bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Cluster social capital’s influence on regional public brands in specialty agriculture: a value co-creation perspective
Authors: Liu Yizhi , Fu Yi , Liang Zihan , Liu Yu
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the collaborative value creation process in the context of regional public brands within the specialty agricultural products domain. It examines the role of cluster social capital in facilitating stakeholder interactions and cooperation, thereby enhancing the value of these brands.

Design/methodology/approach

The study adopts a value co-creation theoretical framework to construct a relational model that links cluster social capital, brand interaction, stakeholder perceived value, and the value of regional public brands. An empirical analysis is conducted using a sample of 404 valid responses to test this model and assess the influence of cluster social capital on brand value co-creation.

Findings

The findings reveal that cluster social capital significantly impacts stakeholder participation in value co-creation activities, thereby playing a crucial role in enhancing the value of regional public brands. The study also finds that brand interactions significantly affect stakeholder perceived value and the overall brand value, with perceived value acting as a partial mediator in these relationships.

Originality/value

This research contributes to the understanding of value co-creation in regional public brands, particularly in the agricultural sector. It provides new insights into how cluster social capital influences the value creation process, offering valuable implications for policymakers and practitioners working to develop and promote regional public brands in the specialty agricultural products market.
The nexus between FDI and human development: non-linear evidence from South Asia
Authors: Dash Ranjan , Gupta Deepa , Mishra Aditi
Published: June 2024

Purpose

Human development is critical for fostering economic growth and development. Given the importance of human development, this study examines the asymmetric impact of Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) on human development by decomposing total FDI into positive and negative shocks in five South Asian countries from 1990 to 2021.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses the panel Non-linear Autoregressive Distributive Lag model (NARDL) to examine asymmetric long and short-run effects of FDI. Further, the direction of causality between HDI and FDI is examined using the recently developed (Joudis et al., 2021) panel granger non-causality test.

Findings

The positive and negative FDI shocks positively impact HDI, but positive shocks have a higher effect than negative shocks in the long run. The Wald Test rejects the long-run symmetric effect, confirming the asymmetric relationship between FDI and human development. More importantly, causality results reveal the FDI-led HDI and HDI-led FDI development in South Asia.

Practical implications

FDI should be encouraged by formulating a well-tailored policy intervention. The development policies should be interlinked with FDI policies. Absorptive capacities such as infrastructure facilities, a threshold level of human capital, and institutions should be strengthened to attract higher FDI into high-tech sectors.

Originality/value

Unlike the previous empirical studies, this study provides asymmetric evidence between FDI and human development in South Asia.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-05-2023-0380.
Examining the interplay between managerial ties, dynamic capabilities and innovation climate in driving balanced and combined ambidextrous innovation
Authors: Alhammadi Bader , Khalid Khalizani , Ahmad Syed Zamberi , Davidson Ross
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to adopt the dynamic capabilities view to investigate the relationship between managerial ties (i.e. business and political ties), dynamic capabilities and innovation climate on ambidextrous innovation (i.e. balanced and combined ambidextrous innovation), in the renewable and sustainable energy context. It also examines the mediating effects of dynamic capabilities between managerial ties and ambidextrous innovation (i.e. balanced and combined ambidextrous innovation), and moderating effects between dynamic capabilities and ambidextrous innovation relationships.

Design/methodology/approach

Multilevel analyses conducted using AMOS 26 on 288 employees working in 47 UAE energy firms.

Findings

Results found that business ties influences balanced and combined ambidextrous innovation indirectly, whereas political ties only impact combined ambidextrous innovation indirectly through dynamic capabilities. Dynamic capabilities insignificantly mediated managerial ties–ambidextrous innovation and political ties–balanced ambidextrous innovation relationships, with stronger indirect effect on combined than on the balanced dimension. Findings also indicate that innovation climate is the crucial moderator between dynamic compatibilities and ambidextrous innovation, as well as balanced and combined ambidextrous innovation, with stronger effect on balanced dimension than the combined.

Originality/value

This study addresses recent calls by highlighting the role of dynamic capabilities, an important yet underexplored organizational capabilities in the innovation and ambidexterity literature. Also, this study advances insight into how balanced and combined exploration–exploitation innovation and dynamic capabilities are connected and enhances the understanding into how organizational factors stimulate dynamic capabilities leading to superior innovation.
“Having just the right answer is almost as worthless as not having an answer’’: conceptualizing the information needs of undergraduate engineers
Authors: Dodson Samuel
Published: June 2024

Purpose

This paper explores the information needs and behaviors of undergraduate engineers.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports on a qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews with 18 students.

Findings

The study identified the types of information needs undergraduate engineers encounter while working on problem solving tasks and the strategies they use to resolve these needs. The findings reveal that students often encounter difficulties due to a lack of procedural knowledge rather than conceptual gaps or misunderstandings. Students look for step-by-step solutions to address their information needs and become more efficient problem-solvers. However, most instructors do not provide answers or solutions, leaving students uncertain about their progress and unable to correct their mistakes. Consequently, students seek information from their peers, including step-by-step solutions and access to previous course materials. They use file-sharing and instant messaging platforms like Google Drive and Facebook Messenger as covert means of seeking help, sharing solutions and engaging in coursework-related discussions.

