bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
21. Crime and law enforcement in the information society
Authors: Murray Andrew
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines cybercrimes, cyber-attacks such as denial of service attacks, and law enforcement in the information society. It looks at advance-fee fraud, internationally known as ‘419 Fraud’ with reference to Nigeria; as well as the ‘Russian Scam’ that targets the users of online dating sites. It also examines other criminal activities common on the internet, such as privacy attacks including phishing which illegally appropriates personal data, harassment, cyber-stalking, and grooming, and also considers identity theft and identity fraud, as well as cyberterrorism. The chapter presents case studies dealing with cybercrimes, and, finally, it discusses the efforts of the Council of Europe Convention on Cybercrime to harmonize international cybercrime laws.
9. Problems of Invalidity
Authors: Wade Sir William , Forsyth Christopher , Ghosh Julian
Published: August 2023

This chapter begins with a discussion of collateral proceedings, identifying the situations in which the court will and will not allow the issue of invalidity to be raised. It then explains the rules on partial invalidity, standard and burden of proof, and invalid and void administrative acts.
1. The European Convention on Human Rights in Context
Authors: Harris David , O’boyle Michael , Bates Ed , Buckley Carla M. , Kamber KreŠimir , Bryanston-Cross ZoË , Cumper Peter , Green Heather
Published: August 2023

This chapter provides an introduction to the European Convention on Human Rights, with a general account of the elements of the human rights guarantee that it contains and the system for its enforcement. It first explains the origins and development of the Convention. It goes on to cover the substantive guarantee; the Strasbourg enforcement machinery; reservations; the interpretation of the Convention, including negative and positive obligations; the margin of appreciation; the principles of proportionality and subsidiarity; the application of the Convention by national courts; the inter-relation between the Convention and the EU; the enforcement and executions of Court judgments; and the achievements and prospects of the Convention.
3. The European Court of Human Rights: Organization, Practice, and Procedure
Authors: Harris David , O’boyle Michael , Bates Ed , Buckley Carla M. , Kamber KreŠimir , Bryanston-Cross ZoË , Cumper Peter , Green Heather
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses the organization and functions of the European Court of Human Rights. Topics covered include the composition of the Court; the election of judges; the roles of the Court Chambers and the Grand Chamber; pilot judgments; reform of the Court; and the future of the Court.
11. Article 8: The Right to Respect for Private and Family Life, Home, and Correspondence
Authors: Harris David , O’boyle Michael , Bates Ed , Buckley Carla M. , Kamber KreŠimir , Bryanston-Cross ZoË , Cumper Peter , Green Heather
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which is described as the ‘least defined and most unruly of the rights enshrined in the Convention’. Article 8 places on states the obligation to ‘respect’ a wide range of undefined personal interests which embrace a number of overlapping and interrelated areas, including some LGBT rights. None of the four interests covered by Article 8(1)—private life, family life, home, and correspondence—is defined in the Convention and their content is a matter of interpretation.
17. Article 14 (Freedom from Discrimination in Respect of Protected Convention Rights) and Protocol 12 (Non-Discrimination in Respect of ‘Any Right Set Forth by Law’)
Authors: Harris David , O’boyle Michael , Bates Ed , Buckley Carla M. , Kamber KreŠimir , Bryanston-Cross ZoË , Cumper Peter , Green Heather
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses Article 14 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which addresses discrimination. Article 14 is a ‘parasitic’ provision, i.e. it only applies to ‘rights and freedoms set forth’ in the Convention and its Protocols. In other words, it only prohibits discrimination within the ambit of these rights and freedoms—contrast Protocol 12 to the Convention, which is also discussed in this chapter, which prohibits discrimination generally. The importance of Article 14 is evident in the growing number of cases over the past decade, including important judgments and decisions concerning discrimination based on sexual orientation and allegations of racial discrimination.
22. Article 3, First Protocol: The Right to Free Elections
Authors: Harris David , O’boyle Michael , Bates Ed , Buckley Carla M. , Kamber KreŠimir , Bryanston-Cross ZoË , Cumper Peter , Green Heather
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses Article 3 of the First Protocol of the European Convention on Human Rights, which imposes a positive obligation on states to secure free elections. The Court has read into this text individual rights to vote and to stand for election, reversing its technique of deriving positive obligations from the expressly articulated guarantees of individual rights contained in other Articles of the Convention. The right of prisoners to vote is included.
23. The Fourth, Sixth, Seventh, and Thirteenth Protocols
Authors: Harris David , O’boyle Michael , Bates Ed , Buckley Carla M. , Kamber KreŠimir , Bryanston-Cross ZoË , Cumper Peter , Green Heather
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses Protocols 4, 6, 7, and 13 of the European Convention on Human Rights. Protocols 4 and 7 provide for freedom from imprisonment for contractual debt; freedom of movement within a state and freedom to leave a state’s territory; the right of a national not to be expelled from and to enter their state’s territory; and the freedom of aliens from collective expulsion. Protocols 6 and 13 concern the abolition of the death penalty in peacetime and in war respectively.
5. Murder
Authors: Ormerod David , Child John
Published: August 2023

