bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Biophysical Basis of thein vivoElectroretinogram of the Mouse: 4-Shell Current Source Density Model
Authors: Peinado Allina Gabriel , Kumar Ratheesh , Yao Vincent , Calkins David J. , FitzGerald Paul , Schiesser William E. , Pugh Edward N.
Published: January 2025

A goal of contemporary physiology is to translate the knowledge obtainedex vivoof the molecular structure and function of ionic mechanisms into tools for quantitative,in vivomeasurement of that function in humans, and in animal models of disease and therapeutic intervention. Non-invasive field potentials such as ECGs, EMGs, EEGs, and ERGs hold great promise in efforts to achieve this goal, but their full translation is challenging due to the multiplicity of cells with distinct ionic mechanisms and distributions of membrane current sources and sinks, and the requirement of adequate characterization of volume conduction in the relevant tissue(s). The molecular identities and subcellular distributions of the ionic mechanisms of mouse rod photoreceptors and the adjacent retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) have been thoroughly characterized, and are associated with two major components of the ERG, thea-wave and thec-wave, respectively. To develop a molecular-biophysical description of these components of the ERG, we have pharmacologically and genetically isolated rod photoreceptor-driven currents, created a 3D “4-shell” model of volume conduction in the mouse eye and extraocular tissue, and solved the Equation of Continuity for trans-photoreceptor layer and trans-RPE layer sources. Corneal and intraocular measurements ofa- andc-waves are shown to reject the classic Rodieck-Ford electrical circuit model of the ERG, but found consistent with a 4-shell model having realistic values for extracellular conductivity in the eye and extraocular tissues. Our results and analysis explain the large variation across studies in maximala-wave amplitudes and show howa-wave amplitudes exceeding 1 mV can be achieved.
A super-enhancer actuated by heterodimerization of a specific YAP1 isoform, YAP1-2α, with TAZ endows cancer stemness and drug resistance
Authors: Ooki Takuya , Hayashi Takeru , Yamamoto Yui , Hatakeyama Masanori
Published: January 2025

Molecular targeted drugs are frequently used in precision cancer therapies. However, the prolonged administration of these agents can result in drug resistance. Cancer cells exhibiting defects in homologous recombination are particularly susceptible to genotoxic stress, such as that induced by PARP inhibitors (PARPi), resulting in synthetic lethality. Here, we show that sustained treatment of such cancer cells with PARPi selectively upregulates YAP1-2α, a minor isoform of YAP1. Elevated YAP1-2α heterodimerizes with TAZ to induce liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in the nucleus. This LLPS-driven process generates nuclear condensates that activate a super-enhancer comprising YAP1-2α, TAZ, TEAD, and BRD4. The super-enhancer reconfigures transcriptional networks to enhance cancer stem-like malignant properties, thereby potentiating cell resilience and augmenting cell resistance to adverse conditions, including precision cancer therapies. Our study reveals the presence of a super-enhancer that promotes malignant tumor progression. Targeting the YAP1-2α/TAZ-induced super-enhancer is a promising strategy for overcoming resistance to anticancer modalities.
Evidence for a reactionary account of retrieval state initiation
Authors: Han Subin , Long Nicole M.
Published: January 2025

Engagement of the retrieval state (or mode) is theorized to be a precursor to successful retrieval, but precisely when the retrieval state is engaged is unclear. Our aim in the present study is to determine the time course of retrieval state initiation. Based on growing evidence that the retrieval state reflects internal attention, we hypothesize that the retrieval state is reactionary rather than preparatory, whereby the retrieval state is engaged following – rather than preceding – a stimulus. We collected scalp electroencephalography data during a mnemonic state task in which we explicitly biased participants to engage in either retrieval or encoding states, and in which we manipulated the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between the instruction and stimulus onsets. Our general expectation is that selective engagement of the retrieval state will only occur after stimulus presentation and thus be unaffected by the SOA. Our behavioral results show that regardless of the SOA, a bias to retrieval compared to encoding leads to worse memory for object stimuli. Using cross-study multivariate pattern analyses, we find robust engagement of the retrieval state approximately 500 ms following stimulus onset and no evidence for selective retrieval state engagement during the instruction interval. Together, these findings suggest that retrieval state engagement is reactionary and is consistent with the retrieval state reflecting internal attention engaged in the attempt to access stored information.
Expression profile of the ADHD risk geneADGRL3during human neurodevelopment and the effects of genetic variation
Authors: McNeill Rhiannon Victoria , Nieberler Matthias , Schickardt Zora , Radtke Franziska , Chiocchetti Andreas , Kittel-Schneider Sarah
Published: January 2025

Attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is one of the most common neurodevelopmental disorders, affecting ∼5.3 % children, with symptoms including hyperactivity, inattention and impulsivity. Moreover, ADHD persists into adulthood in ∼50 % cases, significantly affecting quality of life. Currently, the complex aetiology of ADHD remains unclear, although it has been shown that it is a highly heritable disorder. Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the adhesion G protein-coupled receptor isoform L3 gene (ADGRL3/LPHN3) have been consistently associated with ADHD development, symptom severity and treatment response, with the rs1397547 SNP previously shown associated with alteredADGRL3transcription. Animal models have revealed an essential role of ADGRL3 in glutamatergic synapse development. However, ADGRL3 function has not been investigated in humans. We used human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC)-derived cortical neurons to characterise ADGRL3 expression during human neurogenesis in vitro, and found that expression peaks early in neurodevelopment, consistent with in vivo data. ADGRL3 protein was found primarily expressed in glutamatergic neurons, and localised to growth cone-like structures, supporting a role in neurite outgrowth and glutamatergic synapse development. Lastly, using hiPSC-derived cortical neurons from healthy controls and ADHD patients, we investigated whether the rs1397547 SNP could affect ADGRL3 expression in cortical neurons. We found the rs1397547 SNP was associated with significantly increasedADGRL3transcription in early neurodevelopmental stages. Moreover, single-cell RNA sequencing of maturing cortical neurons revealed a unique transcriptional profile in SNP carriers. Our results further implicate ADGRL3 in ADHD development and suggest that genetic variation may result in dysregulated glutamatergic neuron development.
Canalization of circuit assembly by δ-protocadherins in the zebrafish optic tectum
Authors: Biswas Sayantanee , Emond Michelle R. , Philip Grace S. , Jontes James D.
Published: January 2025

Neurons are precisely and reproducibly assembled into complex networks during development. How genes collaborate to guide this assembly remains an enduring mystery. In humans, large numbers of genes have been implicated in neurodevelopmental disorders that are characterized by variable and overlapping phenotypes. The complexity of the brain, the large number of genes involved and the heterogeneity of the disorders makes understanding the relationships between genes, development and neural function challenging. Waddington suggested the concept of canalization to describe the role of genes in shaping developmental trajectories that lead to precise outcomes1. Here, we show that members of the δ-protocadherin family of homophilic adhesion molecules, Protocadherin-19 and Protocadherin-17, contribute to developmental canalization of visual circuit assembly in the zebrafish. We provided oriented visual stimuli to zebrafish larvae and performedin vivo2-photon calcium imaging in the optic tectum. The latent dynamics resulting from the population activity were confined to a conserved manifold. Among different wild type larvae, these dynamics were remarkably similar, allowing quantitative comparisons within and among genotypes. In both Protocadherin-19 and Protocadherin-17 mutants, the latent dynamics diverged from wild type. Importantly, these deviations could be averaged away, suggesting that the loss of these adhesion molecules leads to stochastic phenotypic variability and introduced disruptions of circuit organization that varied among individual mutants. These results provide a specific, quantitative example of canalization in the development of a vertebrate neural circuit, and suggest a framework for understanding the observed variability in complex brain disorders.
Locality in collider tests of quantum mechanics with top quark pairs
Authors: Demina Regina , Landi Gabriel
Published: January 2025

Tests of quantum properties of fundamental particles in high energy colliders are starting to appear. Entanglement and Bell inequality violation in top and antitop quark system is of particular interest since top quarks are unstable particles that undergo a cascade decay. We argue for criteria for the spacelike separation between top and antitop quarks at their different decay stages. We considered causal separation at three different instances: at the top quark decay, at the W boson decay, and at the lepton/jet contact with the macroscopic apparatus. We showed that the spacelike fraction of events is the smallest, when requiring that both top quarks and W bosons decay within the spacelike interval. For high invariant masses, typically required for the Bell inequality violation, this is almost identical to just the top quark decay requirement. We also include an option for the angular correlation of the b quarks from top quark decay to be used for the spin correlation measurement. We require that both top quark and b hadron decays are spacelike separated. Again, we find that at high invariant masses it is almost identical to just the requirement of spacelike separation between top and antitop quarks. We provide numerical values for our proposed criteria. If such a criterion is satisfied, the system is guaranteed to not be in a causal connection.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Learning PDFs through interpretable latent representations in Mellin space
Authors: Kriesten Brandon , Hobbs T. J.
Published: January 2025

