bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Computational and neural mechanisms underlying the influence of action affordances on value learning
Authors: Yi Sanghyun , O’Doherty John P.
Published: July 2023

When encountering a novel situation, an intelligent agent needs to find out which actions are most beneficial for interacting with that environment. One purported mechanism for narrowing down the scope of possible actions is the concept of action affordance. Here, we delve into the neuro-computational mechanisms accounting for how action affordance shapes value-based learning in a novel environment by utilizing a novel task alongside computational modeling of behavioral and fMRI data collected in humans. Our findings indicate that rather than simply exerting an initial or persistent bias on value-driven choices, action affordance is better conceived of as an independent system that concurrently guides action-selection alongside value-based decision-making. These two systems engage in a competitive process to determine final action selection, governed by a dynamic meta controller. We find that the pre-supplementary motor area and anterior cingulate cortex plays a central role in exerting meta-control over the two systems while the posterior parietal cortex integrates the predictions from these two controllers of what action to select, so that the action-selection process dynamically takes into account both the expected value and appropriateness of particular actions for a given scenario.
Highly accurate estimation of cell type abundance in bulk tissues based on single-cell reference and domain adaptive matching
Authors: Guo Xin-Yang , Huang Zhao-Yang , Ju Fen , Zhao Chen-Guang , Yu Liang
Published: July 2023

Accurately identifying the cellular composition of complex tissues is critical for understanding disease pathogenesis, early diagnosis, and prevention. However, current methods for deconvoluting bulk RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) typically rely on matched single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) as a reference, which can be limiting due to differences in sequencing distribution and the potential for invalid information from single-cell references. To overcome these limitations, we introduced SCROAM, a novel computational method that overcomes these challenges. SCROAM transforms scRNA-seq and bulk RNA-seq into a shared feature space, effectively eliminating distributional differences in the latent space. We then generate cell-type-specific expression matrices from scRNA-seq, enabling accurate identification of cell types in bulk tissues. We evaluated the performance of SCROAM by benchmarking it against simulated datasets and human breast cancer and peripheral blood datasets, demonstrating its accuracy and robustness. To further validate SCROAM’s performance, we conducted single-cell and bulk RNA-seq experiments on mouse spinal cord tissue and applied SCROAM to identify bulk tissue cell types. Our results indicate that SCROAM is a highly effective tool for identifying similar cell types, surpassing the performance of existing methods. We then performed an integrated analysis of liver cancer and primary glioblastoma to investigate the relationship between cell type composition and clinical outcomes in various tumor types, highlighting the significance of SCROAM for understanding cellular heterogeneity in complex diseases. Overall, our work presents a novel perspective to accurately infer cellular composition and expression in bulk RNA-seq, offering valuable insights into disease pathogenesis and potential therapeutic strategies.
Ecological assessment of the Amazon sailfin catfish (Pterygoplichthysspecies) within the Indian freshwaters: a mesocosm-based approach
Authors: Mallick Suman , Hussan Ajmal , Sundaray Jitendra Kumar , Ghosal Ratna
Published: July 2023

Amazon sailfin catfish is relatively a recent invader to the open waters of India, and studies on ecological assessment of the species within the Indian freshwaters are lacking. In the present study, to assess the ecological impact of catfish, we established mesocosms mimicking the Indian freshwaters within natural ponds of eastern India using three species of native fish, rohu, catla and mrigal, and for two size classes, small (10-20 cm length) and large (20-30 cm length) native fishes. Mesocosms were maintained with (test) and without the catfish (control), and length and weight of native fish, zooplankton abundance, and several hydrological and soil parameters were measured at a monthly interval for a period of 120-days. The catfish had a significant (P<0.05) negative impact on growth of small-size rohu only. However, we found no significant (P>0.05) differences in abiotic parameters and zooplankton abundance between control and test ponds for the small-size class. We speculate that reduced growth of rohu could be due to competition from catfish in the context of feeding, and not due to modification of abiotic environment. Thus, we emphasize upon the need for behavioral studies to further assess the impact of the catfish.
Development of Specific barcodes for identification ofAloe speciesbased on chloroplast DNA barcoding
Authors: Das Subrata K. , Joshi Alpana
Published: July 2023

