bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Annulment and Set Aside
Authors: Dugan Christopher F , Wallace Jr , Rubins Noah , Sabahi Borzu
Published: August 2024

This chapter begins with a discussion of International Centre for Settlement of Investor Disputes (ICSID) annulment process. It then discusses challenge to non-ICSID investment arbitration awards, waiver of objections, agreements to narrow the grounds for annulment, effect of annulled investment awards, and case studies of non-ICSID challenge proceedings.
The Future of International Investment Arbitration
Authors: Dugan Christopher F , Wallace Jr , Rubins Noah , Sabahi Borzu
Published: August 2024

This chapter examines some trends in both the conclusion and the development of the content of investment treaties. It also examines some of the issues and challenges that may significantly influence international investment arbitration well into the future.
Antitrust and Patent Law
Authors: Devlin Alan
Published: August 2024

The antitrust-patent interface evolves as rapidly as the technologies and strategic behaviour that it scrutinizes. Lawyers in this field must master doctrine, but also the economic principles and policy concerns that inform antitrust limits on the use of proprietary technology. This book seeks to inform those interested in the antitrust–patent space accordingly. It examines the intersection of competition policy and patents from the perspective of both US and EU law. Part I introduces the essential features of antitrust and IP, the fraught boundary between them, and the law’s recent developments. Part II explores whether the US patent regime is in crisis, discusses the benefits and dangers of the unified patent system recently adopted in Europe, and addresses the differences between the US and EU competition-law regimes. Part III articulates a new framework for understanding antitrust and patent law. Part IV addresses idiosyncratic questions that arise at the boundary between patent and competition laws. It discusses the law and economics applying to market definition, the virtues of open and closed systems, and patentees’ immunity from competition law in petitioning the government. Part V explores patent hold-up in the form of PAE activity and abuse of the standard-setting process. It also discusses the patent-misuse doctrine under US law. Part VI analyses technology transfer, as well as pay-for-delay agreements in the pharmaceuticals sector. A short conclusion follows.
Important Developments in Antitrust–Patent Law
Authors: Devlin Alan
Published: August 2024

This chapter explores recent developments in antitrust–patent law. In particular, it focuses on the US Supreme Court’s 2013 decision in Actavis, which promises to readjust the doctrinal relationship between the antitrust and patent laws, and the Court of Justice of the European Union’s (CJEU) 2012 judgment in AstraZeneca, which clarified the application of EU competition rules to the procurement and assertion of patent rights. A further critical event for EU competition law generally, but with important implications for the antitrust–patent intersection, is the CJEU’s 2014 judgment in Cartes Bancaires, which put the brakes on the European Commission’s practice of summarily condemning complex phenomena as by-object restrictions. Further topical questions concern agency and judicial pronouncements on the law governing the use and abuse of standard-essential patents and the antitrust implications of patent-assertion-entity conduct.
Antitrust Issues Surrounding Open and Closed Systems
Authors: Devlin Alan
Published: August 2024

This chapter examines the tension between open and closed systems. Open networks allow technology creators and users to operate freely, building on what others have done without permission. In contrast, closed platforms operate under owners’ rules. By reducing free-riding, proprietary interests encourage owners to coordinate network usage and optimally to invest in their improvement. Thus, open and closed platforms can both foster innovation, but each can also depress it. The chapter explores when antitrust requires a patent owner to license its competitors to facilitate competition. That question requires the analysis of competitive effects where the challenged restraint implicates offsetting considerations in the present and future. This phenomenon is especially acute at the antitrust–patent intersection.
Predominance of hyperprogression in mucosal melanoma during anti-PD-1 monotherapy treatment
Authors: Zhou Li , Cao Min , Zhu Haibin , Chi Zhihong , Cui Chuanliang , Sheng Xinan , Mao Lili , Lian Bin , Tang Bixia , Yan Xieqiao , Bai Xue , Wang Xuan , Li Siming , Guo Jun , Sun Ying-shi , Si Lu
Published: August 2024

Background

A minority subset of immunotherapy patients manifests hyperprogressive disease (HPD), with the disparity in melanoma subtypes yet to be reported. This study aimed to delineate the proportion and prognosis of HPD in patients receiving anti-PD-1 monotherapy and to identify patient with HPD clinical characteristics across melanoma subtypes to inform clinical decision making.

Methods

Utilizing 4 established HPD definitions, the incidence of HPD in patients with advanced melanoma on anti-PD-1 monotherapy was determined. The incidence rates and prognostic abilities of various HPD definitions were compared to elect the most effective one. This facilitated a comparative analysis of subtypes and clinical features between patients with HPD and traditional progression.

