bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Navigating global horizons: a review of export promotion and foreign market entry strategies for small and medium enterprises (SMEs)
Authors: Chopra Ritika , Bhardwaj Seema , Baber Hasnan , Idris Sanusi Olajide
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study aims to conduct a systematic review of the existing literature on export promotion and foreign market entry strategies for small and medium enterprises (SMEs).

Design/methodology/approach

This study incorporates systematic literature review by using bibliometric technique and content analysis of 195 scholarly papers published between 2000 and 2024 obtained from Scopus database, using the PRISMA principles and a methodological framework.

Findings

The use of quantitative analysis has shown dynamic patterns in publication trends, characterized by notable increases in recent years. These trends align with the changing dynamics of the global economy and shifting priorities in international commerce. The study reveals thematic frameworks using author collaboration analysis, word cloud visualizations and a thematic map, providing insights into a significant motor, niche and developing issues that shape the discussion on the international growth of SMEs.

Research limitations/implications

It offers significant insights that can benefit academics, policymakers and practitioners who are interested in understanding and navigating the intricate terrain of export promotion and market access strategies specifically tailored for small firms.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, the study is the first of a kind that presents a systematic examination of the existing body of knowledge on the internationalization of SMEs.
The power of financial literacy: paving a clear path for the influence of board diversity on intellectual capital disclosure
Authors: Zaid Mohammad A.A. , Issa Ayman , Wael Al-Khatib Ayman
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Utilizing a multi-theoretical framework, this study aims to investigate the impact of board gender and nationality diversity on the extent of intellectual capital disclosure. Additionally, it seeks to explore the moderating role of financial literacy among audit committee members on the aforementioned relationship.

Design/methodology/approach

To empirically test the study’s framework, a panel dataset of listed firms on the Palestine Stock Exchange (PEX) spanning 12 years (2010–2022) was utilized. To address potential endogeneity issues and ensure robust findings, a battery of econometric estimators was employed, including ordinary least squares (OLS), one-step system generalized method of moments (GMM), lagged independent variables and a sub-index model.

Findings

The study findings make a significant contribution to existing intellectual capital literature. Specifically, the results reveal that the positive influence of board gender and nationality diversity on the extent of corporate intellectual capital disclosure is stronger when there is a high proportion of audit committee financial literacy. Additionally, the study distinguishes between overall index and sub-index analyses. Interestingly, the findings from the sub-index analysis, focusing on structural capital, relational capital and human capital, are somewhat similar to the results of the full index analysis.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study represents the first empirical attempt to uncover the impact of financial literacy among audit committee members on the relationship between board diversity and intellectual capital disclosure.
Integrating health and child protection systems: towards collaboratively improving health outcomes for children in kinship care in rural Australia
Authors: Modderman Corina , Sanders Rachael Elizabeth , Harley Fiona , Ficarra Renée , Jukes Cheree
Published: October 2024

Purpose

There is a growing recognition that the integration of health systems will benefit children in out-of-home care (OOHC), especially those who have experienced trauma. This paper examines the adaptation of existing health systems and the persistent barriers between rural health and child protection programs. It focuses on health systems integration for children aged 0–6 years in kinship care and their siblings.

Design/methodology/approach

The study applied a multi-methods qualitative approach involving individual interviews and focus groups with project members from operational or strategic reference groups, child protection personnel and the kinship carer program. We also reviewed documentary evidence.

Findings

We found evidence that health clinicians and child protection practitioners adapted and adjusted services as they collaboratively worked together to improve care delivery to children in kinship care. Yet, despite successful adaptations to systems and the appointment of a health navigator, systemic barriers remain. These include service and staff shortages in rural Australia, complications around information sharing, authority and power dynamics and siloed operations. Such barriers prevent better-integrated health systems and ultimately impair health outcomes for children in kinship care.

Originality/value

This paper contributes to knowledge and practice to improve the integration of child protection and healthcare services in Australian OOHC. It provides valuable insights into the challenges and successes of health systems integration, highlighting the need for continued collaborative effort to create effective, place-based models of care that benefit these children and their carers.
Dynamic intercultural learning and collaboration: transforming language teacher perspectives and practices
Authors: Han Soyoung , Senyshyn Roxanna
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the impact of intercultural learning and collaboration on two English as a world language teachers from South Korea and Taiwan within a virtual professional development program, emphasizing their evolving understanding of culture and interculturality and its implications for practice.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing qualitative research design, this study incorporates three sources of data: written reflections, online meetings and semistructured interviews. Data is examined through the cultural perspectives framework (Hall, Covarrubias and Kirschbaum, 2022) to analyze how teachers (re)frame culture and interculturality in English language teaching, specifically through the lens of interpretive, critical and socio-scientific perspectives.

Findings

The findings reveal that engaging in facilitated professional intercultural learning and collaboration enhances teachers’ perspectives and practices regarding cultural complexities in language classrooms. The study highlights the importance of reflective practice, collaborative professional learning and the adoption of multiple cultural perspectives.