This chapter focuses on the offence of murder within the context of criminal law, with particular emphasis on its problematic and controversial nature. It first considers the definition of murder in terms of actus reus and mens rea. It then discusses the defences to murder, including general defences, specific complete defences, and partial defences (e.g. loss of self-control, diminished responsibility, and suicide pact). It also outlines potential options for legal reform concerning the mandatory life sentence and the mens rea of murder, and concludes by presenting a structure for applying the actus reus and mens rea for murder to problem facts. Relevant cases are highlighted throughout the chapter, and there are also boxes that highlight common pitfalls to avoid and other areas of confusion for those new to the law.
9. Theft and other property offences
Authors: Ormerod David , Child John
Published: August 2023

This chapter deals with offences against property, a category of offences that criminalise conduct such as the dishonest taking of another’s property (e.g. theft, robbery), possessing stolen or criminal property (e.g. handling stolen goods, money laundering), and damaging another’s property (e.g. criminal damage, arson). Beyond such crimes, there are also a number of specific technical offences designed to protect particular property rights, such as those relating to vehicle misuse and intellectual and/or digital property. The final sections of the chapter outline potential options for legal reform and the application of property offences within problem questions. Relevant cases are highlighted throughout the chapter, with brief summaries of the main facts and judgments.
5. Corporate personality
Authors: French Derek
Published: August 2023

This chapter deals with the legal personality of a company which is separate from its members, capable of owning property, entering into contracts and being a party to legal proceedings. It considers the case Salomon v A Salomon and Co Ltd [1897] AC 22, in which the House of Lords affirmed separate corporate personality by rejecting attempts, on behalf of creditors, to impose liability for a failed company’s debts on its controlling shareholder. The consequences of separate corporate personality are also discussed, particularly with respect to a company’s human rights (or personal rights). In addition, the chapter examines the process known as ‘piercing the corporate veil’ in relation to the evasion principle; how an artificial entity can have legal personality; and a number of particularly significant court cases. Finally, it looks at corporate law theory and considers whether companies are grammatically singular or plural.
7. Offering shares to the public
Authors: French Derek
Published: August 2023

This chapter focuses on public offering of shares as a source of finance for companies, with emphasis on the legal requirements to provide the necessary information to prospective investors. It also considers the importance of a marketplace for selling shares at the best possible price, as well as the regulation of the financial services industry by the Financial Services and Markets Act 2000. In addition, it discusses two controls on share offers to the public under the Companies Act 2006 with respect to payment of underwriting commission and repayment of subscribers’ money if a share offer is not completely successful. The chapter examines the regulatory regimes for securities markets, some of the main reasons or advantages for going public, the prospectus requirement and any exemptions to it and how the law deals with misleading statements and omissions in prospectuses.
10. Distributions and maintenance of capital
Authors: French Derek
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the controls imposed on return of a company’s capital to its members, first by considering the common law general principle that return of capital to shareholders is illegal unless permitted by statute. It then discusses the problem of how to distinguish between a legal distribution of profits and an illegal return of capital; transfer of profits to a capital redemption reserve and use of profits to pay up bonus shares; company’s issuance and redemption of redeemable shares or purchase of its own shares; purchased shares as treasury shares; and how a company may reduce its issued share capital by special resolution. The chapter also looks at capitalisations and employees’ share schemes. It includes analysis of three court cases that are particularly significant to distributions and the maintenance of capital.
16. Directors’ duties
Authors: French Derek
Published: August 2023

This chapter deals with the seven general duties of directors as spelled out in the Companies Act 2006: duty to act within powers; duty to promote the success of the company; duty to exercise independent judgement; duty to exercise reasonable care, skill and diligence; duty to avoid conflicts of interest; duty not to accept benefits from third parties; and duty to declare interest in proposed transaction or arrangement. After providing a background on the codification of directors’ general duties, the chapter turns to the fiduciary duty of directors, including shadow and de facto directors. It also examines statutory requirements involving property transactions; loans, quasi-loans and credit transactions; associated companies and persons ‘connected’ with a director; equitable remedies for breach of duty; the ways in which directors can be relieved of liability; and secondary liability with regard to property.
Accounts and reports
Authors: French Derek
Published: August 2023