Results

A total of 262 patients with advanced melanoma treated with anti-PD-1 monotherapy from 5 prospectively registered clinical trials were included in the study. The objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) was 21% and 58%, respectively, with 42% showcasing progression disease. The HPD incidences by 4 definitions were 13.2%, 16.8%, 10.8%, and 28.2%. All definitions effectively segregated HPD patients, with significantly poorer outcome than other progressive patients. The Delta TGR > 100 definition was the most indicative of a reduced overall survival, corroborated by the highest hazard ratio and statistical significance. The number of metastatic organs over 2 is a risk factor for HPD (OR = 4.18, P = .0103). Mucosal melanoma was the HPD prevalent subtype (OR = 3.13, P = .0489) in multivariable analysis, which is also indicated by RECIST criteria (P = .005).

Conclusion

A delta TGR exceeding 100 best identified HPD patients in the advanced melanoma population treated with anti-PD-1 monotherapy. Hyperprogression was notably prevalent in mucosal melanoma patients with multiple metastatic organs. Caution against HPD is warranted when applying anti-PD-1 monotherapy in mucosal subtype.
Optimizing Corn Tar Spot Measurement: A Deep Learning Approach Using Red-Green-Blue Imaging and the Stromata Contour Detection Algorithm for Leaf-Level Disease Severity Analysis
Authors: Lee Da-Young , Na Dong-Yeop , Góngora-Canul Carlos , Jimenez-Beitia Fidel E. , Goodwin Stephen B. , Cruz Andrés P. , Delp Edward J. , Acosta Alex G. , Lee Jeong-Soo , Falconí César E. , Cruz C. D.
Published: August 2024

Visual detection of stromata (brown-black, elevated fungal fruiting bodies) is the primary method for quantifying tar spot early in the season because these structures are definitive signs of the disease and essential for effective disease monitoring and management. Here, we present the Stromata Contour Detection Algorithm version 2 (SCDA v2), which addresses the limitations of the previously developed SCDA version 1 (SCDA v1), without the need to empirically search for optimal decision-making input parameters (DMIPs) while achieving higher and consistent accuracy in tar spot stromata detection. SCDA v2 operates in two components: (i) SCDA v1 producing tar spot–like region proposals for a given input corn leaf Red-Green-Blue (RGB) image and (ii) a pretrained convolutional neural network (CNN) classifier identifying true tar spot stromata from the region proposals. To demonstrate the enhanced performance of the SCDA v2, we used datasets of RGB images of corn leaves from field (low, middle, and upper canopies) and glasshouse conditions under variable environments, exhibiting different tar spot severities at various corn developmental stages. Various accuracy analyses (F1 score, linear regression, and Lin’s concordance correlation) showed that SCDA v2 had a greater agreement with the reference data (human visual annotation) than SCDA v1. SCDA v2 achieved 73.7% mean Dice values (overall accuracy) compared with 30.8% for SCDA v1. The enhanced F1 score primarily resulted from eliminating overestimation cases using the CNN classifier. Our findings indicate the promising potential of SCDA v2 for glasshouse and field-scale applications, including tar spot phenotyping and surveillance projects.

[Formula: see text] Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 International license .
Nursing Research on Pressure Injury Prevention: Bibliometric Analysis
Authors: Basli Arzu Aslan
Published: August 2024

OBJECTIVE

To review research on pressure injury (PI) prevention published between 2018 and 2023 using bibliometric analysis methods to identify trends in the field over the past 5 years.

METHODS

The author queried the Web of Science database using the keywords “pressure injury or pressure ulcer and prevention” to access the bibliometric data of relevant studies. The program RStudio version 4.2.1 and the utility package Biblioshiny were used for data analysis.

RESULTS

A total of 1,110 English-language studies that focused on PI prevention were analyzed, including articles, reviews, proceeding papers, and early access articles. Articles were published by 114 sources. The average publication age was 2.57 years, and the average number of citations per publication was 5.88. The average number of authors per publication was 4.63, with an international coauthorship rate of 19.46%. The most cited articles were prevalence and incidence studies, systematic reviews, and meta-analyses. An examination of journals with research related to PI prevention highlighted the Journal of Tissue Viability and Advances in Skin & Wound Care as prominent journals.

CONCLUSIONS

Researchers and clinical nurses working in the field of PI prevention should research the identified trending topics (eg, COVID-19, intensive care, and classification) and aim to publish in journals with a high number of citations or substantive contributions in this area.
Impact of Rounding Checklists on the Outcomes of Patients Admitted to ICUs: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: MacKinnon Khrystia M. , Seshadri Samuel , Mailman Jonathan F. , Sy Eric
Published: August 2024

OBJECTIVES:

To evaluate the effectiveness of ICU rounding checklists on outcomes.

DATA SOURCES:

Five electronic databases (MEDLINE, Embase, CINAHL, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar) were searched from inception to May 10, 2024.

STUDY SELECTION:

Cohort studies, case-control studies, and randomized controlled trials comparing the use of rounding checklists to no checklists were included. Other article types were excluded.

