bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Fire risk assessment of airborne lithium battery based on entropy weight improved cloud model
Authors: Shao Lei , He Jiawei , Zeng Xianjun , Hu Hanjie , Yang Wenju , Peng Yang
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to combine the entropy weight method with the cloud model and establish a fire risk assessment method for airborne lithium battery.

Design/methodology/approach

In this paper, the fire risk assessment index system is established by fully considering the influence of the operation process of airborne lithium battery. Then, the cloud model based on entropy weight improvement is used to analyze the indexes in the system, and the cloud image is output to discuss the risk status of airborne lithium batteries. Finally, the weight, expectation, entropy and hyperentropy are analyzed to provide risk prevention measures.

Findings

In the risk system, bad contact of charging port, mechanical extrusion and mechanical shock have the greatest impact on the fire risk of airborne lithium battery. The fire risk of natural factors is at a low level, but its instability is 25% higher than that of human risk cases and 150% higher than that of battery risk cases.

Practical implications

The method of this paper can evaluate any type of airborne lithium battery and provide theoretical support for airborne lithium battery safety management.

Originality/value

After the fire risk assessment is completed, the risk cases are ranked by entropy weight. By summarizing the rule, the proposed measures for each prevention level are given.
Evaluation of time-series Sentinel-2 images for early estimation of rice yields in south-west of Iran
Authors: Najafi Payam , Eftekhari Akram , Sharifi Alireza
Published: January 2023

Purpose

In the past three decades, remote sensing-based models for estimating crop yield have addressed critical problems of general food security, as the unavailability of grains such as rice creates serious worldwide food insecurity problems. The main purpose of this study was to compare the potential of time-series Landsat-8 and Sentinel-2 data to predict rice yield several weeks before harvest on a regional scale.

Design/methodology/approach

To this end, the sum of normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI)-based models created the best agreement with actual yield data at the golden time window of six weeks before harvest when rice grains were in milky and mature growth stages. The application of nine other vegetation indicators was also investigated in the golden time window in comparison to NDVI.

Findings

The findings of this study demonstrate the viability of identifying locations with poor and superior performance in terms of production management approaches through a rapid and economical solution for early rice grain yield assessment. Results indicated that while some of those, such as enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and optimized soil adjusted vegetation index, were able to estimate rice yield with high accuracy, NDVI is still the best indicator to predict rice yield before harvest. However, experiments can be conducted in different regions in future studies to evaluate the generalizability of the approach.

Originality/value

To achieve this objective, the authors considered the following purposes: using Sentinel-2 time-series data, determining the appropriate growth stage for estimating rice yield and evaluating different vegetation indices for estimating rice yield.
COVID-19 pandemic-induced organisational cultural shifts and employee information security compliance behaviour: a South African case study
Authors: Butler Kiara Jordan , Brown Irwin
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this preliminary empirical research study is to understand how environmental disruption such as brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic induces shifts in organisational culture, information security culture and subsequently employee information security compliance behaviour.

Design/methodology/approach

A single-organisation case study was used to develop understanding from direct experiences of organisational life. Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected using a sequential mixed methods approach, with the qualitative phase following the quantitative to achieve complementarity and completeness in analysis. For the quantitative phase, 48 useful responses were received after a questionnaire was sent to all 150–200 employees. For the qualitative phase, eight semi-structured interviews were conducted. Statistical software was used to analyse the quantitative data and NVivo software was used to analyse the qualitative data.

Findings

The pandemic-induced environmental disruption manifested as a sudden shift to work-from-home for employees, and relatedly an increase in cybercrime. The organisational response to this gave rise to shifts in both organisational and information security culture towards greater control (rule and goal orientations) and greater flexibility (support and innovation orientations), most significantly with information security culture flexibility. The net effect was an increase in employee information security compliance.

Originality/value

The vast literature on organisational culture and information security culture was drawn on to theoretically anchor and develop parsimonious measures of information security culture. Environmental disruptions such as those caused by the pandemic are unpredictable and their effects uncertain, hence, the study provides insight into the consequences of such disruption on information security in organisations.
Amidst technology, environment and human touch. Understanding elderly customers in the bank retail sector
Authors: Mason Michela Cesarina , Zamparo Gioele , Pauluzzo Rubens
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Using retail banking as a setting and focusing specifically on elderly customers (i.e. individuals aged 60 or more), this study aims to deepen the current understanding of how the physical context and the need for human interaction influence elderly customers' attitudes toward self-service technologies (SSTs) and their behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Using face-to-face questionnaires, a sample of 505 elderly bank customers was collected. Data were analyzed using a multi-method approach, combining a moderated mediation analysis with a fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis.

Findings

The findings suggest that a pleasant retail space may result in a positive attitude toward SSTs, which increases their co-creation intention. It also highlights that need for interaction of elderly customers with employees has detrimental effects on their attitude toward SSTs.