DNA barcoding is currently an effective and extensively used tool for species identification. The chloroplast matK (maturase K) and rbcL (Ribulose-bisphosphate large subunit) are one of the most variable coding genes of angiosperms and have been recommended as a universal barcode for land plants.Aloeis a large genus of around 500 species, and most species are widely used for traditional medicinal purposes worldwide,viz.,Aloe vera, Aloe ferox, Aloe arborescens, andAloe maculate. This study evaluated the two chloroplast DNA barcodes (matK and rbcL) to develop a theoretical base for species identification and germplasm conservation ofAloespecies. The Maximum Parsimony analysis was conducted to study the evolutionary relatedness ofAloesequences using matK and rbcL sequences retrieved from the NCBI database. The results revealed that 49Aloeaccessions were segregated into four major clades based on the matK sequence. Likewise, the 29Aloeaccessions were distributed into two major clades based on the rbcL sequence. SNP (Single Nucleotide Polymorphism) site analysis was conducted to obtain the specific barcode ofAloespecies and generate the corresponding DNA QR code that electronic devices could immediately recognize. This study provides innovative research methods for efficient species identification of the genusAloeand indicates the possibility of correctly identifying, discriminating, and documenting theAloespecies.
Surprising variety in the USP deubiquitinase catalytic mechanism
Authors: Keijzer Niels , Priyanka Anu , Stijf-Bultsma Yvette , Fish Alexander , Gersch Malte , Sixma Titia K.
Published: July 2023

The USP family of deubiquitinases (DUBs) controls many ubiquitin-dependent signaling events. This generates therapeutic potential, with active-site inhibitors in preclinical and clinical studies.

Understanding of the USP active site was so far primarily guided by USP7 data, where the catalytic triad consists of cysteine, histidine and a third residue (first critical residue), which polarizes the histidine through a hydrogen bond. A conserved aspartate (second critical residue) is directly adjacent to this first critical residue.

Here we study the roles of these critical residues in a subset of USPs and reveal a remarkable variety in function. While USP7 relies on the first critical residue for catalysis, this residue is dispensable in USP1, USP15, USP40 and USP48. Instead, their second critical residue is vital for catalysis.

Interestingly, without their respective vital residue USP7, USP15 and USP40 can still perform nucleophilic attack. The diverging catalytic mechanisms of USP1 and USP7 are independent of substrate and retained in cells for USP1. The unexpected variety of catalytic mechanisms in this well-conserved protein family may generate opportunities for selective targeting of individual USPs.

Abstract Figure

Synopsis

The roles of the highly conserved critical residues in USP active sites are poorly understood. Here we show that these two residues have varying importance for catalysis between different USPs.

Except for USP7, the majority of USPs does not rely on the canonical third catalytic residue (first critical residue). Instead, the USPs tested rely primarily on the highly conserved second critical residue.

In some USPs, either critical residues can accommodate nucleophilic attack (USP7, USP40, USP15). USP1 and USP48 are unable to perform the nucleophilic attack without the second critical residue.
A Python package based on robust statistical analysis for serial crystallography data processing
Authors: Hadian-Jazi Marjan , Sadri Alireza
Published: July 2023

The term robustness in statistics refers to methods that are generally insensitive to deviations from model assumptions. In other words, robust methods are able to preserve their accuracy even when the data do not perfectly fit the statistical models. Robust statistical analyses are particularly effective when analysing mixtures of probability distributions. Therefore, these methods enable the discretization of X-ray serial crystallography data into two probability distributions: a group comprising true data points (for example the background intensities) and another group comprising outliers (for example Bragg peaks or bad pixels on an X-ray detector). These characteristics of robust statistical analysis are beneficial for the ever-increasing volume of serial crystallography (SX) data sets produced at synchrotron and X-ray free-electron laser (XFEL) sources. The key advantage of the use of robust statistics for some applications in SX data analysis is that it requires minimal parameter tuning because of its insensitivity to the input parameters. In this paper, a software package called Robust Gaussian Fitting library (RGFlib) is introduced that is based on the concept of robust statistics. Two methods are presented based on the concept of robust statistics and RGFlib for two SX data-analysis tasks: (i) a robust peak-finding algorithm and (ii) an automated robust method to detect bad pixels on X-ray pixel detectors.
Alexa, it is creeping over me – Exploring the impact of privacy concerns on consumer resistance to intelligent voice assistants
Authors: Mou Yupeng , Meng Xiangxue
Published: July 2023

Purpose

With the upgrade of natural language interaction technology, the simulation extension of intelligent voice assistants (IVAs) and the uncertainty of products and services have received more and more attention. However, most of the existing research focuses on investigating the application of theories to explain consumer behavior related to intention to use and adopt IVAs, while ignoring the impact of its privacy issues on consumer resistance. This article especially examines the negative impact of artificial intelligence-based IVAs’ privacy concerns on consumer resistance, and studies the mediating effect of perceived creepiness in the context of privacy cynicism and privacy paradox and the moderating effect of anthropomorphized roles of IVAs and perceived corporate social responsibility (CSR) of IVAs’ companies. The demographic variables are also included.

Design/methodology/approach

Based on the theory of human–computer interaction (HCI), this study addresses the consumer privacy concerns of IVAs, builds a model of the influence mechanism on consumer resistance, and then verifies the mediating effect of perceived creepiness and the moderating effect of anthropomorphized roles of IVAs and perceived CSR of IVAs companies. This research explores underlying mechanism with three experiments.

