bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
The spatial impact of digitalization on carbon emission intensity in agricultural production: empirical evidence from rural China
Authors: Zhao Liping , Rao Xi , Hu Die
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study investigates the relationship between digitalization and agricultural carbon intensity from 2006 to 2021.

Design/methodology/approach

Utilizing panel data from 30 provinces in China from 2006 to 2021, this study employs a threshold and a spatial Durbin model to investigate the relationship between digitalization and agricultural carbon intensity. In addition, a heterogeneity analysis was conducted to understand variations across regions.

Findings

The study used threshold models and spatial Durbin models to reveal that in agricultural production, digitalization can significantly reduce the carbon emission intensity of planting and livestock production. Through the threshold effect, it was found that the effectiveness of digitization in curbing emissions varies by region and is influenced by the level of urbanization, with the inhibitory effect being: western > central > eastern. In addition, through spatial analysis, it was found that the impact of digitalization on carbon emission intensity has significant spatial effects, presenting a “high-high” and “low-low” clustering pattern. Moreover, through the Durbin model, digitization exhibits a significant negative spatial impact on the planting industry, and the development of the local digitalization can significantly reduce the carbon emission intensity of the planting industry in neighboring areas. There is a significant positive spatial effect on livestock production, and the development of local digitalization will, to some extent, increase the carbon emission intensity of livestock production in neighboring areas. This study underscores the critical importance of digitalization in reducing agricultural carbon emissions and highlights the necessity for tailored digital strategies that consider regional characteristics and urbanization levels.

Practical implications

This study shows the critical importance of digitalization in reducing agricultural carbon emissions and highlights the necessity for tailored digital strategies that consider regional characteristics and urbanization levels.

Originality/value

This paper pioneers the investigation of the spatial impact of digitalization on agricultural carbon emissions using provincial-level panel data and classifies agriculture into planting and livestock production. This study contributes to the literature by filling the research gap and enhancing our understanding of the relationship between digitalization and environmental sustainability in rural areas.
Trabajo con dignidad: the struggle for workplace dignity in the US agricultural fields
Authors: Sanchez Mabel
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Acts of recognition are recommended by management literature to mitigate workplace indignities. This article critically examines common acts of recognition and highlights the specific implications these have on Latinx farmworkers in the United States, an understudied population in the management literature.

Design/methodology/approach

Due to the vulnerability of Latinx farmworkers, the study employed a culturally relevant method called plática to facilitate intimate conversations with 12 farmworkers. In addition to interviews, the researcher engaged in participant observation by joining farmworkers in protests and working alongside them in the fields. Data analysis followed an interpretivist approach, coding interview transcripts to identify emerging themes.

Findings

The results of this qualitative study provide researchers and practitioners with insight into the difficulties managers face in addressing workplace dignity. Critically, this research sheds light on the specific issues the Latinx farmworkers face in the US and the practical dangers of implementing acts of recognition to remediate workplace indignities.

Originality/value

This article is the first to examine remediated dignity in the context of US agricultural fields with Latinx farmworkers.
Strategic contraction: Haidilao path through the pandemic
Authors: Rafiq Muhammad , Xiuqing Duan
Published: February 2025

Learning outcomes

The objective of this study is to grasp the strategic decisions made by Haidilao during the COVID-19 pandemic and the effect on its business performance. It seeks to evaluate the company’s adaptability and resilience, understand the significance of effective regional management and draw lessons for businesses operating in crisis situations.

Case overview/synopsis

This case study provides an in-depth analysis of the strategic decisions made by Haidilao in the face of rapid expansion and COVID-19’s impact. It scrutinizes Haidilao’s shift from expansion to contraction, the execution of the “Woodpecker Project,” and the reinstatement of a regional management system.

Complexity academic level

This case study is suitable for MBA courses.

Supplementary materials

Teaching notes are available for educators only.

Subject code

CSS11: Strategy.
Unraveling the mechanisms of AI system aversion among customer-contact employees: a perspective from advice response theory
Authors: Yang Yong , Li Yue , Zhao Xinyuan , Law Rob , Song Hongjin
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Based on the advice response theory perspective, this study aims to investigate the effects of human managers and artificial intelligence (AI) systems on customer-contact employees’ aversion to AI systems in the hospitality industry. It examined the mediating role of advice content characteristics (efficacy, feasibility and implementation limitations) and advice delivery (facework and comprehensibility) on customer-contact employees’ aversion to AI systems.

Design/methodology/approach

Two scenario-based experiments were conducted (Nexperiment 1 = 499 and Nexperiment 2 = 300). Experiment 1 compared the effects of different advisor types (human managers vs AI systems) on employees’ aversion to AI systems. Experiment 2 investigated the mediating role of advice content characteristics (efficacy, feasibility and implementation limitations) and advice delivery (facework and comprehensibility).

Findings

The results showed employees tended to prioritize advice from human managers over output from AI systems. Moreover, advice content characteristics (efficacy, feasibility and implementation limitations) and advice delivery (facework and comprehensibility) played mediating roles in the relationship between advisor type characteristics and employees’ aversion to AI systems.