This chapter discusses the obligations imposed on directors of companies to maintain proper accounting records, prepare annual financial statements and reports on the company’s business and disclose this information to members and the public. Requirements for companies to report their financial position to their members and to the public vary according to whether the company is a micro-entity, or is small, medium-sized or large. A company is subject to additional requirements if it is a quoted company. The definitions of these categories are set out and the rules applying to each category are summarised. The chapter discusses the form and contents of annual accounts and the contents of the strategic report and directors’ report.
2. Domestic Sources of Law: Parliamentary Material
Authors: Gillespie Alisdair , Weare Siobhan
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the sources of domestic law. There are two sources of law (primary sources and secondary sources). Primary sources are considered to be those ‘authoritative’ sources that are produced by the legal process itself. Secondary sources are sources that are produced by others and are, in essence, a commentary on the law. Primary sources of law include statutory material and this itself is divided into two types of material: primary legislation (Acts of Parliament) and secondary legislation (Statutory Instruments, Orders in Council, etc). Statutes are Acts of Parliament and are either Public Acts (Acts that are of general application) or Private Acts (which are limited to a certain body). An Act will normally have to pass both the House of Commons and House of Lords and then receive Royal Assent before it becomes an Act of Parliament.
5. Human Rights Act 1998
Authors: Gillespie Alisdair , Weare Siobhan
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines the Human Rights Act 1998 (HRA) and discusses some of the important issues that arise from its use. It also provides an overview of relevant Articles in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR). The HRA 1998 is quite a short Act and its key parts are in a small number of sections. Perhaps the most important is that of s 6 which places an obligation on public authorities to act in a way compatible with the ECHR as well as s 7 which prescribes how it can be used to obtain a remedy in the courts. This chapter also links to the previous chapters in terms of discussing how the Act is interpreted.
16. Criminal Appeals
Authors: Gillespie Alisdair , Weare Siobhan
Published: August 2023

This chapter examines under what circumstances someone is entitled to appeal and how that appeal is heard. The discussions cover summary trials or trials on indictment; appeals from a summary trial; appeal from a trial on indictment; appeal following an acquittal; appeal against sentence; appeals to the Supreme Court; and the Criminal Cases Review Commission. The paths of appeals differ depending on the mode of trial of the original criminal hearing. There are two potential criminal appeal avenues from a summary trial: either to the Divisional Court (by way of case stated or (exceptionally) judicial review) or to the Crown Court. An appeal ordinarily requires leave (permission) but appealing to the Crown Court from the magistrates’ court does not require leave.
19. Alternative Dispute Resolution
Authors: Gillespie Alisdair , Weare Siobhan
Published: August 2023

This chapter considers alternative dispute resolutions (ADR), which are ways that a dispute can be settled outside the court process. The chapter considers the growth of ADR and how the courts now require litigants to consider ADR before commencing legal action. The courts have wide powers to encourage ADR and this chapter considers these powers and why the courts try to encourage ADR. The key forms of ADR are then presented, together with an analysis of their strengths and weaknesses.
Integrative tissue, cellular and molecular responsiveness of an innovative ex vivo model of the Staphylococcus aureus‐mediated bone infection
Authors: Mariano Lorena Castro , Grenho Liliana , Fernandes Maria Helena , de Sousa Gomes Pedro
Published: August 2023

Osteomyelitis is a pathological condition of the bone, frequently associated with the presence of infectious agents – namely Staphylococcus aureus – that induce inflammation and tissue destruction. Recent advances in the understanding of its pathophysiology and the identification of innovative therapeutic approaches were gathered from experimental in vitro and in vivo systems. However, cell culture models offer limited representativeness of the cellular functionality and the cell–cell and cell‐matrix interactions, further failing to mimic the three‐dimensional tissue organization; and animal models allow for limited mechanistic assessment given the complex nature of systemic and paracrine regulatory systems and are endorsed with ethical constraints. Accordingly, this study aims at the establishment and assessment of a new ex vivo bone infection model, upon the organotypic culture of embryonic chicken femurs colonized with S. aureus, highlighting the model responsiveness at the molecular, cellular, and tissue levels. Upon infection with distinct bacterial inoculums, data reported an initial exponential bacterial growth, followed by diminished metabolic activity. At the tissue level, evidence of S. aureus‐mediated tissue destruction was attained and demonstrated through distinct methodologies, conjoined with decreased osteoblastic/osteogenic and increased osteoclastic/osteoclastogenic functionalities—representative of the osteomyelitis clinical course. Overall, the establishment and characterization of an innovative bone tissue infection model that is simple, reproducible, easily manipulated, cost‐effective, and simulates many features of human osteomyelitis, further allowing the maintenance of the bone tissue's three‐dimensional morphology and cellular arrangement, was achieved. Model responsiveness was further demonstrated, showcasing the capability to improve the research pipeline in bone tissue infection‐related research.
Predicting ICU Mortality in Acute Respiratory Distress Syndrome Patients Using Machine Learning: The Predicting Outcome and STratifiCation of severity in ARDS (POSTCARDS) Study*
Authors: Villar Jesús , González-Martín Jesús M. , Hernández-González Jerónimo , Armengol Miguel A. , Fernández Cristina , Martín-Rodríguez Carmen , Mosteiro Fernando , Martínez Domingo , Sánchez-Ballesteros Jesús , Ferrando Carlos , Domínguez-Berrot Ana M. , Añón José M. , Parra Laura , Montiel Raquel , Solano Rosario , Robaglia Denis , Rodríguez-Suárez Pedro , Gómez-Bentolila Estrella , Fernández Rosa L. , Szakmany Tamas , Steyerberg Ewout W. , Slutsky Arthur S. ,   for the Predicting Outcome and STratifiCation of severity in ARDS (POSTCARDS) Network
Published: August 2023

OBJECTIVES:

To assess the value of machine learning approaches in the development of a multivariable model for early prediction of ICU death in patients with acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS).

