bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Can tourism enhance inclusitivity for indigenous peoples? Cham perspectives on tourism benefit sharing at living heritage sites in Vietnam
Authors: Quang Tuyen Dai , Dang Vang Quang , Alang Tho , Nguyen Hoang Van
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Through a case study of the Po Klaong Girai temple in Vietnam, this paper explores how indigenous community perceive tourism benefit sharing (TBS) associated with their cultural tourism at sacred living-heritage sites and how this TBS enhances the equality and inclusion for indigenous community in the context of tourism in Vietnam.

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed ethnographic fieldwork and semi-structured interviews with 35 indigenous Cham priests directly associated with managing and preserving the Po Klaong Girai temple.

Findings

This research found that Cham community perceive inequality and exclusivity on tourism benefit sharing at this religious site. While Cham Ahier priests face economic barriers in providing these services to the community, annual tourism revenue is allocated to local government budgets. Such economic pressure forces the priests to seek alternative economic avenues to support their families at the expense of their traditional commitments to communal, cultural and religious activities, significantly impacting sustainable heritage conservation. This has led to strained relations between the local community and local authorities.

Practical implications

This research provides evidence to improve living heritage management practices by proposing tourism development policies for equality and inclusion among stakeholders, especially minorities and disadvantaged groups. This can be an experiential and necessary lesson for “dealing” with sustainable heritage management in heritage living sites in other ethnic minority areas in Vietnam and globally.

Originality/value

The findings from this study address the knowledge gap on equitable revenue sharing in heritage tourism, where financial benefits from the commodification of minority cultures should be used to support local communities and the custodians of indigenous heritage.
Alternative ecotourism perspectives within the protected conservation sites and farming communities amid environmental degradation and climate change-bound rural exercises
Authors: Ramaano Azwindini Isaac
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aims to examine the latent capability of alternative-responsible tourism and ecotourism management in sustainable tourism and rural communities' livelihoods in Musina Municipality in Limpopo Province, South Africa, and benchmark the capability with other African countries amid climate change and environmental degradation dilemmas. Hence, the aforementioned objective coordinates with various agrarian locations elsewhere abroad.

Design/methodology/approach

Literature reviews, document reviews, interviews, and focus group discussions were employed to gather data, which was enriched by field observation views. To this end, potential climate change-linked environmental degradation, rural tourism, agricultural, and environmental management issues came to the fore.

Findings

Environmental degradation poses a possible threat to natural resource management, as evidenced by the rural development, ecotourism and agricultural activities within the study region. Thereupon, environmental degradation supplements the probability of adverse effects from climate change and precarious incomes. According to the research, responsible tourism and ecotourism are vital to promoting sustainability in rural localities.

Originality/value

The plenteous biodiversity of the municipality offers a better scenario for sustainable ecotourism in tandem with agritourism efforts to address the identified ongoing and liability issues. These issues have therefore symbolized the need for an adequate and allied tourism strategy to boost the local people in Musina Municipality and, conceivably, throughout the continent.
Retaining U.S. stem women faculty during the COVID-19 pandemic: the important role of family-supportive supervisor behaviors to lower work-to-life conflict
Authors: Lawson Katie M. , Lee Soomi , Smith Claire , Thiem Kelsey C.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The COVID-19 pandemic may negatively impact the careers of U.S. women faculty in computer science (CS) – a field with few women and high attrition rates among women – due to difficulties balancing increased work and family demands (author citation). Thus, it is important to understand whether supervisors may help to decrease this work-to-life conflict and increase the odds of retaining women faculty. This study examined whether family-supportive supervisor behaviors (FSSB) were associated with better retention-related job outcomes (e.g., lower turnover intentions) among women faculty in CS, and whether this association was mediated by lower work-to-life conflict.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 379 CS faculty across the U.S. (54% women, 52% with children at home) were surveyed during the COVID-19 pandemic (Fall 2020-Spring 2021).

Findings

Compared to men, women CS faculty reported significantly higher work-to-life conflict, and that higher work-to-life conflict predicted poorer retention-related work outcomes for all faculty. However, for women only, FSSB predicted lower levels of work-to-life conflict, and in turn, better retention-related work outcomes.

Practical implications

Results suggest that emotionally-supportive supervisor behaviors may lower work-to-life conflict during the pandemic, which has important implications for retention-related work outcomes among women faculty in CS.

Originality/value

Research has yet to disentangle how managers can help to retain women CS faculty in light of the increasing and changing work and home demands due to the pandemic. The present study focused on whether FSSB – particularly emotional support – may benefit women CS faculty.
Metaverse meets digital entrepreneurship: a practitioner-based qualitative synthesis
Authors: Calandra Davide , Oppioli Michele , Sadraei Razieh , Jafari-Sadeghi Vahid , Biancone Paolo Pietro
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Considering the pervasiveness of technology, this article offers an understanding of how the metaverse can impact digital entrepreneurship. The objective will be to gather professional evidence on how the revival of this new technology can bring entrepreneurial development.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a qualitative study approach based on applying the metaverse in digital business contexts and analysing 533 practitioner sources from the Nexis Uni database, it will be possible to identify the concepts and application techniques of this emerging technology. The research adopts a qualitative methodology based on a mixed thematic and content review using tools such as ATLAS.ti and Leximancer.

