bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Combining theories to investigate the acceptance of accrual accounting
Authors: Bekiaris Michalis , Paraponti Thekla , Spanou Foteini
Published: March 2024

Purpose

This paper develops and tests a theoretical model that draws on the Diffusion Contingency Model and the Theory of Human Behavior to explain the factors influencing users’ acceptance of accrual accounting in terms of two distinct dimensions: behavioral intention and usage behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on surveyed data from financial departments and directorates of different Greek general government entities, the paper uses factor analysis to build a theoretical model that assesses the factors influencing behavioral intention to adopt and usage behavior of accrual accounting. Then, it tests the relationship between behavioral intention and usage behavior through structural equation modeling.

Findings

The theoretical model suggests that the expected improvement of the quality of financial information and political and financial support are the most important determinants of behavioral intention. Usage behavior is mainly influenced by the compatibility between the existing legal framework and the new accounting system. The structural equation modeling identifies a statistically significant positive influence of behavioral intention on usage behavior.

Practical implications

The study provides valuable insights regarding the timing and focus of the actions taken by policymakers when designing accounting reforms. Special attention is drawn to the factors influencing behavioral intentions, as these are found to influence usage behavior significantly.

Originality/value

The study extends prior research on the diffusion of accounting innovations by breaking down the diffusion process into intentions-oriented actions aiming to promote accrual accounting and increase acceptance and implementation-oriented actions aiming to facilitate successful implementation.
Human capital development in sport marketing: industry insights
Authors: Mastromartino Brandon
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to gather insights from sport marketing professionals and identify key opportunities, challenges and knowledge that sport marketing educators and researchers could utilize in developing curriculum and research agendas.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was used, and data were collected through in-depth interviews with 15 sport marketing professionals. Participants were asked questions related to the knowledge, skills and experiences that they believe are important for students to have to be successful in the industry, as well as the types of research that would be most useful in their day-to-day work.

Findings

Industry professionals noted collaboration, transformation in digital marketing, data and analytics and experiential marketing as key trends facing the industry today. The findings suggest that sport marketing curriculum should focus on soft skill development such as communication, relationship building and empathy alongside hard skill development such as data analysis and storytelling. As well, findings show research areas where scholars can aid practitioners with a focus on consumer insights, technology, measuring ROI and experiential marketing.

Originality/value

With these findings, educators and scholars can better prepare students for successful careers in industry and contribute to the ongoing advancement of the scholarly field. This study serves as a starting point for further research in this area, and it is hoped that it will spark continued collaboration between academia and industry.
How review content, sentiment and helpfulness votes jointly affect trust of reviews and attitude
Authors: Li Jing , Xu Xin , Ngai Eric W.T.
Published: March 2024

Purpose

We investigate the joint impacts of three trust cues – content, sentiment and helpfulness votes – of online product reviews on the trust of reviews and attitude toward the product/service reviewed.

Design/methodology/approach

We performed three studies to test our research model, presenting participants with scenarios involving product reviews and prior users' helpful and unhelpful votes across experimental settings.

Findings

A high helpfulness ratio boosts users’ trust and influences behaviors in both positive and negative reviews. This effect is more pronounced in attribute-based reviews than emotion-based ones. Unlike the ratio effect, helpfulness magnitude significantly impacts only negative attribute-based reviews.

Research limitations/implications

Future research should investigate voting systems in various online contexts, such as Facebook post likes, Twitter microblog thumb-ups and up-votes for article comments on platforms like The New York Times.

Practical implications

Our findings have significant implications for voting system-providers implementing information techniques on third-party review platforms, participatory sites emphasizing user-generated content and online retailers prioritizing product awareness and reputation.

Originality/value

This study addresses an identified need; that is, the helpfulness votes as an additional trust cue and the joint effects of three trust cues – content, sentiment and helpfulness votes – of online product reviews on the trust of customers in reviews and their consequential attitude toward the product/service reviewed.
Mapping out focus for circular economy business models (CEBMs) research in construction sector studies – a bibliometric approach
Authors: Otasowie Osamudiamen Kenneth , Aigbavboa Clinton Ohis , Oke Ayodeji Emmanuel , Adekunle Peter
Published: March 2024

Purpose

The circular economy business models (CEBMs) provide ways for firms operating in the construction industry to move from a linear to a circular approach. Thus, this study aims to explore CEBM research within the construction sector to show the focus area of studies, highlighting new areas that require attention.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopted a bibliometric approach, using the Scopus database as the data source. The keywords used for paper extraction from the database were “circular economy business” OR “circular business” AND “model” OR “models” AND “construction industry” OR “building industry”. The VOSviewer software was then used to prepare a co-occurrence and co-authorship map based on the bibliographic data gathered.

Findings

The study’s findings reveal five research clusters in the construction industry. These clusters include circular construction intelligence, modular business modelling, eco-construction, sustainable construction economics and smart energy-efficient buildings. The two most cited scholars had two publications each, while the top journals are the Journal of Cleaner Production and Sustainable Production and Consumption. This study concludes that there is a need for research within the construction sector to focus on CEBMs’ archetypes and frameworks. This will enable a smooth transition from linear to circular business models in the sector.