Originality/value

The findings enrich the theory of information needs by delineating between conceptual and procedural information needs. These findings also underscore the significant role that classmates and friends play as sources of information. The study offers implications for conceptual development of information needs, and for instructors to provide solutions and support sharing between peers on official platforms.
Exploring the motivations behind artificial intelligence adoption for building resilient supply chains: a systematic literature review and future research agenda
Authors: Vishwakarma Laxmi Pandit , Singh Rajesh Kr , Mishra Ruchi , Venkatesh Mani
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The study aims to synthesize existing knowledge and proposes a research framework for building a resilient supply chain (SC) through artificial intelligence (AI) technology. It also identifies existing literature gaps and paves the way for a future research agenda.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review has been carried out to identify the peer-reviewed articles from Scopus and Web of Science databases. Then, the selected articles published between 2012 and 2023 are analyzed using descriptive and thematic analysis methods to unearth research gaps and offer new research directions.

Findings

Descriptive and thematic analysis reveals the overall development of literature on the role of AI for supply chain resilience (SCR). Based on the findings of the thematic analysis, the motivation, application, capability and outcome (MACO) framework has been developed and propositions have been proposed. Several future research directions have also been suggested in terms of theory, context and methodology (TCM).

Practical implications

The study provides a fresh perspective on the integration of AI technology within the realm of SCR. The developed MACO framework serves as a practical tool for supply chain management (SCM) professionals, offering a nuanced understanding of AI's applications across various functional areas to streamline operations, minimize waste and optimize resource utilization, thereby helping them in strategic planning.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on the role of AI for building SCR by uncovering gaps, offering research directions and developing propositions for future research directions.
Exploring the uncharted influence of family social capital in entrepreneurial ecosystems
Authors: Appleton Samuel Wayne , Pavlou Christodoulos
Published: June 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this research is to develop theory, thereby attending to the existing knowledge gap regarding the impact of family firms on entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs). Reducing such a gap is both timely and relevant given the ubiquity of family firms across the globe and the lack of theoretical development at the intersection of EE and family firm literatures. By employing social capital theory in a propositional theorizing approach, this article presents unique propositions that enrich current understanding of the EE phenomenon.

Design/methodology/approach

Our method adopts a three-step propositional theorizing approach. The first step outlines our conceptualization, drawing on social capital theory and identifying multiple levels of analysis pertaining to EEs and family firms. The second step precisely identifies the constructs used for the theorization process, drawing upon relevant literature. The third step involves proposition building, which produces our findings.

Findings

As a result of our propositional theorizing method, we developed 10 theoretical propositions to explain interactions between family members, nonfamily entrepreneurs, family firms and new ventures in the EE, thereby focusing on the social elements of the EE and reducing its conceptual complexity while extending the explanatory power of family social capital in the EE.

Research limitations/implications

Despite being increasingly relevant in research, policy and practice discourse, EEs remain under theorized. By theorizing in this context, we provide explanations of the mechanisms to explain social interactions between family members, nonfamily entrepreneurs, family firms and new ventures and how such interactions are likely to provide better access to the untapped resources in the EE. Furthermore, our theorization also identifies underexplored research areas paving the way for future scholars.

Practical implications

This article is relevant to practitioners and policymakers interested in creating balanced, inclusive and effective EE policies and interventions. Our theorization generates insights that complement a bottom-up approach where the state assumes a facilitating role for actors such as family firms to positively impact their EE. This research is both timely and necessary because, if unaddressed, it will lead to ineffective and potentially exclusionary policies and EE interventions.

Originality/value

We contribute to the literature by synthesizing the two domains and thereby advancing knowledge at the intersection of EE and family firm literatures. We strengthen the link between two burgeoning research areas through a propositional theorizing mode of theory development. Under the assumptions of a grand theory, social capital theory, we highlight the benefits that derive from social interactions in the EE between family firms and other EE actors.
Making Knowledge Claims from Qualitative Interviews: A Typology of Epistemological Modes
Authors: Whittle Andrea , Reissner Stefanie
Published: June 2024

Qualitative interviewing is the most common qualitative research method in management studies. However, researchers using this method tend to use a distinct ‘packages’ of practices, each of which is underpinned by a distinct onto‐epistemological paradigm. In this paper, we contribute to the understanding of how paradigms influence research by examining how researchers make an ‘epistemological leap’ from their interview data to a claim to know something about a phenomenon outside of the interview situation. Using illustrative examples from published management research, we develop a typology of five epistemological modes that differ according to how far researchers ‘leap’ and what they ‘leap’ to when making knowledge claims from interview data. We conclude by outlining the implications of our typology for those involved in conducting, teaching and evaluating qualitative interview research.
Clinical validation of the nursing outcome “Swallowing status: pharyngeal phase” in patients with laryngeal cancer
Authors: Duan Ruirui , Ding Yongxia , Tian Yanzhi , Yang Huixian , Xu Jing
Published: June 2024

Aims and objectives

This study aimed to clinically validate the nursing outcome “Swallowing status: pharyngeal phase” (1013).

