bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Embracing deepfakes and AI‐generated images in neuroscience research
Authors: Becker Casey , Laycock Robin
Published: June 2023

The rise of deepfakes and AI‐generated images has raised concerns regarding their potential misuse. However, this commentary highlights the valuable opportunities these technologies offer for neuroscience research. Deepfakes deliver accessible, realistic and customisable dynamic face stimuli, while generative adversarial networks (GANs) can generate and modify diverse and high‐quality static content. These advancements can enhance the variability and ecological validity of research methods and enable the creation of previously unattainable stimuli. When AI‐generated images are informed by brain responses, they provide unique insights into the structure and function of visual systems. The authors argue that experimental psychologists and cognitive neuroscientists stay informed about these emerging tools and embrace their potential to advance the field of visual neuroscience.
Variation in gut microbial contribution of essential amino acids to host protein metabolism in a wild small mammal community
Authors: Besser Alexi C. , Manlick Philip J. , Blevins Christina M. , Takacs‐Vesbach Cristina D. , Newsome Seth D.
Published: June 2023

Herbivory is a dominant feeding strategy among animals, yet herbivores are often protein limited. The gut microbiome is hypothesized to help maintain host protein balance by provisioning essential macromolecules, but this has never been tested in wild consumers. Using amino acid carbon (δ13C) and nitrogen (δ15N) isotope analysis, we estimated the proportional contributions of essential amino acids (AAESS) synthesized by gut microbes to five co‐occurring desert rodents representing herbivorous, omnivorous and insectivorous functional groups. We found that herbivorous rodents occupying lower trophic positions (Dipodomys spp.) routed a substantial proportion (~40%–50%) of their AAESS from gut microbes, while higher trophic level omnivores (Peromyscus spp.) and insectivores (Onychomys arenicola) obtained most of their AAESS (~58%) from plant‐based energy channels but still received ~20% of their AAESS from gut microbes. These findings empirically demonstrate that gut microbes play a key functional role in host protein metabolism in wild animals.
The genomic basis and environmental correlates of local adaptation in the Atlantic horse mackerel (Trachurus trachurus)
Authors: Fuentes‐Pardo Angela P. , Farrell Edward D. , Pettersson Mats E. , Sprehn C. Grace , Andersson Leif
Published: June 2023

Understanding how populations adapt to their environment is increasingly important to prevent biodiversity loss due to overexploitation and climate change. Here we studied the population structure and genetic basis of local adaptation of Atlantic horse mackerel, a commercially and ecologically important marine fish that has one of the widest distributions in the eastern Atlantic. We analyzed whole‐genome sequencing and environmental data of samples collected from the North Sea to North Africa and the western Mediterranean Sea. Our genomic approach indicated low population structure with a major split between the Mediterranean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean and between locations north and south of mid‐Portugal. Populations from the North Sea are the most genetically distinct in the Atlantic. We discovered that most population structure patterns are driven by a few highly differentiated putatively adaptive loci. Seven loci discriminate the North Sea, two the Mediterranean Sea, and a large putative inversion (9.9 Mb) on chromosome 21 underlines the north–south divide and distinguishes North Africa. A genome–environment association analysis indicates that mean seawater temperature and temperature range, or factors correlated to them, are likely the main environmental drivers of local adaptation. Our genomic data broadly support the current stock divisions, but highlight areas of potential mixing, which require further investigation. Moreover, we demonstrate that as few as 17 highly informative SNPs can genetically discriminate the North Sea and North African samples from neighboring populations. Our study highlights the importance of both, life history and climate‐related selective pressures in shaping population structure patterns in marine fish. It also supports that chromosomal rearrangements play a key role in local adaptation with gene flow. This study provides the basis for more accurate delineation of the horse mackerel stocks and paves the way for improving stock assessments.
Key forces compelling the monitoring of hospital performance: An exploratory study
Authors: Kelly Rosemarie , O'Donohoe Sheila , Doyle Gerardine
Published: June 2023

Performance management in the public sector is both multifaceted and convoluted. This is particularly pertinent in hospitals, which are complex institutional organizations. Our paper explores the key drivers compelling Irish public acute‐care hospitals to monitor their performance. The context of our study is located against the unique historical backdrop of the Irish health service, whose evolution over time reflects religious control, underfunding by the State and reliance on a decentralized structure up until the early 2000s. This study was conducted during 2009–2010, in the aftermath of the financial crisis of 2008–2009. Interviews were conducted with members of the hospital executive management team, comprising clinical and nonclinical senior managers, using the framework of Kelly et al. (2015) to explore and analyze respondent perspectives. We propose that a combination of key forces, emanating from new public management, the institutional environment, and its constituent elements spurs hospitals to monitor their performance. The confluence of these forces reveals a perceived change in the institutional logic underpinning hospital performance management. This change involved the substitution of autonomous clinical decision‐making for a more team‐based managerial logic whereby clinicians engaged as part of a multidisciplinary executive unit and accepted responsibility for hospital performance. This paper contributes to the literature on performance management in public services and, more specifically, builds on and addresses the paucity of research on Irish acute‐care hospitals.
Researching what we practice—The paradigm of systemic family research: Part 1
Authors: Lorås Lennart , Whittaker Kristoffer , Stokkebekk Jan , Tilden Terje
Published: June 2023

