bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Structure and thermodynamics of defects in Na-feldspar from a neural network potential
Authors: Gorfer Alexander , Abart Rainer , Dellago Christoph
Published: July 2024

The diffusive phase transformations occurring in feldspar, a common mineral in the crust of the Earth, are essential for reconstructing the thermal histories of magmatic and metamorphic rocks. Due to the long timescales over which these transformations proceed, the mechanism responsible for sodium diffusion and its possible anisotropy has remained a topic of debate. To elucidate this defect-controlled process, we have developed a neural network potential (NNP) trained on first-principle calculations of Na-feldspar (albite) and its charged defects. This force field reproduces various experimentally known properties of feldspar, including its lattice parameters and elastic constants as well as heat capacity and DFT-calculated defect formation energies. A new type of dumbbell interstitial defect is found to be most favorable, and its free energy of formation at finite temperature is calculated using thermodynamic integration. The necessity of including electrostatic corrections before training an NNP is demonstrated by predicting more consistent defect formation energies.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Self-consistent sharp interface theory of active condensate dynamics
Authors: Goychuk Andriy , Demarchi Leonardo , Maryshev Ivan , Frey Erwin
Published: July 2024

Biomolecular condensates help organize the cell cytoplasm and nucleoplasm into spatial compartments with different chemical compositions. A key feature of such compositional patterning is the local enrichment of enzymatically active biomolecules which, after transient binding via molecular interactions, catalyze reactions among their substrates. Thereby, biomolecular condensates provide a spatial template for nonuniform concentration profiles of substrates. In turn, the concentration profiles of substrates, and their molecular interactions with enzymes, drive enzyme fluxes which can enable novel nonequilibrium dynamics. To analyze this generic class of systems, with a current focus on self-propelled droplet motion, we here develop a self-consistent sharp interface theory. In our theory, we diverge from the usual bottom-up approach, which involves calculating the dynamics of concentration profiles based on a given chemical potential gradient. Instead, reminiscent of control theory, we take the reverse approach by deriving the chemical potential profile and enzyme fluxes required to maintain a desired condensate form and dynamics. The chemical potential profile and currents of enzymes come with a corresponding power dissipation rate, which allows us to derive a thermodynamic consistency criterion for the passive part of the system (here, reciprocal enzyme-enzyme interactions). As a first-use case of our theory, we study the role of reciprocal interactions, where the transport of substrates due to reactions and diffusion is, in part, compensated by redistribution due to molecular interactions. More generally, our theory applies to mass-conserved active matter systems with moving phase boundaries.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Domestic debt, public spending and economic growth in Nigeria: a mediation analysis
Authors: Onuoha Nnachi Egwu
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study is aimed at interrogating the mediation role of public spending in domestic debt and economic growth nexus, drawing on debt overhang theory and the Keynesian view.

Design/methodology/approach

The study deployed a time series data (from 1981 to 2020) set drawn from the 2021 Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) statistical bulletin. The mediation effect of public spending was tested by performing structural equation modeling after pre-estimation Augmented Dickey-Fuller unit root test.

Findings

Overall, the study outcomes indicate that domestic debt and public spending have significant positive effects on economic growth. Additionally, the study finds public spending to partially mediate domestic debt and economic growth nexus.

Practical implications

This study's outcomes provide insights that will enable fiscal policymakers to focus on internal borrowing, keep it under strict control to avert crowding out effects and improve public spending on productive projects to stimulate economic growth.

Originality/value

As the first study to question the mediation effect of public spending in domestic debt-economic growth relationship, it deepens and extends extant literature on domestic debt-economic growth nexus.
Find the “best evidence” of the relationship between network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance
Authors: Shen Neng , Zhang Jing , Cao Yangchun
Published: July 2024

Purpose

In the context of open innovation, more and more enterprises are leveraging innovation networks to drive disruptive innovation performance, but there is no consensus on the relationship between network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance. This paper aims to systematically explore the relationship between them.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper constructs a multi-level network embeddedness model and uses 58 independent studies as samples to explore the relationship between multi-level network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance by meta-analysis.

Findings

First, network embeddedness at the enterprise and regional levels will promote the improvement of disruptive innovation performance. Although industrial relationship embeddedness will promote the improvement of disruptive innovation performance, its structural embeddedness will bring negative effects. Second, in terms of mediating effect, policy-oriented support will promote the relationship between network embeddedness and disruptive innovation performance at the enterprise and industry levels. Compared with large enterprises, small- and medium-sized enterprises will have more advantages in the performance of multi-level network embedding and disruptive innovation performance. Under the subjective performance measurement method, the promotion effect of multi-level network embedding is more prominent.

