bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Impact of time-based variability on planning reliability in construction projects: analysis of production management systems
Authors: León William , Guevara Jose , Garcia-Lopez Nelly P.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This research article proposes a quantitative method for analyzing planning reliability and risk evaluation in construction projects through probabilistic numerical simulation models. The aim is to assess the combined time-based variability of activities across the project and its impact on planning reliability in various production management systems.

Design/methodology/approach

The study examines different methods for comparing the impact of production management strategies, specifically standardization and lean construction practices, on project reliability. The article introduces Monte Carlo, importance sampling and first-order-second moment methods as quantitative tools for decision-making and continuous improvement in construction projects.

Findings

The utilization of multiple numerical simulation models demonstrates how the variability in activity durations directly affects planning reliability, leading to uncertainty and increased risk in construction projects. The study highlights the significance of lean construction principles and industrialized processes, such as standardization of processes and construction methods, in reducing variability and improving the average duration of activities. Furthermore, it quantifies the differential impact of various production management systems on project performance and planning reliability.

Research limitations/implications

This study is based on a limited number of case studies, which may affect the generalizability of the findings. The results are specific to the construction projects analyzed in Colombia. Expanding the research to include a broader range of projects will improve the applicability of the findings. Developing more comprehensive numerical models can also enhance understanding of planning reliability across different construction management systems.

Originality/value

Currently, there are limited quantitative methods available for project managers to evaluate the impact of industrialized construction practices and production management strategies on planning reliability as well as quantifying the associated risk level in project delays. Consequently, the adoption of innovative construction methods is often limited to a few pilot projects, as managers lack numerical evidence to support the implementation of new methodologies that require changes in traditional operational practices.
Metaverse adoption and its implications for entrepreneurial innovation management: the influence of Gen Z’s perception of innovation, privacy and trust
Authors: Hernández-Tamurejo Álvaro , Fernández-Fernández María , González-Padilla Paula
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study investigates Generation Z’s perceptions of entrepreneurial innovation through the Metaverse, including user perceptions of privacy and trust, and their impact on the acceptance of Metaverse technology.

Design/methodology/approach

Using a quantitative approach to examine relationships between the targeted factors, this study employs a structural equation modeling (SEM) based on the technology acceptance model extended with the variables related to privacy, trust and product innovation. The data were collected through a survey distributed to a representative sample of Gen Z individuals.

Findings

The results reveal that user perception of trust and product innovation positively influences attitudes toward using the Metaverse and the behavioral intention to use it. However, while privacy risk is found to significantly influence trust, it does not affect user attitudes or intention to use the Metaverse.

Practical implications

The results of this study provide useful insights for enterprises, raising considerations to maximize the innovative potential of the Metaverse in the current business ecosystem. The understanding of Gen Z’s perceptions can help enterprises to better adapt their innovation management practices so as to effectively engage this demographic, ensuring the successful adoption of Metaverse technologies.

Originality/value

This study is among the first empirical investigations on the impact of Gen Z on innovation management through the Metaverse, which is an emerging and increasingly important area.
Employee moonlighting: the role of human resource management practices, perceived employability and self-direction value
Authors: Tran Huy Phuong
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Moonlighting has become more popular today in many fields such as IT, healthcare and education. This research investigates the direct association between high-performance work system (HPWS) and employee moonlighting (EM) and the mediating effect of perceived employability (PE) in the above relationship. Moreover, the personal value of self-direction is included as a moderator between PE and moonlighting.

Design/methodology/approach

This research follows a quantitative design. An online questionnaire survey is used to collect data. Data from 456 Vietnamese employees were analyzed with partial least square-structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) technique.

Findings

HPWS is directly linked with EM. Perceived external employability fully mediates the above relationship. In addition, the personal value of self-direction intensifies the positive relationship between PE and EM.

Research limitations/implications

The research suggests that HPWS can exert its influence on EM via both the universal and the critical pathways. Employees who perceive they have the ability to perform well in other jobs may decide to moonlight. Also, employees who find their jobs insecure under the coverage of HPWS may engage in moonlighting for security reasons. The implementation improves the employees’ PE which may encourage them to hold more jobs. In addition, attention should be paid to the personal value of the employees.