Practical implications

These findings contribute to the understanding of AI system aversion and provide theoretical insights into management practices involving customer-contact employees who interact with AI technology in the hospitality industry.

Originality/value

The primary contribution of this study is that it enriches the literature on employee aversion to AI systems by exploring the dual mediators (advice content characteristics and advice delivery) through which advisor type characteristics affect AI system aversion.
The shadow of authority: a thematic exploration of tyrannical leadership among research scholars through the lens of Gioia methodology
Authors: Saikrishna M.B
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper aims to describe the phenomenon of tyrannical leadership in the academic setting, emphasizing the research scholars. It seeks to understand how research scholars experience and perceive tyrannical leadership, its effects on their scholarly output and well-being, and coping strategies.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a qualitative interpretive phenomenological approach, utilizing the Gioia methodology to explore the experiences of research scholars under tyrannical leadership. Data was collected through semi-structured interviews with 14 research scholars from various disciplines who have experienced tyrannical leadership. The conservation of resources (COR) theory served as the theoretical framework for analysis.

Findings

This study reveals four key dimensions of tyrannical leadership in academia: manifestations of tyrannical leadership, consequences on scholars, institutional and personal responses, and impacts on the future academic landscape. The main issues were stress and social isolation, decreased performance and study results, and potential effects on future employment opportunities. Lack of institutional support and the cultivation of individual ways of dealing with stress were also mentioned.

Originality/value

This study provides original insights into how tyrannical leadership impacts doctoral students’ academic performance, well-being and coping strategies, addressing a significant gap in both leadership and higher education research. It extends the application of COR theory to educational contexts and offers insights that can inform policy changes and improve support systems for early-career researchers in higher education.
Does industry munificence matter? ESG controversies and firm value
Authors: Mendiratta Anita , Kumar Anil
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The present study explores the effect of environmental, social and governance (ESG) controversies on firm value. Further, the study investigates when industry munificence moderates this association.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs 5,670 firm-year observations from 2012 to 2018 for the United States (US)-based firms from the Refinitiv database. The direct and moderating effects were tested using a fixed effect panel regression model.

Findings

The primary analysis unexpectedly demonstrates that ESG controversies do not affect firm value. On the contrary, ESG controversies decrease firm value when interacting with industry munificence; this interaction effect is both positive and highly significant. We observed that reduced (increased) ESG controversies translate to higher (lower) firm value in industries with high munificence and lower (higher) firm value with low munificence. These results remain consistent with alternative proxies for size and CSR. Conducting sample split analysis over time, we discovered significant results in 2015–2018, indicating stakeholders' awareness has increased over time.

Research limitations/implications

The findings offer policymakers distinctive perspectives on the moderating role of munificence that impacts companies’ strategic imposition or limitation of ESG controversies to boost their value. Managers can gain valuable insights from the results regarding the importance of munificence in the relationship between ESG controversies and firm value.

Originality/value

This study is the first to examine the moderating effect of industry munificence in the relationship between ESG controversies and firm value for US firms.
Impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on small and medium sector in southeast Asia and China
Authors: Islam Khalid Ul , Pandow Bilal Ahmad
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to analyze the stock market reaction of the small and medium sectors in the Southeast Asian countries (SEACs), including China, to the Russia–Ukraine war.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses the event study methodology to quantify the magnitude and direction of the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on the performance of small and medium indices of SEACs. Assuming market efficiency, this study uses the market model to capture abnormal returns on the event date and across the event window.

Findings

The Russia–Ukraine war adversely affected most of the sample countries, with a prolonged impact over the 50-day post-event window. In most cases, the study has failed to establish statistical significance for the results. One major reason for the low impact is the proactive role of the governments of the SEACs in mitigating the war’s impact on their respective economies by providing subsidies, exercising price controls and stockpiling.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to analyze the impact of the Russia–Ukraine war on the small and medium sectors of SEACs, including China. It highlights the importance of geographic proximity and the proportion of bilateral trade in understanding how war and geopolitical tensions affect the stock market performance in other countries in the current global scenario. In addition, this study uses a range of parametric and nonparametric tests that adjust for the cross-country dependence and event-induced volatility to substantiate the statistical significance of the results and this supports the robustness of the results.
Leadership as a philosophical attitude – a qualitative study of reflective practice in everyday working life
Authors: Ellingsen Pål
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This article explores leadership as a philosophical attitude. The purpose is to get a deeper understanding of leadership in everyday working life.

Design/methodology/approach

The article is based on a thematic analysis of 16 qualitative research interviews with leaders of different levels within the Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV).

Findings

Leadership is not merely a set of skills or a functional role. The study has identified the broader implications of leadership as a philosophical attitude for personal development, motivation and social responsibility; and the relational side of leader’s social mission.

Research limitations/implications

The study has examined what the interviewees say; it has not observed what they actually do.

