bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Exploring the impact of information technology integration capability on project management performance in Chinese construction industry: a moderated mediation analysis
Authors: Li Xiaolin , Cheng Liming , Jiao Hongbo , Li Huimin
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to explore whether information technology (IT) integration capability and data sharing can improve project management performance in China’s construction industry under the background of global informatization. Moreover, the authors explore the moderating role of relational governance between IT integration capability and data sharing.

Design/methodology/approach

A theoretical model based on the research hypotheses proposed in this study was developed, and a questionnaire survey was conducted with 205 professionals. The data collected were analyzed by the structural equation modeling (SEM) technique.

Findings

The results indicate that IT integration capability has a significant and positive impact on project management performance and data sharing. Moreover, data sharing has a significant and positive impact on project management performance, and it plays a mediating role between IT integration capability and project management performance. In addition, relational governance significantly influences the mediating effect of data sharing.

Research limitations/implications

The data used in this study is from Chinese scenarios, so the research conclusions and application effects based on this are bound to have certain regional limitations. So, a larger sample size from other countries could be selected to test the model. Besides, there are many factors that affect project management performance improving, and the theoretical model proposed in this study may not be fully considered. Therefore, follow-up researchers can consider bringing more suitable variables into their research studies, so that the theoretical research studies can be more in line with the actual project management practice.

Originality/value

This research’s value is as follows: Firstly, this paper broadens the understanding of how IT integration capability, data sharing and relational governance affects project management performance and enriches the literature in the construction management field under the background of global informatization. Secondly, this research provides a detailed governance solution to improve project management performance.
Exploring job competency related to intelligent construction in China using a text mining method
Authors: Yu Jingyu , Wang Jinqiang , Shi Qingyu , Xu Jie , Wang Jingfeng
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The construction industry is experiencing digital transformation, which is also defined as intelligent construction. With the rise of intelligent construction, job characteristics are changing rapidly. Current knowledge about job competencies required by intelligent construction is lacking. Therefore, the aim of this paper is to explore job competencies related to intelligent construction by text mining recruitment information. It is expected to reveal the trend of talent development for the intelligent construction industry.

Design/methodology/approach

A total of 375 job advertisements regarding the demanding professionals and industrial workers related to intelligent construction were collected and analyzed to reveal the demands of the current labor market. Different job posts related to intelligent construction were classified into 11 categories. Job competencies were extracted and analyzed using the latent Dirichlet allocation (LDA) model, frequency–inverse document frequency (TF-IDF) algorithm and k-means cluster analysis method. The text mining results identified 10 job competencies.

Findings

Currently, there was a high demand for high-tech talents in the labor market related to intelligent construction. Those high-tech job posts, such as software engineers and R&D staff, required digital technology, R&D skills, electrical automation knowledge and programming capability. Current employees demanding for intelligent construction are expected to be capable of both using information technology and having a general knowledge of the construction industry.

Originality/value

Through text mining of current job advertisements, the overall demand for compound talents in the labor market of intelligent construction were explored. The results provide empirical reference for personnel training and talent cultivation in the development of intelligent construction. Higher educational institutions, human resources professionals, as well as experts that are already employed or aspire to be employed in intelligent construction companies, would benefit from the results of our analysis.
Performance returns from aligning front-end digital technologies and Just-in-Time practices: empirical findings from the Brazilian manufacturing industry
Authors: do Rego Ferreira Lima Mateus , Franco Cíntia Wilke , Benitez Guilherme Brittes
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The integration of front-end technologies such as automation, process simulation and augmented reality with Just-in-Time (JIT) practices can yield unforeseen outcomes in manufacturing due to complex dynamics. This study examines this integration’s impact on manufacturing firms' performance.

Design/methodology/approach

We design a survey questionnaire and distributed it among 353 Brazilian manufacturing firms to conduct our investigation. We utilize a combination of factorial and regression analyses with moderation within our final sample, composed of 262 manufacturing firms. Our goal is to examine the impact of aligning front-end technologies and JIT on the operational and economic performance of these manufacturing firms. We adopt complexity theory as our theoretical framework, recognizing and accommodating the intrinsic unpredictability and uncertainty inherent in complex scenarios such as technology adoption and its interplay with firm culture, adoption time and technology adoption resistance.

Findings

Our findings indicate that JIT influences the use of front-end technologies both positively and negatively. Regarding operational performance, JIT has a positive moderation effect on automation and a negative moderation effect on process simulation. Conversely, for economic performance, JIT positively moderates process simulation and negatively moderates automation.

Practical implications

We provide empirical evidence for managers to carefully assess the compatibility of technology adoption strategies with existing organizational culture and operational practices to maximize performance outcomes.

