bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Gunshot Residue Deposition With and Without Firearm Suppressors (Silencers)
Authors: Prahlow Samuel P. , Morgan Lee , Prahlow Joseph A.
Published: October 2024

Forensic pathologists recognize the importance of estimating the range of fire for gunshot entrance wounds. Classically described ranges of fire include contact, close range, medium (or intermediate) range, and indeterminate (or distant) range. The presence or absence of gunshot residue (smoke/soot and/or gunpowder) and the characteristics of the gunshot residue are evaluated in order to estimate the range of fire. It is well known that interposed targets can block or otherwise alter gunshot residue deposition. In this preliminary study, a comparison is made between gunshot defects produced on targets using firearms with and without an attached suppressor device (so-called “silencer”). Comparisons are made at various distances from the targets, using multiple weapon/ammunition calibers.
Lymphadenopathy Secondary to Metastatic Squamous Cell Carcinoma Mistaken for Malignant Lymphoma
Authors: Jang Hye-Bin , Lee Dong Hoon , Lee Joon Kyoo , Lim Sang Chul
Published: October 2024

Objective:

It is difficult to identify disease entities underlying lymphadenopathy in the head and neck region based solely on imaging. This often results in metastatic squamous cell carcinoma (Sqcc)–induced lymphadenopathy being mistaken for lymphoma. This study aimed to analyze clinical characteristics and computed tomographic features that aid in distinguishing between metastatic Sqcc and lymphoma when lymphadenopathy resembles a large solitary lymphoma.

Methods:

The authors retrospectively enrolled 5 patients, managed between 2010 and 2024, with metastatic Sqcc mistaken for lymphoma and 9 patients with lymphadenopathy of 2 cm or larger due to lymphoma.

Results:

Among the 5 patients, 3 exhibited a homogeneous lymphadenopathy phenotype, whereas the remaining 2 displayed heterogeneous enhancement with multiple small necrotic areas within the affected masses. Measurement of the Hounsfield units (HU) for lymphadenopathy, the sternocleidomastoid muscle, and the submandibular gland (SMG) was conducted for each patient. The ratio of lymphadenopathy HU to the average HU of the sternocleidomastoid muscle and the SMG was significantly higher in patients diagnosed with metastatic Sqcc compared with those with lymphoma (P = 0.01).

Conclusion:

In computed tomography scans, heterogeneous lymphadenopathy or enhancement levels that approach or exceed those of the SMG may indicate the likelihood of Sqcc rather than lymphoma.
Reduced glutathione attenuates pediatric sepsis-associated encephalopathy by inhibiting inflammatory cytokine release and mitigating lipid peroxidation-induced brain injury
Authors: Wang Haosen , Chen Xinrui , Hu Dan , Xin Xin , Zhao Zhongxiu , Jiang Zhen
Published: October 2024

Sepsis-associated encephalopathy (SAE) is a severe complication of sepsis. Reduced glutathione (GSH) has antioxidant properties and is used as a neuroprotective agent in some studies. However, research on the application of exogenous GSH in the treatment of SAE is limited. This study aimed to determine the effects of exogenous GSH in pediatric SAE patients and mice. We evaluated clinical parameters, inflammatory factors, and oxidative stress before and after GSH treatment. The clinical trials demonstrated that GSH treatment improved brain damage markers (S-100 beta protein, brain fatty acid-binding protein), increased neurological status scores (Glasgow coma scale), and reduced Pediatric Risk of Mortality III scores in children with SAE. GSH treatment also significantly reduced the levels of inflammatory factors (interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α) and decreased lipid peroxidation (superoxide dismutase). Additionally, GSH reduced lipid peroxidation resulting from abnormal lipid metabolism, as indicated by the levels of acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4, lysophosphatidylcholine acyltransferase 3, and glutathione peroxidase 4. In-vivo experiments showed that the neuroprotective effect of GSH was dose-dependent, with better effects observed at medium and high doses. Furthermore, GSH alleviated brain damage, suppressed the release of inflammatory factors, and inhibited lipid peroxidation in SAE mice. The animal experiments also showed that GSH reduces lipid peroxidation through the 15-lipoxygenase/phosphatidylethanolamine binding protein 1/glutathione peroxidase 4 pathway. Our study suggests that exogenous GSH has neuroprotective effects in pediatric SAE. These findings provide a basis for the potential use of GSH as a therapeutic method for SAE.
Bacteriological profile of community peritonitis operated in a Moroccan Hospital
Authors: Bazhar Samia , Benaissa Elmostafa , Ziad Fatima , Laamara Leila , Ben Lahlou Yassine , Chadli Mariama , Elouennass Mostafa
Published: October 2024

Introduction. Peritonitis is characterized by acute inflammation of the peritoneum, often resulting from digestive organ perforation or intra-abdominal septic focus. It may be of either infectious or non-infectious origin. The bacteria involved are those of the digestive flora (Enterobacteriaceae and anaerobes), while Gram-positive cocci and yeasts can be isolated in nosocomial infections. Our study aims to isolate and identify the germs involved in community-acquired peritonitis in order to assess their susceptibility to the antibiotics available in our country.