Practical implications

Leadership as a philosophical attitude deals with personal dimensions and shows how leaders can adjust their behaviour based on their character traits and the situational demands.

Originality/value

This article bridges theory to practice through the empirical application of philosophical attitudes in leadership practice.
Does audit committee heterogeneity matter in auditor selection?
Authors: Gao Jingyu , Kong Tian , Yang Yuzhu , Hao Lili
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Although various stakeholder groups frequently advocate and call for greater heterogeneity among directors and managers, it remains unknown whether team heterogeneity can be beneficial for audit committee to exercise the auditor selection functions. This study aims to address this question.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing on a sample of domestically listed nonfinancial A-share firms in China from 2008 to 2022, the authors empirically examine whether and how firm’s audit committee heterogeneity associates with the selection of auditors.

Findings

Firms with higher levels of audit committee heterogeneity are more likely to be associated with lower-quality auditors. Further examination reveals the mediating role of risk-taking: higher levels of heterogeneity are associated with higher levels of risk-taking, influencing firms to employ lower-quality auditors. Moreover, the authors document that increased audit committee heterogeneity is associated with more audit committee meetings and lower audit efficiency, and that hiring lower-quality auditors can influence the market value of firms with high audit committee heterogeneity.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to examine whether and how audit committee erogeneity associates with the selection of auditors. Moreover, because China is a high-power distance, collectivism-oriented, more relations-based (i.e. guanxi-based) than rules-based society, it is critical to examine the influence of team heterogeneity based on the unique cultural context and transitional nature of China’s business environment.
Prophylactic Effects of Rhamnetin Flavonoid on Indomethacin‐Induced Gastric Ulceration by Modulating HSP 70/Bax, SOD/MDA and TNF‐α/IL‐10
Authors: Mohammed Mohammed T. , Al‐Qaisi Talal Salem , Jabbar Ahmed A. J. , Raouf Mohammed M. H. M. , Ismail Parween AbdulSamad , Mothana Ramzi A. , Fantoukh Omer I. , hassan Rawaz Rizgar , Abdulla Mahmood Ameen , Saleh Musher Ismael , Awad Mohammed
Published: February 2025

Rhamnetin is a naturally occurring flavonoid compound found in many wild plant species and indigenous fruits. Despite its numerous biological potentials, such as anti‐inflammatory, antioxidant and antimicrobial effects, there is a lack of literature elucidating its gastroprotective action and anticipating molecular mechanism. Natural products can be a good alternative to overcome the side effects and relapses associated with anti‐ulcer drugs. This study aims to elucidate rhamnetin's acute toxicity and gastroprotective effects using the indomethacin ulceration model. Animals were arbitrarily divided into five groups: a negative control group (A) and a positive control group (B), both treated with 1% carboxymethyl cellulose; a reference group (C) receiving 20 mg/kg omeprazole; and low‐dose (D) and high‐dose (E) rhamnetin groups receiving 30 and 60 mg/kg, respectively. After 1 h, rats in Groups B–E were subjected to indomethacin‐induced ulceration. Toxicity evaluations indicated the safety of rhamnetin at doses of up to 400 mg/kg in rats, without any noticeable physiological alterations. Rhamnetin (30 and 60 mg/kg) administered orally 1 h before indomethacin‐induced gastric ulcer ameliorated the stomach lesions and lowered the ulcer index area by 73.81% and 77.87%, respectively. Rhamnetin supplementation ameliorated histopathological alterations and restored gastric barriers, including gastric pH and mucin secretion. Moreover, rhamnetin‐treated rats exhibited increased anti‐apoptotic heat shock protein 70 and decreased Bax protein in stomach tissues. These findings were in line with lowered accumulated MDA, increased superoxide dismutase, catalase and prostaglandin E2 levels, reduced serum inflammatory mediators (TNF‐α and interleukin‐6) and elevated interleukin‐10 cytokines. The outcomes indicate rhamnetin's cicatrising and gastroprotective effects against indomethacin‐mediated ulceration, possibly due to its modulatory actions on oxidative stress, inflammation and apoptotic pathways.
Lessons from the Portuguese Socialists: How Dialogue with the Left can deliver Political and Economic Stability
Authors: Goes Eunice
Published: February 2025

The experiences of Portugal's Socialist Party, which was in power for eight years and was led by António Costa, offer useful lessons to centre‐left governments that seek re‐election. In its first term in office, the Socialist Party governed with the support of the parties of the radical left and was able to deliver visible improvements to living standards and complete a full parliamentary term. However, in the second half of its period in power, the socialists wasted the parliamentary majorities obtained in 2019 and 2022 and faced early elections and a humiliating defeat in 2024. The lessons from this eight‐year period seem clear: a leadership style that prioritises dialogue and cooperation with the left can deliver political stability and electoral victories, but complacency about standards in public life is often punished at the ballot box.
EVERYDAY INFRASTRUCTURES OF URBAN LIFE
Authors: Guma Prince K.
Published: February 2025