Findings

It turns out that consumers’ privacy concerns are related to their resistance to IVAs through perceived creepiness. The servant (vs. partner) anthropomorphized role of IVAs is likely to induce more privacy concerns and in turn higher resistance. At the same time, when the company’s CSR is perceived high, the impact of the concerns of IVAs’ privacy issues on consumer resistance will be weakened, and the intermediary mechanism of perceiving creepiness in HCI and anthropomorphism of new technology are further explained and verified. The differences between different age and gender are also revealed in the study.

Originality/value

The research conclusions have strategic reference significance for enterprises to build the design framework of IVAs and formulate the response strategy of IVAs’ privacy concerns. And it offers implications for researchers and closes the research gap of IVAs from the perspective of innovation resistance.
Design for safety in metro station evacuation: a study of fire emergency evacuation behavior and simulation
Authors: Lu Ying , Deng Yunxuan , Sun Shuqi
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Metro stations have become a crucial aspect of urban rail transportation, integrating facilities, equipment and pedestrians. Impractical physical layout designs and pedestrian psychology impact the effectiveness of an evacuation during a metro fire. Prior research on emergency evacuation has overlooked the complexity of metro stations and failed to adequately consider the physical heterogeneity of stations and pedestrian psychology. Therefore, this study aims to develop a comprehensive evacuation optimization strategy for metro stations by applying the concept of design for safety (DFS) to an emergency evacuation. This approach offers novel insights into the management of complex systems in metro stations during emergencies.

Design/methodology/approach

Physical and social factors affecting evacuations are identified. Moreover, the social force model (SFM) is modified by combining the fire dynamics model (FDM) and considering pedestrians' impatience and panic psychology. Based on the Nanjing South Metro Station, a multiagent-based simulation (MABS) model is developed. Finally, based on DFS, optimization strategies for metro stations are suggested.

Findings

The most effective evacuation occurs when the width of the stairs is 3 meters and the transfer corridor is 14 meters. Additionally, a luggage disposal area should be set up. The exit strategy of the fewest evacuees is better than the nearest-exit strategy, and the staff in the metro station should guide pedestrians correctly.

Originality/value

Previous studies rarely consider metro stations as sociotechnical systems or apply DFS to proactively reduce evacuation risks. This study provides a new perspective on the evacuation framework of metro stations, which can guide the designers and managers of metro stations.
“Writin’ain’t my thang”: creating high school student writers with ongoing support through an urban school–teacher education partnership
Authors: Perry Tonya B. , McMurtry Teaira Catherine Lee
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to explore the impact of a year-long writing intervention located in an urban high school in partnership with a university teacher education professor and the students. The goals were as follows: to increase student self-efficacy about writing overall; to increase the number of students who successfully improve scores on writing assessments; and to increase ACT exam scores, making students more qualified candidates for college admission.

Design/methodology/approach

The main method used for the research is a quantitative longitudinal study method, which involves collecting from each student, at pre-intervention and post-intervention, a writing sample. There are 54 students in the study.

Findings

Findings showed an increase in student proficiency overall, with an increase of 0.53 holistically. Effective writing instruction asks students to write often to develop their writing will and skill. There are many more factors beyond the teaching of “ACT prep” writing skills that must be considered, particularly when teaching marginalized groups. This study found that the following are important: building and sustaining positive rapport; using their language as part of the learning process; creating space for students to write regularly; writing on a variety of topics; reflecting on and monitoring their writing; and receiving timely and targeted feedback.

Originality/value

This paper discusses the impact of the writing intervention and describes the practices that were a part of the intervention for marginalized students in an urban school to increase their writing scores.
Embracing paradox: middle managers’ compassion and the vulnerable customer
Authors: Salas-Vallina Andrés , Rodríguez Sánchez Alma , Pozo-Hidalgo Manoli
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This study explores the phenomenon of compassionate leadership, a promising concept in management literature. Despite significant contributions towards the understanding of its antecedents and consequences, the specific role of compassion concerning the leader behavior under extreme pressure remains unexplored.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing empirically on the case of three banks under three different logics, the authors trace how heads of banking branches, namely, middle managers, deal with the paradoxical phenomenon of integrating their human nature with the coetaneous need to achieve aggressive objectives. The authors analyzed interviews using the interpretive research method (Hatch and Yanow, 2003).

Findings

The authors identified that the logic of savings banks and credit cooperatives, together with specific human elements, created a healthier environment to develop compassionate behaviors compared to commercial banks. The authors found coherence when linking the institutional message of putting the spotlight on a personalized treatment of customers, and the middle manager compassionate actions towards customers and subordinates.

Research limitations/implications

Suggestions for future theorizing and research are advanced, along with constructive practical implications to rehumanize the dark side of banking for both employees and customers.

