bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
What motivates public sector organisations to use blockchain?
Authors: Mahula Stanislav , Tan Evrim , Crompvoets Joep , Timmers Paul
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This article investigates decision-makers’ motivations in public sector organisations (PSOs) for pursuing blockchain technology (BCT) projects in government settings. The research sheds light on the underlying motivations that drive decision-makers to pursue BCT despite its inherent complexity and uncertainty.

Design/methodology/approach

The study employs a grounded theory approach to explore the motivational factors influencing PSO decision-makers. It integrates theoretical perspectives from public innovation, public administration and technology adoption scholarship to link these motivational elements to academic debates within public management literature. The empirical insights are derived from semi-structured interviews with representatives involved in BCT initiatives.

Findings

In the pre-adoption stage, decision-makers are motivated to engage with blockchain for future services if there are knowledgeable stakeholders with relevant experience, a well-justified business case, sufficient resources and a supportive organisational environment free from undue pressure for immediate results. Conversely, uncertain project continuity, limited existing legislation and the PSOs’ internal regulations are seen as demotivators to engage with BCT.

Research limitations/implications

The findings call for further research to examine the extent to which the identified (de)motivators interact with managerial decisions, such as delegate control or governance design, in the actual implementation processes.

Originality/value

By combining theoretical insights with empirical data, this study offers a unique perspective on how organisations approach new technologies while also underscoring the need to consider unique aspects of BCT in the public sector setting, such as its governance and control, infrastructural and legal changes and the necessary skills.
BIM investment decision model (BIDM): evaluation of features and proposal of a regression model based on the LASSO method
Authors: Zheng Yu , Tang Llewellyn , Chau Kwong Wing
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to develop the building information modeling (BIM) investment decision model (BIDM) for Hong Kong architecture, engineering, construction and operation (AECO) industry utilization in early BIM investment decision-making. The developed BIDM is designed to assist company leaders in measuring and amending their investment decisions and BIM strategy by considering estimators [features and net positivity (NP)] and results based on BIDM.

Design/methodology/approach

This research is conducted using a mixed methodology of qualitative and quantitative analysis. The necessary indicators were collected from literature and interviews with relevant researchers, where 545 semistructured questionnaires were distributed to selected AECO company leaders and collected by the authors. The least absolute contraction and selection operator (LASSO)-based result was conducted to help company leaders. The results of the validation test validated the model based on the LASSO method and the outcomes of the p-value test also supported the significance of BIDM.

Findings

More than 80 determinators were processed to conduct 19 main indicators for generating BIDM, and 6 significant main indicators on final BIDM. The data set of this research included 483 samples, which are categorized into 7 groups according to their role in an infrastructure project.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first LASSO-used investment decision-making model integrated with the proposal of NP in the AECO industry. The value of current knowledge is the development of BIDM, which benefits company leaders in BIM investment decision-making and commercially benefits consulting cooperators as an investment forecasting tool. BIDM will help future users make better, more dynamic investment strategies.
A serial mediation model for destination choice intention of hospitality and tourism students in an experiential learning context
Authors: Vo Nga Quynh Thi , Dang Hien Thanh Thi , Nguyen Nhat Thong Thi , Tran Phuong Kim Thi
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study proposes a serial mediation model to investigate the factors influencing hospitality and tourism (H&T) students' destination choice intentions in an experiential learning context. By extending the theory of planned behavior (TPB) model to include extended variables and the stimulus-organism-response (S-O-R) theory, this study explores pathways in which experiential learning involvement (IEL) and destination emotions (DE) interact with attitude (ATT), subjective norms (SN) and perceived behavioral control (PBC) to predict H&T students' intentions (ITT). This work also examines the moderating role of destination familiarity (DF) on relationships between destination emotions and attitudes, subjective norms and perceived behavioral control.

Design/methodology/approach

The conceptual model and research hypotheses were each assessed using partial least squares structural equation modeling (PLS-SEM). Paper-based surveys were used to collect data from 715 students majoring in tourism and hospitality training at schools in Vietnam and applying experiential learning activities during their training.

Findings

Research results confirm a serial mediation model wherein IEL and DE promote the formation of intention to choose a specific destination through various pathways: IEL? PBC? ITT; IEL? DE? SN/PBC? ITT and DE? SN/PBC? ITT. In addition, the results show that destination familiarity dampens the relationship between emotions and attitudes as well as with perceived behavioral control.

Practical implications

This study offers practical recommendations for destination management organizations (DMOs) seeking to increase the intention of H&T students to choose their particular destination. These recommendations include: forming strategic alliances with H&T educational institutions; implementing preferential policies like discounted or free admission to attractions and corporate discounts for students; launching targeted digital marketing campaigns on social media platforms and promoting the destination through youth-oriented media such as television shows and music videos.