Methods

A two‐stage study was designed: (1) Chinese translation and cultural adaptation and (2) clinical validation. Internal consistency and interrater reliability tests were performed on 285 patients with laryngeal cancer, and an additional 130 patients were randomly selected from the 285 patients as an independent sample. Criterion‐related validity tests were performed using the standardized swallowing assessment (SSA). Nursing outcome sensitivity was detected by scoring two time points.

Results

The Cronbach's alpha coefficients were 0.951 for the nursing outcome and 0.942–0.965 for each indicator. The interclass correlation coefficient (ICC) values for each indicator ranged from 0.73 to 0.929. The scores of the nursing outcome were negatively correlated with the SSA scores (r = −0.555, p < 0.01). With the exception of two indicators, there was a significant difference (p < 0.05) between the total scores of the scale and its 11 indicator scores for the two time points. The results indicated that the nursing outcome “Swallowing status: pharyngeal phase” (1013) exhibited satisfactory psychometric properties and high sensitivity to change.

Conclusions

The nursing outcome “Swallowing status: pharyngeal phase” (1013) demonstrated good reliability, validity, and sensitivity in patients with laryngeal cancer.

Implications for nursing practice

The nursing outcome “Swallowing status: pharyngeal phase” (1013) can be used to assess swallowing function in patients with laryngeal cancer and provide guidance for the development of rehabilitation intervention plans and nursing care.
Knowledge graphs in psychiatric research: Potential applications and future perspectives
Authors: Freidel Sebastian , Schwarz Emanuel
Published: June 2024

Background

Knowledge graphs (KGs) remain an underutilized tool in the field of psychiatric research. In the broader biomedical field KGs are already a significant tool mainly used as knowledge database or for novel relation detection between biomedical entities. This review aims to outline how KGs would further research in the field of psychiatry in the age of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Large Language Models (LLMs).

Methods

We conducted a thorough literature review across a spectrum of scientific fields ranging from computer science and knowledge engineering to bioinformatics. The literature reviewed was taken from PubMed, Semantic Scholar and Google Scholar searches including terms such as “Psychiatric Knowledge Graphs”, “Biomedical Knowledge Graphs”, “Knowledge Graph Machine Learning Applications”, “Knowledge Graph Applications for Biomedical Sciences”. The resulting publications were then assessed and accumulated in this review regarding their possible relevance to future psychiatric applications.

Results

A multitude of papers and applications of KGs in associated research fields that are yet to be utilized in psychiatric research was found and outlined in this review. We create a thorough recommendation for other computational researchers regarding use‐cases of these KG applications in psychiatry.

Conclusion

This review illustrates use‐cases of KG‐based research applications in biomedicine and beyond that may aid in elucidating the complex biology of psychiatric illness and open new routes for developing innovative interventions. We conclude that there is a wealth of opportunities for KG utilization in psychiatric research across a variety of application areas including biomarker discovery, patient stratification and personalized medicine approaches.
Validation of the Very Efficient Short‐Form Need for Cognition Scale in Chinese: Detecting the effect of item orientation
Authors: Mu Wenlong , Qiao Kangnaixin , Tan Meiling , Wang Yu
Published: June 2024

Using a large‐scale randomized survey experiment, this study examined the dimensionality, item functioning, instrument properties and associations with validity‐related variables of the Very Efficient Short‐Form Need for Cognition Scale (NCS‐6) in Chinese and investigated whether its psychometric properties were affected by item orientation. For dimensionality, results indicated that a two‐factor model demonstrated a superior fit to the data compared to the one‐factor model when the NCS‐6 contained mixed‐worded items. The one‐factor model showed excellent model fit when the NCS‐6 contained only nonreversed or reversed items. For item functioning, factor loadings were invariant across experimental conditions, but item thresholds were not. For instrument properties, although the internal consistency reliabilities were excellent in each experimental condition, mean scores of the NCS‐6 showed a decreasing pattern as the number of reversed items increased. For associations with validity‐related variables, the structural relationships between NCS‐6 and validity‐related variables were not significantly different across experimental conditions. Overall, the dimensionality and instrument properties of the Chinese version NCS‐6 were affected when it contained mixed‐worded items.
Racial hydrologies
Authors: Walter Brian
Published: June 2024