Infrastructure is commonly perceived through the interpretive monopoly of hegemonic frames of modernity, leading to the frequent oversight of everyday infrastructures. Extensive capital‐intensive infrastructures that are fully integrated and have paled into the background of everyday life are commonly dismissed, criticized, or misconstrued as deteriorating, incongruous, and in need of repair and reinforcement to ‘measure up’. Similarly, ordinary and hybrid techno‐popular infrastructures are frequently demeaned as alternative, informal, secondary, less modern and not belonging. In an era where preference and priority are given to shiny new things and innovations, everyday infrastructures are seldom acknowledged as substantive modes of operation in their own right. This article advocates a shift in perspective. Drawing illustrative cases from eastern Africa, I examine everyday infrastructures as critical sites of reference for analyzing, theorizing, and organizing the urban. Rather than starting from a preconceived notion of modernity, I examine everyday infrastructures on their own terms. I propose a series of registers—incomplete relationalities, mundane temporalities and heterogeneous modernities—to stimulate a reappraisal of how we view, read and think about infrastructure. Accordingly, I reiterate the need to reorient the foundational parameters of infrastructure, advocating for a decentered and heterodox perspective that emphasizes infrastructural plurality, multiplicity and inherent incompleteness.
Effects of Gonadotropin‐Releasing Hormone Analogues on Ovarian Function and Embryogenesis: A Cyclophosphamide‐Induced Mouse Model Study
Authors: Lin Qiwang , Cao Mingzhu , Xu Zijin , Fei He , Jin Yunfeng , Liu Jianqiao , Jiang Hua
Published: February 2025

Objective

To clarify the protective effects of gonadotropin‐releasing hormone analogues (GnRHas) on cyclophosphamide (CTX)‐induced oocyte number loss and development of potential damage.

Design

Mice model study.

Setting

Laboratory‐based animal study conducted in controlled research facilities.

Population

Female C57/BL6 mice subjected to CTX‐induced ovarian damage.

Methods

The effects of GnRHa on CTX mice were evaluated in terms of hormones, oocyte count on slices, oocyte count in established three‐dimensional–constructed ovaries, in vitro fertilisation, RNA sequencing and microinjection.

Main Outcome Measures

The main outcome measures were the number of oocytes in intact mouse ovaries and oocyte quality, evaluated using three‐dimensional (3D) tissue‐clearing methods, oxidative stress markers (reactive oxygen species [ROS] and malondialdehyde [MDT]), mitochondrial function (ATP levels), and embryogenesis rates at the two‐cell, four‐cell and blastocyst stages.

Results

In CTX mice, GnRHa pretreatment did not protect endocrine hormone changes, but protected loss of oocyte number on slice counting. A tissue‐clearing technique, CUBIC (Clear, Unobstructed Body Imaging Cocktails), was a suitable method for ovaries clearing, and a 3D method for oocyte counting was validated with accuracy of 105.22% ± 3.48%. By this method, GnRHa was also found to protect the loss of oocyte number (597 ± 28 vs. 222 ± 15, p < 0.0001), which may be mediated by upregulated anti‐Müllerian hormone (AMH) levels inhibiting primordial follicle development approved by in vitro culture of ovaries. GnRHa also increased the number of retrieved oocytes in CTX mice (19.4 ± 2.1 vs. 15.0 ± 1.6, p < 0.0001) and developmental ability of oocytes (65.0 ± 4.6 vs. 48.1 ± 4.2 for blastocyst, p < 0.0001). RNA sequencing revealed GnRHa pretreatment downregulated pathways of exogenous drug metabolism, oxidative stress and cytochrome P450, validated by detection of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), MDA and ROS levels. The up‐expression of Cox17 (cytochrome c oxidase copper chaperone 17) after GnRHa pretreatment was confirmed by PCR and microinjection of siCox17 increased the embryogenesis from CTX mice.

Conclusions

GnRHa was associated with reduced oocyte loss and improved embryogenesis, likely mediated by AMH and Cox17 upregulation.
Integrated health systems and medical care quality during the COVID‐19 pandemic
Authors: Ghosh Kaushik , Beaulieu Nancy D. , Dalton Maurice , El Amrani Zakaria , Machado Helene , Cutler David M.
Published: February 2025

Objective

To examine differences between patients treated in integrated systems of care and patients treated outside of such systems during the COVID pandemic in the use of primary and preventive care, emergency services, inpatient services, and mortality.

Data Sources and Study Setting

Data are used from all enrollees in traditional Medicare aged 66 and older.

Study Design

Difference‐in‐differences estimates are calculated from the pre‐COVID time period (January 2019–February 2020) to the initial COVID time period (March–May 2020) and the ongoing COVID time period (June 2020–December 2021) for patients treated by primary care physicians working in a health system versus not, and by the type of health system.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Medicare claims data are used to measure monthly claims for office and telehealth visits, mammography, colon cancer screening, inpatient/emergency department visits, and death. Patients are assigned to primary care physicians using common algorithms. Physician membership in a health system is determined from a previously generated dataset.