Representing the parton distribution functions (PDFs) of the proton and other hadrons through flexible, high-fidelity parametrizations has been a long-standing goal of particle physics phenomenology. This is particularly true since the chosen parametrization methodology can play an influential role in the ultimate PDF uncertainties as extracted in QCD global analyses; these, in turn, are often determinative of the reach of experiments at the LHC and other facilities to nonstandard physics, including at large x, where parametrization effects can be significant. In this study, we explore a series of encoder-decoder machine-learning (ML) models with various neural-network topologies as efficient means of reconstructing PDFs from meaningful information stored in an interpretable latent space. Given recent effort to pioneer synergies between QCD analyses and lattice-gauge calculations, we formulate a latent representation based on the behavior of PDFs in Mellin space, i.e., their integrated moments, and test the ability of various models to decode PDFs from this information faithfully. We introduce a numerical package, , which implements several encoder-decoder models to reconstruct PDFs with high fidelity and use this end-to-end tool to explore how such neural-network-based models might connect PDF parametrizations to underlying properties like their Mellin moments. We additionally dissect patterns of learned correlations between encoded Mellin moments and reconstructed PDFs that suggest opportunities for further improvements to ML-based approaches to PDF parametrizations and uncertainty quantification.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Evolution beats random chance: Performance-dependent network evolution for enhanced computational capacity
Authors: Yadav Manish , Sinha Sudeshna , Stender Merten
Published: January 2025

The quest to understand relationships in networks across scientific disciplines has intensified. However, the optimal network architecture remains elusive, particularly for complex information processing. Therefore, we investigate how optimal and specific network structures form to efficiently solve distinct tasks using a framework of performance-dependent network evolution, leveraging reservoir computing principles. Our study demonstrates that task-specific minimal network structures obtained through this framework consistently outperform networks generated by alternative growth strategies and Erdős-Rényi random networks. Evolved networks exhibit unexpected sparsity and adhere to scaling laws in node-density space while showcasing a distinctive asymmetry in input and information readout node distribution. Consequently, we propose a heuristic for quantifying task complexity from performance-dependently evolved networks, offering valuable insights into the evolutionary dynamics of the network structure-function relationship. Our findings advance the fundamental understanding of process-specific network evolution and shed light on the design and optimization of complex information processing mechanisms, notably in machine learning.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Giant high-order nonlinear and nonreciprocal electrical transports induced by valley flipping in Bernal bilayer graphene
Authors: Shao Yuelin , Dai Xi
Published: January 2025

We investigate the electrical transport properties of the minivalley polarized state proposed recently in slightly doped Bernal bilayer graphene (BLG) in large electric displacement fields. By minimizing the Hartree-Fock (HF) energy functional, we first confirm the appearance of minivalley polarized phase. At the low carrier doping regime, the one-pocket state will be stabilized where only one of the trigonal-wrapping-induced Fermi pockets near the atomic-valley center is filled. Then we study the electrical transport of the one-pocket state by solving the Boltzmann equation. We find that the valley polarization could be easily flopped by an in-plane electrical field, which will lead to hysteresis loop in the direct current (DC) I−V curves. Such irreversible current responses in the DC limit will directly induce strong nonlinear and nonreciprocal alternating current (AC) responses, which has been already observed in the recent experiments on BLG.

Published by the American Physical Society
2025
Crystal structure and doping in synthetic enstatite: an analysis of Li/Fe3+-doped single-crystal samples
Authors: Ballirano Paolo , Celata Beatrice , Pacella Alessandro , Bloise Andrea , Bosi Ferdinando
Published: January 2025

A series of Li+/Fe3+-doped enstatite crystals of composition Mg(2–2x)Li
x
Fe
x
Si2O6 were synthesized and structurally characterized. Under the selected experimental conditions, we grew three crystals of Pbca orthopyroxene (OPX: x = 0.270–0.313) and two crystals of Pbcn protopyroxene (PPX: x = 0.156–0.164) using the flux-growth technique. The observed variation in the polyhedral volume and distortion of the M2 octahedron as a function of Li/Fe3+ doping suggests the presence of an upper limit, at least for the OPX samples. The same linear relation was observed between the polyhedral volume and 〈M1—O〉 bond length across all analysed samples, including the endmembers protoenstatite (PEN), orthoenstatite (OEN) and LiFe3+Si2O6. It seems that the M2 octahedron plays a crucial role in stabilizing the pyroxene topology in either the PEN or the OEN form, because the PPX and OPX samples show two distinct linear relations between the M2O6 polyhedral volume and 〈M2—O〉, with the PPX trend converging toward the parameters of the LiFe3+Si2O6 endmember, whereas the OPX trend, including OEN, diverges largely from these parameters.
Pathways for green building acceleration in fast-growing countries: a case study on Nigeria
Authors: Ikudayisi Ayodele Emmanuel , Adegun Olumuyiwa Bayode
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Green building (GB) development is attracting interest globally, yet many fast-growing countries (FGCs) are underperforming in GB delivery, particularly in Africa and Southeast Asia. This study aims to identify pathways for accelerating GB development in FGCs, using Nigeria as a case study.