Research limitations/implications

This study enriches the theoretical research of network embeddedness and disruptive innovation and provides management enlightenment for the network embeddedness strategy of enterprise disruptive innovation. Limited by data samples and article length, future research can further expand literature samples to test the stability of variable relationships and test the moderating effects of more internal and external factors.

Originality/value

First, it constructs a theoretical analysis model of “point-line-surface” multi-level network embedding and disruptive innovation performance of enterprises and expands the theoretical analysis framework of network embedding and disruptive innovation performance. The second is to explore the influence mechanism of multi-level network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance. Third, it deepens the theoretical understanding of the moderating variables of the impact of network embeddedness and enterprise disruptive innovation performance.
Corporate governance disclosure by Italian universities: an empirical analysis of the determinants
Authors: Raimo Nicola , Vitolla Filippo , Marrone Arcangelo , Esposito Paolo
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Accountability and transparency represent two concepts that are gaining more and more importance in the higher education systems. Universities are increasingly called upon to provide both financial and non-financial information. This circumstance has attracted the interest of academics interested in examining the transparency levels of universities. However, limited attention has been paid to corporate governance disclosure. This study aims to bridge this important gap by analyzing the amount of corporate governance information disseminated by Italian universities through their website and the factors capable of influencing this level of disclosure.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses manual content analysis on a sample of 92 Italian universities to measure the extent of corporate governance information dissemination. In addition, it uses various regression models to test the research hypotheses.

Findings

Empirical results demonstrate, first, an adequate commitment to online corporate governance disclosure and, second, a greater propensity toward the dissemination of corporate governance information by the largest and public universities.

Originality/value

The findings greatly enrich the academic literature and have important practical implications for universities, policymakers, and lawmakers.
Balancing diets: diverse values shaping sustainable food choices
Authors: Oljans Emma , Usai Tecklah , Chinofunga Doroth , Mickelsson Martin
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The paper aims to explore how values and knowledge are expressed in student’s discussions about food and health.

Design/methodology/approach

Food practices present a complex phenomenon extending beyond biomedical descriptions, including social dynamics of food in families and communities. Contextual conditions of social groups and settings have significant impacts on food choices and practices. Although values constitute a central part of educational goals, deliberate values education remains an often-neglected area, with a tendency in both curricula and educational practice to focus on knowledge and overlook how values intersect with knowledge. The paper utilises group interviews supported by participant observations to study the food and health practices as expressed in students' discussions.

Findings

The paper’s findings show how values are expressed together with knowledge as value-knowledges around food and health within the social contexts of family, cultural identities and peer relationships. While moving through their lives, students draw on and utilise biomedical, social-cultural and sensory value-knowledges, simultaneously considering the nutrition and taste of foods, the value of connecting with family and peers in cultural settings as well as getting enough food to feel satiated.

Originality/value

The paper presents an original approach around the necessity to consider and integrate cultural identities in discussions and education about food and health to empower students and their communities in a way that is socially just and equitable. This involves shifting discussions of health education away from students as (ir)rational obstacles but rather as partners in co-creating knowledge for sustainable food and health equity.
Revealing the synergetic influence of pharmaceutical marketing strategies on physician prescription patterns: a moderated mediation investigation
Authors: Ilyas Zahid , Siddiqi Mushtaq Ahmad
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the combined impact of pharmaceutical marketing strategies, specifically free drug samples and interactions with medical representatives, on physicians’ attitudes and prescribing behavior in Jammu and Kashmir, India.

Design/methodology/approach

To achieve this objective, data were collected from a sample comprising 425 physicians. A six-point forced-choice Likert scale was used for data collection, and cluster sampling techniques were used in the study design.

Findings

The study reveals significant insights into pharmaceutical marketing’s influence on physician behavior. Free drug samples exert a positive influence on both physician attitudes and prescribing behavior. Physicians’ attitudes, in turn, significantly affect their prescribing decisions. Mediation analysis demonstrates that free drug samples indirectly influence prescribing behavior through shifts in physician attitudes. Effective medical representatives amplify this influence, as stronger associations between free drug samples and physician attitudes are observed when representatives are more effective.

Originality/value

This research contributes by unraveling the intricate dynamics between marketing strategies, physician attitudes and prescribing behavior in Jammu and Kashmir, India. It underscores the importance of ethical pharmaceutical marketing practices, highlighting the substantial role of free drug samples and the crucial function of effective medical representatives in shaping physician behavior. Ultimately, this study sheds light on how responsible pharmaceutical marketing and adept medical representatives can improve health-care outcomes in the region.
Youth in agriculture and food security in Nigeria
Authors: Osabohien Romanus , Al-Faryan Mamdouh Abdulaziz Saleh
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Though agriculture has the potential for job creation for the growing population; nevertheless, most Nigerian youth merely see the agricultural sector as a viable opportunity for livelihood. In the quest for food security, as encapsulated in sustainable development goals (SDGs), youth participation in agriculture is essential to unlock the agricultural sector’s potential and ensure adequate food production.