Originality/value

This study offers new insight into the HPWS and EM literature because it suggests that management practices can significantly influence EM, in addition to financial and security factors. Moreover, this study explores the indirect impact of PE in the HPWS–EM linkage. Finally, the moderation role of self-direction value represents a novelty.
Prioritizing fire risk factors in historic urban cores of India: an analytic hierarchy process approach
Authors: Goswami Shipra , Kolte Rushikesh , Kumar Ashwani , Pipralia Satish
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to present a comprehensive examination of fire risk components in the historic core areas of Indian cities through the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) lens. Urban fire incidents pose significant threats to public safety and infrastructure, necessitating a systematic evaluation of key risk factors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study presents a comprehensive examination of fire risk components in the historic core areas of Indian cities through the AHP lens. Urban fire incidents pose significant threats to public safety and infrastructure, necessitating a systematic evaluation of key risk factors. Leveraging the AHP methodology, this research identifies and prioritizes critical criteria, including area-level vulnerabilities, socio-economic vulnerabilities, building-level capacities, emergency service capacities and historical fire incidents along with other crucial components. The hierarchical structure facilitates a nuanced analysis, allowing for comparing criteria and alternatives to derive precise priority weights.

Findings

The findings provide a strategic understanding of the factors contributing to fire risk in the historic urban cores, offering valuable insights for urban planners, emergency service personnel and policymakers. The study emphasizes strategic prioritization through the AHP framework. This study contributes to the broader discourse on urban resilience by offering a robust methodology for assessing and managing fire risks in the dynamic urban landscape of Indian cities.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the broader discourse on urban resilience by offering a robust methodology for assessing and managing fire risks in the dynamic urban landscape of Indian cities.
Dynamics of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and their effect on entrepreneurial intentions among transgenders: role of psychological capital and entrepreneurial education
Authors: Chaudhry Naveed Iqbal , Ilyas Usama , Sohail Amer
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Neglected communities, such as transgender individuals in developing nations like Pakistan, face substantial barriers to economic participation due to diverse economic and social conditions. This study aims to explore the role of inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems in enhancing entrepreneurial intentions among these communities, emphasizing the mediating role of psychological capital and the moderating effect of entrepreneurial education.

Design/methodology/approach

Using social cognitive theory and the theory of planned behavior, the research adopts a questionnaire survey methodology with a sample size of 308 to gather data from transgender individuals engaged in or interested in entrepreneurship. The analysis was conducted using AMOS and SPSS software.

Findings

The results show that inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems directly enhance psychological capital but do not significantly affect entrepreneurial intentions unless psychological capital acts as a mediator. Entrepreneurial education does not illustrate a significant moderating effect on the connection between inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems and entrepreneurial intentions.

Originality/value

These findings highlight the significance of psychological resources in transforming environmental supports into entrepreneurial action, proposing significant insights for policymakers and educators to foster more inclusive entrepreneurial ecosystems aligned with sustainable development goals. This study contributes to the discussion on entrepreneurship among underserved populations and demonstrates the vital role of personalized educational and environmental supports in developing economic participation.
Engaging the next-generation female fashion consumers in DIY refashioning strategies by addressing the consumption values
Authors: Mataraarachchi Rivini , Abeysooriya Ranga Prasad , Haroon Areeba
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to explore how refashioning can shift fashion consumer attitudes towards sustainable consumption of clothing by restoring consumption values. The study categorizes consumers into distinct groups based on consumer perception of refashioning. Finally, the study recommends three value dimensions of the circular business model to promote consumer engagement with refashioning.

Design/methodology/approach

This study adopts an exploratory approach, applying qualitative design which involved 45 semi-structured interviews and 10 in-depth interviews with Gen Z female consumers who favour clothing lifetime extension.

Findings

The findings revealed that consumption values act as motivators and inhibitors, influencing consumers’ behaviours of using refashioning for clothing lifetime extension. Based on their distinguished levels of refashioning engagement and association with the satisfaction of consumption values, three potential consumer segments are discovered and defined as “DIY practitioners,” “DIY apprentices” and “DIY outsources”. To encourage consumer engagement with refashioning, the article suggests value proposition, value delivery and value capture dimensions of two circular business models and verifies how these cater to distinct segments to facilitate refashioning.

Originality/value

This paper provides new insights into clothing refashioning activities from the consumer perspective, bridging a gap in marketing literature. It investigates how refashioning restores consumption values and proposes three value dimensions of circular business models, enhancing clothing lifetime and engaging consumers. This unique approach incorporates consumption values and aligns with the UN’s 12th Sustainable Development Goal.
Sanctions and cryptocurrency: a catalyst for digital adoption?
Authors: Thi Hang Nga Phan
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper aims to propose a causal relationship between the imposition of international sanctions and the level of cryptocurrency adoption, drawing on a comprehensive data set of global cryptocurrency metrics.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses a data set that includes the global cryptocurrency adoption index, as compiled by Bhimani et al. (2022) and Chinalysis (2020), along with various socioeconomic factors such as democracy, education, the GINI index, GDP per capita, the Human Development Index, the Corruption Perception Index, regulatory quality, control of corruption, the Economic Freedom Index and the Network Readiness Index. In addition, this paper incorporates a global sanctions database developed by Felbermayr et al. (2020). To determine causal relationships, this study constructs an instrumental variable aimed at plausibly isolating the endogenous effects of sanctions on cryptocurrency adoption.