Originality/value

From addressing the research gap by developing and testing a serial mediation model of destination choice intention of H&T students in an experiential learning context, this study offers new insights into developing scales of constructs in the research model associated with the context of experiential learning and highlights the importance of IEL and DE as a stimulus to achieve ATT, SN and PBC, all of which serve to increase H&T students' intention to choose a destination through different paths under the moderating lens of destination familiarly.
Factors affecting dividends of knowledge intensive firms
Authors: Gupta Devendra Kumar Shivshankar , Jayswal Mitesh , Puliparambil Priyan Kumaran
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to examine the factors affecting the dividend policy of knowledge intensive firms (KIFs).

Design/methodology/approach

The study collects data for 86 KIFs listed on the National Stock Exchange (NSE) of India. The Hausman test is applied to choose an appropriate model. Based on the results of the Hausman test, the random effects panel regression method is applied to investigate the determinants of the dividend policy of sampled firms.

Findings

The authors test the effects of six factors on the dividend policy of KIFs, namely, profitability, leverage, free cash flows, firm size, investment and growth opportunities and liquidity. The study found that profitability, free cash flows, liquidity and firm size are significant determinants of the dividend policy of KIFs, while growth and investment opportunities as well as leverage have insignificant effects on the dividend policy of KIFs.

Originality/value

Findings of previous studies on factors affecting dividend policy across various industries cannot be generalized to other industries because of the industry influence on dividend policy. Considering this industry effect on dividends, the present research investigates the dividend policy of KIFs. The KIFs have emerged relatively recently owing to technological advances and remain relatively less explored industry in the context of dividends. Therefore, the paper presents new evidence on the dividend policy of Indian KIFs.
The interleukin‐1α stimulated expression of the wrinkle‐inducing elastase neprilysin in adult human dermal fibroblasts is mediated via the intracellular signaling axis of ERK/JNK/c‐Jun/c‐Fos/AP‐1
Authors: Takada Mariko , Pinnawala Uma Chandula , Hirano Shinichi , Imokawa Genji
Published: November 2024

Neprilysin is a skin wrinkle‐inducing membrane bound elastase that is expressed abundantly in UV‐exposed and in aged dermal fibroblasts. The overexpression of neprilysin is closely associated with enhanced epithelial‐mesenchymal cytokine interactions mainly via interleukin (IL)‐1α, which has the distinct potential to stimulate the expression of neprilysin by human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs). The over‐expression of neprilysin also accelerates the formation of wrinkles, accompanied by disruptions of the three‐dimensional architecture of dermal elastic fibers that are responsible for the loss of skin elasticity. Because the signaling pathway(s) that lead to the IL‐1α‐stimulated expression of neprilysin in HDFs remain unclear, we characterized the signaling pathway involved, including their related transcription factors, in IL‐1α‐treated HDFs. Since qRT‐PCR analysis revealed that the mRNA expression level of neprilysin is stimulated to a stronger extent in adult HDFs (aHDFs) by IL‐1α than in neonatal HDFs, we used aHDFs for the signaling analysis. Western blotting analysis of the phosphorylation of signaling factors revealed that IL‐1α significantly stimulated the phosphorylation of ERK1/2, RSK, JNK, p38, MSK1, NFkB, c‐Jun, ATF‐2, CREB, and STAT3. Analysis using various signaling inhibitors demonstrated that inhibiting ERK and JNK but not p38, MSK1, NFkB, or STAT3 significantly abrogated the IL‐1α stimulated expression of neprilysin at the mRNA, protein, and enzyme activity levels. Furthermore, silencing c‐Fos significantly down‐regulated the IL‐1α‐increased expression of neprilysin at the protein and enzyme activity levels. These findings strongly suggest that the IL‐1α‐stimulated expression of neprilysin in aHDFs is mediated via the intracellular signaling axis of ERK/JNK/c‐Jun/c‐Fos/AP‐1.
Online interventions for the mental health and well‐being of parents of children with additional needs: Systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Leo Monica , Bourke‐Taylor Helen , Odgers Sorcha , Tirlea Loredana
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Parents of children with additional needs experience compromised physical and mental health and higher stress, and their ability to engage in meaningful occupations is impacted by their additional caregiving tasks. Online interventions targeting mental health, stress, and well‐being for parents of children with additional needs have potential to increase supports alongside occupational therapy direct services. The aims of this review are to systematically identify and synthesise evidence of effectiveness of online interventions aimed at improving mental health, stress, and well‐being of parents of children with additional needs.

Method

Eight databases were searched up to July 2024 to identify online interventions for parents of children with additional needs. Studies were appraised for methodological quality. Standardised effect sizes were calculated, and meta‐analyses of randomised control trials (RCTs) were conducted on outcomes of mental health, well‐being, and stress.

Consumer and Community Involvement

There was no consumer or community involvement.