DESIGN:

A development, testing, and external validation study using clinical data from four prospective, multicenter, observational cohorts.

SETTING:

A network of multidisciplinary ICUs.

PATIENTS:

A total of 1,303 patients with moderate-to-severe ARDS managed with lung-protective ventilation.

INTERVENTIONS:

None.

MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:

We developed and tested prediction models in 1,000 ARDS patients. We performed logistic regression analysis following variable selection by a genetic algorithm, random forest and extreme gradient boosting machine learning techniques. Potential predictors included demographics, comorbidities, ventilatory and oxygenation descriptors, and extrapulmonary organ failures. Risk modeling identified some major prognostic factors for ICU mortality, including age, cancer, immunosuppression, Pao
2/Fio
2, inspiratory plateau pressure, and number of extrapulmonary organ failures. Together, these characteristics contained most of the prognostic information in the first 24 hours to predict ICU mortality. Performance with machine learning methods was similar to logistic regression (area under the receiver operating characteristic curve [AUC], 0.87; 95% CI, 0.82–0.91). External validation in an independent cohort of 303 ARDS patients confirmed that the performance of the model was similar to a logistic regression model (AUC, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.87–0.94).

CONCLUSIONS:

Both machine learning and traditional methods lead to promising models to predict ICU death in moderate/severe ARDS patients. More research is needed to identify markers for severity beyond clinical determinants, such as demographics, comorbidities, lung mechanics, oxygenation, and extrapulmonary organ failure to guide patient management.
Chorionic Villous Testing Versus Amniocentesis After Abnormal Noninvasive Prenatal Testing
Authors: ROGERS ROSEMARY , MARDY ANNE
Published: August 2023

In the setting of a normal first-trimester ultrasound, an amniocentesis may be a better option than chorionic villous sampling for invasive diagnostic testing after a cell-free DNA high risk for trisomy 13, given the high rates of confined placental mosaicism. In unaffected fetuses, other evaluations should be considered depending on the cell-free DNA results, including maternal karyotyping for monosomy X, uniparental disomy testing for chromosomes with imprinted genes, serial growth scans for trisomy 16, and a workup for maternal malignancy for multiple aneuploidies or autosomal monosomy.
Immigration bias among medical students: a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Grafeneder Jürgen , Baewert Andjela , Katz Henri , Holzinger Anita , Niederdoeckl Jan , Roth Dominik
Published: August 2023

Background and importance

Racial bias is found in both physicians and medical students. Immigrants in many parts of the world face challenges similar to racial minorities. Identification of immigrants might however be more subtle than identification by race, and currently, no data are available on a possible bias against the large minority group of migrants in Europe.

Design

Randomized control trial.

Settings and participants

Second-year medical students were randomized into four groups to watch a video of either a male or female patient with pain, with or without immigrant status.

Intervention

Students were asked whether they would administer pain medication (primary outcome).

Outcome measures and analysis

Immigrant status, patient’s gender, student’s gender, age, and language skills were covariates in a logistic regression model. Secondary outcomes included pain medication potency and the student’s rating of the patient’s pain intensity.

Main results

We recruited 607 students [337 females (56%), 387 (64%) between 18 and 22 years old]. Analgesia was administered in 95% (n = 576). Immigrant status was not associated with the probability of receiving pain medication [95 vs. 95%, odds ratio (OR) 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.39–1.70, P = 0.58]. Immigrants received high-potency analgesia less often (26 vs. 33%, OR 0.69, 95% CI 0.50–0.96, P = 0.03). Female students administered pain medication more frequently (96 vs. 93%, OR 2.29, 95% CI 1.05–5.02, P = 0.04), and rated the patients’ pain higher (mean numeric rating scale 7.7, SD 0.9 vs. 7.4, SD 1.0, OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.16–1.60, P < 0.001).

Conclusion

Medical students showed no immigration bias with regard to administering pain medication but were less likely to choose high-potency analgesia in immigrants. We also found a gender difference in pain management. These results demonstrate the importance of including knowledge about immigration bias in medical training.
Synergistic Fusion of Graph and Transformer Features for Enhanced Molecular Property Prediction
Authors: Sai Prakash M V , Siddartha Reddy N , Parab Ganesh , Varun V , Vaddina Vishal , Gopalakrishnan Saisubramaniam
Published: August 2023

