bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Stochastic parameters for scalar fields in de Sitter spacetime
Authors: Cable Archie , Rajantie Arttu
Published: February 2024

The stochastic effective theory approach, often called stochastic inflation, is widely used in cosmology to describe scalar field dynamics during inflation. The existing formulations are, however, more qualitative than quantitative because the connection to the underlying quantum field theory (QFT) has not been properly established. A concrete sign of this is that the QFT parameters depend on the renormalization scale, and therefore the relation between the QFT and stochastic theory must have explicit scale dependence that cancels it. In this paper we achieve that by determining the parameters of the second-order stochastic effective theory of light scalar fields in de Sitter to linear order in the self-coupling constant λ. This is done by computing equal-time 2-point correlators to one-loop order both in QFT using dimensional regularization and the MS¯ renormalization scheme and the equal-time 4-point correlator to leading order in both theories, and demanding that the results obtained in the two theories agree. With these parameters, the effective theory is valid when m≲H and λ2≪m4/H4, and therefore it is applicable in cases where neither perturbation theory nor any previously proposed stochastic effective theories are.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Macroscopic Noise Amplification by Asymmetric Dyads in Non-Hermitian Optical Systems for Generative Diffusion Models
Authors: Johnston Alexander , Berloff Natalia G.
Published: February 2024

We study noise amplification by asymmetric dyads in freely expanding non-Hermitian optical systems. We show that modifications of the pumping strengths can counteract bias from natural imperfections of the system’s hardware while couplings between dyads lead to systems with nonuniform statistical distributions. Our results suggest that asymmetric non-Hermitian dyads are promising candidates for efficient sensors and ultrafast random number generators. We propose that the integrated light emission from such asymmetric dyads can be efficiently used for analog all-optical degenerative diffusion models of machine learning to overcome the digital limitations of such models in processing speed and energy consumption.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Harmonically trapped imbalanced quantum droplets
Authors: Flynn T. A. , Keepfer N. A. , Parker N. G. , Billam T. P.
Published: February 2024

A two-component quantum droplet is an attractive mixture of ultracold bosons stabilized against collapse by quantum fluctuations. Commonly, two-component quantum droplets are studied within a balanced mixture. However, the mixture can be imbalanced resulting in a lower energy but less stably bound droplet, or even a droplet submerged in a gas. This work focuses on the experimentally relevant question: how are imbalanced droplets modified by harmonic trap potentials? Droplet ground states and breathing modes are analyzed across the two-dimensional parameter space of imbalance and trap strength. The robustness of the droplet imbalance is also studied by releasing the droplet from the trap, demonstrating that this can lead to the creation of free-space, imbalanced droplets.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Noncommutative field theory of the Tkachenko mode: Symmetries and decay rate
Authors: Du Yi-Hsien , Moroz Sergej , Nguyen Dung Xuan , Son Dam Thanh
Published: February 2024

We construct an effective field theory describing the collective Tkachenko oscillation mode of a vortex lattice in a two-dimensional rotating Bose-Einstein condensate in the long-wavelength regime. The theory has the form of a noncommutative field theory of a Nambu-Goldstone boson, which exhibits a noncommutative version of dipole symmetry. From the effective field theory, we show that, at zero temperature, the decay width Γ of the Tkachenko mode scales with its energy E as Γ∼E3 in the low-energy limit. We also discuss the width of the Tkachenko mode at a small temperature.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Six-point AdS gluon amplitudes from flat space and factorization
Authors: Alday Luis F. , Gonçalves Vasco , Nocchi Maria , Zhou Xinan
Published: February 2024

We present a powerful new approach to compute tree-level higher-point holographic correlators. Our method only exploits the flat-space limit, where we point out an important simplification, and factorization of amplitudes in AdS. In particular, it makes minimal use of supersymmetry, crucial in all previous bootstrap methods. We demonstrate our method by computing the six-point super gluon amplitude of super Yang-Mills in AdS5.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Nonreciprocal Frustration: Time Crystalline Order-by-Disorder Phenomenon and a Spin-Glass-like State
Authors: Hanai Ryo
Published: February 2024