Originality/value

This research enriches the field of intercultural education by advocating for a structured approach to teacher learning in bridging the gap between theory and practice. It uniquely applies Hall et al.’s (2022) ICS framework to analyze how teachers (re)frame culture and interculturality in English language teaching. The originality is in the in-depth analysis of the intricate dynamics of teacher learning and the transformative potential of intercultural collaboration.
Staff’s understanding of the role of least restrictive practice in the development of obesity in secure psychiatric inpatients
Authors: Lloyd Anna , Davies Joseph Lloyd , Semmens-Wheeler Rebecca , Alfaraj Ali Isa , Naranjo Domingo Gonzalez , Breen Kieran
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the ethical challenges of managing the weight of psychiatric patients in the least restrictive manner in secure mental health settings and whether these could be considered as a source of moral distress for health practitioners, which may be linked to staff burnout and ultimately lead to suboptimal patient care.

Design/methodology/approach

A qualitative semi-structured interview study design was used to explore the understanding, views and experiences of six staff members working on two medium-secure wards in a UK mental health hospital using an opportunity sampling technique and Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis.

Findings

Analysis of semi-structured interviews revealed a multitude of moral events that evoked feelings of frustration, powerlessness and anxiety related to the management of obesity in the least restrictive way, which is indicative of moral distress.

Research limitations/implications

Due to the small sample size and the qualitative nature of the research, the findings of this study are of explorative in nature. Further quantitative research would be required to establish a causative link between the ethical challenges associated with obesity management and staff’s moral distress.

Practical implications

Addressing the health-care professionals’ knowledge deficit on how to achieve the right balance in their duty of care through inclusion of bioethics into professional discussions and training could improve staff’s well-being and the organisation’s ethical climate.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first qualitative work exploring the role of least restrictive practice in the challenges associated with health promotion within secure psychiatric settings, and the effect these challenges have on mental health staff.
Construction of collective self-determination in development-oriented group discussions
Authors: Keronen Sara , Lemmetty Soila , Collin Kaija Marjukka
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore the construction of collective self-determination in development-oriented group discussions. This paper provides empirical understanding of how collective self-determination is constructed in social interaction using certain communication styles.

Design/methodology/approach

The qualitative data were based on four development-oriented group discussions (totaling 180 min) of supervisors from Finnish central hospital and information and communication technology organization. Participants from hospitals worked as head nurses, while those from information technology organizations worked as leaders and project managers. The data were analysed through interaction and content analyses.

Findings

Based on the findings, collective self-determination is constructed in social interaction through speech sections in which individuals’ different speech acts facilitate basic psychological needs of autonomy, competence and relatedness. In collective self-determination, the individual and the collective are emphasized at the same time, meaning that collective self-determination cannot occur without individual-level self-determination.

Practical implications

Organizations and teams should focus on finding suitable ways to implement collective self-determination and consider the importance of social interaction and certain communication styles. Moreover, employees should be offered enough resources and support to be able to work in collectively self-determined manner.

Originality/value

The study offered an approach to understand self-determination and its construction in group discussions aiming at collective learning. Collective self-determination emphasizes the group and its ability to be autonomous, responsible and capable to learn and to orient toward common goals and tasks. As such, it extends the previous understanding of self-determination as collective-level phenomenon. More research is needed in the context of working life.
The effect of servant leadership on organizational citizenship behavior in the South Korean Police: the mediating roles of psychological empowerment and organizational commitment
Authors: Jang Jaeseong , Kang Young Cheoul
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study explored the relationship between servant leadership (SL) and organizational citizenship behavior (OCB) from the perspective of South Korean Police officers. We also investigated the mediating roles of psychological empowerment (PE) and organizational commitment (OC).

Design/methodology/approach

In this study, the authors analyzed 439 survey responses from South Korean Police officers. The mediation model was tested using structural equation modeling.

Findings

The results showed that SL had a significantly positive influence on OCB among South Korean Police. Moreover, PE and OC partially mediated the relationship between SL and OCB. Officers who perceive their leader as a servant leader are more likely to have a positive perception of OCB. These findings show that PE is a more efficient mediator than OC.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the generalization of knowledge by empirically testing the relationship between SL and OCB in the South Korean Police. The results show that SL theory can be applied to the Korean Police. By capturing the specific characteristics of the Korean Police, such as the powerful effect of PE, this study supports leadership contingency theory.
Impact of typical environments in China's western mountainous areas on the durability of railway concrete: a review
Authors: Wang Jiahe , Tan Yanbin , Li Huajian , Zhong Xinhua , Wang Jiaxuan , Gao Yu
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the impact mechanism of typical environments in China's western mountainous areas on the durability of railway concrete and propose measures to improve durability.