Findings

This study finds three relevant macro-topics for metaverse and digital entrepreneurship (technology, immersive and design) and eight concepts (private solutions, digital twins, gamification, public solutions, new business worlds, co-design, collaborative spaces and stakeholders' participation). The uncovered elements demonstrate professionals' interest in a new mode of digital entrepreneurship using the metaverse. This interest highlights the commitment of companies and entrepreneurs toward discovering new services delivered in virtual and parallel worlds that find the creation of digital twins as their essence. Therefore, the study explores ongoing relationships for developing increasingly technically complex metaverse platforms and customer service offerings.

Research limitations/implications

The study has some limitations as the selection of the database and the way the cases are focused on, which may be a stimulus for future studies. The analysis has innumerable theoretical and practical implications. In the first case, this research will shed light on an empirical case concerning the conceptual difference between innovation or greater transformation of business models through the metaverse. This work will directly contribute to the global discussion by identifying a model for applying emerging technology to digital entrepreneurs. Finally, from a practical point of view, the authors will provide new insights to digital entrepreneurs by showing them applications, best practices, and platforms they can use for their businesses.

Practical implications

On a practical level, the authors show practical opportunities coming from the metaverse for digital entrepreneurs. This study may inspire CEOs, managers, and future entrepreneurs to use the metaverse to expand their businesses by diversifying their services into numerous sectors.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this study represents one of the first efforts to study the metaverse by framing it from theoretical and practical perspectives of digital entrepreneurship. Additionally, future research implications may guide researchers in this brilliant research field.
Enhancing the website usage using process mining
Authors: Choudhary Chetna , Mehrotra Deepti , Shrivastava Avinash K.
Published: June 2023

Purpose

As the number of web applications is increasing day by day web mining acts as an important tool to extract useful information from weblogs and analyse them according to the attributes and predict the usage of a website. The main aim of this paper is to inspect how process mining can be used to predict the web usability of hotel booking sites based on the number of users on each page, and the time of stay of each user. Through this paper, the authors analyse the web usability of a website through process mining by finding the web usability metrics. This work proposes an approach to finding the usage of a website using the attributes available in the weblog which predicts the actual footfall on a website.

Design/methodology/approach

PROM (Process Mining tool) is used for the analysis of the event log of a hotel booking site. In this work, authors have used a case study to apply the PROM (process mining tool) to pre-process the event log dataset for analysis to discover better-structured process maps than without pre-processing.

Findings

This article first provided an overview of process mining, then focused on web mining and later discussed process mining techniques. It also described different target languages: system nets (i.e. Petri nets with an initial and a final state), inductive miner and heuristic miner, graphs showing the change in behaviour of the dataset and predicting the outcome, that is the webpage having the maximum number of hits.

Originality/value

In this work, a case study has been used to apply the PROM (process mining tool) to pre-process the event log dataset for analysis to discover better-structured process maps than without pre-processing.
Sustainability-oriented commerce innovation: How does it influence consumer satisfaction?
Authors: Gil-Saura Irene , Ruiz-Molina Maria-Eugenia , Marín-García Antonio , Michel Géraldine
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Innovation and sustainability are two key factors for retailers seeking a competitive advantage. However, the way in which the joint effect of both of these variables impacts consumer satisfaction is still unknown. To address this gap, based on the concept of sustainability-oriented service innovation (SOSI), the authors introduce a new construct named sustainability-oriented commerce innovation (SOCI) in the context of the retail sector.

Design/methodology/approach

The relationships between the variables defined in this research were examined using a structural equations model for 510 customers of grocery retail establishments.

Findings

The authors find support for a direct positive impact of SOCI on customer satisfaction and an indirect impact through store equity. These chained effects are modified according to the client participation in the development of sustainable and innovative initiatives.

Originality/value

This research analyses the joint effect of innovation and sustainability in the retail context by introducing a new concept – SOCI – and a scale for its measurement whose psychometric properties are validated.
Accounting meets metaverse: navigating the intersection between the real and virtual worlds
Authors: Pandey Durgesh , Gilmour Paul
Published: June 2023

Purpose

The “metaverse” is the new buzzword. With the phenomenal growth of the metaverse comes accounting, taxation and jurisdictional challenges, which business and governments have yet to fully address. This paper aims to highlight and rationalise the lack of regulatory framework and multiplicity of jurisdictions on metaverse transactions. This paper addresses some of the complications with respect to accounting and taxation in virtual environments.