Active systems are composed of constituents with interactions that are generically nonreciprocal in nature. Such nonreciprocity often gives rise to situations where conflicting objectives exist, such as in the case of a predator pursuing its prey, while the prey attempts to evade capture. This situation is somewhat reminiscent of those encountered in geometrically frustrated systems where conflicting objectives also exist, which result in the absence of configurations that simultaneously minimize all interaction energies. In the latter, a rich variety of exotic phenomena are known to arise due to the presence of accidental degeneracy of ground states. Here, we establish a direct analogy between these two classes of systems. The analogy is based on the observation that nonreciprocally interacting systems with antisymmetric coupling and geometrically frustrated systems have in common that they both exhibit marginal orbits, which can be regarded as a dynamical system counterpart of accidentally degenerate ground states. The former is shown by proving a Liouville-type theorem. These “accidental degeneracies” of orbits are shown to often get “lifted” by stochastic noise or weak random disorder due to the emergent “entropic force” to give rise to a noise-induced spontaneous symmetry breaking, in a similar manner to the order-by-disorder phenomena known to occur in geometrically frustrated systems. Furthermore, we report numerical evidence of a nonreciprocity-induced spin-glass-like state that exhibits a short-ranged spatial correlation (with stretched exponential decay) and an algebraic temporal correlation associated with the aging effect. Our work establishes an unexpected connection between the physics of complex magnetic materials and nonreciprocal matter, offering a fresh and valuable perspective for comprehending the latter.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Channel selection strategy: based on buy online and pick up in-store cooperation
Authors: Li Hao , Cao Changhui
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This paper investigates the buy online and pick up in-store cooperation (BOPSC) of online and offline retailers. Specifically, this study solves the following questions: (1) What is the impact of BOPSC on their optimal price and sales volume of products? (2) When should an online retailer and an offline retailer conduct the BOPSC strategy with each other?

Design/methodology/approach

The paper first establishes two game models to explore the equilibriums of online and offline retailers in non-BOPSC and BOPSC. Then the condition for online and offline retailers to implement BOPSC strategy are determined. Furthermore, the applicability of the BOPSC strategy is enhanced by incorporating numerical analysis.

Findings

The study’s findings reveal that BOPSC strategy will not always beneficial to online and offline retailers, which depends on the total cost of online shopping and the product valuation of consumers. BOPSC strategy leads to the increase of prices and online orders, and the demand of offline retailer is eroded. Moreover, BOPS cooperation between different retailers is easier to achieve than omni-channel integration strategy. When the convenience difference between offline shopping and BOPSC pick-up is moderate, the effectiveness of BOPSC strategy can be improved.

Originality/value

This study has the following two main contributions: Firstly, the authors investigate the effects of BOPSC strategy on the prices of online and offline retailers. The study results show that the BOPSC strategy alleviates price competition and promotes a win–win situation between online retailers and offline retailers. Secondly, this paper mainly studies the cooperative behavior between online and offline retailers and reveals the optimal conditions for online and offline retailers to adopt BOPSC strategy. It can help small- and medium-sized online and offline retailers to choose suitable products for BOPSC strategy, so as to achieve the purpose of increasing profit.
Identification and prioritization of barriers to Industry 4.0 adoption in the context of food and beverage industries of Bangladesh
Authors: Rahman Mustafizur , Emon Md. Enjamamul Haque , Antor Mehedi Hasan , Haque Sifat Ajmeer , Talapatra Subrata
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The purpose of the research is to recognize and rank the barriers preventing Industry 4.0 (I4.0) adoption in Bangladesh’s food and beverage industries. It aims to highlight the major difficulties the sector is currently facing and offer a hierarchical framework for evaluating these barriers.

Design/methodology/approach

An exhaustive literature review was conducted along with expert interviews with academics and industry professionals to identify and assess the barriers. The interpretive structural modeling and Matrice d'Impacts Croisés Multiplication Appliquée à un Classement (ISM-MICMAC) approach was used to classify the identified barriers based on driving and dependent power and understand the interrelationships among them.

Findings

A total of 20 barriers to I4.0 adoption in the food and beverage sector of Bangladesh were identified. The top tier of significant barriers includes “Financial constraints,” “Lack of management support,” “Lack of research and development team,” “Lack of adequate skills in the workforce,” “Lack of digital strategy alongside resource scarcity” and “Employee resistance to change.”.

Practical implications

The created hierarchical framework offers a useful tool for dealing with the noted barriers and assisting with the successful adoption of I4.0 in the food and beverage sector. Businesses can overcome financial constraints by allocating enough resources and obtaining management support. By creating a focused research and development team and giving the workforce the necessary training, the lack of knowledge and skills can be overcome. By developing a thorough digital strategy and making sure that the necessary resources are available, resource scarcity can be overcome. Furthermore, effective change management methods can support the adoption of I4.0 technologies by overcoming employee resistance to change.

Originality/value

By concentrating specifically on the difficulties encountered by the food and beverage industries in Bangladesh as it attempts to adopt I4.0, this study contributes to the body of existing literature. The study’s originality lies in its thorough analysis of barriers and the use of the ISM-MICMAC approach to comprehend how these barriers interact with one another.
Tripartite evolutionary game and simulation analysis of brand enhancement for geographical indications agri-food
Authors: Yang Weixia , Xie Congli , Ma Lindong
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The construction of geographical indications agri-food (GIAF) brands play an important role in rural revitalization in China, this study aims to explore how to jointly promote brand building among multiple parties.