Design/methodology/approach

This study examined the factors influencing youth involvement in agriculture and its impact on food security in Nigeria, using Ekiti and Kwara States. The study engaged a multi-stage random sampling approach. The first stage involved a purposeful selection of the states among youth in agriculture-related activities. The second stage involved randomly selecting five Local Government Areas (LGAs) from each state. The third stage involved a random selection of five communities in the selected LGAs, making it a total of 25 communities for each state. Finally, 20 households were selected per community. In total, 500 respondents were selected from each of the two states, making it a total of 1,000 respondents for the survey. The Foster-Greer-Thorbeck (FGT) analysis uses the logit regression and the Propensity Score Matching (PSM) techniques.

Findings

The results showed that a large proportion (about 95%) of the youth farmers in the study area fell below the food security line (N6448.45) and are food insecure. Findings from the PSM showed that youth in agriculture has no significant impact on food security. The findings from the logit regression showed that gender, age, level of education, land ownership, income, safety net or social protection and value chain are significant determinants of youth participation in agriculture.

Practical implications

This study contributes to the literature by examining the determinants of youth in agriculture and its impact on food security in Nigeria, using Ekiti and Kwara States, by engaging the FGT, logit regression and PSM.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature by examining the determinants of youth in agriculture and its impact on food security in Nigeria, using Ekiti and Kwara States, by engaging the FGT, logit regression and PSM.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-04-2021-0197
A dynamic target tracking framework of UGV for UAV recovery under random disturbances
Authors: Li Bin , Wang Shoukun , Si Jinge , Xu Yongkang , Wang Liang , Deng Chencheng , Wang Junzheng , Liu Zhi
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Dynamically tracking the target by unmanned ground vehicles (UGVs) plays a critical role in mobile drone recovery. This study aims to solve this challenge under diverse random disturbances, proposing a dynamic target tracking framework for UGVs based on target state estimation, trajectory prediction, and UGV control.

Design/methodology/approach

To mitigate the adverse effects of noise contamination in target detection, the authors use the extended Kalman filter (EKF) to improve the accuracy of locating unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). Furthermore, a robust motion prediction algorithm based on polynomial fitting is developed to reduce the impact of trajectory jitter caused by crosswinds, enhancing the stability of drone trajectory prediction. Regarding UGV control, a dynamic vehicle model featuring independent front and rear wheel steering is derived. Additionally, a linear time-varying model predictive control algorithm is proposed to minimize tracking errors for the UGV.

Findings

To validate the feasibility of the framework, the algorithms were deployed on the designed UGV. Experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed dynamic tracking algorithm of UGV under random disturbances.

Originality/value

This paper proposes a tracking framework of UGV based on target state estimation, trajectory prediction and UGV predictive control, enabling the system to achieve dynamic tracking to the UAV under multiple disturbance conditions.
Industry 4.0 in small and medium enterprises: a state-of-the-art science mapping review
Authors: Ahmad Md Faizal , Fauzi Muhammad Ashraf , Mustapha Mohamad Reeduan , Muhamad Tamyez Puteri Fadzline , Sadun Amirul Syafiq , So Idris Gautama , Gui Anderes
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study comprehensively reviews the Fourth Industrial Revolution, which refers to Industry 4.0 (IR 4.0) applications in small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Multinational companies and big corporations have the capacity and resources to implement IR 4.0, but SMEs are limited due to financial constraints, expertise and lack of resources. Even so, IR 4.0 is required as technologies evolve and market demand has changed how firms do business.

Design/methodology/approach

To uncover the potential of IR 4.0 and critical determinants of SMEs’ adoption of IR 4.0, this study presents a bibliometric analysis to evaluate the current research streams in IR 4.0 adoption among SMEs through bibliographic coupling. Furthermore, this review provides a glimpse of the future by analyzing prospective trends on IR 4.0 in SMEs.

Findings

Bibliographic coupling produces five clusters: (1) challenges and barriers in IR 4.0 implementation among SMEs, (2) technological adoption of IR 4.0, (3) opportunities and benefits of IR 4.0, (4) business model innovation and (5) implication of IR 4.0 on SMEs technologies. On the contrary, co-word analysis produces three clusters: (1) technologies in IR 4.0, (2) strategy and management of IR 4.0 among SMEs and (3) IR 4.0 model for SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

Implications are directly related to business owners, policymakers and technology developers meeting the needs of the industry and SMEs, which are the focus of this review.