Molecular property prediction is a critical task in computational drug discovery. While recent advances in Graph Neural Networks (GNNs) and Transformers have shown to be effective and promising, they face the following limitations: Transformer self-attention does not explicitly consider the underlying molecule structure while GNN feature representation alone is not sufficient to capture granular and hidden interactions and characteristics that distinguish similar molecules. To address these limitations, we propose SYN-FUSION, a novel approach that synergistically combines pre-trained features from GNNs and Transformers. This approach provides a comprehensive molecular representation, capturing both the global molecule structure and the individual atom characteristics. Experimental results on MoleculeNet benchmarks demonstrate superior performance, surpassing previous models in 5 out of 7 classification datasets and 4 out of 6 regression datasets. The performance of SYN-FUSION has been compared with other Graph-Transformer models that have been jointly trained using a combination of transformer and graph features, and it is found that our approach is on par with those models in terms of performance. Extensive analysis of the learned fusion model across aspects such as loss, latent space, and weight distribution further validates the effectiveness of SYN-FUSION. Finally, an ablation study unequivocally demonstrates that the synergy achieved by SYN-FUSION surpasses the performance of its individual model components and their ensemble, offering a substantial improvement in predicting molecular properties.

CCS CONCEPTS

•Applied computing→Molecular sequence analysis;Bioinformatics; •Computing methodologies→Artificial intelligence;Transfer learning;Neural networks.
Proteomic profiling of regenerated urinary bladder tissue with stem cell seeded scaffold composites in a non-human primate bladder augmentation model
Authors: Sharma Tiffany T. , Edassery Seby L. , Rajinikanth Natchiket , Karra Vikram , Bury Matthew I. , Sharma Arun K.
Published: August 2023

Urinary bladder insult can be caused by environmental, genetic, and developmental factors. Depending upon insult severity, the bladder may lose its ability to maintain capacity and intravesical pressures resulting in renal deterioration. Bladder augmentation enterocystoplasty (BAE) is employed to increase bladder capacity to preserve renal function using autologous bowel tissue as a “patch.” To avoid the clinical complications associated with this procedure, we have engineered composite grafts comprised of autologous bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) with CD34+ hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells (HSPCs) co-seeded onto a pliable synthetic scaffold [POCO; poly(1,8-octamethylene-citrate-co-octanol)] or a biological scaffold (SIS; small intestinal submucosa) to regenerate bladder tissue in a baboon bladder augmentation model. We set out to determine the protein expression profile of bladder tissue that has undergone regeneration with the aforementioned stem cell seeded scaffolds along with baboons that underwent BAE. Data demonstrate that POCO and SIS grafted animals share high protein homogeneity between native and regenerated tissues while BAE animals displayed heterogenous protein expression between the tissues following long-term engraftment. We posit that stem cell seeded scaffolds can recapitulate tissue that is almost indistinguishable from native tissue at the protein level and may be used in lieu of procedures such as BAE.

Significance of Study

Bladder augmentation enterocystoplasty has been used for decades as the gold-standard surgical procedure to treat severely dysfunctional bladders. Unfortunately, bowel (typically ileum) used for augmentation is an anatomical and physiological mismatch to bladder tissue and results in numerous complications including bladder perforation, secondary and tertiary redo surgeries, metabolic imbalances, excess mucus production, and increased risk of cancer. This is in part due to the intestinal protein expression that serves as a starting point and subsequent foundation in the optimization of pseudo bladder tissue. Within the context of this study, we demonstrate that autologous, bone marrow derived mesenchymal stem cells along with primitive hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells can used to regenerate bladder tissue in a large deficit, non-human primate bladder augmentation model. Data demonstrate that this synergistic cellular combination facilitates the promotion of a protein tissue landscape that is nearly identical to native bladder tissue.
IP box effects in the gaming industry
Authors: Białek-Jaworska Anna , Teterycz Agnieszka , Sichel Ricardo , Woźniak Michał
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to verify how the intellectual property (IP) box affects firms’ effective tax rate, growth and innovation activity outcomes related to intellectual property rights.

Design/methodology/approach

Implementing the innovation box regimes into the tax system intends to encourage firms to engage in more innovative activities. In UK, Italy and Poland, the IP box tax relief was introduced in 2013, 2015 and 2019, respectively. In return, companies may reduce their tax rate to increase their investment and innovativeness. With a panel model approach – system GMM and DiD with multiple time periods – it analyses data from the Orbis database for 2011–2019 of 673 firms from the gaming industry in 11 countries and hand-collected data on intellectual property rights protection. The authors study public and private companies from the gaming sector in leading European markets and all three countries that protect intellectual property rights of software (Japan, South Korea, the USA).

Findings

Recent reforms enable gaming companies to use preferential tax treatment for IP-related income and significantly impact a firm’s revenue growth.

Practical implications

Nevertheless, European gaming firms require time to leap the gap to the growth and innovativeness of countries that protect software.

Originality/value

The authors show that the IP box stimulates gaming firms to protect IP via wordmarks, figurative marks, trademarks and software patents that bring effects in five years. Despite the critics against IP box, the authors prove its lagged efficiency, especially in profitable and larger firms.
Linking consumer compatibility and bank reputation to intention to use mobile banking
Authors: Kıymalıoğlu Aslıhan , Akıncı Serkan , Alragig Akzhan
Published: August 2023

Purpose

This article aims to question the role of attitude towards behavior and bank reputation in the relationship between consumer compatibility and behavioral intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Using survey data from 640 mobile bank users in a developing country setting, the authors explored the conditional effects of users' compatibility on their future intention to use mobile banking services through attitude towards use as a function of perceived corporate reputation.