In the South Carolina Lowcountry, near‐annual hurricanes and record‐breaking sea levels have led to disastrous flooding, overwhelming the region's historical tidal infrastructures and entrenched racial geographies. In response, Lowcountry governments, institutions, and residents have undertaken efforts at “perimeter protection,” raising dikes and seawalls to safeguard selected urban and rural plantation spaces from tidal flooding. Although perimeter protection is presented as a neutral resilience strategy, its practices and material forms reveal a close relationship between coastal protection and efforts to preserve landscapes of white supremacy. Such logics of perimeter protection contrast with everyday affective encounters with eroding coastlines and with the futures outside of bounded edges imagined by Black Charlestonians. By situating the region's hydrological history within the legacy of slavery and plantation extraction, and by following the effects of current sea level rise, we can see how historical hydrologies—which in this case are also racial hydrologies—are entangled with landscapes of contemporary environmental injustice.
Peri‐operative fever and LVAD: SIRS or impaired right ventricular strain?
Authors: Marek‐Iannucci Stefanie , Wildemann Riley , Brailovsky Yevgeniy , Dyer Samuel , Gamero Maria T. , Alvarez Rene J. , Rame Eduardo , Massey Howard T. , Tchantchaleishvili Vakhtang , Thoma Brandi , Rajapreyar Indranee N.
Published: June 2024

Background

An inflammatory milieu after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation is associated with multi‐organ dysfunction and pre‐operative heightened inflammatory state is associated with right ventricular failure after LVAD implantation.

Methods

We performed a retrospective analysis of 30 LVAD patients in our institution within the last 2 years for the development of fever and compared them to 30 non‐LVAD open‐heart surgery patients.

Results

Our results suggest that patients undergoing LVAD implantation are more likely to develop fever in the immediate post‐operative period compared to other open‐heart surgeries. This is independent of pharmacological treatment, age, or ethnical background. Females and obese patients were more likely to develop fever.

Conclusion

Patients with right ventricular dysfunction, as demonstrated by elevated central venous pressure (CVP), had the strongest correlation with fever development. These results pose the question if there is a systemic inflammatory response‐like phenomenon driven by increased right ventricular dysfunction.
The development, use, and challenges of electromechanical tissue stimulation systems
Authors: Hu Jie , Anderson William , Hayes Emily , Strauss Ellie Annah , Lang Jordan , Bacos Josh , Simacek Noah , Vu Helen H. , McCarty Owen J. T. , Kim Hoyeon , Kang Youngbok (Abraham)
Published: June 2024

Background

Tissue stimulations greatly affect cell growth, phenotype, and function, and they play an important role in modeling tissue physiology. With the goal of understanding the cellular mechanisms underlying the response of tissues to external stimulations, in vitro models of tissue stimulation have been developed in hopes of recapitulating in vivo tissue function.

Methods

Herein we review the efforts to create and validate tissue stimulators responsive to electrical or mechanical stimulation including tensile, compression, torsion, and shear.

Results

Engineered tissue platforms have been designed to allow tissues to be subjected to selected types of mechanical stimulation from simple uniaxial to humanoid robotic stain through equal‐biaxial strain. Similarly, electrical stimulators have been developed to apply selected electrical signal shapes, amplitudes, and load cycles to tissues, lending to usage in stem cell‐derived tissue development, tissue maturation, and tissue functional regeneration. Some stimulators also allow for the observation of tissue morphology in real‐time while cells undergo stimulation. Discussion on the challenges and limitations of tissue simulator development is provided.

Conclusions

Despite advances in the development of useful tissue stimulators, opportunities for improvement remain to better reproduce physiological functions by accounting for complex loading cycles, electrical and mechanical induction coupled with biological stimuli, and changes in strain affected by applied inputs.
Exploring new discoveries of steel fining in a Western Han Dynasty city in southwest China: A case study of steel fining remains excavated from the ancient Xindu city in Sichuan Province
Authors: Qiu Tian , Yang Yang , Yang Zhanfeng , Li Yingfu
Published: June 2024

Archaeological discoveries and historical documents show that the Chengdu Plain was the most important iron production center in the southwest region of China during the Qin and Han dynasties. However, due to the lack of archaeological evidence, the iron production technology of cities in the Chengdu Plain during the Qin and Han dynasties remains unclear. The Xindu city site is located in Qingbaijiang District, Chengdu Sichuan Province. It was an important city site in the Chengdu Plain during the Han and Jin dynasties. During excavation of the Xindu city site, archaeologists unearthed a large number of metallurgical remains such as slags and tuyeres, as well as two severely damaged hearth bases near the western city wall. Scientific analysis results suggest that the metallurgical remains are related to the steel fining process and could be dated back to the Western Han Dynasty. The metallurgical remains in the Xindu city are the earliest known artifacts associated with the steel fining process in southwest China. This discovery also marks the first identification of iron industry workshops in a Han Dynasty city in the Chengdu Plain. The findings reveal a different industrial layout pattern from previously discovered Han Dynasty metallurgical sites in the Chengdu Plain. Additionally, this discovery provides archaeometallurgical evidence for the central government's development in southwest China during the Han Dynasty.
Navigating methotrexate toxicity: Examining the therapeutic roles of folinic acid and glucarpidase
Authors: Chan Betty S. , Bosco Annmarie A. , Buckley Nicholas A.
Published: June 2024