Methods. This is a retrospective study of the bacteriological profile of community peritonitis in Rabat Morocco. A total of 150 adult patients with peritonitis were admitted and samples were collected intraoperatively for bacteriological examination between 1 July 2022 and 30 April 2023.

Results. Among the 150 patients, 101 (67.8%) were males and 49 (32.2%) were females, with a sex ratio (M/F) of 2 : 1. The mean age of the patients was 40.5 years±20.12. The distribution of bacteria was dominated by Escherichia coli (44%). Overall, 70% of E. coli isolated exhibited resistance to ampicillin, whereas no resistance to ampicillin has been reported for Enterococcus.

Discussion. In the present study, we were interested in the bacteriological profile of community peritonitis in order to adapt the antibiotic therapy to our bacterial ecology. Our findings indicate a concerning trend of increasing resistance among E. coli to the commonly used amoxicillin/clavulanic acid combination in our clinical setting.

Conclusion. Consequently, there is a need to reassess the empiric antibiotic prescribed for the management of community-acquired peritonitis.
Phylogeographic analysis of Begomovirus coat and replication-associated proteins
Authors: Crespo-Bellido Alvin , Hoyer J. Steen , Burgos-Amengual Yeissette , Duffy Siobain
Published: October 2024

Begomoviruses are globally distributed plant pathogens that significantly limit crop production. These viruses are traditionally described according to phylogeographic distribution and categorized into two groups: begomoviruses from the Africa, Asia, Europe and Oceania (AAEO) region and begomoviruses from the Americas. Monopartite begomoviruses are more common in the AAEO region, while bipartite viruses predominate in the Americas, where the begomoviruses lack the V2/AV2 gene involved in inter-cellular movement and RNA silencing suppression found in AAEO begomoviruses. While these features are generally accepted as lineage-defining, the number of known species has doubled due to sequence-based discovery since 2010. To re-evaluate the geographic groupings after the rapid expansion of the genus, we conducted phylogenetic analyses for begomovirus species representatives of the two longest and most conserved begomovirus proteins: the coat and replication-associated proteins. Both proteins still largely support the broad AAEO and Americas begomovirus groupings, except for sweet potato-infecting begomoviruses that form an independent, well-supported clade for their coat protein regardless of the region they were isolated from. Our analyses do not support more fine-scaled phylogeographic groupings. Monopartite and bipartite genome organizations are broadly interchanged throughout the phylogenies, and the absence of the V2/AV2 gene is highly reflective of the split between Americas and AAEO begomoviruses. We observe significant evidence of recombination within the Americas and within the AAEO region but rarely between the regions. We speculate that increased globalization of agricultural trade, the invasion of polyphagous whitefly vector biotypes and recombination will blur begomovirus phylogeographic delineations in the future.
Data-driven inference of Boolean networks from transcriptomes to predict cellular differentiation and reprogramming
Authors: Chevalier Stéphanie , Becker Julia , Gui Yujuan , Noël Vincent , Su Cui , Jung Sascha , Calzone Laurence , Zinovyev Andrei , del Sol Antonio , Pang Jun , Sinkkonen Lasse , Sauter Thomas , Paulevé Loïc
Published: October 2024

Boolean networks provide robust explainable and predictive models of cellular dynamics, especially for cellular differentiation and fate decision processes. Yet, the construction of such models is extremely challenging, as it requires integrating prior knowledge with experimental observation of transcriptome, potentially relating thousands of genes. We present a general methodology, implemented in the software tool BoNesis, for the qualitative modeling of gene regulation behind the observed state changes from transcriptome data and prior knowledge of the gene regulatory network. BoNesis allows computing ensembles of Boolean networks, where each of them is able to reproduce the modeled differentiation process. We illustrate the scalability and versatility of BoNesis with two applications: the modeling of hematopoiesis from single-cell RNA-Seq data, and modeling the differentiation of bone marrow stromal cells into adipocytes and osteoblasts from bulk RNA-seq time series data. For this later case, we took advantage of ensemble modeling to predict combinations of reprogramming factors for trans-differentiation that are robust to model uncertainties due to variations in experimental replicates and choice of binarization method. Moreover, we performed an in silico assessment of the fidelity and efficiency of the reprogramming, and conducted preliminary experimental validation.
Deciphering Metabolic Pathways and Protein-Protein Interaction Networks in Ankylosing Spondylitis through Single-Cell RNA Sequencing
Authors: Yarıcı Merve , Karabekmez Muhammed Erkan
Published: October 2024

Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) is a common autoimmune disease affecting spinal joints and causing chronic pain. Understanding the roles of different cell types in AS can facilitate the development of effective treatments. In this study, we analyzed scRNA-seq data of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from AS patients and healthy controls collected from the literature. Using the GIMME algorithm, we created genome-scale metabolic models for each cell type to analyze reaction fluxes varying between patient and healthy conditions. Our findings revealed increased purine metabolism flux, fatty acid degradation, and glycolysis in CD14 monocytes, CD4 memory, CD4 naive, and CD8 T cells in AS patients compared to healthy individuals. Additionally, by integrating multi-omics approaches we generated cell- type-specific protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, uncovering 63 rewired hubs across nine cell types. RPS11 emerged as the most significant hub, essential in translation and there are evidences in the literature that implicate it in AS. These results provide a detailed understanding of the metabolic and protein interaction changes in specific immune cell types in AS, highlighting RPS11 as a critical regulatory hub that could serve as a potential biomarker or therapeutic target for developing more precise and effective treatments.
When evidence is not enough: A qualitative exploration of healthcare workers’ perspectives on expansion of two-way texting (2wT) for post-circumcision follow-up in South Africa
Authors: Fabens Isabella , Makhele Calsile , Igaba Nelson , Moyo Khumbulani , Ndebele Felex , Pienaar Jacqueline , Setswe Geoffrey , Feldacker Caryl
Published: October 2024

As per national guidelines, in-person follow-up visits after voluntary medical male circumcision (VMMC) are required but may be unnecessary. Two-way texting (2wT) engages clients in post-operative care and triages those with complications to in-person review. 2wT-based telehealth was found to be safe, effective, and efficient. In South Africa, to understand provider perspectives on the 2wT approach and potential for expansion, 20 key informant interviews were conducted with management, clinicians, data officials and support staff involved in 2wT scale-up. Interviews were analyzed using rapid qualitative methods and informed by two implementation science frameworks: the Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework and the Pragmatic, Robust, Implementation and Sustainability Model (PRISM). Participants submitted mixed and multi-faceted feedback, including that 2wT improves monitoring and evaluation of clients and clinical outcomes while also reducing follow-up visits. Challenges included duplicative routine and 2wT reporting systems and perceptions that 2wT increased workload. To improve the likelihood of successful 2wT scale-up in routine VMMC settings, respondents suggested: further 2wT sensitization to ensure clinician and support staff buy-in; a dedicated clinician or nurse to manage telehealth clients; improved dashboards to better visualize 2wT client data; mobilizing 2wT champions at facilities to garner support for 2wT as routine care; and, updating VMMC guidelines to support VMMC telehealth. As attendance at follow-up visits may not be as high as reported, implementing 2wT may require more effort but also brings added benefits of client verification and documented follow-up. The transition from research to routine practice is challenging, but use of RE-AIM and PRISM indicate that it is not impossible. As VMMC funding is decreasing, more effort to share the evidence base for 2wT as a safe, cost-effective, high-quality approach for VMMC follow-up is needed to encourage widespread uptake and adoption.
Multimodal Foundation Models for Medical Imaging - A Systematic Review and Implementation Guidelines
Authors: Huang Shih-Cheng , Jensen Malte , Yeung-Levy Serena , Lungren Matthew P. , Poon Hoifung , Chaudhari Akshay S
Published: October 2024

Advancements in artificial intelligence (AI) offer promising solutions for enhancing clinical workflows and patient care, potentially revolutionizing healthcare delivery. However, the traditional paradigm of AI integration in healthcare is limited by models that rely on single input modalities during training and require extensive labeled data, failing to capture the multimodal nature of medical practice. Multimodal foundation models, particularly Large Vision Language Models (VLMs), have the potential to overcome these limitations by processing diverse data types and learning from large-scale unlabeled datasets or natural pairs of different modalities, thereby significantly contributing to the development of more robust and versatile AI systems in healthcare. In this review, we establish a unified terminology for multimodal foundation models for medical imaging applications and provide a systematic analysis of papers published between 2012 and 2024. In total, we screened 1,144 papers from medical and AI domains and extracted data from 97 included studies. Our comprehensive effort aggregates the collective knowledge of prior work, evaluates the current state of multimodal AI in healthcare, and delineates both prevailing limitations and potential growth areas. We provide implementation guidelines and actionable recommendations for various stakeholders, including model developers, clinicians, policymakers, and dataset curators.
Inverted-circuit zero-noise extrapolation for quantum-gate error mitigation
Authors: Koenig Kathrin F. , Reinecke Finn , Hahn Walter , Wellens Thomas
Published: October 2024

A common approach to deal with gate errors in modern quantum-computing hardware is zero-noise extrapolation. By artificially amplifying errors and extrapolating the expectation values obtained with different error strengths towards the zero-error (zero-noise) limit, the technique aims at rectifying errors in noisy quantum computing systems. For accurate extrapolation, it is essential to know the exact factors of the noise amplification. In this article, we propose a simple method for estimating the strength of errors occurring in a quantum circuit and demonstrate improved extrapolation results. The method determines the error strength for a circuit by appending to it the inverted circuit and measuring the probability of the initial state. The estimation of error strengths is easy to implement for arbitrary circuits and does not require previous characterization of noise properties. We compare this method with the conventional zero-noise extrapolation method and show that our method leads to a more accurate calculation of expectation values on current quantum hardware, showcasing its suitability for near-term quantum computing applications.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Polarization-insensitive state preparation for trapped-ion hyperfine qubits
Authors: Leu A. D. , Smith M. C. , Gely M. F. , Lucas D. M.
Published: October 2024