Research limitations/implications

The information was gathered from a single database, Scopus; hence, using other databases, including Web of Science, Google Scholar and Dimensions, might produce more articles for examination and, consequently, different findings on the subject under investigation.

Practical implications

These findings would assist researchers in considering the areas mentioned, which are yet to receive attention, and, by extension, enhance economic development while maintaining environmental sustainability.

Originality/value

This paper made a significant contribution to the body of knowledge by identifying scholars and platforms that have been instrumental in advancing CEBM research and highlighting new areas that require attention in the construction sector.
The effect of organizational justice on police officers’ perception of procedural justice in the South Korea: the mediating roles of perceived discretion and responsiveness
Authors: Choi Nakbum , Jang Jaeseong
Published: March 2024

Purpose

Recently, the interest of scholars studying procedural justice in policing has shifted from the relationship between procedural justice and citizen compliance to trust in police officers’ perceptions of who exercises it. This study explores the relationship between organizational justice and the perception of procedural justice from the perspective of police officers. Furthermore, it investigates the mediating roles of discretion and responsiveness.

Design/methodology/approach

Using 441 survey responses from South Korean police officers, a mediation model is outlined and tested using structural equation modeling (SEM). The results showed that police officers’ perceptions of organizational justice had indirect effects on the perceived importance of procedural justice. Moreover, discretion and responsiveness mediate the relationship between organizational justice and perceived procedural justice.

Findings

Officers who perceive police fairness are more likely to have a positive perception of procedural justice toward citizens when they have a higher level of discretion and responsiveness. However, police officers’ perceptions of organizational justice are not directly linked to their perceptions of procedural justice.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the generalization of knowledge by empirically testing Van Craen’s theoretical model of the Korean police. It also expands the existing theoretical model by investigating the influence of overall organizational justice and its possible mediators on procedural justice.
Improved numerical solution of anisotropic poroelastic wave equation in microseismicity: Graphic process unit acceleration and moment tensor implementation
Authors: Zheng Jing , Li Tiezhu , Xie Jingyu , Sun Yuan
Published: March 2024

The accuracy and computational efficiency of full waveform forward modelling in poroelastic media are crucial for microseismic monitoring. It enables intuitive, precise and efficient simulation of subsurface responses, thereby improving the reliability of moment tensor inversion and seismic source mechanism interpretation. Additionally, it reflects the role of fluid effects in waveform evolution. In this paper, based on the Biot mechanism, we derived the first‐order velocity–stress equation of poroelastic media and discretized the model using a rotated staggered grid. The rotated staggered grid can well adapt to anisotropic media with high contrast parameters. We provide the finite difference formula based on graphic process unit–acceleration and moment tensor and also provide the graphic process unit workflow for forward modelling of anisotropic poroelastic media. First, two models with different grid sizes were run based on single graphic process unit, 1‐thread Central Processing Unit (CPU) and 16‐thread CPU. The results show that the speedup factors are approximately 14.3 and 3.7, respectively, compared with the running time of 1‐thread CPU and 16‐thread CPU. Then, we compare and evaluate the response of three basic source mechanisms (isotropic expansion, double couple and compensated linear vector dipole) in the model. The comparison of analytical and numerical results verifies the effectiveness of the method. Furthermore, wavefield snapshots of two typical anisotropic media (vertical transversely isotropic and horizontal transversely isotropic) are analysed to correspond to different moment tensor sources. The results showed that the source mechanism does not change the isotropic and anisotropic plane and the wave travel time, but it does change the polarization amplitude of the velocity component. The attenuation of slow qP‐wave increases along with the increase of the value of viscosity. The effect of permeability on wavefield appears with the opposite effect of viscosity. Finally, the seismic waveform differences between multi‐layer elastic media and poroelastic media are compared and analysed. The results showed that the seismic wavefield and waveform of poroelastic media are more complex, the propagation speed of seismic waves is faster, but the attenuation of seismic waves is stronger.
Female Board Representation and Corporate Performance: A Review and New Estimates for Australia1
Authors: Bayly Nicholas , Breunig Robert , Wokker Chris
Published: March 2024

Despite a conventional wisdom that female board members positively impact firm performance, a thorough examination of the research to date reveals no consensus that female board members have either a positive or negative effect on firm financial performance. We build the largest dataset of Australian board appointments assembled to date. We use our data to demonstrate how difficult it is to replicate existing research, with one example from Australia and one from the USA. Using event studies and regression analyses, we demonstrate that there is little evidence that female board representation affects firm financial performance.
Rhubarb powder: Potential uses as a functional bread ingredient
Authors: Göksu Feriha , Özlü Zeynep , Bölek Sibel
Published: March 2024