Methotrexate (MTX) toxicity varies depending on factors such as dosing frequency (acute or repeated), dosage (low or high) and the administration route (oral, parenteral or intrathecal). Renal impairment can trigger or exacerbate MTX toxicity. Acute oral low‐dose MTX (LDMTX) overdoses seldom lead to toxicity due to the saturable maximal bioavailable dose, but toxicity risks increase with repeated low doses (>3 days), high‐dose MTX (HDMTX) or intrathecal poisoning. Folinic acid shares MTX transporters in the gut and cells and bypasses the MTX‐induced dihydrofolate reductase inhibition. The required folinic acid dosage differs for low‐dose and high‐dose MTX toxicities. Acute LDMTX poisoning rarely requires folinic acid, while chronic LDMTX poisoning needs low‐dose folinic acid until cellular function is restored. In HDMTX toxicities, early intravenous folinic acid administration is recommended, with dose and duration being guided by MTX concentrations and clinical improvement. In intrathecal MTX poisoning, folinic acid should be administered intravenously. Glucarpidase, a recombinant bacterial enzyme, has a high affinity for MTX and folate analogues in the intravascular or intrathecal systems. It decreases serum MTX concentrations by 90%–95% within 15 min. Its primary indication is for intrathecal MTX poisoning. It is rarely indicated in HDMTX toxicity unless patients have renal injury. However, there is no literature evidence supporting its use in HDMTX poisoning. Its use is limited by its significant cost and lack of availability. Haemodialysis can be potentially useful for MTX removal in cases where glucarpidase is not available. Additionally, fluid hydration, renal support and urine alkalinization are important adjunctive therapies for managing MTX toxicities.
Learning from errors in mathematics classrooms: Development over 2 years in dependence of perceived error climate
Authors: Dresel Markus , Daumiller Martin , Spear Jana , Janke Stefan , Dickhäuser Oliver , Steuer Gabriele
Published: June 2024

Background

Errors can provide informative feedback and exhibit a high potential for learning gains. Affective‐motivational and action‐related reactions to errors are two forms of error adaptivity that have been shown to enhance learning outcomes from errors. However, little is known regarding the development and contextual conditions of students' error reactions. A theoretically plausible facilitator to this end is the perceived error climate in the classroom.

Aim

We investigated how students' dealing with errors develops over time and which role the classroom context in general, and the perceived error climate in particular, has for this development.

Sample

A total of 1641 students participated in 69 mathematics classrooms in academic secondary schools.

Methods

Perceived error climate alongside students' self‐reported individual reactions to errors were assessed in a 2‐year longitudinal study with five measurement points over the fifth and sixth grade.

Results

Growth‐curve modelling indicated an, on average, negative development of students' individual reactions to errors. This development varied substantially between classrooms and systematically depended on perceived error climate. A more positive error climate was associated with a less negative development of error adaptivity.

Conclusion

Taken together, our findings imply a strong need and considerable room for the teachers' support in developing and maintaining adaptive reactions to errors. They also allow for the conclusion that teachers can succeed here by means of realizing a positive error climate in class.
Coagulation abnormalities associated with CAR‐T‐cell therapy in haematological malignancies: A review
Authors: Peng Xiaojuan , Zhang Xialin , Zhao Meiling , Chang Doudou , Yang Linhua , Mei Heng , Zhang Ruijuan
Published: June 2024

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)‐T‐cell therapy has demonstrated considerable efficacy and safety in the treatment of patients with relapsed/refractory haematological malignancies. Owing to significant advances, CAR‐T‐cell therapeutic modality has undergone substantial shifts in its clinical application. Coagulation abnormalities, which are prevalent complications in CAR‐T‐cell therapy, can range in severity from simple abnormalities in coagulation parameters to serious haemorrhage or disseminated intravascular coagulation associated with life‐threatening multiorgan dysfunction. Nonetheless, there is a lack of a comprehensive overview concerning the coagulation abnormalities associated with CAR‐T‐cell therapy. With an aim to attract heightened clinical focus and to enhance the safety of CAR‐T‐cell therapy, this review presents the characteristics of the coagulation abnormalities associated with CAR‐T‐cell therapy, including clinical manifestations, coagulation parameters, pathogenesis, risk factors and their influence on treatment efficacy in patients receiving CAR‐T‐cell infusion. Due to limited data, these conclusions may undergo changes as more experience accumulates.
Rejection of the status quo: Conspiracy theories and preference for alternative political systems
Authors: Papaioannou Kostas , Pantazi Myrto , van Prooijen Jan‐Willem
Published: June 2024