Design/methodology/approach

With the continuous promotion of infrastructure construction, the focus of China's railway construction has gradually shifted to the western region. The four typical environments of large temperature differences, strong winds and dryness, high cold and low air pressure unique to the western mountainous areas of China have adverse effects on the durability of typical railway structure concrete (bridges, ballastless tracks and tunnels). This study identified the characteristics of four typical environments in the western mountainous areas of China through on-site research. The impact mechanism of the four typical environments on the durability of concrete in different structural parts of railways has been explored through theoretical analysis and experimental research; Finally, a strategy for improving the durability of railway concrete suitable for the western mountainous areas of China was proposed.

Findings

The daily temperature difference in the western mountainous areas of China is more than twice that of the plain region, which will lead to significant temperature deformation and stress in the multi-layered structure of railway ballastless tracks. It will result in cracking. The wind speed in the western plateau region is about 2.5 to 3 times that of the plain region, and the average annual rainfall is only 1/5 of that in the plain region. The drying effect on the surface of casting concrete will significantly accelerate its cracking process, leading to serious durability problems. The environmental temperature in the western mountainous areas of China is generally low, and there are more freeze-thaw cycles, which will increase the risk of freeze-thaw damage to railway concrete. The environmental air pressure in the western plateau region is only 60% of that in the plain region. The moisture inside the concrete is more likely to diffuse into the surrounding environment under the pressure difference, resulting in greater water loss and shrinkage deformation of the concrete in the plateau region. The above four issues will collectively lead to the rapid deterioration of concrete durability in the western plateau region. The corresponding durability improvement suggestions from theoretical research, new technology development and standard system was proposed in this paper.

Originality/value

The research can provide the mechanism of durability degradation of railway concrete in the western mountainous areas of China and corresponding improvement strategies.
Seismic imaging of deep‐seated gold deposit and host rocks through a reappraisal of legacy seismic data in the Fochville mining area, South Africa
Authors: Mutshafa Ndamulelo , Manzi Musa S. D. , James Ian , Durrheim Raymond J. , Jogee Bibi Ayesha
Published: October 2024

Reappraisal of legacy reflection seismic data has shown to deliver value in mineral exploration, particularly in brownfield settings. In this work, we demonstrate how the reappraisal and processing of legacy reflection seismic data can be advantageous in the mineral exploration industry. We use today's standard seismic processing tools to improve the imaging of deep and complex geological structures that host mineral deposits. The recovered and processed 25.3 km long legacy seismic profile in this study was acquired in 1983 by the Gold Division of Anglo‐American as part of the Witwatersrand Gold Fields exploration program. This study aims to improve the imaging of the Ventersdorp Contact Reef gold‐bearing horizon (termed reef), a world‐class gold deposit (2 m thick) situated at depths between ∼2400 and ∼4100 m below the ground surface near South Deep Gold Mine in Fochville, South Africa. The final processing results from the pre‐stack time and phase‐shift migration approaches clearly reveal a dipping reflection associated with the gold‐bearing horizon and major steeply dipping faults that crosscut and displace the deposit. The final results are integrated with borehole information, 1D synthetic modelling and aeromagnetic data to constrain the structural interpretation. In particular, 1D synthetic simulation and borehole data constrain the depth position of the gold deposit. The magnetic data provides additional constraints on the complex faulted blocks of the host rocks such as the intrusions that may have a direct impact on ore resources and evaluation. The mining companies, such as South Deep Gold Mine, operating closer to the seismic profiles can use this new structural information to update the current geological models and improve future mine planning and designs, thus providing some insight into the prospectivity of unmined ground.
Sir William Capell and A Royal Chain: The Afterlives (and Death) of King Edward V
Authors: Thornton Tim
Published: October 2024

It is generally assumed that the memory of Edward V, king of England, was an important part of the politics and culture of the century following his disappearance and probable murder in 1483. This article considers the material culture associated with Edward and contributes to an understanding of his fate and how it was viewed in the reigns of Richard III, Henry VII, and beyond. In stark contrast to the experience of other elite figures in the period, Edward's memory was not promoted and supported through any of the potential lieux de mémoire which might have been preserved, created, or adapted for the purpose. The decades to the middle of the sixteenth century saw little if anything by way of an emerging tradition of visual presentations of the king. There was no indication of the emergence of physical locations in which his memory might be cultivated, and textual references remain sparse. A previously overlooked reference to Edward's chain, in the possession of the Capell family early in the sixteenth century, illustrates the remarkably limited interest in Edward as a personality and in his fate in the years after his disappearance. And while there is a clear possibility that the chain came to the Capell family in some neutral way, as the king's property was distributed in the aftermath of Edward's disappearance, there is also the possibility that it came as a result of his murder – and through the Capells’ connection with the alleged murderer, Sir James Tyrell.
Selecting and ranking female candidates under PR: Evidence from a two‐stage conjoint experiment with party elites
Authors: JANKOWSKI MICHAEL , REHMERT JOCHEN
Published: October 2024