DATA EXTRACTION:

The primary outcome was in-hospital mortality. Secondary outcomes included ICU and 30-day mortality; hospital and ICU length of stay (LOS); duration of mechanical ventilation; and frequency of catheter-associated urinary tract infections, central line-associated bloodstream infections (CLABSI), and ventilator-associated pneumonia. Additional outcomes included healthcare provider perceptions of checklists.

DATA SYNTHESIS:

Pooled estimates were obtained using an inverse-variance random-effects meta-analysis model. Certainty of evidence was evaluated using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation. There were 30 included studies (including > 32,000 patients) in the review. Using an ICU rounding checklist was associated with reduced in-hospital mortality (risk ratio [RR] 0.80; 95% CI, 0.70–0.92; 12 observational studies; 17,269 patients; I
2 = 48%; very low certainty of evidence). The use of an ICU rounding checklist was also associated with reduced ICU mortality (8 observational studies, p = 0.006), 30-day mortality (2 observational studies, p < 0.001), hospital LOS (11 observational studies, p = 0.02), catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTI) (6 observational studies, p = 0.01), and CLABSI (6 observational studies, p = 0.02). Otherwise, there were no significant differences with using ICU rounding checklists on other patient-related outcomes. Healthcare providers’ perceptions of checklists were generally positive.

CONCLUSIONS:

The use of an ICU rounding checklist may improve in-hospital mortality, as well as other important patient-related outcomes. However, well-designed randomized studies are necessary to increase the certainty of evidence and determine which elements should be included in an ICU rounding checklist.
Diagnosing X-Linked Myopathy With Excessive Autophagy After 30 years: Genetic, Ultrasonographic, and Electrodiagnostic Findings
Authors: Dwairi Vanessa , Giacobbe Alaina , Zivkovic Sasa , Lacomis David
Published: August 2024

X-linked myopathy with excessive autophagy is a rare disorder caused by a mutation in the vacuolar ATPase assembly factor gene which causes slowly progressive early onset proximal weakness and loss of ambulation by the age of 50–70 years. Electrodiagnostic (EDx) testing usually shows widespread complex repetitive and myotonic discharges, even in muscles unaffected clinically. We report a 65-year-old man who presented with progressive proximal weakness since his teenage years. Extensive workup over 30 years revealed inconclusive EDx and muscle histopathology findings. The diagnosis was finally made with genetic testing. Subsequent neuromuscular ultrasound was more informative of disease severity than repeat EDx and directed a muscle biopsy that showed an autophagic vacuolar myopathy and the novel identification of vacuoles in capillary endothelial cells. Although genetic testing is required for confirmation, in milder cases of X-linked myopathy with excessive autophagy, neuromuscular ultrasound may aid in diagnosis even when EDx findings are inconclusive.
Anterior Segment Optical Coherence Tomography Imaging of the Lacrimal Gland in Patients With Chronic Ocular Graft-Vs-Host Disease
Authors: Chen Juejing , Yang Boyu , Cheng Weijing , Liao Yinglin , Jin Ling , Fan Zhiping , Liang Lingyi
Published: August 2024

Purpose:

The purpose of this study was to explore the image characteristics of the palpebral lobe of the lacrimal gland in patients with chronic ocular graft-vs-host disease (coGVHD) after allogeneic hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (allo-HSCT) using anterior segment optical coherence tomography (AS-OCT).

Methods:

This comparative cross-sectional study included 32 patients with coGVHD, 21 patients with severe aqueous tear deficiency dry eye, and 20 healthy control subjects. All subjects underwent an AS-OCT examination on the palpebral lobe of the lacrimal gland. The main outcomes are the number of visible gland lobules, ducts, and blood vessels and the proportions of mille crêpe–like structures in the AS-OCT images.

Results:

Compared with the other 2 groups, patients with coGVHD had significantly more blood vessels and slightly less visible lobules and ducts (all P <0.05) in the palpebral lacrimal gland. Mille crêpe–like structures were observed only in the coGVHD group. Number of blood vessels was positively correlated with time after allo-HSCT (β: 0.14, 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.01–0.26). Mille crêpe–like structure was positively correlated with coGVHD severity (odds ratio: 9.07, 95% CI, 1.75–16.38) and time after allo-HSCT (odds ratio: 0.13, 95% CI, 0.03–0.23).

Conclusions:

We reported the AS-OCT characteristics of the palpebral lacrimal gland in coGVHD and found an increased number of blood vessels and mille crêpe–like structures. AS-OCT has the potential in the disease monitoring of coGVHD.
Quality of Life and Symptomatology in Neuropathic Corneal Pain in Comparison With Dry Eye Syndrome
Authors: Chin Jia Ying , Tong Louis , Liu Chang , Lee Isabelle Xin Yu , Wong Jipson Hon Fai , Wong Regina Kay Ting , Mehta Jodhbir S. , Liu Yu-Chi
Published: August 2024

Purpose:

To investigate and compare the quality of life (QoL) and symptomatology between neuropathic corneal pain (NCP) and dry eye disease (DED).