As a traditional staple food, bread lacks several nutrients such as fiber and minerals. In this study, the possibilities of using rhubarb powder to enrich wheat bread were investigated. Rhubarb powder was replaced with wheat flour at the ratios of 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12%. In order to reveal effects of rhubarb powder on quality properties of bread, color, moisture, total protein, fat content, antioxidant activity, textural, and sensory analysis were conducted. As the rhubarb powder ratio increased, the fiber (10.60 ± 0.55), ash (4.34 ± 0.13), and fat content (2.17 ± 0.55) of bread samples increased significantly (p < 0.05). Antioxidant activity (19.61% ± 0.53%) and total phenolic contents (916.38 ± 2.69) of bread samples also increased significantly (p < 0.05). The colors of the enriched breads were relatively dark. The breads containing 12% rhubarb powder had the highest ash content (4.34 ± 0.13). The samples containing 4% rhubarb powder took the highest sensory scores from the sensory panel in terms of odor, flavor, and overall impression. However, as the ratio of rhubarb powder increased, the sensory values of bread samples decreased. According to the results of this study, rhubarb powder could be used up to 4% to produce acceptable breads in terms of sensory properties with improved nutritional quality.
Mild steam treatment: Enhancing the rehydration performance of instant rice noodles by changing the physicochemical properties and gel structure of rice starch
Authors: Yue Daheng , Zhang Han , Zhang Tiantian , Yang Cheng , Yang Tongliang , Qu Zihan , Zhang Yifu , Chen Guiyun , Li Shuhong , Chen Ye
Published: March 2024

The “instant” quality of instant rice noodles is significantly affected by slow rehydration during cooking. This happens as a result of the native rice starch's low ability to gelatinize as well as the high shear and pressure utilized in industries during the widely used extrusion molding process. In order to address this issue, the rice flour was pretreated with mild steam (MS) technology. The results revealed that the rehydration qualities of the rice noodles that were extruded from the steam‐treated flour significantly improved. There was a reduction of 25.5% in the rehydration time, from 443 to 330 s. The MS‐treated rice starch's peak viscosity increased to 4503 from 4044 mPa/s. Decreases in gelatinization enthalpy (ΔH) and short‐range ordering also suggest a reduction in difficulty in accomplishing starch gelatinization. Scanning electron microscopy studies showed particle aggregation increased as the treatment duration lasted longer. In conclusion, our findings indicate that we successfully addressed the issue of slow rehydration in instant rice noodles while presenting a novel approach for their manufacturing in the manufacturing sector.
Investigating major trauma in Māori youth at Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau
Authors: Sobhy Mira M. , Brand Maria , Henshall Kevin , MacCormick Andrew D.
Published: March 2024

Background

The Ninth Perioperative Mortality Review Committee (POMRC) report found the likelihood of death was over three times higher in Māori youth compared to non‐Māori (age: 15–18 years) in the 30‐days following major trauma. The aim of our study is to investigate variations in care provided to Māori youth presenting to Te Whatu Ora Counties Manukau (TWO‐CM) with major trauma, to inform policies and improve care.

Methods

This was a retrospective, observational study of 15–18‐year‐olds admitted to Middlemore Hospital from January 2018 to December 2021 following major trauma (Injury Severity Score (ISS) >12 or with (ISS) <12 who died). Data were obtained from the New Zealand Trauma Registry (NZTR). Six key performance indicators were studied against hospital guidelines/international consensus: Deaths, Cause‐of‐death, trauma call, RedBlanket activations, time‐to‐computed tomography (CT), and time‐to‐operating theatre (OT).

Results

Of 77 patients, five deaths occurred, four non‐Māori, and one Māori (P = 0.645). Five trauma calls were not activated (P = 0.642). There was no statistically significant difference for both median time to CT (P = 0.917) and time to CT for patients with GCS >13 (P = 0.778) between Māori and non‐Māori. Five patients did not meet guidelines for time‐to‐OT (three non‐Māori and two Māori) (P = 0.377).

Conclusion

No statistically significant variations in care were present for Māori youth presenting with major trauma, these findings did not match the national trend.
Prevalence of at‐risk MASH, MetALD and alcohol‐associated steatotic liver disease in the general population
Authors: Schneider Carolin V. , Schneider Kai Markus , Raptis Anastasia , Huang Helen , Trautwein Christian , Loomba Rohit
Published: March 2024

Background

The prevalence of at‐risk metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatohepatitis (at‐risk MASH) has not been systematically assessed.

Aim

To delineate the prevalence of at‐risk MASH in a large population‐based cohort.

Methods

We conducted a cross‐sectional analysis of 40,189 patients in the UK Biobank who underwent liver MRI. Hepatic steatosis was determined by proton density fat fraction (PDFF) ≥5%. Based on AASLD criteria, participants were classified as alcohol‐associated steatotic liver disease (ALD), metabolic dysfunction‐associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD), combined metabolic alcoholic liver disease (MetALD) and at‐risk MASH.