Originality/value

The findings provided in this paper are original because they provide further evidence of linking business logics with compassionate leadership of middle managers and its impact on employees and customers.
An elite perspective on interviewing entrepreneurs – methodological considerations for the entrepreneurship field
Authors: Kraus Patrick , Stokes Peter , Moore Neil , Ashta Ashok , Britzelmaier Bernd Jürgen
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Elite interviewing is a well-established area of interview research methods. Nevertheless, the actual casting of an “elite” has been generally conducted in a prima facie or broad manner. A consideration of entrepreneurs and owner-managers as “elites” has been less profiled and received less attention, therefore the paper views the entrepreneurs and owner-managers as constituting a form of “local elite” within given and varying sectorial, regional and community boundaries. The authors argue that a consideration of entrepreneurs as “local elites” and transferring knowledge from an elite interviewing perspective may strongly support scholarly research in the entrepreneurship field.

Design/methodology/approach

The study conducts a comprehensive narrative literature review of elite interviewing literature and transfers key methodological insights to the entrepreneurship field. The methodological contribution based on literature is complemented by experiences and observations from an extensive inductive interview study with over 30 entrepreneurs of German manufacturing Small and Medium-sized Entities (SMEs) and are used to reflect on, and refine, interview research approaches with entrepreneurs.

Findings

The reflections and discussions in this paper provide valuable insights for other researchers conducting research in entrepreneurship domains regarding the power dynamics of negotiating access, procedural issues of interviews and thereby enhancing the quality of data.

Originality/value

The contribution to knowledge is mainly of a methodological nature. While the paper takes a novel act of recasting elite interviewing in the SME and entrepreneurship context, the paper methodologically contributes to the entrepreneurship and elite interview literature thereby facilitating higher quality interviews.
Strategic thinking: theoretical development and assessment
Authors: Geier Michael T.
Published: July 2023

Purpose

The purpose of the article was to identify the core dimensions of strategic thinking and create a measure that provides a comprehensive operationalization of the construct.

Design/methodology/approach

The construct validity of the measure was assessed in two studies using four samples with a total of 985 participants. The measure was created using a multi-step process that included item development and content validation, exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis, convergent and discriminant validity, criterion validity and test-retest validity.

Findings

The exploratory factor analysis (EFA) supported the existence of the three dimensions of strategic thinking (visionary, synthetic and creative thinking) as conceptually proposed. The measure was reduced to nine items. The confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) confirmed the three dimensions and revealed acceptable factor loadings and model fit. Convergent, discriminant and criterion validity were established, and the measure demonstrated acceptable test-retest reliability.

Originality/value

An individual's ability to think strategically is vital for making strategic decisions and relevant to upper echelon theory and strategic management. The definition and core dimensions of strategic thinking are unclear in the literature, creating confusion. This study added to the literature by defining the core dimensions of strategic thinking and developing the strategic thinking assessment (STA) to measure the construct.
Is there a relationship between environmental performance and outward FDI? A study of Chinese MNEs
Authors: Zhang Jintao , Chen Stephen , Tan Hao
Published: July 2023

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the question, “How do firm-level, home-country and host-country environmental performance (EP) affect the outward foreign direct investment (OFDI) of Chinese multinational enterprises (MNEs)?”

Design/methodology/approach

The authors examine the relationships between EP and OFDI propensity and between EP and OFDI intensity using a sample of 359 Chinese firms in industries with a significant environmental footprint between 2009 and 2019 (2,002 firm-year observations) and a Heckman two-stage model.

Findings

This study shows that the propensity for OFDI by Chinese MNEs is significantly and positively related to the firm’s prior EP and the country-level EP of China. However, the amount of FDI invested is significantly and positively related to the firm’s prior EP and negatively related to the EP of the host country.

Research limitations/implications

The findings suggest that FDI in a country by an MNE is determined by a combination of firm-level EP, home-country EP and host-country EP. This study finds that the decision to undertake FDI (propensity) and the decision about how much to invest (intensity) are determined by different factors. The propensity for FDI is determined by the home-country EP and firm-level EP. However, the intensity of FDI is determined by a combination of the host country EP and firm-level EP. A limitation is that this study only examines MNEs in China, so the findings may not apply to other countries.

Originality/value

This paper shows that MNEs’ EP is positively related to the propensity and intensity of their OFDI decisions. However, this paper shows that the home-country and host-country EP may also play an important role in determining the propensity or intensity of OFDI.
Organisational knowledge stocks and exploitative development of new radical products
Authors: Wong Bing Peng-Loong , Saleh M. Abu , Johns Raechel , Chinta Ravi
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Despite the important role that exploitation plays in innovation and new product development (NPD), research on the relative impact of internal organisational stocks of existing knowledge on subsequent exploitation is largely absent. In particular, there is lack of clarity within the extant literature regarding the associations between organisational exploitation and, respectively, the distal-proximal technological experience and radical-incremental innovative experience generated by multiproduct firms. Thus, this study seeks to further enhance researchers’ theoretical understanding on the relationship between organisational exploitation and internal knowledge stocks categorised along two dimensions of organisational experience accumulated by multiproduct firms that have not previously been considered jointly.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper pursues a focussed literature review approach and applies the underlying theory of exploitation to develop a theory explaining the possible relationships between organisational exploitation and internal knowledge stocks.