Design/methodology/approach

This study relies on secondary data and emerging literature to understand the multiplicity of jurisdiction and complexity of the accounting transactions. The concept of the metaverse is rapidly evolving, and this study uses extant literature to provide the foundation for understanding the key challenges relating to accounting and taxation.

Findings

Concepts of revenue recognition and deferment are challenged by the transactions in the metaverse. There are novel applications, underpinned by emerging technologies and blockchain supporting new crypto assets, such as non-fungible tokens and other decentralised finance (DeFi) tools; however, the caveats of anonymity and jurisdictional issues persist. The paper suggests that the industry must adapt to the unique reporting requirements of these assets and develop new standards for evaluating their value for financial reporting purposes. The paper emphasises the need for a case-based approach in the absence of standardised regulations for the accounting industry in the metaverse.

Originality/value

This paper adds original contributions to extant literature of the metaverse and advances ongoing debates into the accounting and taxation issues pertinent to the metaverse and DeFi.
Lean thinking in medical commodities supply chains: applicability and success factors for Tanzanian health supply chains
Authors: Kessy Severine Sirito Augustine , Salema Gladness Ladislaus , Simwita Yusta
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine lean thinking in medical commodities supply chains by considering its applications and success factors. It determines the drivers and wastes of medical commodity supply chain, and the existing lean tools and practices together with their application in the supply chain processes. The paper also examined the challenges and success factors for effective lean application in the medical commodities supply chains.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used qualitative approaches, in-depth interviews and focus group discussions with key informants to form the basis for data collection. Through thematic analysis, the collected data were analyzed by developing themes reflecting the objectives of the study.

Findings

The main drivers for waste associated with the supply chain were demand management, supplier development, institutional framework and governance. The wastes were observed at the level of inventory, operation costs, transaction costs, delays in terms of service, commodity delivery time and quality. Digitalization, information technology and standardization were the tools for medical supply chain. Poor infrastructure, unreliable internet supply, environmental uncertainty and poor management support were challenges to realizing an effective supply chain.

Research limitations/implications

Although the qualitative approach used in the study provides detailed information, a quantitative study covers a larger sample for generalization.

Practical implications

Capacity building and professionalism should be given a priority because the philosophy of lean focuses on waste removal and continuous improvement, which highly depends on the quality of human resource (Brito et al., 2020). Limited human resource capabilities in supply chain management will, therefore, result into poor operational efficiency, which are wasted. Moreover, systems interoperability is key waste minimization and, therefore, demands interventions.

Social implications

The government under the Ministry of Health and other key sector ministries such as local and regional governments should better understand the role of the waste drivers and adopt system-wide reforms to support improvements to remove waste in the medical supply chain. For example, the current institutional framework creates an administrative block and hence leads to wastes. This bureaucratic procedure should be removed to minimize wastes along the chain.

Originality/value

This study is among the first studies to determine applicability and implementation of lean in a resource-constrained context. The paper identifies contextual factors for lean implementation. This paper focused on a holistic view of the entire supply chains to enhance a well-functioning supply chain in delivering health commodities.
The evaluation of tourists' virtual reality experiences in the transition process to Metaverse
Authors: Çolakoğlu Ülker , Anış Esra , Esen Özlem , Tuncay Can Serkan
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study explores tourists' virtual reality experiences during the transition to the Metaverse.

Design/methodology/approach

Qualitative approach was employed to capture tourists' virtual reality experiences and knowledge of the Metaverse at two five-star hotels in Kusadasi (Republic of Turkey). The data were collected from Kusadasi using a purposive sampling technique. The research design focused on data collection with the structured interview technique. The interview form consisted of 7 questions in total, and a voice recorder was used to record the answers of the participants. After the first 4 questions were asked, the participants were presented a virtual reality experience with the virtual reality (VR) glasses. The interview was held face-to-face with thirty-five participants consisting of domestic and foreign tourists in two five-star hotels in the summer season of 2022. The collected data were analyzed with the content analysis technique and themes were created.

Findings

This study's findings enhance the conceptual capital in this emerging field and provide insights into many of the participants who have and have never experienced virtual reality applications and who are familiar and unfamiliar with the Metaverse as a concept.

Research limitations/implications

This study generates empirical data that informs contemporary debates about virtual reality and the Metaverse.

Practical implications

The findings show that most participants have never experienced a virtual reality application. Hotels and travel agencies should be aware of this new futuristic technology before the Metaverse transition. Metaverse is for generation Y and Z instead of Baby Boomers and generation X.