Quantum state preparation for trapped-ion qubits often relies on high-quality circularly polarized light, which may be difficult to achieve with chip-based integrated optics technology. We propose and implement a hybrid optical and microwave scheme for intermediate-field hyperfine qubits which instead relies on frequency selectivity. Experimentally, we achieve 99.94% fidelity for linearly polarized (σ+/σ−) light, using Ca+43 at 28.8 mT. We find that the fidelity remains above 99.8% for a mixture of all polarizations (σ+/σ−/π). We calculate that the method is capable of 99.99% fidelity in Ca+43, and even higher fidelities in heavier ions such as Ba+137.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Incoherent diffractive production of jets in electron DIS off nuclei at high energy
Authors: Rodriguez-Aguilar Benjamin , Triantafyllopoulos D. N. , Wei S. Y.
Published: October 2024

We study incoherent diffractive production of two and three jets in electron-nucleus deep inelastic scattering (DIS) at small xBj using the color dipole picture and the effective theory of the color glass condensate (CGC). We consider color fluctuations in the CGC weight-function as the source of the nuclear break-up and the associated momentum transfer |t|. We focus on the regime in which the two jets are almost back-to-back in transverse space and have transverse momenta P⊥ much larger than both the momentum transfer and the saturation scale Qs. The cross section for producing such a hard dijet is parametrically dominated by large size fluctuations in the projectile wave-function that scatter strongly and for which a third, semihard, jet appears in the final state. The 2+1 jets cross section can be written in a factorized form in terms of incoherent quark and gluon diffractive transverse momentum distributions (DTMDs) when the third jet is explicit, or incoherent diffractive parton distribution functions (DPDFs) when the third jet is integrated over. We find that the DPDFs and the corresponding cross section saturate logarithmically when |t|≪Qs2, while they fall like 1/|t|2 in the regime Qs2≪|t|≪P⊥2. We further show that there is no angular correlation between the hard jet momentum and the momentum transfer. For typical EIC kinematics the 2 jets and 2+1 jets cross sections are of the same order.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Shedding light on dark sectors with gravitational waves
Authors: Bunji Nelleke , Fornal Bartosz , Garcia Kassandra
Published: October 2024

The nature of dark matter remains one of the greatest unsolved mysteries in elementary particle physics. It might well be that the dark matter particle belongs to a dark sector completely secluded or extremely weakly coupled to the visible sector. We demonstrate that gravitational waves arising from first-order phase transitions in the early Universe can be used to look for signatures of dark sector models connected to neutron physics. This introduces a new connection between gravitational-wave physics and nuclear physics experiments. Focusing on two particular extensions of the Standard Model with dark U(1) and SU(2) gauge groups constructed to address the neutron lifetime puzzle, we show how those signatures can be searched for in future gravitational-wave and astrometry experiments.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Momentum spectrum of nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production in spacetime fields
Authors: Degli Esposti Gianluca , Torgrimsson Greger
Published: October 2024

We show how to use a worldline-instanton formalism to calculate, to leading order in the weak-field expansion, the momentum spectrum of nonlinear Breit-Wheeler pair production in fields that depend on time and one spatial coordinate. We find a nontrivial dependence on the width, λ, of the photon wave packet, and the existence of a critical point λc. For λ<λc and a field with one peak, the spectrum has one peak where the electron and positron have the same energy. For λ>λc this splits into two peaks. We calculate a high-energy (Ω≫1) expansion, which to leading order agrees with the results obtained by replacing the spacetime field with a plane wave and using the well-known Volkov solutions. We also calculate an expansion for Ω∼a0≫1, where the field is strong enough to significantly bend the trajectories of the fermions despite Ω≫1.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Dissecting a strongly coupled scalar nucleon
Authors: Cao Xianghui , Li Yang , Vary James P.
Published: October 2024

We continue our investigation of the stress within a strongly coupled scalar nucleon, and now dissect the gravitational form factors into contributions from its constituents, the (mock) nucleon and the (mock) pion. The computation is based on a nonperturbative solution of the scalar Yukawa model in the light-front Hamiltonian formalism with a Fock sector expansion, including up to one nucleon and two pions. By employing the “good currents” Ti++, Ti+− and Ti12, we extract the full set of gravitational form factors Ai, Di, c¯i without the contamination of the spurious form factors and free of uncanceled UV divergences. With these results, we decompose the mass of the system into its constituents and compute the matter and mechanical radii, gaining insights into the strongly coupled system.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Dynamical friction in dark matter spikes: Corrections to Chandrasekhar’s formula
Authors: Dosopoulou Fani
Published: October 2024

