bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Reorganization of a very small academic library: a case study of Maine maritime academy's Nutting Memorial Library
Authors: Dyer Ann MacMillan , Starbird Lauren
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This case study evaluates the success of a change management process in a very small academic library at a public, rural college. It considers the existing literature on the subject and how it applies to this setting and details the change process.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors developed a new tool for assessment of work and its relationship to the organization design, dubbed a “Penny Chart.” The relationship between work areas uncovered by this charting led the change efforts and determined how jobs would be described and marketed.

Findings

Conducting a work reorganization within the confines of a very small library staff has extensive benefits, but does not come without the existing drawbacks of working with limited and shrinking resources in the current climate of higher education. However, intentionally charting the relationship between areas of work and determining natural areas of overlap and authority had significant benefits to the organization as a whole.

Originality/value

There is little to no existing literature on conducting a significant reorganization of this size of academic library. This paper contributes significantly to the literature by proposing a new method for reorganization when there is no change to the official reporting structure due to the size of the institution. In addition, this method will be valuable to institutions of all sizes conducting any significant reorganization.
The dilemmas of relevance: exploring the role of natural resources and energy consumption in managing climate crisis in Africa
Authors: Shobande Olatunji , Asongu Simplice
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The study examines the role of natural resources (NRs) and energy consumption in managing the climate crisis in Africa, using annual series data from the World Bank from 1980 to 2019.

Design/methodology/approach

The empirical strategy is based on the second-generation panel techniques that account for cross-sectional dependency in the series. Specifically, the empirical evidence is based on the Westerlund (2017) panel cointegration test, panel augmented mean group, common correlated effects mean group and the vector autoregressive (VAR)-vector error correction (VEC) approaches.

Findings

Evidence from the panel analysis confirmed the existence of Carbon Kuznets Curve (CKC) U-shaped nexus in Africa, but the country-level results are mixed. Furthermore, results using the VAR-vector correction model indicate possible convergence among the variables across the African countries. NR unidirectionally Granger-causes carbon emissions. The authors suggest the consideration of environmental factors in the utilisation of NRs. Similarly, energy efficiency is crucial to decouple carbon from energy usage.

Originality/value

The study complements the extant literature by assessing the role of NRs and energy consumption in managing climate crisis in Africa.
Stakeholder accountability in the era of big data: an exploratory study of online platform companies
Authors: Amonoo Nkrumah Beatrice , Qian Wei , Kaur Amanpreet , Tilt Carol
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the nature and extent of disclosure on the use of big data by online platform companies and how these disclosures address and discharge stakeholder accountability.

Design/methodology/approach

Content analysis of annual reports and data policy documents of 100 online platform companies were used for this study. More specifically, the study develops a comprehensive big data disclosure framework to assess the nature and extent of disclosures provided in corporate reports. This framework also assists in evaluating the effect of the size of the company, industry and country in which they operate on disclosures.

Findings

The analysis reveals that most companies made limited disclosure on how they manage big data. Only two of the 100 online platform companies have provided moderate disclosures on big data related issues. The focus of disclosure by the online platform companies is more on data regulation compliance and privacy protection, but significantly less on the accountability and ethical issues of big data use. More specifically, critical issues, such as stakeholder engagement, breaches of customer information and data reporting and controlling mechanisms are largely overlooked in current disclosures. The analysis confirms that current attention has been predominantly given to powerful stakeholders such as regulators as a result of compliance pressure while the accountability pressure has yet to keep up the pace.

Research limitations/implications

The study findings may be limited by the use of a new accountability disclosure index and the specific focus on online platform companies.

Practical implications

Although big data permeates, the number of users and uses grow and big data use has become more ingrained into society, this study provides evidence that ethical and accountability issues persist, even among the largest online companies. The findings of this study improve the understanding of the current state of online companies’ reporting practices on big data use, particularly the issues and gaps in the reporting process, which will help policymakers and standard setters develop future data disclosure policies.

Social implications

From these findings, the study improves the understanding of the current state of online companies’ reporting practices on big data use, particularly the issues and gaps in the reporting process – which are helpful for policymakers and standard setters to develop data disclosure policies.

Originality/value

This study provides an analysis of ethical and social issues surrounding big data accountability, an emerging but increasingly important area that needs urgent attention and more research. It also adds a new disclosure dimension to the existing accountability literature and provides practical suggestions to balance the interaction between online platform companies and their stakeholders to promote the responsible use of big data.
Sustainability reporting, universities and global reporting initiative applicability: a still open issue
Authors: Moggi Sara
Published: May 2023

Purpose

The porpose of this study is to critically consider the use of global reporting initiative (GRI) guidelines in universities’ sustainability reports.. In light of the recent literature and Habermas’s thinking, the study advances the research field by considering the process of internal colonisation from steering institutions and makes suggestions regarding the future role of GRI in the higher education (HE) context.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a systematic literature review and content analysis for enhancing the critical reading of GRI applications in HE studies. The results are analysed in light of Habermas’s thinking, considering the GRI as a steering institution and its guidelines as steering mechanisms.