Results

Systematic screening identified 30 papers that met inclusion criteria. Most were RCTs or controlled clinical trials (CCTs) with ‘moderate’ quality ratings: Three were designed by occupational therapists. There was substantial variation in intervention types, methods of delivery, outcomes, and outcome measures used. The pooled standardised effect size estimates (ES) and the lower and upper confidence intervals (CI) of online interventions from RCTs post‐interventions were significant for mental health ES = 0.47, 95% CI (0.18, 0.77), p = 0.002; stress ES = 1.27, 95% CI (0.56, 1.98), p = 0.000; and well‐being ES = 0.65, 95% CI (1.2, 0.06), p = 0.03, respectively.

Conclusion

The online interventions that aimed to improve mental health, stress, and well‐being included in this meta‐analysis were effective. Occupational therapists supporting families play an important role in guiding parents of children with additional needs to evidence‐based interventions to support them with addressing their own mental health and well‐being needs.
Differences in within‐plant oviposition preferences and immature survival between Orius predators and the importance of spatial availability of prey
Authors: Mouratidis Angelos , Bootsma Christiaan , Dicke Marcel , Messelink Gerben J.
Published: November 2024

Oviposition preferences of plant‐feeding predators remain a complex topic, as such omnivores choose oviposition sites by assessing both plant characteristics and the quality and quantity of nearby animal food sources. Orius predators are omnivores that oviposit endophytically, thus plant characteristics play an important role in their oviposition choices. In this study, we assessed the oviposition and foraging preferences of O. laevigatus and O. majusculus on vegetative and flowering chrysanthemum plants, and assessed the survival of their offspring on differently aged tissues. Our results show a preference of O. laevigatus for young and tender chrysanthemum tissues, where the survival of the nymphs was longer on a plant diet. In contrast, O. majusculus selected older plant parts when laying its eggs, and nymphs did not survive long on any of the plant tissues offered. The foraging activity of Orius females for animal prey (Ephestia kuehniella eggs) did not reveal any specific pattern for either of the two predators. Furthermore, we tested the plasticity of the within‐plant oviposition preferences of O. laevigatus, by offering sentinel prey (E. kuehniella eggs) on distinct plant parts. We found that more eggs were laid in older plant tissue when animal prey was offered lower on the plant. Overall, our findings show that oviposition choices of Orius predators are based on a dynamic interplay between plant characteristics, presence of animal and/or floral food sources among other factors, and that differences may well occur between closely related species based on the importance of plant resources in their diet.
Hybrid platform model: monopolistic competition and a dominant firm
Authors: Anderson Simon , Bedre Defolie Özlem
Published: November 2024

We model a platform controlling the variety and prices of the products it hosts via a percentage fee on sellers and choosing whether to sell its own products (hybrid mode). We derive a mixed market demand system for differentiated products with monopolistically competitive sellers and a sizeable platform product range. The hybrid platform steers consumers toward its products by charging higher seller fees than pure marketplace. This “insidious steering” intensifies the larger the platform's product footprint. Hybrid mode harms consumers compared to pure marketplace unless fringe entry is sufficiently inelastic.
A comprehensive framework to assess multi‐species landscape connectivity
Authors: Prima Marie‐Caroline , Renaud Julien , Witté Isabelle , Suarez Léa , Rouveyrol Paul , Fernando Martina , Sacchi Andrea , Cosentino Francesca , Santini Luca , Maiorano Luigi , Moreira Francisco , Dertien Jeremy , Fernández Néstor , Thuiller Wilfried
Published: November 2024

Due to the central role of landscape connectivity in many ecological processes, evaluating and accounting for it has gained attention in both theoretical and applied ecological sciences. To address this challenge, researchers often use generic species to simplify multi‐species connectivity assessments. Yet, this approach tends to oversimplify movement behaviour, likely reducing realism and precision of connectivity model outputs. Also, the most widely used methods and theories for assessing landscape connectivity, namely circuit and network theories, have strong limitations. Finally, uncertainty or robustness estimates are rarely integrated in connectivity assessments.

Here, we propose a versatile framework, which, instead of using arbitrary defined generic species, first identifies species groups based on species' environmental niches and morphological, biological, and ecological traits. Second, it combines circuit and network theories to take the best of the two methods to assess landscape connectivity for those groups, while integrating uncertainties in modelling choices. Specifically, ecological continuities (i.e. landscape elements contributing to connectivity) are calculated for these groups and used together with group dispersal capacities to derive network‐based connectivity metrics for conservation areas. We detailed our framework through a case study where we assess the connectivity of 1619 protected areas in metropolitan France for 193 vertebrate species.

Our study revealed that both the protection of ecological continuities and the connectivity of protected areas for 11 mammal and 19 bird groups, respectively, were quite low, with variations among groups. Different protection types (i.e. national parks, reserves or prefectural orders) contributed unequally to the overall connectivity of group‐specific suitable habitats. Considering uncertainty propagation was crucial, as many connectivity metrics varied among repetitions.

