bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Academic research output on social capital: a bibliometric and visualization analysis
Authors: Carradore Marco
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study describes and analyzes the output of academic research on the topic of social capital. The concept of social capital has attracted the interest of scholars from a range of academic disciplines, and it has been applied to explain a variety of phenomena.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the bibliographic approach, I analyzed aggregate data obtained from the Web of Science database. The analyses were carried out using VOSviewer software.

Findings

The results show social capital to be a topic of interest in multiple fields of academic research. The findings highlight the important role that journals, including those from disciplines other than the social sciences, have played in divulging this concept, and show that some countries and institutions are more productive and engage in more collaborative research efforts than others.

Research limitations/implications

The main implications of this study regard research on social capital. The results demonstrate how social capital continues to interest scholars from a variety of academic disciplines. Future bibliometric research should include other sources (literature databases) and be expanded to consider other types of publication.

Originality/value

This paper furthers previous research by exclusively focusing on the concept of social capital. It analyzes the international trend in publications up until the end of 2021, thus expanding the publication period considered in previous studies. The results of this study highlight the relevance of bibliometric tools for assessing research performance.
Developing a shared vision: strong teams have the power
Authors: Zasa Federico Paolo , Buganza Tommaso
Published: December 2022

Purpose

In response to environmental uncertainty, organizations rely on independent, empowered teams to increase their responsiveness to change. The purpose of this paper is to analyze how objectives and key results (OKRs) can contribute to creating a shared vision which keeps the different, empowered teams aligned.

Design/methodology/approach

Through a qualitative study, this paper develops a conceptual model of how OKRs lead to a shared vision. The authors interview professionals in nine organizations differing in size and industry who recently introduced agile, focusing on the main hurdles encountered and benefits obtained from the methodology.

Findings

The findings confirm that OKRs are an effective goal-setting methodology and suggest that their successful implementation builds on the new ways of organizing introduced by the agile methods. Moreover, the findings suggest that OKRs contribute to developing a shared vision and increase the alignment: first, the organizational vision becomes clear and its definition is participatory; second at the team level, individuals align around a shared team vision through participative definition of objectives.

Originality/value

The contribution of the paper is two-fold: this study provide an overview on the methodology, which is diffused from a practice perspective, but has not yet been addressed from a theoretical point of view. And this study connects OKRs to extant theory on goal-setting and vision development. This study shows they act as a coupling mechanism which helps empowered and independent teams together.
When to enter the metaverse: business leaders offer perspectives
Authors: Gauttier Stéphanie , Simouri Wassim , Milliat Aurélien
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Once Facebook transformed into Meta, a race to enter the metaverse began in all sectors of the economy. Being first has financial, technical and strategic costs, even if it can allow creating barriers to prevent others entering and establishing one’s brand as innovative. Being late, however, enables companies to benefit from more mature infrastructure and learning opportunities, but they risk being followers rather than leaders and missing opportunities. This study aims to discuss when organizations should consider entering the metaverse first, or whether they should come to it later.

Design/methodology/approach

To identify these conditions, 15 business strategy experts ranked 25 statements against each other about the metaverse and first- and late-entrant strategies.

Findings

When comparing the points of view of the 15 experts, four perspectives emerged. Three perspectives state that being a first mover can lead to a sustainable competitive advantage when organizations have strong capabilities regarding research and development, change management, learning and managing knowledge. The fourth perspective is skeptical that entering first can lead to a competitive advantage, given the high level of uncertainty surrounding the development of the metaverse.

Practical implications

A list of considerations when deciding to enter the metaverse is provided to managers.

Originality/value

This paper shifts the discourse on the metaverse from a technology-driven discussion to a strategic-asset-and-capabilities discussion.
Challenges of blockchain application in the financial sector: a qualitative study
Authors: Banerjee Supratika Samir , Chandani Arti
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The novel blockchain technology can be leveraged, owing to the growth in computing power and its widespread applications. This study aims to understand the challenges of adopting blockchain technology in the financial sector, organise them into a model and classify them for systematic address.

Design/methodology/approach

Interpretive Structural Modeling (ISM) has been carried out along with MICMAC (Matrice d’impacts croisés multiplication appliquée á un classment) analysis to hierarchically structure blockchain adoption problems and categorise the challenges into four classes-autonomous, dependent, linkage and independent for better addressing. The study also uses content analysis using NVivo software.

Findings

The digraph depicts the hierarchical challenge model. Vulnerability to financial crimes and glitches, privacy issues and geopolitical tensions due to cross-border transactions are the dependent variables. Complex architecture to comprehend, code and fix, the need for new financial intermediaries, complexity in auditing and the lack of unified governance and coordination among institutions and regulators are the independent variables. The digraph, which is also justified by the qualitative content analysis, is beneficial for stakeholders to systematically address the interdependent challenges associated with blockchain implementations in finance to foster its favourable adoption.