Findings

This study updates the literature review on sustainability reporting (SR) at universities and underlines the general trend in the employment of the GRI in this context. The results highlight the need to adapt the GRI to enhance its applicability in the HE context by considering additional dimensions such as research, teaching and operations. In doing so, the framework loses effectiveness and weakens the role of the GRI as a steering institution.

Practical implications

The results suggest that the GRI guidelines should be reframed to enhance comparability among reports and increase its wider employment at universities.

Social implications

Universities need to be guided in their accountability process towards SR by dedicated frameworks. This study suggests the potentially pivotal role that the GRI could play in providing dedicated tools for HE to steer and enhance the development of SRs at universities.

Originality/value

This study presents an updated review of studies on SR at universities and suggests possible paths for the future of the GRI framework applicability to universities’ SR.
Socio-economic disparities in greenspace quality: insights from the city of Melbourne
Authors: Ghanem Ali , Edirisinghe Ruwini
Published: May 2023

Purpose

This paper takes a prudent approach to assessing the quality of greenspace in low- and high socio-economic status (SES) settings. Socio-economic data from deprivation indexes were used to systematically define low- and high-SES suburbs. A Geographical Information System (GIS) observation of greenspaces was used to score spaces according to a scoring criterion contingent on six quality facets. Statistics were then synthesised, producing a Cohen effect score highlighting disparities in each criterion between the two SES groups.

Design/methodology/approach

As the phenomena of locational prejudice and meritocratic inequality continue to garner global attention, this paper extrapolates this to a world-renown metropolis, Melbourne. This paper endeavours to provide invaluable insights into the environmental injustice paradigm within greenspace and its respective quality.

Findings

Conclusive results affirmed a concerning disparity in the quality of greenspace between Melbourne's low- and high-SES settings. Cohen's effect size found that on average, there was a “medium” distinction between the spaces, whilst an individual focus on the quality facets concluded diverse findings.

Research limitations/implications

The core of study adopted a meticulous virtual assessment to critique the quality of selected greenspaces opposed to an in-person-real world assessment which could garner more nuanced findings.

Originality/value

Existing literature on Melbourne has prioritised distribution, proximity and accessibility domains when assessing inequitable greenspace and, consequently, has catalysed a research gap in greenspace quality. This is also one of the first papers to provide insight into the “Plan Melbourne” policy regarding urban regeneration and ameliorating public open spaces.
Landscape composition and pollinator traits interact to influence pollination success in an individual‐based model
Authors: Kortsch Susanne , Saravia Leonardo , Cirtwill Alyssa R. , Timberlake Thomas , Memmott Jane , Kendall Liam , Roslin Tomas , Strona Giovanni
Published: May 2023

The arrangement of plant species within a landscape influences pollination via changes in pollinator movement trajectories and plant–pollinator encounter rates. Yet the combined effects of landscape composition and pollinator traits (especially specialisation) on pollination success remain hard to quantify empirically.

We used an individual‐based model to explore how landscape and pollinator specialisation (degree) interact to influence pollination. We modelled variation in the landscape by generating gradients of plant species intermixing—from no mixing to complete intermixing. Furthermore, we varied the level of pollinator specialisation by simulating plant–pollinator (six to eight species) networks of different connectance. We then compared the impacts of these drivers on three proxies for pollination: visitation rate, number of consecutive visits to the focal plant species and expected number of plants pollinated.

We found that the spatial arrangements of plants and pollinator degree interact to determine pollination success, and that the influence of these drivers on pollination depends on how pollination is estimated. For most pollinators, visitation rate increases in more plant mixed landscapes. Compared to the two more functional measures of pollination, visitation rate overestimates pollination service. This is particularly severe in landscapes with high plant intermixing and for generalist pollinators. Interestingly, visitation rate is less influenced by pollinator traits (pollinator degree and body size) than are the two functional metrics, likely because ‘visitation rate’ ignores the order in which pollinators visit plants. However, the visitation sequence order is crucial for the expected number of plants pollinated, since only prior visits to conspecific individuals can contribute to pollination. We show here that this order strongly depends on the spatial arrangements of plants, on pollinator traits and on the interaction between them.