Findings

Using a robust empirical strategy that includes an instrumental variable approach, this research establishes a causal link between the number of sanctions and the level of cryptocurrency adoption. The findings suggest that sanctions can act as a significant motivator for countries to adopt cryptocurrencies, especially in regions with high levels of economic inequality and generalized trust, such as Africa. In addition, this study found that conflicts occurring between 1500 and 1599 could predict cryptocurrency adoption in Africa. The civil conflicts occurring between 1960 and 2017 also show a relationship with higher levels of cryptocurrency usage across the African continent.

Originality/value

The analysis further distinguishes the heterogeneity of these relationships across different nations, with a special emphasis on the unique context of African countries and the implications of ongoing civil conflicts.
Developing an intellectual capital benchmarking approach of business incubators
Authors: Wudhikarn Ratapol , Anantana Tanyanuparb , Phongthiya Tinnakorn , Paphawasit Boontarika , Pattanasak Photchanaphisut
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to propose an improved benchmarking approach for developing novel intellectual capital (IC) performance indicators (PIs) for business incubators (BIs), a crucial underexplored actor within entrepreneurial ecosystems. The developed PIs are used to benchmark the performance of the selected BIs, identify best-in-class performers and extract their practices into explicit knowledge to provide practical guidelines.

Design/methodology/approach

To create a more effective and practical benchmarking approach, this study integrates several validated methods, including the Delphi technique, business incubation maturity model, analytic hierarchy process knowledge mapping and ontology. These methods address the fundamental limitations of traditional benchmarking approaches and improve the overall process.

Findings

Through the implementation of the improved benchmarking approach, new IC indicators of BIs and their corresponding assessment rubrics, based on the maturity levels of business incubation, have been developed. Furthermore, the best performers for all IC indicators were identified, and their selected practices were extracted and presented as explicit knowledge.

Originality/value

This study addresses several major gaps in the literature, including (1) resolving fundamental limitations of traditional benchmarking approaches, (2) developing a new standard set of IC indicators and corresponding assessment rubrics for BIs, (3) conducting the first benchmarking of IC performance among BIs and (4) executing the IC benchmarking process through to the analysis phase.
Audit pricing of restatement severity in the announcement year: the moderating effects of client management changes and specialist auditors
Authors: Lai Kam-Wah
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper aims to examine the audit pricing of restatement severity in the year of restatement announcement and how client management changes and auditor industry specialization moderate such pricing for a sample of restating firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The sample consists of restating firms without auditor changes in the year of restatement announcement in the USA from 2005 to 2020. Restatement severity is measured by nine measures, which are further grouped into four categories. An audit fee model is used to investigate whether audit fees are higher for more severe restatements. Interaction terms involving the four categories of severity measures and a dummy variable for top management changes and for industry specialists are used to study the moderating effects.

Findings

This paper reports that audit fees are higher for more severe restatements (those that are more serious in nature, pervasive, unfavourable in financial impact and relevant to auditors) and even higher for clients with top management changes. However, audit fees are not always higher for specialist auditors. The results show that, for auditors who are specialists, audit fees are higher for restatements that are more serious in nature but lower for those that are more pervasive.

Originality/value

Prior studies examine audit pricing of restatement or restatement severity one or two years after restatement announcement. In contrast, this paper studies audit pricing of restatement severity in the year of restatement announcement because clients and auditors are likely to renegotiate audit fees for restatement as early as possible and if the pricing issue is studied after the announcement year, noisy results may be obtained due to factors arising solely after that year. Also, in contrast to prior studies that do not investigate the moderating effects of clients’ and auditors’ characteristics on the pricing issue, this paper studies the effects of client management changes and auditor industry specialization on the issue and, thus, recognizes the contextual nature of the issue.
From business school dean to university president: leadership lessons from Dr Judy Olian
Authors: Yawson Robert M.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to explore Dr Judy Olian’s leadership journey from business school dean to university president, aiming to distill key lessons for aspiring higher education leaders.

Design/methodology/approach

The research employs a multimethod qualitative approach, including a personal interview with Dr Olian, an analysis of a podcast featuring her insights, a review of her official university profile and the author’s lived experience as a faculty member under Dr Olian’s leadership. This semiethnographic approach is supplemented by a review of relevant literature on higher education leadership.

Findings

The study reveals critical competencies for transitioning to university leadership, including strategic vision, change management skills, team-building abilities and external relationship management. It highlights the importance of seeking broadening experiences, developing financial acumen and cultivating resilience in leadership roles. The research also underscores the significance of shared governance and the ability to navigate diverse stakeholder relationships.

Practical implications

The research provides valuable insights for business school deans and other academic leaders aspiring to university presidencies, offering strategies for professional development and leadership transition.