Conspiracy theories introduce a democratic paradox, as belief in conspiracy theories predicts support for both democratic and non‐democratic political systems. In this article, we explore whether democratic and anti‐democratic attitudes, resulting from conspiracy beliefs, can be mutually exclusive. In Study 1 (United Kingdom, N = 293), we show that belief in conspiracy theories is associated with decreased support for representative democracy, and increased support for direct democracy, anarchism, and autocracy within the same individuals. In Study 2 (United States, N = 302, pre‐registered), we experimentally show that the perceived presence of conspiracies is linked to an increased preference for direct democracy, anarchism, and autocracy and decreased support for representative democracy. Mediational analyses suggest that widespread dissatisfaction with the status quo and, less consistently, feelings of political cynicism mediate the relationships between conspiracy beliefs and (anti‐)democratic attitudes. In Study 3 (United States, N = 400, pre‐registered), we experimentally manipulate (dis)satisfaction with the status quo. Results indicate that rejecting the status quo increases support for direct democracy, anarchism, and autocracy and decreases support for representative democracy. Overall, our findings suggest that people who believe in conspiracy theories tend to favour both democratic and anti‐democratic political alternatives, largely attributed to citizens' desire to change the status quo.
Space‐focused stereotypes of immigrant neighbourhoods
Authors: Essien Iniobong , Rohmann Anette
Published: June 2024

Recent research suggests that stereotypes are not only applied to social groups but also to the physical spaces that social groups inhabit. We present three experiments investigating space‐focused stereotype content and valence regarding immigrant and non‐immigrant neighbourhoods. In Study 1a (N = 198), a pre‐registered online experiment, we observed that participants associate more negative characteristics with immigrant neighbourhoods than with middle‐class neighbourhoods. Whereas they imagined immigrant neighbourhoods as crime‐ridden, dirty and dangerous, they imagined middle‐class neighbourhoods to be quiet, clean and safe. Furthermore, whereas stereotype valence regarding immigrant neighbourhoods was negative, stereotype valence regarding middle‐class neighbourhoods was positive, suggesting large effects. These results were replicated in Study 1b (N = 274), examining stereotypes of immigrant versus majority‐German neighbourhoods. In Study 2 (N = 209), a pre‐registered online experiment, we observed that space‐focused stereotypes were more negative when cultural stereotypes rather than personal beliefs were assessed. Exploratory analyses revealed that, compared with majority‐German neighbourhoods, participants imagined immigrant neighbourhoods to be lower in socioeconomic status and also reported feeling less psychologically connected to these neighbourhoods, regardless of whether space‐focused stereotypes were personally endorsed or not. Lastly, a mega‐analysis across studies suggested that effects of stereotypes of immigrant in comparison to non‐immigrant places were very large (ds = 1.70). Together, the present findings indicate that mere differences in descriptions of places with reference to their demographic composition are sufficient to elicit large differences in associated stereotype content and valence.
The Length of Service of Cabinet Ministers in Chile's Presidential Democracy, 1990–2022
Authors: Jofré Hugo , Navia Patricio , Cabezas José Miguel
Published: June 2024

Cabinet shuffles in multiparty democracies do not equally affect all posts as they are caused by changes in the composition of government coalitions and by shifting political conditions. With data from the 340 individual cabinet appointments in Chile's presidential system in seven presidential terms (1990–2022), we find that the type of cabinet position and prior experience as cabinet ministers impact the length of service, but party members do not last longer than independents and neither do ministers with technocratic credentials. Ministers in low‐prestige positions are less likely to being sacked. As cabinet stability is associated with the delivery of public policies, studying the determinants of longer cabinet positions helps identify factors that contribute to governability and good governance.
Nanoarchitecture of CaV2.1 channels and GABAB receptors in the mouse hippocampus: Impact of APP/PS1 pathology
Authors: Martín‐Belmonte Alejandro , Aguado Carolina , Alfaro‐Ruiz Rocío , Kulik Akos , de la Ossa Luis , Moreno‐Martínez Ana Esther , Alberquilla Samuel , García‐Carracedo Lucía , Fernández Miriam , Fajardo‐Serrano Ana , Aso Ester , Shigemoto Ryuichi , Martín Eduardo D. , Fukazawa Yugo , Ciruela Francisco , Luján Rafael
Published: June 2024