Taken together, our findings suggest that visitation rate, the most commonly used proxy for pollination in network studies, should be complemented with more functional metrics which reflect the frequency with which individual pollinators revisit the same plant species. Our findings also suggest that measures of landscape structure such as plant intermixing and density—in combination with pollinators' level of specialism—can improve estimates of the probability of pollination.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Source time functions and interference from blast arrays
Authors: Bleibinhaus Florian , Trabi Bernd
Published: May 2023

In this study, we review the principles of blast array design for vibration reduction and we present a parametric Laplace‐domain model to predict source time functions for mine blasts that accounts for the relation between charge weight and frequency. We developed the model for one of Europe's largest iron ore mines, Mt. Erzberg, Austria, where we repeatedly monitored production blasts with arrays of 80–125 seismic sensors. Our model enables us to simulate not only resonance modes and Doppler shifts but also time‐domain waveforms. We use the normalized cross‐correlation coefficient of observed and synthetic waveforms to calibrate the model. The overall good match of our predictions suggests that our modelling of the source time functions could be used for more advanced predictions of the peak ground velocity, which is essential to designing charge weight distributions in modern mining operations.
Tensor tree decomposition as a rank‐reduction method for pre‐stack interpolation
Authors: Manenti Rafael , Sacchi Mauricio D
Published: May 2023

Tensors have been proposed to represent pre‐stack seismic data, particularly for seismic data denoising and reconstruction. They naturally permit describing multi‐dimensional seismic signals that depend on time (or frequency) and source and receiver coordinates. A tensor representation aims to preserve the information embedded in the multi‐linear array in a reduced space. Such a representation is part of many algorithms for seismic data reconstruction via tensor completion methodologies. We investigate and apply one particular tensor tree representation to seismic data reconstruction. The Tensor Tree decomposition methodology permits decomposing a high‐order tensor into third‐order tensors. The technique relies on the truncated singular value decomposition, which branches the tensors into low‐dimensional tensors. As a benefit, the tensor tree allows us to reorganize the tensor into a matrix that demands the least singular values to have an optimal low‐rank approximation. We have developed an algorithm that uses the tensor tree for data reconstruction in an iterative optimization scheme and directly compared it to the parallel matrix factorization. At first, we demonstrated the proposed methodology results with five‐dimensional synthetic shot data and then moved forward with five‐dimensional field data, where we analysed it both pre and post‐stack. The tensor tree performs well in reconstructing both synthetic and field data with high fidelity, at the same level as the well‐established parallel matrix factorization.
Common beans as a source of food ingredients: Techno‐functional and biological potential
Authors: Alfaro‐Diaz Arturo , Escobedo Alejandro , Luna‐Vital Diego A. , Castillo‐Herrera Gustavo , Mojica Luis
Published: May 2023

Common beans are an inexpensive source of high‐quality food ingredients. They are rich in proteins, slowly digestible starch, fiber, phenolic compounds, and other bioactive molecules that could be separated and processed to obtain value‐added ingredients with techno‐functional and biological potential. The use of common beans in the food industry is a promising alternative to add nutritional and functional ingredients with a low impact on overall consumer acceptance. Researchers are evaluating traditional and novel technologies to develop functionally enhanced common bean ingredients, such as flours, proteins, starch powders, and phenolic extracts that could be introduced as functional ingredient alternatives in the food industry. This review compiles recent information on processing, techno‐functional properties, food applications, and the biological potential of common bean ingredients. The evidence shows that incorporating an adequate proportion of common bean ingredients into regular foods such as pasta, bread, or nutritional bars improves their fiber, protein, phenolic compounds, and glycemic index profile without considerably affecting their organoleptic properties. Additionally, common bean consumption has shown health benefits in the gut microbiome, weight control, and the reduction of the risk of developing noncommunicable diseases. However, food matrix interaction studies and comprehensive clinical trials are needed to develop common bean ingredient applications and validate the health benefits over time.
Human resource management in recession: Restructuring and alternatives to downsizing in times of crisis
Authors: Johnstone Stewart
Published: May 2023

In just over a decade two global crises have created significant instability across the world and plunged many national economies into recession. While studies of HRM during economic downturns are limited, the global impact of COVID‐19 on employment adds impetus to the debate. Though downsizing and mass layoffs attract most attention, redundancies are just one potential response to challenging economic conditions, and various other employment adjustments might be viewed as complements or alternatives to workforce reductions. However, little is known about the implementation of HR practices or enactment of HR strategies during recession. Drawing upon 56 in‐depth interviews, this article presents three case studies of recessionary restructuring in British manufacturing firms. The cases share a concern with mitigating redundancies and highlight the importance of actor agency as well as institutional and organisational context in shaping restructuring outcomes. The article contributes to HR theory regarding HRM in recession and employment restructuring.
Structural Variation between the Western and Eastern Kuqa Fold‐and‐thrust Belt, China: Insights from Seismic Interpretation and Analog Modeling
Authors: WANG Wei , XIE Huiwen , YIN Hongwei , JIA Dong , XU Zhenping , LUO Haoyu , HE Wanhui , YUAN Rui , DUAN Yunjiang
Published: May 2023