Research limitations/implications

The current analysis was carried out among Italian elderly banks' customers. Thus, the results are highly dependent on the context of the analysis. In addition, it does not consider the different degrees of knowledge and experience the elderly may have with technology.

Practical implications

This study suggests that providing access and support for using technology may be essential for banks to facilitate SSTs adoption in elderly customers.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study represents the first attempt to examine the influence of the physical context on elderly customers' attitudes toward SSTs and their consequent behavioral intentions. Furthermore, it highlights the importance of the human touch for these particular customers.
Environmental outcomes of climate migration and local governance: an empirical study of Ontario
Authors: Yang Haijuan , Krantzberg Gail , Dong Xiaohuan , Hu Xiwu
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of migration growth on environmental outcomes and local governance and assess how well the existing local municipal governance has responded to the environmental impact of increased migration influx in Ontario, Canada using the annual data during 2012–2021.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used the grey relational analysis (GRA) to examine the correlation degree between migrant growth, environmental outcomes and local governance, used coupling coordination degree model (CCDM) to access to what extent the existing local governance systems have responded to the environmental impact of immigrant growth.

Findings

Results show that higher immigrant populations are associated with worse environmental outcomes and the need for more municipal environmental investment and service. The present local municipal environmental service in Ontario lags behind in response to the environmental impacts of increased migration. Good local governance practices and environmental services are required to improve the environmental adaptation capacity of host countries to migrant influx.

Originality/value

Climate change has been regarded as an important driver of internal and international human migration. The mass influxes of migrants will threaten cities’ environmental quality and put considerable pressure on municipal services. This study provides empirical evidence for Ontario’s municipal environmental governance and relevant authorities on how to deal with the environmental impact of increased migration and contributes to call the attention of other countries to the urban environmental pressure caused by migration influx due to the changing climate world wide.
Customer experience in the hotel industry: a systematic literature review and research agenda
Authors: Veloso Mónica , Gomez-Suarez Monica
Published: January 2023

Purpose

Academic research on customer experience (CX) in the hospitality industry has recently experienced vast growth as managers have increasingly focused on delivering distinctive experiences to their guests. Despite the relevance of this topic, studies conducted in this area within the hotel context are scarce and dispersed. This paper aims to classify the main academic studies and to present a definition of hotel CX, a conceptual model, emerging trends and future research gaps.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review (SLR) was selected as the research methodology. Adapted from preferred reporting items of SLR and meta-analysis statements, this study entailed an in-depth review of 46 articles published in English between 2006 and 2021. The articles were compiled using keyword searches in Scopus and Web of Science.

Findings

This study facilitates an understanding of the hotel CX. The conceptual framework derived from the SLR includes the entire set of antecedents, consequences, mediators and moderators of this concept. The results also illustrate the topic’s academic evolution and expose major guidelines that can help determine areas for future research.

Originality/value

This study adds value to the hospitality research literature via SLR. The framework of CX in the hotel industry synthesizes the existing knowledge on this topic and identifies research gaps. The proposed framework allows for the improvement of future hotel CX studies.
Interdependence between foreigner housing acquisitions and housing price increase in Turkey during the COVID-19 pandemic era
Authors: Salami Monsurat Ayojimi , Tanrivermis Harun , Aliefendioğlu (Tanrivermis) Yeşim
Published: January 2023

Purpose

This study aims to establish the relationship between house acquisitions by foreigners (HAF) and house price index (HPI) in Turkey.

Design/methodology/approach

Due to the nature of this study, the data spans from January 2020 to March 2022. The house price index and the number of foreign house acquisitions across three provinces: Ankara, Izmir and Bursa, and national-level data were obtained from the TurkStat database. Consumer price index (CPI) and Turkish interest rates are control variables. In addition, monthly Turkish interest rates and CPI were obtained from the investing.com and TurkStat database, respectively. Furthermore, this study used autoregressive-distributed lag and Toda Yamamoto Granger causality models to avoid analysis bias. HPI and HAF are the variables used to accomplish the objectives of this study.

Findings

This study established a short-run equilibrium between foreign house acquisitions at the provincial and national levels. The short-run deviations were adjusted faster, ranging from 57.53% to 89.24% for some provinces, while Izmir is struggling to adjust at 6.48%. Both unidirectional and bidirectional Granger causality evidence suggests that the Turkish house price index increases at the national and provincial levels. This finding suggests the need for continuous policy intervention in the Turkish housing market because house prices play a pivotal role in Turkish economic development and daily lives.

Research limitations/implications

This study’s scope and single-country study are its limitations. However, those limitations make the findings appropriate for the country of the study rather than generalising the results.

Practical implications

The study provides empirical evidence that foreign housing acquisition contributes negatively to housing affordability in Turkey and calls for authority intervention. This is because housing is considered shelter, a fundamental need to which citizens are expected to be entitled. Most citizens are low- and medium-income earners who may be unable to afford a house out of their income if it becomes costly. Once the expenditure to secure housing exceeds 30% of their income, it is considered unaffordable.