Originality/value

Our study advances complexity theory by elucidating the impacts of integrating front-end digital technologies with JIT practices within the unique scenario of the Brazilian manufacturing industry. More specifically, our theoretical framework offers a new perspective on the unpredictable nature of performance outcomes regarding technology adoption in operations.
A business process management lifecycle framework for continuous improvement towards operational excellence: lessons learned from a longitudinal study in a Brazilian organisation
Authors: Scavarda Luiz Felipe , Ceryno Paula , Azevedo Thais , Goyannes Gusmão Caiado Rodrigo
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The purpose of this study is to offer a business process management (BPM) framework with information and insights on designing, implementing, using and assessing business processes for continuous improvement towards operational excellence.

Design/methodology/approach

An action research is carried out over two and a half years on the BPM evolution of a Brazilian entertainment organisation.

Findings

Research provides a novel procedural framework towards improving the understanding of how a complete lifecycle approach for BPM can be implemented for continuous improvement, embracing the critical success factors for each lifecycle phase to achieve operational excellence. Information technology and project management are critical success factors resulting in project barriers. Strategic alignment, top management support, collaborative environment, methods and methodology, and focus on users and culture are acknowledged as main enablers. Findings reinforce the importance of an organisation analysis phase to begin the BPM development and highlight the assessment and improvement phase to respond to organisational environment dynamism.

Practical implications

Practitioners can benefit from the lessons learnt and the proposed framework, which serves as a rigorous methodology to achieve operational excellence in their real-world settings.

Originality/value

This paper goes beyond the well-known design and analysis phases of BPM development, generally studied with an individual focus, offering a complete lifecycle approach for continuous improvement, analysing each phase, from the drawing board to its use and evaluation. It counts on an original longitudinal study rather than a single-time assessment study.
Promotion of the 2022 Olympic Winter Games on Chinese and Western social media
Authors: Licen Simon , Cermelj Nastja
Published: November 2024

Purpose

The 2022 Olympic Winter Games in Beijing were the first sporting mega-event held in a country that limits access to popular Western social networks. Since both domestic and international audiences were crucial for the organizers, the purpose of this study was to identify similarities and differences in content published and engagement generated on the event’s official social media accounts in the months preceding the Olympics.

Design/methodology/approach

For 1,200 consecutive original posts published on Facebook, Sina Weibo and Twitter, we coded the time of publication, motivation targeted by the message according to Raney’s typology of motivations for sport spectatorship, multimedia additions and number of likes/reactions, comments and shares.

Findings

All accounts were dominated by posts targeting cognitive motivations. The Weibo profile was much more active and followed. There, 71.5% of content conveyed learning, while the most engaging content provided entertainment. Content on Western networks was more varied but virtually duplicated across networks. The most engaging posts targeted euphoric stress, escape and aesthetic pleasure. Comparable content elicited different engagement on Chinese and Western social media. Graphics and video were the most engaging features on all networks; polls were the least engaging.

Research limitations/implications

Agenda-setting effects of social media content differ across cultures and are co-created by user comments.

Originality/value

To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first cross-cultural comparison of pre-event social media promotion by non-Western sporting mega-event hosts. Organizers diversified content strategies to cater to different audiences and pursue different policy goals. We proved cultural differences in content preference and engagement and showed the relevance of Raney’s typology of sport spectatorship for social media.
The drivers of liquidity risk in the GCC dual banking sector: the impact of the bank’s business model
Authors: Alsharif Mohammad
Published: November 2024

Purpose

Considering the influence of the bank’s business model, this study aims to explore the drivers of liquidity risk in the dual banking sector of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) using the two new liquidity requirements of Basel III, Net Stable Funding Ratio and Liquidity Coverage Ratio, as indicators of liquidity risk.

Design/methodology/approach

For 61 GCC banks between 2018 and 2022, this study applies the random effects model with an interaction dummy variable technique.

Findings

Islamic banks in the GCC region tend to have a significantly lower level of Basel III liquidity requirements, meaning that they are struggling to meet the new Basel III liquidity requirements as they lack an adequate liquidity risk management framework. The liquidity of GCC banks decreases with size; this relationship is linear for conventional GCC banks but not linear for Islamic banks. Finally, the COVID-19 epidemic has exacerbated liquidity risk for GCC banks, with Islamic banks appearing to be the most impacted. The findings are robust to alternative variable selections and estimation techniques.

Practical implications

The findings provide useful insights to improve liquidity risk management practices in the GCC banking system, especially for Islamic banks. Targeted reforms may be needed to further develop Islamic banks’ liquidity tools and optimize their ability to withstand macroeconomic and systemic shocks.

Originality/value

To the best of the author’s knowledge, no single study considers the new Basel III metrics for bank liquidity or explicitly compares a wide range of liquidity factors for conventional and Islamic banks in the GCC region.
Return and work in rural areas among youth: the roles of local infrastructure and entrepreneurial opportunity
Authors: Thuy Doan Thi , Thanh Pham Tien , Chau Pha Nguyen Hoang , Lan Anh Nguyen Thii
Published: November 2024

Purpose

A high-quality workforce plays an important role in rural development. However, many well-educated rural-born youths migrate to urban centers in search for better economic opportunity or living standard due to the socio-economic underdevelopment and a lack of good employment opportunity in rural areas. This migration potentially hampers economic activities in these areas. Therefore, encouraging these youth to return and work is important, demanding the attention of local governments. Accordingly, this research aims to examine the role of local infrastructure and entrepreneurial opportunity in enhancing their return-and-work intention.