Design/methodology/approach

A tripartite game model of the producers, sales operating enterprises, and local governments is constructed to analyze the strategy choice of the parties in the complex system behavior evolution stability, and the simulation analysis of the influence factors of brand construction of GIAF and verify the game result.

Findings

(1) Increased government subsidies and supervision costs are beneficial to accelerating variety improvement and quality improvement of agri-food, but it is not conducive to the government, Therefore, it is necessary to ensure that the subsidy and supervision cost is kept within a reasonable range; (2) The dividend distributed to producers by sales operating enterprises play an important role in encouraging producers to improve the quality safety of agri-food, but it must be kept within a reasonable range to avoid discouraging the enthusiasm of sales operating enterprises; (3) Cost reduction, and revenue improvement are also effective ways to cooperate with all parties in brand co-construction.

Research limitations/implications

This study does not consider consumers or logistics companies in the evolutionary game model.

Practical implications

This study proposes innovative policies and suggestions for improvement of the brand co-construction of all parties.

Originality/value

Based on the “Rural Revitalization” initiative, this study enriches research methods about brand value and provides a new perspective for brand value co-construction, and theoretical guidance, and empirical basis for formulating innovation policies and recommendations.
Assessment criteria for inter-organizational collaboration in interconnected infrastructure projects
Authors: Nezami Maryam R. , de Bruijne Mark L.C. , Hertogh Marcel J.C.M. , Bakker Hans L.M.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Societies depend on interconnected infrastructures that are becoming more complex over the years. Multi-disciplinary knowledge and skills are essential to develop modern infrastructures, requiring close collaboration of various infrastructure owners. To effectively manage and improve inter-organizational collaboration (IOC) in infrastructure construction projects, collaboration status should be assessed continually. This study identifies the assessment criteria, forming the foundation of a tool for assessing the status of IOC in interconnected infrastructure projects.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature study and in-depth semi-structured interviews with practitioners in interconnected infrastructure construction projects in the Netherlands are performed to identify the criteria for assessing the status of IOC in infrastructure construction projects, based on which an assessment tool is developed.

Findings

The identified assessment criteria through the literature and the practitioner’s perspectives results in the designing and development of a collaboration assessment tool. The assessment tool consists of 12 criteria and 36 sub-criteria from three different categories of collaborative capacity: individual, relational, and organizational.

Originality/value

The assessment tool enables practitioners to monitor the status of IOC between infrastructure owners and assists them in making informed decisions to enhance collaboration. The assessment tool provides the opportunity to assess and analyze the status of collaboration based on three categories (i.e., individual, relational, and organizational).
Ideas for bridging the academic-policy divide at the nexus of gender and entrepreneurship
Authors: Carlson Jessica , Jennings Jennifer
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Inspired by the “responsibility turn” in the broader organization/management literature, the overarching aim of this article is to help scholars working at the gender × entrepreneurship intersection produce research with a higher likelihood of being accessed, appreciated and acted upon by policy- practitioners. Consistent with this aim, we hope that our paper contributes to an increased use of academic-practitioner collaborations as a means of producing such research.

Design/methodology/approach

We selected Cunliffe and Pavlovich’s (2022) recently formulated “public organization/management studies” (public OMS) approach as our guiding methodology. We implemented this approach by forming a co-authorship team comprised of a policy professional and an entrepreneurship scholar and then engaging in a democratic, collaborative and mutually respectful process of knowledge cogeneration.

Findings

Our paper is comprised of four distinct sets of ideas. We start by describing who policy-practitioners are and what they want from academic research in general. We follow this with a comprehensive set of priorities for policy-oriented research at the gender × entrepreneurship nexus, accompanied by references to academic studies that offer initial insight into the identified priorities. We then offer suggestions for the separate and joint actions that scholars and policy-practitioners can take to increase policy-relevant research on gender and entrepreneurship. We end with a description and critical reflection on our application of the public OMS approach.

Originality/value

The ideas presented in our article offer an original response to recent work that has critiqued the policy implications (or lack thereof) within prior research at the gender × entrepreneurship nexus (Foss et al., 2019). Our ideas also complement and extend existing recommendations for strengthening the practical contributions of academic scholarship at this intersection (Nelson, 2020). An especially unique aspect is our description of – and critical reflection upon – how we applied the public OMS approach to bridge the academic-policy divide.
The dilemma of work-family balance for the dual-career couples with child/children: qualitative evidence from Bangladesh based on Family Systems Theory
Authors: Hosain Md Sajjad
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this qualitative study is to identify and highlight the challenges faced by the dual-career couples with one or multiple child/children in maintaining their work–family balance based on family systems theory.