Findings

Based on the theory of exploitation, this paper proposes a new direction in studying the various internal knowledge stocks and their respective impact on subsequent organisational exploitation.

Practical implications

The proposed research direction suggests an emerging framework of possible relationships between exploitative new radical products development in firms, and respectively, proximal and distal technological experience, and radical and incremental innovative experience, accumulated in multiproduct firms. This novel framework can guide further research on this topic.

Originality/value

To fill a research gap regarding the possible relationships between subsequent exploitative endeavours and two dimensions of organisational experience that have been traditionally associated with the exploration-exploitation construct, this paper proposes and develops a novel typology of knowledge stocks categorised along two dimensions of organisational experience accumulated by multiproduct firms that have not previously been considered jointly in the literature.
Generational differences in behavioral factors affecting real estate purchase intention
Authors: Vuković Marija
Published: July 2023

Purpose

Purchasing real estate is one of the most important and complex decisions in a life of an individual, which should take numerous factors into account. The purpose of this research is to identify which behavioral factors significantly affect the intention to buy real estate. Since the real estate market is continuously changing, along with other economic and life conditions, it is expected that different generations have different characteristics which affect their behavior; therefore, it is important to analyze generational influence on buyers' behavior.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey analysis was conducted on a sample of 434 respondents in Croatia. Partial least squares structural equation modeling was used to obtain the results. The moderating effect of generational affiliation was observed.

Findings

Overconfidence significantly affects intention to buy real estate, but it doesn't affect the level of importance individuals give to financial factors. On the other hand, herding significantly affects the level of importance given to financial factors, whereas it does not directly affect buying intention. A significant moderating effect of generational affiliation was found for the impact of overconfidence on financial factors, suggesting a negative effect for younger generations and a positive effect for older generations.

Originality/value

This research proposes a novel unique model with both behavioral and financial factors as predictors of the intention to buy real estate, together with generational differences in buyers' behavior. Understanding normal human behavior is crucial to determine how buyers' decisions and intentions change under the influence of certain biases or characteristics such as generational affiliation.
Thinking with Heraldry on the Eve of the Reformation: A Drawing by Niklaus Manuel Deutsch
Authors: Hughes Frances Rothwell
Published: July 2023

This essay addresses an understudied drawing of a fictional coat of arms by the Swiss artist Niklaus Manuel, called Deutsch, suggesting that it gently subverts heraldic conventions, reflecting contemporaneous concerns about the instability of earthly insignia. By evoking iconographies of Fortuna and the homo viator, the drawing challenges the security of armorial prestige. Manuel – like Albrecht Dürer and Martin Schongauer before him – used the heraldic framework to probe pictorial conventions and to signal their artistic authority as arbiters of ornamental meaning. Produced on the eve of the Reformation, the drawing prefigures the intensified scrutiny of earthly and spiritual sign systems that would occur just a few years later. Art historians have tended to dismiss heraldry as a distinctly medieval and utilitarian category of image, too rule‐governed to nourish the imaginations of Renaissance artists. However, Manuel's drawing unlocks a window onto a world in which the heraldic provided a common point of reference for thinking about signification and identity during a period of transformative cultural change.
Training programmes for healthcare professionals in managing postoperative epidural analgesia: A scoping review protocol
Authors: Lamprecht Cornelia , Wildgaard Kim , Vester‐Andersen Morten , Petersen Anne Mørup , Thomsen Thordis
Published: July 2023

Background

Epidural analgesia is an effective technique advocated worldwide for postoperative analgesia after a wide range of surgical procedures. Despite the benefits of epidural analgesia for pain management, systematic education of ward nurses in managing epidural analgesia appears to be lacking.

Methods

The aim of the proposed scoping review is to map the body of evidence and identify training programmes for healthcare professionals in the safe management of postoperative epidural analgesia. The methodology will follow the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic and Meta‐Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA‐ScR). In addition, the five main steps set forth by Arksey and O'Malley and refined by Levac for guidance of the process will be used. The scoping review will include any study design of any date, design, setting and duration.

Results

We will present results descriptively, accompanied with visual presentations as tables and graphs.