We consider the intermediate mass-ratio inspiral of a stellar-mass compact object with an intermediate-mass black hole that is surrounded by a dark matter density spike. The interaction of the inspiraling black hole with the dark matter particles in the spike leads to dynamical friction. This can alter the dynamics of the black hole binary, leaving an imprint on the gravitational wave signal. Previous calculations did not include in the evaluation of the dynamical friction coefficient the contribution from particles that move faster than the inspiraling black hole. This term is neglected in the standard Chandrasekhar treatment where only slower moving particles contribute to the decelerating drag. Here, we demonstrate that dynamical friction produced by the fast moving particles can have a significant effect on the evolution of a massive binary within a dark matter spike. For a density profile ρ∝r−γ with γ≲1, the dephasing of the gravitational waveform can be several orders of magnitude larger than estimated using the standard treatment. As γ approaches 0.5 the error becomes arbitrarily large. Finally, we show that dynamical friction tends to make the orbit more eccentric for any γ<1.8. However, energy loss by gravitational wave radiation is expected to dominate the inspiral, leading to orbital circularization in most cases.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Evolution of creases on the event horizon of a black hole merger
Authors: Gadioux Maxime , Hennigar Robie A. , Reall Harvey S.
Published: October 2024

A generic black hole merger occurs through a restructuring of creases (sharp edges) on the event horizon. This process is studied for a black hole merger in the limit of infinite mass ratio, for which constructing the event horizon reduces to finding a null hypersurface that asymptotes to a Rindler horizon in the Kerr spacetime. Geometrical properties of the creases on this horizon are determined and the results are compared with the predictions of an exact local description of the event horizon in a generic merger. The crease set is shown to have finite area. A recently proposed expression for the gravitational entropy of a crease is shown to diverge at the instant of merger. Caustics on (and off) the event horizon are determined by exploiting the correspondence with the problem of gravitational lensing by a Kerr black hole. Caustics form an “astroid tube” in spacetime, two edges of which lie on the event horizon of the merger. Perturbative expressions for the location of this tube are presented, extending previous work to much higher perturbative order.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Black hole-neutron star mergers in Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity
Authors: Corman Maxence , East William E.
Published: October 2024

Gravitational wave observations of black hole-neutron star binaries, particularly those where the black hole has a lower mass compared to other observed systems, have the potential to place strong constraints on modifications to general relativity that arise at small curvature length scales. Here we study the dynamics of black hole-neutron star mergers in shift-symmetric Einstein-scalar-Gauss-Bonnet gravity, a representative example of such a theory, by numerically evolving the full equations of motion. We consider quasi-circular binaries with different mass-ratios that are consistent with recent gravitational wave observations, including cases with and without tidal disruption of the star, and quantify the impact of varying the coupling controlling deviations from general relativity on the gravitational wave signal and scalar radiation. We find that the main effect on the late inspiral is the accelerated frequency evolution compared to general relativity, and that—even considering Gauss-Bonnet coupling values approaching those where the theory breaks down—the impact on the merger gravitational wave signal is mild, predominately manifesting as a small change in the amplitude of the ringdown. We compare our results to current post-Newtonian calculations and find consistency throughout the inspiral.

Published by the American Physical Society
2024
Crystal structures and photophysical properties of mono- and dinuclear ZnII complexes flanked by triethylammonium
Authors: Le Thi Hong Hai , Nguyen Hien , Trinh Hong Duong , Nguyen Hoang Ninh , Nguyen Nhat Khanh , Van Meervelt Luc
Published: October 2024

Two new zinc(II) complexes, triethylammonium dichlorido[2-(4-nitrophenyl)-4-phenylquinolin-8-olato]zinc(II), (C6H16N){Zn(C21H13N2O3)Cl2] (ZnOQ), and bis(triethylammonium) {2,2′-[1,4-phenylenebis(nitrilomethylidyne)]diphenolato}bis[dichloridozinc(II)], (C6H16N)2[Zn2(C20H14N2O2)Cl4] (ZnBS), were synthesized and their structures were determined using ESI–MS spectrometry, 1H NMR spectroscopy, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The results showed that the ligands 2-(4-nitrophenyl)-4-phenylquinolin-8-ol (HOQ) and N,N′-bis(2-hydroxybenzylidene)benzene-1,4-diamine (H2BS) were deprotonated by triethyl-amine, forming the counter-ion Et3NH+, which interacts via an N—H...O hydrogen bond with the ligand. The ZnII atoms have a distorted trigonal–pyramidal (ZnOQ) and distorted tetrahedral (ZnBS) geometries with a coordination number of four, coordinating with the ligands via N and O atoms. The N atoms coordinating with ZnII correspond to the heterocyclic nitrogen for the HOQ ligand, while for the H2BS ligand, it is the nitrogen of the imine (CH=N). The crystal packing of ZnOQ is characterized by C—H...π interactions, while that of ZnBS by C—H...Cl interactions. The emission spectra showed that ZnBS complex exhibits green fluorescence in the solid state with a small band-gap energy, and the ZnOQ complex does exhibit non-fluorescence.
2-Chloro-N-(4-hydroxyphenyl)acetamide
Authors: El Moutaouakil Ala Allah Abderrazzak , Kariuki Benson M. , Ameziane El Hassani Issam , Alsubari Abdulsalam , Guerrab Walid , Said Musa A. , Ramli Youssef
Published: October 2024