This is part 1 of two articles that focus on the ideological and philosophical preference regarding how to relate to and conduct research in the field of systemic couple and family therapy. Thus, this article outlines the theoretical groundwork for part 2 of “Researching what we practice” in the same journal. Research in certain areas of systemic couple and family therapy (CFT), such as that influenced by social constructionism and postmodernism, has a different epistemological tradition than in the natural sciences. Thus, only research from a narrow, selected spectrum of epistemologies has been incorporated as a key source in the knowledge base of systemic CFT. The consequence is that the field of postmodern systemic CFT risks promoting only a limited range of research designs and knowledge while excluding other designs and knowledge types, reasoning that these are less useful in clinical practice. The rationale behind this perspective is derived from ideology and philosophy rather than scientific criteria. Accordingly, in our field of study, different epistemological perspectives are easily viewed as dichotomous, thus causing professional gaps in our field. This tendency constrains the mutual exchange and development that are needed. We present a possible way out of this dichotomized deadlock, first and foremost by acknowledging – and encouraging the use of – the great variety and breadth of existing research and knowledge. Referring to the guiding principles of evidence‐based practice, we argue that this would endow the systemic CFT therapist and researcher with a greater knowledge base and range of research methodologies. This could help improve the quality of treatment provided to our clients and enhance the legitimacy of postmodern systemic CFT as a branch of psychotherapy.
Are high marriage expenses delaying age at first marriage? Evidence from Chinese rural migrant men
Authors: Jin Xiaoyi , Teng Jiaxuan , Duan Zhuqing , Sun Beibei
Published: June 2023

Objective

The goal of the paper is to discover the dynamic features of rural men's age at first marriage, and to explore impacts of marriage expenses on men's age at first marriage in rural China amid a rapid urbanization and sociodemographic transition.

Background

Given the rapid urbanization and sociodemographic transition, changes in rural men's marriage timing and its influencing mechanism in China are emerging but remain under examined.

Method

The data were collected by the New Urbanization and Sustainable Development research group from Xi'an Jiaotong University in 2018 (n = 1,391). Regression models were used to explore the influence of men's marriage expenses and regional economic factors on their age at first marriage.

Results

The relationship between squared total marriage expenses of rural migrant men and their age at first marriage shows as a U‐shaped curve. Conjugal matching, family, premarital migration, and regional economy play important roles for rural men entering their first marriages.

Conclusion

Compared with the age‐appropriate married men, the early and late married men tend to have higher marriage expenses. Men with more economic resources are capable of seizing high‐qualified women at a younger age, whereas men with less economic resources need to pay more for their first marriage at an older age. Fathers' lower social class and regional economy significantly delay men's age at first marriage.

Implications

This study reveals marriage expense is another important factor influencing men's first marriage entry in rural China and provides a clue to solve difficulties of rural men getting married, especially in societies with ongoing rapid urbanization and sociodemographic transition.
Biophysical and biochemical nature of amorphous protein oligomers determines the strength of immune response and the generation of T‐cell memory
Authors: Kibria Md. Golam , Shiwaku Yukari , Brindha Subbaian , Kuroda Yutaka
Published: June 2023

Here, we used domain 3 of dengue virus serotype 3 envelope protein (D3ED3), a natively folded globular low‐immunogenicity protein, to ask whether the biophysical nature of amorphous oligomers can affect immunogenicity. We prepared nearly identical 30 ~ 50 nm‐sized amorphous oligomers in five distinct ways and looked at any correlation between their biophysical properties and immunogenicity. One oligomer type was produced using our SCP tag (solubility controlling peptide) made of 5 isoleucines (C5I). The others were prepared by miss‐shuffling the SS bonds (Ms), heating (Ht), stirring (St) and freeze–thaw (FT). Dynamic light scattering showed that all five formulations contained oligomers of approximately identical sizes with hydrodynamic radii (Rh) between 30 and 55 nm. Circular dichroism (cd) indicated that the secondary structure content of oligomers formed by stirring and freeze–thaw was essentially identical to that of the native monomeric D3ED3. The secondary structure content of the Ms showed moderate changes, whereas the C5I and heat‐induced (Ht) oligomers exhibited a significant change. The Ms contained D3ED3 with intermolecular SS bonds as assessed by nonreducing size exclusion chromatography (SEC). Immunization in JcL:ICR mice showed that both C5I and Ms significantly increased the anti‐D3ED3 IgG titre. Ht, St and FT were only mildly immunogenic, similar to the monomeric D3ED3. Cell surface CD marker analysis by flow cytometry confirmed that immunization with Ms generated a strong central and effector T‐cell memory. Our observations indeed suggest that controlled oligomerization can provide a new, adjuvant‐free method for increasing a protein's immunogenicity, yielding a potentially powerful platform for protein‐based (subunit) vaccines.
Nicotinamide riboside activates SIRT5 deacetylation
Authors: Curry Alyson M. , Rymarchyk Stacia , Herrington Noah B. , Donu Dickson , Kellogg Glen E. , Cen Yana
Published: June 2023