Originality/value

This study offers a unique perspective on the transition from business school leadership to university presidency. It combines insider observations with Dr Olian’s reflections to provide a comprehensive view of the challenges and opportunities in higher education leadership.
Literacy assessment as teacher agency and expertise
Authors: Jones Pauline , Plummer Carlie , Isbel Natasha
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The paper aims to develop a coherent understanding of literacy assessment, one that draws on current conceptualising of assessment generally while accounting for the complexity of literacy and literacy development. It responds to The Foundation for Learning Literacy Touchstone #8, offering a view of assessment as an “eco-system” comprising national, system, school and classroom sites and argues for recognition of the crucial place of teachers’ expertise and professional judgement.

Design/methodology/approach

The paper reports on action-oriented research in which upper primary teachers worked with an education academic to improve writing pedagogy in their classroom practice. Part of a larger project which took a genre-based, disciplinary literacy approach, the paper focuses on five year five teachers who collaboratively designed and implemented a literature study in each of their classrooms. Data collected included planning documents, exemplar texts, student work samples, teacher reflections and interviews and student interviews. Data were mapped against the teachers’ goals with respect to genre and literary concepts and analysed for key concepts related to current conceptualisations of assessment.

Findings

The paper offers insights into the interconnection between curriculum, pedagogy and assessment. It demonstrates how the teacher–participants planned for literacy and content and how they drew on formative assessment at different points of the teaching–learning cycle to support students to successfully complete a culminating writing task. In doing so, it demonstrates the expertise of the teachers in weaving together formative and summative assessment as well as the complexity of literacy assessment that cannot be captured entirely in one-shot assessments or diagnostic tests. Such complexity requires the richness possible when curriculum, pedagogy and assessment are aligned, as is evident in the case study.

Research limitations/implications

The action research approach offers opportunities to develop deep understandings of the site but cannot be generalised to other sites. However, the detail with which we describe the practices means aspects of the study may be recognisable as like those in other sites.

Practical implications

The paper brings together a range of disparate literacy assessment practices in a coherent and accessible way that policymakers, schools and teachers will find generative. It will be useful for preservice teachers who often witness a range of practices in schools and wonder how they fit together. It also offers a means of communicating with media and other commentators about literacy and literacy assessment in an educative way.

Originality/value

The paper fulfils an identified need for a coherent approach which brings together the many practices and tools that currently exist in systems, schools and classrooms.
Gray relational analysis and SBOA-BP for predicting settlement intervals of high-speed railway subgrade
Authors: He Quanpeng , Li Shaoyuan
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The deformation of the roadbed is easily influenced by the external environment to improve the accuracy of high-speed railway subgrade settlement prediction.

Design/methodology/approach

A high-speed railway subgrade settlement interval prediction method using the secretary bird optimization (SBOA) algorithm to optimize the BP neural network under the premise of gray relational analysis is proposed.

Findings

Using the SBOA algorithm to optimize the BP neural network, the optimal weights and thresholds are obtained, and the best parameter prediction model is combined. The data were collected from the sensors deployed through the subgrade settlement monitoring system, and the gray relational analysis is used to verify that all four influencing factors had a great correlation to the subgrade settlement, and the collected data are verified using the model.

Originality/value

The experimental results show that the SBOA-BP model has higher prediction accuracy than the BP model, and the SBOA-BP model has a wider range of prediction intervals for a given confidence level, which can provide higher guiding value for practical engineering applications.
Is the PCAOB enforcement approach aligned with its mandate? Perspectives of sanctioned auditors and former PCAOB enforcement staff
Authors: Cannon Nathan , Lamoreaux Phillip , Maksymov Eldar , Myers Noah
Published: February 2025

The Sarbanes‐Oxley Act of 2002 mandates the PCAOB to enforce compliance with its audit standards fairly. However, the enforcement process is not sufficiently transparent for public evaluation of its fairness, prompting a call by a former Board member for transparency of the process and for improvement suggestions from the public. Further, academic evidence on the PCAOB enforcement is limited. We address this call and the gap in the literature by interviewing 33 difficult‐to‐access participants about the enforcement process: 20 sanctioned auditors and 13 former PCAOB enforcement staff members. Using procedural justice theory as a lens in evaluating our data, we conclude the enforcement process lacks fairness in key components. Both auditors and former enforcement staff express concerns that staff use overly damning one‐sided language in public orders, do not assess investor harm, and face incentives to sanction auditors, particularly small firms that cannot afford costly defense. We contribute to the literature on PCAOB enforcement by offering new insights into the enforcement process from firsthand perspectives of sanctioned auditors and former enforcement staff, deepening understanding of how enforcement practices align with the PCAOB's mandate for fair procedures. We also discuss process improvement suggestions from our participants and important future research opportunities.
Effects of extreme heat events on crop revenues for U.S. corn and soybeans
Authors: Lee Seunghyun
Published: February 2025