Practical implications

The challenges in the adoption of blockchain should be resolved to allow the implementation of this technology in various finance domains. This study enables organisations to carry out resource planning and systematically address these challenges to leverage the advantages of blockchain.

Social implications

The results of the present study can help in promoting the proliferation of blockchain for faster, cost-effective, transparent and secure financial transactions and foster innovative and new business models for economic growth.

Originality/value

The development of technology has brought about significant changes in the financial sector. Blockchain is a technological advancement that aims to bring security and transparency to transactions. There has been no research leveraging ISM-MICMAC to hierarchically organise and classify the blockchain challenges in the financial sector, a critical one. The research also uses content analysis which is seldom found along with ISM-MICMAC.
White-collar money laundering through opportunistic earnings management: fair value accounting practices of failed finance companies in Sri Lanka
Authors: Jayasekara S.G. Sisira Dharmasri , Perera Wasantha , Ajward Roshan
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to discuss how the failed finance companies in Sri Lanka used fair value accounting practices as an opportunistic earnings management practice to launder money under weak corporate governance structures.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses a qualitative design under the philosophy of interpretivism. The case study research strategy is used inductively to investigate how fair value accounting had been used for money laundering.

Findings

The dishonest intention of major shareholders and board of directors had forced failed companies to misuse fair value accounting to manipulate performance and use them for personal benefits which were detrimental to the depositors and stability of the companies. The weak corporate governance structures which were developed because of regulatory forbearance were influential for manipulations. The concentrated ownership had reduced agency conflicts between shareholders and managers because major shareholders were the members of the board of directors. The appointed committees were not effective because of an inadequate number of independent directors with sufficient expertise. The reduced agency conflict between shareholders and managers has exaggerated the agency conflict with depositors. Therefore, it is recommended to dilute ownership concentration to establish good corporate governance structures and make stable institutions.

Research limitations/implications

This study does not discuss the dishonest fair value accounting practices of all licensed finance companies because of the sensitivity of the matter for surviving companies.

Originality/value

This paper is an original work of the authors which discusses how fair value accounting practices had been used to launder money in failed finance companies in Sri Lanka as an emerging market context.
A successful recipe for localization: a case of GIMP (GNU image manipulation program)
Authors: Shirude Snehalata Bhikanrao , Joshi Manish Ratnakar
Published: December 2022

Purpose

Free Open Source Softwares (FOSS) witnessed the development of many very good alternatives to proprietary softwares. These free softwares can be localized in several local languages. This paper aims to illustrate a very interesting empirical investigation on FOSS. Several significant benefits of localization are described in introduction and subsequent sections.

Design/methodology/approach

Although the localization process is standard and well documented for most of the FOSS, it is a more complex task as it involves coordination among developers, linguists and domain experts. Hence, a very few open source softwares are successfully localized in Indian languages. In this paper, the authors present an approach that they have used for GIMP (GNU Image Manipulation Program) software Marathikaran (localization in Marathi language) project of by Rajya Marathi Vikas Sanstha of Maharashtra Government (RMVS), India.

Findings

This localization project has been described by RMVS as a pilot project that would guide such similar localizations in many other Indian languages for other popular open source softwares.

Social implications

The localization work overcomes the general misconception that regional languages are good only for communication (Boli Bhasha) but cannot be used for dissemination of knowledge (Gyan Bhasha). This work is notably contributing to language preservation, language revitalization and Digital India Initiative.

Originality/value

This work is the pioneering work in this domain for Marathi language with respect to GIMP. The authors presented systematic steps used to localize the GIMP software in Marathi language (from 2% to 100%).
I love my cosmetics: educated young Muslim’s behaviour of non-halal certified cosmetics
Authors: Ngah Abdul Hafaz , Tuan Mansor Tuan Mastiniwati , Gabarre Cécile , Rahi Samar , Khan Shahbaz , Ahmad Rohana
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of the study is to identify factors influencing the continuance of use of non-halal certified cosmetics among Muslim university students in Malaysia.

Design/methodology/approach

The research framework was developed based on the stimulus–organism–response model. Self-administered questionnaires were distributed using a purposive sampling method among Muslim students in three universities in Malaysia. A total of 501 usable data were collected and analysed using Smart partial least squares.

Findings

The analysis revealed that celebrity endorsement positively influences attitude and brand image. Meanwhile, brand image has a positive effect on attitude and continuance of use of non-halal certified cosmetics. Additionally, attitude has a positive effect on the continuance of use behaviour. Regarding predictive power enhancement, brand image and attitude were found to have a mediation effect and sequential mediation effect on the relationship between celebrity endorsement and the continuance of use behaviour. Attitude weakens the relationship between attitude and the continuance of use of non-halal cosmetics among Muslim university students in Malaysia.

Practical implications

Findings will primarily benefit halal and non-halal cosmetic manufacturers providing stakeholders with fundamental predicting information related to customers’ continuance of use thus resulting in better marketing strategies.