Voltage‐gated CaV2.1 (P/Q‐type) Ca2+ channels play a crucial role in regulating neurotransmitter release, thus contributing to synaptic plasticity and to processes such as learning and memory. Despite their recognized importance in neural function, there is limited information on their potential involvement in neurodegenerative conditions such as Alzheimer's disease (AD). Here, we aimed to explore the impact of AD pathology on the density and nanoscale compartmentalization of CaV2.1 channels in the hippocampus in association with GABAB receptors. Histoblotting experiments showed that the density of CaV2.1 channel was significantly reduced in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice in a laminar‐dependent manner. CaV2.1 channel was enriched in the active zone of the axon terminals and was present at a very low density over the surface of dendritic tree of the CA1 pyramidal cells, as shown by quantitative SDS‐digested freeze‐fracture replica labelling (SDS‐FRL). In APP/PS1 mice, the density of CaV2.1 channel in the active zone was significantly reduced in the strata radiatum and lacunosum‐moleculare, while it remained unaltered in the stratum oriens. The decline in Cav2.1 channel density was found to be associated with a corresponding impairment in the GABAergic synaptic function, as evidenced by electrophysiological experiments carried out in the hippocampus of APP/PS1 mice. Remarkably, double SDS‐FRL showed a co‐clustering of CaV2.1 channel and GABAB1 receptor in nanodomains (~40–50 nm) in wild type mice, while in APP/PS1 mice this nanoarchitecture was absent. Together, these findings suggest that the AD pathology‐induced reduction in CaV2.1 channel density and CaV2.1‐GABAB1 de‐clustering may play a role in the synaptic transmission alterations shown in the AD hippocampus. Therefore, uncovering these layer‐dependent changes in P/Q calcium currents associated with AD pathology can benefit the development of future strategies for AD management.
Mapping of afferent and efferent connections of phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase‐expressing neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarii
Authors: Zhu Mengchu , Jun Shirui , Nie Xiaojun , Chen Jinting , Hao Yinchao , Yu Hongxiao , Zhang Xiang , Sun Lu , Liu Yuelin , Yuan Xiangshan , Yuan Fang , Wang Sheng
Published: June 2024

Objective

Phenylethanolamine N‐methyltransferase (PNMT)‐expressing neurons in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS) contribute to the regulation of autonomic functions. However, the neural circuits linking these neurons to other brain regions remain unclear. This study aims to investigate the connectivity mechanisms of the PNMT‐expressing neurons in the NTS (NTSPNMT neurons).

Methods

The methodologies employed in this study included a modified rabies virus‐based retrograde neural tracing technique, conventional viral anterograde tracing, and immunohistochemical staining procedures.

Results

A total of 43 upstream nuclei projecting to NTSPNMT neurons were identified, spanning several key brain regions including the medulla oblongata, pons, midbrain, cerebellum, diencephalon, and telencephalon. Notably, dense projections to the NTSPNMT neurons were observed from the central amygdaloid nucleus, paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus, area postrema, and the gigantocellular reticular nucleus. In contrast, the ventrolateral medulla, lateral parabrachial nucleus, and lateral hypothalamic area were identified as the primary destinations for axon terminals originating from NTSPNMT neurons. Additionally, reciprocal projections were evident among 21 nuclei, primarily situated within the medulla oblongata.

Conclusion

Our research findings demonstrate that NTSPNMT neurons form extensive connections with numerous nuclei, emphasizing their essential role in the homeostatic regulation of vital autonomic functions.
Island restoration to rebuild seabird populations and amplify coral reef functioning
Authors: Dunn Ruth E. , Benkwitt Cassandra E. , Maury Olivier , Barrier Nicolas , Carr Peter , Graham Nicholas A. J.
Published: June 2024

Mobile organisms like seabirds can provide important nutrient flows between ecosystems, but this connectivity has been interrupted by the degradation of island ecosystems. Island restoration (via invasive species eradications and the restoration of native vegetation) can reestablish seabird populations and their nutrient transfers between their foraging areas, breeding colonies, and adjacent nearshore habitats. Its diverse benefits are making island restoration increasingly common and scalable to larger islands and whole archipelagos. We identified the factors that influence breeding seabird abundances throughout the Chagos Archipelago in the Indian Ocean and conducted predictive modeling to estimate the abundances of seabirds that the archipelago could support under invasive predator eradication and native vegetation restoration scenarios. We explored whether the prey base exists to support restored seabird populations across the archipelago, calculated the nitrogen that restored populations of seabirds might produce via their guano, and modeled the cascading conservation gains that island restoration could provide. Restoration was predicted to increase breeding pairs of seabirds to over 280,000, and prey was predicted to be ample to support the revived seabird populations. Restored nutrient fluxes were predicted to result in increases in coral growth rates, reef fish biomasses, and parrotfish grazing and bioerosion rates. Given these potential cross‐ecosystem benefits, our results support island restoration as a conservation priority that could enhance resilience to climatic change effects, such as sea‐level rise and coral bleaching. We encourage the incorporation of our estimates of cross‐ecosystem benefits in prioritization exercises for island restoration.
Diasporas as a linchpin in local and international humanitarian action: a case study of the Chinese in Aceh following the 2004 tsunami
Authors: Hirono Miwa
Published: June 2024