Originality/value

To the authors' best knowledge, this is the first empirical study that established the influence of foreign house acquisitions on Turkish house price increases and adversely reduced house affordability by Turkish citizens. The study is the first on foreign Turkish housing acquisition that used both theory of ownership and justice motivation theory to explain HAF.
The community of Chinese “expat-preneurs”: understanding the challenges of doing business abroad
Authors: Pinto Luisa Helena , Fernandes Emilia , Xinyan Li
Published: January 2023

Purpose

To date, research on migration and entrepreneurship has rarely focused expat-preneurs. Based on recent developments in both fields, this paper aims to investigate the under-researched phenomenon of Chinese self-initiated expatriates who choose to temporarily live and do business abroad on their own volition.

Design/methodology/approach

To address this research gap, 15 in-depth semi-structured interviews with Chinese expat-preneurs living in Portugal were conducted, exposing their narratives about their multiple challenges.

Findings

The findings corroborate the theoretical need to look beyond narrow economic explanations for why individuals engage in transnational entrepreneurship and entrepreneurial itinerancy. A collective identity and ethnic community are important because they influence how opportunities are identified and pursued.

Research limitations/implications

This is a qualitative and interpretative study in a limited geographical area, which does not intent to ensure generalizability. More research is needed to further understand the phenomenon of entrepreneurial itinerancy in Europe and among other ethnic communities.

Practical implications

The findings provide insightful inputs to Portuguese policymakers and locals on how to support ethnic entrepreneurship. Chinese expat-preneurs also benefit from understanding how to strength their ethnic social ties in connection with local communities.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the entrepreneurship and international mobility literatures by providing new insights into the nature and dynamics of Chinese “expat-preneurs”, including their entrepreneurial itinerancy, necessary to properly understand entrepreneurs’ diversity and assist in extending transnational entrepreneurial theory.
Synthesis of transparent thermal insulation coating for efficient solar cells
Authors: Syafiq Amirul , Zaini Farah Khaleda Mohd , Balakrishnan Vengadaesvaran , Rahim Nasrudin Abd.
Published: January 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to introduce the simple synthesis process of thermal-insulation coating by using three different nanoparticles, namely, nano-zinc oxide (ZnO), nano-tin dioxide (SnO2) and nano-titanium dioxide (TiO2), which can reduce the temperature of solar cells.

Design/methodology/approach

The thermal-insulation coating is designed using sol-gel process. The aminopropyltriethoxysilane/methyltrimethoxysilane binder system improves the cross-linking between the hydroxyl groups, -OH of nanoparticles. The isopropyl alcohol is used as a solvent medium. The fabrication method is a dip-coating method.

Findings

The prepared S1B1 coating (20 Wt.% of SnO2) exhibits high transparency and great thermal insulation property where the surface temperature of solar cells has been reduced by 13°C under 1,000 W/m2 irradiation after 1 h. Meanwhile, the Z1B2 coating (20 Wt.% of ZnO) reduced the temperature of solar cells by 7°C. On the other hand, the embedded nanoparticles have improved the fill factor of solar cells by 0.2 or 33.33%.

Research limitations/implications

Findings provide a significant method for the development of thermal-insulation coating by a simple synthesis process and low-cost materials.

Practical implications

The thermal-insulation coating is proposed to prevent exterior heat energy to the inside solar panel glass. At the same time, it can prevent excessive heating on the solar cell’s surface, later improves the efficiency of solar cell.

Originality/value

This study presents a the novel method to develop and compare the thermal-insulation coating by using various nanoparticles, namely, nano-TiO2, nano-SnO2 and nano-ZnO at different weight percentage.
Pathogen load predicts host functional disruption: A meta‐analysis of an amphibian fungal panzootic
Authors: Wu Nicholas C.
Published: January 2023

The progression of infectious disease depends on the intensity of and sensitivity to pathogen infection. Understanding commonalities in trait sensitivity to pathogen infection across studies through meta‐analytic approaches could provide insight to the pathogenesis of infectious diseases. The globally devastating amphibian chytrid fungus, Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), offers a good case system due to the widely available dataset on disruption to functional traits across species.

Here, I systematically conducted a phylogenetically controlled meta‐analysis to test how infection intensity affects different functional traits (e.g. behaviour, physiology, morphology, reproduction) and the survival in amphibians infected with Bd.

There was a consistent effect of Bd infection on energy metabolism, while traits related to body condition, osmoregulation, and behaviour generally decreased with Bd infection. Skin integrity, hormone levels, and osmoregulation were most sensitive to Bd infection (minimum Bd load ln 2.5 zoospore equivalent), while higher minimum Bd loads were required to influence reproduction (ln 10.6 zoospore equivalent). Mortality differed between life stages, where juvenile mortality was dependent on infection intensity and exposure duration, while adult mortality was dependent on infection intensity only. Importantly, there were strong biases for studies on immune response, body condition and survival, while locomotor capacity, energy metabolism and cardiovascular traits were lacking.