Extreme weather events have nuanced implications for crop producers. While they can reduce local yields, widespread production losses often drive price increases. This study presents a panel approach that accounts for the price–yield correlation to assess the impact of such events on crop revenues, focusing on U.S. corn and soybeans. It conducts two key analyses: (1) quantifying the revenue impacts of the historic 1988 and 2012 U.S. heatwaves and (2) examining the implications of climate change on crop revenue variability. The results show that compensatory price increases often substantially offset yield losses, especially when price responsiveness to supply shocks is strong. In particular, U.S. corn in 2012 and soybeans in 1988 saw crop revenues rise by more than 8% compared to normal weather conditions, whereas U.S. corn in 1988 and soybeans in 2012 experienced decreases of no more than 4%. The study highlights the importance of crop‐specific and time‐varying price responsiveness to supply shocks. Furthermore, it demonstrates that if growing season weather during 1997–2019 had exhibited the volatility projected for 2036–2065 under a moderate emissions scenario, revenue variability for corn and soybeans in median U.S. counties would have increased by more than 60%, with more pronounced impacts in regions outside the major Corn Belt. These findings underscore the significant economic risks posed by climate change–induced variability in agricultural revenues.
Experiential Learning, Narrative‐Based Learning, and Insurance Adoption: Experimental Evidence from Kenya
Authors: Jamleck Osiemo , Cecchi Francesco , Bulte Erwin , Mwongera Caroline
Published: February 2025

We compare the impact of two extension modalities on knowledge accumulation and willingness to pay for a weather index insurance product among smallholder farmers in Kenya. One approach to extension is based on experiential learning and involves participation in an incentivized framed experiment (or game). The other is based on conventional “narrative‐based” learning. While both modalities increase farmer knowledge, incentivized gamification causes more learning. We also find that experiential learning affects follow‐up demand for the insurance product, which is not true for narrative‐based learning. Interestingly, demand for insurance shifts inward after playing the insurance game. This reduction in demand is mainly caused by increased knowledge about the insurance product, but we also present suggestive evidence that experiencing basis risk during the game was more salient than theory‐based learning about basis risk. Game‐based learning is an effective approach to promote knowledge accumulation and may accentuate or attenuate adoption of innovations by updating ex‐ante, possibly biased, expectations.
Getting licence or keeping consistent? The role of moral identity in subsequent pro‐environmental behaviours
Authors: Wang Tao , Liu Feifei , Xiong Shasha , Wang Kui
Published: February 2025

Although a great deal of literature has focused on the drivers of pro‐environmental behaviours, the effects of past product choices on future pro‐environmental product choices have not yet been thoroughly investigated. This study explores how choosing a green product influences subsequent pro‐environmental product preference. Drawing on the self‐perception and moral licensing research, we find that past green product consumption can yield two conflicting mechanisms: environmental self‐perception (the green spillover effect) and perceived goal progress (the green licensing effect). Given these two conflicting mechanisms, past pro‐environmental product selection subsequently either reinforces or undermines subsequent pro‐environmental product purchase preference. This study finds that these effects are contingent on the pre‐existing moral identities of individual consumers. Among consumers with high moral identity internalization or low moral identity symbolization, pro‐environmental product purchase preference is reinforced, whereas consumers with low moral identity internalization or high moral identity symbolization show less preference for pro‐environmental products after prior green consumption. Overall, these findings provide new insight into pro‐environmental product consumption and moral identity.
Fear of happiness and emotion regulation: Implications for personal and relational well‐being
Authors: Lee Huixian Acacia , Wan Ching , Yang Yingjia
Published: February 2025

Fear of happiness is the belief that happiness brings about negative consequences. In this research, we investigated the emotion regulation mechanism linking fear of happiness and personal and relational well‐being. Studies 1 and 2 found that fear of happiness was consistently associated with lower levels of personal well‐being (hedonic and eudaimonic) through increased dampening, and to some extent, reduced savouring of positive emotions across Singaporean undergraduate (Study 1; N = 227) and American online samples (Study 2; N = 222). In Study 3 with a Singaporean online sample (N = 125), we extended these findings to relational well‐being in a context of particularly high relational stress—COVID‐19 lockdown, highlighting the importance of emotional regulation of positive emotions. The findings across the three studies provided insight into how individuals' beliefs about positive emotions could guide their responses toward emotional experiences and subsequently contribute to their personal and relational well‐being.
Limited time perspective decreases terminal materialism
Authors: Wu Xuyao , Yang Liu , Lu Mengxi , Li Jing
Published: February 2025