Originality/value

This study is focused on predicting consumer behaviour towards halal products, as well as young Muslim consumers’ perspective towards non-halal cosmetics. Celebrity endorsement is introduced as a stimulus in the context of Muslim university students to predict their continuance of use behaviour of non-halal certified cosmetics. The investigation includes the moderating effect of religiosity for the relationship between attitude and continuance behaviour. Findings reveal the mediating effects of brand image and attitude as a mediator and sequential mediator for the relationship between celebrity endorsement and continuance of use behaviour. Contributions enrich the literature related to non-halal certified contexts.
Student entrepreneurial intentions in emerging economies: institutional influences and individual motivations
Authors: Olarewaju Adeniyi Damilola , Gonzalez-Tamayo Lizbeth Alicia , Maheshwari Greeni , Ortiz-Riaga Maria Carolina
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to incorporate macro- and micro-level institutional factors into the theory of planned behaviour (TPB) model to understand their effect on entrepreneurial intentions (EI) amongst students in nations from Latin America and Caribbean region and India.

Design/methodology/approach

Using non-probability sampling technique, data was collected from Colombia, Dominican Republic, India and Mexico, and consisted of 757 useable responses from students. Structural equation modelling was employed to conduct confirmatory factor analysis while path analysis was used to test the hypotheses.

Findings

Combined samples from all countries showed information and communications technology infrastructure, usage and adoption (ICTi) and educational support had an indirect effect on EI through personal attitude (PA) and perceived behavioural control (PBC) but not through subjective norms (SN). Additionally, it was found that while PA and PBC have a direct influence on EI; SN does not. Further, an inverse relationship was found between age and EI, while respondents' gender, academic programme and entrepreneurship education had no significant effect on EI.

Practical implications

This study suggests enhanced investments in developing and emerging economies by enabling institutional environments at the macro- and micro-level that could help promote EI.

Originality/value

The current paper contributes to the EI literature by incorporating institutional factors at macro- and micro-levels in developing and emerging economies towards a more integrative TPB.
“Through the looking glass”: technology behind text to image generators Part 2
Authors: Fernandez Peter
Published: December 2022

Purpose

By involving themselves in this emerging technology, libraries can directly impact their patrons for good and demonstrate their relevance to a world where text and images are increasingly interchangeable.

Design/methodology/approach

This column will provide an overview of how Midjourney, DALL·E, Stable Diffusion and Google fund their text-to-image generation and the incentives those models create.

Findings

The ability to easily generate complex images from text creates marketing and information literacy opportunities for libraries, as well as raising issues of stewardship and disinformation.

Originality/value

By understanding how Midjourney, DALL-E, Stable Diffusion and Google fund their text-to-image generation and the incentives created by their operation, libraries will be better positioned to imagine their role in meeting the challenges created by this technology.
Revisiting mean reversion in profitability and earnings: evidence from India (2007–2020)
Authors: Kumar Jitender , Kavya T.B. , Bagga Amit , Uma S. , Saiteja M. , Gupta Kashish , Harish Ganapathi J.S. , Roy Ronit
Published: December 2022

Purpose

The purpose of this article is to revisit the mean reversion in profitability and earnings among Indian-listed firms, based on the idea that changes in profitability and earnings are somewhat predictable.

Design/methodology/approach

The study used a sample of 445 Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)-listed companies and 309 companies from the manufacturing sector in India for the period from 2007 to 2020. The study employed cross-sectional regressions. Both linear and non-linear Partial Adjustment Models (PAM) were used to forecast profitability and earnings.

Findings

The study revealed that profitability and earnings mean revert for both the BSE-listed companies and the manufacturing sector companies from 2007 to 2012. However, for the years from 2013 to 2020, it was found that there is no significant evidence of mean reversion in both the BSE-listed companies or the manufacturing sector companies.

Practical implications

The findings have larger implications for security analysts who forecast future stabilisation or recovery of historically high or low growth rates. Investors and analysts would benefit from having a better understanding of how competitive attacks affect profitability as well as how the overall economic growth of a country affects earnings and valuations.

Originality/value

Most of the empirical research in India has focused on mean reversion in stock prices or stock returns. The present study looked at the mean reversion of profitability and earnings in Indian firms.
A high performance RC-INV triggering SCR under 0.25 µm process
Authors: Su Xuebing , Wang Yang , Jin Xiangliang , Yang Hongjiao , Zhang Yuye , Yang Shuaikang , Yu Bo
Published: December 2022

Purpose

As it is known, the electrostatic discharge (ESD) protection design of integrated circuit is very important, among which the silicon controlled rectifier (SCR) is one of the most commonly used ESD protection devices. However, the traditional SCR has the disadvantages of too high trigger voltage, too low holding voltage after the snapback and longer turn-on time. The purpose of this paper is to design a high-performance SCR in accordance with the design window under 0.25 µm process, and provide a new scheme for SCR design to reduce the trigger voltage, improve the holding voltage and reduce the turn-on time.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the traditional SCR, an RC-INV trigger circuit is introduced. Through theoretical analysis, TCAD simulation and tape-out verification, it is shown that RC-INV triggering SCR can reduce the trigger voltage, increase the holding voltage and reduce the turn-on time of the device on the premise of maintaining good robustness.