The title compound, C8H8ClNO2, is significantly distorted from planarity, with a twist angle between the planes through the hydroxybenzene and acetamide groups being 23.5 (2)°. This conformation is supported by intramolecular C—H...O and N—H...Cl contacts. In the crystal, N—H...O hydrogen-bonding contacts between acetamide groups and O—H...O contacts between hydroxyl groups form tapes propagating parallel to [103].
How should social media influencers tell compelling stories through video blogs? A study of storytelling features on live comments
Authors: Dong Xuebing , Wang Biao , Liu Yan , Xi Nannan , Zhu Donghong
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Utilizing the extended transportation-imagery model, this study categorizes three storytelling elements into six distinct factors – character types, influencer-character congruence, imaginable titles, concrete details, replication difficulty and artistic processing – to explore how these factors enhance influencer engagement.

Design/methodology/approach

This study utilized a quantitative research design, analyzing 1,660 influencer-created videos over a six-month period. Narrative elements were examined through manual coding, and their impact on live comments was assessed using negative binomial regression to identify key factors driving audience engagement.

Findings

Research results show that non-fictional characters, imaginable titles and concrete details significantly increased live comments. Conversely, high replication difficulty negatively influenced engagement. Notably, influencer-character congruence and artistic processing showed no significant effect.

Originality/value

This study advances the extended transportation-imagery model by integrating narrative elements with live comments, offering new perspectives on real-time audience engagement. The findings deepen our understanding of how storytelling techniques enhance the effectiveness of influencer marketing. From a managerial standpoint, this research provides strategic insights for influencers and brands to refine their content strategies, ultimately boosting audience engagement.
The effect of intellectual capital and venture capital on enterprise values: evidence from China
Authors: Wang Pang Paul , Zhang Ruolin , Zhang Qilin
Published: October 2024

Purpose

Intellectual capital (IC) and venture capital (VC) play an important role in enterprise development. While the literature has investigated the relationship between IC and the profitability of companies, the relationship among IC, VC and enterprise value (EV) is still not well understood.

Design/methodology/approach

Drawing insights from the literature, we develop a few testable hypotheses about the relationships among IC, VC and EV. Using the panel data of companies listed in the Chinese stock market from 2009 to 2019, we employ fixed-effects regression models to test these hypotheses.

Findings

We find that IC has a significant positive effect on long-term EV. VC is found to have a positive direct effect on long-term EV but has a negative direct effect when its moderating effect with IC is considered. To explain this finding, we develop a simple economic model and provide an over-investment perspective.

Originality/value

We believe this paper can shed light on pro-venture investment policies in China, as well as provide indications for similar policies around the world.
Assessing the internationalization dynamics of emerging markets: a comprehensive analysis utilizing SWARA-WASPAS techniques
Authors: Sarihan Ahmed Yusuf , Ozdemir Kadir
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to evaluate the internationalization of countries represented in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index. The evaluation considers high-technology product imports, foreign direct investments, research and development expenditures, patent and industrial design applications, exports and gross domestic product (GDP) data, representing production.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper uses the Step-Wise Weight Assessment Ratio Analysis (SWARA) method to assess and rank the criteria for evaluating emerging markets. Four academics who are authorities in the field of foreign trade were consulted to weigh the criteria. The Weighted Aggregated Sum Product Assessment (WASPAS) method, considered one of the most reliable and robust MCDM techniques, was then used to evaluate and rank the countries.

Findings

The findings obtained during the research process reveal the internationalization dynamics of these countries based on the indicators they possess. As a result, it is observed which countries achieve higher performance in the internationalization process based on relevant criteria.

Originality/value

This study is theoretically unique and valuable as it simultaneously offers the potential for development to macro-level international trade theories, such as the technologic deficit hypothesis, and meso-level internationalization theories, such as the Uppsala model. Additionally, integrated multiple criteria decision-making (MCDM) methods, which are not frequently used in cross-country studies, have been used, and the performance of emerging markets has been ranked. The findings obtained from this application distinguish the research from the existing literature by transforming it into a performance ranking rather than focusing on the antecedents or consequences of internationalization and their interactions.
Unveiling the effects of influencing factors on PPP project capital structure in China using machine learning
Authors: Hou Wenhua , Ran Wenlu
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This study aims to investigate the determinants of the capital structure of public–private partnership (PPP) projects in China and the nonlinear relationship between them.

Design/methodology/approach

First, this study identifies potential factors that can influence the capital structure of PPP projects based on literature and theoretical analysis. Second, this paper collects data from PPP projects in China and empirically investigates them using multiple linear regression and machine learning methods. Finally, for machine learning model results, this paper adopts the Shapley additive explanations to interpret them.