The influence of pathogen load on functional disruption can help inform pathogen thresholds before the onset of irreversible damage and mortality. Meta‐analytic approaches can provide quantitative assessment across studies to reveal commonalities, differences and biases of panzootic diseases, especially for understanding the ecological relevance of disease impact.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Diagnosing by anticipation: Coordinating patient trajectories within and across social systems
Authors: Rasmussen Erik Børve , Johannessen Lars E. F. , Rees Gethin
Published: January 2023

Anticipation is a fundamental aspect of social life and, following Weber, the hallmark of social action—it means trying to take others’ responses to our actions into account when acting. In this article, we propose and argue the relevance of anticipation to the sociological study of diagnosis. To that end, we introduce and elaborate on the concept of diagnosing by anticipation. To diagnose by anticipation is to consider diagnoses as cultural objects imbued with meaning, to anticipate how others will respond to their meaning in situ and to adapt the choice of diagnosis to secure a desired outcome. Unlike prognosis, which seeks to predict the development of a disease, diagnosing by anticipation entails seeking to predict the development of a case and the effect of different diagnostic categories on its trajectory. Analytically, diagnosing by anticipation therefore involves a shift in diagnostic footing, from trying to identify what the case is a case of, to trying to identify which diagnosis will yield the desired case trajectory. This shift also implies a stronger focus on the mundane organisational work of operating diagnostic systems and coordinating case trajectories within and across social systems, to the benefit of the sociology of diagnosis.
The effectiveness of WeChat couple‐based psychosocial support for gynaecological cancer: A randomised controlled trial
Authors: Li Minjie , Chan Carmen W. H. , Chan Dorothy , Li Xiaomei , Zhang Mengyue , Zhang Hui , Feng Li , Huang Lina , Mielke Ruth , Du Juan
Published: January 2023

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of an 8‐week electronic couple‐based psychosocial support platform (WeChat) for gynaecological cancer.

Design

Randomised controlled trial.

Setting

Oncology hospital in Shaanxi Province, China.

Participants

A total of 98 dyads of women with gynaecological cancer and their intimate male partners were included.

Methods

Couple dyads were randomly allocated to either the WeChat couple‐based psychosocial support or to a control group receiving eight WeChat articles on general education content related to diet and exercise.

Main outcome measures

The primary outcome was sexual function assessed with the Female Sexual Function Index. The secondary outcomes of relationship satisfaction and quality of life were assessed with the Chinese version of Revised Dyadic Adjustment Scale, Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy‐General and The World Health Organization Quality of Life BREF. These outcomes were assessed before randomisation, and immediately and 3 months after the intervention.

Results

The study showed that the sexual function of women participants in the intervention group did not reach a significant level compared with the control group. Relationship satisfaction in the intervention programme improved significantly (adjusted mean difference 4.7, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.0–7.4; p = 0.001) and quality of life (QoL 6.9, 95% CI 0.5–13.3; p = 0.035) 3 months after the intervention in women with gynaecological cancer. The intervention programme also showed significant positive effects on optimising relationship satisfaction (adjuste mean difference 3.0, 95% CI 0.3–5.7; p = 0.027) of male partners.

Conclusions

The results provided additional knowledge and an evidence base for the application of the support programme to improve relationship satisfaction and QoL among couples living with gynaecological cancer.
Acromegaly with joint pain as an initial symptom: A case report
Authors: Cao Ruixin , Zhang Di , Xing Haichang , Wang Mingyan , Lu Zhongshuo , Fan Bing
Published: January 2023

Background

Acromegaly is caused by the long‐term excessive secretion of growth hormone (GH) and insulin‐like growth factor‐1 (IGF‐1). It can cause excessive hyperplasia of bone, cartilage, and soft tissue.

Case Presentation

A 50‐year‐old woman had a history of joint pain and swelling for more than 1 year. She visited a local primary care clinic, but her illness was not diagnosed by a primary care physician. After relevant examination in our hospital, we excluded inflammatory arthritis such as rheumatoid arthritis, immune disease‐related arthritis, and infectious arthritis, and considered osteoarthritis or endocrine–metabolic arthritis. When we examined her again, we found that her fingers and toes were enlarged. She was diagnosed with acromegaly after IGF‐1 test, and pituitary magnetic resonance imaging. Her joint symptoms were significantly relieved and her prognosis was good after surgery in another hospital.