Design/methodology/approach

The author purposely selected 26 families (52 participants) in Bangladesh where both husbands and wives work on a full-time basis having one or multiple child/children. The author used focus group discussion (FGD) technique to identify the challenges encountered by them.

Findings

After summarising the FGD results, the study identified several challenges faced by those dual-career couples, such as inability to differentiate between professional and family lives, lack of quality time for partners/children, challenges to raise children, lack of childcare centres and lack of professionalism of care workers; and tension and anxiety for their child/children while at offices.

Originality/value

The author expects the results of this qualitative study to be conductive as groundwork for upcoming research studies concerning dual-career couples with child/children. The author also hopes that such results will assist the human resource managers in efficiently crafting and executing some policies regarding dual-career couples with one or multiple child/children.
Why project managers’ knowledge hiding is harmful to NPD projects: resilient team resource caravans as an explanatory mechanism
Authors: Zhang Zhen , Min Min
Published: February 2024

Purpose

New product development (NPD) projects are strategically important for firms’ operations but suffer from high failure rates. Leadership is a key factor for project success. However, in contrast to positive project leadership, project managers’ knowledge hiding has received little attention. Drawing on the input-mediator-output (IMO) framework and model of work team resilience, we explored the effect of project managers’ destructive knowledge hiding (i.e. evasive hiding and playing dumb) on project team performance (i.e. efficiency and effectiveness) and the serial indirect effect through team psychological safety and transactive memory systems.

Design/methodology/approach

We conducted a time-lagged multiple-sourcing investigation of Chinese high-tech firms and tested the hypotheses using data collected from 105 NPD project teams.

Findings

Our findings demonstrated that project managers’ knowledge hiding negatively affects NPD project team performance and indirectly negatively affects transactive memory systems through team psychological safety. Moreover, project managers’ knowledge hiding exerts a negative indirect effect on team performance through team psychological safety and transactive memory systems in serial.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the literature on operations management (OM) by broadening our understanding of the connection between project managers' destructive knowledge hiding and the failure of NPD projects. In providing such insight, it also offers practical guidance for overcoming team-level obstacles arising from project managers' knowledge hiding.
Organization agility: a literature review and research agenda
Authors: Motwani Jyoti , Katatria Aakanksha
Published: February 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this literature review paper is to explore the concept of organization agility and its relevance in today's dynamic business environment. By conducting an in-depth review of existing academic and industry literature on organization agility, this study aims to identify the key factors that influence an organization's agility and the benefits and drawbacks associated with fostering agility.

Design/methodology/approach

Through the technique of bibliometric analysis, we provide the growth trajectory of the field by identifying the publication trends, prominent authors and countries and most prolific journal publishing in the concerned domain. We also provide the intellectual structure of the organization agility research by identifying the prominent themes that have been worked upon till date. In addition, with the backing of the theories, contexts, characteristics and methodology (TCCM) framework, we identify the most frequently applied theories, constructs and methods in organization agility research and provide new avenues for future research by analyzing the most frequently used theories, methods, constructs and research contexts.

Findings

With the ever-increasing ambiguity and need for change (why), organization agility serves as the organization's backbone. It acts as a springboard for the organization, an anchor point that remains constant while other functional aspects constantly fluctuate and change. Organization agility can be defined (what) as the ability of organizations to quickly respond to market needs by sensing, renewing, adapting and succeeding in a turbulent market. To summarize, organizational agility matters at three fundamental aspects (where): strategic level or the market capitalizing level, internal operational level and individual level.

Originality/value

This paper is unique in the sense that it is the first comprehensive literature review in the field of organization agility research to use a hybrid methodology (bibliometric review with TCCMs).
Conceptions of time, socioeconomic development and cultural values
Authors: Yeganeh Hamid
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This article analyzes the relationships between different conceptions of time, socioeconomic development and cultural values.

Design/methodology/approach

We focus on three major aspects of time, namely, 1) duration, 2) orientation and 3) tempo. Furthermore, we draw on modernization theory to distinguish between agrarian/traditional and industrial/modern societies and their respective cultural values.

Findings

Analyses indicate that agrarian/traditional societies with cultural values such as collectivism, survival, religiosity and hierarchical structures are marked by subjective/cyclical/inaccurate, past-oriented and slow-paced conceptions of time. In contrast, industrial/modern societies with cultural values such as individualism, self-expression, secularism and egalitarianism are marked by objective/linear/accurate, future-oriented and accelerated conceptions of time.