Chinese humanitarian actors have worked frequently with the Chinese diaspora in disaster‐affected areas, but little, if any, research has been conducted into the important role of the diaspora in disaster response and humanitarian assistance. This paper investigates what local knowledge the Chinese diaspora has offered to humanitarian actors from the People's Republic of China (PRC), and how this has contributed to their effectiveness. Based on a case study of the semi‐autonomous Indonesian province of Aceh in the aftermath of the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004, this paper argues that the diaspora can serve as a linchpin in local and international humanitarian action. It can do so by strengthening networks and bringing together local ethnic communities, local governments, and the PRC's humanitarian actors, while also offering local knowledge in the form of contextual memory. Such local knowledge may have to be fully utilised to address any underlying ethnic tensions in disaster‐affected areas.
Effects of left bundle branch block on echocardiographic coronary flow assessment: A systematic review
Authors: Donelli Davide , Antonelli Michele , Gurgoglione Filippo Luca , Lazzeroni Davide , Tuttolomondo Domenico , Niccoli Giampaolo , Cortigiani Lauro , Gaibazzi Nicola
Published: June 2024

This systematic review investigates the diagnostic and prognostic utility of coronary flow reserve (CFR) assessment through echocardiography in patients with left bundle branch block (LBBB), a condition known to complicate the clinical evaluation of coronary artery disease (CAD). The literature search was performed on PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar, was guided by PRISMA standards up to March 2024, and yielded six observational studies that met inclusion criteria. These studies involved a diverse population of patients with LBBB, employing echocardiographic protocols to clarify the impact of LBBB on coronary flow dynamics. The findings emphasize the importance of CFR in stratifying cardiovascular risk and guiding clinical decision‐making in patients with LBBB. Pooled results reveal that patients with LBBB and significant left anterior descending (LAD) artery stenosis exhibited a marked decrease in stress‐peak diastolic velocity (MD = ‐19.03 [‐23.58; ‐14.48] cm/s; p < .0001) and CFR (MD = ‐.60 [‐.71; ‐.50]; p < .0001), compared to those without significant LAD lesions, suggesting the efficacy of stress echocardiography CFR assessment in the identification of clinically significant CAD among the LBBB population. This review highlights the clinical relevance of echocardiography CFR assessment as a noninvasive tool for evaluating CAD and stratifying risk in the presence of LBBB and underscores the need for standardized protocols in CFR measurement.
How to decide what to do: Why you're already a realist about value
Authors: Kirwin Claire
Published: June 2024

Metaethical realists and anti‐realists alike have typically assumed that deliberation about what to do is, at least sometimes, properly settled by the agent's evaluative attitudes—what she wants, likes, or values—rather than by any objective source of value out in the world. I argue that this picture of deliberation is not one that the deliberating agent herself can accept. Seen from within the first‐person perspective, the agent's own evaluative attitudes are not encountered as descriptive psychological facts, but are rather “transparent” to the external world, conceived as a place already suffused with normative significance: they are her finding the relevant parts of the world to be desirable, valuable, and so on. And from the agent's own point of view, these attitudes can do the normative work involved in settling deliberation only because and insofar as they are understood as in this way a warranted response to this desirability or value. Attitudes that the agent does not experience as transparent in this way are attitudes from which she is alienated, and as such she cannot understand them as authoritative over her deliberation. What this means, I argue, is that deliberation about what to do involves a commitment to a particularly substantive form of metaethical realism.
Random permutation‐based linear regression for cancelable biometrics
Authors: Singh Onkar , Jaiswal Ajay , Kumar Nitin , Kumar Naveen
Published: June 2024

The security of biometric data in biometric‐based authentication systems is a significant concern. Cancellable biometrics aim to generate templates that can be replaced by new templates if compromised. We propose a new approach for generating cancellable biometric templates based on linear regression with random permutation. Our approach generates a virtual image for every biometric image by applying linear regression. In the next step, the cancellable biometric template is produced by randomly permuting each virtual image depending on a key assigned to each individual. If the template is compromised, it can be cancelled, and a new template can be generated by altering the key. Our method has shown superior performance compared to existing random permutation‐based methods in terms of authentication accuracy across six databases, encompassing face, iris, and ear, even when dealing with low‐resolution images. It performed well on challenging databases like UBIRIS and Georgia Tech, demonstrating the robustness of the proposed approach.
Effect of trace element arsenic on the high cycle fatigue properties and the carbide uniformity in high carbon chromium bearing steel
Authors: Dong Shuaijun , Wu Yongjin , Zhang Chaolei , Wang Shuize , Wu Guilin , Gao Junheng , Wu Honghui , Zhao Haitao , Mao Xinping
Published: June 2024

In this paper, the mechanical properties and microstructures of bearing steels with arsenic contents of 30, 40, and 120 ppm have been investigated. The results show that As‐40 steel has the highest tensile strength but lower fatigue strength than As‐120 steel. The fatigue crack propagation rate of As‐120 steel is relatively low, mainly due to the increase in ΔKth. After quenching and tempering, As‐120 steel has larger prior austenite grains and more undecomposed, elongated carbides appear, reducing the uniformity of the steel. For carbides with an aspect ratio greater than 2, they cannot grow by the Oswald mechanism of spontaneous migration but are spheroidized by self‐cracking. The undissolved elongated carbides have a lower chemical potential, which increases the diffusion tendency of arsenic in the matrix. SIMS and EPMA analyses show that there is no significant distortion of the trace element arsenic.