Design/methodology/approach

Three-fold research data was employed. First, seven policy documents that are relevant for GB development in Nigeria were sourced, reviewed and analyzed based on content analysis. Second, a systematic literature review (SLR) of thirty-five research articles sourced from the Scopus database was conducted to underscore key research outcomes. Third, an exploratory case study of sixteen GBs was conducted to contextualize the current practice status in Nigeria.

Findings

The findings revealed that the few policy efforts in Nigeria skewed largely towards energy efficiency. The challenges associated with GB growth include low level of competency, low investment in the GB market, the dearth of technological enablers and the scarcity of GB project cases. Current project initiatives are diminutive, revealing low certification achievement and scanty public sector participation.

Practical implications

This paper presents a unique position for accelerating sustainable architecture and construction based on policy pathways (development of novel codes and sectorial policies, harmonization of standards and performance monitoring), research pathways (development of models, technological enablers and knowledge management) and practice pathways (capacity building, public investment and sectorial collaborations).

Originality/value

The paper developed an integrated three-pathway framework for bringing Nigeria’s construction industry up to speed in GB delivery, noting areas where other FGCs need to explore.
Blessing or curse? A multilevel investigation of the benefits and costs of temporal leadership on employee proactive behavior
Authors: Mei Wenjuan , Zhu Yu , Nong Meilan , Wang Yangfei
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Prior research has demonstrated that temporal leadership brings benefits, whereas scholars know little about its potential drawbacks. This study aims to explore the positive and negative effects of temporal leadership.

Design/methodology/approach

A three-wave, multi-source survey was conducted to examine the theoretical model and test hypotheses. Multi-level analysis was performed using Mplus 7.4 and the R package for Monte Carlo simulations.

Findings

This study reveals that temporal leadership both decreases employee proactive behavior through emotional exhaustion and increases it through job absorption. Shared temporal cognitions buffer the effect of temporal leadership on emotional exhaustion and its indirect effect on proactive behavior through emotional exhaustion. Conversely, shared temporal cognitions strengthen the effect of temporal leadership on job absorption and its indirect effect on proactive behavior through job absorption.

Practical implications

Our findings show that temporal leadership has costs and benefits. Thus, it is essential to manage temporal leadership behavior.

Originality/value

Our research provides new insight into understanding the costs and benefits of temporal leadership.
Strengthening capital-intensive companies in technology competition through innovation platforms
Authors: Jaspers Daniel , Proff Heike
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This paper investigates how capital-intensive companies, especially in the automotive sector, navigate the challenge of balancing significant technological investments against market demands for asset-light strategies. It examines the use of innovation platforms as a strategic solution for mediating these goal conflicts and sustaining competitiveness in a technology-driven market.

Design/methodology/approach

The study analysed 286 automotive companies from Europe, North America and Asia through a quantitative survey conducted in 2022, focusing on companies using innovation platforms. It applied partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) to assess the relationships between the use of innovation platforms, relational rents and performance.

Findings

The research found that companies using innovation platforms can achieve early-stage relational rents through partnerships and resource sharing, although these benefits have not yet translated into profitability. Companies in the sample are still developing their partner network, and while they experience collaborative advantages, they face initial challenges in converting these into financial gains. The study highlights the critical role of scaling in the network, complementarities in production, limiting the outflow of resources and capabilities besides modularisation in achieving long-term profitability.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on how capital-intensive companies use innovation platforms to balance technological investments and asset-light pressures, a topic with limited previous research. It underscores the long-term potential of such digital platforms in innovation ecosystems in generating value and the need for patient investment in promising platform effects. The findings support the strategic value of innovation platforms as capital-intensive industries face intensified competition from high-technology companies.
Bodily feelings as information: the embodied cognition perspective on robotic services
Authors: Xiong Xiling , Wong Ipkin Anthony , Yang Fiona X.
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The study aims to investigate the effects of bodily feelings on preference for robotic service by examining direct and indirect sensations from physical and metaphorically projected bodily feelings.

Design/methodology/approach

Through four empirical experiments involving video and recall tasks to metaphorically manipulate participants’ bodily warmth and directly manipulate ambient temperature, the authors explored the mediating role of the need for warmth and the moderating role of robotic features (warmth vs competence) on consumer willingness to engage with and pay for robotic services.

Findings

Warmth perception exhibits a positive correlation with robotic services. This relationship is mediated by the need for warmth. Moreover, when customers experience a sensation of physical warmth, they show a greater willingness to pay for a robotic service exhibiting competence versus warmth.

Research limitations/implications

This research contributes to the literature by integrating the feelings-as-information theory and the mind perception view to understand the judgment of robotic services. It extends the application of the embodied cognition theory, highlighting the significance of bodily feelings as a source of information in customer decision-making processes. Furthermore, this research explores the metaphoric influence of service features on bodily responses, providing new insights into the role of embodiment and mental perception in robotic service evaluations.