Conclusions

Acromegaly is a complex and rare disease, which is difficult to diagnose. When a patient presents with arthralgia, it is easily misdiagnosed as a rheumatic disease, and the diagnosis and treatment are delayed.
The relationship between telework and job characteristics: A latent change score analysis during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Schulze Julian , Krumm Stefan , Eid Michael , Müller Hannah , Göritz Anja S.
Published: January 2023

During the COVID‐19 pandemic, a sizable proportion of employees conducted home‐based telework to contain virus spreading. This situation made it possible to investigate the relationship between telework and job characteristics. Many positive and negative associations between telework and job characteristics have been proposed in the literature, but most studies relied on cross‐sectional data as well as narrow samples (e.g. employees voluntarily choosing to telework). Repeated measures designs investigating the association between telework intensity and job characteristics using less selective samples are currently rare. To address this research gap, we collected data at two time points in Germany during the COVID‐19 pandemic (n = 479) and investigated if change in telework intensity was associated with change in 19 job characteristics using structural equation modeling. Our analyses showed that—in contrast to several prior cross‐sectional studies—telework intensity had a small to moderate association with only two out of the 19 job characteristics: Work scheduling and decision‐making autonomy. Hence, the study challenges the previously assumed manifold positive and negative associations between telework intensity and job characteristics and adds to the debate about the role of telework intensity as an antecedent of work design. Future studies should investigate the generalizability of the findings to non‐pandemic work contexts.
Creativity in virtual teams: Systematic review, synthesis and research agenda
Authors: Abi Saad Elie , Agogué Marine
Published: January 2023

Virtual teams are gaining increasing momentum in contemporary organizations. Although it is becoming clear that virtual teams will play a major role in shaping the future of work, we still know relatively little about their creative performance. Because of the disproportionate focus on conventional, face‐to‐face working practices, much of the literature remains centred around co‐located teams. In this review, we integrate existing research on team creativity and virtual work to identify the relevant factors, processes and contextual conditions that have been shown to influence creativity in virtual teams. We highlight the major challenges that are likely to impede team creativity and assess their relevance to contemporary virtual work practices. We conclude by presenting promising avenues for future research in this area.
Genetic spectrum and clinical features in a cohort of Chinese patients with isolated dystonia
Authors: Li Li‐Xi , Liu Ying , Huang Jie‐Hong , Yang Yi , Pan You‐Gui , Zhang Xiao‐Long , Pan Li‐Zhen , Jin Ling‐Jing
Published: January 2023

Dystonia is a genetically and phenotypically heterogeneous disorder that occurs in isolation (isolated dystonia) or in combination with other movement disorders. To determine the genetic spectrum in isolated dystonia, we enrolled 88 patients with isolated dystonia for whole‐exome sequencing (WES). Seventeen mutations, including nine novel ones, were identified in 19 of the 88 patients, providing a 21.59% positive molecular diagnostic rate. Eleven distinct genes were involved, of which TOR1A and THAP1 accounted for 47.37% (9/19) of the positive cases. A novel missense variant, p.S225R in TOR1A, was found in a patient with adolescence‐onset generalized dystonia. Cellular experiments revealed that p.S255R results in the abnormal aggregation of Torsin‐1A encoding by TOR1A. In addition, we reviewed the clinical and genetic features of the isolated dystonia patients carrying TOR1A, THAP1, ANO3, and GNAL mutations in the Chinese population. Our results expand the genetic spectrum and clinical profiles of patients with isolated dystonia and demonstrate WES as an effective strategy for the molecular diagnosis of isolated dystonia.
Chasing the breath of life: Lung transplantation from the viewpoint of a patient
Authors: Herman Stewart W.
Published: January 2023

Have you ever wondered about what an organ transplant involves? This article provides a window into the experience of one patient receiving new lungs. My aim is to provide signposts for anyone else who stumbles into lung disease and then struggles for recovery from this mortal threat. Call it a “memoir of resilience”—one person's effort to bend without breaking in response to a series of medical challenges. I hope my experience might help other people with compromised lungs gain a glimmer of what to expect and provide a framework for families, friends, pastors, and others to understand what is happening from outside.
Dynamic assessment of the tricuspid annulus in a healthy Asian population: A four‐dimensional echocardiography study
Authors: Wu Jian , Huang Xinyi , Huang Kunhui , Tian Yuan , Gao Qiumei , Lin Biqin , Tang Yiruo , Chen Xu , Su Maolong
Published: January 2023

Background

Tricuspid annulus (TA) geometry and function reference values are limited, especially for Asian populations. We aimed to explore TA using four‐dimensional echocardiography (4DE) in a healthy Asian population.

Methods

A total of 355 healthy Asian volunteers (median age 34 years; 52% males) were prospectively enrolled. TA geometry and function were analyzed using 4DE throughout the cardiac cycle.

Results

The TA area, perimeter, and dimensions were smallest at end systole (ES) and largest at late diastole (LD). Normal TA parameters at end diastole (ED) in different sex and age groups were obtained. TA areas, perimeters, and dimensions in males were significantly larger than those in females at ED; BSA‐indexed perimeters and BSA‐indexed dimensions in males were significantly smaller than those in females at ED. TA parameters correlated well with tricuspid valve (TV) tenting, right ventricle (RV), and right atrium (RA) parameters.