Originality/value

The findings contribute significantly to the body of knowledge by presenting a state-of-the-art science mapping approach to uncover the knowledge structure and intellectual linkage of IR 4.0 adoption within SMEs.
Utility under the Dark Tetrad
Authors: Gomes Orlando
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Literature on psychology highlights four traits that shape an amoral and antisocial personality: Machiavellianism, narcissism, psychopathy and sadism. Together, these personality traits form the Dark Tetrad. In this study, the standard intertemporal utility maximization model is reassessed from the point of view of a representative economic agent endowed with the Dark Tetrad personality traits.

Design/methodology/approach

The approach followed in this paper consists of identifying how each of the Dark Tetrad traits might be logically associated with the dynamic utility problem, as well as exploring, in the context of the model, the implications, for consumption and utility, of admitting the presence of such traits in individuals’ personalities.

Findings

It is found that, typically, dark personalities penalize consumption growth, even when such traits are interpreted directly and positively contributing to the utility of the agent. It is also found that in economies with two or more interacting agents, the dark traits might have a mutually destructive nature.

Originality/value

Economics is going through a smooth revolution in the direction of becoming an eminently behavioral science. Most of the traditional economic models, based on the idea of the hyper-rational agent, are being replaced or complemented by a different view of the homo-economicus, in which, among other things, personality matters. This paper offers a novel contribution in this direction.
Opportunities and barriers in digitalised labour settings in people with invisible disabilities
Authors: Kreuder-Schock Marianne , Lorenz Sabrina
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The main purpose of this paper is to discuss findings from original research conducted on barriers in work-related settings for PwID and how to detach those challenges from medical diagnoses.

Design/methodology/approach

Data on impairments, barriers and possible solutions was collected through semi-structured interviews with PwID using an interview guide based on the International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health. The data collected was analysed using qualitative content analysis.

Findings

Videocall programs, passwords, lack of social contacts or possibilities to regenerate and insufficient usability or digital skills are among the biggest barriers identified. Possible solutions include creating social opportunities, offering external structure and creating opportunities for participation.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the small number of participants the results should be seen as explorative and need to be verified further.

Practical implications

The results made apparent, that those challenges identified can also affect people without disabilities and the offered solutions may not only help develop a more inclusive workplace but also create a healthier working environment for all kinds of people.

Originality/value

The approach appears to be a good way to separate impairments from medical diagnoses and related stigma. The impairments that were described by the interviewees do not appear disability-exclusive. It is apparent that those challenges can also affect people without disabilities and the offered solutions may not only help develop a more inclusive workplace but also create a healthier working environment for all kinds of people.
Determinant of green purchase behavior of Muslims: a systematic literature review
Authors: Lestari Irna Puji , Pambekti Galuh Tri , Annisa Arna Asna
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to provide a comprehensive and systematic overview of relevant factors that affect green purchase behavior of Muslims.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was conducted to fill in the lack of conceptual clarity on the relationship between green product purchasing and Muslim consumers.

Findings

The review revealed that studies on Muslim green purchase behavior were mostly carried out in Asian countries, with the theory of planned behavior as a highly featured approach. The in-depth analysis captured more than 50 factors of green purchasing behavior of Muslims with religiosity, which was found to be the most mentioned determinant in the literature.

Practical implications

The finding provides three insights for future research and marketing practices: Muslim consumer behavior model development, green-halal product innovation and green Islamic marketing strategy formulation.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, no literature review has comprehensively identified the determinants of Muslim green purchasing behavior. Therefore, enriched with bibliographical mapping, this study will systematically conduct a literature review to explain the driving factors of Muslims in purchasing green products and outline potential directions for marketers and researchers to enhance green ecosystems.
Maritime logistics and digital transformation with big data: review and research trend
Authors: An Jiyoon
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This paper summarizes and synthesizes existing research while critically assessing findings for future studies to advance the scholarship of maritime logistics and digital transformation with big data.

Design/methodology/approach

A bibliometric analysis was conducted on 159 journal articles from the Scopus database with search keywords “maritime*” and “big data.” This analysis helps identify research gaps by identifying themes via keyword co-occurrence, co-citation and bibliographic coupling analysis. The Theory-Context-Characteristics-Methodology (TCCM) framework was applied to understand the findings of bibliometric analysis and provide a research agenda.

Findings

The analyses identified emerging themes of the scholarship of maritime logistics and digital transformation with big data and their relationships to identify research clusters. Future research directions were provided by examining existing research's theory, context, characteristics and method.