Practical implications

Managers should consider using different robots based on seasonal settings to meet customers’ need for warmth. Understanding customers’ bodily feelings and the metaphoric influence of service features contributes to the design of more effective and customer-centric robotic services.

Originality/value

This inquiry explores the metaphoric influence of service features on bodily responses, providing new insights into the role of embodiment and mental perception in robotic service evaluations.
Have trade fairs recovered in the post-COVID era? A comparative analysis of bleisure trends in Thessaloniki's trade fairs
Authors: Kourkouridis Dimitris , Salepaki Asimenia , Angelou Ioannis
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the perceived changes in bleisure travel behavior due to the COVID-19 pandemic, through comparative analysis of pre- (2018) and post-pandemic (2021–2023) data. This study examines the frequency of their participation in trade fairs, their tourist activities during their stay and their destination loyalty.

Design/methodology/approach

The method of collecting quantitative material included a structured questionnaire, informed by a corresponding survey conducted before the COVID-19 pandemic (2018). The sample included 214 participants from the Hosted Buyers programs of TIF-HELEXPO trade fairs during 2021–2023. Descriptive statistical analysis of the data was performed, followed by a comparative analysis, using the “N-1” Chi-squared test to examine changes between the two periods.

Findings

The results indicate that business travelers have returned to pre-COVID levels of participation in trade fairs, with an increase in international trade fair attendance. Additionally, tourist activity also increased after the COVID-19 pandemic, while destination loyalty remained high across both periods.

Research limitations/implications

The study is spatially limited to Thessaloniki and focused on participants of the specific program. Future research should involve other stakeholders in the trade fair ecosystem, such as exhibitors, individual visitors, organizers, local bodies, citizens and local entrepreneurs.

Originality/value

The COVID-19 pandemic has profoundly impacted tourism and business travel, raising questions about the necessity of physical presence at business events. This study is significant as it provides a comparative pre- and post-pandemic analysis of business travelers’ behaviors, offering insights into the resilience of bleisure travel in Thessaloniki.
Teachers’ perception of principals’ OCB in association with teachers’ performance outcomes
Authors: Schwabsky Nitza , Somech Anit
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aimed to examine teachers’ perceptions of their principals’ organisational citizenship behaviours (POCB hereafter), for which a POCB measure was developed, and to examine its association with the teacher performance outcomes: job satisfaction, organisational commitment, intention to leave the job and strain. The study relies on Bandura’s (1977) social learning theory to demonstrate that the principals’ extra-role behaviour is likely to become a modelling role that affects the teacher outcomes.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from two groups of teachers, comprising 365 and 246 participants, in 4 stages. Initially, a self-reported questionnaire that assessed the teachers’ perceptions of the principal’s OCB was developed based on interviews with 15 principals (stage 1; POCB). This was followed by an exploratory factor analysis (stage 2; N = 365) and a confirmatory factor analysis using structural equation modelling (stage 3; N = 246). Pearson correlations and linear regression analyses were calculated between POCB and the teacher outcomes (stage 4; N = 246).

Findings

The POCB measure demonstrated adequate construct validity and emerged as a reliable correlate of teachers’ outcomes. POCB was positively associated with job satisfaction and organisational commitment and negatively associated with intention to leave the job and strain and emerged as a predictor of these teachers’ outcomes, regardless of their characteristics.

Originality/value

The study provides evidence that teachers perceive POCB as an important behaviour for improving teacher outcomes. The results suggest the significance of principals’ extra-role behaviour in enhancing teachers’ job-related attitudes and have implications for educational principalship practices.
Does family motivation make a difference for management educators? An empirical study
Authors: Pahi Munwar Hussain , Umrani Waheed Ali , Siyal Abdul Waheed , Ahmed Umair , Al Riyami Said
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The present study attempts to extend our understanding of the application of self-determination theory. The study examines the mediating role of self-efficacy and self-esteem in the relationship between family motivation and academic performance.

Design/methodology/approach

Through adopting a survey questionnaire, we collected 329 responses from management educators (faculty members teaching in business schools) from various universities.

Findings

The data were analyzed using the partial least square structural equation modeling technique. All the hypothesized relationships found empirical support, indicating that family motivation is directly related to academic performance. Furthermore, self-efficacy and self-esteem mediate this direct relationship.