The Kuqa fold‐and‐thrust belt exhibits apparent structural variation in the western and eastern zone. Two salt layer act as effective decollements and influence the varied deformation. In this study, detailed seismic interpretations and analog modeling are presented to construct the suprasalt and subsalt structures in the transfer zone of the middle Kuqa and investigate the influence of the two salt layers. The results reveal that the relationship of the two salt layers changes from separated to connected, and then overlapped toward the foreland in the transfer zone. Different structural models are formed in the suprasalt and subsalt units due to the interaction of the two salt layers. The imbricate thrust faults form two broomlike fault systems in the subsalt units. The suprasalt units develop detached folds terminating toward the east in the region near the orogenic belt. Whereas, two offset anticlines with different trends develop at the frontal edge of the lower salt layer and the trailing edge of the upper salt layer, respectively. According to exploration results in this region, the relationship between suprasalt and subsalt structures has an influence on hydrocarbon accumulation. We believe that the connected deformation contains high‐risk plays while the decoupled deformation contains well‐preserved plays.
Nutrients mediate caffeine inhibition of Escherichia coli
Authors: McConnell Megan N. , Bakermans Corien
Published: May 2023

The consumption of coffee and other caffeinated drinks is increasingly popular across the globe. In the United States, 90% of adults consume at least one caffeinated beverage a day. While caffeine consumption of up to 400 mg/d is not generally associated with negative effects on human health, the impact of caffeine on the gut microbiome and individual gut microbiota remains unclear. We examined the effect of caffeine on the growth rate of Escherichia coli, a bacterium commonly found in the human gut, when grown aerobically or anaerobically in nutrient‐rich or minimal medium. A significant negative correlation was observed between caffeine concentration and growth rate under all conditions, suggesting that caffeine can act as an antimicrobial agent when ingested. Caffeine reduced growth rates significantly more in nutrient‐poor, but not in anoxic, conditions. Given the highly variable nutrient and oxygen conditions of the gut, these results suggest a need to further explore caffeine's inhibitory effects on the gut microbiome and its relation to human health.
Iceland: Political Developments and Data in 2022
Authors: HARDARSON ÓLAFUR TH.
Published: May 2023

In 2022, Icelandic politics returned to normal. In the two previous years, Covid‐19 had dominated the political agenda—ideology and politics as normal were largely absent. In the 2021 parliamentary elections, the three‐way coalition of the Left Greens, Independence Party, and Progressive Party (PP) kept its majority in Althingi—the first majority government to do so since the bank crash of 2008. This victory was clearly the result of a successful fight against the epidemic, and the government parties decided to continue their coalition cooperation. In 2022, support for the government and for the government parties went down, just as had been the case for all governments since the financial crisis of 2008. One of the opposition parties, the Social Democratic Alliance, made huge gains in the opinion polls—under a new leadership. Increasing ideological tensions could be observed within the government coalition, which includes both the parliamentary party furthest to the left and furthest to the right.
Integration of GWAS and eGWAS to screen candidate genes underlying green head traits in male ducks
Authors: Wang Jianmei , Jiang Shuaixue , Xi Yang , Qi Jingjing , Ma Shengchao , Li Liang , Wang Jiwen , Bai Lili , He Hua , Xu Hengyong , Liu Hehe
Published: May 2023

Sexually dimorphic plumage coloration is widespread in birds. The male possesses more brightly colored feathers than the female. Dark green head feathers comprise one of the most typical appearance characteristics of the male Ma duck compared with the female. However, there are noticeable individual differences observed in these characteristics. Herein, genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) were employed to investigate the genetic basis of individual differences in male duck green head‐related traits. Our results showed that 165 significant SNPs were associated with green head traits. Meanwhile, 71 candidate genes were detected near the significant SNPs, including four genes (CACNA1I, WDR59, GNAO1 and CACNA2D4) related to the individual differences in the green head traits of male ducks. Additionally, the eGWAS identified three SNPs located within two candidate genes (LOC101800026 and SYNPO2) associated with TYRP1 gene expression, and might be important regulators affecting the expression level of TYRP1 in the head skin of male ducks. Our data also suggested that transcription factor MXI1 might regulate the expression of TYRP1, thereby causing differences in the green head traits among male ducks. This study provided primary data for further analysis of the genetic regulation of duck feather color.
Is there a representative quality‐of‐life questionnaire for patients with AL amyloidosis?—systematic literature review
Authors: Bristogiannis Sotirios , Khwaja Jahanzaib , Lwin Yadanar , Wechelaker Ashutosh , Wisniowski Brendan , Mahmood Ayesha Shameem , Sachchithanantham Sajitha , Kyriakou Charalampia
Published: May 2023