Human sirtuins play important roles in various cellular events including DNA repair, gene silencing, mitochondrial biogenesis, insulin secretion and apoptosis. They regulate a wide array of protein and enzyme targets through their NAD+‐dependent deacetylase activities. Sirtuins are also thought to mediate the beneficial effects of low‐calorie intake to extend longevity in diverse organisms from yeast to mammals. Small molecules mimicking calorie restriction to stimulate sirtuin activity are attractive therapeutics against age‐related disorders such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes and neurodegeneration. Little is known about one of the mitochondrial sirtuins, SIRT5. SIRT5 has emerged as a critical player in maintaining cardiac health and neuronal viability upon stress and functions as a tumour suppressor in a context‐specific manner. Much has been debated about whether SIRT5 has evolved away from being a deacetylase because of its weak catalytic activity, especially in the in vitro testing. We have, for the first time, identified a SIRT5‐selective allosteric activator, nicotinamide riboside (NR). It can increase SIRT5 catalytic efficiency with different synthetic peptide substrates. The mechanism of action was further explored using a combination of molecular biology and biochemical strategies. Based on the existing structural biology information, the NR binding site was also mapped out. These activators are powerful chemical probes for the elucidation of cellular regulations and biological functions of SIRT5. The knowledge gained in this study can be used to guide the design and synthesis of more potent, isotype‐selective SIRT5 activators and to develop them into therapeutics for metabolic disorders and age‐related diseases.
Melatonin ameliorates sleep–wake disturbances and autism‐like behaviors in the Ctnnd2 knock out mouse model of autism spectrum disorders
Authors: Xu Man , Wang Luyi , Wang Yan , Deng Jing , Wang Xiaoya , Wang Feifei , Pan Sen , Zhao Yu , Liao Ailing , Wang Xiaoqing , Chen Di , Shen Jingjing , Yang Feng , Li Yingbo , Wang Shali
Published: June 2023

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a prevalent neurodevelopmental disorder characterized by atypical patterns of social interaction and communication, as well as restrictive and repetitive behaviors. In addition, patients with ASD often presents with sleep disturbances. Delta (δ) catenin protein 2 (CTNND2) encodes δ‐catenin protein, a neuron‐specific catenin implicated in many complex neuropsychiatric diseases. Our previous study demonstrated that the deletion of Ctnnd2 in mice led to autism‐like behaviors. However, to our knowledge, no study has investigated the effects of Ctnnd2 deletion on sleep in mice. In this study, we investigated whether the knockout (KO) of exon 2 of the Ctnnd2 gene could induce sleep–wake disorders in mice and identified the effects of oral melatonin (MT) supplementation on Ctnnd2 KO mice. Our results demonstrated that the Ctnnd2 KO mice exhibited ASD‐like behaviors and sleep–wake disorders that were partially attenuated by MT supplementation. Overall, our current study is the first to identify that knockdown of Ctnnd2 gene could induce sleep–wake disorders in mice and suggests that treatment of sleep–wake disturbances by MT may benefit to autism‐like behaviors causing by Ctnnd2 gene deletion.
Dry‐matter production and botanical composition of multispecies and perennial ryegrass swards under varying defoliation management
Authors: Baker Shona , Lynch Mary B. , Godwin Fionnuala , Brennan Eugene , Boland Tommy M. , Evans Alexander C. O. , Kelly Alan K. , Sheridan Helen
Published: June 2023

Multispecies swards, comprised of different plant functional groups have comparable production potential to high N input L. perenne swards at reduced N when legumes are included. However, information on the appropriate management of multispecies swards is limited. The effect of differing management practices on the herbage dry‐matter (DM) production and botanical composition of different sward types was investigated using a 3 × 2 × 2 factorial design plot experiment. The experiment consisted of three sward types: L. perenne‐only receiving (LP; 250 kg N ha−1 a−1); L. perenne‐Trifolium repens (LP‐TR); multispecies sward containing L. perenne, Phleum pratense, Trifolium repens, Trifolium pratense, Plantago lanceolata and Cichorium intybus (MSS). LP‐TR and MSS received 90 kg N ha−1 a−1. Harvesting of plot herbage took place every 21 or 28 days to a defoliation height of 4 or 6 cm, over two growing seasons (March to November 2020 and 2021 inclusive). Annual herbage produced by both LP and LP‐TR was not significantly affected by defoliation frequency. However, MSS produced 1923 kg DM ha−1 a−1 more herbage when harvested less frequently. Unsown species contributed significantly less to the herbage DM of MSS compared to LP and LP‐TR and remained similar in 2020 and 2021, whereas the contribution of unsown species to herbage DM increased in LP and LP‐TR from 2020 to 2021, with noxious species more associated with LP and LP‐TR than MSS. Results demonstrate the role of multispecies swards in improving the sustainability of grass‐based agricultural systems in an environment of reduced fertilizer inputs.
Beyond migration? Alternative articulations of transnational religious networks
Authors: Chen Ningning , Dean Kenneth , Kuah Khun Eng
Published: June 2023