Originality/value

This study is unique in terms of depth and fills the gap as it provides useful insights regarding the evaluation of tourists' virtual reality experiences in the transition process to the Metaverse.
Leader–follower congruence in psychological capital: effects on LMX and turnover intention
Authors: Zhang Xinggui , Lin Zhibin , Chen Xiao , Zhang Zhijie , Liu David Ming
Published: June 2023

Purpose

Prior studies have consistently shown that leader psychological capital is beneficial for leader–member exchange (LMX) and followers’ outcomes. In this study, the authors challenge this consensus; they propose that a leader with high-level psychological capital may decrease LMX and promote followers’ turnover intention when encountering a follower with low-level psychological capital. Only congruent psychological capital in leader–follower dyads increases LMX and decreases turnover intention.

Design/methodology/approach

A two-wave survey was designed to collect data from a sample of 207 leader–follower dyads in the service industries of China. Polynomial regression combined with the response surface analysis was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

(1) LMX increased when the levels of psychological capital between leaders and followers were congruent, but LMX suffered when they were not congruent (e.g. leaders’ psychological capital was higher than followers’ or otherwise); (2) in the conditions of psychological capital congruence, LMX was higher when a leader’s and a follower’s psychological capital were both high than low; (3) LMX mediated the relationship between psychological capital congruence and followers’ turnover intention.

Originality/value

These findings provide a novel perspective on understanding of the function of psychological capital and its implications for turnover management.
How employee pandemic fears may escalate into a lateness attitude, and how a safe organizational climate can mitigate this challenge
Authors: De Clercq Dirk , Aboramadan Mohammed , Kundi Yasir Mansoor
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aims to understand how and when employees' pandemic fears influence their lateness attitude, with a particular focus on how this influence is mediated by emotional exhaustion and moderated by a perceived safety climate.

Design/methodology/approach

Survey data were collected among employees in the retail sector.

Findings

A core mechanism that explains the escalation of pandemic fears into beliefs that tardiness is acceptable is employees' sense that employees are emotionally overextended by work. The extent to which employees perceive that their organization prioritizes safety issues subdues this detrimental process though.

Practical implications

For human resource management (HRM) practice, the findings point to the notable danger that employees who cannot stop ruminating about an external crisis, and feel emotionally overburdened as a result, might compromise their own organizational standing by devoting less effort to punctuality. To disrupt this dynamic, HR managers can create organizational climates that emphasize safety practices.

Originality/value

This study adds to HRM research by revealing a pertinent source of personal adversity, pandemic fears, and how the fears affects tendencies to embrace tardiness at work. The study explicates how emotional exhaustion functions as a core conduit that connects this resource-draining condition with propensities to show up late, as well as how safety climate perceptions can buffer this translation.
Comparison of shading design between the northern and southern hemispheres: using the NSGA-II algorithm to reduce building energy consumption and improve occupants' comfort
Authors: Nazari Sarah , Keshavarz Mirza Mohammadi Payam , Ghaffarianhoseini Amirhosein , Ghaffarianhoseini Ali , Doan Dat Tien , Almhafdy Abdulbasit
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to investigate the optimization of window and shading designs to reduce the building energy consumption of a standard office room while improving occupants' comfort in Tehran and Auckland.

Design/methodology/approach

The NSGA-II algorithm, as a multi-objective optimization method, is applied in this study. First, a comparison of the effects of each variable on all objectives in both cities is conducted. Afterwards, the optimal solutions and the most undesirable scenarios for each city are presented for architects and decision-makers to select or avoid.

Findings

The results indicate that, in both cities, the number of slats and their distance from the wall are the most influential variables for shading configurations. Additionally, occupants' thermal comfort in Auckland is much better than in Tehran, while the latter city can receive more daylight. Furthermore, the annual energy use in Tehran can be significantly reduced by using a proper shading device and window-to-wall ratio (WWR), while building energy consumption, especially heating, is negligible in Auckland.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors' knowledge, this is the first study that compares the differences in window and shading design between two cities, Tehran and Auckland, with similar latitudes but located in different hemispheres. The outcomes of this study can benefit two groups: firstly, architects and decision-makers can choose an appropriate WWR and shading to enhance building energy efficiency and occupants' comfort. Secondly, researchers who want to study window and shading systems can implement this approach for different climates.
The mediating effect of a firm’s corporate reputation and sustainability practices in translating CSR into competitive performance in Indian ESG companies
Authors: Dash Ajitabh , Mohanty Sandeep Kumar
Published: June 2023

Purpose

This study aims to explore the mediating effect of the top-performing environmental, sustainability and governance (ESG) company’s corporate reputation and sustainability practices in translating corporate social responsibility (CSR) practices into competitive performance in an emerging economy like India.

Design/methodology/approach

The hypotheses proposed for this study were validated using partial least squares-based structural equation modeling on data obtained from the chief financial officers of the 122 top-performing ESG companies in India using a self-administered questionnaire.

Findings

According to the findings of this research, the relationship between CSR practices and the competitive performance of the top-performing ESG companies in India is partially mediated by corporate reputation and sustainability practices.