Originality/value

This paper introduces an original conceptualization of the three dimensions of time – duration, orientation and tempo – previously overlooked in the literature. Additionally, it provides an in-depth and comprehensive analysis of the relationships between time, culture and socioeconomic development.
Examining the influence of functional value, social value and emotional value on purchase intention for tires in Japan
Authors: Wells Jia , Tan Caroline S.L.
Published: February 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationships between functional value (quality and price), social value (extrinsic and intrinsic), emotional value and attitude toward a brand, as well as the direct relationship between attitude toward a brand and the purchase intention of tires. This research also explores the moderating effect of social influence on the relationship between attitude toward a brand and purchase intention.

Design/methodology/approach

A conceptual model based on literature is developed and tested using an online survey, with a sample of 760 active drivers gathered through purposive sample judgment. The data were analyzed using structural equation modeling with AMOS 28 and Hayes Process Macro 4.

Findings

The results demonstrate that extrinsic social value has a positive direct relationship with attitude toward brands. The findings also indicate that intrinsic social value has a positive influence on attitudes toward brands. Attitude toward a brand is found to have a positive direct relationship with purchase intention.

Originality/value

This research extends the existing literature on consumption values and offers insights into the specific values that influence attitudes toward tire brands as well as purchase intention. The findings provide insights to tire businesses in values that they could focus on when developing strategies to increase positive brand attitude and purchase intention.
Design of product-service systems in SMEs: a review of current research and suggestions for future directions
Authors: Åkesson Jennie , Sundström Angelina , Johansson Glenn , Chirumalla Koteshwar , Grahn Sten , Berglund Anders
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Despite increasing focus among scholars and practitioners on the design of product-service systems (PSS), there exists no compilation of current knowledge on the role played by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in designing such systems. Thus, this paper sets out to identify and organise the existing research and suggest questions for future research.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic literature review was performed to identify and provide in-depth details on key themes in the literature addressing the design of PSS in SMEs.

Findings

This paper identifies five themes in the literature on the design of PSS in SMEs: motives, challenges, SME characteristics, methods and digitalisation. The themes are interrelated, and SME characteristics seem to be at the core as they are related to all the other themes. Gaps in the current knowledge are identified, and questions for future research are suggested.

Originality/value

The suggestions for future research provide a starting point for expanding the research on PSS design and devising practical support for SMEs.
Neo-institutionalism in supply chain management: from supply chain susceptibility to supply chain resilience
Authors: Herold David Martin , Marzantowicz Łukasz
Published: February 2024

Purpose

Neo-institutional theories and their constructs have so far only received limited attention in supply chain management literature. As recent supply chain disruptions and their ripple effects affect actors on a broader institutional level, supply chains are confronted with multiple new and emerging, often conflicting, institutional demands. This study aims to unpack the notion of institutional complexity behind supply chain disruptions and present a novel institutional framework to lower supply chain susceptibility and increase supply chain resilience.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors identify the patterns of complexity that shape the supply chain susceptibility, namely, distance, diversity and ambiguity, and present three institutional responses to susceptibility to increase supply chain resilience, namely, institutional entrepreneurship, institutional alignment and institutional layering.

Findings

This paper analyses the current situational relevance to better understand the various and patterned ways how logics influence both supply chain susceptibility and the supply chain resilience. The authors derive six propositions on how complexity can be reduced for supply chain susceptibility and can be increased for supply chain resilience.

Originality/value

By expanding and extending research on institutional complexity to supply chains, the authors broaden how researchers in supply chain management view supply chain susceptibility, thereby providing managers with theory to think differently about supply chains and its resilience.
Stationary‐phase analysis of time‐shift extended imaging in a constant‐velocity model
Authors: Mulder W. A.
Published: February 2024

To estimate the depth errors in a subsurface model obtained from the inversion of seismic data, the stationary‐phase approximation in a two‐dimensional constant‐velocity model with a dipped reflector is applied to migration with a time‐shift extension. This produces two asymptotic solutions: one is a straight line, and the other is a curve. If the velocity differs from the true one, a closed‐form expression of the depth error follows from the depth and apparent dip of the reflector as well as the position of the amplitude peak at a non‐zero time shift, where the two solutions meet and the extended migration image focuses. The results are compared to finite‐frequency results from a finite‐difference code. A two‐dimensional synthetic example with a salt diapir illustrates how depth errors can be estimated in an inhomogeneous model after inverting the seismic data for the velocity model.
How can the NaCl content of ripened Fourme d'Ambert cheese be reduced using innovative dry surface salting processes?
Authors: Ferroukhi Imène , Dominguez Jessica , Bord Cécile , Guerinon Delphine , Chassard Christophe , Mardon Julie
Published: February 2024