Results

Among 40,189 patients, 10,886 (27.0%) had a PDFF ≥5%, indicating SLD. Among patients with SLD, 1% had ALD, 89.0% had MASLD, 7.9% had MetALD and 2.2% had at‐risk MASH. The at‐risk MASH group, which included 0.6% of the general population, had the highest mean liver fat on MRI and the highest BMI. Serum biomarkers highlighted increased inflammation and metabolic changes in at‐risk MASH. The prevalence of MASLD was significantly higher among men with a BMI ≥30 kg/m2. Non‐obese women showed only a 12% risk of MASLD. Conversely, MetALD had similar prevalence in obese men and women and was absent in non‐obese women.

Conclusions

MASLD is prevalent among patients with elevated PDFF on MRI. There are different sex‐ and BMI‐specific prevalence of different steatotic liver disorders. At‐risk MASH demonstrates the most severe metabolic and inflammatory profiles. This study provides novel estimates for the at‐risk MASH population that will be eligible for treatment with pharmacologic therapy when approved by regulatory authorities.
Media narratives of industrial plant closures in Ontario, Canada, from 2000 to 2019
Authors: Sutton Jesse , Arku Godwin
Published: March 2024

Since the 1970s, a defining feature of advanced economies has been industrial plant closures, stemming from the broader process of economic restructuring. Plant closures have been extensively covered by the media due to their adverse effects on localities. However, no media analysis of closures has been conducted in the plant closure literature. In addition to providing a wealth of information, such an analysis can provide insight into media narratives of closures. Media profoundly affects economies by disseminating narratives that influence society, institutions, and politics. To bridge the plant closure and media literature, this paper conducts a media analysis of closures in Ontario, Canada, from 2000 to 2019. Like other advanced economies, the province has experienced many plant closures over the past several decades. The paper found that the overarching narrative presented by the media was that ‘no one is responsible’ for plant closures and therefore ‘no one can or should act’. Also, it was found that differences in media narratives of closures were primarily due to the political slant of news outlets, not city size or scale of news outlets or whether news outlets were independently owned or part of a media conglomerate. Lastly, the paper found that the dissemination of media coverage on plant closures throughout the province was primarily based on the number of job losses, resulting in media coverage of smaller closures remaining localised, while media coverage of larger closures spreading throughout the province.
Ruminal degradation characteristics of bagasse with different fermentation treatments in the rumen of beef cattle
Authors: Lai Anqiang , Huang Yanru , Luo Haocen , Jin Yadong , Wang Langzhou , Chen Binlong , Deng Kaimei , Huang Wenming , Zhang Yi
Published: March 2024

This experiment aimed to study the degradation characteristics of bagasse after three fermentation treatments in beef cattle. Bagasse 1 was treated with 0.3% lactic acid bacteria (w/w). Bagasse 2 was treated with 0.3% mixed strains (Saccharomyces cerevisiae, Aspergillus niger, Aspergillus oryzae, and lactic acid bacteria at 2:1:1:1). Bagasse 3 was treated with 0.1% cellulase and 0.1% xylanase in addition to 0.3% mixed strains of bagasse 2. The dry matter (DM), crude ash (ASH), crude protein (CP), neutral detergent fiber (NDF), and acid detergent fiber (ADF) in the bagasses were determined. Compared to the control bagasse (without the strain and enzyme treatments), three fermented bagasses showed higher DM after 4 h fermentation. The CP and ASH contents in fermented bagasse 3 were the highest, while the contents of NDF and ADF in fermented bagasse 3 were the lowest among all the groups. The effective degradability of DM, CP, NDF, and ADF was highest in fermented bagasse 3 among the evaluated bagasse feed, followed by fermented bagasse 2 > fermented bagasse 1 > bagasse. Overall, fermented bagasse 3 was better than the control and other treated bagasses, thus fermented bagasse 3 is a hopeful source for ruminant diet of beef cattle.
Drinking motives and alcohol use among undergraduate college students in Hawaiʻi: A cross‐sectional analysis on the moderating effects of ego‐resiliency and social support
Authors: Hong Seunghye , Jang Soo Mi , Jeong Jihyeong , Emory‐Khenmy Constance
Published: March 2024

This study estimated the (1) levels of alcohol use, drinking motives, ego‐resiliency, and social support; (2) effect of drinking motives on alcohol use; and (3) moderating effects of ego‐resiliency and social support. An online survey was conducted among undergraduate college students from a university in Hawaiʻi (n = 172). This study estimated moderating effects of ego‐resiliency and social support between drinking motives and alcohol use using SPSS 26.0 and PROCESS macro version 4.0. Four independent moderation analyses were performed for each drinking motive (social, coping, conformity, and enhancement). About one‐fourth of the sample had drinking problems (AUDIT score ≥ 8). The highest drinking motive was social, followed by enhancement, coping, and conformity motives. Ego‐resiliency significantly moderated the relationship between coping and enhancement motives with alcohol use. Social support did not have a significant moderating effect between drinking motives and alcohol use. The findings suggest that undergraduate college students who drink with coping and enhancement motives may have a reduced risk of drinking problems if they have a high level of ego‐resiliency. Future research and practice need to account for drinking motives and ego‐resiliency when working with college students to prevent and intervene in excessive alcohol use.
Practice guideline: Preparation for CAR T‐cell therapy in children and young adults with B‐acute lymphoblastic leukaemia
Authors: Mishra Avijeet Kumar , Burridge Saskia , Espuelas Macarena Oporto , O'Reilly Maeve , Cummins Michelle , Nicholson Emma , Wheldon Sophie , Bonney Denise , Shenton Geoff , Marks David I. , Amrolia Persis J. , Hough Rachael , Ghorashian Sara
Published: March 2024