Does gender affect candidate selection and list placement under proportional representation (PR)? Existing research argues that PR systems have a positive effect on women's representation due to a more inclusive candidate selection process. However, analysing the actual process of candidate selection under PR before observing the final party list is challenging, and little is known about the preferences and strategies of party elites when selecting and ranking candidates. To address this lacuna, we conduct a novel two‐stage conjoint experiment with party elites in Austria, which allows us to differentiate between two distinct mechanisms in candidate nomination under PR: selection and ranking. Our findings indicate that women generally have an advantage with respect to selection but find themselves subject to same‐sex preferences when it comes to ranking on the list, for which they otherwise benefit from being low in supply. These findings have important implications for understanding patterns of female under‐representation in PR systems.
Measuring the Prevalence of Earnings Manipulations: A Novel Approach
Authors: CADE NICOLE L. , GUNN JOSHUA L. , VANDENBERG ALEX J.
Published: October 2024

We provide prevalence estimates for five forms of earnings manipulation based on executives’ reports about their firms’ actual reporting practices. After preregistering our methods and analyses via the Journal of Accounting Research’s registration‐based editorial process, we recruit nearly a thousand executives from firms listed in the Russell 3000 Index to participate in either a survey or a list experiment; the hallmark of the latter being additional privacy protections designed to promote honest disclosure about self‐incriminating information. In our survey, 26.8% of executives disclose at least one form of earnings manipulation at their firm in the 2018–2023 period: 18.0% report changing an operational activity to meet a near‐term earnings target at the expense of long‐term value (i.e., real earnings management), 8.8% report intentionally obfuscating unfavorable information, 6.6% report manipulating accruals, 3.9% report withholding material information, and 0.0% report accounting fraud. Our list experiment produces an economically higher result in two cases, estimating that 29.9% of firms engaged in real earnings management and 12.4% committed accounting fraud over the same time period. We conclude that while a traditional survey can provide credible lower‐bound estimates for the prevalence of many forms of earnings manipulation, list experiments encourage more honest disclosure in some cases.
Financial Barriers to Reducing Nitrogen Pollution in Dutch Dairy Farms
Authors: Lamkowsky Melina , Ang Frederic , Meuwissen Miranda P.M.
Published: October 2024

Nitrogen fertiliser boosts agricultural yields, but its excessive use destabilises ecosystems. That is why Dutch policy makers want to reduce nitrogen pollution on dairy farms. Cleaner technologies and structural changes could reduce farm emissions. We benchmarked farms, organised an expert consultation, and reviewed the literature to determine the degree to which the lack of available internal and external finance is a barrier to reducing nitrogen pollution. Although the average dairy farm in our sample can finance these investments, a significant share of farmers cannot. We find that investments vastly drain the currently accessible finances available to dairy farmers. Subsidies to reduce the price of investments and measures to increase farm net cash flows could mitigate this problem, while equity funds or preferential interest rate systems would be ineffective. Farm management is not bound by access to finance. Our findings suggest that improved management could vastly reduce the accumulation of nitrogen surplus on farms. Interestingly, we estimate that this can be achieved while increasing profits. The wide‐scale adoption of best practices can be facilitated by establishing and financing advisory services and peer learning programmes to spread knowledge and awareness.
A case of leiomyosarcoma originating from the azygos vein
Authors: Shimura Masatoshi , Kobayashi Nobutaka , Miyazawa Masahisa
Published: October 2024

Leiomyosarcoma is a soft‐tissue sarcoma that accounts for less than 1% of all malignant tumors. Furthermore, leiomyosarcoma accounts for 6% of all soft tissue sarcomas, and leiomyosarcoma of azygos vein origin is extremely rare. In this report, we describe a case of leiomyosarcoma derived from an azygos vein that was completely resected. A 78‐year‐old male patient was incidentally found to have a mediastinal mass during a computed tomography (CT) scan performed for the evaluation of prostate cancer. Bronchoscopic needle biopsy revealed the mass to be a leiomyosarcoma. Preoperative contrast‐enhanced CT demonstrated a filling defect in the azygos vein, suggesting the tumor's origin from this structure. Video‐assisted thoracoscopic surgery (VATS) was performed to resect the mediastinal tumor. The tumor was found to have minimal adhesions to surrounding tissues and no evidence of local invasion, although findings suggested it originated from the azygos vein. Consequently, en bloc resection of the azygos vein was performed. Postoperative histopathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of leiomyosarcoma originating from the azygos vein, and complete resection was performed.
Life on the edge: A new toolbox for population‐level climate change vulnerability assessments
Authors: Barratt Christopher D. , Onstein Renske E. , Pinsky Malin L. , Steinfartz Sebastian , Kühl Hjalmar S. , Forester Brenna R. , Razgour Orly
Published: October 2024

Global change is impacting biodiversity across all habitats on earth. New selection pressures from changing climatic conditions and other anthropogenic activities are creating heterogeneous ecological and evolutionary responses across many species' geographic ranges. Yet we currently lack standardised and reproducible tools to effectively predict the resulting patterns in species vulnerability to declines or range changes.