The impacts of salt reduction by NaCl sprinkling and NaCl substitution with 25% calcium lactate on the quality of blue cheese were evaluated. Sprinkling reduced sodium content by 35% and substitution reduced sodium content by 47%. The salt‐reduced cheeses had a higher calcium content, vitamin B2, B6, and B12 levels, and a higher rate of proteolysis. Sensory and texture profile analysis found that the salt‐reduced cheeses had a less salty taste and were less firm. These methods enabled significant salt reduction but had negative effects on the cheese properties, and so further work is needed to diminish these effects.
Implementing Enhanced Recovery After Surgery for hysterectomy in a hospital network with audit and feedback: A stepped‐wedge cluster randomised trial
Authors: Piovano Elisa , Puppo Andrea , Camanni Marco , Castiglione Anna , Delpiano Elena Maria , Giacometti Lisa , Rolfo Monica , Rizzo Alessio , Zola Paolo , Ciccone Giovannino , Pagano Eva ,   for the ERAS‐Gyneco Piemonte Group
Published: February 2024

Objective

To evaluate the effectiveness of implementing the Enhanced Recovery After Surgery (ERAS) protocol in patients undergoing elective hysterectomy in a network of regional hospitals, supported by an intensive audit‐and‐feedback (A&F) approach.

Design

A multi‐centre, stepped‐wedge cluster randomised trial (ClinicalTrials.gov NCT04063072).

Setting

Gynaecological units in the Piemonte region, Italy.

Population

Patients undergoing elective hysterectomy, either for cancer or for benign conditions.

Methods

Twenty‐three units (clusters), stratified by surgical volume, were randomised into four sequences. At baseline (first 3 months), standard care was continued in all units. Subsequently, the four sequences implemented the ERAS protocol successively every 3 months, after specific training. By the end of the study, each unit had a period in which standard care was maintained (control) and a period in which the protocol, supported by feedback, was applied (experimental).

Main outcome measures

Length of hospital stay (LOS), without outliers (>98th percentile).

Results

Between September 2019 and May 2021, 2086 patients were included in the main analysis with an intention‐to‐treat approach: 1104 (53%) in the control period and 982 (47%) in the ERAS period. Compliance with the ERAS protocol increased from 60% in the control period to 76% in the experimental period, with an adjusted absolute difference of +13.3% (95% CI 11.6% to 15.0%). LOS, moving from 3.5 to 3.2 days, did not show a significant reduction (−0.12 days; 95% CI −0.30 to 0.07 days). No difference was observed in the occurrence of complications.

Conclusions

Implementation of the ERAS protocol for hysterectomy at the regional level, supported by an A&F approach, resulted in a substantial improvement in compliance, but without meaningful effects on LOS and complications. This study confirms the effectiveness of A&F in promoting important innovations in an entire hospital network and suggests the need of a higher compliance with the ERAS protocol to obtain valuable improvements in clinical outcomes.
Can we Use High‐Frequency Data to Better Understand the Effects of Monetary Policy and its Communication? Yes and No!*
Authors: Hambur Jonathan , Haque Qazi
Published: February 2024

We examine the effects of three facets of monetary policy in Australia using high‐frequency yield changes around the Reserve Bank of Australia's announcements: current policy, signalling/forward guidance and changes in premia. Shocks to current policy have similar effects to those identified using conventional approaches, but the effects of signalling and premia shocks are imprecisely estimated. Still, the approach provides the following evidence: forward guidance shocks raised future rate expectations in the mid‐2010s as the Reserve Bank of Australia highlighted housing risks; COVID‐era policy mainly affected term premia, unlike pre‐COVID policy; shocks to the expected path of rates are predictable, suggesting markets misunderstand the RBA's reaction to data.
A Tale of Two Poll Books – Wareham 1702 and Dorchester 1705
Authors: Tuffnell Kevin
Published: February 2024

The politics of Queen Anne's reign are characterised as the rage of party; Whigs and Tories contended over religion, the constitution and the succession, and foreign policy. This struggle was taken to the electorate in five elections during Anne's reign, and these raise a question concerning electors’ motivations, the answer to which remains elusive: were they acting according to principle, or reflecting the electoral interests to which they were subject? This article analyses the two surviving poll books for Dorset elections in the age of Anne, those at Wareham in 1702 and at Dorchester in 1705. It focuses principally on the voting behaviour of those engaged in the towns’ governance structures: corporation members, councils of freemen and local parishes. However, it also considers the behaviour of other categories of voter: politicians, the clergy and non‐conformists. The analysis shows how electoral interest was mediated through the towns’ governing institutions and suggests that (at least in these two cases) negotiation between the parties had a greater role in the outcome than has sometimes been suggested. It also demonstrates the limits of the electoral influence of the boroughs’ elites: significant numbers of voters were simply not prepared to be led.
Reading against Reform: The Bristol Library Society and the Intellectual Culture of Bristol's Elections in 1812*
Authors: Smith Joshua j.
Published: February 2024