Findings

The RC-INV triggering SCR has great performance, and the test shows that the transmission line pulse curve with almost no snapback can be obtained. Compared with the traditional SCR, the trigger voltage decreased from 32.39 to 16.24 V, the holding voltage increased from 3.12 to 14.18 V and the turn-on time decreased from 29.6 to 16.6 ns, decreasing by 43.9% the level of human body model reached 18 kV+.

Originality/value

Under 0.25 µm BCD process, this study propose a high-performance RC-INV triggering SCR ESD protection device. The work presented in this paper has a certain guiding significance for the design of SCR ESD protection devices.
The difference between exporter and non-exporter knowledge-based firms: the case of Iranian firms in the chemical industry
Authors: Samadi Mitra , Mirnezami Seyed Reza , Khayyatian Mohammad Sadegh , Torabi Khargh Mohammad
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to compare the level of organizational capabilities of the exporter and non-exporter Iranian knowledge-based firms in the sector of chemical technology.

Design/methodology/approach

By combining 18 different indicators, a framework is designed to demonstrate organizational capabilities. The technological, manufacturing, R&D, marketing, organizing and financial capabilities of 732 Iranian knowledge-based firms in the sector of chemical technology (90 exporters and 642 non-exporter firms) are identified between 2015 and 2020. The analysis is based on the Chi-square test and logistic and probit regression.

Findings

The results indicate that technological capability, unlike the other five capabilities, is higher in non-exporter firms, and the level of marketing capability is greater in exporter firms, with the highest difference between the two groups.

Originality/value

The research suggests that knowledge-based firms should be evaluated based on export history; there should be some specialized export facilitating packages for both exporter and non-exporter firms; and some baskets from products with related and specialized fields of application should be formed to facilitate international marketing. The results can be a basis for managers and policymakers to improve the firm’s capabilities and competitiveness at the international level.
A systematic bibliometric analysis of studies dealing with fuel-related e-nose applications
Authors: Vidigal Igor Gomes , de Melo Mariana Pereira , Siqueira Adriano Francisco , Giordani Domingos Sávio , Romão Érica Leonor , dos Santos Eduardo Ferro , Ferreira Ana Lucia Gabas
Published: December 2022

Purpose

This study aims to describe a bibliometric analysis of recent articles addressing the applications of e- noses with particular emphasis on those dealing with fuel-related products. Documents covering the general area of e-nose research and published between 1975 and 2021 were retrieved from the Web of Science database, and peer-reviewed articles were selected and appraised according to specific descriptors and criteria.

Design/methodology/approach

Analyses were performed by mapping the knowledge domain using the software tools VOSviewer and RStudio. It was possible to identify the countries, research organizations, authors and disciplines that were most prolific in the area, together with the most cited articles and the most frequent keywords. A total of 3,921 articles published in peer-reviewed journals were initially retrieved but only 47 (1.19%) described fuel-related e-nose applications with original articles published in indexed journals. However, this number was reduced to 38 (0.96%) articles strictly related to the target subject.

Findings

Rigorous appraisal of these documents yielded 22 articles that could be classified into two groups, those aimed at predicting the values of key parameters and those dealing with the discrimination of samples. Most of these 22 selected articles (68.2%) were published between 2017 and 2021, but little evidence was apparent of international collaboration between researchers and institutions currently working on this topic. The strategy of switching energy systems away from fossil fuels towards low-carbon renewable technologies that has been adopted by many countries will generate substantial research opportunities in the prediction, discrimination and quantification of volatiles in biofuels using e-nose.

Research limitations/implications

It is important to highlight that the greatest difficulty in using the e-nose is the interpretation of the data generated by the equipment; most studies have so far used the maximum value of the electrical resistance signal of each e-nose sensor as the only data provided by this sensor; however, from 2019 onwards, some works began to consider the entire electrical resistance curve as a data source, extracting more information from it.

Originality/value

This study opens a new and promising way for the effective use of e-nose as a fuel analysis instrument, as low-cost sensors can be developed for use with the new data analysis methodology, enabling the production of portable, cheaper and more reliable equipment.
Spatiotemporal thermal variation drives diversity trends in experimental landscapes
Authors: Wolfe Ellie , Cerini Francesco , Besson Marc , O'Brien Duncan , Clements Christopher F.
Published: December 2022

Temperature is a fundamental driver of species' vital rates and thus coexistence, extinctions and community composition. While temperature is neither static in space nor in time, little work has incorporated spatiotemporal dynamics into community‐level investigations of thermal variation.