The proposed framework combines different connectivity tools to provide a more relevant and comprehensive assessment of landscape connectivity. It can be used to inform the decision‐making process for spatial planning, particularly in the context of connectivity conservation and management, or support theoretical studies to better understand the ecological role of landscape connectivity. Its flexibility allows easy application under various environmental conditions, including future scenarios.
Neuroplasticity and neuroimmune interactions in fatal asthma
Authors: Dragunas Guilherme , Koster Carli S. , de Souza Xavier Costa Natalia , Melgert Barbro N. , Munhoz Carolina D. , Gosens Reinoud , Mauad Thais
Published: November 2024

Background

Alteration of airway neuronal function and density and bidirectional interaction between immune cells and sensory peripheral nerves have been proposed to trigger and perpetuate inflammation that contribute to asthma severity. To date, few studies analysed neuroplasticity and neuroinflammation in tissue of asthmatic individuals. We hypothesized that the presence of these phenomena would be a pathological feature in fatal asthma.

Methods

We have quantified the expression of the pan‐neuronal marker PGP9.5 and the neuronal sensory‐derived neuropeptide calcitonin gene‐related peptide (CGRP) in the large airways of 12 individuals deceased due to an asthma attack and compared to 10 control lung samples. The proximity between nerve bundles to eosinophils, mast cells and CADM1+ cells was also quantified. We have additionally developed a hPSC‐derived sensory neuron/mast cell co‐culture model, from where mast cells were purified and differences in gene expression profile assessed.

Results

Fatal asthma patients presented a higher PGP9.5 and CGRP positive area in the airways, indicating sensory neuroplasticity. Eosinophils, mast cells and CADM1+ cells were observed in close contact or touching the airway nerve bundles, and this was found to be statistically higher in fatal asthma samples. In vitro co‐culture model showed that human mast cells adhere to sensory neurons and develop a distinct gene expression profile characterized by upregulated expression of genes related to heterophilic adhesion, activation and differentiation markers, such as CADM4, PTGS2, C‐KIT, GATA2, HDC, CPA3, ATXN1 and VCAM1.

Conclusions

Our results support a significant role for neuroplasticity and neuroimmune interactions in fatal asthma, that could be implicated in the severity of the fatal attack. Accordingly, the presence of physical neuron and mast cell interaction leads to differential gene expression profile in the later cell type.
PanIC: Consistent information criteria for general model selection problems
Authors: Nguyen Hien Duy
Published: November 2024

Model selection is a ubiquitous problem that arises in the application of many statistical and machine learning methods. In the likelihood and related settings, it is typical to use the method of information criteria (ICs) to choose the most parsimonious among competing models by penalizing the likelihood‐based objective function. Theorems guaranteeing the consistency of ICs can often be difficult to verify and are often specific and bespoke. We present a set of results that guarantee consistency for a class of ICs, which we call PanIC (from the Greek root ‘pan’, meaning ‘of everything’), with easily verifiable regularity conditions. PanICs are applicable in any loss‐based learning problem and are not exclusive to likelihood problems. We illustrate the verification of regularity conditions for model selection problems regarding finite mixture models, least absolute deviation and support vector regression and principal component analysis, and demonstrate the effectiveness of PanICs for such problems via numerical simulations. Furthermore, we present new sufficient conditions for the consistency of BIC‐like estimators and provide comparisons of the BIC with PanIC.
The Victoria County History and participatory historical geography
Authors: Slatter Ruth
Published: November 2024

This article critically reflects on the Victoria County History's (VCH) relationship with participatory historical geography approaches. Telling a story of change, it argues that it is not only possible, but also extremely productive for long‐standing, well‐established academic research projects to embrace participatory approaches and engage in transformative research. The VCH is a national project to write the history of every parish‐sized area in England. Begun in 1899, the VCH's contemporary network of place‐based historians still actively pursues this goal. Overseen by a central editorial team, most of the network's activities are conceived, run and funded by independent county trusts. These trusts research and write the VCH's well‐known ‘Big Red Books’ and a range of shorter publications, but have also begun to cultivate participatory projects that embed local communities in the development of local histories and allow these communities to reflect on how their histories have shaped their collective identities. Focusing on the project's engagement with local knowledge and communities, this article traces the VCH's use of collaborative and participatory methodologies. Acknowledging the VCH's routes in Victorian encyclopaedic endeavours, it critically reflects on how it collaborated with local people during the early twentieth century. Shifting its attention to the early twenty‐first century, it then considers how the VCH has begun to develop frameworks for engaging in individually, socially and academically transformative research. While recognising the limitations of these approaches, it highlights the latent potential within the VCH's emerging engagement with participatory historical geography approaches and, emphasising how the project's future depends on continual integration of participatory methods within its activities and outputs, identifies several ways in which the VCH could continue to develop its participatory methods.
E‐Professionalism's Impact on Dental Professionalism: A Rapid Scoping Review
Authors: Nasseripour Melanie , Harkins Angela , Neville Patricia , Ranauta Amitha
Published: November 2024

Background

Dental regulators and educational institutions are increasingly concerned about the influence of digital platforms used by the profession for social, business, digital interaction with the public/patients and its impact on the professionalism in practice now and going forward. However, academic knowledge and research within dentistry are relevant to e‐professionalism at a level of engagement and approach in delivering guidance to students through the current dental curriculum. The question therefore asked was what breadth of academic material, research, debate and discourse is available to inform our understanding, guidance and teaching on this ever‐evolving topic.