Systemic AL amyloidosis is an incurable condition with various presentations and may cause multiple complications related to organ involvement. As survival has improved, disease and therapy‐related quality of life (QoL) is becoming an increasingly important treatment endpoint. We review the literature summarising the utilised QoL questionnaires (QLQs) and assess their validity according to COSMIN (Consensus‐based Standards for the Selection of Health Measurement Instruments) standards. Thirteen retrospective observational studies and thirty‐two prospective clinical trials were analysed. Most QLQs are generic or only validated in populations with distinct complications of the disease. None meet ‘strong evidence’ for validation in this context. There is a need to develop a disease‐specific QLQ, which could inform treatment choices and facilitate the approval of novel therapies.
The potential role of social and familial networks in shaping the well‐being of children in shelters for women survivors of intimate partner violence
Authors: Vass Anat , Haj‐Yahia Muhammad M.
Published: May 2023

Children living in households where severe intimate partner violence (IPV) exists sometimes move with their mothers to shelters for battered women. Although there is an increased interest in research exploring children's exposure to IPV, little is known about children's subjective experiences during their stay in shelters. The present study examines children's views of their disconnection from their social and familial networks during their stay in a shelter. Using qualitative methods, 32 children, ages 7–12 years, who resided in a shelter were interviewed. Thematic analysis was implemented to develop codes and themes. The following five themes emerged from the data analysis: (a) absence of grandparents, (b) worry about older siblings, (c) disconnection from the neighbourhood, (d) missing their house and (e) disconnection from previous school and classmates. Findings suggest that children's disconnection from previous formal and informal networks significantly affected their well‐being. The findings are discussed and interpreted in light of selected key concepts of Bronfenbrenner's bioecological model. The limitations of this study are discussed, along with implications for future research, as well as highlights for future intervention.
Children's literature as a motivational factor for physical activities through the example of Jaroslav Foglar
Authors: Jirásek Ivo , Macků Richard , Němec Jiří
Published: May 2023

Despite many philosophical and scientific appeals, physical inactivity, especially in children and young people, remains one of the most serious problems of contemporary civilisation. In our sub‐study of wider research, we focus on the use of Czech fiction and comics by Jaroslav Foglar as a motivational factor to increase readers' physical activity. The respondents (n = 1174) were mostly adults who had spent their childhood or adolescence reading the works of Jaroslav Foglar. These people valued exercise (70%) in this reading, with a high correlation (0.73) to a healthy lifestyle (abstinence from alcohol and smoking). For 57% of the respondents, these values from reading also become an inspiration for application in life (there is a causal link between the degree of awareness of being influenced by the work and the actual application of the physical activity), with even higher values recorded for camping and being in a natural environment, as well as moral behaviour, ethical principles, and helping others. Thus, we can confirm that the inspiration of the fictional world of literature can become a motivational impulse to increase physical activity in the real world, moreover in the context of a very strong awareness of ethical values and moral behaviour.
Developmental motor problems and health‐related quality of life in 5‐year‐old children born extremely preterm: A European cohort study
Authors: Aubert Adrien M. , Costa Raquel , Johnson Samantha , Ådén Ulrika , Pierrat Véronique , Cuttini Marina , Männamaa Mairi , Sarrechia Iemke , Lebeer Jo , Van Heijst Arno F. , Maier Rolf F. , Sentenac Mariane , Zeitlin Jennifer ,   The SHIPS research group
Published: May 2023

Aim

To measure the association between cerebral palsy (CP) and non‐CP‐related movement difficulties and health‐related quality of life (HRQoL) among 5‐year‐old children born extremely preterm (<28 weeks gestational age).

Method

We included 5‐year‐old children from a multi‐country, population‐based cohort of children born extremely preterm in 2011 to 2012 in 11 European countries (n = 1021). Children without CP were classified using the Movement Assessment Battery for Children, Second Edition as having significant movement difficulties (≤5th centile of standardized norms) or being at risk of movement difficulties (6th–15th centile). Parents reported on a clinical CP diagnosis and HRQoL using the Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory. Associations were assessed using linear and quantile regressions.

Results

Compared to children without movement difficulties, children at risk of movement difficulties, with significant movement difficulties, and CP had lower adjusted HRQoL total scores (β [95% confidence interval] = −5.0 [−7.7 to −2.3], −9.1 [−12.0 to −6.1], and − 26.1 [−31.0 to −21.2]). Quantile regression analyses showed similar decreases in HRQoL for all children with CP, whereas for children with non‐CP‐related movement difficulties, reductions in HRQoL were more pronounced at lower centiles.