Originality/value

The paper forwards robust theoretical and practical implications and underlines important directions for future researchers. The study makes novel contributions to relationships inviting for empirical attention.
Nexus among sustainable organizational social networks, knowledge sharing and digital innovation in High-Tech enterprises of an emerging economy
Authors: Ullah Mirzat , Kayani Umar , Aysan Ahmet Faruk , Mariev Oleg , Nawaz Farrukh
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study explores the sophisticated processes involved in knowledge dissemination and the regulatory framework of digital construction (DC). Specifically, it assesses the interaction between organizational sustainability, knowledge sharing and corporate social responsibility as essential factors in enhancing digital innovation in high-tech enterprises. The role of corporate governance is examined to engage organizational social structures and sustainability.

Design/methodology/approach

The research empirically evaluates the adaptation processes of organizational social networks (OSNs) and corporate collaboration to drive digital innovation. By integrating perspectives from social exchange theory and social cognition theory, a comprehensive model is developed to understand the influence of corporate social networks and collaborative creativity within enterprises. Hierarchical regression analysis is conducted on a sample of high-tech companies located in the Yangtze River Delta region of China.

Findings

The findings reveal a significant positive relationship between robust OSNs and enhanced collaborative innovation in business environments. Notably, the connection between OSNs and corporate collaborative creativity is partially mediated by the dissemination of information and expertise within the networks. Additionally, the integration of DC tools enhances both OSNs and collaborative innovation. This underscores the need for strategic investments in nurturing corporate social networks and fostering a culture of knowledge sharing among employees.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine the nexus among OSNs, Knowledge Sharing and Digital Innovation in high-tech enterprises, contributing valuable insights through the lens of social exchange and social cognition theories.
Mentoring as a management practice to retain newly certified professionals in healthcare organisations
Authors: Liff Roy , Rovio-Johansson Airi
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate how mentors can convince young, certified, inexperienced employees to remain in a healthcare organisation, and how mentors address “stay or quit” when mentees’ lived experiences reveal feelings of insufficiency as crisis in their daily work. We explore how turnover is affected by the mentors’ and mentees’ discussions within the manager’s domain.

Design/methodology/approach

Within the framework of crisis management, the study employs qualitative content analysis of 21 interview responses from mentors, mentees and managers. The analysis includes mentees’ answers, which are analysed in terms of “weak signals” based on lived experiences and mentors’ and managers’ answers in terms of different capabilities to increase mentees’ wish to remain in the organisation.

Findings

The results show that the deep relationship between the mentee and the mentor is crucial. It is possible for the mentor to detect weak signals from the mentee’s thoughts, doubts and lived experiences. The study extends the understanding of a more subtle mechanism the mentor uses in the close relation to the mentee, alongside the manager. The findings confirm those of previous research concerning improved job satisfaction and self-improvement in the profession.

Practical implications

The findings explain why mentors, as necessary organisational resources, can contribute more successfully than managers to keeping young employees.

Originality/value

The study links the crucial relational mentorship to increased willingness to remain in an organisation among young mentees without career support.
Exploring currency interdependence in West Africa: a time-varying parameter vector autoregression analysis
Authors: Bram Andrew Kwamina , Ofori Charles , Mangudhla Tinashe , Nuta Alina Cristina
Published: January 2025

Purpose

Considering the impact of significant economic and political events, this study investigates the return spillovers and connectedness among eight West African currencies from March 31, 2010, to March 28, 2024. It aims to enhance understanding of the interdependencies within the West African foreign exchange market, providing insights into the region’s risk management and diversification opportunities.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the time-varying parameter vector autoregression (TVP-VAR) method, this study analyzes daily exchange rate returns to capture the dynamic spillover effects and connectedness among the selected currencies. This approach identifies key transmitters and receivers of return shocks, reflecting the evolving interactions among the currencies over time.

Findings

The results show that the Sierra Leonean Leone, Cape Verdean Escudo, and West African CFA Franc are significant net transmitters of return shocks. At the same time, the Ghana Cedi, Nigerian Naira, Gambian Dalasi, Guinean Franc, and Liberian Dollar are net receivers, with the Gambian Dalasi being the most affected. These findings suggest relatively low regional spillover connectedness, offering favorable diversification opportunities.

Originality/value

This study provides a comprehensive analysis of the interconnectedness of West African currencies, contributing to the limited literature on this region. The findings have practical implications for investors and policymakers in managing foreign exchange risks and designing interventions to stabilize the market.
Impact of the Lebanese multidimensional crisis on audit processes and resources: implications for going concern assessments
Authors: Khalil Sandra
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This study aims to examine auditors’ perceptions of the changes in audit processes, fees, salaries and trainings during the Lebanese multidimensional crisis. The aim is to understand how going concern assessments were affected by the distortions imposed by the crisis.

Design/methodology/approach

Data was collected through a survey distributed among auditors at Big 4 audit firms in Lebanon during the crisis. The questionnaire, inspired by prior desk study research, aims to empirically assess auditors’ attitudes toward the variances in audit operations during the crisis and their implications on going concern assessments. This study uses the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique to develop and assess the research model.