Aim

To map how e‐professionalism has developed in academic dental literature as a topic within the study of professionalism in practice.

Method

A rapid scoping review was conducted to identify published research that describes and tests the topic of professionalism from 2016 to 2023. Studies were synthesised narratively using thematic analysis to inform the understanding of what has been already researched in the field.

Results

Thirteen articles were included in the review. After undertaking a thematic analysis, five themes were constructed. These included: curriculum, opportunities and safe professional use, reflections, personal and professional identity issues, and students as co‐creators.

Conclusions

Within dental research there is consensus that e‐professionalism could present a tangible threat to the identity of dental professionals their clinical practice and interaction with patients/public however, less is known about what educational strategies are most effective when teaching e‐professionalism.
CNS macrophage contributions to myelin health
Authors: Hoffmann Alana , Miron Veronique E.
Published: November 2024

Myelin is the membrane surrounding neuronal axons in the central nervous system (CNS), produced by oligodendrocytes to provide insulation for electrical impulse conduction and trophic/metabolic support. CNS dysfunction occurs following poor development of myelin in infancy, myelin damage in neurological diseases, and impaired regeneration of myelin with disease progression in aging. The lack of approved therapies aimed at supporting myelin health highlights the critical need to identify the cellular and molecular influences on oligodendrocytes. CNS macrophages have been shown to influence the development, maintenance, damage and regeneration of myelin, revealing critical interactions with oligodendrocyte lineage cells. CNS macrophages are comprised of distinct populations, including CNS‐resident microglia and cells associated with CNS border regions (the meninges, vasculature, and choroid plexus), in addition to macrophages derived from monocytes infiltrating from the blood. Importantly, the distinct contribution of these macrophage populations to oligodendrocyte lineage responses and myelin health are only just beginning to be uncovered, with the advent of new tools to specifically identify, track, and target macrophage subsets. Here, we summarize the current state of knowledge on the roles of CNS macrophages in myelin health, and recent developments in distinguishing the roles of macrophage populations in development, homeostasis, and disease.
Debt financing, the pandemic, and Federal Reserve interventions
Authors: Arnold Grace E. , Nishikawa Takeshi , Rhodes Meredith E.
Published: November 2024

Using data on newly issued corporate bonds and syndicated loans, we investigate the effects of the Federal Reserve's interventions during the pandemic on corporate debt activity. We document heterogeneous effects for participation rates across firm credit ratings and debt maturity, consistent with a default risk channel of policy transmission. Investment‐grade firms disproportionately participate in debt markets following the Fed's announcements, which is driven by the riskiest firms (A and BBB ratings). We also find that BBB and BB‐rated firms drive increased participation in short‐term debt markets. These results provide evidence that the Fed's interventions improved credit market access to investment‐grade firms and the highest‐rated noninvestment‐grade firms.
Morphology and phylogenetic implications of the inclinatores dorsales for the galeomorph sharks (Chondrichthyes: Elasmobranchii)
Authors: Medeiros Jade , Vaz Diego F. B. , Araújo Marcus V. G. , de Lima Arthur , da Silva João Paulo C. B.
Published: November 2024

Elasmobranchs have been studied in anatomical terms for nearly 200 years, but several elements of their anatomy, such as the dorsal fin musculature, have not been completely addressed and still lack detailed descriptions. In this context, the present study investigates the anatomical variation of the muscles inclinatores dorsales across galeomorph sharks, shedding new light on their evolution. We have observed that the inclinatores dorsales have two distinct components, being composed of a profundus and a superficialis component. Additionally, we have uncovered, through an anatomical comparative analysis, that the variation present in these muscles is considerably greater than previously considered, indicating some characteristics never described before, for instance the presence or absence of the inclinatores dorsales at the free rear tip of the first dorsal fin. Moreover, our findings for the inclinatores dorsales are different from their previous interpretation in the context of the hypnosqualean hypothesis, reinforcing the need for a reevaluation of previous morphological characters. Lastly, we discuss our findings in relation to the most recent interrelationships of elasmobranchs.
Cross Cultural Validation of Oral Health Index Profile for Temporomandibular Disorders in Spanish Speaking Population
Authors: Fernando Oyarzo Juan , Manriquez Carolina , Durham Justin
Published: November 2024

Objectives

Structured patient‐centred assessment is critical for improving care. OHIP‐TMDs are a validated English‐language outcome measure for temporomandibular disorders (TMD) which evaluates the biopsychosocial impact of TMD. Due to language and cultural changes, the original instrument's phrasing of its items may change when translated to Spanish. This study cross‐culturally adapted and validated OHIP‐TMDs for Spanish‐speaking individuals with TMD.