Principal Findings

Relative to the pre‐COVID period, patients treated in health systems fared no better in maintaining primary care access than patients treated outside of such systems (DID estimate on receipt of office care or telehealth visit = −4%; p < 0.001). In the ongoing COVID time period, non‐COVID mortality rose by less in health systems (DID estimate = −0.9%; p < 0.001) and health system patients experienced a greater decline in the use of the emergency department (DID estimate = −1.2%; p < 0.001) and emergency/urgent inpatient care for non‐COVID conditions less (DID estimate = −0.7%; p < 0.001).

Conclusion

Health systems were associated with reduced occurrence of death and adverse medical events, although the effect magnitudes are modest. This reduction appears unrelated to the use of primary care and should be considered in the context of our evolving understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of health systems.
METTL3/METTL14‐mediated RNA m6A modification is involved in male reproductive development in Bactrocera dorsalis
Authors: Zhang Qiuyuan , Li Ziniu , Qiao Jiao , Zheng Chenjun , Zheng Weiwei , Zhang Hongyu
Published: February 2025

RNA N6‐methyladenine (m6A) modification represents a pivotal epigenetic modification that facilitates the remodeling of gene expression and regulates a variety of biological processes via certain post‐transcriptional mechanisms. However, the specific function of RNA m6A modification in insect male reproduction remains unclear. In this study, we explored the molecular mechanism by which METTL3/METTL14‐mediated RNA m6A modification regulates male reproduction in the invasive pest Bactrocera dorsalis. The results showed that BdMettl3 and BdMettl14 were highly expressed in fat body (FB) and male accessory glands (MAGs). Knockout of BdMettl3 or BdMettl14 decreased the expression level of m6A in B. dorsalis, resulting in testicular deformities and a significant reduction of viable sperm number. Specifically, BdMettl3 or BdMettl14 knockout reduced the titer of 20‐hydroxyecdysone (20E, the active form of ecdysone) in males. The messenger RNA (mRNA) of Disembodied, one of the 20E synthesis genes, was modified by m6A, and its expression increased the titer of 20E. The mRNA m6A level of Disembodied obviously decreased after the knockout of BdMettl3 or BdMettl14, suggesting that RNA m6A modification regulates testis development and fecundity by modulating 20E synthesis. Taken together, this study indicates that METTL3/METTL14‐mediated RNA m6A modification presents a new regulatory mechanism for male reproduction in B. dorsalis, serving as a potential target for the control of B. dorsalis.
Toward the SKY (Korean Ivy League): South Korean Middle‐Class Mothers' Educational Strategies for Children's Academic Success
Authors: Choi Seongho , Jo Jaeseong , Kim Young Chun
Published: February 2025

Leveraging Bourdieu's capital theory, this study investigates how Korean middle‐class mothers employ educational strategies to ensure their children's enrollment in prestigious universities, aiming for class reproduction. It delineates their involvement across various domains, including home, school, shadow education, and mothers' networks. The findings contribute to understanding the role of middle‐class parental involvement in class positioning in Korea, while also offering a reconceptualization of Asian parenting styles against the stereotype of “tiger parenting” from a postcolonial perspective.
Caste, Markets, and Surplus Populations: Disciplinary Urbanism in Lahore's Militarised Urban Frontier
Authors: Ahmed Ateeb
Published: February 2025

I propose the concept of disciplinary urbanism to capture the Pakistani military's economic, political, and spatial strategies driving urbanisation in the rural–urban frontier in Lahore. Firstly, disciplinary urbanism accounts for the financial, spatial, and coercive strategies for acquiring agricultural land on the urban frontiers. I show how agrarian caste and class relationships are central to accumulating land values through the market and how such transformations create a new class of relative surplus populations along the axis of class, caste, and gender. Secondly, disciplinary urbanism elucidates the extensive application of militarised architectural practices and spatial discipline to enclose state and common lands while controlling surplus populations. I examine the methods used to control, securitise, and capture land and labour and the tactics employed to counter the challenges posed by the informal economic and political activities of the surplus populations, which are controlled differentially based on class, caste, ethnicity, gender, and citizenship.
Electromechanical coupling across the gastroduodenal junction
Authors: Simmonds Sam , Huizinga Jan D. , Taberner Andrew J. , Du Peng , Angeli‐Gordon Timothy R.
Published: February 2025