Conclusion

The outlined scoping review will provide an overview of existing training programmes for healthcare professionals in the safe management of postoperative epidural analgesia and map the body of available evidence on the topic. The study may support the development of a training programme for ward nurses caring for patients receiving postoperative epidural analgesia.
Astrocyte‐ and NMDA receptor‐dependent slow inward currents differently contribute to synaptic plasticity in an age‐dependent manner in mouse and human neocortex
Authors: Csemer Andrea , Kovács Adrienn , Maamrah Baneen , Pocsai Krisztina , Korpás Kristóf , Klekner Álmos , Szücs Péter , Nánási Péter P. , Pál Balázs
Published: July 2023

Slow inward currents (SICs) are known as excitatory events of neurons elicited by astrocytic glutamate via activation of extrasynaptic NMDA receptors. By using slice electrophysiology, we tried to provide evidence that SICs can elicit synaptic plasticity. Age dependence of SICs and their impact on synaptic plasticity was also investigated in both on murine and human cortical slices. It was found that SICs can induce a moderate synaptic plasticity, with features similar to spike timing‐dependent plasticity. Overall SIC activity showed a clear decline with aging in humans and completely disappeared above a cutoff age. In conclusion, while SICs contribute to a form of astrocyte‐dependent synaptic plasticity both in mice and humans, this plasticity is differentially affected by aging. Thus, SICs are likely to play an important role in age‐dependent physiological and pathological alterations of synaptic plasticity.
Customers' stock price crash risk and suppliers' investment inefficiency: Evidence from China
Authors: Wang Changyun , Wang Chenyu , Wu Weixing
Published: July 2023

This paper explores whether customers' stock price crash risk affects their suppliers' investment efficiency. Using a supply‐chain sample of Chinese A‐share listed firms from 2009 to 2020, we find that suppliers' investment inefficiency is positively associated with their customers' stock price crash risk. Moreover, the impact of customers' stock price crash risk is more pronounced for suppliers with lower investment efficiency, weaker bargaining power, weaker innovation capability, and fewer investment opportunities. Our results suggest that information asymmetry along supply chains deteriorates the investment decision making of upstream firms from the perspective of capital market.
Influencia de las condiciones ambientales y del tamaño inicial de los renovales en la supervivencia y el crecimiento de Nothofagus: Implicaciones para la restauración de bosques subantárticos quemados
Authors: Mestre Luciana M. , Argañaraz Carina I. , Preiß‐Daimler Inga , Fernandez Loreto , Turi Luis , Soler Rosina
Published: July 2023

Los bosques subantárticos de las montañas fueguinas son consideradas una de las pocas áreas silvestres que quedan en el planeta; sin embargo, las perturbaciones humanas como incendios forestales, especies exóticas, etc. agravan su degradación. En 2012, se inició un incendio de origen humano en una remota zona de bosque y montaña, y dos años después comenzó un proyecto de reforestación para restaurar el dosel natural. Los renovales de la especie nativa de árbol Nothofagus se obtuvieron de zonas no perturbadas utilizando el método de raíz desnuda. En este estudio se evaluó la influencia de (1) los macroambientes (considerando la topografía natural y la fisonomía de la vegetación) y microambientes (topografía, cobertura del dosel, sustrato y cobertura del sotobosque) afectados por el fuego; y (2) el tamaño de extracción de los renovales (tamaño inicial), sobre la supervivencia y el crecimiento de los renovales plantados, a lo largo de 5 años. La supervivencia total de los renovales fue del 41,4%, con una tasa media de crecimiento de 8,46 cm año−1. La supervivencia y el crecimiento fueron influenciados por las variables estudiadas. A nivel de macroambiente, los renovales mostraron mayor éxito en zonas bien drenadas, mientras que a nivel de microambiente los renovales mostraron mejor desempeño en los que contribuyen a retener la humedad del suelo y evitar la evapotranspiración. Concluimos que las características ambientales influyen diferencialmente dependiendo de la escala de análisis. Para restaurar bosques templados quemados aplicando el método de repique directo a raíz desnuda, recomendamos utilizar renovales de Nothofagus de <40 cm de altura para obtener mejores resultados. En este sentido, demostramos la eficacia del método ya que se obtuvieron resultados comparables en otras experiencias de restauración. Este método también puede ser aplicado en áreas sin material de vivero y cuando la biología de las plantas sea apropiada, por ejemplo, el crecimiento superficial de los sistemas radiculares, la formación de bancos naturales de plántulas de árboles, etc. Este trabajo representa una de las pocas experiencias de restauración a medio plazo reportadas para los bosques más australes del planeta: nuestros hallazgos podrían ser aplicados en otras experiencias de reforestación, logrando mejoras notables en el proceso de recuperación.
Shoulder magnetic resonance arthrography in dogs: Comparison of craniolateral and caudolateral approach for ultrasound‐guided contrast injection
Authors: Jung Mingyu , Je Miseong , Baek Loktam , Chung Jiwon , Choi Jihye , Yoon Junghee
Published: July 2023