A growing body of scholarship on transnational religion is grounded within the analytical framework of the religion–migration relationship and has highlighted migrant individuals and groups as main players in forging religious networking. This ignores a wide range of alternative drivers that are forceful in the (re)making of transnational religious networks. In this introduction of the special issue, we therefore open a collection of nine articles which contribute to alternative articulations of transnational religious networks. In particular, our contributors introduce three alternative drivers – ideas, institutions and digital technologies – in (re)producing religious mobilities, connections and networks across nation borders. At the same time, they offer fascinating insights into the diversified ways alternative actors and channels weave together religious migrants’ imaginations, practices and experiences, formulating new, complex forms of religious (re)production in a transnational world. This special issue also highlights the creativity, flexibility and vitality of Asian religions in the 21st century modernity.
Parabureaucracy: The case of Mexico's “Servants of the Nation”
Authors: González‐Vázquez Alejandro , Nieto‐Morales Fernando , Peeters Rik
Published: June 2023

In the context of limited state capacity and a politicized public administration, democratic backsliding tends to exploit preexisting deficiencies in the functioning of the public sector. Whereas staffing managerial positions with regime supporters is well‐documented, less attention has been paid to the structuring and staffing of street‐level bureaucracies under a spoils system. In this article, we use document analysis and in‐depth interviews to analyze the case of Mexico's “Servants of the Nation” —a group of more than 19,000 former party members and sympathizers hired by the government to perform street‐level tasks— as an example of “parabureaucracy”: an auxiliary street‐level organization designed to perform a wide variety of tasks directly related to the executive's political agenda. We argue that parabureaucracies are designed to sideline formal administrative command structures for the benefit of the government in power but may also serve as a means to bypass stifled and dysfunctional traditional bureaucracies.
The maze: Reflections on navigating intersectional identities in the workplace
Authors: Gottardello Debora
Published: June 2023

Myriam's story is the story of a woman who has faced several intersectional barriers throughout her life and career journey, leading her into a “maze” of dead‐ends that has jointly prevented her motion. The telling of this story breaks the conventional masculine patterns of academic writing of recent years and represents a turning point in organizational thought. This piece contributes to the growing body of literature in organizational studies on “writing differently,” which advocates for alternative modes of writing and doing research, particularly feminist writing that incorporates storytelling, composite character, and arts‐based research. The approach taken is informed by the use of metaphor, which provides an additional means to convey nuanced understandings and insights that may not be easily expressed through conventional academic writing. The account illuminates the way social identities operate in tandem with power dynamics, social and national context, patriarchy, and relationality to shape individuals' experiences of oppression and privilege. The discourse emphasizes how these factors interrelate and reinforce one another, giving rise to multiple forms of inequality that have significant impacts on women's professional experiences and careers. It uses inventiveness and creativity to provide an immediate emotional and embodied connection between the reader and the lived experiences of Myriam. By offering an in‐depth written and visual representation that moves beyond “linguistic imperialism,” this paper intends to create a critically reflexive and inclusive space that makes the invisible embedded and insidious experience of oppression visible to a wider and more diverse audience.
“Real world” efficacy of bulevirtide in HBV/HDV‐related cirrhosis including people living with HIV: Results from the compassionate use programme at INMI Spallanzani in Rome, Italy
Authors: Visco Comandini Ubaldo , De Santis Emanuela , De Maria Francesco , Lionetti Raffaella , Taibi Chiara , Montalbano Marzia , Rianda Alessia , Piccolo Paola , De Ponte Chiara , Mazzotta Stefania , Caioli Alessandro , Garbuglia Anna Rosa , Maggi Fabrizio , D'Offizi Gianpiero
Published: June 2023

Objectives

We describe the preliminary results of bulevirtide compassionate use in patients with hepatitis B and delta virus (HBV/HDV)‐related cirrhosis and clinically significant portal hypertension, including those living with HIV.

Methods

We conducted a prospective observational study of consecutive patients. Clinical evaluation, liver function tests, bile acid levels, HDV‐RNA, HBV‐DNA, hepatitis B surface antigen, and liver and spleen stiffness were assessed at baseline and after treatment months 1, 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, and 12. HIV‐RNA and CD4+/CD8+ count were assessed in people living with HIV. The first drug injection was administered under nurse supervision, and counselling was provided and adherence reviewed at each visit.

Results

In total, 13 patients (61.5% migrants) were enrolled. The median treatment duration was 11 months. At month 6, mean alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels fell by 64.5% and mean liver and spleen stiffness decreased by 8.6 and 0.9 kPa, respectively. The mean baseline HDV‐RNA was 3.34 log IU/mL and 5.10 log IU/mL in people without and with HIV (n = 5) (p = 0.28), respectively. A similar mean decline was observed in both groups: −2.06 log IU/mL and −1.93 log IU/mL, respectively (p = 0.87). A combined response (undetectable HDV RNA or ≥ −2 log IU/mL decline vs. baseline, with ALT normalization) was achieved in 66% of subjects without and in 60% of patients with HIV. Patients with HIV showed persistently undetectable HIV‐RNA and a progressive increase in CD4+/CD8+ cells during treatment. No patient discontinued bulevirtide because of adverse effects.