The gastroduodenal junction is uniquely capable of regulating digestive functions in the gastrointestinal system. The pyloric sphincter, which demarcates the stomach from the small intestine, acts as a mechanical and electrical barrier, isolating each organ, thus enabling independent behaviors that are critical for proper digestion. Unique electrical patterns in the stomach, pylorus, and duodenum underpin the distinct contractile patterns of these regions, and improper organization of these mechanical behaviors leads to clinical conditions such as gastroparesis and dumping syndrome. For this reason, the gastroduodenal junction should be a focal point in investigations of novel biomarkers of gastrointestinal dysfunction. This review summarizes the current knowledge of bioelectrical and mechanical characteristics of the gastroduodenal junction, as well as the relevant underlying anatomy. As there is limited documentation of physiological recordings from the gastroduodenal junction of humans, inferences are made from animal studies and from measurements taken from other regions of the gastrointestinal tract, where appropriate. We suggest hypotheses on gastroduodenal electromechanical coupling and propose further studies to support or reject these ideas. Improved physiological understanding of this region, and the advent of novel diagnostic and therapeutic tools are crucial aspects for the future of clinical gastrointestinal medicine.
Latent profiles and transition of child maltreatment and peer victimization among Chinese internal migrant children: Associations with their psychological maladjustment
Authors: Liang Yiting , Wang Quanquan , Tian Mingyangjia , Zheng Minjie , Liu Xia
Published: February 2025

Internal migrant children often face dual challenges from both child maltreatment and peer victimization, yet the impact of various profiles of these experiences, along with their developmental transitions, on psychological maladjustment over time remains unclear. To fill these gaps, this study employed latent profile analysis and latent transition analysis to explore the associations between patterns of child maltreatment and peer victimization and psychological maladjustment (including loneliness, depressive symptoms, behavioral problems, and non‐suicidal self‐injury) and to determine whether changes in these patterns over time predict future psychological maladjustment. The participants comprised 544 Chinese internal migrant children (51.1% male, Mage = 11.75, SD = 1.12) who completed two surveys. At both Time 1 and Time 2, four distinct profiles were identified. The doubly disadvantaged profile was linked to increased loneliness, while no significant differences were observed among the four profiles regarding the other three indicators. Five transitioning profiles were identified: Stable both low profile, fluctuation profile, stable risk profile, exacerbation profile, and mitigation profile. Internal migrant children in distinct transitioning profiles showed different levels of psychological maladjustment. The findings underscore the co‐occurring and transitional nature of child maltreatment and peer victimization, emphasizing the necessity for robust family and school support systems to foster optimal mental health for internal migrant children.
Risk of invasive penile cancer after treatment of penile intraepithelial neoplasia
Authors: Bjartmar Inessa , Gerdtsson Axel , Torbrand Christian , Kristiansen Sinja
Published: February 2025

Objectives

To examine the risk of progression and time to progression from penile intraepithelial neoplasia (PeIN) to invasive penile cancer in patients treated for PeIN with either surgery, laser ablation or topical treatment, and to examine recurrence risk after treatment of PeIN.

Patients and Methods

Data on patients diagnosed with PeIN (n = 1122) between 2000 and 2020 were extracted from the Swedish National Penile Cancer Registry (NPECR). Progression was defined as a second registration of invasive penile cancer in this registry. Additionally, patient charts from the three largest cities in Sweden (Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö) were analysed with regard to both progression of PeIN to invasive cancer and recurrence risk after treatment.

Results

The NPECR included 1122 patients with PeIN, of whom 23 were re‐registered as having invasive penile cancer. In the 927 PeIN patients for whom data on treatment were available, re‐registration of invasive cancer was seen in 13 patients after surgery, six after laser ablation, and one after topical treatment. The progression‐free probabilities at 24 months in these treatment groups were 99.3% (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.987; 0.999), 100% (95% CI 1.000; 1.000) and 98.8% (95% CI 0.965; 1.000), respectively (log‐rank test P = 0.192). In the Stockholm, Gothenburg and Malmö cohort, 253 patients with PeIN were followed and 14 developed invasive penile cancer. Of the 247 PeIN cases with data on treatment, four progressed after surgery, eight after laser ablation, and one after topical treatment. The progression‐free probabilities at 24 months in these treatment groups were 98.2% (95% CI 0.956; 1.000), 86.2% (95% CI 0.744; 0.997) and 100% (95% CI 1.000; 1.000), respectively (log‐rank test P < 0.001).

Conclusion

We found that PeIN has a low risk of progressing into invasive penile cancer regardless of treatment modality. However, laser ablation therapy is not recommended due to a higher risk of progression after such treatment compared to surgical and topical treatment. We recommend individualised follow‐up protocols of PeIN based on treatment and lesion location.
Environmental Factors Linked to Birth Outcomes in Urban Localities Across Argentina
Authors: Campero Micaela Natalia , Román María Dolores , Scavuzzo Carlos Marcelo
Published: February 2025

Background

The impact of environmental factors on health is a key focus in public health research. More studies are needed to explore how environmental determinants influence birth outcomes. This study investigates the regional relationship between environmental conditions and birth outcomes in urban areas of Argentina during 2018–2019.

Methods

Data from 657 urban localities were analyzed. Prevalence rates of low birth weight (LBW), macrosomia, preterm births (PTB), and small for gestational age (SGA) births were calculated using data from the Health Statistics and Information Division. Environmental data were obtained from satellite sources. A principal component analysis with varimax rotation was applied to 22 environmental variables using Stata v15. The Kaiser–Meyer–Olkin (KMO) test evaluated sampling adequacy, and factor scores were calculated using regression analysis. Spatial distributions were mapped in QGIS 3.28, and clusters of environmental factors were identified through optimized hotspot analysis in ArcGIS Pro 3.2. Correlations between environmental factors and birth outcomes were assessed using correlograms in RStudio (p < 0.05).