Originality/value

This research is grounded in bibliometric analysis and the TCCM framework to understand the scholarly evolution, giving managers and academics retrospective and prospective insights.
Optimization of adherend thickness and overlap length on failure load of bonded 3D printed PETG parts using response surface method
Authors: Öztürk Fatih Huzeyfe
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Adhesive bonding is critical to the effectiveness and structural integrity of 3D printed components. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of joint configuration on failure loads to improve the design and performance of single lap joints (SLJs) in 3D printed parts.

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, adherends were fabricated using material extrusion 3D printing technology with polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG). A toughened methacrylate adhesive was chosen to bond the SLJs after adherend printing. In this study, response surface methodology (RSM) was used to examine the effect of the independent variables of failure load, manufacturing time and mass on the dependent variable of joint configuration; adherend thickness (3.2, 4.0, 4.8, 5.6, 6.4, and 7.2 mm) and overlap lengths (12.7, 25.4, 38.1, and 50.8 mm) of 3D printed PETG SLJs.

Findings

The strength of the joints improved significantly with the increase in overlap length and adherend thickness, although the relationship was not linear. The maximum failure load occurred with a thickness of 7.2 mm and an overlap of 50.8 mm, whilst the minimum failure load was determined with a thickness of 3.2 mm and an overlap of 12.7 mm. The RSM findings show that the optimum failure load was achieved with an adherend thickness of 3.6 mm and an overlap length of 37.9 mm for SLJ.

Originality/value

This study provides insight into the optimum failure load for 3D printed SLJs, reducing SLJ production time and mass, producing lightweight structures due to the nature of 3D printing, and increasing the use of these parts in load-bearing applications.
Assaults in public places: interesting numbers from a North American university city
Authors: Felson Marcus , Reinhard Daniel
Published: July 2024

Purpose

A growing literature emphasizes violence occurring in public places. Yet, police seldom report such violence separately from violent incidents occurring elsewhere. This paper aims to distinguish assaults that occur in public vs private, outdoors vs indoors and in homes vs the night-time economy.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors reorganize police data to classify 1,062 assault locations for Boulder, Colorado, USA, 2020–2021, providing basic descriptive statistics that are seldom calculated or published.

Findings

In this city, almost two-thirds of police-recorded assaults occur away from home, often within night-time economy zones. Almost half of police-recorded assaults occur outdoors.

Research limitations/implications

Public assaults are probably under-reported and under-recorded in police data. The share of assaults occurring in public is likely to vary greatly among cities, along with reporting practices.

Practical implications

Public assaults can create special problems for police and social services. Poor management of public space can contribute to such violence. Alcohol policy and enforcement in public places is especially relevant to public assaults. Poor urban design might explain some of the problem.

Social implications

Public assaults are seen by many people and may do extra harm to children and even adults.

Originality/value

Police reports and academic work based on them seldom distinguish public from private assaults and seldom enumerate outdoor assaults in comparison to those indoors. In addition, statistics estimating violence in the night-time economy might not compare risks to other settings.
Improved DOA estimation of MEMS vector hydrophone combined with CEEMDAN and wavelet transform for noise reduction
Authors: Chang Zican , Zhang Guojun , Zhang Wenqing , Zhang Yabo , Jia Li , Bai Zhengyu , Zhang Wendong
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Ciliated microelectromechanical system (MEMS) vector hydrophones pick up sound signals through Wheatstone bridge in cross beam-ciliated microstructures to achieve information transmission. This paper aims to overcome the complexity and variability of the marine environment and achieve accurate location of targets. In this paper, a new method for ocean noise denoising based on improved complete ensemble empirical mode decomposition with adaptive noise combined with wavelet threshold processing method (CEEMDAN-WT) is proposed.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the CEEMDAN-WT method, the signal is decomposed into different intrinsic mode functions (IMFs), and relevant parameters are selected to obtain IMF denoised signals through WT method for the noisy mode components with low sample entropy. The final pure signal is obtained by reconstructing the unprocessed mode components and the denoising component, effectively separating the signal from the wave interference.

Findings

The three methods of empirical mode decomposition (EMD), ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD) and CEEMDAN are compared and analyzed by simulation. The simulation results show that the CEEMDAN method has higher signal-to-noise ratio and smaller reconstruction error than EMD and EEMD. The feasibility and practicability of the combined denoising method are verified by indoor and outdoor experiments, and the underwater acoustic experiment data after processing are combined beams. The problem of blurry left and right sides is solved, and the high precision orientation of the target is realized.