Methods:

We recruited 150 patients, comprising 50 patients with NCP and 100 patients with DED. Patients’ symptoms and QoL were evaluated using the Ocular Pain Assessment Survey and Ocular Surface Disease Index questionnaires. Ocular surface assessments were also performed.

Results:

Patients with NCP demonstrated significantly lower Oxford and National Eye Institute scores for ocular surface and corneal staining, respectively, and a better tear break-up time than patients with DED. However, patients with NCP reported significantly worse scores on most of the Ocular Pain Assessment Survey questions and significantly more severe overall pain (P = 0.019), maximal and average ocular pain and nonocular pain (all P < 0.05). The NCP group reported significantly worse QoL in all aspects of daily living (all P < 0.001). Patients with NCP spent more time thinking about their eye pain and reported significantly higher pain intensities than patients with DED when exposed to chemical and mechanical stimuli (all P ≤ 0.008). Burning sensation and photophobia were significantly more frequent in patients with NCP (P = 0.032 and P = 0.012, respectively). Similarly, the NCP group reported significantly worse total Ocular Surface Disease Index scores, significantly more frequent vision-related function impairment and painful or sore eyes than the DED group (P = 0.029, P = 0.031, and P = 0.014, respectively).

Conclusions:

Compared with DED, NCP is more debilitating, leading to more severe and frequent symptoms, and greater negative impact on all aspects of QoL.
Normative Measurements of the Infraorbital Nerve by Magnetic Resonance Imaging in an Australia Cohort
Authors: Perera Dinan , Rana Khizar , Caltabiano Carmelo , Patel Sandy , Selva Dinesh
Published: August 2024

Purpose:

To report the normative dimensions of the infraorbital nerve on fat-suppressed gadolinium-enhanced MRI and correlate with patient demographics in an Australian cohort.

Methods:

A retrospective review of patients who underwent coronal fat-suppressed gadolinium T1-weighted MRI from September 2021 to December 2023. One hundred sixty-eight orbits were included. The maximum diameter of the infraorbital nerve and the optic nerve sheath was measured. Orbits were excluded if there was unilateral or bilateral pathology of the infraorbital nerve or optic nerve sheath, incomplete MRI sequences, poor image quality, or indiscernible infraorbital nerve on radiological examination.

Results:

The mean age of participants was 58 ± 16 years, and 50% were females (n = 42). The mean normative measurements (mean ± standard deviation) on coronal T1-weighted imaging: optic nerve sheath, 5.08 ± 0.67 mm. On coronal fat-suppressed gadolinium T1-weighted imaging: infraorbital nerve, 0.89 ± 0.22mm. No significant differences were found between male or female participants in both the infraorbital nerve (p = 0.757) or optic nerve sheath (p = 0.646). There was no significant correlation between age and mean diameter of the infraorbital nerve (r = 0.077, p = 0.320) or optic nerve sheath (r = 0.075, p = 0.336). Additionally, no significant difference was identified between the mean diameter of the infraorbital nerve (p = 0.079) and optic nerve sheath (p = 0.120) across age groups. The mean infraorbital nerve to optic nerve sheath ratio was 0.18 ± 0.00.

Conclusion:

Normative dimensions of the infraorbital nerve may be used to identify enlargement in conditions such as IgG4-related ophthalmic disease and reactive lymphoid hyperplasia.
Diverticulosis, Adenomas, and Cancer in the Colon
Authors: Del Forno Alessandro , Zullo Angelo , Marmo Clelia , Marmo Riccardo , Manta Raffaele , De Francesco Vincenzo , Fiorini Giulia , Pavoni Matteo , Vaira Dino
Published: August 2024

Goals:

To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of endoscopic studies to evaluate an association between diverticulosis and neoplastic lesions in the colon.

Background:

Some epidemiological observations suggest an association between diverticulosis and adenoma/cancer in the colon. However, an increased risk of colon neoplastic lesions in diverticulosis subjects was found to be increased in some studies, but not in others, puzzling data interpretation.

Study:

From the retrieved studies, prevalence of adenomas, advanced adenomas, cancer or neoplasia (advanced adenoma or cancer) was compared between subjects with or without diverticulosis, and comparisons in subgroups were also performed.

Results:

Data of 26 studies with a total of 419,623 patients were eventually considered, including 27,092 patients with diverticulosis. Data analysis found a statistically significant association between diverticulosis and adenomas (OR: 1.88; 95% CI: 1.50-2.25), advanced adenomas (OR: 1.49; 95% CI: 1.02-2.16), and neoplasia (OR: 1.50; 95% CI: 1.11-2.02), but not with cancer alone (OR: 1.01; 95% CI: 0.70-1.47). These associations were confirmed in the subgroup analyses, by considering Caucasian and Asian populations, prospective and retrospective studies, screening or symptoms settings, and between good or fair quality studies.