Results

The spatial distribution of birth outcomes varied across the country. The analysis identified five factors, with a KMO score of 0.73. Spatial clustering was observed for all factors, with Pampeana and northern regions of Argentina showing the strongest adherence. Factor 1 (related to urban expansion) and Factor 3 (associated with high temperature) showed positive correlations with all birth outcomes. Factor 2 (favorable for vegetation) positively correlated with LBW and SGA births but negatively with macrosomia. Factor 4 (linked to extensive agriculture) was positively associated with LBW and PTB. Factor 5 (PM10 concentration) negatively correlated with macrosomia and SGA births.

Conclusion

This study provides new insights into environmental determinants of birth outcomes. Regional analysis of these factors is essential for evidence‐based decision‐making, particularly in climate change context.
Prevalence and Clinical Symptoms of Wheat Allergy in Adults and Adolescents in Central Europe
Authors: Neyer A. , Dölle‐Bierke S. , Höfer V. , Grünhagen J. , Beyer K. , Worm M.
Published: February 2025

Background

Wheat is a well‐known elicitor of food allergy, but epidemiological data are limited. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of wheat allergy in an unselected population of adults and adolescents and to characterise the clinical features of this cohort, as well as those of patients who experienced wheat‐induced anaphylaxis.

Methods

A population‐based cross‐sectional study was conducted. Fifteen thousand individuals aged 12–80 years were randomly selected, and a standardised questionnaire was applied. If symptoms after wheat consumption were reported, telephone interviews were conducted. In the case of suspected type 1 wheat allergy, a skin prick test, specific immunoglobulin E (sIgE) and oral food challenge (OFC) were performed. The prevalence of self‐reported wheat sensitivity and wheat allergy was determined after data extrapolation. For the assessment of severe wheat allergy‐associated symptoms, a cohort from the European Anaphylaxis Registry was analysed.

Results

The questionnaire was answered by 1770 individuals, of whom 13.1% reported symptoms due to the consumption of foods containing wheat. Following telephone interviews (n = 105) and clinical diagnostics (n = 22), type 1 sensitisation to wheat was confirmed in 8 individuals, and 2 subjects were finally diagnosed with an IgE‐mediated wheat allergy. After extrapolation, the prevalence of confirmed wheat allergy in the German population reached 0.25% [95% CI 0.08–0.9]. Self‐reported wheat sensitivity was predominantly seen in females (71%), with local gastrointestinal and non‐specific symptoms. This contrasted with wheat‐induced anaphylaxis, where less than half occurred in females, and symptoms were mainly skin, cardiovascular or respiratory.

Conclusion

In a population with widespread wheat consumption, self‐reported wheat sensitivity was common in adults and adolescents, but confirmed wheat allergy was rare. The distinct symptom profiles allow physicians to easily differentiate these entities. Dissemination of our findings may help to improve knowledge of the low prevalence of wheat allergy and may support the reduction of unnecessary dietary restrictions.
Ntoco Promotes Ferroptosis via Hnrnpab‐Mediated NF‐κB/Lcn2 Axis Following Traumatic Brain Injury in Mice
Authors: Wang Qiang , Zuo Hanjun , Sun Huaqin , Xiao Xiao , Wang Zhao , Li Tingyu , Luo Xiaolei , Wang Yanyun , Wang Tao , Li Juanjuan , Gao Linbo
Published: February 2025

Objective

Emerging evidence highlights the involvement of long non‐coding RNAs (lncRNAs) and ferroptosis in the pathogenesis of traumatic brain injury (TBI). However, the regulatory role of lncRNAs in TBI‐induced ferroptosis remains poorly understood. This study aims to investigate the role of a specific lncRNA, noncoding transcript of chemokine (C‐C motif) ligand 4 (Ccl4) overlapping (Ntoco), in the regulation of ferroptosis following TBI and explore its potential as a therapeutic target.

Methods

The expression levels of Ntoco following controlled cortical injury (CCI) in mice were measured using real‐time PCR. Behavioral tests post‐injury were assessed using the rotarod test and Morris water maze, and lesion volume was evaluated using micro‐MRI. Ntoco binding proteins were identified using RNA pull‐down and RNA immunoprecipitation. RNA sequencing was employed to identify Ntoco‐related pathways. Western blotting and co‐immunoprecipitation were used to measure protein levels and ubiquitination processes.

Results

Ntoco upregulation was observed in CCI mice. Ntoco knockdown inhibited neuron ferroptosis, reduced lesion volume, and improved spatial memory following TBI. Ntoco overexpression promoted ferroptosis in neurons. Mechanistically, Ntoco facilitated K48‐linked ubiquitination and degradation of proteins by binding to Hnrnpab, suppressing the NF‐κB/Lcn2 signaling pathway. This included reduced phosphorylation of IkBα, increased phosphorylation of IKKα/β, nuclear translocation of the NF‐κB p65 subunit, and elevated Lcn2 expression.