The objective of this guideline, prepared by the ALL subgroup of the Advanced Cell Therapy Sub‐Committee of BSBMTCT (British Society of Blood and Marrow Transplantation), is to provide healthcare professionals with practical guidance on the preparation of children and young adults with B‐acute lymphoblastic leukaemia from the point of referral to that of admission for CAR T‐cell treatment. The Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) nomenclature was used to evaluate the levels of evidence and to assess the strength of recommendations. The GRADE criteria can be found at http://www.gradeworkinggroup.org.
Representative democracy and cabinet selection: The determinants of ministerial appointment in territorial government
Authors: Sabin Jerald , Mosannef Daniel , Alcantara Christopher
Published: March 2024

In Westminster parliamentary democracies like Australia, Canada, and New Zealand, research has found that cabinet composition is driven mainly by longstanding norms and practices that privilege older, white males with certain educational and political experiences. Do these trends apply at the subnational level where the demographic make‐up can be quite different? To answer this question, we draw upon an original dataset of all members of the legislative assembly and cabinet in three Canadian territories from 1979 to 2022. These territories are unique given that Indigenous communities loom large in their governments and societies. Using an event history model, we find that territorial cabinets very much reflect the demographic make up of their legislatures, similar to what occurs at the federal level. We also observe important differences between the territories, which suggest that the influence of Westminster structures and norms are likely mediated by factors unique to each territory.
Low and very low birthweight disadvantage in compulsory education achievement and the transition to upper secondary education in the Finnish birth cohorts of 1987 to 1997
Authors: Lindberg Matti
Published: March 2024

Background

We compared the educational achievements of very low‐birthweight (VLBW) and low‐birthweight (LBW) adolescents (ages 16 to 19) to those of their normal‐birthweight (NBW) peers in the complete Finnish birth cohorts of 1987 to 1997. We focused on three key phases of the education process: the end of compulsory education (9th‐grade completion), and the transition to and the completion of upper secondary‐level education.

Methods

We used register data on grades, educational transitions and completed education. We employed multiple indicators on the progression of the education process and estimated population‐level and within‐families linear probability (LPM) models with robustness checks at the population level using logistic regression. We tested whether parental education and the child's sex modify the association between (V)LBW and educational achievement.

Results

Results of both descriptive analysis and the population‐level and within‐family LPM models indicate that (V)LBW is associated with an increased risk of not being able to keep up with the normative education process and to compete for upper secondary education study places at the end of compulsory education. The modifying effect of parental education was robust, whereas that of the child's sex was not. Among (V)LBW students who were able to keep up with the normative education process, (V)LBW was not associated with a lower grade point average or with a meaningfully lower probability of completing upper secondary education by the normative age.

Conclusions

The upper secondary‐level educational choices and achievements of the children born with (V)LBW who managed to complete the standard compulsory education curriculum and complete the transition to upper secondary‐level education within the expected time did not, in essence, differ from those of the NBW children. Some specific characteristics of the Finnish education system likely contributed to these results, such as the grading at compulsory education being only relatively loosely standardized.
Regulation of N6‐methyladenosine modification in erythropoiesis and thalassemia
Authors: Zheng Yanping , Lin Siyang , Chen Meihuan , Xu Liangpu , Huang Hailong
Published: March 2024

In eukaryotic RNA, N6‐methyladenosine (m6A) is a prevalent form of methylation modification. The m6A modification process is reversible and dynamic, written by m6A methyltransferase complex, erased by m6A demethylase, and recognized by m6A binding proteins. Through mediating RNA stability, decay, alternative splicing, and translation processes, m6A modification regulates gene expression at the post‐transcriptional level. Erythropoiesis is the process of hematopoietic stem cells undergoing proliferation, a series of differentiation and maturation to form red blood cells (RBCs). Thalassemia is a common monogenic disease characterized by excessive production of ineffective RBCs in the peripheral circulation, resulting in hemolytic anemia. Increasing evidence suggests that m6A modification plays a crucial role in erythropoiesis. In this review, we comprehensively summarize the function of m6A modification in erythropoiesis and further generalize the mechanism of m6A modification regulating ineffective erythropoiesis and fetal hemoglobin expression. The purpose is to improve the understanding of the pathogenesis of erythroid dysplasia and offer new perspectives for the diagnosis and treatment of thalassemia.
Sleep disorders cause Parkinson's disease or the reverse is true: Good GABA good night
Authors: Al‐kuraishy Hayder M. , Al‐Gareeb Ali I. , Albuhadily Ali K. , Elewa Yaser Hosny Ali , AL‐Farga Ammar , Aqlan Faisal , Zahran Mahmoud Hosny , Batiha Gaber El‐Saber
Published: March 2024