Conclusions:

A statistically significant association between diverticulosis and adenomas, advanced adenomas and neoplasia, but not with cancer alone was found. However, the strength of association seems to be insufficient to impact on clinical practice.
Development of Airway Hemorrhage Simulation Scenarios With Pilot of an Airway Team Leader Assessment Tool
Authors: Schloss Daniel , Estock Jamie L. , Ashjaei Arshia , Mikolic Joseph M. , El-Kouri Nadeem , Elias Mary Ellen , Lara-Gutierrez Jorge , Eibling David E. , Duran Huong-Tram , Alfaras-Melainis Konstantinos , Emlet Lillian L.
Published: August 2024

Introduction

Airway hemorrhage requires rapid treatment to prevent adverse patient outcomes. Simulation education programs are challenged to recreate learning environments with adequate fidelity for team management of airway hemorrhage.

Methods

We developed Airway Hemorrhage Simulation Scenarios consisting of low-cost partial-task simulators to mimic airway hemorrhage (nasopharyngeal, oropharyngeal, expanding neck hematoma) and multiple methods to assess team leader performance in emergent airway management [Airway Team Leader Assessment Tool (ATLAT), Airway Checklist Performance, and Global Performance Rating]. We assigned trainees in Emergency Medicine (EM) and Critical Care (CC) sequentially to 1 of the 3 possible hemorrhage scenarios, and each trainee participated in a single 1-hour session composed of 3 repeated opportunities of deliberate practice of the assigned scenario. We assessed the trainees after session 1 and session 3 with independent expert evaluators of trainee performance using the ATLAT, Airway Checklist Performance, and Global Performance Rating.

Results

We collected data on 26 trainees: 19 EM residents [postgraduate year (PGY) 1–3] and 7 CC fellows (PGY 4–7). Trainees had significant improvement for all ATLAT domain measures, Airway Checklist Total Score, and Global Performance Rating between session 1 and session 3.

Conclusions

Our pilot evaluation suggests that deliberate practice of Airway Hemorrhage Simulation Scenarios improves airway team leader performance from multiple disciplines in managing high-acuity, low-occurrence airway hemorrhage.
A biomimetic branching signal-passing tile assembly model with dynamic growth and disassembly
Authors: Fu Daniel , Reif John
Published: August 2024

Natural biological branching processes can form tree-like structures at all scales and, moreover, can perform various functions to achieve specific goals; these include receiving stimuli, performing two-way communication along their branches, and dynamically reforming (extending or retracting branches). They underlie many biological systems with considerable diversity, frequency, and geometric complexity; these include networks of neurons, organ tissue, mycorrhizal fungal networks, plant growth, foraging networks, etc. This paper presents a biomimetic DNA tile assembly model (Y-STAM) to implement dynamic branching processes. The Y-STAM is a relatively compact mathematical model providing a design space where complex, biomimetic branch-like growth and behaviour can emerge from the appropriate parametrization of the model. We also introduce a class of augmented models (Y-STAM+) that provide time- and space-dependent modulations of tile glue strengths, which enable further diverse behaviours that are not possible in the Y-STAM; these additional behaviours include refinement of network assemblies, obstacle avoidance, and programmable growth patterns. We perform and discuss extensive simulations of the Y-STAM and the Y-STAM+. We envision that these models could be applied at the mesoscale and the molecular scale to dynamically assemble branching DNA nanostructures and offer insights into complex biological self-assembly processes.
Interplay of freeze-in and freeze-out: Lepton-flavored dark matter and muon colliders
Authors: Asadi Pouya , Radick Aria , Yu Tien-Tien
Published: August 2024

We study a lepton-flavored dark matter model and its signatures at a future muon collider. We focus on the less-explored regime of feeble dark matter interactions, which suppresses the dangerous lepton-flavor-violating processes, gives rise to dark matter freeze-in production, and leads to long-lived particle signatures at colliders. We find that the interplay of dark matter freeze-in and its mediator freeze-out gives rise to an upper bound of around TeV scales on the dark matter mass. The signatures of this model depend on the lifetime of the mediator and can range from generic prompt decays to more exotic long-lived particle signals. In the prompt region, we calculate the signal yield, study useful kinematics cuts, and report tolerable systematics that would allow for a 5σ discovery. In the long-lived region, we calculate the number of charged tracks and displaced lepton signals of our model in different parts of the detector and uncover kinematic features that can be used for background rejection. We show that, unlike in hadron colliders, multiple production channels contribute significantly, which leads to sharply distinct kinematics for electroweakly charged long-lived particle signals. Ultimately, the collider signatures of this lepton-flavored dark matter model are common among models of electroweak-charged new physics, rendering this model a useful and broadly applicable benchmark model for future muon collider studies that can help inform work on detector design and studies of systematics.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Particle production and hadronization temperature in the massive Schwinger model
Authors: Batini Laura , Kuhn Lara , Berges Jürgen , Floerchinger Stefan
Published: August 2024