Methods

OHIP‐TMDs was forward‐backward translated into Spanish (OHIP‐TMDs‐Sp) and cross‐culturally adapted to a Hispanic population with TMD (Diagnostic Criteria for TMD n = 154) according to international norms. All patients completed the OHIP‐TMDs‐Sp, the Graded Chronic Pain Scale (GCPS), and Jaw Functional Limitation Scale (JFLS‐20). A subsample (n = 30) recompleted the OHIP‐TMDs‐Sp after a 3‐week washout to measure test–retest reliability using an intra‐class correlation coefficient (ICC 2.1). OHIP‐TMDs‐Sp, JFLS‐20, and GCPS were analysed for convergent validity and internal consistency.

Results

The sample with articular and muscular TMD diagnoses was 85.7% female with a mean age of 29.5. (SD 9.01). OHIP‐TMDs‐Sp had high internal reliability (Cronbach's Alpha = 0.95) and good test–retest reliability (ICC = 0.82; 95% CI = 0.57–0.93). In terms of convergent validity, the OHIP‐TMDs‐Sp demonstrated moderate to large positive correlations with the total JLFS‐20 score (ρ = 0.72; p < 0.01), Mastication (ρ = 0.68; p < 0.01), Communication (ρ = 0.68; p < 0.001), as well to GCPS disability score (ρ = 0.59; p < 0.01), and characteristic pain intensity (ρ = 0.69; p < 0.01).

Conclusions

The total score of OHIP‐TMDs‐Sp is reliable for assessing quality‐of‐life in Spanish‐speaking TMD patients.
Genome‐Wide Association Study of Temporomandibular Disorder‐Related Pain in Finnish Populations
Authors: Leppilahti J. M. , Knuutila J. , Pesonen P. , Vuollo V. , Männikkö M. , Karjalainen M. K. , Suominen A. L. , Sipilä K.
Published: November 2024

Background

Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) are multifactorial musculoskeletal pain and dysfunctions in temporomandibular joints (TMJs) and masticatory muscles. Genetic factors play a role in TMD‐related pain, but only a few genome‐wide association studies (GWAS) have been conducted.

Objective

The aim of this GWAS was to explore genetic factors associated with painful TMD in Finnish populations.

Methods

Data from two epidemiological surveys, the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) and the Health 2000 Survey in Finland, including altogether 468 cases and 6833 controls, were used. Case definition was based on pain on palpation of masticatory muscles and/or TMJs. GWASs of the whole data and stratified by sex were conducted from both cohorts using additive models, followed by meta‐analysis of the two cohorts. Replications of the previously reported TMD risk loci (rs73460075, DMD; rs4794106, SGCA; rs73271865, SP4; rs60249166, RXP2; rs1531554, BAHCCI; rs5862730, OTUD4/SMAD1; rs10092633, SFRP1; rs34612513, SOX14/CLDN18; rs878962, TSPAN9) were also investigated.

Results

Four genome‐wide significant loci were found in sex‐stratified analysis of NFBC1966, including associations at three loci in males (rs1023114, PRIM2, p = 5 × 10−9; rs4244867, ALG10, p = 3 × 10−8; rs79841648, ADCYAP1, p = 4 × 10−9) and one locus in females (rs148476652, DNER, p = 4 × 10−9). However, the results could not be replicated in the Health 2000 Survey or in the meta‐analysis of these two cohorts. The previous TMD GWAS associations did not replicate in our data either.

Conclusion

Several TMD pain‐associated variants were found in sex‐stratified analysis of NFBC1966, suggesting the role of neuroendocrine stress responses and central nervous system. These findings need to be confirmed in future studies.
Weight Loss and Number of Present Teeth in Community‐Dwelling Japanese Older Adults: A Cross‐Sectional Study in Niigata
Authors: Takehara Sachiko , Ueno Masayuki , Yoshihara Akihiro , Iwasaki Masanori , Suwama Kana , Minagawa Kumiko , Narita Ichiei , Tanaka Junta , Ogawa Hiroshi , Ito Yumi
Published: November 2024

Background and Objectives

Weight loss is a critical health issue among the older population. This study aimed to explore the association between weight loss and oral health in older adults.

Methods

We used cross‐sectional data from the Uonuma Chronic Kidney Disease Cohort Study. The binary logistic regression models were fitted to estimate the relationship between weight loss and independent variables including the number of teeth present.

Results

The participants included 1656 females and 1625 males. There were 1217 females (73.4%) and 1236 males (76.0%) with normal BMI (18.5 ≤ BMI < 25) in the previous year. Weight loss was determined over a 12‐month period. Individuals with normal BMI in previous year, and those with weight loss (≥ 5%) or those whom maintained a stable weight were further analysed. The regression analysis (model 3, fully adjusted) showed that females with 0 and 1–10 teeth present had a higher likelihood of losing weight (OR = 4.07; 95% CI = 1.85–8.93, OR = 2.33; 95% CI = 1.24–4.39) compared with those with 20 or more teeth. Current smokers had a higher likelihood of losing weight (OR = 3.15; 95% CI = 1.01–9.76) than lifelong abstainers. Among males, both current and previous smokers showed a higher likelihood of losing weight (OR = 4.94; 95%CI = 1.76–13.8, OR = 3.35; 95% CI = 1.29–8.68) than those who never smoked.