This article pioneers a new methodological approach to the study of electoral politics by combining an analysis of the politics of reading, library association and the reading habits of electors in an English urban constituency in the early 19th century. By integrating an examination of reading practices and intellectual context into our analysis of electoral contests, political history scholars can go further in their examination of the unreformed electoral system and attempt to gauge the motivations behind voting habits and partisan identification in this period. Using electoral voting data and the records of an urban subscription library, this article explores the interrelation between the Bristol Library Society and Bristol's electoral politics, as well as conducting an analysis of which books were being borrowed and read by electors in a politically tumultuous year. Although few in number compared with the total size of Bristol's electorate, Bristol Library members were among some of the most politically and culturally influential individuals in Bristol society and were active participants in electoral contests in the city, either as candidates, campaigners, civic officials or voters. An analysis of their voting habits reveals that the library's membership reflected the Tory political hegemony that became pronounced in the city's civic politics. Moreover, an analysis of their reading habits in 1812 reveals an interest in political texts that were conservative and anti‐Gallic in tone, that were representative of the political climate in Bristol in 1812, and which contributed to the defeat of candidates for reform in its electoral contests.
Current perspectives on fenugreek bioactive compounds and their potential impact on human health: A review of recent insights into functional foods and other high value applications
Authors: Alu'datt Muhammad H. , Rababah Taha , Al‐ali Saleh , Tranchant Carole C. , Gammoh Sana , Alrosan Mohammad , Kubow Stan , Tan Thuan‐Chew , Ghatasheh Salsabeel
Published: February 2024

Despite long‐standing uses in several food and medicine traditions, the full potential of the leguminous crop fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum L.) remains to be realized in the modern diet. Not only its seeds, which are highly prized for their culinary and medicinal properties, but also its leaves and stems abound in phytochemicals with high nutritional and health promoting attributes. Fenugreek dual food‐medicine applications and reported metabolic activities include hypoglycemic, antihyperlipidemic, antioxidative, anti‐inflammatory, antiatherogenic, antihypertensive, anticarcinogenic, immunomodulatory, and antinociceptive effects, with potential organ‐protective effects at the cardiovascular, digestive, hepatic, endocrine, and central nervous system levels. Effectiveness in alleviating certain inflammatory skin conditions and dysfunctions of the reproductive system was also suggested. As a food ingredient, fenugreek can enhance the sensory, nutritional, and nutraceutical qualities of a wide variety of foods. Its high nutritive density can assist with the design of dietary items that meet the demand for novelty, variety, and healthier foods. Its seeds provide essential protective nutrients and other bioactive compounds, notably galactomannans, flavonoids, coumarins, saponins, alkaloids, and essential oils, whose health benefits, alone or in conjunction with other bioactives, are only beginning to be tapped into in the food industries. This review summarizes the current state of evidence on fenugreek potential for functional food development, focusing on the nutrients and non‐nutrient bioactive components of interest from a dietary perspective, and their applications for enhancing the functional and nutraceutical value of foods and beverages. New developments, safety, clinical evidence, presumed mechanisms of action, and future perspectives are discussed.

Highlights

Fenugreek seeds and leaves have long‐standing uses in the food‐medicine continuum.

Fenugreek phytochemicals exert broad‐spectrum biological and pharmacological activities.

They show high preventive and nutraceutical potential against common chronic diseases.

Current evidence supports multiple mechanisms of action mediated by distinct bioactives.

Opportunities for fenugreek‐based functional foods and nutraceuticals are expanding.
Sorghum and health: An overview of potential protective health effects
Authors: Stefoska‐Needham Anita
Published: February 2024

Whole‐grain sorghum foods may elicit health‐promoting effects when consumed regularly in the diet. This review discusses key functional sorghum grain constituents, including dietary fiber, slowly digestible and resistant starches, lipids, and phytochemicals and their effects on metabolic processes that are associated with the development of chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. Currently, the range of sorghum food products available to consumers is limited globally, hindering the potential consumer benefits. A collaborative effort to innovate new product developments is therefore needed, with a focus on processing methods that help to retain the grain's favorable nutritive, health‐enhancing, and sensory attributes. Evidence for sorghum's purported health effects, together with evidence of impacts of processing on different sorghum foods, are presented in this review to fully elucidate the potential of sorghum grain to confer health benefits to humans.
Evaluating a virtual reality dementia training experience using psychophysiological methods: A randomised controlled study
Authors: Stafford Andrew , Bender Stuart , Parsons Kiran , Sung Billy
Published: February 2024

Objectives

Virtual reality (VR) is increasingly used for training the dementia care workforce. It is unknown whether VR is superior to traditional training techniques in improving dementia care amongst practicing nurses. This study compared the impact of a VR application on nurses' knowledge and attitudes towards people living with dementia, to video‐based, non‐immersive training.