Background

Parkinson's disease (PD) is a progressive neurodegenerative brain disease due to degeneration of dopaminergic neurons (DNs) presented with motor and non‐motor symptoms. PD symptoms are developed in response to the disturbance of diverse neurotransmitters including γ‐aminobutyric acid (GABA). GABA has a neuroprotective effect against PD neuropathology by protecting DNs in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNpc). It has been shown that the degeneration of GABAergic neurons is linked with the degeneration of DNs and the progression of motor and non‐motor PD symptoms. GABA neurotransmission is a necessary pathway for normal sleep patterns, thus deregulation of GABAergic neurotransmission in PD could be the potential cause of sleep disorders in PD.

Aim

Sleep disorders affect GABA neurotransmission leading to memory and cognitive dysfunction in PD. For example, insomnia and short sleep duration are associated with a reduction of brain GABA levels. Moreover, PD‐related disorders including rigidity and nocturia influence sleep patterns leading to fragmented sleep which may also affect PD neuropathology. However, the mechanistic role of GABA in PD neuropathology regarding motor and non‐motor symptoms is not fully elucidated. Therefore, this narrative review aims to clarify the mechanistic role of GABA in PD neuropathology mainly in sleep disorders, and how good GABA improves PD. In addition, this review of published articles tries to elucidate how sleep disorders such as insomnia and REM sleep behavior disorder (RBD) affect PD neuropathology and severity. The present review has many limitations including the paucity of prospective studies and most findings are taken from observational and preclinical studies. GABA involvement in the pathogenesis of PD has been recently discussed by recent studies. Therefore, future prospective studies regarding the use of GABA agonists in the management of PD are suggested to observe their distinct effects on motor and non‐motor symptoms.

Conclusion

There is a bidirectional relationship between the pathogenesis of PD and sleep disorders which might be due to GABA deregulation.
Perspectives on the timing of ecosystem collapse in a changing climate
Authors: Alaniz Alberto J. , Marquet Pablo A. , Carvajal Mario A. , Vergara Pablo M. , Moreira‐Arce Darío , Muzzio Miguel A. , Keith David A.
Published: March 2024

Climate change is one of the most important drivers of ecosystem change, the global‐scale impacts of which will intensify over the next 2 decades. Estimating the timing of unprecedented changes is not only challenging but is of great importance for the development of ecosystem conservation guidelines. Time of emergence (ToE) (point at which climate change can be differentiated from a previous climate), a widely applied concept in climatology studies, provides a robust but unexplored approach for assessing the risk of ecosystem collapse, as described by the C criterion of the International Union for Conservation of Nature's Red List of Ecosystems (RLE). We identified 3 main theoretical considerations of ToE for RLE assessment (degree of stability, multifactorial instead of one‐dimensional analyses, and hallmarks of ecosystem collapse) and 4 sources of uncertainty when applying ToE methodology (intermodel spread, historical reference period, consensus among variables, and consideration of different scenarios), which aims to avoid misuse and errors while promoting a proper application of the framework by scientists and practitioners. The incorporation of ToE for the RLE assessments adds important information for conservation priority setting that allows prediction of changes within and beyond the time frames proposed by the RLE.
Disentangling the biotic and abiotic drivers of bird–building collisions in a tropical Asian city with ecological niche modeling
Authors: Tan David J. X. , Freymueller Nicholas A. , Teo Kah Ming , Symes William S. , Lum Shawn K. Y. , Rheindt Frank E.
Published: March 2024

Bird collisions with buildings are responsible for a large number of bird deaths in cities around the world, yet they remain poorly studied outside North America. We conducted one of the first citywide fine‐scale and landscape‐scale analyses of bird–building collisions in Asia and used maximum entropy modeling (as commonly applied to species distribution modeling) in a novel way to assess the drivers of bird–building collisions in the tropical city‐state of Singapore. We combined 7 years of community science observations with publicly available building and remote sensing data. Drivers of bird–building collisions varied among taxa. Some migratory taxa had a higher relative collision risk that was linked to areas with high building densities and high levels of nocturnal blue light pollution. Nonmigratory taxa had a higher collision risk in areas near forest cover. Projecting our results onto official long‐term land‐use plans, we predicted that future increases in bird–building collision risk stemmed from increases in blue light pollution and encroachment of buildings into forested areas and identified 6 potential collision hotspots linked to future developments. Our results suggest that bird–building collision mitigation measures need to account for the different drivers of collision for resident and migratory species and show that combining community science and ecological modeling can be a powerful approach for analyzing bird–building collision data.
Contact allergy in Swedish professional ice hockey players
Authors: Eriksson Tomas B. J. , Isaksson Marléne , Engfeldt Malin , Dahlin Jakob , Tegner Yelverton , Ofenloch Robert , Bruze Magnus
Published: March 2024

Background

Professional ice hockey players may contract irritant and allergic contact dermatitis.