We study the pair production, string breaking, and hadronization of a receding electron-positron pair using the bosonized version of the massive Schwinger model in quantum electrodynamics in 1+1 space-time dimensions. Specifically, we study the dynamics of the electric field in Bjorken coordinates by splitting it into a coherent field and its Gaussian fluctuations. We find that the electric field shows damped oscillations, reflecting pair production. Interestingly, the computation of the asymptotic total particle density per rapidity interval for large masses can be fitted using a Boltzmann factor, where the temperature can be related to the hadronization temperature in QCD. Lastly, we discuss the possibility of an analog quantum simulation of the massive Schwinger model using ultracold atoms, explicitly matching the potential of the Schwinger model to the effective potential for the relative phase of two linearly coupled Bose-Einstein condensates.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Waves and strings in an interacting conformal chiral 2-form theory in six dimensions
Authors: Deger Nihat Sadik , Murcia Ángel J. , Sorokin Dmitri
Published: August 2024

In six dimensions there exists a unique one-parameter family of nonlinear conformal electrodynamics for a chiral 2-form gauge field that includes (in a free-field limit) the linear chiral 2-form theory and is related, by dimensional reduction, to the four-dimensional ModMax electrodynamics. In this work, we present the first exact solutions of this theory in presence of gravity. In particular, we will consider plane wave, Robinson-Trautman, and self-dual dyonic string configurations, generalizing well-known solutions of this type in six-dimensional supergravities with linear chiral 2-form multiplets.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Moment neural network and an efficient numerical method for modeling irregular spiking activity
Authors: Qi Yang
Published: August 2024

Continuous rate-based neural networks have been widely applied to modeling the dynamics of cortical circuits. However, cortical neurons in the brain exhibit irregular spiking activity with complex correlation structures that cannot be captured by mean firing rate alone. To close this gap, we consider a framework for modeling irregular spiking activity, called the moment neural network, which naturally generalizes rate models to second-order moments and can accurately capture the firing statistics of spiking neural networks. We propose an efficient numerical method that allows for rapid evaluation of moment mappings for neuronal activations without solving the underlying Fokker-Planck equation. This allows simulation of coupled interactions of mean firing rate and firing variability of large-scale neural circuits while retaining the advantage of analytical tractability of continuous rate models. We demonstrate how the moment neural network can explain a range of phenomena including diverse Fano factor in networks with quenched disorder and the emergence of irregular oscillatory dynamics in excitation-inhibition networks with delay.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Exploring the interplay of earnings management, business strategy and market competition: the case of Indonesia and South Korea
Authors: Fedora Adela Cornelia , Rudiawarni Felizia Arni , Sulistiawan Dedhy , Gümrah Abdurrahman
Published: August 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to investigate the connection between earnings management, business strategy, and market competition.

Design/methodology/approach

The study utilizes data from non-financial companies listed on the Indonesia and South Korea Stock Exchange between 2017 and 2021, involving 2,598 firms from Indonesia and 3,256 firms from South Korea. We use data panel analysis to explore the relationships between variables.

Findings

Firms using cost leadership are prone to earnings management, while differentiation strategies are less inclined to do so. Market competition negatively correlates with earnings management in Indonesia and South Korea. Market competition moderates the relationship between differentiation strategy and earnings management in both countries. When profitability is considered, the results remain consistent, particularly in Indonesia.

Research limitations/implications

This research enriches previous studies on earnings management and business strategy by examining the extent of industry competitiveness in developed and developing markets.

Practical implications

This finding is significant for managers, guiding them in the selection of an appropriate business strategy within a competitive environment.

Originality/value

This study is unique in that it examines the subject matter in both developed and developing countries, specifically Indonesia and South Korea, to compare the differences.
Seeking silver lining for leaders' well-being: understanding gender differences in work-family conflict, leadership style and prioritizing coping strategy
Authors: Chang Yu-Yu , Purevlochin Undrakh , Chen Huei-Ying
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Our study addresses the impact of COVID-19-induced work-family conflict on leaders' well-being and explores the influence of leadership style, coping strategies, and gender disparities in this context, filling a research gap on crisis-related leadership well-being.

Design/methodology/approach

We used hierarchical regression analysis and SPSS's PROCESS macro to analyze a dataset of 516 paired responses, including 231 leaders and 285 subordinates, from Mongolian organizations.

Findings

Strain-based work-family conflict (WFC) negatively affects leaders' workplace well-being. Servant leadership exacerbates this impact. In contrast, servant leadership positively moderates the relationship between time-based WFC and job-related well-being. Leaders who prioritize work and family responsibilities experience a stronger positive (negative) impact of time-based (strain-based) WFC on their workplace well-being. Furthermore, we observed that strain-based WFC has a more detrimental effect on female leaders' well-being, highlighting gender disparities in leadership roles.