We conducted a microcosm experiment using ciliate protozoa to test the effects of temperatures fluctuating synchronously or asynchronously on communities in two‐patch landscapes connected by short or long corridors.

We monitored the abundance of each species for 4 weeks—equivalent to ~28 generations—measuring the effects of four temperature regimes and two corridor lengths on community diversity and composition.

While corridor length significantly altered the trajectory of diversity change in the communities, this did not result in different community structures at the end of the experiment. The type of thermal variation significantly affected both the temporal dynamics of diversity change and final community composition, with synchronous fluctuation causing deterministic extinctions that were consistent across replicates and spatial variation causing the greatest diversity declines.

Our results suggest that the presence and type of thermal variation can play an important role in structuring ecological communities, especially when it interacts with dispersal between habitat patches.
Patterns, sources, and consequences of variation in age‐specific vital rates: Insights from a long‐term study of Weddell seals
Authors: Rotella Jay J.
Published: December 2022

Variations in the reproductive and survival abilities of individuals within a population are ubiquitous in nature, key to individual fitness, and affect population dynamics, which leads to strong interest in understanding causes and consequences of vital‐rate variation. For long‐lived species, long‐term studies of large samples of known‐age individuals are ideal for evaluating vital‐rate variation.

A population of Weddell seals in Erebus Bay, Antarctica, has been studied each Austral spring since the 1960s. Since 1982, all newborns have been tagged each year and multiple capture‐mark‐recapture (CMR) surveys have been conducted annually.

Over the past 20 years, a series of analyses have built on results of earlier research by taking advantage of steady improvements in the project's long‐term CMR data and available analytical methods. Here, I summarize progress made on four major topics related to variation in age‐specific vital rates for females: early‐life survival and age at first reproduction, costs of reproduction, demographic buffering, and demographic senescence.

Multistate modelling found that age at first reproduction varies widely (4–14 years of age) and identified contrasting influences of maternal age on survival and recruitment rates of offspring. Subsequent analyses of data for females after recruitment revealed costs of reproduction to both survival and future reproduction and provided strong evidence of demographic buffering. Recent results indicated that important levels of among‐individual variation exist in vital rates and revealed contrasting patterns for senescence in reproduction and survival.

Sources of variation in vital rates include age, reproductive state, year, and individual. The combination of luck and individual quality results in strong variation in individual fitness outcomes: ~80% of females born in the population produce no offspring, and the remaining 20% vary strongly in lifetime reproductive output (range: 1–23 pups).

Further research is needed to identify the specific environmental conditions that lead to annual variation in vital rates and to better understand the origins of individual heterogeneity. Work is also needed to better quantify the relative roles of luck, maternal effects, and environmental conditions on variation in vital rates and to learn the importance of such variation to demographic performance of offspring and on overall population dynamics.
The catalase‐peroxidase PiCP1 plays a critical role in abiotic stress resistance, pathogenicity and asexual structure development in Phytophthora infestans
Authors: Wang Tuhong , Lv Jia‐Lu , Xu Jianping , Wang Xiao‐Wen , Zhu Xiao‐qiong , Guo Li‐Yun
Published: December 2022

Catalase‐peroxidase is a heme oxidoreductase widely distributed in bacteria and lower eukaryotes. In this study, we identified a catalase‐peroxidase PiCP1 (PITG_05579) in Phytophthora infestans. PiCP1 had catalase/peroxidase and secretion activities and was highly expressed in sporangia and upregulated in response to oxidative and heat stresses. Compared with wild type, PiCP1‐silenced transformants (STs) had decreased catalase activity, reduced oxidant stress resistance and damped cell wall integrity. In contrast, PiCP1‐overexpression transformants (OTs) demonstrated increased tolerance to abiotic stresses and induced the upregulation of PR genes in the host salicylic acid pathway. The high concentration of PiCP1 can also induced callose deposition in plant tissue. Importantly, both STs and OTs have severely reduced sporangia formation and zoospore releasing rate, but the sporangia germination rate and type varied depending on environmental conditions. Comparative sequence analyses show that catalase‐peroxidases are broadly distributed and highly conserved among soil–borne plant parasitic oomycetes, but not in freshwater‐inhabiting or strictly plants‐inhabiting oomycetes. In addition, we found that silencing PiCP1 downregulated the expression of PiCAT2. These results revealed the important roles of PiCP1 in abiotic stress resistance, pathogenicity and in regulating asexual structure development in response to environmental change. Our findings provide new insights into catalase‐peroxidase functions in eukaryotic pathogens.
The piRNA pathway is required for nucleopolyhedrovirus replication in Lepidoptera
Authors: Xia Junming , Fei Shigang , Wu Hongyun , Yang Yifan , Yu Wensheng , Zhang Mengmeng , Guo Yiyao , Swevers Luc , Sun Jingchen , Feng Min
Published: December 2022