Originality/value

The findings of this study indicate that the corporate reputation of a company and sustainability measures accepted by an organization can improve an organization’s competitive position. Because there has been so little research done on India, this study has the potential to be regarded as a pioneering effort. It can provide a foundation for businesses operating in India to improve their competitive advantage by emphasizing their corporate reputation and sustainable business practices in addition to the CSR activities undertaken.
Real‐world efficacy of adjunctive calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate foam for recalcitrant psoriatic lesions on the scalp or lower legs with biologic therapy
Authors: Hou Yi‐Li , Lin Shang‐Hung
Published: June 2023

Many patients with moderate‐to‐severe psoriasis may not achieve complete skin clearance with recalcitrant lesions despite being on biologics. We aimed to evaluate the real‐world effectiveness and safety of combining topical calcipotriene/betamethasone dipropionate (Cal/BD) foam with biologic therapy for the treatment of recalcitrant psoriatic lesions over the scalp or lower legs. We retrospectively reviewed the medical charts of psoriasis patients receiving adjunctive topical Cal/BD foam with biologics for at least 16 weeks on recalcitrant psoriatic lesions of the scalp or lower legs between 2020 and 2021 at a tertiary referral medical center in southern Taiwan. Among the 18 recruited patients, the severity outcomes of body surface area (BSA), Physician's Global Assessment (PGA), and BSA × PGA of the recalcitrant areas decreased by approximately 31%, 48%, and 50%, respectively, after 4 weeks of once‐daily adjunctive Cal/BD foam use. Thereafter, the effect remained nearly constant after dose reduction to twice weekly until week 16. The Dermatology Life Quality Index and the nine‐item Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication questionnaire revealed improved life quality and a high level of satisfaction, with only a few mild adverse effects reported. In conclusion, adjunctive topical Cal/BD foam might be an effective and safe option for patients with recalcitrant lesions on the scalp and lower legs despite biologics use.
Soil restoration increases soil health across global drylands: A meta‐analysis
Authors: Kimmell Louisa B. , Fagan Jessica M. , Havrilla Caroline A.
Published: June 2023

Soil degradation is one of the greatest environmental issues our planet faces today, with over 33% of Earth's soils currently degraded. Drylands are especially vulnerable to soil degradation given their history of intensive land use and desertification. Active soil restoration has been identified as a leading strategy to combat soil degradation and promote ecosystem recovery. However, soil‐based dryland restoration techniques have shown varying success, potentially due to a lack of understanding of the ecological contexts in which soil‐based treatments are most beneficial.

To improve our understanding of how to best use active soil restoration to restore degraded drylands, we conducted a global meta‐analysis of soil treatment effectiveness at improving soil health across varying environmental gradients. The soil health metrics we analysed were aggregate stability, bulk density, soil moisture, soil organic carbon (SOC), soil nitrogen, mycorrhizal colonization and basal respiration. For this meta‐analysis we collected 155 publications, yielding 1403 unique studies spanning six continents.

We found that overall, soil restoration had a beneficial effect on all measures of soil health ranging from a +11% increase in bulk density (inverse) to a +6967% increase in mycorrhizal colonization. Aridity and soil texture greatly influenced restoration effectiveness for certain soil health metrics. Specifically, for soil carbon and nitrogen, restoration was found to be most effective in arid, fine‐textured soils and mesic, coarse‐textured soils. Additionally, we found that organic amendments were most effective at increasing SOC, while fungi inoculation was most effective at increasing mycorrhizal colonization.

Synthesis and applications: Our findings indicate that active soil restoration is an effective tool for increasing soil health and provide information on optimal treatments and site conditions for improving certain aspects of soil health. This could greatly help inform decision‐making, and thus improve outcomes, in dryland restoration worldwide.
Doubled Abstraction: Ruth Asawa's Stamp and Its Afterlife
Authors: Bird Isabel
Published: June 2023

In Ruth Asawa's final year at Black Mountain College, c. 1948–49, she used a rubber stamp borrowed from the laundry room and featuring the college's initials (BMC) to make a body of work. Three years later, a pattern derived from this work was mass‐produced and marketed across the US under the name Alphabet – without attribution to Asawa, nor to the school for which the pattern's acronym stood. This essay examines the doubled abstraction of Asawa's stamp (in the sense of both material tool and figurative signature), as the letters that she first abstracted into images were subsequently disassociated from both her name and that of the school itself. By tracing Asawa's eventual reclamation of her authorship from this contextual abstraction, this essay makes a broader case for recognizing artistic practices of self‐definition.
Under‐ and Postgraduate Education in Health Economics for Australia's Medical Practitioners: Time for Change?
Authors: Looi Jeffrey C. L. , Davis Jasmine M. , Hensher Martin , Robson Stephen J.
Published: June 2023