Shoulder joint disease is a common cause of forelimb lameness in dogs. To diagnose this condition, shoulder magnetic resonance arthrography (MRA) is performed, which involves the injection of contrast agents into the shoulder joint space under ultrasound (US)‐guidance. The objective of this study was to compare the craniolateral and caudolateral approaches for shoulder MRA using US‐guided injection techniques, and investigate their clinical feasibility in dogs. Forty shoulder joints from 10 adult beagles were studied in two repetitions. The craniolateral (n = 20) and caudolateral (n = 20) injection techniques were applied randomly under US‐guidance. The shoulder MRA was conducted immediately after the contrast agents was injected. The procedure time (scan and injection time), number of attempts, joint distension and degree of extraarticular extravasation were recorded and compared between the two groups. The results showed that the caudolateral approach had significantly more contrast agents extravasation compared to the craniolateral approach (p < 0.05). However, there were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of procedure time (scan time p = 0.80, injection time p = 0.74), number of attempts (p = 0.70) and joint distension (p = 0.23). The craniolateral approach of US‐guided contrast injection techniques for shoulder MRA minimizes damage to the juxta‐articular structures and reduces extraarticular extravasation, resulting in good‐quality images. This study demonstrates the feasibility and advantages of the craniolateral approach under US‐guidance for shoulder MRA in dogs.
A single‐centre prospective study comparing efficacy and safety of apremilast with cyclosporine in moderate to severe atopic dermatitis
Authors: Vyas Harshita R. , Shah Shikha R. , Shah Bela J. , Parmar Kirti S. , Jangid Neha , Choudhary Ankita , Gehlawat Tarun , Mistry Deval
Published: July 2023

Background

Apremilast regulates several pro‐inflammatory signals involved in atopic dermatitis (AD).

Methods

A randomized, open‐labelled study was conducted at a tertiary care centre in India. Fifty patients with AD of >1 year duration were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to receive either apremilast (30 mg twice daily after initial titration) or cyclosporine (5 mg/kg/day) for 24 weeks, followed by a 12‐week follow‐up period. Primary outcome was mean percentage change in Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) from baseline to week 24. Secondary outcome measures were proportion of patients achieving EASI 75, EASI 90, ≥2‐point improvement in Investigator's Global Assessment (IGA), SCORing Atopic Dermatitis (SCORAD) 75 at week 24 and percentage of patients experiencing ≥1 adverse effect (AEs).

Results

Mean percentage change in EASI (standard deviation) was −67.79% [22.44] in the apremilast treatment group and −83.06% [21.20] in the cyclosporine treatment group (p < 0.05). At week 24, 52.38% of patients in the apremilast group and 78.26% in the cyclosporine group achieved EASI 75 (p < 0.05); 14.29% in the apremilast group and 52.17% in the cyclosporine group achieved EASI 90 (p < 0.05) and 80.95% in the apremilast group and 82.60% patients achieved ≥2 point reduction in IGA (p > 0.05). 57.14% of patients achieved SCORAD 75 in the apremilast group and 69.56% in the cyclosporine group (p > 0.05). Mean time taken to achieve EASI 75 in the apremilast group was 4.50 ± 4.62 weeks, while it was 3.96 ± 3.43 weeks in the cyclosporine group (p > 0.05). Incidence of AEs was 28.57% in the apremilast group and 21.74%) in the cyclosporine group.

Conclusions

Apremilast demonstrated lesser efficacy in comparison to cyclosporine; it has the advantage of a favourable safety profile and requires no laboratory monitoring.
Laugh—cry, eat—drink, dance! Tracing belonging through cartographies of joy
Authors: Regis Helen A. , Walton Shana
Published: July 2023

This article explores joy, identity, and belonging at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival through an ethnographic project inviting festgoers and staff members to draw, sketch, or map their experiences and journeys through festival landscapes. Building on scholarship in visual, humanistic, and post‐humanist anthropology, we view map‐making as an emergent strategy for performative epistemology, a way of making and thinking together. In a festival with a strong visual culture that centers African American music and cultural heritage, drawings often reflect racialized landscapes and subjectivities. Maps reveal the centrality of affect in festival experiences while affording insights into what makes joy complicated. For some, festival sociality brings those tensions to the fore while making it possible for others to imagine a world otherwise.
Political spillovers of workplace democracy in Germany
Authors: Jirjahn Uwe , Le Thi Xuan Thu
Published: July 2023