Originality/value

This algorithm provides a theoretical basis for MEMS hydrophones to achieve accurate target positioning in the ocean, and can be applied to the hardware design of sonobuoys, which is widely used in various underwater acoustic work.
Interacting effects of surface water and temperature on wild and domestic large herbivore aggregations and contact rates
Authors: Martinez Viviana , Mantas John , Hulke Jenna , Gituku Benard , Ndiema Nickson , Elkouby Malik , Thompson Asher , CantoAdams Joelle , Yeh Serena , VanLeeuwen Adam , Young Hillary , Titcomb Georgia
Published: July 2024

Earth's climate is rapidly changing, bringing forth questions of how domestic and wild animals will alter their behaviour in response to increasing temperatures and dryland expansion. Dwindling water availability will likely impact animal behaviour and water foraging, potentially increasing animal aggregations and interspecific contacts. These interspecific contacts are especially important for competition, predation and disease transmission among wildlife and domestic animals.

In this study, we analysed interspecific wildlife and cattle contacts using two years of camera trap data at an experimental water manipulation site at a conservancy in central Kenya.

We found that on average, the hourly probability of any interspecific contact was approximately 3.4 times higher at water sources versus drained water sources and 18 times higher than surrounding matrix areas, and that this relationship was amplified by dry and hot conditions.

Species‐specific analyses revealed variation in the magnitude of responses across wildlife and domestic cattle, although all animals had approximately 2–3 times higher interspecific contact probability with other species at water in hot conditions versus other conditions. Notably, we observed the largest behavioural changes for relatively water‐independent species, such as giraffe, which had 3.6 times higher interspecific contact probability at water sources in hot versus other conditions.

Synthesis and applications. These findings show how elevated temperatures that will become increasingly common with future climate changes can increase interspecific contacts around critical water resources. In mixed wildlife‐livestock systems, maintaining wildlife‐only water sources may be a practical management tool to mitigate human‐wildlife conflict and disease transmission at this interface, especially during dry and hot conditions.
Cultural Diversity and Value of Multinational Firms
Authors: Zhang John F.
Published: July 2024

This paper examines the influence of cultural diversity on the value of multinational firms. The results show that cultural diversity is negatively associated with firm value. After investigating the underlying channels, we find that the negative valuation effect of cultural diversity is driven mainly by lower cash flows. In contrast, we find insignificant evidence that cultural diversity has effects on discount rates. The negative effect of cultural diversity holds after addressing endogeneity issues. Further, the use of alternative measures of culture, different proxies for firm value and different estimation methods does not change our main result. Moreover, our results are robust when considering agency problems and the global financial crisis. Overall, these findings extend the literature on global diversification and indicate that the valuation discount is, to a certain degree, associated with cultural diversity.
Capital Market Scrutiny and Strategic Distinctiveness of the Firm: Evidence from a Natural Experiment
Authors: Kang Jingoo , Kang Yungu
Published: July 2024

Several streams of strategy literature emphasize firms’ distinctive strategy as being key to sustainable competitive advantage. Using a unique natural experiment setting, we examine how increased scrutiny and pressure from short‐sellers affect the strategic distinctiveness of the firm. We find that increasing short‐selling pressure reduces the strategic distinctiveness of the firm and that this negative effect is more pronounced for more visible and underperforming firms. Our findings suggest that removing restrictions on short‐selling can have an unintended side‐effect of reducing the strategic distinctiveness of firms.
Bilingual families and the home literacy environment: An examination of English and ethnic language activities and outcomes
Authors: O'Brien Beth Ann , Arshad Artika , Ng Siew Chin
Published: July 2024

Background

Accumulating evidence shows that the home literacy environment (HLE) has a potent and early influence on children's language and literacy development. However, there is a more limited understanding of HLE and its contribution to children's outcomes for simultaneous bilingual children exposed to two languages at home, particularly in the Asian context.

Methods

In this study with 801 six‐year‐old bilingual learners, HLE and language and literacy outcomes were examined in two languages. Children were assessed in their receptive vocabulary, reading and spelling abilities for English plus their ethnic Asian language (Mandarin Chinese, Malay or Tamil) for a subsample of 374 children.

Results

Results from factor analyses suggest that HLE for each language within families had a different latent structure, with three to four factors for English (parent involvement, parent habit, child exploration and shared reading) and three factors for the Asian language (parent involvement, parent habit and child interest). Further path analyses show that shared reading had a negative contribution to English outcomes but a positive influence on Asian language outcomes.