Interpretation

CP and non‐CP‐related movement difficulties were associated with lower HRQoL, even for children with less severe difficulties. Heterogeneous associations for non‐CP‐related movement difficulties raise questions for research about mitigating and protective factors.
Social determinants of health for children with cerebral palsy and their families
Authors: Ostojic Katarina , Karem Isra , Paget Simon P. , Berg Alison , Dee‐Price Betty‐Jean , Lingam Raghu , Dale Russell C. , Eapen Valsamma , Woolfenden Sue ,   EPIC‐CP Group
Published: May 2023

Social determinants of health (SDH) influence health and social outcomes in positive and negative ways. Understanding the impact of SDH on children with cerebral palsy (CP) is essential to improve health equity, optimize health outcomes, and support children with CP and their families to thrive in society. In this narrative review, we summarize the landscape of SDH impacting children with CP and their families worldwide. In high‐income countries, children from poorer neighbourhoods are more likely to have severe comorbidities, present with spastic bilateral CP, and report lower frequency of participation in community activities. In low‐ and middle‐income countries, socioeconomic disadvantage is associated with increased risk of malnutrition, living in poorer housing conditions, not having access to proper sanitation, and living below the poverty line. Low maternal education is associated with increased likelihood of the child with CP experiencing increased severity of gross motor and bimanual functioning challenges, and poorer academic performance. Lower parental education is also associated with reduced child autonomy. On the other hand, higher parental income is a protective factor, associated with greater diversity of participation in day‐to‐day activities. A better physical environment and better social support are associated with higher participation in daily activities. Clinicians, researchers, and the community should be aware of these key challenges and opportunities. Then adopt a range of approaches that target adverse SDH/social needs and foster positive SDH in the clinical setting.

What this paper adds

Understanding how social determinants of health influence health and social outcomes is a critical step towards improving health equity and outcomes.

Approaches are required that target the impact of adverse SDH on access to health care for children with cerebral palsy and that work towards ensuring equity of access for all.
Equity market and the transmission channels of monetary policy: Before and after the zero lower bound
Authors: DaSilva Amadeu , Farka Mira
Published: May 2023

We examine the effectiveness of the interest rate channel and the credit channel of monetary policy before and after the zero lower bound (ZLB), using intraday stock returns. We construct a number of industry‐specific and firm‐specific indicators to capture the sensitivity of firms' demand to interest rates (interest rate channel) and firms' financial constraints (credit channel). We find that the transmission of monetary policy has shifted across both periods. Conventional monetary policy works through both the neoclassical interest rate channel and the credit channel, while unconventional policy is propagated primarily via the credit channel which became even more effective at the ZLB. Before the ZLB the transmission channels operate primarily through target rate shocks rather than forward guidance announcements, whereas both forward guidance and large scale asset purchases were equally important for the credit channel at the ZLB. We also find strong evidence that transmission channels are asymmetric depending on the state of the stock market (bull/bear, tighter/easier credit conditions, high/low volatility), and the type of policy surprises (positive/negative). Our findings are robust with respect to a number of model extensions and alternative specifications.
Hydrology is a major influence on amphibian abundance in a large European floodplain
Authors: Hamer Andrew J. , Czeglédi István , Gál Blanka , Sály Péter , Szalóky Zoltán , Preiszner Bálint , Erős Tibor
Published: May 2023

River–floodplain ecosystems play a crucial role in connecting landscape patches through hydrological connectivity, but they are among the most threatened ecosystems. Floodplains provide important habitat for amphibians by connecting aquatic and terrestrial habitats. Modifications to floodplain hydrology can impact amphibian communities, yet few studies have examined amphibian metacommunities in floodplain wetlands.

In this study, we assessed patterns in amphibian breeding abundance in one of the largest floodplains of the Danube River, Hungary, relative to hydrological connectivity and multi‐scale variables at 30 waterbody sites. Our aim was to determine whether these patterns aligned with the pond‐permanence gradient hypothesis, where breeding amphibian abundance is predicted to be highest in ephemeral ponds without large predatory fish. We used Bayesian hierarchical modelling to estimate multi‐species abundance from repeated survey (count) data collected over one breeding season.

We detected the eggs and larvae of four amphibian species. The best model of abundance included covariates describing two principal component axes associated with waterbody hydrology and landscape composition within a 500‐m radius of a site. There was a positive relationship between mean community abundance at a site and hydrological disconnection from the main river channel; however, the common toad (Bufo bufo) was associated with hydrologically connected waterbodies. There was a positive relationship between mean community abundance and a high proportion of forest cover and low cover of agricultural land within a 500‐m radius around a site, although this relationship was clear for only two species. There was no support for models containing the number of large predatory fish species detected at a site.

Although our results showed that amphibian abundance declined with hydrological connectivity, based on model selection we could not ascribe this relationship to an increased number of large predatory fish species detected in waterbodies close to the main river channel. Differences in life history and habitat requirements are likely to have explained interspecific responses to hydrological connectivity. Our results underscore the importance of addressing amphibian abundance at multiple spatial scales in floodplain wetlands, as landscape composition partly explained patterns in abundance.