Practical implications

Our study elucidates the intricate relationship between work-family conflict and leaders' well-being, underscoring the need to recognize gender differences and coping strategies. We advocate for organizations to proactively establish support structures tailored to various leadership styles and gender-specific challenges, especially in times of crisis.

Originality/value

This study focuses on leaders' well-being during COVID-19 and how it is influenced by work-family conflict, servant leadership, coping strategy, and gender. The study also differentiates between time-based and strain-based work-family conflict and uses dyadic data from Mongolian organizations. More importantly, we identify that gender disparity plays a crucial role in the pandemic-caused leadership challenges and leaders' coping behaviors.
Preservation of theses and dissertations in the era of digitization: a case study of selected universities in Oyo state, Nigeria
Authors: Akinola Ayodele , Oso Oluwatoyin Olukemi , Shorunke Oludare Adebanji , Oyadele Olawunmi Grace
Published: August 2024

Purpose

Digital preservation of theses and dissertations (TDs) is crucial for the archiving (long-term preservation) of intellectual content of undergraduate and postgraduate students in universities. This paper aims to investigate the digitization of TDs in three selected academic libraries in Oyo State, south-west Nigeria.

Design/methodology/approach

Descriptive survey research design was used for this study. The instrument for data collection was the questionnaire. The study comprised 78 professionals and paraprofessional librarians in the three selected university libraries in Oyo State.

Findings

The study revealed that digital preservation of TDs in university libraries is at the developmental stage. Also, the study revealed that most participants strongly agreed that the main purpose for embarking on the digital preservation of TDs was to influence the web ranking of the institutions. Web archiving was the widely adopted method of digital preservation in university libraries. Poor information and communication technology infrastructure, absence of policy and poor funding were identified as major challenges militating against the effective digital preservation of theses in the libraries. Hence, it was recommended that the management of university libraries should be more committed to providing substantial funds to meet the financial obligation for digital preservation initiatives.

Originality/value

The study provides insight into a case study of digitization of theses and dissertation i academic libraries in three selected universities to serve as a basis for further research.
Exploring the maritime frontier: unveiling the transformative power of work-based learning (WBL) in maritime education and training (MET)
Authors: Autsadee Yuthana , Phanphichit Thammawan
Published: August 2024

Purpose

To explore the benefits and challenges of WBL in MET in Thailand.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative approach was used, involving interviews and surveys with participants from MET.

Findings

WBL offers practical experience, improved employability, networking opportunities, and real-world problem-solving skills, industry knowledge, professional development, and better learning outcomes, but faces challenges like language barriers, environmental issues, limited placement availability, time limits and task management, safety concerns, limited resources, and assessment issues.

Originality/value

Provides insights into WBL in the Thailand maritime sector and highlights areas for improvement to enhance student preparedness for industry roles.
Does urbanization drive up housing prices? Novel evidence from remote sensing and dynamic panel quantile regression
Authors: Long Hoang , Trung-Kien Pham
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to quantify the influence of urbanization on housing prices at the district-based level, while also investigating the heterogeneous impacts across different quantiles of housing prices.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses remote-sensed spectral images from the Landsat 7 ETM+ satellite to measure urbanization, replacing prior reliance solely on urban population metrics. Subsequently, the two-step system generalized method of moments is used to evaluate how urbanization influences district-based housing prices through three spectrometries: Urban Index (UI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) and Built-Up Index (BUI). Finally, this study examines the heterogeneous impacts across various housing price quantiles through Dynamic Panel Quantile Regression with non-additive fixed effects under Markov Chain Monte Carlo simulation.

Findings

The study demonstrates that urbanization leads to an increase in regional housing prices. However, these impact magnitudes vary across housing price quantiles. Specifically, the impact exhibits an inverse V-shaped curve, with urbanization exerting a more pronounced influence on the 60th percentile of housing prices, while its effect on the 10th and 90th percentiles is comparatively weaker.

Originality/value

This study uses a novel method of remote sensing to measure urbanization and investigates its effects on housing prices. Furthermore, it provides an empirical application of non-additive fixed effect quantile regression for analyzing heterogeneity.
Adopting sustainable manufacturing practices: the relationship between environmental performance and corporate reputation
Authors: Hammami Hanene , Othmani Leila
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate how the adoption of sustainable manufacturing practices by companies can positively impact their reputation and environmental performance. Additionally, it aims to explore the specific relationships between these factors within the unique context of manufacturing companies in Tunisia.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses an online questionnaire survey methodology targeted at manufacturing companies in Tunisia. This approach provides detailed insights into the current landscape of sustainable manufacturing practices within the region.

Findings

The study underscores the increasing significance of sustainable manufacturing practices for companies striving to align with environmental sustainability while meeting stakeholder expectations. It reveals that embracing these practices can indeed yield favorable impacts on both a company’s environmental performance and its overall reputation.