The Piwi‐interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway has been shown to be involved in the antiviral defense against RNA viruses, especially in mosquitoes, but its universality has been questioned. Here, we used the Bombyx mori nucleopolyhedrovirus (BmNPV) ‐infected silkworm as a model to explore the effects of the key factors of piRNA pathway, BmAgo3 and Siwi, on replication of a large DNA virus (belonging to the family of Baculoviridae). We demonstrated that BmAgo3 and Siwi could promote the replication of BmNPV through both overexpression and knockdown experiments in BmN cell lines and silkworm larvae. In addition, we also studied the effect of PIWI‐class genes on Autographa californica nucleopolyhedrovirus (AcMNPV) replication in the Spodoptera frugiperda cell line Sf9. By knocking down the expression of PIWI‐class genes in Sf9, we found that Piwi‐like‐1 and Piwi‐like‐2‐3 could inhibit AcMNPV replication, while Piwi‐like‐4‐5 promoted virus replication. Our study provides compelling evidence that the piRNA pathway affects host infection by exogenous viruses in Lepidoptera. Also, our results reflect the diversity of the roles of PIWI‐class genes in virus infection of the host across species. This study is the first to explore the interaction of PIWI‐class proteins with DNA viruses, providing new insights into the functional roles of the piRNA pathway.
Policy Instruments to Support Agroecological Transitions in Europe
Authors: Gava Oriana , Povellato Andrea , Galioto Francesco , Pražan Jaroslav , Schwarz Gerald , Quero Alba Linares , Iragui Uxue Yoldi , Massa Carlos Astrain , Zīlāns Andis , Carolus Johannes
Published: December 2022

Agroecological transitions have the potential to deliver multiple environmental and social benefits. However socio‐economic barriers have prevented those transitions in many European contexts. This article aims to inform policymakers about policy instruments that can foster agroecological transitions in Europe, especially by removing key socio‐economic barriers. A multi‐step methodology was carried out over a two‐year period in 15 case studies across Europe. The case studies represent farming systems that are in the process of initiating or enhancing the transition. Data collection relied on a participatory process, involving a variety of transdisciplinary actors. Study findings identify three major themes of barriers to agroecological transitions, namely actor capacity, value chain and policy. To address these barriers, policy instruments should consider the farming system’s stage in the transition pathway to take account of the different priorities of local actors. At the stage of initiating the transition, removing the barriers requires improvements in knowledge delivery mechanisms by strengthening advisory services and reducing decision‐makers’ uncertainty. At the stage of enhancing the transition, a focus on social capital is needed, for example by strengthening networking and cooperation measures. Generally, more attention towards state interventions which support the transitions to agroecology is needed, such as developing new voluntary agroecology certification schemes and public procurement initiatives.
Be Wary of Paying Wounded Bulls – Capacity Markets in Australia's National Electricity Market*
Authors: Nelson Tim , Gilmore Joel , Nolan Tahlia
Published: December 2022

Australia's Energy Security Board is currently considering whether to pivot the east‐coast Australian National Electricity Market from an energy‐only market to include some form of capacity remuneration. This discussion is occurring during an unprecedented energy crisis where the wholesale market was suspended following a 275% increase in underlying wholesale energy prices. This article unpacks the root causes of the current energy crisis and how a traditional capacity market would have been ineffective in addressing it. We find that a traditional capacity market may provide windfall gains to wounded bull coal generators and be counterproductive in driving new investment in dispatchable technologies. Our recommendation is that policy‐makers should focus on utilising existing regulatory tools and a capacity reserve to insure against the unanticipated failures of ageing coal plants.
The predictive value of the preoperative systemic immune‐inflammation index in the occurrence of postoperative pneumonia in non‐small cell lung cancer: A retrospective study based on 1486 cases
Authors: Jiang Rui , Li Pengfei , Shen Wang , Deng Hanyu , Qin Changlong , Qiu Xiaoming , Tang Xiaojun , Zhu Daxing , Zhou Qinghua
Published: December 2022

Background

To investigate the correlation between the preoperative systemic immune‐inflammation index (pSII) and postoperative pneumonia (POP) in surgical non‐small cell lung cancer patients.

Methods

Patients who underwent lung cancer surgery at West China Hospital of Sichuan University were retrospectively included. The indicators were collected, including basic information of patients, surgery‐related variables and POP rate. The predictive value of the pSII in the occurrence of POP was analyzed.