Aims

To investigate the presence of contact allergy (CA) in professional ice hockey players in Sweden.

Methods

Ten teams from the two top leagues were assessed for potential occupational exposure to sensitizers. Exactly 107 players were patch tested with an extended baseline series and a working series, in total 74 test preparations. The CA rates were compared between the ice hockey players and controls from the general population and dermatitis patients.

Results

One out of 4 players had at least one contact allergy. The most common sensitizers were Amerchol L 101, nickel and oxidized limonene. CA was as common in the ice hockey players as in dermatitis patients and significantly more common than in the general population. Fragrances and combined sensitizers in cosmetic products (fragrances + preservatives + emulsifier) were significantly more common in ice hockey players compared with the general population.

Conclusion

The possible relationship between CA to fragrances and cosmetic products on the one hand and the presence of dermatitis on the other should be explored further.
Multiscale attention for few‐shot image classification
Authors: Zhou Tong , Dong Changyin , Song Junshu , Zhang Zhiqiang , Wang Zhen , Chang Bo , Chen Dechun
Published: March 2024

In recent years, the application of traditional deep learning methods in the agricultural field using remote sensing techniques, such as crop area and growth monitoring, crop classification, and agricultural disaster monitoring, has been greatly facilitated by advancements in deep learning. The accuracy of image classification plays a crucial role in these applications. Although traditional deep learning methods have achieved significant success in remote sensing image classification, they often involve convolutional neural networks with a large number of parameters that require extensive optimization using numerous remote sensing images for training purposes. To address these challenges, we propose a novel approach called multiscale attention network (MAN) for sample‐based remote sensing image classification. This method consists primarily of feature extractors and attention modules to effectively utilize different scale features through multiscale feature training during the training phase. We evaluate our proposed method on three datasets comprising agricultural remote sensing images and observe superior performance compared to existing approaches. Furthermore, we validate its generalizability by testing it on an oil well indicator diagram specifically designed for classification tasks.
Cardiovascular safety of febuxostat versus allopurinol among the Asian patients with or without gout: A systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Deng Jian‐hao , Lai Peng‐hui , Xie Li‐shan , Qiu Shu‐sheng , Qiu De‐sheng , Zhang Jia‐xing
Published: March 2024

The cardiovascular (CV) safety of febuxostat compared to allopurinol for the treatment of hyperuricemia among Asian patients is uncertain. In this study, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis to compare the CV safety profiles of febuxostat with allopurinol in Asian patients with hyperuricemia. A total of 13 studies were included. On the basis of the pooled results of cohort studies, febuxostat users were at a significantly higher risk for acute coronary syndrome (ACS; hazard ratio [HR]: 1.06, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.03–1.09, p < 0.01), atrial fibrillation (HR: 1.19, 95% CI: 1.05–1.35, p < 0.01) than allopurinol users, whereas no significant difference between febuxostat and allopurinol existed for urgent coronary revascularization (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 0.98–1.16, p = 0.13), and stroke (HR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.91–1.01, p = 0.13). Nevertheless, that difference in results of acute decompensated heart failure (ADHF; HR: 0.73, 95% CI: 0.35–1.53, p = 0.40) and all‐cause death (HR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.49–1.51, p = 0.60) was not significant based on randomized controlled trials. In the Chinese subgroup, febuxostat could increase the risk of ADHF (HR: 1.22, 95% CI: 1.01–1.48, p < 0.05), CV death (HR: 1.25, 95% CI: 1.03–1.50, p < 0.05), and all‐cause mortality (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01–1.14, p < 0.05) compared to allopurinol. In conclusion, the use of febuxostat, compared with allopurinol among Asian patients, was associated with a significantly increased risk of adverse CV events.
Eutrophication modifies the relationships between multiple facets of macroinvertebrate beta diversity and geographic distance in freshwater lakes
Authors: Jiang Xiaoming , Peng Duo , Alahuhta Janne , Heino Jani , Li Zhengfei , Xie Zhicai
Published: March 2024

Aim

Understanding the distance–decay relationship (DDR) has been considered important because it reflects a combination of several ecological processes such as dispersal limitation and environmental sorting. However, effects of human disturbances on DDR are poorly known, especially in freshwater lakes. This study is aimed to examine how anthropogenic eutrophication modified the relationships between three facets (taxonomic, functional and phylogenetic) of macroinvertebrate beta diversity and geographic and environmental distances across 30 freshwater lakes.

Location

The Yangtze River floodplain, China.

Methods

We used Mantel tests to examine the relationships between multiple facets of assemblage dissimilarities (overall beta diversity, replacement and richness difference components) and geographic and environmental distances. Distance‐based redundancy analysis (dbRDA) and associated variation partitioning procedures were applied to explore the relative contributions of environmental and spatial factors on the three facets of beta diversity.