Findings

The results indicated that the attitude towards using mobile banking services has a partial mediating role in the relationship between compatibility and future intention to use. This indirect path depends on the reputation of the bank.

Originality/value

The original contribution of this study is to detail the mechanism between compatibility and usage intention that emerges within the scope of the model the authors propose and to realize this through the Johnson-Neyman approach.
Habitat area and edges affect the length of trophic chains in a fragmented forest
Authors: Cagnolo Luciano , Bernaschini Laura , Salvo Adriana , Valladares Graciela
Published: August 2023

The food chain length represents how much energy reaches different trophic levels in food webs. Environmental changes derived from human activities have the potential to affect chain length.

We explore how habitat area and edges affect chain length through: (1) a bottom‐up effect of abundance (‘pyramid hypothesis’); (2) the truncation of the highest trophic level (‘trophic‐rank hypothesis’); and (3) changes in species connectivity patterns (‘connectivity hypothesis’).

We built plant‐leaf miner‐parasitoid food webs in 19 remnants of a fragmented Chaco forest from central Argentina. On each remnant, we constructed food webs from different locations at the forest interior and edges. For each food web, we registered the abundance of species, the species richness of each trophic level, estimated the connectivity of their networks, and the average food chain length. We used structural equation models to evaluate the direct and indirect effects of habitat area and edge/interior location on food chain length mediated by species richness, abundance and connectivity.

We found no direct effects of habitat area on chain length but chains were longer at forest edges than at their interior. The three mechanisms were supported by our results, although they showed different strengths. First, we found that the interior favours a bottom‐up abundance effect from herbivores to parasitoids that positively affected chain length; second, we found that the forest area positively affects plant richness, which has a strong effect on the number of resources used by consumers, with a positive effect on chain length. Third, the remnant area and interior position favoured plant richness with a negative effect on the abundance of parasitoids, which had a positive effect on chain length. In general, the strongest effects on chain length were detected through changes in abundance rather than species richness although abundance was less affected by habitat fragmentation.

We evaluated for the first time the effects of human‐driven habitat fragmentation on the length of trophic chains in highly diverse plant‐herbivore‐parasitoid networks. Despite the loss of species, small habitat fragments and edges embedded in the agricultural matrix can support interaction networks, making them conservation targets in managed landscapes.
Evidence pertaining to modifiable risk factors for oral diseases: an umbrella review to Inform oral health messages for Australia
Authors: Welti Rachelle , Jones Bree , Moynihan Paula , Silva Mihiri
Published: August 2023

The aim of this umbrella review was to collate and appraise the evidence base regarding modifiable risk factors for the prevention of oral diseases to inform the update of the Oral Health Messages for Australia. Eleven questions related to modifiable risk factors and dental disease were investigated. Electronic databases (Medline, Embase and PubMed) were searched from January 2010 to October 2022. Systematic reviews evaluating interventions/exposures in healthy subjects from high‐income countries, where Westernized practices, oral health promotion and healthcare systems are similar to Australia, were included. Quality appraisal of included systematic reviews was guided by the AMSTAR tool. Of the 3637 articles identified, 29 articles met eligibility criteria. High‐quality systematic reviews were identified for questions relating to diet, infant feeding, dental check‐ups and oral hygiene. Free sugars consumption above 5% of energy intake, infrequent toothbrushing, smoking/vaping and alcohol intake were consistently associated with poorer oral health outcomes. Breastfeeding up to the age of 24 months was not associated with an increased risk of early childhood caries. The use of interdental cleaning devices and mouthguards during contact sports are likely to be effective in preventing dental disease.
Gut microbiome as a key monitoring indicator for reintroductions of captive animals
Authors: Huang Guangping , Qi Dunwu , Yang Zhisong , Hou Rong , Shi Wenyu , Zhao Fangqing , Li Zitian , Yan Li , Wei Fuwen
Published: August 2023

Reintroduction programs seek to restore degraded populations and reverse biodiversity loss. To examine the hypothesis that gut symbionts could be used as an indicator of reintroduction success, we performed intensive metagenomic monitoring over 10 years to characterize the ecological succession and adaptive evolution of the gut symbionts of captive giant pandas reintroduced to the wild. We collected 63 fecal samples from 3 reintroduced individuals and 22 from 9 wild individuals and used 96 publicly available samples from another 3 captive individuals. By microbial composition analysis, we identified 3 community clusters of the gut microbiome (here termed enterotypes) with interenterotype succession that was closely related to the reintroduction process. Each of the 3 enterotypes was identified based on significant variation in the levels of 1 of 3 genera: Clostridium, Pseudomonas, and Escherichia. The enterotype of captive pandas was Escherichia. This enterotype was gradually replaced by the Clostridium enterotype during the wild‐training process, which in turn was replaced by the Pseudomonas enterotype that resembled the enterotype of wild pandas, an indicator of conversion to wildness and a successful reintroduction. We also isolated 1 strain of Pseudomonas protegens from the wild enterotype, a previously reported free‐living microbe, and found that its within‐host evolution contributed to host dietary adaptation in the wild. Monitoring gut microbial structure provides a novel, noninvasive tool that can be used as an indicator of successful reintroduction of a captive individual to the wild.
Adverse events and efficacy of second‐round CAR‐T cell therapy in relapsed pediatric B‐ALL
Authors: Ji Qi , Wu Xiaochen , Zhang Yongping , Zeng Liang , Dong Yi , Liu Ruiqing , Li Bohan , Bai Zhenjiang , Hu Shaoyan , Lu Jun , Wu Shuiyan
Published: August 2023