Conclusions

This study indicates that the number of teeth and smoking are both linked to weight loss in females. However, in males, the association between the number of teeth and weight loss may be compromised due to the high prevalence of smoking in this group.
Treatment Outcomes of Four‐Implant‐Retained Maxillary Palateless Overdenture: A 5‐Year Observational Study
Authors: Sude Asha , Schlam Kimberly K. , de Viteri Tejeda Hector Saenz , Reside Glenn J. , Sanders Anne E. , Felton David A. , De Kok Ingeborg J.
Published: November 2024

Introduction

Palateless overdentures (PLODs) provide advantages of improved taste perception and retention over conventional dentures. We aimed to evaluate 5‐year outcomes of four implant maxillary PLODs.

Methods

In this prospective observational study, edentulous participants were enrolled. A new conventional maxillary denture was prepared followed by implant placement and insertion of four implant retained maxillary PLOD. Oral health quality of life was assessed using the 49‐item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP‐49) at multiple intervals over 5 years along with biological and mechanical outcomes.

Results

Nine patients were evaluated at year 5. The mean age was 68 years, and six of the nine patients were males. The cumulative survival rate of implants was 100% while the implant success rate was 86%. Nylon retentive replacement was the most common encountered complication noted approximately four times per patient over 5 years. From a mean OHIP‐49 severity score of 71.2 at baseline, severity scores decreased to 23.9 (p < 0.001) at year 1, denoting a clinically meaningful and statistically significant improvement in oral health quality of life. The lowered OHIP‐49 severity scores remained stable throughout 5 years of follow‐up.

Conclusion

Four implant supported maxillary overdenture appears to have good patient perceived, biological and mechanical outcomes over 5 years. Fully powered studies are needed to replicate these findings.
Trial Waste in Hyaluronic Acid‐Related Randomised Controlled Trials
Authors: Chen Hongrui , Yu Qinqi , Huang Zening , Sun Bin , Hua Chen , Lin Xiaoxi
Published: November 2024

Background

A notable obstacle in applying the findings of hyaluronic acid (HA)‐related randomised controlled trials (RCTs) to real‐world patient treatment is trial waste (TW). To date, the extent of TW in RCTs for HA is not clear.

Objectives

To analyse the extents of TW within HA‐RCTs and identify protective factors against TW.

Methods

In July 2024, we searched the ClinicalTrials database using the ‘hyaluronic acid’ as keyword. We documented the data available and then explored PubMed and Scopus for the publication status. Reporting adequacy was evaluated using the CONSORT checklist. Design limitations were analysed based on bias risk and whether the article referenced a relevant systematic review. Subsequently, we evaluated extent of TW (unpublished studies, insufficient reporting and design flaws).

Results

One hundred and eighty‐four RCTs met the inclusion criteria. The analysis of TW excluded 53 RCTs completed after June 2020 that remained unpublished. Among the remaining 131 RCTs, 72 were published, 47 had adequate reporting and 19 had design limitations. Taken together, 96 RCTs (73.3%) exhibited at least one characteristic of TW. Characteristics of these RCTs included early registration (p < 0.001) and the absence of a multi‐blind approach (p = 0.007). Registration prior to 2014 (p < 0.001) and the open‐label or single‐blinding design (p = 0.003) emerged as independent risk factor for TW.

Conclusion

We delineated the features of 184 HA‐related RCTs. 73.3% of the RCTs included in TW analysis exhibited TW. The diverse traits of the different TW indicators identified could serve as valuable insights for conducting future HA‐RCTs more rationally and efficiently.
Ontology and Bruxism: Do We Have Enough Information?
Authors: Manfredini Daniele , Lobbezoo Frank
Published: November 2024

The idea of classifying and defining bruxism according to ontological principles may be interesting, but currently we just do not have enough information to label in a black or white manner the many facets of bruxism. In an era in which general knowledge on bruxism by the dental communities is surely in need of improvement, efforts to clarify the road map tracked by the current panelists who drafted the definition should be appraised carefully. The recent introduction of a standardized multidimensional evaluation system (i.e., Standardized Tool for the Assessment of Bruxism [STAB]) and a screening instrument for bruxism (i.e., BruxScreen) should be viewed as the starting points to enter a new era in the discipline of bruxism, in which non‐hierarchical and non‐preconceived approaches are used to collect data. Artificial intelligence strategies to mine data gathered with the above instruments might help building predictive models along the etiology‐status‐consequences trajectory, as recently suggested in a model for awake bruxism metrics. Until then, proposals to adopt ontological principles to classify bruxism will be merely based on speculations rather than on facts.
Competing Models of the Structure of Subjective Well‐Being: Have All Won and Must All Have Prizes?
Authors: Jovanović Veljko
Published: November 2024

Objective

The tripartite model of subjective well‐being (SWB) posits three components: positive affect, negative affect, and life satisfaction. The fundamental issue regarding the structure of SWB and the meaning of the general SWB factor remains unresolved.