Directly or indirectly, medical practitioners influence health‐care policy and spending through their clinical decision‐making. As medical expertise and technology has grown, and patient choice has been empowered by the consumer movement, there are now many more medical interventions than can be accommodated in a finite national health‐care budget. We reviewed the Australian Medical Council, Medical School and Medical Specialist curricula. In Australia, medical students, doctors and medical specialists do not appear to have specific health economics education that would improve skills to select beneficial and cost‐effective care. We propose a framework for medical practitioner health economics education.
Loss of preferential access to the protected EU sugar market: Fiji's response
Authors: Anderson Kym
Published: June 2023

The Fijian government's response since 2010 to the loss of preferential access to the European Union's previously highly protected sugar market has been to increasingly support its cane growers and millers. That support is now much higher than most other countries' assistance to the sugar industry. This study provides detailed estimates of the changing extent of those transfers to producers from both taxpayers and consumers during 2010–22. In doing so, it estimates for the first time an annual time series of nominal rates of assistance to producers and consumer tax equivalent rates (NRAs and CTEs, but they are also converted to producer and consumer support estimates as defined by the OECD). Those NRA and CTE estimates have been approaching 100%. The level of support was equivalent to 10% of Fiji's agricultural value added in 2018–21 and is around 5% of its government's consolidated revenue—at a time when the government has a very high debt‐to‐GDP ratio (90% in 2022). Since the nature of the support is economically inefficient, inequitable, environmentally damaging and fiscally unsustainable given foreseeable market prospects, suggestions are made as to how that support might be repurposed to provide better economic, social and environmental outcomes for Fiji.
Information and communication technology diffusion and the urban–rural income gap in China
Authors: Dong Ying , Luo Weijie , Zhang Xiaoge
Published: June 2023

The income gap between urban and rural households is a prevalent social issue in many countries, including China. This study examines the effect of information and communication technology (ICT) diffusion on the urban–rural income gap in China. We theoretically analyse how ICT infrastructure construction, financed by fiscal transfers, in rural areas narrows the rural–urban income gap. Further, our empirical results show that both ICT penetration at county level and ICT usage at household level narrow the rural–urban income gap. Moreover, compared to computer access, the newer generation of ICT devices (smartphones) has stronger effects in narrowing the rural–urban income gap. We find that smartphones play a key role in the reduction of this income gap by increasing the agricultural product operational income of rural households.
URBAN REGENERATION IN SEOUL: Alternative Urbanism or the Resilience of Neoliberal Urbanism?
Authors: Nam Seowoo , Lee Seung‐Ook
Published: June 2023

Park Won‐soon, the former mayor of Seoul, put forward a new vision of Seoul as a progressive city, and one of his signatures was the promotion of a new urban regeneration policy called the Seoul‐type Urban Regeneration Model (SUR). It was first presented as a solution to compressed and profit‐oriented urban redevelopment but evolved into an alternative model which conveyed the worlding desire of the Seoul Metropolitan Government to redefine Asian urbanism beyond developmentalism or neoliberalism. In this article, we argue that the SUR demonstrates a mixture of post‐developmentalist features and the lingering impact of neoliberal rationalities. Specifically, we problematize SUR's hybrid aspirations for urban competitiveness, improved quality of life and participatory governance by articulating how the pursuit of a globally competitive city conflicts with and overrides other values and how citizen‐centered governance was exploited as an efficient mechanism of neoliberal urbanism.
Comparison of antimicrobial resistance between the type strain of Lactococcus lactis and isolates from coastal environments
Authors: Fujii Akitoshi , Kuda Takashi , Nakamura Ayaka , Takahashi Hajime
Published: June 2023

To ensure the safety of dairy products, a comparison was made between coastal‐derived Lactococcus lactis strains and the type strain regarding antimicrobial resistance (AMR) and their genes. The test discs revealed that the AMR of 31 strains against streptomycin, gentamicin and kanamycin was higher than that of the type strain. The clear zone ratio of the type strain to that of Himuka‐SU2 was 3.0–3.5. However, both strains exhibited identical AMR genes. Pre‐incubation in broth containing 3.4% (w/v) NaCl increased the AMR of the type strain compared to the Himuka‐SU2 strain. These results are significant for the development of starters for fermented milk.
Development and validation of a short form of the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practices Scale (TEIP‐SF)
Authors: Sahli Lozano C. , Wüthrich S. , Baumli N. , Sharma U. , Loreman T. , Forlin C.
Published: June 2023