Conclusions

Preliminary results suggest that bulevirtide is feasible and well‐tolerated in populations with difficult‐to‐treat conditions, such as those with HIV/HBV/HDV co‐infection and migrants, when special attention is given to patient education. HDV‐RNA decline during treatment was similar in people living with and without HIV.
Harm, injustice & technology: Reflections on the UK's subpostmasters’ case
Authors: McGuire M. R. , Renaud Karen
Published: June 2023

One of the more striking recent miscarriages of justice was perpetrated by the UK's Post Office when subpostmasters and subpostmistresses were prosecuted for fraud that actually arose from malfunctioning software. Over 700 were victimised, losing homes and livelihoods. We first use a zemiological lens to examine the harms caused by these events at both a first and second‐order range – referred to as ‘ripples’. Yet, the zemiological analysis, while useful in identifying the personal harms suffered by postmasters, is less successful in associating with some of the wider costs – especially to the justice system itself. Additional tools are required for identifying how technology might be culpable in the damage that unfolded. We use a technological injustice lens to augment the zemiological analysis, to reveal how and why technology can harm, especially when appropriate checks and balances are missing, and naïve belief in the infallibility of technological solutions prevails.
Electromagnetic wave absorption properties of hot‐pressed Si3N4‐SiC ceramic nanocomposites
Authors: Li Quan , Wang Zhicheng , Wang Yang , Yang Jian
Published: June 2023

High‐density Si3N4‐SiC ceramic nanocomposites have exceptional mechanical properties, but little is known about their electromagnetic wave absorption (EMA) capabilities. In this paper, the effects of sintering temperature and starting material compositions on the dielectric and EMA properties of hot‐pressed Si3N4‐SiC ceramic nanocomposites were investigated. The real and imaginary permittivities of Si3N4‐SiC ceramic nanocomposites increase with increasing sintering temperature or SiC content, particularly at the sintering temperature of 1850°C and SiC content of 50 wt.%. This is primarily due to the improvement of interfacial and defect polarizations, which is caused by the doping of nitrogen into the SiC nanocrystals during the solution‐precipitation process. The real and imaginary permittivities of Si3N4‐SiC ceramic nanocomposites show decreasing trends as sintering aid content increases. Si3N4‐SiC ceramic composites have both good EMA and mechanical properties when they are sintered at 1850°C with 30 wt.% SiC and 5–8 wt.% sintering aids. The minimum reflection loss and maximum flexural strength reach ‐58 dB and 586 MPa, respectively. Materials with multilayered structural designs have both strong and broad EMA properties.
Fabrication of novel BPO4 ceramic foams using the combination of the direct foaming method and freeze‐drying techniques
Authors: Li Xiaoxiao , Li Shujing , Li Yuanbing , Li Shiqi , Chen Pan , Guo Tenglong
Published: June 2023

In this study, ammonium phosphate monobasic and boric acid were used as the primary starting materials to produce BPO4 powder by solid‐state reaction. Using BPO4 powders as the main raw material, BPO4 ceramic foams were prepared for the first time using the direct foaming method and freeze‐drying techniques. The effects of the additive content and solid loading on the slurry's rheological behavior were investigated, and the microstructures and properties of the as‐prepared BPO4 ceramic foams were examined. The results reveal that the porosity of the BPO4 ceramic foams synthesized at 1223 K ranged from 84.2% to 90.4%, the compressive strength ranged from .12 MPa to .72 MPa, and the thermal conductivity ranged from .32 W/(m·K) to .74 W/(m·K) (298 K). The findings of this study have great significance for the development of new thermal insulation ceramic materials.
Using structural equation modeling to examine the relationship between receptive vocabulary knowledge and receptive language proficiency: A new light on an old issue
Authors: Ha Hung Tan , Nguyen Duyen Thi Bich
Published: June 2023

In recent years, applied linguists have paid more attention to the contributory roles of vocabulary knowledge in language subskills. However, little evidence has been collected to shed light upon the cross‐modality relationship between the two modalities of receptive word knowledge, namely phonological and orthographic vocabulary, and receptive language skills, namely reading and listening comprehension. Moreover, the majority of studies conducted on the topic only examined the bivariate correlations between the modalities and did not take the shared variance of the constructs into account, making their findings superficial. The present study analyzed a dataset which reported the performance of 234 students on two validated tests of receptive phonological and orthographic vocabulary knowledge and two standardized tests of listening and reading proficiency. Multi‐group, covariance‐based structural equation modeling was applied. Results from the analyses showed that both aural and orthographic knowledge of words were of equal importance to learners’ receptive vocabulary knowledge. While whole‐group results revealed that vocabulary knowledge contributed equally to learners’ reading and listening proficiency, multi‐group analyses indicated noticeable differences in the contributory role of receptive word knowledge in comprehension between learners of different vocabulary size groups. The role of vocabulary size in the relationship between vocabulary knowledge and comprehension was discussed and practical implications for vocabulary assessment were provided.
Preferential employment policies and firm performance: Evidence from Indian public sector enterprises
Authors: JAIN Ritika , ABRAHAM Vinoj
Published: June 2023