We developed an informatic toolbox that integrates ecological, environmental and genomic data and analyses (environmental dissimilarity, species distribution models, landscape connectivity, neutral and adaptive genetic diversity, genotype‐environment associations and genomic offset) to estimate population vulnerability. In our toolbox, functions and data structures are coded in a standardised way so that it is applicable to any species or geographic region where appropriate data are available, for example individual or population sampling and genomic datasets (e.g. RAD‐seq, ddRAD‐seq, whole genome sequencing data) representing environmental variation across the species geographic range.

To demonstrate multi‐species applicability, we apply our toolbox to three georeferenced genomic datasets for co‐occurring East African spiny reed frogs (Afrixalus fornasini, A. delicatus and A. sylvaticus) to predict their population vulnerability, as well as demonstrating that range loss projections based on adaptive variation can be accurately reproduced from a previous study using data for two European bat species (Myotis escalerai and M. crypticus).

Our framework sets the stage for large scale, multi‐species genomic datasets to be leveraged in a novel climate change vulnerability framework to quantify intraspecific differences in genetic diversity, local adaptation, range shifts and population vulnerability based on exposure, sensitivity and landscape barriers.
Negative Externalities of Regulation: Identity‐relevant Information in Mandatory Short‐selling Disclosures
Authors: Madelaine Alexandre
Published: October 2024

Since November 2012, short sellers have been required to disclose all their significant short positions against European firms. While this regulation was primarily implemented to have implications for financial markets, I explore its negative externalities on shorted firms. Using mandatory disclosures of short positions between 2013 and 2019, I find that short‐selling notifications and the number of short sellers with an open short position are positively associated with shorted firms’ dividend policies. Notably, the association is more pronounced for upward and initial notifications compared to downward and follow‐up notifications. These results are robust to several matching methods and a battery of robustness tests. Additional results reveal that shorted firms might increase their dividends because short‐selling disclosures reveal the identity of active and large short sellers, highlighting the importance of short sellers’ heterogeneity. I also show that shorted firms increase their dividends temporarily and do not react homogenously, as they engage in a cost–benefit analysis to decide whether to use their dividend policy. Overall, I document the real effects on shorted firms of an alternative form of short selling, bridging the gap between passive and activist short selling. I conclude that mandatory short‐selling disclosure regimes carry negative externalities for firms due to the provision of short sellers’ identity‐relevant information.
Omalizumab is effective and safe in chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU): Real‐world data from a large multi‐national UCARE study
Authors: Soegiharto R. , Alizadeh Aghdam M. , Sørensen J. A. , van Lindonk E. , Bulut Demir F. , Mohammad Porras N. , Matsuo Y. , Kiefer L. , Knulst A. C. , Maurer M. , Ritchie C. , Rudenko M. , Kocatürk E. , Criado R. F. J. , Gregoriou S. , Bobylev T. , Kleinheinz A. , Takahagi S. , Hide M. , Giménez‐Arnau A. M. , Salman A. , Kara R. Oztas , Dikicier B. S. , van Doorn M. B. A. , Thomsen S. F. , van den Reek J. M. P. A. , Röckmann H.
Published: October 2024

Background

Long‐term data on the effectiveness and safety of omalizumab for chronic inducible urticaria (CIndU) in large populations are lacking.

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness, safety, estimated omalizumab treatment duration and its predictors, as well as differences between CIndU subtypes, in a large long‐term CIndU cohort.

Methods

A multinational multicenter study was conducted at 14 specialized urticaria centres (UCAREs), including all CIndU patients ever treated with omalizumab from 2009 until July 2022. Kaplan–Meier survival and regression analyses were performed.

Results

Across 234 CIndU patients (55% female; mean age 37 years), 76% (n = 178) had standalone CIndU and 24% (n = 56) had predominant CIndU plus minor CSU, with an observation period up to 13 years. Most CIndU patients (73%, n = 145/200 with available data on response) had complete/good response to omalizumab treatment, without significant differences between CIndU subtypes. Sixty‐two (26%) patients discontinued omalizumab; due to well‐controlled disease (47%, n = 29), ineffectiveness (34%, n = 21), side effects (3%, n = 2), combination of ineffectiveness and side effects (3%, n = 2) and other reasons (13%, n = 8). The median estimated omalizumab treatment duration exceeded 5 years (54% drug survival at 5 years) and was mostly determined by well‐controlled disease. Higher age predicted a lower chance to discontinue omalizumab due to well‐controlled disease (HR 0.969, 95%CI 0.945–0.995). CIndU subtype and presence of minor CSU were not related to response and time until omalizumab discontinuation for any reason.