Findings

The results show that project size, contract duration, number of sponsors, urbanization level and regional openness are key factors influencing project capital structure, and there is a nonlinear relationship between all these factors and capital structure.

Research limitations/implications

Theoretically, this study complements the influencing factors of PPP project capital structure and reveals their nonlinear relationship. Practically, the findings of this study can help PPP project participants formulate project capital structure more scientifically.

Practical implications

Practically, the findings of this study can help project managers to recognize the important factors affecting the capital structure of PPP projects and formulate capital structure more scientifically. Moreover the results are conducive to policymakers to predict a reasonable capital structure for PPP projects and better control project risks. These research findings can also help creditors make more accurate loan decisions and promote project success to meet the needs of the general public.

Originality/value

Most existing literature has studied the linear relationship between influencing factors and the capital structure of PPP projects. This study uses machine learning models to explore the nonlinear relationship between influencing factors and the capital structure of PPP projects and explains the working principles.
#ChooseToBeTVET: exploring the political aim to enhance the perceived value of TVET in Chile through a communication campaign
Authors: Bravo Paulina , Escárate Pablo
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to understand the ideas and material circumstances behind the policy objective to enhance the perceived value of Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) in Chile through a communication campaign and how this campaign addresses this objective.

Design/methodology/approach

This research adopted a qualitative approach, drawing on data collected through 26 semi-structured interviews, the revision of 4 policy documents and 15 promotional videos. The data were analysed thematically, adopting the cultural political economy framework as a lens to guide the analysis.

Findings

Findings show that the problematisation of TVET’s perceived value is rooted in the system’s development history and cultural ideas. A communication campaign was one of the means to address this problem. Initial campaign messages appealed to the benefits prospective students could enjoy because of choosing TVET programs. However, later, the message gradually shifted to highlighting the collective benefits for the country, depicting TVET as a fulfilling and valuable education path.

Originality/value

This article is the first to critically analyse the reasons for and use of a communication campaign to enhance the TVET’s perceived value in a global south context.
Impact of ChatGPT and generative AI on lifelong learning and upskilling learners in higher education: unveiling the challenges and opportunities globally
Authors: Asad Muhammad Mujtaba , Ajaz Aqsa
Published: October 2024

Purpose

A gripping keyword emerged in the dynamic world of 2022: GPT or the advent of Generative Artificial Intelligence (GAI), at its forefront, embodied by the mysterious ChatGPT. This technological marvel had been silently lurking in the background for just over five years. However, all of a sudden, it emerged onto the scene, capturing the public’s attention and quickly becoming one of the most widely adopted inventions in history. Therefore, this narrative review is conducted in order to explore the impact of generative AI and ChatGPT on lifelong learning and upskilling of students in higher education and address opportunities and challenges proposed by Artificial Intelligence from a global perspective.

Design/methodology/approach

This review has been conducted using a narrative literature review approach. For in-depth identification of research gaps, 105 relevant articles were included from scholarly databases such as Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC and Google Scholar. Seven major themes emerged from the literature to answer the targeted research questions that describe the use of AI, the impact of generative AI and ChatGPT on students, the challenges and opportunities of using AI in education and mitigating strategies to cope with the challenges associated with the integration of ChatGPT and generative AI in education.

Findings

The review of the literature presents that generative AI and ChatGPT have gained a lot of recognition among students and have revolutionized educational settings. The findings suggest that there are some contexts in which adult education research and teaching can benefit from the use of chatbots and generative AI technologies like ChatGPT. The literature does, however, also highlight the necessity of carefully considering the benefits and drawbacks of these technologies in order to prevent restricting or distorting the educational process or endangering academic integrity. In addition, the literature raises ethical questions about data security, privacy and cheating by students or researchers. To these, we add our own ethical concerns about intellectual property, such as the fact that, once we enter ideas or research results into a generative chatbot, we no longer have control over how it is used.

Practical implications

This review is helpful for educators and policymakers to design the curriculum and policies that encourage students to use generative AI ethically while taking academic integrity into account. Also, this review article identifies the major gaps that are associated with the impact of AI and ChatGPT on the lifelong learning skills of students.

Originality/value

This review of the literature is unique because it explains the challenges and opportunities of using generative AI and ChatGPT, also defining its impact on lifelong learning and upskilling of students.
The impact of the lesson study model on students' mathematics achievement and attitudes: a mixed-methods research
Authors: Aykan Ahmet
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This article aims to investigate the impact of the Lesson Study (LS) model on students' mathematics achievement and attitudes toward mathematics.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a concurrent embedded design, a type of mixed methods design. Within this framework, a quantitative pretest-posttest control group quasi-experimental design is applied for quantitative data, while qualitative data is gathered through interviews and observations. A 2×2 mixed ANOVA is used for the analysis of quantitative data, and content analysis is employed for qualitative data analysis.