Conclusion

Our findings suggest that Ntoco plays a crucial role in TBI‐induced ferroptosis by modulating the NF‐κB/Lcn2 signaling pathway. Targeting Ntoco may provide a promising therapeutic strategy to mitigate ferroptosis and improve outcomes following TBI.
Alterations of bone proteins in medication‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw
Authors: Schubert Andrea , Brockmeyer Phillipp , Kauffmann Philipp , Wiegel Jan , Lautenbacher Florian , Miosge Nicolai , Schminke Boris
Published: February 2025

Changes in the protein expression pattern of osteoblastic lineage cells from the alveolar bone (OLAB) during medication‐related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) have rarely been investigated. This lack of information is partly because of the limited availability of healthy samples and the lack of human alveolar bone cell lines for research. The aim of the present study was to investigate the bone proteins collagen 1, runt‐related transcription factor 2 (RUNX2), and tumor necrosis factor ligand superfamily member 11 (RANKL). Furthermore, we established a cell lineage of OLAB suitable for the analyses of protein expression. We used immunohistochemistry to determine protein expression patterns in vivo. OLAB were treated during culture with zoledronate or denosumab and analyzed by immunocytochemistry and western blotting. Collagen 1 was decreased in vivo in patients with MRONJ and in vitro by denosumab. Zoledronate reduced the level of RUNX2 in vitro. However, RANKL was not significantly affected by zoledronate or denosumab. The results of the present study will help us elucidate the cellular mechanisms of MRONJ. Although culture of OLAB with zoledronate and denosumab significantly altered the protein expression patterns, future research is needed to examine the effects of bone scaffolds, biofilms, and additional cell types mimicking in vivo conditions.
Microbial Cycling of Sulfur and Other Redox‐Sensitive Elements in Porewaters of San Clemente Basin, California, and Cocos Ridge, Costa Rica
Authors: Osorio‐Rodriguez Daniela , Pavia Frank J. , Utter Daniel R. , Quinan Matthew , Landry Kameko , Gomes Maya , Dalleska Nathan D. , Orphan Victoria J. , Berelson William M. , Adkins Jess F.
Published: February 2025

The microbial recycling of organic matter in marine sediments depends upon electron acceptors that are utilized based on availability and energetic yield. Since sulfate is the most abundant oxidant once oxygen has been depleted, the sulfide produced after sulfate reduction becomes an important electron donor for autotrophic microbes. The ability of sulfide to be re‐oxidized through multiple metabolic pathways and intermediates with variable oxidation states prompts investigation into which species are preferentially utilized and what are the factors that determine the fate of reduced sulfur species. Quantifying these sulfur intermediates in porewaters is a critical first step towards achieving a more complete understanding of the oxidative sulfur cycle, yet this has been accomplished in very few studies, none of which include oligotrophic sedimentary environments in the open ocean. Here we present profiles of porewater sulfur intermediates from sediments underlying oligotrophic regions of the ocean, which encompass about 75% of the ocean's surface and are characterized by low nutrient levels and productivity. Aiming at addressing uncertainties about if and how sulfide produced by the degradation of scarce sedimentary organic matter plays a role in carbon fixation in the sediment, we determine depth profiles of redox‐sensitive metals and sulfate isotope compositions and integrate these datasets with 16S rRNA microbial community composition data and solid‐phase sulfur concentrations. We did not find significant correlations between sulfur species or trace metals and specific sulfur cycling taxa, which suggests that microorganisms in pelagic and oxic sediments may be generalists utilizing flexible metabolisms to oxidize organic matter through different electron acceptors.
A Novel Approach to Assess the Distance Between the Settlement Patterns of Two Populations
Authors: Mucciardi Massimo
Published: February 2025

Understanding settlement patterns and their spatial distribution is essential for various fields, including geography, demography, and sociology. This paper explores a novel approach to assess the distance between settlement patterns of two populations with a specific focus on territorial variation inequalities. Building upon the conceptual framework of the Lorenz curve, we introduce new indices and graphical representations that permit us to emphasize territorial differences in settlement between two populations. By emphasizing the distance between settlement patterns, this methodology captures variations and inequalities in territorial distribution. Rather than simply characterizing settlement patterns as concentrated or dispersed, this approach considers the extent to which populations are spatially separated or integrated. To test this new approach, three foreign reference communities were examined (Egyptians, Chinese, and Romanians) known in the literature for their markedly different settlement patterns in Italy. We identified three different patterns for these populations that highlight the importance of considering local variations and spatial interactions in the study of settlement patterns. The results obtained seem to agree with the theory of settlements of foreign populations in Italy, albeit with additional geographical information. Through this research, we aim to provide a new methodology for measuring the distance between the settlement patterns of two different populations, filling some gaps in traditional methods.