Terminal materialism is considered a bad form of materialism and harmful to individuals' well‐being. However, few studies focus on how to reduce this value. The current research examined a way to decrease terminal materialism through a future time perspective. Study 1, through a survey of adults with a wide age, showed that limited time perspective was a significant predictor of terminal materialism. That is, the more limited the perception of time, the lower the level of terminal materialism. In Study 2, participants who were experimentally induced to a limited time perspective became less terminal materialistic, further revealed the causal relationship between future time perspective and terminal materialism. In Study 3, we used qualitative retrospective interviews with cancer survivors to explore the dynamic co‐variation process of future time perception and terminal materialism. The results showed that, consistent with Studies 1 and 2, participants' terminal materialism decreased after experiencing limited future time perception. Our findings indicate that a limited time perspective may be a way for mitigating terminal materialism.
Sufficiency and healthcare emissions
Authors: Parker Joshua
Published: February 2025

In this paper, I am concerned with how healthcare systems ought to transition away from the greenhouse gas emissions that they have historically relied on to provide care. I address two questions in relation to this issue. The first is what emissions target should healthcare systems adopt? Second, is how should the burdens of mitigation be shared fairly in light of that target? I argue that sufficientarianism offers an attractive way to answer both of these questions because it is better situated to strike the right balance between healthcare benefits and the costs of mitigation than rivals. Sufficiency describes the view that what is important from the perspective of distributive justice is that individuals have enough. I argue that this ideal can be used to set a threshold of enough health from which an emissions threshold can be set. Once an emissions threshold is in place, this can be used to demarcate permissible from impermissible emissions in healthcare. In turn, the emissions threshold provides guidance on which emissions are liable to mitigation and when it would be fair for healthcare to shoulder the associated burdens. Permissible emissions, on the other hand, are necessary to secure sufficiency and so healthcare's mitigation responsibilities should be altered in light of this. I also discuss various alternative methods of setting an emissions target like net zero, zero emissions, emissions grandfathering and emissions egalitarianism. I point to several issues with these approaches.
AXL‐Mediated Drug Resistance in ALK‐Rearranged NSCLC Enhanced by GAS6 From Macrophages and MMP11 Positive Fibroblasts
Authors: Utsumi Takahiro , Mizuta Hayato , Seto Yosuke , Uchibori Ken , Nishio Makoto , Okamoto Isamu , Katayama Ryohei
Published: February 2025

Anaplastic lymphoma kinase (ALK) rearranged non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) shows marked tumor shrinkage by ALK‐tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs). However, tumors almost inevitably relapse owing to the development of acquired resistance. Resistance mechanisms include secondary ALK mutations and the activation of bypass pathways, such as cMET, cKIT, or EGFR, though some remain unknown. In this study, we analyzed alectinib‐resistant patient samples and identified a significant increase in AXL expression in the tumor, and a high level of GAS6, the ligand for AXL, in the pleural effusion. AXL‐overexpressing H3122 ALK‐rearranged NSCLC cells exhibited partial resistance to alectinib, which was enhanced by GAS6 supplementation but could be overcome by the ALK/AXL inhibitor gilteritinib. Moreover, GAS6‐overexpressing NIH3T3 cells and AXL‐expressing H3122 cells were subcutaneously injected into the left and right sides of nude mice simultaneously, followed by alectinib treatment. The supply of GAS6 from NIH3T3 may have accelerated tumor relapse under alectinib treatment. However, even without GAS6‐overexpressing NIH3T3, AXL‐overexpressing H3122 tumor relapsed within 1 month possibly due to increased host mouse Gas6 expression. Single‐cell RNA sequencing revealed that specific cancer‐associated fibroblasts (CAFs) and a subset of tumor‐associated macrophages (TAMs) are the primary sources of Gas6 in the tumor microenvironment (TME). During alectinib treatment, TAMs increased their infiltration into the TME, whereas CAFs altered their expression patterns, substantially upregulating Mmp11. These findings suggest that AXL expression in resistant cancer cells, combined with increased Gas6 production in the TME, contributes to enhanced ALK‐TKI resistance.
Two Novel Protein‐Truncating Variants in NLRP2 and Their Functional Impacts on the Subcortical Maternal Complex
Authors: Yalcin Zeynep , Gao Zheng , Abdelrazek Ibrahim M. , Bareke Eric , Majewski Jacek , Abdalla Ebtesam , Tan Seang‐Lin , Li Lei , Slim Rima
Published: February 2025