This article examines the impact of job reservations on the performance of public sector enterprises (PSEs) in India. Drawing on data for all central government‐owned manufacturing PSEs from 2014 to 2017 and employing instrumental variable techniques, the authors test the hypothesis that reservations benefit firm performance if implemented across all levels of the employment hierarchy. While the findings validate this hypothesis, they also indicate that the reserved categories are disproportionately represented in the lower end of the organizational hierarchy. This imbalance is primarily driven by systematic limitations in vacancy notifications and discriminatory practices within organizations.
Advances in natural killer cell therapies for breast cancer
Authors: Kiaei Seyedeh Zahra Fotook , Nouralishahi Alireza , Ghasemirad Mohammad , Barkhordar Maryam , Ghaffari Sasan , Kheradjoo Hadis , Saleh Mahshid , Mohammadzadehsaliani Saman , Molaeipour Zahra
Published: June 2023

Breast cancer (BC) is the most common cause of cancer death in women. According to the American Cancer Society's yearly cancer statistics, BC constituted almost 15% of all the newly diagnosed cancer cases in 2022 for both sexes. Metastatic disease occurs in 30% of patients with BC. The currently available treatments fail to cure metastatic BC, and the average survival time for patients with metastatic BC is approximately 2 years. Developing a treatment method that terminates cancer stem cells without harming healthy cells is the primary objective of novel therapeutics. Adoptive cell therapy is a branch of cancer immunotherapy that utilizes the immune cells to attack cancer cells. Natural killer (NK) cells are an essential component of innate immunity and are critical in destroying tumor cells without prior stimulation with antigens. With the advent of chimeric antigen receptors (CARs), the autologous or allogeneic use of NK/CAR–NK cell therapy has raised new hopes for treating patients with cancer. Here, we describe recent developments in NK and CAR–NK cell immunotherapy, including the biology and function of NK cells, clinical trials, different sources of NK cells and their future perspectives on BC.
Are overconfident CEOs better able to transform innovation into firm value?—Evidence from the United States
Authors: Eom Mike , Jung Mookwon , Park Jung Chul
Published: June 2023

We use innovation premium (IP), proposed by Forbes, as a proxy for firm innovation to present evidence that firm value is positively associated with IP. The positive impact of the IP on firm value is amplified by overconfident CEOs, particularly in the high‐tech and biotech industries with a high proportion of intellectual capital and intangible assets. In a series of tests, we confirm that the results hold after controlling for endogeneity. our findings are consistent with the notion that the beneficial effect of corporate innovations generated by overconfident CEOs exists primarily in industries where innovations are in critical demand.
Evaluating blockchain as a participatory organisational system: looking for transaction efficiency
Authors: Sáenz‐Royo Carlos , Fleta‐Asín Jorge
Published: June 2023

The article presents a decision‐making model that can be used with blockchain technology. Blockchain is used as an alternative transaction mechanism to authority and the market, where the decision is decentralised within the organisation. Thus, the process is parameterised around the acceptance or not of a project, depending on individual levels of expertise, consensus level and including deliberation time. In addition, commission and omission errors are also evaluated. We show that this technology should be imposed naturally because, at the same level of information, it can obtain better results than any other decision mechanism in a systematic way. In addition, the blockchain ensures that both commission errors and omission errors are reduced with decision times that do not increase the expected opportunity loss on omission errors.
Electrical resistivity and flexural strength of mullite‐bonded porous SiC: Effect of transition metal additives
Authors: Anwar Muhammad Shoaib , Lee Hong Joo , Ha Jang‐Hoon , Lee Jongman , Song In‐Hyuck
Published: June 2023

The influence of various transition metal (Mo, Co, Ni, and Fe) additives on the electrical and mechanical properties of mullite‐strengthened SiC sintered in the range of 1100–1500°C under an Ar atmosphere was investigated. Kaolin was added as a low‐temperature sintering aid in the designed formulations. The addition of metal additives reduced the electrical resistivity, enhanced the mechanical strength, and produced samples with an approximately 40% porosity. The decrease in electrical resistivity was attributed to the in situ formation of electrically conductive metal silicides, whereas the conversion of kaolin to mullite enhanced the mechanical properties. The comparative study shows that at the same metal‐additive content (15 wt%), Fe was the most effective element to reduce the electrical resistivity and increase the flexural strength, which were recorded as 8.0 × 100 Ω cm and 20 ± 2 MPa, respectively, of the samples sintered at merely 1300°C.
Augmented‐reality‐enhanced game‐based learning in flipped English classrooms: Effects on students' creative thinking and vocabulary acquisition
Authors: Hung Hsiu‐Ting , Yeh Hui‐Chin
Published: June 2023

Background

As the concept of flipped classrooms continues to gain interest across disciplines, more research is needed to strengthen the instructional design by integrating active learning strategies and emerging technologies. Among various possibilities, little is known about how game‐based learning combined with Augmented Reality (AR) can be effectively infused into language education to establish supportive flipped learning contexts.