Results

We found that none of the three beta diversity facets was related to geographic distance, but all were significantly related to environmental distance, mainly mirroring eutrophication‐related variables. Based on the variation partitioning approach, the macroinvertebrate assemblages examined were almost exclusively structured by environmental factors associated with eutrophication, while spatial variables had a negligible effect. Nevertheless, the different facets of beta diversity did not decrease (i.e., no homogenization trend) in lake groups showing the highest eutrophication levels, implying complex influences of anthropogenic disturbances in driving homogenization or differentiation in assemblage compositional dissimilarity.

Main Conclusions

Our findings suggested that the high degrees of eutrophication acted as an environmental filter to significantly modify the spatial distance–decay relationships, possibly via decreasing the importance of dispersal limitation in shaping macroinvertebrate assemblages in the studied lakes. Given the sensitivity of beta diversity patterns to eutrophication we found in this study, we recommend that the role of anthropogenic disturbances should be incorporated into research on general ecological patterns like the DDR.
Bridging the knowledge gap in epilepsy care: Empowering educators with a cascade training approach
Authors: Wiebe Samuel
Published: March 2024

This commentary is on the original article by Gifford et al. on pages 1045–1052 of this issue.
Analyses of potential causal contributors to increased waist/hip ratio‐associated cardiometabolic disease: A combined and sex‐stratified Mendelian randomization study
Authors: Hashemy Habiba , Nguyen Anthony , Khafagy Rana , Roshandel Delnaz , Paterson Andrew D. , Dash Satya
Published: March 2024

Background

Increased waist/hip ratio (WHR) contributes to type 2 diabetes, fatty liver, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and coronary artery disease, with potential sex‐differential effects. Postulated mediators include increased lipid flux, branched‐chain amino acids, glycine and glycoprotein acetyl, but their relative contributions and sex‐specific impact on WHR‐associated cardiometabolic disease (CMD) are not established.

Methods

We therefore undertook combined and sex‐stratified Mendelian randomization (MR) to assess the relative causal contributions of these mediators to WHR‐associated CMD using summary statistics from the largest genome‐wide association studies in European ancestries.

Results

In sex‐combined MR analyses, increased WHR significantly reduces high‐density lipoprotein (beta = −0.416, SE = 0.029, p = 2.87E‐47), increases triglyceride (beta = 0.431, SE = 0.029, p = 1.87E‐50), type 2 diabetes (odds ratio = 2.747, SE = 0.09, p = 26E‐23), coronary artery disease (odds ratio = 1.478, SE = 0.045, p = 6.96E‐18), alanine transaminase (beta = 0.062, SE = 0.004, p = 6.88E‐67), and systolic (beta = 0.134, SE = 0.022, p = 7.81E‐10) and diastolic blood pressure (beta = 0.162, SE = 0.026, p = 5.38E‐10). Adjustment for the mediators attenuated WHR's effects, but the associations remained significant with concordant results in females. In males, a similar pattern was seen, except after adjusting for the effect of the ratio of monounsaturated fatty acid to total free fatty acid, the potential causal effect of WHR was no longer significant: high‐density lipoprotein (beta = −0.117, SE = 0.069, p = .09) and triglyceride (beta = 0.051, SE = 0.068, p = .459).

Conclusions

MR suggests WHR increases the risk of CMD independent of these mediators, with the exception of dyslipidaemia in males, which is largely driven by the monounsaturated fatty acid to total free fatty acid ratio.
Three‐player contests with a potential inactive player: Endogenous timing of effort exertion
Authors: Baik Kyung Hwan , Lee Jong Hwa
Published: March 2024

We study a contest where there are two active players in equilibrium when three players expend effort simultaneously to win a prize. We look at how endogenous timing of effort exertion affects the players' behavior. The players play the following game. First, they announce simultaneously whether they each will expend effort in period 1 or in period 2. Then, after knowing when they expend effort, each player expends effort in the period which he announced. We find interesting results, focusing on the players' decisions on when to expend effort, the identities of active players, and the effort levels in a subgame‐perfect equilibrium.
Firm profitability and forced wage labour in Portuguese Africa: Evidence from the Sena Sugar Estates, 1920–74
Authors: Jones Sam , Gibbon Peter
Published: March 2024

Forced wage labour (FWL) in colonial‐era Portuguese Africa came to encompass a majority of working age men and persisted until the early 1960s. On the basis of reconstructed financial records from the Sena Sugar Estates in today's Mozambique, we estimate the long‐run profitability of the firm. With this we associate rates of extraction from native labour, defined as the difference between actual levels of remuneration and those under counterfactual freer market conditions. We estimate that coercion suppressed workers’ remuneration by about two‐fifths, representing a significant cost saving to the firm. However, a production function analysis indicates that coercion also negatively affected productivity. Using these results, we calculate that the firm's profitability might have remained broadly robust without FWL. This suggests other factors, including fiscal imperatives and technological factors, likely contributed to the persistence of labour coercion in Mozambique.