Results

A total of 1486 patients (male: 748, 50.3%; female: 738, 49.7%; mean age: 58.2 ± 9.7 years; median age: 59 years old, interquartile range: 51–65 years old) were finally included in the study, of which 142 patients had POP with an incidence of 9.5% (142/1486), 9.2% (69/748) in males, and 9.9% (73/738) in females. The proportion of patients with diabetes in the pneumonia group was significantly higher than that in the nonpneumonia group (9.8%, 14/142 vs. 5.6%, 75/1344, p = 0.041). Compared with the nonpneumonia group, the level of the preoperative body mass index (24.2 [21.9, 26.1] vs. 23.1 [21.1, 25.2], p = 0.003) and SII (487 [350, 673] vs. 345 [230, 500], p < 0.001) in the pneumonia group were significantly higher. Multiple factor analysis showed that the pSII (odds ratio: 1.001, 95% confidence interval: 1.000–1.001, p < 0.001) was an independent risk factor for POP (487 [350, 673] vs. 345 [230, 500], p < 0.001); receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that the pSII was effective in predicting POP (area under curve: 0.751, p < 0.001).

Conclusion

The pSII is closely related to and can effectively predict the occurrence of POP after lung cancer surgery.
Assessment of lymph node metastasis of ≤20 mm non‐small cell lung cancer originating from superior segment compared to basal segment
Authors: Yoshimura Ryuichi , Deguchi Hiroyuki , Tomoyasu Makoto , Shigeeda Wataru , Kaneko Yuka , Iwai Hidenobu , Saito Hajime
Published: December 2022

Background

Segmentectomy with curative intention is occasionally performed for early non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). However, a major problem has been pointed out, in that the rate of locoregional recurrence is higher after segmentectomy than after lobectomy. This study aimed to investigate differences in rates of lymph node metastasis between segment 6 and basal segment NSCLC as potential candidates for segmentectomy and to explore factors associated with locoregional recurrence of segmentectomy.

Methods

We retrospectively analyzed 461 patients with lower lobe NSCLC who underwent segmentectomy or lobectomy with mediastinal lymph node dissection between 2011 and 2021. Among these, 122 patients with clinical N0 NSCLC, diameter ≤ 20 mm, and consolidation tumor ratio >0.5 were analyzed.

Results

The 122 patients were divided into a segment 6 group (n = 51) and a basal segment group (n = 71). Frequency of lymph node metastasis was significantly higher in the segment 6 group (17.7%) than in the basal segment group (4.2%; p = 0.01). Metastases to lymph node station 7 were seen in five of 122 patients (4.1%). Hilar lymph node metastasis occurred in nine of 122 patients (7.4%). Notably, metastases to station 11, 11i and 11 s lymph nodes were the most frequent patterns for hilar lymph nodes (41.7%).

Conclusions

Station 11 lymph nodes are adjacent to the remaining lung segment or pulmonary artery in S6 segmentectomy or basal segmentectomy. Part of the NSCLC in segment 6 patients may thus be considered for lobectomy owing to the difficulty of complete dissection of station 11 lymph nodes.
Successful treatment with atezolizumab combination chemotherapy in a patient with high‐grade fetal adenocarcinoma of the lung: A case report
Authors: Fujimoto Kana , Watanabe Satomi , Yasuda Yuto , Date Emi , Kawabata Yasuhiro , Kanemura Hiroaki , Takahama Takayuki , Yonesaka Kimio , Iizuka Norishige , Takahashi Ken‐ichi , Kawakami Osamu , Ozaki Tomohiro , Nakagawa Kazuhiko
Published: December 2022

High‐grade fetal lung adenocarcinoma (H‐FLAC) is a rare tumor, with little known of its response to chemotherapy with or without an immune checkpoint inhibitor or of its molecular profile. We report the first case of a 56‐year‐old man with stage IV H‐FLAC who was successfully treated with carboplatin plus nab‐paclitaxel in combination with atezolizumab. In addition, the tumor was found to be positive for amplification of the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 gene.
A theoretical framework based on the needs of smart aged care for Chinese community‐dwelling older adults: A grounded theory study
Authors: Li Miao , Shen Jun , Wang Xinxia , Chen Qiu , Xiaoyan Liao , Ren Liu
Published: December 2022

Purpose

With technological progress, the integration of aged care with technology is a new challenge. This study developed a theoretical model of smart aged care in the community to meet the diverse needs of community‐dwelling older adults.

Methods

This qualitative study recruited 22 participants from three communities in Chongqing, China. Through semi‐structured interviews and grounded theory, this study analyzed the needs of community‐dwelling older adults for smart aged care and identified strategies.

Results

Nine categories were identified, including five need categories, three important factors, and one outcome objective. Furthermore, four health provider topics were proposed.

Conclusions

Although the application of information technology has enhanced convenience and possibilities, its popularity and satisfaction are low. Information technology can be successfully introduced into the lives of community‐dwelling older adults only by truly understanding their needs.