Conclusions

Findings extend existing understanding of HLE structure for bilingual language learners from bilingual families. HLE components contributed differently to bilingual language outcomes, with positive contributions of child exploration to English outcomes and of parent habits including shared reading to Asian language outcomes. Negative relationships for shared reading to English outcomes are also evident and suggest that further research on the long‐term effects of HLE is needed.
The social foundations of racial inequalities in arrest over the life course and in changing times
Authors: Sampson Robert J. , Neil Roland
Published: July 2024

Although racial disparities in criminal justice contact are long‐standing and the subject of continuing public debate, few studies have linked early‐life social conditions to racial disparities in arrest over the life course and in changing times. In this article, we advance and test a theoretical model of racial inequality in long‐term arrest histories on a representative sample of nearly 1,000 individuals from multiple birth cohorts in the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods. Large Black–White disparities in arrests from ages 10 to 40 arise from racial inequalities in exposure to cumulative childhood advantages and disadvantages rather than from race‐specific effects. Smaller but meaningful Hispanic–White gaps follow a similar pattern, and the same explanations of racial disparities hold across different offense types and across birth cohorts who came of age at different times during 1995 to 2021. These findings indicate that inequalities in early‐life structural factors, which themselves are historically shaped, trigger processes of cumulative advantage and disadvantage that produce racial disparities in arrests over the life course and that persist across different points in contemporary history.
Precision control of ammonium release in Azotobacter vinelandii
Authors: Barney Brett M. , Dietz Benjamin R.
Published: July 2024

The capture and reduction of atmospheric dinitrogen gas to ammonium can be accomplished through the enzyme nitrogenase in a process known as biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), by a class of microbes known as diazotrophs. The diazotroph Azotobacter vinelandii is a model organism for the study of aerobic nitrogen fixation, and in recent years has been promoted as a potential producer of biofertilizers. Prior reports have demonstrated the potential to partially deregulate BNF in A. vinelandii, resulting in accumulation and extracellular release of ammonium. In many cases, deregulation requires the introduction of transgenic genes or elements to yield the desired phenotype, and the long‐term stability of these strains has been reported to be somewhat problematic. In this work, we constructed two strains of A. vinelandii where regulation can be precisely controlled without the addition of any foreign genes or genetic markers. Regulation is maintained through native promoters found in A. vinelandii that can be induced through the addition of extraneous galactose. These strains result in varied degrees of regulation of BNF, and as a result, the release of extracellular ammonium is controlled in a precise, and galactose concentration‐dependent manner. In addition, these strains yield high biomass levels, similar to the wild‐type A. vinelandii strain and are further able to produce high percentages of the bioplastic polyhydroxybutyrate.
Neoadjuvant BRAF and MEK inhibitor therapy elicits pathological complete response in stage IIIA non‐small cell lung cancer harboring BRAF V600E mutation: A case report
Authors: Huang Zhicheng , Wang Yadong , Li Bowen , Xu Yuan , Huang Guanghua , Song Yang , Li Ji , Song Lan , Wang Jinhua , Wang Rongxi , Liang Naixin , Li Shanqing
Published: July 2024

In recent years, significant improvement has been made in the management of non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), primarily driven by advances in targeted therapy and immunotherapy. Research on neoadjuvant targeted therapy has also experienced considerable development, primarily directed towards NSCLC harboring epidermal growth factor receptor or anaplastic lymphoma kinase mutations. Nevertheless, there remains a dearth of studies investigating neoadjuvant targeted therapy in the context of BRAF (V‐Raf murine sarcoma viral oncogene homolog B) V600E mutant NSCLC. Herein, we describe the clinical trajectory of a stage IIIA NSCLC patient who underwent a two‐month course of neoadjuvant targeted therapy comprising BRAF and MEK (mitogen‐activated extracellular signal‐regulated kinase) inhibitors prior to surgical intervention, and subsequent postoperative evaluation unveiled a pathological complete response. The case reported here indicates the efficacy and safety of combining BRAF and MEK inhibitors as neoadjuvant targeted therapy in BRAF V600E‐mutant NSCLC and suggests the potential viability of such a therapeutic modality in improving treatment outcomes in this subset of NSCLC.
The effect of irrigation solution temperature and novel heat‐treated rotary files on apical debris extrusion and canal preparation time
Authors: Al Omari Taher , Atmeh Amre R. , Algahtani Fahda N. , Dkmak Alaa , Albanna Rami Haitham Issa , Tabnjh Abedelmalek
Published: July 2024