Conclusions

Reference values of TA parameters were obtained by 4DE in an Asian population. Quantitative data on TA geometry and function are essential for TA pathology and therapeutics.
Coparenting as a mediator between physical custody arrangements and children's mental health
Authors: Steinbach Anja
Published: January 2023

The detrimental effects of parental break‐up on children's mental health are well‐documented. However, research has also shown that children living in joint physical custody (JPC) arrangements often fare better than children living in sole physical custody (SPC) arrangements. Thus, the question arises: What are the differences between JPC and SPC that account for those results? Drawing on data from the Family Models in Germany (FAMOD) study conducted in 2019, structural equation models (SEM) were estimated to deduct the mediating role of coparenting support in children's mental health in 465 JPC and 652 SPC families with children aged 2–14. The findings suggest that the better mental health observed among children in JPC families than among children in SPC families was fully mediated by coparenting support. However, this held true only for internalizing and externalizing behavior, but not for prosocial behavior as no differences between JPC and SPC were found for this dimension. The findings affirm the importance of supportive coparenting for children's well‐being after family dissolution in both SPC and JPC arrangements. After breaking up, parents should be supported in their parental engagement through coparenting counseling or psychoeducation classes.
In Conversation with John Cryan
Authors: Dhillon Paraminder , Cryan John F.
Published: January 2023

John F. Cryan is Chair of the Department of Anatomy and Neuroscience, Principal Investigator in the APC Microbiome Ireland Institute and Vice President for Research and Innovation at University College of Cork, Ireland. He obtained his bachelor's and doctoral degrees (in Biochemistry and Pharmacology, respectively) from the University of Galway and undertook postdoctoral research experience in the USA, at the University of Pennsylvania and The Scripps Research Institute. He was also a visiting fellow at the Department of Psychiatry, University of Melbourne, for a couple of years post‐PhD. In 2002, John took up a position in industry as a laboratory head at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research in Basel, Switzerland. After a 4‐year stint at Novartis, he returned to academia in late 2005 as a Lecturer and then Senior Lecturer in Pharmacology at University College Cork (UCC). The Cryan lab now focuses on determining the impact of the gut microbiota on the human brain and behaviour, with a particular interest in the brain–gut–microbiome axis in the context of depression. John has published more than 600 peer‐reviewed papers and has received many honours and accolades in recognition of his contributions to neuropharmacology and microbiome research, including the Datta lecture award from FEBS in 2022. In this interview, he outlines how he became interested in the role of the microbiome in brain development and disease, provides advice to budding scientists and highlights the broader public health implications of his research.
Patterns of functional diversity along latitudinal gradients of species richness in eleven fish families
Authors: Diamond Jonathan , Roy Denis
Published: January 2023

Aim

As we enter an era of major biodiversity shifts, understanding large‐scale biodiversity patterns has become crucial for ecological and conservation purposes. Often, conservation priorities are based on concepts derived largely from species richness, yet recent work shows that different facets of biodiversity are also crucial for proper ecosystem continuity, function and services. One facet of biodiversity increasingly relevant to conservation is functional diversity. Here, we aim to improve our understanding of large‐scale patterns of biodiversity by testing the hypothesis that species richness can also accurately estimate functional diversity along the latitudinal gradient of species richness in fish.

Location

Marine environments.

Time period

Contemporary.

Major taxa studied

Eight hundred and forty‐two species within 11 fish families: Acanthuridae, Blenniidae, Chaetodontidae, Gobiidae, Labridae, Lutjanidae, Pleuronectidae, Pomacanthidae, Pomacentridae, Scombridae and Sparidae.

Methods

Using geometric morphometrics to calculate morphological diversity, a proxy for functional diversity, we estimated the expected functional diversity for a given number of species and compared it with the observed functional diversity in fish families along latitudes. We then fitted a broken‐stick regression model with estimates of functional diversity over absolute degree of latitudes to locate latitudes where significant shifts in functional diversity occur.

Results

We found that species richness typically over‐ or underestimated functional diversity along the latitudinal gradient of species richness in the evaluated fishes. We also showed that for most families investigated, there was a pattern of stable functional diversity from the equator through the tropics that shifted, with a mean inflection point occurring at absolute latitude 31.7 ± 10.1°. We suggest that this pattern might be linked to changes in environmental factors such as global temperature and/or habitat availability beyond tropical latitudes; however, these concepts require more study.

Main conclusions

This analysis shows the importance of considering functional diversity further, in combination with other biodiversity metrics, when developing conservation priorities and policies.
Fossil diatom assemblage changes due to paleoenvironment change, tsunami, and typhoon in southern Japan
Authors: Cho Ara , Kashima Kaoru , Baranes Hannah , Ladlow Caroline , Katsuki Kota , Woodruff Jonathan D.
Published: January 2023