Findings

The findings reveal that the LS model has a significant positive impact on the mathematics achievement and attitudes of students in the experimental group. Quantitative analysis shows a meaningful improvement in mathematics achievement for the experimental group, which is notably superior than the control group. Additionally, students in the experimental group found mathematics lessons more enjoyable and easier, and their attitudes toward mathematics improved positively. Students' feedback supports these results, with many expressing that LS-based lessons were more engaging and effective. Observations by the researcher, mathematics expert and teacher in the experimental group also corroborate these positive changes.

Originality/value

The results of the study suggest that the LS model should be more widely implemented in mathematics education. This recommendation highlights the potential of the LS model to enhance the teaching process and improve students' mathematics achievement. Furthermore, the study also indicates that LS has a positive impact on students' attitudes toward mathematics, as evidenced by their increased motivation and more positive outlook toward the subject. These findings underscore the LS model’s effectiveness in both improving academic performance and transforming students' attitudes toward mathematics.
Workplace sexual harassment cases and policy measures in business organisations
Authors: Shrestha Prakash , Adhikari Dev Raj
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to examine cases and incidents of workplace sexual harassment and propose policy measures to prevent and handle them in the Nepalese context.

Design/methodology/approach

It is based on document analysis and a survey. It raises two research questions and to address them, legal cases were analysed and a field survey was undertaken to collect the responses of female employees.

Findings

Sexual harassment is a serious and prevalent issue for female employees in Nepal. Sexual abuse, teasing and touching bodies are common forms of sexual harassment observed in Nepalese workplaces. Male colleagues, managers and clients/customers are accused as the main perpetrators. Some female employees are harassed through the use of social media including the internet, Facebook, Viber messaging, text messages and phone calls. At the organisational level, low employment opportunities, female employees’ involvement in informal sector work and less choice for them to shift jobs in the market are the major reasons for what is happening at workplaces for female employees.

Research limitations/implications

This paper excludes harassment cases of male employees. The nature and gravity of harassment issues and impacts vary across countries; thus, it is difficult to generalise the results of this research across countries.

Practical implications

This research could be an eye-opener for policymakers, managers and researchers to engage proactively and intensively in diagnosing and curing sexual harassment incidents in workplaces.

Originality/value

This paper provides evidence of sexual harassment cases and some policy measures to prevent and handle such problems at work. These measures can raise awareness among organisations and employees about the rights of women and the detrimental effects of sexual harassment.
University resources and student complaints in Malaysian higher education institutions
Authors: Omoola Sodiq Olalekan , Bakare Kazeem Kayode , Salame Aminu Haliru
Published: October 2024

Purpose

This paper examines the relationship between university resources and student complaint management in Malaysian higher education institutions (HEIs). The paper is premised on organisational justice theory (OJT), which conceptualizes complaint handling, satisfaction and fairness among stakeholders in the educational domain.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper adopts a quantitative method using a survey research design. An online survey is administered to 381 students in three selected HEIs in Malaysia. Data are analysed and tested using the SmartPLS 3.0 algorithm to evaluate measurement and structural models.

Findings

Students’ experience in the use of online and offline university resources varies across different levels of education. The findings indicate that offline and online resources contribute substantially to students’ complaints. This study establishes the significance of an effective complaint-handling mechanism for continuous feedback and improvement in HEIs.

Originality/value

Within the context of policy in HEIs, the originality of this paper lies in its focus on the relationship between resources and student complaints based on the diverse complaint-handling mechanisms in Malaysian HEIs.
Immigrants’ acculturation and luxury brand purchase intentions: a cross-sectional study in the Australian context
Authors: Sharif Saif , Ishra Rakia , Soar Jeffrey , Sassenberg Anne-Marie
Published: October 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the influence of acculturation on immigrant consumer behaviours in their host country. Mainly, the role of acculturation and luxury brand purchasing intentions were investigated.

Design/methodology/approach

The research conducted an online survey of 400 Indian sub-continent born immigrants in Australia.

Findings

The findings confirm that the behaviour acculturation dimension of immigrants is significantly negatively related to their luxury brand purchase intention. Although immigrants' overall acculturation is significantly related to the luxury brand purchase intention, their language and identity acculturation have no significant effect, supporting the multidimensional framework’s influence on immigrant consumer behaviour. Immigrants with higher family income, younger age and less academic education show more luxury brand purchase intention; however, no moderating demography was found between the relationship of acculturation and purchase intention. In spite of the limitation of sampling, this study demonstrates that immigrants' level of acculturation influences their luxury brand purchase intention in the host country.

Originality/value

This study aims to help marketers formulate a unified segmentation strategy of purchasing luxury brands based on immigrants' acculturation and sociodemographic stance. This paper highlights the specific needs of ethnic consumers. Incorporating immigrant consumers into the marketplace will help create a homogenised society and more integration of immigrants into the larger society in the host country. Findings shed light on the role of culture change as a crucial element that affects immigrants' luxury brand purchase behaviour considering their integration level into the host country.