High self‐efficacy is a marker of successful teaching and is, therefore, a subject of great interest to research on inclusive education. One of the most frequently used instruments to assess such beliefs is the Teacher Efficacy for Inclusive Practice (TEIP) scale. Although used widely, some studies did not precisely replicate the original factor structure, and no short form of the TEIP scale currently exists, although this could enhance measurement efficiency. This study (1) systematically assessed the TEIP scale's factor structure and psychometric properties, (2) identified potentially problematic items and developed a more concise short form of the scale, and (3) evaluated its dimensionality and criterion and convergent validities using three validation samples of teachers in three different countries (486 in Switzerland, 189 in Australia and 276 in Canada). Compared to the full‐length TEIP scale, the TEIP‐SF uses half the items, demonstrates better model fit and reveals a clearer distinction of domain‐specific factors. In conclusion, the TEIP‐SF represents a concise, efficient means of assessing teachers' self‐efficacy about teaching in inclusive classrooms.
Ultraprocessed plant‐based foods: Designing the next generation of healthy and sustainable alternatives to animal‐based foods
Authors: McClements David Julian
Published: June 2023

Numerous examples of next‐generation plant‐based foods, such as meat, seafood, egg, and dairy analogs, are commercially available. These products are usually designed to have physicochemical properties, sensory attributes, and functional behaviors that match those of the animal‐sourced products they are designed to replace. However, there has been concern about the potential negative impacts of these foods on human nutrition and health. In particular, many of these products have been criticized for being ultraprocessed foods that contain numerous ingredients and are manufactured using harsh processing operations. In this article, the concept of ultraprocessed foods is introduced and its relevance to describe the properties of next‐generation plant‐based foods is discussed. Most commercial plant‐based meat, seafood, egg, and dairy analogs currently available do fall into this category, and so can be classified as ultraprocessed plant‐based (UPB) foods. The nutrient content, digestibility, bioavailability, and gut microbiome effects of UPB foods are compared to those of animal‐based foods, and the potential consequences of any differences on human health are discussed. Some commercial UPB foods would not be considered healthy based on their nutrient profiles, especially those plant‐based cheeses that contain low levels of protein and high levels of fat, starch, and salt. However, it is argued that UPB foods can be designed to have good nutritional profiles and beneficial health effects. Finally, areas where further research are still needed to create a more healthy and sustainable food supply are discussed.
A nozzle simulation chip toward high‐throughput formation of curcumin‐loaded zein nanoparticles with tunable properties
Authors: Lei Yanlin , Kilker Sean , Lee Youngsoo
Published: June 2023

Size of nanoparticle (NP) is a crucial factor in determining its applicability to various fields. This study aimed to develop a nozzle chip for the scalable formation of self‐assembled curcumin‐loaded zein NPs with tunable properties. A four‐factor (zein concentration in dispersed phase, ethanol concentration in continuous phase, flow rate ratio, and total flow rate), three‐level Box–Behnken design on the measured responses (particle size and polydispersity index [PDI]) was established. The particle size and PDI, ranging from 194.43 to 420.51 nm, and 0.089 to 0.219, respectively, were readily controlled by adjusting four factors. Under the optimal conditions of 6% zein, 0% EtOH, the flow rate ratio of 7, and a total flow rate of 8 mL/min targeting higher production rate, the particle size of 306.02 ± 1.52 nm (mean ± standard deviation) and the PDI of 0.135 ± 0.001 were obtained. High throughput for zein NP production (86.4 g/day) was reached, which was 200 and 960 times higher than using microfluidic and electrospraying techniques, respectively. Curcumin‐loaded zein NPs under the abovementioned experimental conditions were successfully prepared via the nozzle chip with the encapsulation efficiency of 64.29% ± 0.29%, a loading capacity of 3.06% ± 0.01%, enhanced stability, and improved in vitro antioxidant properties. Curcumin was primarily released from zein NPs in the simulated intestinal phase. This study demonstrated that the property of self‐assembled zein NPs can be tuned by altering the operating parameters using the nozzle simulation chip. The results suggest that this approach has potential for use in the food and pharmaceutical industries, particularly for curcumin encapsulation.

Practical Application

The fabricated nozzle chip is a promising technology to obtain zein nanoparticles (NPs) with enhanced productivity and narrow particle size distribution. It can be easily adopted to spray drying process. Besides, the nozzle chip shows the potential for the large‐scale production of bioactive loaded zein NPs in the food or pharmaceutical industries.
Lactate secreted by esophageal cancer cells induces M2 macrophage polarization via the AKT/ERK pathway
Authors: Zhang Chunsheng , Cheng Wei , Yang Tongjin , Fang Hanlin , Zhang Renquan
Published: June 2023

Background

Elevated lactate results in an acidic tumor microenvironment (TME), which stimulates the progression of esophageal cancer (EC). Tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are an essential component of the TME. However, the regulatory mechanisms of lactate secreted by EC on TAMs and the effects of EC advancement are unclear.

Methods

Proteins and mRNA expression were determined by western blot and RT‐qPCR. Cell metastasis and growth were assessed by scratch assay, transwell and BrdU assays. Lactate in cells was quantified using a lactate kit. A mouse model was constructed for validation in vivo.