Application of multi‐species abundance modelling allowed us to investigate environmental relationships for common and infrequently detected species. Habitat restoration programmes in floodplains should provide waterbodies disconnected from main river channels as potential amphibian breeding sites and protect or restore forest as terrestrial habitat.
Constant 4He Concentration and 190Pt‐4He age of Detrital Pt‐Alloy Grains from the Santiago River, Ecuador: Potential as a 4He Mineral Reference Material
Authors: Yakubovich Olga V. , Stuart Finlay M. , Ivanova Ekaterina S. , Gervilla Fernando
Published: May 2023

Over the last few decades geo‐ and thermochronological techniques based on the accumulation of radiogenic 4He in minerals have gained popularity. Currently there is no mineral‐based 4He reference material that allows routine screening of gas extraction and measurement procedures. The commonly‐used mineral reference material for (U‐Th)/He thermochronology have variable U and Th contents which result in variable 4He concentrations. Here we demonstrate that native platinum grains (RS‐Pt) from placer deposits in the Santiago River, Ecuador, yield constant 4He contents and may be used as a reference material. Helium concentrations measured at the Scottish Universities Environmental Research Centre (n = 8) and Institute of Precambrian Geology and Geochronology RAS (n = 9) noble gas laboratories yield mean 4He concentrations that overlap at the 95% confidence level. The weighted mean 4He concentration is 215 ± 4 × 1011 at g‐1 (2s) and mean 190Pt‐4He age is 39.6 ± 0.7 Ma (2s). Samples of the Santiago River Pt concentrate are available on request from the SUERC laboratory.
Information sharing in the presence of retailer's risk aversion and altruism
Authors: Huang He , Li Wenping , Li Shiying , Xu Hongyan
Published: May 2023

In highly uncertain times, firms are increasingly exhibiting risk aversion to uncertain demand and altruism to supply chain partners to reduce risk and maintain stability. To deal with high demand fluctuations, numerous firms are adopting information‐sharing strategies. We study how a retailer's risk aversion and altruism affect her demand information‐sharing decision by constructing game‐theoretic models. We first show that information sharing makes double marginalization (DM) stronger and hurts the retailer and generates an information‐sharing DM effect. The retailer's risk aversion strengthens this effect, while her altruism weakens the effect. Meanwhile, information sharing generates an uncertainty reduction effect on the risk‐averse retailer by reducing volatility and an altruism improvement effect on the altruistic retailer by increasing the manufacturer's profit. Whether information sharing benefits the retailer depends on her level of risk aversion and altruism. The retailer prefers voluntary sharing when both her risk aversion and altruism are high.
Trade spends and profitability of promotions
Authors: Sinitsyn Maxim
Published: May 2023

This paper examines the prevalent mechanism of financing advertising and temporary price reductions through trade spend budgets. A manufacturer and a retailer interact for a number of periods with a plan to hold a sale in the last period. During the nonpromotional periods, the retailer accumulates the funds in this budget in proportion to the size of its order from the manufacturer. In the sale period, the budget is used to finance the discount offered by the manufacturer and advertising. I find that the manufacturer drops its price in the sale period to increase the profitability of promotions for the retailer. To be able to sell more units during the sale period, the retailer needs to accumulate a larger trade spend. This is accomplished by setting a smaller mark‐up over the manufacturer's price in the regular periods. The manufacturer takes advantage of the retailer's softer pricing by increasing its regular wholesale price. As long as such trade spends are used to finance advertising, the total profits of each firm increase. Using fixed trade spends, where the manufacturer allocates a fixed amount for the retailer, does not lead to an increase in profits.
Identification and validation of novel Blastocystis subtype ST41 in a Colombian patient undergoing colorectal cancer screening
Authors: Hernández‐Castro Carolina , Maloney Jenny G. , Agudelo‐López Sonia P. , Toro‐Londoño Miguel A. , Botero‐Garcés Jorge H. , Orozco María C. , Quintero‐Quinchia Yulieth C. , Correa‐Cote Juan C. , Múnera‐Duque Alejandro , Ricaurte‐Ciro Juan C. , Londoño‐Álvarez Luis I. , Escobar René M. , Köster Pamela C. , Sánchez Sergio , Carmena David , Santín Mónica
Published: May 2023

Blastocystis sp. is among the most frequent intestinal protists identified in humans globally. However, characterization of Blastocystis subtype diversity in humans is ongoing. We report here the identification of novel Blastocystis subtype ST41 in a Colombian patient undergoing colorectal cancer screening involving colonoscopy and fecal testing (microscopy, culture, PCR). The full‐length ssu rRNA gene sequence of the protist was generated using MinION long‐read sequencing technology. The validity of the novel subtype was confirmed via phylogenetic and pairwise distance analyses of the full‐length ST41 sequence and all other valid subtypes. The study provides reference material essential for conducting subsequent experimental studies.
The Quality‐Weighted Matching Function: Did the German Labor Market Reforms Trade‐Off Efficiency against Job Quality?
Authors: GARTNER HERMANN , ROTHE THOMAS , WEBER ENZO
Published: May 2023

We evaluate the quantity–quality trade‐off on the labor market by estimating an augmented matching function weighting the matches by quality measures. We use the approach to evaluate the German labor market reforms conducted between 2003 and 2005. Indeed, we find a significant quantity–quality trade‐off. However, even after controlling for job quality, a good half of the positive effect of the reforms on matching efficiency remains.
Factors that help and hinder transgender and nonbinary youth accessing gender care in Ireland: A multistakeholder exploration
Authors: Kearns Seán , O'Shea Donal , Neff Karl
Published: May 2023

Introduction

The purpose of this study was to identify the common factors that help and hinder transgender and nonbinary youth accessing gender‐specific health care in Ireland and to identify how these factors may be perceived differently by young people seeking gender‐affirming care, their parents, and health‐care providers.