Objective

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T‐cell therapy has transformed the treatment approach for pediatric patients suffering from relapsed/refractory B‐cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B‐ALL). However, there was a paucity of data on the challenges associated with second‐round CAR‐T therapy in this population.

Methods

Medical records of nine pediatric patients who received second‐round CAR‐T therapy in a single center from June 2019 to May 2023 were analyzed. Throughout the course of the clinical trial, we evaluated adverse events including CRS, CRES, infections, hematologic toxicity, and organ injury, as well as CAR‐T responses.

Results

Except for one patient who chose CART therapy due to testicular relapse, the remaining patients had indications for CAR‐T therapy due to relapse with bone marrow alone or combined with other site. There were no difference between the transfusion dose of CART1 and CART2. No differences of incidence and grade of CRS was found between the first‐round CAR‐T therapy (CART1) and second‐round CAR‐T therapy (CART2). Additionally, we found that the incidence of CRES was higher for CART1(3/9,33.3%) than CART2(1/9,11.1%). Our findings revealed that there were no differences of IL‐2, IL‐4, IL‐6, IL‐10, IFN‐γ, and TNF‐α between CART1 and CART2, but the peak level of IL‐17A was significantly higher in patients receiving CART1 compared to those receiving CART2 (p = .011). Early and late infection rates after CART1 were higher than CART2. Based on the dynamic changes of ANC, hemoglobin and platelet, ANC, and platelet were reduced obviously post CART. It seems that the incidences of severe thrombocytopenia and severe anemia were higher in the CART1 group compared to CART2. The MRD‐negative CR rates for CART1 and CART2 are 100% and 44.4%, respectively (p = .029). All patients experienced events (relapse, chemotherapy, transplantation, or death) after receiving CART2, including one died, three discharged automatically, and the remaining five patients survived.

Conclusion

Although the remission rate of CART2 is not as high as the CART1 due to the severity of the disease, its safety regarding CRS, CRES, infections, and organ injury is still excellent. Therefore, CART2 remains a viable option for treating pediatric relapsed B‐ALL.
Cultural meaning of education and parents' involvement in education: Perspectives of immigrant Latinos
Authors: Liu Aosai , Heath Mikayla , Grzywacz Joseph G.
Published: August 2023

Objective

This qualitative research describes how low‐education, largely undocumented immigrant Latino parents understand and engage in their children's education in the United States.

Background

Education has a dual meaning in Latin America, emphasizing children's moral and academic development. It is unclear if this cultural model shapes how immigrant parents navigate the U.S. educational system with their children.

Method

In‐depth interviews were completed with low‐education, largely undocumented immigrant Latino parents (N = 16). The narrative data were analyzed using a consensual method.

Findings.

Analyses resulted in a conceptual model with three primary themes: Latino parents' bidimensional definition of education (i.e., moral and book smarts), unfamiliarity with education (i.e., the lack of educational experience and desire for generational improvement with education), and educational responsibilities (i.e., a division of labor between parents and teachers).

Conclusions

The developed model suggests that low‐education immigrant Latino parents are involved in children's education in various ways related to their cultural capital, personal experience, and view of school as a “general black box.”

Implications.

Eliminating the education gap among Latino youth whose parents are undocumented or have limited educational attainment requires acknowledging that “parental involvement” has diverse cultural meanings. Outreach programs based on the proposed model may create more productive partnerships between parents and schools.
Effect of acceptor–donor co‐doping on the microstructure and electrical properties of BiScO3–PbTiO3‐based ceramics
Authors: Kong Xiangchao , Kang Wenshuo , Wang Wugang , Hao Yanshuang , Zhou Zhiyong , Liang Ruihong
Published: August 2023

