwen
Published: November 2024

The internal meshing screw mixer, driven by extensional rheology, demonstrates excellent mixing efficiency for high‐viscosity materials while minimizing fiber damage. This study developed a computational model for the mixing process of high‐viscosity fluids based on the motion equations of the internal meshing screw. The model was validated through experiments involving the mixing of corn syrup, flour and water. The results reveal the flow field's cross‐sectional streamlines and confirm the presence of chaotic mixing states at the system interface through horseshoe mapping and the existence of hyperbolic points. By comparing the extensional and shear rates, as well as analyzing the distribution of mixing indices, this paper establishes that the primary mixing mechanism within the cross‐section is extensional force, highlighting the role of the internal meshing screw as a mixer dominated by extensional flow fields. We investigate the variations in fluid velocity, velocity uniformity index, extensional rate, shear rate, and mixing index over time under different conditions of eccentricity, rotor radius, and rotational speed. The findings indicate that while eccentricity has a limited impact on average velocity, it significantly enhances velocity disturbances and increases the ratio of extensional effects within the fluid domain. In contrast, rotor radius and speed lead to a linear increase in average velocity but have little effect on velocity disturbances and the extensional effects in the fluid domain. This study provides valuable insights into how various cross‐sectional parameters influence the flow field of the internal meshing screw mixing process, offering crucial support for its application in mixing high‐viscosity non‐Newtonian fluids within the food industry.
Diagnosing Fungal Infection in Wheat Kernels by Integrating Spectroscopic Technology and Digital Color Imaging System: Artificial Neural Network, Principal Component Analysis and Correlation Feature Selection Techniques
Authors: Zohrabi Saman , Seiiedlou Seyed Sadegh , Golpour Iman , Lefsrud Mark , Guiné Raquel P. F. , Sturm Barbara
Published: November 2024

Contamination of cereal grain, especially wheat, with fungal infections can cause significant economic impacts and it endangers the health of humans and livestock. This study aims to appraise the UV/VIS–NIR and digital color (RGB) imaging systems and spectroscopic methodology to detect wheat kernels infected by fungi such as Penicillium expansum and Fusarium graminearum. NIR spectra of 190–1100 nm at 10 nm intervals, visible color reflectance images and non‐visible reflectance images of wheat kernels in the ultraviolet and near‐infrared ranges were applied to develop the multi‐layer perceptron (MLP) artificial neural network model. The optimum wavelengths were selected by application of the principal component analysis (PCA) after preprocessing the raw spectra. A confusion matrix was used in the correlation feature selection method (CFS) for the decision tree classifier of selected features. The results showed that the four UV wavelengths of 310, 330, 400, and 410 nm were the best wavelengths using PCA to distinguish healthy and unhealthy wheat kernels. Considering the intensity of the wavelengths as the neural network inputs, samples were classified into healthy and unhealthy categories with an accuracy of 90.9%. Also, 18 features of color images in RGB, LAB, HSV, HSI, YCbCr, and YIQ spaces provided the highest average accuracy of 44.4% in classifying healthy and infected wheat kernels by using a CCD Proline camera in the ultraviolet range. In contrast, other cameras in the visible and invisible range showed low accuracy. Furthermore, the best classification accuracy of the healthy and infected samples by the use of the CFS method was obtained at 88.1%. Based on the findings, spectroscopic methodology proved to be highly effective for detecting, classifying and automatic cleaning of various agricultural seeds, with a particular emphasis on wheat kernals.
Does a Financial Crisis Impair Corporate Innovation?
Authors: IMAI MASAMI , SAWADA MICHIRU
Published: November 2024

We examine whether financial crises affect innovation output in the context of the 1997–98 crisis in Japan by developing the data on patent counts and future patent citations. Innovative outputs of firms that relied more heavily on bank finance fell more, and that bank dependence matters more for small firms. By employing semiparametric propensity score weighting methods, we also show that small firms which had long‐term, precrisis relationships with the failed banks exhibited a large decline in innovative outputs. The results suggest that crisis‐induced disruptions in the provision of intermediated funds reduced the innovative capacity of the opaque, bank‐dependent firms.
A More Ethical Workplace? How and Why Perceived Socially Responsible Human Resource Management Makes a Difference
Authors: Pham Nhat Tan , Lu Jintao , Ogbonnaya Chidiebere , Tuan Tran Hoang , Degbey William Y. , Laker Benjamin
Published: November 2024