Findings

The findings reveal notable changes in audit processes, fees, salaries and training programs during the crisis. SEM results highlight the association between the crisis-driven changes in audit procedures, fees and salaries and the increased uncertainty in issuing going concern assessments.

Practical implications

This study provides recommendations for both the auditing industry and regulatory bodies to ensure audit firms are prepared to face crises that might disrupt their work. Recommendations include the initiation of crisis management training programs, investments in technology solutions, the establishment of a protocol in response to crisis and the adoption of flexible yet reliable audit procedure to accommodate for the challenges of the crisis.

Originality/value

The originality of this study emanates from its adoption of a novel survey to assess a conceptual model that has not been empirically tested in earlier studies. The model examines changes in audit operations during the Lebanese crisis and their implications on going concern assessments, a context that has received little attention in the literature.
A call for caution and evidence–based research on the impact of artificial intelligence in education
Authors: Sposato Martin
Published: January 2025

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the complex balance between enthusiasm and skepticism regarding artificial intelligence (AI) integration in educational practices. It advocates for a cautious, evidence-based approach while addressing both opportunities and challenges, aligning with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 4 (SDG4) for Quality Education.

Design/methodology/approach

Through critical analysis of current discourse surrounding AI in education, this paper synthesizes existing literature on both supportive and skeptical perspectives. The methodology involves systematic examination of past educational technology trends, current AI developments and their implications for teaching and learning. The paper develops its research agenda through careful consideration of existing empirical studies, theoretical frameworks and identifying gaps in current understanding.

Findings

The analysis reveals that while AI offers promising potential for enhancing learning outcomes and educational accessibility, its integration presents significant challenges that require careful consideration. The paper identifies critical tensions between technological innovation and pedagogical values, highlighting areas where enthusiasm for AI adoption must be tempered with empirical evidence and critical evaluation. Current evidence suggests that successful AI integration requires balanced consideration of both opportunities and limitations, with particular attention to maintaining human-centered educational practices.

Originality/value

This viewpoint provides a comprehensive framework for understanding the dialectic between AI’s educational potential and its limitations. By synthesizing both supportive and critical perspectives, it offers a nuanced approach to AI integration that acknowledges both opportunities and challenges. The article’s value lies in its systematic identification of key research priorities and its emphasis on evidence-based implementation strategies that serve educational goals while mitigating potential risks.
Green chemistry approach to corrosion control: parthenium hysterophorus extract as an inhibitor for AZ31 alloys
Authors: V. Kavimani , P.M. Gopal , R. Arulmurugan , Kailasam Saravana Mani
Published: January 2025

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to develop a green corrosion inhibitor (GCI) from the parthenium hysterophorus (PHS) leaf and identifying its efficiency in corrosion inhibition of AZ31 alloy.

Design/methodology/approach

GCI from PHS leaf is extracted with the aid of Soxhlet apparatus and analysed through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and phytochemical tests to identify the functional groups and chemical compounds present. Inhibition efficiency (IE) of PHS extract is identified through polarization analysis and immersion tests in which concentration of PHS extract (0–300 ppm) and temperature (303–353 K) is varied.

Findings

Maximum IE of 84% is exhibited by the prepared PHS extract at a concentration of 250 ppm at 303 K and further addition diminishes IE. The developed GCI is found effective in room temperature (303 K) as it exhibits lower IE when temperature increased. Both physical and chemical absorption mechanisms were identified for PHS extract over AZ31 surface, whereas FTIR and SEM analysis confirms the development of passivation layer.

Originality/value

Development of GCI from the leaf of a weed (PHS) that disturbs the ecosystem and identifying its efficiency in preventing corrosion of AZ31 under saline environment.
The potential of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi to improve soil organic carbon in agricultural ecosystems: A meta‐analytical approach
Authors: Conti Georgina , Urcelay Carlos , Gundel Pedro E. , Piñeiro Gervasio
Published: January 2025

Increasing soil organic carbon (SOC) in agroecosystems is a key objective for enhancing agricultural sustainability and mitigating climate change. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) can increase yield and provide several other ecosystem services. Still, studies conducted in agricultural soils have shown that their effects on SOC can be either positive, neutral or negative. In this study, we conducted a quantitative review of the literature to evaluate the role of AMF in influencing SOC across various crop species and conditions.

Through a systematic search of publications, we compiled a dataset comprising 62 trials from 19 studies including field and pot experiments that directly manipulated the mycorrhizal status of plants. We conducted a meta‐analysis to quantitatively evaluate the role of AMF on SOC across several crop species and conditions.