Conclusion

Omalizumab is highly effective and safe in CIndU patients, with long estimated treatment duration mainly reflecting long disease duration. Our data show omalizumab's high potential as treatment in any subtype of CIndU and support its clinical use for these patients.
Children had smaller brain volumes and cortical surface areas after prenatal opioid maintenance therapy exposure
Authors: Aslaksen Anne Kathinka , Bjuland Knut Jørgen , Hoem Mari Leirdal , Horgen Gro , Haugen Olav H. , Skranes Jon , Aukland Stein Magnus
Published: October 2024

Aim

The studies have shown that infants with prenatal OMT exposure had smaller brain volumes than non‐exposed controls, but long‐term outcome data are lacking. We examined 5–13‐year‐old OMT‐exposed children with brain MRI and tested motor and visual‐motor functions and possible associations between brain morphology and outcome.

Methods

To this retrospective cohort study, we recruited 55 children with prenatal OMT exposure and 59 age‐ and gender‐matched controls. They were examined with brain MRI, Movement‐ABC and Beery‐VMI. MRI images were processed with the Free Surfer® software to obtain volumetrics and estimates of cortical surface area and thickness. We used a general linear regression model (GLM) to calculate group differences.

Results

The children in the OMT group had smaller mean total intracranial volume (ICV), 1407 cm3 (CI 95% 1379–1434) versus 1450 cm3 (CI 95% 1423–1476) in the control group (p = 0.026). After adjusting for ICV, significant group differences persisted for volumes of amygdala, basal ganglia and mid‐posterior part of corpus callosum. Cortical surface area was smaller in the left caudal middle frontal gyrus and the right inferior parietal lobule in the OMT‐group. Visual‐motor function was significantly correlated with ICV.

Conclusion

Prenatal OMT exposure may alter early brain development with possible negative long‐term functional consequences.
Do geographic distance, cultural distance, and political hazards equally matter for Japanese firms' outbound mergers and acquisitions? A firm‐ and deal‐level empirical analysis
Authors: Jiang Yanwen , Noma Mikiharu
Published: October 2024

Several studies on cultural clusters classify Japan as independent, meaning that wherever Japanese firms go abroad, they must adapt to very different environments. This study examines how Japanese firms treat deterrent effects of geographic distance, cultural distance, and political hazards and whether the deterrent effects may vary with firm size, firm age, and ownership solution. Results using data on Japanese firms' outbound mergers and acquisitions (M&A) from 2010 to 2019 reveal that (1) only the deterrent effect of geographic distance is absolute. (2) Larger firms with larger slack resources in their home country are less concerned about geographic distances and political hazards. (3) Older firms, exposed to typical practices and norms for a long time, are less adaptable to cultural distances. (4) The deterrent effect of geographic distance is weaker for complete control mode on the one hand, on the other hand, the moderating effect of complete control mode on political hazards hinges on firm size and age due to trade‐offs between integration benefits and resource/experience constraints.
Estimated incidence of symptomatic Lyme borreliosis cases in five southern coastal counties in Norway, 2022
Authors: Colby Emily , Molden Tor , Olsen Julia , Kelly Patrick , Pilz Andreas , Halsby Kate , Brestrich Gordon , Angulo Frederick J. , Moïsi Jennifer C. , Stark James H.
Published: October 2024

Lyme borreliosis (LB), the most common tick‐borne disease in Europe, is endemic to southern coastal Norway. LB commonly presents as erythema migrans, which can disseminate, resulting in more severe disease such as Lyme neuroborreliosis or arthritis. In Norway, public health LB surveillance is conducted via mandatory reporting of laboratory‐confirmed disseminated cases. From 2012 to 2022, Norway's surveillance‐reported incidence of laboratory‐confirmed disseminated LB increased by 78%. Although surveillance provides estimates of the incidence of disseminated LB, this study sought to estimate the incidence of symptomatic LB to better understand Norway's LB disease burden. Two studies were identified that, when combined, estimated an LB seroprevalence of 6.8% in the general adult population in southern Norway. Utilizing data from these seroprevalence studies, public health surveillance, and results from literature searches indicating that 37% of seroconverted LB cases are symptomatic and that the duration of LB antibody detection ranges from 10 to 20 years, we estimated that there were 315–630 symptomatic LB cases per 100,000 adult population in five southern coastal counties in Norway in 2022 and 24–48 cases of symptomatic LB for every public health surveillance‐reported LB case in adults in these five counties in Norway.
Energy demand pattern analysis in South Korea using hidden Markov model‐based classification
Authors: Lee Jaeyong , Hwang Beom Seuk
Published: October 2024

Understanding energy demand patterns in the residential sector is crucial for improving energy efficiency through demand‐side management. Load curve classification is a useful method for analyzing energy demand patterns. In this paper, we employ a hidden Markov model (HMM)‐based classification to residential load curves in South Korea. We also investigate how the number of hidden states affects classification performance by allowing HMM to train with a different number of hidden states for each class. We compare our HMM‐based method with several state‐of‐the‐art models and find that it outperforms other competing models in multiple datasets. Additionally, we use the fitted HMM model to make inferences about the load curves, gaining deeper insights into energy demand patterns.
How parenting styles affect the development of language skills and reading comprehension in primary school students
Authors: Yu Liyan , Huang Jing , Liu Phil Duo , Yeung Susanna Siu‐Sze , Lin Dan , Cheung Him , Tong Xiuhong
Published: October 2024

Background and Aims

This study examined how parenting styles influence children's language skills and reading comprehension.