Designing BiScO3‐PbTiO3 (BS–PT) ceramics that merge high Curie temperature (TC) and large piezoelectric coefficient (d33) has always been a significant challenge for high‐temperature applications. Doping is a commonly used and effective method for enhancing the electrical performances of piezoelectric ceramics. In this study, the Li+/W6+ acceptor–donor co‐doping method was used to enhance the piezoelectric properties of 0.36BiSc1‐xLixO3–0.64PbTi1‐yWyO3 (0.36x = 0.64y) ceramics. The optimal electrical performance was observed at x = 0.01 near morphotropic phase boundaries, with a large d33 (505 pC/N), high TC (407°C), huge remnant polarization (Pr ∼ 40.9 μC/cm2), and inverse piezoelectric coefficient (d33* = 601 pm/V). Rietveld refinement and piezoelectric force microscopy results revealed that incorporating Li+/W6+ into the BS–PT ceramics decreased the T phase proportion and domain size and increased the domain wall density. The enhancement in piezoelectricity can be attributed to the lowered energy barrier resulting from the reduced T‐phase proportion and complex domain structure, which promotes polarization rotation and facilitates domain wall motion. This work demonstrates that acceptor–donor co‐doping is a promising strategy for optimizing the electrical performance of the BS–PT ceramics.
Differential responses of disease‐related GRIN variants located in pore‐forming M2 domain of N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptor to FDA‐approved inhibitors
Authors: Song Rui , Zhang Jin , Perszyk Riley E. , Camp Chad R. , Tang Weiting , Kannan Varun , Li Jia , Xu Yuchen , Chen Jiahui , Li Yinlong , Liang Steven H. , Traynelis Stephen F. , Yuan Hongjie
Published: August 2023

N‐methyl‐D‐aspartate receptors (NMDAR), ionotropic glutamate receptors, mediate a slow component of excitatory synaptic transmission in the central nervous system and play a key role in normal brain function and development. Genetic variations in GRIN genes encoding NMDAR subunits that alter the receptor's functional characteristics are associated with a wide range of neurological and neuropsychiatric conditions. Pathological GRIN variants located in the M2 re‐entrant loop lining the channel pore cause significant functional changes, the most consequential alteration being a reduction in voltage‐dependent Mg2+ inhibition. Voltage‐dependent Mg2+ block is a unique feature of NMDAR biology whereby channel activation requires both ligand binding and postsynaptic membrane depolarization. Thus, loss of NMDAR Mg2+ block will have a profound impact on synaptic function and plasticity. Here, we choose 11 missense variants within the GRIN1, GRIN2A, and GRIN2B genes that alter residues located in the M2 loop and significantly reduce Mg2+ inhibition. Each variant was evaluated for tolerance to genetic variation using the 3‐dimensional structure and assessed for functional rescue pharmacology via electrophysiological recordings. Three FDA‐approved NMDAR drugs—memantine, dextromethorphan, and ketamine—were chosen based on their ability to bind near the M2 re‐entrant loop, potentially rectifying dysregulated NMDAR function by supplementing the reduced voltage‐dependent Mg2+ block. These results provide insight of structural determinants of FDA‐approved NMDAR drugs at their binding sites in the channel pore and may further define conditions necessary for the use of such agents as potential rescue pharmacology.

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Gray divorce and parent–child disconnectedness: Implications for depressive symptoms
Authors: Lin I‐Fen , Brown Susan L. , Mellencamp Kagan A.
Published: August 2023

Objective

Drawing on the divorce‐stress‐adjustment framework, the authors assessed whether parent–adult child relationship dynamics, including disconnectedness from an adult child, exacerbates the negative impact of gray divorce on parental well‐being.

Background

Divorce after age 50 is increasingly common but the role of parent–child relationships in parents' adjustment to gray divorce is largely unknown.

Method

Using panel data from 1998 to 2018 Health and Retirement Study in the US, the authors estimated growth curve models to track depressive symptoms prior to, during, and after gray divorce among 930 gray divorced individuals. The authors examined whether the lack of any contact with an adult child in the past 12 months (i.e., parent–child disconnectedness) was associated with depressive symptoms trajectories surrounding divorce and subsequent repartnering.

Results

Having no contact with at least one adult child aggravated the negative effect of divorce on parent's mental health. This association was robust for mothers and fathers. Having no contact with at least one child, however, did not diminish the temporarily positive effect of subsequent repartnering on mental health.

Conclusion

The study contributes to the literature by showing that parent–child disconnectedness adds another blow to parents who are convalescing from divorce.
Future‐oriented temporal perspective promotes wise reasoning
Authors: Zhang Haotian , Glassman Harley , Ji Li‐Jun , Huang Chengli , Hu Chao S.
Published: August 2023

Objective

Across three experiments (N = 622), we investigated the effect of the future temporal perspective on wise reasoning within the context of interpersonal conflicts.

Method

Studies 1 and 2 applied two heterogeneous measurements of wise reasoning: self‐report and open‐ended measurements. Participants reasoned about their recent interpersonal conflicts from a future (i.e., 1 year from now) or a present perspective. Similarly, Study 3 tested the relationship between various future temporal distances (i.e., 1 week, 1 year, 10 years, 30 years from now) and wise reasoning.

Results

The future temporal perspective significantly promoted wise reasoning compared to the present perspective, especially when the focus was 30 years in the future. Moreover, reasoning about a conflict event from a future perspective first might cause a carry‐over effect on reasoning from the present perspective later.

Conclusion

Future‐oriented temporal perspective significantly improves wise reasoning.