Results

First, we determined that lactate upgraded the M2‐type polarization marker levels of macrophages. Cell function assays confirmed that lactate‐activated M2 macrophages accelerated EC cell migration and proliferation in vitro. However, the lactate inhibitor – oxamate hampered the level of lactate in TE‐1 cells. Oxamate abolished the facilitation of macrophage polarization by lactate. In addition, we discovered that phosphorylated AKT and phosphorylated ERK was obviously raised in lactate‐stimulated macrophages, and oxamate addition reversed this change, implying that AKT and ERK signaling pathways were involved in macrophage polarization. Response experiments proved that attenuation of AKT/ERK signaling markedly returned the lactate‐induced promotion of EC migration and proliferation by macrophages. Finally, mouse tumor models demonstrated that lactate enhanced EC growth by inducing M2 macrophage polarization.

Conclusion

EC‐secreted lactate stimulated macrophage M2 polarization via the AKT/ERK pathway thereby boosting the growth of EC.
Silencing of circUSPL1 represses breast cancer progression by targeting miR‐1296‐5p/MTA1 axis
Authors: Wang Peien , Qu Haijiang , Wang Lin , Hu Zhe
Published: June 2023

Background

The effect of circular RNAs (circRNAs) is widely studied in various human cancers, including breast cancer (BC). Herein, circUSPL1 has been recognized as a new regulator for BC progression. However, the detailed biological function and molecular mechanism of circUSPL1 in BC remain vague.

Methods

The expression level of circUSPL1, miR‐1296‐5p and metastasis associated 1 (MTA1) was examined by quantitative reverse transcription PCR. BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, apoptosis and aerobic glycolysis were analyzed by colony formation assay, 5‐ethynyl‐2′‐deoxyuridine assay, wound healing assay, transwell assay, flow cytometry and glycolysis corresponding kits, respectively. The protein level of Bcl‐2, Bax, HK2, GLUT1 and MTA1 was evaluated by western blot analysis. The relationship of miR‐1296‐5p and circUSPL1 or MTA1 was affirmed using dual‐luciferase reporter or RIP assays. A murine xenograft model was conducted to analyze the tumor growth in vivo.

Results

CircUSPL1 and MTA1 expression level was increased, but miR‐1296‐5p was particularly reduced in BC tissues and cells. CircUSPL1 deficiency significantly inhibited BC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, glycolysis, and promoted cell apoptosis. In addition, circUSPL1 directly targeted miR‐1296‐5p, and downregulation of miR‐1296‐5p eliminated the inhibitory action of circUSPL1 knockdown. Additionally, overexpression of miR‐1296‐5p repressed cell malignant properties, while the suppressive effects were overturned by MTA1 elevation. Lastly, silencing of circUSPL1 inhibited tumor growth by sponging miR‐1296‐5p and regulating MTA1.

Conclusion

CircUSPL1 deficiency repressed BC cell malignant phenotypes through reducing MTA1 via targeting miR‐1296‐5p, which might provide a theoretical basis for BC treatment.
Integrating POLE/POLD1 mutated for immunotherapy treatment planning of advanced stage non‐small cell lung cancer
Authors: Zheng Shuhua , Cao Yenong , Randall James , Yu Haomin , Thomas Tarita O.
Published: June 2023

Background

In this study, we evaluated the potential of DNA polymerase epsilon (POLE) and DNA polymerase delta 1 (POLD1) as prognostic biomarkers for immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment in patients with advanced stage non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).

Methods

Disease stage, PD‐L1 positivity, histological subtypes, POLE/POLD1 mutation status, tumor mutation burden (TMB), and response to ICIs in NSCLC cases were derived from AACR GENIE dataset (n = 24 120), TCGA‐Pan Lung Cancer dataset (n = 1144), AACR GENIE BPC NSCLC v2.0‐public (n = 2004), and Memorial Sloan Kettering‐Integrated Mutation Profiling of Actionable Cancer Targets dataset (n = 350). The smoking history from TCGA and AACR GENIE datasets was grouped into current, former or never‐smokers.

Results

POLE and POLD1 genetic alterations were identified in 5% and 2.6% of NSCLC patients, respectively. Current smokers had 9% and 4% of POLE/POLD1 mutations, respectively, versus 1.7% for both POLE and POLD1 mutations prevalence in never‐smokers. POLE/POLD1 mutations were associated with elevated mutation counts than those with wild‐type (median mutation counts 16 vs. 7, p < 0.0001), more advanced disease stages (stage I disease 15.19% vs. 29.42%), more prevalent squamous histology subtype (21.69% vs. 9.05%, p = 0.0427), and a higher percentage of PD‐L1 positivity (66.67% vs. 43.87%, p < 0.001). Treatment with ICIs improved survival in patients with both POLE/POLD1 mutated and those with TMB > 18 (p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Current smokers have a five‐fold increased risk of having POLE mutations than never‐smokers. POLE/POLD1 mutation status and TMB > 18 can be a composite biomarker for selecting NSCLC patients with survival benefits to ICI treatment.