Materials and Methods

Six hundred and eighty‐five Chinese‐speaking third graders (Mage = 9.23 years, SD = .66; 341 girls) were randomly recruited from eight primary schools. We measured students' primary caregivers' parenting styles, parental education, family income, migration status, number of children's extracurricular books in the home and family cohesion at Wave 1 (i.e. grade 3). We also assessed students' reading motivation, language skills (i.e. vocabulary knowledge and syntactic awareness) and reading comprehension at Wave 2 (i.e. grade 4).

Results

The structural equation model analysis revealed that parenting styles indirectly affect language and reading comprehension development, with authoritative and authoritarian parenting exerting different influences on the two outcomes. Specifically, authoritative parenting was positively related to the number of children's books, which in turn was directly, or indirectly through reading motivation, associated with children's language skills and reading comprehension. In contrast, authoritarian parenting was negatively related to family cohesion, which was associated with children's reading motivation, and consequently, their language skills and reading comprehension. The multigroup analysis showed that the indirect pathways varied slightly across parental migration statuses.

Discussion and Conclusion

These findings enhance the global understanding of the pathways linking parenting styles to children's language skills and reading comprehension, suggesting that educators and researchers should not overly emphasize the direct role of parenting styles in children's academic performance.
Genomic and transcriptomic profiling of pre‐ and postneoadjuvant chemotherapy triple negative breast cancer tumors
Authors: Nishimura Tomomi , Velaga Ravi , Masuda Norikazu , Kawaguchi Kosuke , Kawaguchi Shuji , Takada Masahiro , Maeshima Yurina , Tanaka Sunao , Kikawa Yuichiro , Kadoya Takayuki , Bando Hiroko , Nakamura Rikiya , Yamamoto Yutaka , Ueno Takayuki , Yasojima Hiroyuki , Ishiguro Hiroshi , Morita Satoshi , Ohno Shinji , Haga Hironori , Matsuda Fumihiko , Ogawa Seishi , Toi Masakazu
Published: October 2024

Our understanding of neoadjuvant treatment with microtubule inhibitors (MTIs) for triple negative breast cancer (TNBC) remains limited. To advance our understanding of the role of breast cancer driver genes' mutational status with pathological complete response (pCR; ypT0/isypN0) prediction and to identify distinct gene sets for MTIs like eribulin and paclitaxel, we carried out targeted genomic (n = 50) and whole transcriptomic profiling (n = 64) of TNBC tumor samples from the Japan Breast Cancer Research Group 22 (JBCRG‐22) clinical trial. Lower PIK3CA, PTEN, and HRAS mutations were found in homologous recombination deficiency (HRD)‐high (HRD score ≥ 42) tumors with higher pCR rates. When HRD‐high tumors were stratified by tumor BRCA mutation status, the pCR rates in BRCA2‐mutated tumors were higher (83% vs. 36%). Transcriptomic profiling of TP53‐positive tumors identified downregulation of FGFR2 (false discovery rate p value = 2.07e‐7), which was also the only common gene between HRD‐high and ‐low tumors with pCR/quasi‐pCR treated with paclitaxel and eribulin combined with carboplatin, respectively. Differential enrichment analysis of the HRD‐high group posttreatment tumors revealed significant correlation (p = 0.006) of the glycan degradation pathway. FGFR2 expression and the differentially enriched pathways play a role in the response and resistance to MTIs containing carboplatin treatment in TNBC patients.
CX3CR1+CD8+ T cells: Key players in antitumor immunity
Authors: Ma Jiajin , Wu Yue , Wu Shaoxian , Fang Zhang , Chen Lujun , Jiang Jingting , Zheng Xiao
Published: October 2024

CX3CR1 functions as the specific receptor for the chemokine CX3CL1, demonstrating expression across a broad spectrum of immune cells. This underscores its pivotal role in communication and response mechanisms within the immune system. Upon engagement with CX3CL1, CX3CR1 initiates a cascade of downstream signaling pathways that regulate various biological functions. In the context of tumor progression, the intricate and inhibitory nature of the tumor microenvironment presents a significant challenge to current clinical treatment techniques. This review aims to comprehensively explore the tumor‐destructive potential shown by CX3CR1+CD8+ T cells. Simultaneously, it investigates the promising prospects of utilizing CX3CR1 in future tumor immunotherapies.
Myopia and systemic manifestation of tissue hyperlaxity: A population‐based cross‐sectional study
Authors: Hecht Idan , Nitzan Itay , Safir Margarita
Published: October 2024

Background

Whether non‐syndromic connective tissue hyperlaxity is associated with myopia is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between systemic signs of tissue hyperlaxity and myopia among adolescents.