Female infertility is a prevalent reproductive disorder with high genetic heterogeneity. Previous reports have demonstrated the causal role of biallelic pathogenic variants in the Subcortical Maternal Complex (SCMC) genes in female reproductive failure with some leading to infertility, early embryonic loss, and molar pregnancies, while others are compatible with live birth with and without multilocus imprinting disorders (MLID). Here, we report two deleterious protein‐truncating variants, c.1326delG, p.Leu443Phefs*78 and c.2802_2803del, p.Arg935Metfs*15, in heterozygous state in the NLRP2 gene of a patient with primary infertility, four early miscarriages, and one failed attempt of intracytoplasmic sperm injection. We show that the two variants mediate mRNA decay in EBV‐transformed lymphoblastoid cells from the patient, lead to decreased NLRP2 protein levels, and alter NLRP2 interactions with other members of the SCMC in vitro. This study emphasizes the importance of performing clinical exomes for patients with recurrent reproductive failure and reporting their variants and reproductive histories to improve patient counseling.
Long‐term bowel function following delayed coloanal anastomosis: Analysis of a multicentric cohort study (GRECCAR)
Authors: Collard Maxime K. , Tuech Jean‐Jacques , Sabbagh Charles , Souadka Amine , Loriau Jérome , Rullier Eric , Marchal Frédéric , Germain Adeline , Benoist Stéphane , Faucheron Jean‐Luc , Manceau Gilles , Dubois Anne , Laforest Anaïs , Sourrouille Isabelle , Protat Aurore , Mège Diane , Lakkis Zaher , Prudhomme Michel , Derieux Simon , Ouaissi Mehdi , Venara Aurélien , Brigand Cécile , Lelong Bernard , Pautrat Karine , Maggiori Leon , Lebreton Gil , Rouanet Philippe , Pocard Marc , Duchalais Emilie , Denost Quentin , Parc Yann , Lefevre Jérémie H. ,   for the GRECCAR Group
Published: February 2025

Aim

Alteration of bowel function after delayed coloanal anastomosis (DCAA) might be a limitation to its utilization. Our aim was to assess the long‐term bowel function of DCAA in a large multicentric cohort.

Method

All patients who underwent DCAA interventions at 29 GRECCAR‐affiliated hospitals between 2010 and 2021 were retrospectively included. Low anterior resection syndrome (LARS) score or confection of a stoma due to poor bowel function was assessed in eligible patients. Good bowel function was defined by the preservation of bowel continuity with no LARS or a minor LARS.

Results

Among the 385 eligible patients to assess long‐term bowel continuity, 63% (n = 243) responded to the questionnaire or had a definitive stoma because of poor bowel function. After a median follow‐up of 32 months, good bowel function was reported by 60% (n = 146) of patients (with no LARS 36% and minor LARS 24%), whereas 40% of patients (n = 146) had a poor bowel function including major LARS (36%) and definitive stoma due to poor bowel function (4%). No variables tested were predictive of a poor bowel function after DCAA, including a history of pelvic radiotherapy (P = 0.722), salvage DCAA after failure of a previous anastomosis (P = 0.755), presence of a diverting stoma (P = 0.556), occurrence of an anastomotic leakage (P = 0.416) and time interval from the DCAA to the bowel function assessment (P = 0.350).

Conclusions

No LARS or minor LARS was reached for 60% of patients after DCAA. Less than 5% of patients received a definitive stoma due to a poor bowel function.
Effect of iGlarLixi on continuous glucose monitoring—measured time in range in insulin‐naive adults with suboptimally controlled type 2 diabetes
Authors: Frías Juan P. , Ratzki‐Leewing Alexandria , Dex Terry , Meneghini Luigi , Rodrigues Amélie , Shah Viral N.
Published: February 2025

Aims

People with type 2 diabetes (T2D) and glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥9% may benefit from fixed‐ratio combination therapies such as iGlarLixi (insulin glargine 100 U/mL and lixisenatide 33 μg/mL). Use of continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is recommended, but data are lacking to assess the impact of iGlarLixi in individuals with HbA1c ≥9%.

Materials and Methods

Soli‐CGM (NCT05114590) was a 16‐week, multicentre, open‐label study evaluating the efficacy of once‐daily iGlarLixi using blinded CGM‐based metrics in insulin‐naive adults with HbA1c ≥9%–13% who were receiving ≥2 oral antihyperglycaemic agents (OADs) ± glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1 RAs). The primary outcome was the change from baseline to week 16 in percent time in range (TIR; 70–180 mg/dL). Secondary outcomes included change in mean daily blood glucose (BG), maximum postprandial glucose 4 h post‐breakfast (PPG‐4 h), and time above range (TAR; >180 mg/dL). On‐treatment hypoglycaemia was assessed.

Results

The study enrolled 124 participants (mean age, 55.6 years; HbA1c, 10.2%). Sixteen weeks of treatment with iGlarLixi improved TIR (+26.2%), mean BG (−52.5 mg/dL), maximum PPG‐4 h (−73.7 mg/dL), and TAR (−28.7%); all p < 0.001. Rates of American Diabetes Association level 1 (BG <70 but ≥54 mg/dL) and level 2 (BG <54 mg/dL) hypoglycaemia were reported as 1.4 and 0.6 events per person‐year, respectively. No level 3 events (requiring assistance) were reported.