This study aimed to compare apical debris extrusion and canal preparation time with ProTaper Gold (PTG) and ProTaper Ultimate (PTU) files at different temperatures. Mesio‐buccal roots of 60 mandibular first molars were distributed into six groups depending on the file type (PTG, PTU) and irrigation solution temperature (20, 37, 45°C). During instrumentation, extruded debris were collected and weighed to measure the mass in milligrams. The canal preparation time was recorded in seconds. ANOVA followed by Bonferroni post‐hoc tests were used for analysis. The amount of debris extrusion was significantly higher in PTU, which was affected by the irrigation solution temperature (p < 0.05). The difference in canal preparation time was not significant between the two file systems, however, it was significant between the different temperatures (p = 0.001). Both file systems had shorter canal preparation times at 20°C. The irrigation solution temperature could influence the debris extrusion and time of canal preparation.
Pakistan's Economy: Fallout of 2022 Economic Distress Magnified the Need for Structural Reforms
Authors: van der Eng Pierre
Published: July 2024

This present paper discusses the main issues gripping Pakistan's economy. It takes a long‐term perspective to indicate that several economic issues are structural, going back at least 60 years. The present paper substantiates that Pakistan's current issues were aggravated during 2022, particularly by the damage caused by large scale floods. Government relief efforts increased budget deficits, public debt, and inflation. Crop failures dampened export earnings, increased the current account deficit and added urgency to the need to mobilize foreign exchange for foreign debt servicing during 2023. In 2024, resolving foreign debt servicing obligations is the touchstone for achieving macroeconomic stability and initiating reforms to change structural factors inhibiting Pakistan's economic growth.
How do entrepreneurs influence their social environment? A bibliometric analysis and editorial
Authors: Gorgievski Marjan J. , Schmitt Antje , Costa Sílvia Fernandes , Batra Safal
Published: July 2024

This article introduces the special issue on how entrepreneurs influence their social environment. The purpose of this special issue is to illustrate recent research exploring some of the unresolved questions relating to and uncovering connections between entrepreneurs' characteristics, actions, and experiences with their social environment. First, we report the results of a bibliometric analysis of articles addressing how entrepreneurs influence their immediate business environment (N = 873), the immediate private environment (N = 813), and the broader societal environment (N = 2,380). Second, we describe the seven articles in this special issue, which encompass a range of theoretical frameworks, research designs, and methodologies. We believe that the research featured in this special issue offers meaningful contributions to existing knowledge and will stimulate future research into examining the boundary conditions and psychological mechanisms that potentially explain the complex effects of entrepreneurs' experiences, characteristics, and behavior on different stakeholders and entities in their proximal and distal environments.
Herpetofauna diversity from late Holocene wetlands of northeastern Argentina
Authors: Escobar Guillermo , Zaracho Víctor , Cuaranta Pedro , Barboza Carolina , Píccoli Carolina , Luna Carlos A. , Gallego Oscar F. , Monferran Mateo D.
Published: July 2024

The palaeofauna of the Quaternary is mostly known from the mammals' record, while the herpetofauna is less represented. In the same way, in northeastern Argentina reptile fossils records are scarce, usually represented by preliminary communications. This paper focuses on the study of herpetofauna remains from the Isla El Disparito archaeological site. The faunal materials collected at the site revealed an increase in taxonomic diversity related to the Quaternary herpetofauna in the IED site, with over 50% of the bone remains represented by anurans and at least six recognized squamates taxa. The purpose of this study is to properly identify these new records of herpetofauna remains from northeastern Argentina during the Holocene as well as to provide a dichotomous key of postcranial remains for identifying extant squamates taxa in other Quaternary sites from Argentina. The identified squamate assemblage includes the lizard Ophiodes sp., the snake families Typhlopidae, Dipsadidae, Viperidae and undetermined colubroids, along with anuran bone remains (Anura indet. and ?Hylidae). Additionally, the findings contribute to a better understanding of the herpetological assemblage in Argentina, providing insights into the composition of South American squamates during the Quaternary.
Exploring Stability Within Kinship Care From the Perspective of Kinship Carer Advocates
Authors: Rowlson Esther , Shabbar Fatin
Published: July 2024

Kinship care is increasingly recognised as an important care option within the Australian out‐of‐home care (OOHC) system. However, kinship carers face multifaceted challenges that set them apart from other carers within the system and internationally. Through the lens of kinship carer advocates, this research explores factors that contribute to placement stability in kinship care. Advocates offer a unique perspective on the interface between the child protection system and the carers that has not been explored before. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 10 South Australian kinship carer advocates to gain insights into their perspectives. Findings of this research highlight the need to recognise kinship care as a unique alternative within OOHC, engaging with three overarching themes: stability in an ecological system of care, bridging support gaps to achieve placement stability, and recognising instability in kinship care. In the context of these three themes, advocates emphasised priority to implement trauma‐informed, whole of family support frameworks to further promote stability within kinship placements. However, the concept of stability, often framed as uninterrupted continuity of care arrangement, came under examination and scrutiny in light of these research findings, encouraging further research in this area.