Design

Qualitative investigation utilizing framework analysis (FA).

Methods

In‐depth one–one interviews were conducted with transgender and nonbinary youth (n = 10), parents of youth (n = 10), and gender‐specific health‐care providers (n = 10). Maximum variation and snowball sampling were used to recruit participants across Ireland. An interview guide codesigned with an expert panel of gender‐diverse youth was utilized. Interviews were audio‐recorded and transcribed verbatim. FA was used to code the data and identify key issues and recommendations.

Results

Four themes were derived: (1) “Needing bricks to build” (structural factors); (2) “Enduring and convincing” (diagnostic factors); (3) “Being me, hiding me”; (personal factors); and (4) “It takes a tribe” (interpersonal factors). Each stakeholder group perceived different factors as help or hindrance in accessing care with varying intensities.

Conclusions

Paramount to the future of gender services in Ireland is the investment of resources for children and young adults. Assessment is likely to remain a component of gender care, but youth recommend distinct revisions to the assessment process. Additional research would be useful in exploring the intersection of neurodiversity and gender as it pertains to health‐care navigation. Family and peer support is a strong protective factor and enabler of health‐care access among youth.

Clinical Relevance

Access to gender‐specific health care remains difficult for transgender and non‐binary youth. An understanding of the complexity of this healthcare navigation by healthcare professionals may help to mitigate future negative experiences. This study explores some of the clinical considerations that arise for this population from provider perspectives while elucidating the experiences of youth and parents attempting to access care. Further research is needed on longitudinal outcomes following medical and surgical interventions for transgender youth, including nonbinary identities.
Noncompliant behaviors in general equilibrium: A survey
Authors: Bruno Chiarini , Maria Ferrara , Elisabetta Marzano
Published: May 2023

This paper reviews the literature on dynamic general equilibrium models that incorporate noncompliant behaviors. It organizes contributions according to selected dimensions that denote important pillars of the macroeconomic literature and that are relevant to explaining the nature and role of non‐compliant behaviors. These pillars are business cycles, macroeconomic policies, labor markets, income inequality, and financial factors. Starting with studies from the early 2000s, when general equilibrium models first began to include noncompliant behaviors, our study provides a temporal excursus on the evolution of the phenomenon in this literature.
Racial and income‐based affirmative action in higher education admissions: Lessons from the Brazilian experience
Authors: Zeidan Rodrigo , de Almeida Silvio Luiz , Bó Inácio , Lewis Neil
Published: May 2023

This survey article provides insights regarding the future of affirmative action by analyzing the implementation methods and the empirical evidence on the use of placement quotas in the Brazilian higher education system. All federal universities have required income and racial‐based quotas in Brazil since 2012. Affirmative action in federal universities is uniformly applied across the country, which makes evaluating its effects particularly valuable. Affirmative action improves the outcomes of targeted students. Specifically, race‐based quotas raise the share of Black students in federal universities, an effect not observed with income‐based quotas alone. Affirmative action has downstream positive consequences for labor market outcomes. The results suggest that income and race‐based quotas beneficiaries experience substantial long‐term welfare benefits. There is no evidence of mismatching or negative consequences for targeted students' peers.
Chinese Learners of English Are Conceptually Blind to Temporal Differences Conveyed by Tense
Authors: Li Yang , Casaponsa Aina , Jones Manon , Thierry Guillaume
Published: May 2023

Chinese learners of English often experience difficulty with English tense presumably because their native language is tenseless. We showed that this difficulty relates to their incomplete conceptual representations for tense rather than their poor grammatical rule knowledge. Participants made acceptability judgments on sentences describing two‐event sequences that were either temporally plausible or misaligned according to verb tense (time clash). Both upper‐intermediate Chinese learners of English and native English speakers were able to detect time clashes between events, showing that Chinese participants could apply tense rules explicitly. However, a predicted modulation of the N400 event‐related brain potential elicited by time clashes in English‐speaking participants was entirely absent in Chinese participants. In contrast, the same Chinese participants could semantically process time information when it was lexically conveyed in both languages. Thus, despite their mastery of English grammar, high‐functioning Chinese learners of English failed to process the meaning of tense‐conveyed temporal information in real time.