Implications of nursing practice

Smart aged care in the community has positive effects on nursing outcomes for older adults. This study's findings can help caregivers understand the various dimensions of the needs of community‐dwelling older adults and relevant influencing factors under smart aged care to increase its popularity and satisfaction. Furthermore, this can promote the integration of intelligent technology and manual services in nursing practice.
The effect of ketamine and fentanyl on haemodynamics during intubation in pre‐hospital and retrieval medicine
Authors: Ferguson Ian M. C. , Miller Matthew R. , Partyka Christopher , Bliss James , Aneman Anders , Harris Ian A.
Published: December 2022

Background

Ketamine use for rapid sequence intubation (RSI) is frequent in pre‐hospital and retrieval medicine (PHARM) and is associated with potentially deleterious haemodynamic changes, which may be ameliorated by concurrent use of fentanyl.

Objectives

To describe the frequency with which fentanyl is used in conjunction with ketamine in a system where its use is discretionary, and to explore any observed changes in haemodynamics with its use.

Methods

A retrospective observational study of over 800 patients undergoing RSI with ketamine ± fentanyl in the PHARM setting between 2015 and 2019. The primary outcome was the proportion of patients in each group who had a systolic blood pressure (SBP) outside a pre‐specified target range, with adjustment for baseline abnormality, within 10 min of anaesthetic induction.

Results

Eight hundred and seventy‐six patients were anaesthetised with ketamine, of whom 804 were included in the analysis. 669 (83%, 95% CI 80%–86%) received ketamine alone, and 135 (17%, 95% CI 14%–20%) received both fentanyl and ketamine. Median fentanyl dose was 1.1 mcg/kg (IQR 0.75–1.5 mcg/kg). Systolic blood pressure (SBP) at induction was consistently associated with SBP after intubation in multivariable logistic regression, but fentanyl use was not associated with a change in odds of meeting the primary outcome (OR 1.08; 95% CI 0.72–1.60), becoming hypertensive (OR 1.35; 95% CI 0.88–2.07) or hypotensive (OR 0.76; 95% CI 0.47–1.21).

Conclusions

The addition of fentanyl to ketamine for RSI was not associated with an alteration of the odds of post‐induction haemodynamic stability, although the doses used were low. These findings justify further study into the optimal dosing of fentanyl during RSI in pre‐hospital and retrieval medicine.
The greening effects of regional innovation symbiosis – Evidence from Chinese listed firms
Authors: Liu Haiyue , Wang Cangyu , Zhang Qin , Zhao Changyi , Jiang Jie
Published: December 2022

This paper investigates the regional innovation symbiosis effect on firm green innovation. Chinese A‐share listed firms from 2012 to 2018 were the sample and the entropy method was used to construct a regional innovation symbiosis index. We found that innovation symbiosis significantly promoted firm‐level green innovation, with regional government environment investment playing an intermediary role. Further tests indicated that the effect was more pronounced when firms were in cities that had green industrial parks and in firms that publicly disclosed more environmental information. State‐owned firms were found to be more likely to focus on green innovation in higher innovation symbiosis systems.
Effect of a Veterans Health Administration mandate to case review patients with opioid prescriptions on mortality among patients with opioid use disorder: a secondary analysis of the STORM randomized control trial
Authors: Auty Samantha G. , Barr Kyle D. , Frakt Austin B. , Garrido Melissa M. , Strombotne Kiersten L.
Published: December 2022

Aims

The Veterans Health Administration (VHA) implemented the Stratification Tool for Opioid Risk Mitigation (STORM) to reduce the risk of serious adverse events (SAE) among patients with opioid analgesic prescriptions. VHA facilities were mandated to case review patients identified as high risk by STORM. The aim of this study was to measure the effect of this mandate on all‐cause mortality and SAEs among VHA patients newly diagnosed with opioid use disorder (OUD).

Design

Secondary analysis of a stepped‐wedged cluster randomized controlled trial conducted at all 140 VHA facilities, with facility as the unit of randomization, from 2018 to 2020.

Setting and Participants

United States VHA facilities were randomized to case review the top 1 or 5% of high‐risk patients prescribed opioid analgesics identified by STORM. A total of 28 251 patients were diagnosed with OUD during the trial and were considered control or treatment depending on the status of the facility where they received their OUD diagnosis. Post‐hoc analyses among patients who had at least one opioid analgesic prescription in the 90 days prior to diagnosis were conducted and were then stratified by receipt of a prescription in the 90 days following diagnosis to assess the sensitivity of results to opioid discontinuation.

Measurements

All‐cause mortality and opioid‐related, drug‐related, suicide‐related and other SAEs within 90 days of OUD diagnosis.

Findings

Mandated case review increased the odds of 90‐day mortality [odds ratio (OR) = 1.74, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.06, 2.87], but did not significantly change the odds of SAEs. Among patients who received an opioid prescription prior to but not after OUD diagnosis, the odds of all‐cause mortality within 90 days was 5.87 (95% CI = 1.85, 18.58) relative to control patients.

Conclusions

Veterans Health Administration patients newly diagnosed with opioid use disorder experienced increased all‐cause mortality following expansion of a case review mandate for high‐risk patients prescribed opioids.