Methods

Twenty‐two registered and enrolled nurses were randomised to either interactive VR experience or video footage captured from within the app. Participants completed surveys pre‐ and post‐training to assess their knowledge of dementia, attitudes towards dementia and person‐centredness. Engagement with training was assessed objectively using facial electromyography, and subjectively with self‐reported scales.

Results

Virtual reality evoked objectively significant greater positive and negative emotional responses than video (positive emotion fEMG: VR mean .012 mV vs. video .005 mV, F[1, 20] = 8.70, p = .01; negative emotion fEMG: VR mean .018 mV vs. video .008 mV, F[1, 20] = 18.40, p < .001). Self‐ratings of engagement and emotional state were similar. There was little change in the VR group's knowledge of, and attitudes towards, dementia; the video group's dementia knowledge improved (total DKAS mean differences: VR .1 t = .07, df = 9, p = .95 vs. video −2.3 t = −2.265, df = 11, p = .045).

Conclusions

Virtual reality is more engaging than traditional training in highly experienced dementia care practitioners. Despite this, VR may not be superior to traditional training techniques to improve knowledge and attitude for many learners. A focus of future research in the area should be on how to capitalise on VR's greater emotional engagement so that Australia's nursing workforce is better equipped to care for the increasing number of people living with dementia.
A randomised controlled pilot study of a Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™ balance and strengthening exercise program in community‐dwelling older adults with a history of falls
Authors: Chan Wayne Lap Sun , Chan Cody Wing Lam , Chan Howard Ho Wing , Chan Kelvin Chi Kin , Chan Jerry Sai Kit , Chan Oscar Lok Wang
Published: February 2024

Objectives

This pilot study examined the feasibility, acceptability, and effects of a Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™‐based balance and muscle strengthening exercise program in community‐dwelling older adults with a history of falls.

Methods

Older adults who have had at least one fall in the past year were randomly assigned to an experimental (n = 21) or control group (n = 21). The experimental group performed 16 exercise sessions in total, lasting 60 min each, twice a week for 8 weeks, whereas the control group received usual care. Feasibility was evaluated based on the scores of participants in the exercises. Acceptance was evaluated using a customised questionnaire examining participants' self‐perceived enjoyment, feasibility and improvements. Clinical outcomes including balance (Mini‐BESTest), lower limb muscle strength (Five‐Time Sit‐to‐Stand test), mobility (Timed‐Up and Go test), dual‐task ability (Timed‐Up and Go test—Dual Task), fear of falling (Icon‐FES) and executive function (Color Trails Test) were evaluated at baseline and 8 weeks.

Results

Thirty‐one participants (74%) finished the 8‐week assessment. The experimental group significantly improved their scores in six out of eight exercises (all p < .031). The mean scores of the self‐perceived enjoyment, feasibility and improvement domains of the acceptability questionnaire were 3.46 ± .53, 3.08 ± .59, and 3.47 ± .57 respectively. A significant improvement in the anticipatory subscore of the Mini‐BESTest was found in the experimental group compared to the control group (p = .02; Partial eta squared = .14).

Conclusions

The Nintendo Ring Fit Adventure™‐based exercise program was feasible, acceptable, and potentially effective in community‐dwelling older adults with a history of falls.
A dual‐angle exploration towards understanding lapses in COVID‐19 social responsibility
Authors: Lee Sean T. H. , Mah Jerome J. X. , Leung Angela K.‐y.
Published: February 2024

Breaking infection chains requires not just behaviours that allow individuals to stay healthy and uninfected (i.e. health protective behaviours) but also for those who are possibly infected to protect others from their harboured infection risk (i.e. socially responsible behaviours). However, socially responsible behaviours entail costs without clear, immediate benefits to the individual, such that public health‐risking lapses occur from time to time. In this important yet understudied area, the current exploratory study sought to identify possible psychological factors that may affect people's likelihood of engaging in socially responsible behaviours. Assuming that self‐perceived infection should provide an impetus to engage in socially responsible behaviours, we contend that lapses could occur in two scenarios: discounting of possible infection or prioritizing self‐interest over collective good. Through a vignette portraying COVID‐19 relevant symptoms presented to culturally diverse participants (Singapore and United States; N = 645), we found dispositional denialism (an ego defence mechanism) to exert a negative indirect effect on likelihood of engaging in socially responsible behaviours through its negative association with perceived infection status. Further, social value orientation and cultural orientation appeared to significantly moderate the positive association between perceived infection status and the likelihood of engaging in socially responsible behaviours, such that the positive association held only when individuals espouse both a prosocial value orientation and a collectivistic cultural orientation. Further analyses also point toward a possible attenuation of this positive association when individuals espouse a vertical cultural orientation. Future directions and implications for public health management are discussed.