Methods

Across three studies and six samples (total N = 9304), we evaluated competing models of SWB and tested the criterion‐related validity of SWB components operationalized within different models. In addition to a standard confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and bifactor‐CFA, we used exploratory structural equation modeling (ESEM) and bifactor‐ESEM approaches. Latent factor models were applied to examine the nomological network of SWB in relation to several external criteria (e.g., positive expectations, depression, and anxiety).

Results

We found evidence supporting the three‐factor and bifactor‐ESEM models of SWB. The meaning and interpretability of the general and specific factors of SWB were found to depend on the indicators used to assess affective well‐being. Several issues concerning the bifactor‐CFA model were identified. Both the general and specific factors of SWB exhibited meaningful and interpretable nomological networks.

Conclusions

The structure of SWB, the value of incorporating a general factor, and the nature of general and specific SWB factors depend on the instruments used to measure SWB.
Dynamic policy in the presence of social norms
Authors: Hintermann Beat , Lange Andreas
Published: November 2024

Individual actions can depend on prevailing social norms. We investigate how optimal policy to promote pro‐social action should exploit the underlying social dynamics. We develop a dynamic model of prosocial action in which conformist consumers repeatedly choose whether to engage in some prosocial activity. Whereas individual behavior is not observed, the overall participation rate in the previous period is common knowledge. We demonstrate how conformity can lead to multiple steady states and how their selection depends on starting conditions and discount factors. We further show that the optimal subsidy path can be non‐monotonic and can decrease before reaching the steady state‐level. Our model thus provides a rationale for introductory subsidies to promote environmentally friendly behavior from a behavioral perspective.
Leaving Haredi Judaism: Coping Resources and Perceived Social Support During Community Transitions and Religious Disaffiliation
Authors: Erhard Maria C.
Published: November 2024

Navigating transitions across community boundaries, such as former Haredim leaving their covenantal communities of origin to integrate into mainstream society, is a widespread phenomenon with profound societal implications. This study investigates the impact of current community affiliation and perceived social support on the sense of coherence (SOC) and community sense of coherence (ComSOC) coping resources of former Haredim. Conducted in 2022, the study surveyed 147 ex‐Haredim in Israel. Findings reveal that perceived social support and strength of community affiliation predict higher SOC and ComSOC levels throughout the disaffiliation process. ComSOC shows greater sensitivity to influence than general SOC and is its strongest predictor among the studied variables. Other significant predictors are involvement in the ex‐Haredim community, years since leaving, and family disconnection. In its salutogenic quality and focus on coping resources, this study offers insights for supporting individuals navigating disaffiliation challenges and similarly profound change processes.
Bias is persistent: Sequencing case information does not protect against contextual bias in criminal risk assessment
Authors: Oberlader Verena , Verschuere Bruno
Published: November 2024

Purpose

A large body of research indicates that bias is an inherent part of human information processing. This way, bias affects all disciplines that rely on human judgements, such as forensic psychological assessment, including criminal risk evaluation. Although there is a lack of empirical studies, scholars recommend considering case information sequentially beginning with the most relevant information to reduce the effect of potentially biasing task‐irrelevant contextual information.

Methods

We ran a preregistered experimental study to test, first, whether task‐irrelevant information results in bias effects when people use criminal risk assessment tools, and second, whether such bias could be reduced by sequencing case information according to its prognostic relevance. We collected data of 308 informed lay participants instructed to apply an empirical actuarial risk scale based on a case vignette.

Results

Results showed that task‐irrelevant information biased risk assessment. Yet, sequencing case information did not protect against it.

Conclusions

Considering various boundary conditions (e.g., overconfidence in the accuracy of one's own assessment and other sources of bias), we discuss challenges to mitigate the biasing effect of task‐irrelevant information.
Local Participatory Development Models For Postwar Reconstruction in Yemen
Authors: Orkaby Asher , Al‐Ahmadi Afrah
Published: November 2024

The humanitarian crisis that has come to dominate public perception of Yemen since 2015 has left the country's social and civil infrastructure in major disrepair. Postwar recovery and reconstruction will be an essential component of long‐term stability in the Persian Gulf and Red Sea subregions. The unchecked distribution of large sums of foreign aid to postwar Yemen has the potential to perpetuate the country's underlying political conflicts without substantively contributing to its much‐needed economic development. Similarly, a top‐down approach that privileges foreign donors is likely to encounter political and logistical obstacles and may end up devolving into a divisive patronage system. The solution to some of these obstacles may be found in localizing the distribution of development aid, which relies on existing networks in the reconstruction of economic infrastructure. Yemen's history of community‐driven development can be the key to a sustainable post‐conflict future.