Conclusions

In people with T2D suboptimally controlled on ≥2 OADs ± GLP‐1 RAs, 16 weeks of treatment with iGlarLixi significantly improved TIR and reduced TAR without severe hypoglycaemia.
Survey among adult users of semaglutide for weight loss in Denmark: User characteristics, treatment expectations and experienced effects
Authors: Sørensen Malene Svoldgaard , Pottegård Anton , Andersen Nanna Elman , Thomsen Reimar W. , Lundby Carina
Published: February 2025

Aims

Since the launch of semaglutide for weight loss (Wegovy®, SEMA‐WL) in late 2022, there has been a huge increase in new users of SEMA‐WL. We explored characteristics, treatment expectations and experienced effectiveness and side effects among Danish adults using SEMA‐WL.

Materials and Methods

A questionnaire‐based survey was conducted from September to December 2023 across 29 Danish community pharmacies. During a 10‐day period, pharmacies invited consecutive individuals aged ≥18 years redeeming a prescription on SEMA‐WL to complete an electronic questionnaire.

Results

A total of 1013 individuals were invited to study participation of which 55% (n = 559) accepted. Users of SEMA‐WL were primarily female (78%, n = 434) and middle‐aged adults (36–65 years; 76%, n = 423), with a median body mass index of 36 (interquartile range [IQR] 32–40) at treatment initiation. Two in three users had personally asked their general practitioner to initiate treatment (70%, n = 393). Four in ten users had not discussed expected treatment duration with their general practitioner (42%, n = 237), almost half (46%, n = 258) expected treatment for a limited time period, while only 11% (n = 64) expected lifelong treatment. Self‐reported median weight loss was 5.3% (IQR 3.2–8.5) for users treated for <3 months, 10% (IQR 8.2–14) for 3–5 months of treatment and 17% (IQR 13–21) for those treated for >5 months. More than half of users (59%, n = 330) had experienced side effects, most commonly nausea (35%, n = 193) and constipation (29%, n = 160).

Conclusions

This study provides valuable insights into the characteristics, treatment expectations and effects experienced by Danish adult users of SEMA‐WL.
A Taxonomy of Neuroscientific Strategies Based on Interaction Orders
Authors: Neri Matteo , Brovelli Andrea , Castro Samy , Fraisopi Fausto , Gatica Marilyn , Herzog Ruben , Mediano Pedro A. M. , Mindlin Ivan , Petri Giovanni , Bor Daniel , Rosas Fernando E. , Tramacere Antonella , Estarellas Mar
Published: February 2025

In recent decades, neuroscience has advanced with increasingly sophisticated strategies for recording and analysing brain activity, enabling detailed investigations into the roles of functional units, such as individual neurons, brain regions and their interactions. Recently, new strategies for the investigation of cognitive functions regard the study of higher order interactions—that is, the interactions involving more than two brain regions or neurons. Although methods focusing on individual units and their interactions at various levels offer valuable and often complementary insights, each approach comes with its own set of limitations. In this context, a conceptual map to categorize and locate diverse strategies could be crucial to orient researchers and guide future research directions. To this end, we define the spectrum of orders of interaction, namely, a framework that categorizes the interactions among neurons or brain regions based on the number of elements involved in these interactions. We use a simulation of a toy model and a few case studies to demonstrate the utility and the challenges of the exploration of the spectrum. We conclude by proposing future research directions aimed at enhancing our understanding of brain function and cognition through a more nuanced methodological framework.
Network Segregation and Integration Changes in Healthy Aging: Evidence From EEG Subbands During the Visual Short‐Term Memory Binding Task
Authors: Fide Ezgi , Bora Emre , Yener Görsev
Published: February 2025

Working memory, which tends to be the most vulnerable cognitive domain to aging, is thought to depend on a functional brain network for efficient communication. The dynamic communication within this network is represented by segregation and integration. This study aimed to investigate healthy aging by examining age effect on outcomes of graph theory analysis during the visual short‐term memory binding (VSTMB) task. VSTMB tasks rely on the integration of visual features and are less sensitive to semantic and verbal strategies. Effects of age on neuropsychological test scores, along with the EEG graph‐theoretical integration, segregation and global organization metrics in frequencies from delta to gamma band were investigated. Neuropsychological assessment showed low sensitivity as a measure of age‐related changes. EEG results indicated that network architecture changed more effectively during middle age, while this effectiveness appears to vanish or show compensatory mechanisms in the elderly. These differences were further found to be related to cognitive domain scores. This study is the first to demonstrate differences in working memory network architecture across a broad age range.