Objectives

This study thus proposed an AR‐enhanced game‐based learning (ARGBL) approach, featuring the use of an augmented board game to engage students actively in classroom activities. It further compared the effects of the proposed approach with traditional game‐based learning on the students' vocabulary acquisition and creative thinking as they were instructed to learn English as a foreign language (EFL) in flipped classrooms.

Methods

A quasi‐experimental design was adopted to examine the effectiveness of the proposed approach to promote the students' participation in flipped in‐class activities, thereby improving their learning outcomes. Participants were recruited from two classes of the same undergraduate course, one of which was designated as the experimental group to take part in game‐based learning activities in class by playing an AR‐enhanced board game, and the other as the comparison group to learn by playing a paper‐and‐pencil game with identical puzzle content. The desired student learning outcomes were measured by pre‐ and post‐intervention vocabulary tests and creative thinking tests, supplemented by individual interviews.

Results

Results indicated that the students in the experimental group significantly outperformed their counterparts in vocabulary acquisition and creative thinking. They also expressed positive perceptions of the augmented game‐based learning experience in the flipped EFL classroom.

Take Away

ARGBL can be a promising approach to improving student learning, and it is particularly beneficial to the design of classroom activities in flipped learning contexts due to its affordances for enriched content visualization and active learner engagement through gameplay.
American Midwifery Certification Board Certification Demographic and Employment Data, 2016 to 2020: The Certified Nurse‐Midwife and Certified Midwife Workforce
Authors: Thumm E. Brie , Emeis Cathy L. , Snapp Carol , Doublestein Lydia , Rees Rebecca , Vanderlaan Jennifer , Tanner Tanya
Published: June 2023

Introduction

Expansion and diversification of the midwifery workforce is a federal strategy to address the maternal health crisis in the United States. Understanding characteristics of the current midwifery workforce is essential to creating approaches to its development. Certified nurse‐midwives and certified midwives (CNMs/CMs) certified by the American Midwifery Certification Board (AMCB) constitute the largest portion of the US midwifery workforce. This article aims to describe the current midwifery workforce based on data collected from all AMCB‐certified midwives at the time of certification.

Methods

Midwife initial certificants and recertificants were administered an electronic survey about personal and practice characteristics at the time of certification by AMCB between 2016 and 2020 for administrative purposes. Given the standard 5‐year certification cycle, every midwife certified during this period completed the survey once. The AMCB Research Committee conducted a secondary data analysis of deidentified data to describe the CNM/CM workforce.

Results

In 2020 there were 12,997 CNMs/CMs in the United States. The workforce was largely White and female with an average age of 49. There has been a slow increase (15% to 21%) of initial certificants identifying as midwives of color. The proportion of CMs to all AMCB‐certified midwives remained less than 2%. Physician‐owned practices were the most common employer. Approximately 60% of midwives attend births, and hospitals were the most common birth setting. Over 10% of those certified to practice reported not working within the discipline of midwifery.

Discussion

Targeted recruitment and retention of midwives must take into consideration not just expansion but dispersion, scope of practice, and diversification. The proportion of midwives attending births was lower than reported in previous years. Expansion of the CM credential and accessible educational pathways are 2 potential solutions to workforce growth. Developing strategies to retain those who are trained but not practicing presents an opportunity for workforce maintenance.
Climate precarity in rural livelihoods: Agrarian transformations and smallholder vulnerability in Vietnam
Authors: McElwee Pamela , Tuyến Nghiêm Phương , Huệ Lê Thị Vân , Hương Vũ Thị Diệu
Published: June 2023

In recent decades, agrarian transformations in Southeast Asia have resulted in significant environmental and social change, yet insufficient attention has focused on the particular pathways by which these changes have increased vulnerability to climate change. In particular, climate precarity, a situation in which class, social, labour and/or gender inequities amplify negative impacts from climate change, has been on the rise for many smallholders. Using case studies in Vietnam of changes to swidden agriculture in upland areas and the loss of deepwater rice systems in the Mekong Delta lowlands, the paper examines social differentiation and ecological outcomes of these processes and how they have increased climate precarity, particularly for poor households and women. Based on longitudinal fieldwork in affected regions, we identify key changes contributing to climate precarity as farming systems intensify. In particular, loss of flexibility in farmer decision‐making, loss of voluntary engagement with markets, and declining access to social capital and entitlements have increased risks for households and reduced adaptation options. Suggestions are made to more directly address these elements in future agricultural and climate policies, rather than current approaches to climate adaptation that often promote even more intensification of agriculture, which runs the risk of exacerbating precarity.
A pilot study evaluating the anti‐aging benefits of a CO2‐emitting facial mask
Authors: Draelos Zoe Diana , Shamban Ava
Published: June 2023

Background

Since 1936, injectable carboxytherapy has been used for the treatment of circulatory issues and lack of tissue trophism. In the last 25 years, it has been applied to aesthetic issues, especially those related to the signs and symptoms of skin aging. Presently, carboxytherapy is available as a combination of transcutaneous gels that produce CO2 with benefit for atrophic skin.