Socially responsible human resource management (SRHRM) is a critical component of an organization's corporate social responsibility (CSR) strategy. It focuses on promoting sustainability goals and creating a positive social environment for employees to observe, learn, and internalize the organization's ethical values. Drawing on social learning theory, we conducted two separate field studies to investigate the direct and indirect links between employee perceptions of SRHRM practices and ethical workplace behaviour, as well as the moderating role of supervisor ethical leadership. In Study 1, we analysed three‐wave data from 243 employees in Taiwanese organizations. The results show that perceived SRHRM practices shape ethical workplace behaviour both directly and indirectly through cognitive (value commitment) and morality‐based (moral ownership) mechanisms. Study 2 validates these findings using time‐lagged data from 302 employee–supervisor dyads in Vietnamese organizations. Additionally, this study reveals that the indirect positive relationship between perceived SRHRM and ethical behaviour is stronger when supervisors adopt an ethical leadership style. These findings offer a crucial Asia‐Pacific perspective, complementing the predominantly Western‐focused views on social responsibility in HRM and CSR research.
The efficacy and safety of dual orexin receptor antagonists in obstructive sleep apnea: A systematic review and meta‐analysis of randomised controlled trials
Authors: Yeh Wei‐Chih , Li Ying‐Sheng , Chang Yang‐Pei , Hsu Chung‐Yao
Published: November 2024

Dual orexin receptor antagonists (DORAs) are indicated for the treatment of insomnia disorder. However, DORAs may change sleep parameters, thus having adverse effects on patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This meta‐analysis clarified the impact of DORAs in OSA treatment on sleep architecture and respiratory parameters. We systematically searched PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Central databases for randomised control trials published up to May 2024. The search focussed on studies discussing the effects of DORAs on sleep architecture in patients with OSA. Nonrandomised studies were excluded. A meta‐analysis using a random‐effects model was performed. The patients were categorised into subgroups based on the treatment protocol (single or multiple dosages). The Cochrane risk of bias tool for randomised trials assessed the risk of bias. Our meta‐analysis included four randomised placebo‐controlled trials, encompassing 126 patients with a mean age of 49.1 years. The effects of DORAs on sleep architecture and respiratory parameters were examined. The main findings were as follows: DORAs significantly increased the total sleep time and improved sleep efficiency. However, they did not affect rapid eye movement sleep. DORAs also showed a trend towards decreased wake after sleep onset and did not increase the apnea–hypopnea index. DORAs did not increase the percentage of total sleep time with oxygen saturation lower than 90% and 85% compared with placebo, respectively. Furthermore, DORAs were not associated with significantly higher adverse effects compared with placebo. This meta‐analysis demonstrated that DORAs improve sleep and do not impair nighttime respiratory function in patients with OSA.
Sex‐specific changes in sleep quality with aging: Insights from wearable device analysis
Authors: Tam Jonathan , Ferri Raffaele , Mogavero Maria P. , Palomino Melissa , DelRosso Lourdes M.
Published: November 2024

Prior studies evaluating sleep quality have found that women often have better polysomnography‐defined sleep quality than men, but women subjectively report a greater frequency of sleep disturbances. Although these studies can be partially attributed to study design, it is currently unclear what may be causing these discrepancies. In this study, we aim to identify potential differences in objectively assessed sleep quality between men and women with further emphasis on subgroup analysis based on age. We hypothesize that women's sleep worsens after menopause. Sleep quality was assessed by comparing the Sleep Quality Index, Arousal Index, sleep efficiency and apnea–hypopnea index, as provided by the SleepImage Ring@ 2.3.0, between men and women, with a sub‐group analysis performed by age (18–40 years, 41–50 years, 51–60 years, 61–70 years, and > 70 years), run separately for women and men. In total, 1444 subjects (704 women and 740 men) with a mean age of 53.6 ± 14.71 years were enrolled in this analysis. In women, a significant drop in Sleep Quality Index was noted after age 51 years. Regression analysis demonstrated that age, Arousal Index, sleep efficiency and apnea–hypopnea index correlated significantly with Sleep Quality Index – with age, Arousal Index and apnea–hypopnea index negatively correlated, and sleep efficiency positively correlated. The highest correlation coefficient was obtained for Arousal Index in both women and men. In women, age older than 50 years was associated with a more rapid decrease of sleep quality than men, as defined by an increase in Arousal Index and apnea–hypopnea index with a concurrent decrease in Sleep Quality Index.
Connecting Variety Trialling Systems Across Two Countries
Authors: Piepho Hans‐Peter , Malik Waqas Ahmed
Published: November 2024

In Europe, before acceptance to a country's national list, crop variety candidates must undergo testing for value for cultivation and use (VCU) in multi‐environment trials. Once a variety is accepted to the national list of a country, it can be marketed in that county. Moreover, it may be marketed in other European countries as well, even if it has not been tested for VCU, and hence, there is no performance assessment in those other countries. This paper investigates how VCU trialling systems of two countries can be connected and integrated so that performance can be assessed for both countries without altering the capacity of the trialling systems. Our statistical calculations based on VCU trial data for maize from Germany and Poland highlight the benefit of a joint analysis of data from two countries. Moreover, we show how the efficiency of each country's VCU testing system can be improved—without altering the overall capacity of the systems in terms of the number of trials and the number of plots per trial—by ensuring that each variety is tested in both countries.