Tracking paleoenvironmental change and past event deposits is very important to evaluate the natural hazard spatially. This paper presents how the environment changes and implies the event deposit depending on the diatom assemblage change. To investigate paleoenvironmental change and identify the difference between tsunami and typhoon deposits, we analyze diatoms from the sediments in two coastal lakes in southern Japan where flood deposits have been linked to historical typhoon and tsunami events (Lakes Kawahara and Ryuo). The sediment cores extend from B.C.E. 500 to approximately C.E. 1000 and the downcore variation in diatom assemblages indicates a series of transitions from saline to fresher conditions in both Lake Kawahara and Lake Ryuo between approximately C.E. 500 and 1700. We observe an obvious deviation in diatom assemblages in event deposits previously identified to be either of tsunami or typhoon in origin. For the most prominent event deposit preserved in Lake Ryuo by the Hoei tsunami of C.E. 1707, the deposition of marine diatoms serves as evidence of marine flooding, while the subsequent deposition of soil and freshwater diatoms indicates the mobilization of terrigenous sediment during returning seaward flows. In contrast, the most prominent event deposit in Lake Kawahara is associated with freshwater flooding by the Kamikaze typhoon of C.E. 1281 and contains very low diatom abundances and a peak of freshwater taxa, followed by a peak in diatom counts potentially due to greater biological activity induced by a resultant influx of nutrients and re‐oxygenation during the event.
Application of next‐generation sequencing technology in the detection of pathogenic bacteria of the periprosthetic joint infection after arthroplasty
Authors: Chang Yu , Jiang Kai , Zhang Lixin , Yang Fang , Huang Jing
Published: January 2023

To investigate the application value of next‐generation sequencing (NGS) technology in the detection of pathogenic bacteria in the periprosthetic joint infection after arthroplasty. Twenty‐two cases of patients with joint infection after arthroplasty in our hospital from March 2020 to March 2021 were selected, with 11 cases of knee and 11 cases of hip, including 8 cases of male and 14 cases of female, and an average age of 63.55 ± 13.11 years old (range from 28 to 85). Microbiological culture results of synovial fluid and periprosthetic joint tissue and NGS results of periprosthetic joint tissue were collected. The detection rate of NGS and microbiological culture were calculated and statistically analysed by paired χ2 test. Among the 22 patients with joint infection after arthroplasty, the positive rate of NGS was 90.91% (20/22), whereas the positive rate of bacterial culture was 50.00% (11/22). Paired chi‐square test showed a statistically significant difference in the detection rate between the two groups (P = .0029). In the detection of pathogenic microorganism, NGS detected 12 kinds of bacteria, Staphylococcus aureus in 3 patients, Staphylococcus epidermidis in 5 cases, Streptococcus 1 case, Streptococcus dysgalactiae 1 case, Xanthomonas campestris 3 cases, Escherichia coli 2 cases, Bacillus cereus 2 cases, Klebsiella pneumoniae 1 case, Finegoldia magna 1 case, Corynebacterium klopensteriella in 1 case, Brucella 1 case, and Aspergillus flavus 1 case. Bacterial culture detected 6 kinds of bacteria, included 5 cases of Staphylococcus epidermis (including 3 cases of Methicillin‐resistant coagulase‐negative Staphylococcus, (MRSCoN)), 2 cases of Staphylococcus aureus (both Methicillin‐resistant Staphylococcus aureus, (MRSA)), 1 case of Klebsiella pneumoniae, 1 case of Staphylococcus hominis (MRSCoN), 1 case of G+ bacillus, and 1 case of Brucella. Compared with bacterial culture, NGS technology has some advantages in the detection efficiency, detection rate, and comprehensiveness, which might be greater diagnostic value in the joint fluid of infection after arthroplasty.
Competition Law and Sustainability in the EU: Modelling the Perspectives of National Competition Authorities
Authors: Malinauskaite Jurgita , Erdem Fatih Buğra
Published: January 2023

Debates have surged in the European Union (EU) on how EU competition policy can best support the European Green Deal. In the theoretical and practical aspects, non‐economic factors in competition law analysis are problematic due to the difficulty in measuring the concrete benefits of trade‐offs. The National Competition Authorities (NCAs) rather than the European Commission (EC) are leading the ‘sustainability in competition law’ debates, which is the focus of this article. Therefore, this study reviews the current status quo of all NCAs' positions concerning sustainability‐related matters by classifying them into four typologies in terms of their willingness to incorporate sustainability in their assessments. It further identifies four emerging NCAs models, which seem to divert from the EC's view. This can be problematic in ensuring the uniform application of competition law.
Interdisciplinary interactions, social systems and technical infrastructure required for successful implementation of mobile stroke units: A qualitative process evaluation
Authors: Bagot Kathleen L. , Purvis Tara , Hancock Shaun , Zhao Henry , Coote Skye , Easton Damien , Campbell Bruce C. V. , Davis Steve M. , Donnan Geoff A. , Foster Shane , Langenberg Francesca , Smith Karen , Stephenson Michael , Bernard Stephen , McGowan Sharon , Yan Bernard , Mitchell Peter , Middleton Sandy , Cadilhac Dominique A.
Published: January 2023

Rationale

Mobile stroke units (MSUs) are increasingly being implemented to provide acute stroke care in the prehospital environment, but a comprehensive implementation evaluation has not been undertaken.