We found an overall positive effect of AMF on SOC, with an average increase of 21.5%. However, this positive effect was statistically significant only in pot experiments whereas in field experiments, the effect was mainly modulated by texture and organic matter content. The effect of AMF on SOC did not vary with crop species' functional type, AMF inoculation sources (single or mixed AMF species) or other soil variables considered.

Our results highlight the significant potential for AMF‐mediated mechanisms to promote SOC accumulation in agricultural soils, although this effect is context‐dependent. However, future research with different approaches and scales is needed to evaluate the impact of AMF on SOC dynamics in agricultural systems and elucidate the mechanisms behind their contribution to SOC accrual.

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Understanding what violent street crime, globalization, and ice cream have in common
Authors: LaFree Gary
Published: January 2025

Research Summary

In recent years, nutrition researchers have found that ice cream may have as many health benefits as low‐fat milk or yoghurt for those with diabetes or at risk of diabetes. Nonetheless, they have resisted reporting this finding to the media, the public, or other researchers. This observation got me thinking about how preconceived assumptions and biases affect social science in general and criminology in particular, are affected by the preconceived assumptions and biases of those who produce them. In this essay, I argue that the production of criminology is a cultural enterprise that reflects the attitudes and values of those who produce it. In my address for the Stockholm Prize, I summarize the main thesis of my Losing Legitimacy book and then discuss two recent projects that were influenced by the idea that strong social institutions reduce criminal behavior. The first examines the impact of the death of Freddie Gray in Baltimore in 2015 on crime and arrest rates. The second examines the impact of globalization on national homicide rates. In both cases, the results were unexpected.

Policy Implications

As scientists, it is critical that we evaluate research based on its theoretical soundness and methodological sophistication rather than whether it fits a currently hot topic or politically popular perspective. Science progresses by the constant process of evaluating theoretical propositions with empirical data—regardless of where those data lead us. Openness about crime and reactions to crime is no less important than honesty about the positive benefits of ice‐cream consumption.
“It's that feeling that you can't get away”: Motherhood, gender inequality and the stress process during extreme events
Authors: Ntontis Evangelos , Monkhouse Jennifer , Stokes‐Guizani Natalie , Malovic Aida , Saavedra Patricio
Published: January 2025

The impacts of extreme events can intersect with pre‐disaster systemic inequalities and deficiencies, exacerbating distress. This paper contributes to the existing literature by exploring the psychosocial processes through which stressors become traumatic during an extreme event. It does so by focusing on how mothers of children and/or adolescents in the United Kingdom experienced the COVID‐19 pandemic. First, qualitative interviews (N = 15) showed that participants experienced a cluster of stressors stemming from their workplaces, partners, children's behaviours and homeschooling, which caused a sense of overload and captivity, reducing their quality of life. However, individual, interpersonal and collective forms of coping were reported. Second, quantitative survey data (N = 621) showed that the relationship between stressors and perceived stress was mediated by feelings of overload due to excessive identity‐related tasks and caregiving responsibilities. Moreover, community identification was associated with reduced overload and perceived stress. Overall, during extreme events, people can experience distress due to being overloaded by and trapped in particular identities and identity‐related tasks, unable to perform other aspects of their social selves. We argue that social psychological analyses can be useful in tracing the complex impacts of extreme events across a range of systems and levels of analysis.
Update on Menopause Hormone Therapy; Current Indications and Unanswered Questions
Authors: Mukherjee Annice , Davis Susan R.
Published: January 2025

Objective

To provide clinicians involved in managing menopause with a summary of current evidence surrounding menopause hormone therapy (MHT).

Design

The authors evaluate and synthesize existing pooled evidence relating to MHT's clinical indications, efficacy, and safety and explore the limitations of existing data.

Patients

The review focuses on MHT‐related outcomes in women with natural‐timed menopause captured within observational studies, RCTs, and pooled data from pivotal meta‐analyses and reviews.

Measurements

Available published data are scrutinized. Available evidence and notably lacking data from women not adequately represented in published MHT trials, such as those with socioeconomic adversity, significant comorbidities, and minority ethnic backgrounds, are highlighted and deliberated.

Results

The impact of MHT differs significantly between demographics. Current consensus recommendations for MHT emphasize the importance of tailoring type, route, dose, and duration of therapy to individual needs and risk/benefit ratio through shared decision‐making. MHT impact can change over time. Current MHT data support its benefits for treating menopause symptoms and a potential window of opportunity in midlife to benefit skeletal health. Limitations of current evidence highlight menopause health inequalities and underscores the need for further research.

Conclusions

This review recommends tailored use of MHT for well‐defined indications, recognizing its value for menopause symptom relief and skeletal benefits for many midlife women. MHT may be used as long as benefits outweigh risks, through shared decision‐making. There is insufficient clinical evidence to support the long‐term use of MHT in some contemporary cohorts of women accessing MHT in clinical practice.