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the efficacy and safety of a topical carboxy mask on facial photoaging after short term use of 4 weeks and long term use of 10 weeks.

Methods

The short term study was conducted for 14 days after 3 times weekly application of the facial mask for 1 h followed by a regression phase with evaluations at days 21 and 28. 11 healthy female subjects age 45–75 years were enrolled. Subjects applied the facial mask for 45 min, 3 times per week during the 2‐week treatment period. The long term study was conducted for 10 weeks on 35 subjects 35–65 years with mild to moderate facial photoaging of Fitzpatrick skin types I–VI. Subjects underwent photography, elasticity, hydration, and VAS questionnaire assessments.

Results

The short term 4 week study demonstrated improvement in laser‐Doppler measured blood flow and skin hydration. The long term 10 week study demonstrated improvement in firmness (16%, p = 0.001), sagging (9%, p = 0.023), and overall skin appearance (12%, p = 0.002). These findings were supported by the retraction time decrease at week 10 (−10%, p = 0.05).

The combination of two gels produced the liberation of CO2, which improved short term skin hydration after 4 weeks of use and improved longer term skin elasticity after 10 weeks of use.
Competitive Actions under Analyst Pressure: The Role of CEO Time Horizons
Authors: Chen Jianhong , Lien Wan‐Chien , Miller Danny , Chen Tianxu
Published: June 2023

Leveraging upper echelons theory and the Awareness‐Motivation‐Capability (AMC) framework of competitive dynamics, we investigate the moderating influence of CEO time horizons on the relationship between negative analyst recommendations and the temporal patterning of competitive actions. We argue that negative recommendations are associated with less intensity but greater irregularity in competitive actions. Moreover, CEO time horizons weaken these effects, such that CEOs with longer time horizons are less influenced by such recommendations. Results from a longitudinal study of 296 CEOs from 2004 to 2015 support these arguments. Our study contributes by underscoring CEO time horizon as a critical contingency in studying the impact of analyst pressures.
The dark triad traits and relationship satisfaction: Dyadic response surface analysis
Authors: Kardum Igor , Hudek‐Knezevic Jasna , Mehić Nermina , Banov Trošelj Katarina
Published: June 2023

Objective

The current study investigated actor and partner effects and the effects of (dis)similarity in the dark triad traits on self‐reported relationship satisfaction of both members of romantic couples. We examined these effects on actual similarity, similarity of perception, and men's and women's perceived similarity.

Methods

On the sample of 205 heterosexual romantic couples, we administered questionnaires for measuring self‐reported and partner‐reported psychopathy, Machiavellianism, and narcissism, as well as self‐reported relationship satisfaction. For analyzing data, we used dyadic response surface analysis.

Results

The results corroborated our hypotheses that the dark triad traits exerted mainly negative actor and partner effects on both partners' relationship satisfaction. The effects of (dis)similarity were obtained for psychopathy and narcissism. Dissimilarity in psychopathy was related to lower men's relationship satisfaction. Dissimilarity in narcissism was related to lower, whereas similarity in this trait to higher relationship satisfaction of both partners. Generally, our findings were similar across methods and sources of assessment.

Conclusion

The results suggest that the DT traits of both members of a romantic couple matter for judgments of their relationship satisfaction and that along with actor and partner effects, the effects of (dis)similarity in psychopathy and narcissism also contribute to their relationship satisfaction.
Impact of demolitions on neighboring property values in Detroit
Authors: Alvayay Torrejón Camila , Paredes Dusan , Skidmore Mark
Published: June 2023

Urban blight is a complex problem that has been challenging for cities in the United States “Rust Belt” region for many decades. However, in the wake of the real estate and financial crisis, it is also a growing challenge for urban communities in many states such as California, Arizona, Nevada, and Texas. Detroit was particularly hit hard, where more than 40,000 blighted structures were identified in 2014. To curb blight, the city mobilized the most extensive demolition program in the country. Funded through the Federal Hardest Hit Fund (HHF), the Detroit Demolition Program began in 2014 and has demolished more than 20,800 properties at the cost of over $250 million. Furthermore, during 2009–2015, the city demolished 11,400 structures with hazardous materials such as asbestos. In this article, we assess the impacts of demolitions on the value of neighboring properties using a Repeat Sales (RS) regression approach. Specifically, we use housing sales price information from 2009 through 2019 to construct real estate price indices. We also rely on information from the 2009 Detroit Residential Survey to differentiate by dilapidation and blight levels before the start of the program. On average, blight removal through the demolition program does not appear to have been capitalized into the residential property prices. However, when considering the effect of ex‐ante program property characteristics, we find a modest positive effect of demolitions on property prices in areas with a low level of blight before the demolitions. Given the magnitude of the observed effect and the high costs associated with the demolition program, our results highlight the need for further research on alternative blight removal strategies that might provide a more cost‐effective solution to this urban challenge.