Research limitations/implications

While the study sheds light on the relationships between sustainable practices, environmental performance and reputation, it acknowledges certain limitations. These limitations might include the scope of the survey, potential biases in responses or constraints within the Tunisian manufacturing context, impacting the generalizability of findings.

Originality/value

This research holds unique value by offering insights into the complex interplay between sustainable manufacturing practices, environmental performance and corporate reputation in a developing country context like Tunisia. The study contributes to a deeper understanding of these dynamics, benefiting both academia and industry practitioners interested in fostering sustainability within the manufacturing sector.
Causal impact of the 2015 European refugee crisis on resident immigrants’ life satisfaction
Authors: Soon Jan-Jan , Lim Hock Eam
Published: August 2024

Purpose

By exploiting the exogeneity of the unexpected 2015 European refugee crisis, the paper’s purpose is to analyze the causal impact of the crisis on resident immigrants’ life satisfaction. Due to the ongoing anti-immigrant sentiments, we argue that the refugee crisis and the build-up to it affect how resident immigrants are looked upon in a negative light; this in turn could consequently be reflected in their life satisfaction. We anchor the natives’ hostility toward the refugees and immigrants on the group-threat theory.

Design/methodology/approach

Using two waves of the European Values Study, we exploit the exogenous source of variations generated by the crisis and employ a difference-in-differences estimation framework to identify the causal impact.

Findings

Our findings indicate negative impact of the refugee crisis on resident immigrants’ life satisfaction. We find negative impact of the refugee crisis on the life satisfactions of resident immigrants with low education levels. Our results also suggest that resident immigrants in Western European countries experience lower life satisfaction after the crisis.

Originality/value

The literature so far mostly revolves around the impact of the crisis on natives’ objective well-being. We find it surprising that the literature has not fully utilized the rare opportunity afforded by the refugee crisis to analyze its impact on resident immigrants’ subjective well-being.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-01-2024-0093
Relational freedom and the Ilan Pappe case: an anthropological proposal for freedom
Authors: Ramos de Figueiredo Wallace
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This article problematizes the concept of freedom rooted in liberalism, examining the detention of historian Ilan Pappe by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) at Detroit Airport in the United States as an emblematic case study.

Design/methodology/approach

The research adopts a methodological triangulation approach, based on an analysis that combines data about the event and theories about the concept of freedom, problematizing authors who focused on the relationship between the individual and society in a liberal context, where individualism serves as the basis for specific conceptions of social relations.

Findings

Through the use of authors such as John Stuart Mill and John Locke, as well as the contributions of authors like Norbert Elias, it is argued that true freedom is relational, rooted in social interdependencies and the social construction of an individuality that is not individualistic but intrinsically linked to collective aspects.

Social implications

Pappe’s case illustrates the tensions between individual freedom and collective interests, highlighting the need to reassess freedom of expression in complex political and social contexts.

Originality/value

This article proposes a more inclusive and interconnected view of human freedom, where individual and collective interests are negotiated within a dynamic web of social relations.
Carbon management accounting an evolving approach to enhance transparency and accountability in accounting and reporting practices
Authors: N. Abhishek , Suraj Neethu , M. Nayak Keyur Kumar , Bhadeshiya Hardik , Kulal Abhinandan , Divyashree M.S.
Published: August 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the factors driving the adoption of carbon management accounting (CMA) and various considerations that mediate its effectiveness in accounting and disclosure practices.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used an exploratory, cross-sectional, quantitative design. Academics, managements/executives, professional accountants, professional auditors and researchers served as the primary units of analysis. This study used a survey method to gather data through a structured online questionnaire. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM).

Findings

The results revealed that the factors driving the adoption of CMA directly influence the effectiveness of CMA practices, with a significant mediating effect of regulatory and ethical aspects. Furthermore, this study revealed the difficulty of accounting, quantifying and reporting carbon emissions and revenue generation from the trading of carbon credits. This highlights the critical role of standard-setters and academics in deciding the concrete methodology to promote uniformity in carbon disclosures.

Research limitations/implications

The major limitations of this study are that it considered only the perception of experts and did not study the actual practices of CMA by considering companies that have already implemented CMA. Further studies should consider this aspect to validate the results of this study. Furthermore, the findings highlight the insignificant effect of economic, environmental and social aspects in enhancing the overall effectiveness of CMA. This is because of the limited number of factors considered in the study of such metrics. To overcome this limitation, future studies should consider wider aspects to validate the outcomes of this study.

Practical implications

The major contribution of this study is that it serves as a base input for business organizations, academics, researchers and regulatory authorities who are working to implement CMA strategies to reduce carbon emissions and promote net-zero business practices.

Originality/value

The outcome of this study is unique and new, as the subject matter of this study is in the nascent stage. The outcome of this study may become a significant valid input for regulators and policymaking companies to gain knowledge about CMA practices and motivate them to integrate CMA practices as part of their sustainability initiatives.