Aim

To identify successes and challenges in the pre‐ and initial operations of the first Australian MSU service from an interdisciplinary perspective.

Methods

Process evaluation of the Melbourne MSU with a mixed‐methods design. Purposive sampling targeted key stakeholder groups. Online surveys (administered June–September 2019) and semistructured interviews (October–November 2019) explored experiences. Directed content analysis (raters' agreement 85%) and thematic analysis results are presented using the Interactive Sociotechnical Analysis framework.

Results

Participants representing executive/program operations, MSU clinicians and hospital‐based clinicians completed 135 surveys and 38 interviews. Results converged, with major themes addressing successes and challenges: stakeholders, vehicle, knowledge, training/education, communication, work processes and working relationships.

Conclusions

Successes and challenges of establishing a new MSU service extend beyond technical, to include operational and social aspects across prehospital and hospital environments.
Heteromerization of short‐chain trans‐prenyltransferase controls precursor allocation within a plastidial terpenoid network
Authors: Ma Yihua , Chen Qingwen , Wang Yaoyao , Zhang Fengxia , Wang Chengyuan , Wang Guodong
Published: January 2023

Terpenes are the largest and most diverse class of plant specialized metabolites. Sesterterpenes (C25), which are derived from the plastid methylerythritol phosphate pathway, were recently characterized in plants. In Arabidopsis thaliana, four genes encoding geranylfarnesyl diphosphate synthase (GFPPS) (AtGFPPS1 to 4) are responsible for the production of GFPP, which is the common precursor for sesterterpene biosynthesis. However, the interplay between sesterterpenes and other known terpenes remain elusive. Here, we first provide genetic evidence to demonstrate that GFPPSs are responsible for sesterterpene production in Arabidopsis. Blockage of the sesterterpene pathway at the GFPPS step increased the production of geranylgeranyl diphosphate (GGPP)‐derived terpenes. Interestingly, co‐expression of sesterTPSs in GFPPS‐OE (overexpression) plants rescued the phenotypic changes of GFPPS‐OE plants by restoring the endogenous GGPP. We further demonstrated that, in addition to precursor (DMAPP/IPP) competition by GFPPS and GGPP synthase (GGPPS) in plastids, GFPPS directly decreased the activity of GGPPS through protein‐protein interaction, ultimately leading to GGPP deficiency in planta. Our study provides a new regulatory mechanism of the plastidial terpenoid network in plant cells.
Opposing manner of miR‐455‐3p against NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex in the cortex and hippocampus of depressive rats under simulated complex space environment
Authors: Rasheed Madiha , Wang Han , Wang Chaolei , Sun Jingyan , Chen Zixuan , Deng Yulin
Published: January 2023

Depression in astronauts is one of the consequences of space flight effects, negatively impacting their work performances. Unfortunately, the underlying molecular mechanisms in space flight‐induced depression are still unknown; however, various neuropsychiatric disorders reported that overexpressed NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex in the brain triggers various pathological pathways, and inhibiting NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex asserts antidepressant effects. Through our in silico analysis, we found that epigenetic regulator miR‐445‐3p targets PSD‐95 and is hypothesized to down‐regulate NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex to prevent neuronal damage associated with depression. Therefore, the present study is aimed to determine the novel insight of the miR‐455‐3p against the NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex in the neurobiology of space flight‐induced depressive behavior. Using a simulated space environment complex model (SCSE) for 21 days, we induced depressive behavior in rats to analyze miR‐455‐3p expression and NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex in the cortex and hippocampus of the SCSE depressed rats through qRT‐PCR and western blot analysis. Further, an in vitro microgravity model using rat hippocampus cell lines (RHNC) was utilized to identify the independent role of miR‐455‐3p on (1) NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex and TrKB–BDNF proteins, (2) oxidative stress, (3) nitric oxide level, (4) inflammatory cytokines, (5) mitochondrial biogenesis/ dynamics, and (6) cell survival. Our results showed that miR‐455‐3p regulates NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex in the SCSE depressed rats in opposite ways, with the cortex revealing a higher level of miR‐455‐3p and low‐level NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex and the hippocampus showing down‐regulated miR‐455‐3p and up‐regulated NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex, indicating a region‐specific change in the miR‐455‐3p and NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex in the SCSE depressed rats. Further RHNC results also confirmed down‐regulated miR‐455‐3p and up‐regulated NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex expression, similar to the findings in the hippocampus of SCSE rats, suggesting that microgravity influences miR‐455‐3p and associated changes. Additional investigations revealed that miR‐455‐3p targets PSD‐95 and co‐regulates NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex along with TrkB–BDNF signaling and exert protective effects against NR2B‐PSD‐95‐nNOS complex, oxidative stress, nitric oxide, inflammatory cytokines, and mitochondrial defects, suggesting a valuable biomarker for devising depressive disorders.

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