Although works councils provide a highly developed mechanism to promote workplace democracy, research on their consequences has been dominated by economic aspects. This study brings a new perspective to the understanding of works councils by examining their influence on workers’ political behavior. Political spillover theory suggests that participation in the firm's decision making has the potential to foster workers’ political participation in civic society. Our study for Germany indeed finds a positive association between the presence of a works council and workers’ interest in politics. This holds in panel data estimations including a large set of controls and accounting for unobserved individual‐specific factors. However, separate estimations by gender show a positive association between works councils and political interest only for men, but not for women. Traditional gender roles may make it difficult for women to be politically engaged even when a works council is present.
Youth participation in governance in China: The roles of perceived responsibility and political efficacy
Authors: Wang Yixuan , Zhai Fuhua , Gao Qin , Wang Zijiao , Wang Yuqi
Published: July 2023

Youth participation in governance goes beyond the scope of positive youth development and involves young people engaging in real‐world social governance. Drawing on a culturally sensitive review of policies related to youth participation, this study investigated the effect of subjective factors (i.e., perceived responsibility and political efficacy) on young adults' participation in governance in China. A subset of young adult (N = 2396) was extracted from the national 2019 Chinese Social Survey. Regression and mediation analyses found a positive association between their perceived responsibility and participation in governance, which was significantly mediated by their perceived political efficacy. Furthermore, conditional indirect effects were found when using education and generational status of the young adults as moderators. Education was found to alleviate the negative effect of perceived responsibility on political efficacy and its negative indirect effect on youth participation. These findings highlight the importance of policymakers, social workers, and other practitioners in developing and promoting evidence‐based community programs that empower, encourage, and motivate young adults to recognize their individual responsibility and political efficacy in social governance.
Randomized placebo‐controlled crossover study to assess tolerability and pharmacodynamics of zagociguat, a soluble guanylyl cyclase stimulator, in healthy elderly
Authors: van Kraaij Sebastiaan J. W. , Borghans Laura , Klaassen Erica S. , Gal Pim , van der Grond Jeroen , Tripp Ken , Winrow Christopher , Glasser Chad , Groeneveld Geert Jan
Published: July 2023

Aims

Dysfunction of nitric oxide‐soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC)–cyclic guanosine monophosphate signalling is implicated in the pathophysiology of cognitive impairment. Zagociguat is a central nervous system (CNS) penetrant sGC stimulator designed to amplify nitric oxide–cyclic guanosine monophosphate signalling in the CNS. This article describes a phase 1b study evaluating the safety and pharmacodynamic effects of zagociguat.

Methods

In this randomized crossover study, 24 healthy participants aged ≥65 years were planned to receive 15 mg zagociguat or placebo once daily for 2 15‐day periods separated by a 27‐day washout. Adverse events, vital signs, electrocardiograms and laboratory tests were conducted to assess safety. Pharmacokinetics of zagociguat were evaluated in blood and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF). Pharmacodynamic assessments included evaluation of cerebral blood flow, CNS tests, pharmaco‐electroencephalography, passive leg movement and biomarkers in blood, CSF and brain.

Results

Twenty‐four participants were enrolled; 12 participants completed both treatment periods, while the other 12 participants completed only 1 treatment period. Zagociguat was well‐tolerated and penetrated the blood–brain barrier, with a CSF/free plasma concentration ratio of 0.45 (standard deviation 0.092) measured 5 h after the last dose of zagociguat on Day 15. Zagociguat induced modest decreases in blood pressure. No consistent effects of zagociguat on other pharmacodynamic parameters were detected.

Conclusion

Zagociguat was well‐tolerated and induced modest blood pressure reductions consistent with other sGC stimulators. No clear pharmacodynamic effects of zagociguat were detected. Studies in participants with proven reduced cerebral blood flow or CNS function may be an avenue for further evaluation of the compound.
Non‐compartmental and population pharmacokinetic analysis of dapsone in healthy NIGERIANS: A pilot study
Authors: Kotila Olayinka A. , Ajayi David T. , Masimirembwa Collen , Thelingwani Roslyn , Odetunde Abayomi , Falusi Adeyinka G. , Babalola Chinedum P.
Published: July 2023

Dapsone is employed for both non‐dermatological and dermatological indications but with non‐existent population pharmacokinetics (popPK) data in Nigerians. This study was therefore designed to develop a popPK model in Nigerians. Non‐compartmental analysis and nonlinear mixed effects modelling were utilized for data analysis. Eleven participants administered 50 mg dapsone tablet were included in the analysis. Derived pharmacokinetic parameters were: Cmax = 1.16 ± 0.32 μg/mL, Tmax = 3.77 ± 2.40 h, and t1/2z = 30.23 ± 11.76 h. PopPK model parameter estimates with inter‐individual variability were Tlag = 0.40 h (10.0%, fixed); ka = 1.78 h−1 (75.9%); V/F = 89.25 L (21.6%); and Cl/F = 1.32 Lh−1 (27.7%). Sex was significantly associated with Cl/F, and body weight with V/F. Best popPK model was one‐compartment with lag time, and first‐order absorption and elimination. Sex and body weight significantly influenced the clearance and distribution volume of dapsone respectively.