Methods

Included were adolescents assessed before mandatory military service at the age of 16–18 years between 2011 and 2022. Diagnoses of hernias, pes planus, genu varus, genu valgum, and scoliosis, as well as joint injuries were used as surrogate markers for tissue hyperlaxity. The prevalence of these events among adolescents with myopia was evaluated and compared to the non‐myopic population.

Results

Included were 920 806 adolescents. The mean age was 17.4 ± 1.4 years and 58.6% were men. Myopia was diagnosed in 290 759 adolescents (31.6%) and high myopia in 24 069 adolescents (2.6%). The prevalence of hernias was higher among adolescents with myopia, (2.76%, 95% confidence interval (95% CI): 2.69%–2.82% vs. 2.60%, 95% CI: 2.57%–2.65%), as were pes planus (14.92%, 95% CI: 14.79–15.05 vs. 13.51%, 95% CI: 13.42–13.59) and scoliosis (9.14%, 95% CI: 9.03–9.24 vs. 7.69%, 95%CI: 7.62–7.76). The prevalence of joint injuries was clinically similar between groups (less than 0.1% difference for ankle, shoulder, and knee injuries), as were genu varum and genu valgum (0.66%, 95%CI: 0.64%–0.69% vs. 0.68%, 95% CI: 0.66–0.70, respectively). Adjusted for possible confounders results remained consistent.

Conclusions

Among a large sample of Israeli adolescents, those with myopia had a higher prevalence of hernias, pes planus, and scoliosis. These results could suggest a propensity for systemic conditions related to tissue laxity among myopic adolescents.
Metabolic outcomes in women 6 months and 2 years after preeclampsia versus normotensive pregnancy: A P4 study
Authors: Esber Yamema , Gow Megan L. , McLennan Sarah , Sushil Sathia , Roberts Lynne M. , Brown Mark , Mangos George , Pettit Franziska , Davis Greg K. , O'Sullivan Anthony J. , Henry Amanda
Published: October 2024

Preeclampsia is associated with an increased risk of long‐term cardiometabolic disease; however, little is known regarding metabolic factors in the early postpartum years potentially contributing to these health disparities. This study aimed to compare body composition, serum biochemical parameters, energy balance and diet 6 months and 2 years after normotensive pregnancy versus preeclampsia. This is the longitudinal metabolic sub‐study of the Postpartum Physiology, Psychology and Paediatric cohort study. Women were assessed 6 months and 2 years after normotensive pregnancy (n = 118) and preeclampsia (n = 47). Metabolic measures included anthropometry, body composition via bioelectrical impedance analysis, serum biochemical parameters, diet via a food recall diary, and 24‐h energy expenditure using SenseWear Armbands. Two years postpartum, women after preeclampsia continued to have significantly higher weight (median 67.1 kg vs. 63.1 kg, p = .04) compared to normotensive pregnancies, in addition to higher LDL cholesterol levels (2.7 ± 0.8 mmol/L vs. 2.4 ± 0.6 mmol/L, p = .03). These women were also more likely to have an elevated HOMA‐IR score ≥2.08 (44% vs. 19%, p = .01). For all women in our study, waist‐to‐hip ratio, percent fat mass and activity‐associated energy expenditure improved overtime. However, HDL cholesterol levels deteriorated, and excess saturated fat and sodium intake persisted from 6 months postpartum. Therefore, two years after preeclampsia, women remain at greater metabolic risk than their normotensive counterparts, with greater weight, LDL cholesterol and markers of insulin resistance, potentially contributing to long‐term cardiovascular morbidity and requiring early intervention.
The Association of Interleukin‐36 Staining Intensity and Response to Biologic Therapy in Patients With Psoriasis: A Retrospective Immunohistochemical and Chart Review Pilot Study
Authors: Zhang William R. , Bhutani Tina , North Jeffrey P.
Published: October 2024

Background

There are limited surrogate biomarkers to identify the active inflammatory pathway in psoriasis to direct treatment with targeted biologic therapies. We investigated the association of interleukin (IL)‐36 epidermal expression, a diagnostic marker of psoriasis, with response to biologic therapy in patients with psoriasis.

Methods

Retrospective immunohistochemical and chart review pilot study.

Results

Patients with psoriasis with low (scores 0–2) vs. high (scores 3–4) IL‐36 expression did not have significantly different response rates to tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα), IL‐17, and IL‐12/23 or IL‐23 inhibitors; and similarly, mean IL‐36 expression scores did not significantly differ among responders vs. non‐responders to each treatment mechanism. However, in patients with psoriasis treated with IL‐12/23 or IL‐23 inhibitors, there was a marked absolute difference in response rates in those with high vs. low IL‐36 (84% vs. 50%, p = 0.12) and in mean IL‐36 scores in responders vs. non‐responders (3.35 vs. 2.57, p = 0.19).

Conclusions

Patients with psoriasis with high IL‐36 expression were more likely to respond to IL‐12/23 and IL‐23 inhibition than those with low IL‐36, though these findings were not statistically significant. Additional studies with larger sample sizes are needed to validate and expand upon these findings.