Design/methodology/approach

Data were collected from rural-born students studying in urban areas. The quantitative analysis was conducted using structural equation modeling, supplemented by qualitative methods.

Findings

Local infrastructure is positively associated with entrepreneurial opportunity and return-to-work intention. Furthermore, entrepreneurial opportunity is positively linked to return-to-work intention. These results indicate the mediating roles of entrepreneurial opportunity in the effects of local infrastructure on return-to-work intention.

Practical implications

This research offers policy implications for policymakers and local governments in developing countries, emphasizing the important roles of local infrastructure, and entrepreneurial opportunity. This can encourage well-educated rural-born youth to return and work in rural areas, thereby contributing to fostering rural development and revitalizing rural communities.

Originality/value

This research represents one of the early attempts to explore the complex relationships among local infrastructure, entrepreneurial opportunity and return-to-work intention in rural areas among well-educated rural-born youth.
Ecosystem-related digital capabilities and radical service innovation: evidence from the Chinese manufacturing industry
Authors: Zhang Yao , Hao Shengbin
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This study aims to explore the impact of ecosystem-related digital decoupling capability (DDC) and digital integrative capability (DIC) on manufacturing firms’ radical service innovation (RSI) and the moderating effect of strategic flexibility, specifically resource flexibility (RF) and culture flexibility (CF).

Design/methodology/approach

This study employed empirical survey data collected from 238 Chinese manufacturing firms to test all hypotheses through hierarchical multiple regression analyses.

Findings

DDC and DIC have positive effects on RSI, with DDC exerting a stronger impact. RF and CF strengthen the positive effect of DIC on RSI, whereas CF diminishes DDC’s positive effect on RSI, and RF does not moderate this effect.

Practical implications

Manufacturing firms should prioritize developing ecosystem-related DDC and DIC to drive RSI, especially DDC. Managers should improve firms’ RF and CF when leveraging DIC to drive RSI. However, they should minimize the negative impact of CF when leveraging DDC to drive RSI.

Originality/value

This study shifts the service innovation capabilities from the firm to the ecosystem level, opening a new perspective for exploring RSI’s driving mechanism. With RF and CF as the moderators, the findings reveal the contingent impact mechanism of ecosystem-related digital capabilities on RSI, which provides profound insights into the complex role of strategic flexibility in the new contexts.
Entrepreneurial ecosystems in small towns: franchise chain expansion
Authors: Melo Pedro Lucas de Resende , Borini Felipe Mendes , dos Santos-Costa Lucas , Isaac Victor Ragazzi , Correa Victor Silva
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to identify the interrelationships of institutional factors that compose an entrepreneurial ecosystem (EE) in small towns that can potentially increase the attraction of franchises.

Design/methodology/approach

The authors analyzed 728 small towns with franchise chains that do not belong to metropolitan regions and are limited to populations of up to 50,000 inhabitants. Secondary data are obtained from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics. The data analysis technique used is Poisson regression.

Findings

A higher number of employed persons (H1), a higher savings (H2) and a higher number of educational institutions (H4) correlates with more franchise chains in small towns. The availability of institutional support (H3) does not correlate with the number of franchise chains. Regarding the interrelationships between factors, the interactive effect between two constructs is determined to cause a decrease in franchise chains, whereas interrelating three factors raises the number of franchise chains (R² = 72.3%).

Practical implications

The analysis identifies some environmental factors to be considered in market prospecting by franchise chains’ expansion managers. These factors constitute a relevant analytical model focused on the regional development of franchise chains.

Social implications

Social contributions are directed to public policy professionals responsible for regional economic development, as emerging markets demand actions to encourage job creation when confronted with high unemployment rates and dependence on the informal economy.

Originality/value

The contribution of this paper is bringing EE to the debate of the institutional environment’s impact on new businesses. EE adds to the debate examining the interrelationships between different institutional factors. An EE not only identifies the factors, but also examines the interdependence of these factors, which can potentially explain the attraction of franchise chains in small towns.
3D printing of asymmetric buttress plate for posteromedial tibial plateau fracture using metal fused filament fabrication
Authors: Vijaya Kumar P. , Velmurugan C.
Published: November 2024

Purpose

This research addresses the challenges encountered when securing bone plates in the human body to treat tibial plateau fractures, specifically focusing on preventing posterolateral fractures. The goal is to develop a 3D buttress plate that offers better stability, facilitating anatomical reduction and rigid fixation. The newly fabricated T-buttress plate enables early knee motion and reduces postoperative complications, marking a significant advancement over existing internal fixation plates.

Design/methodology/approach

A new buttress plate model was designed using modeling software, featuring an asymmetric curved design with three fragments. Finite element analysis was used to simulate the biomechanical performance of this new model, comparing it with symmetric flat and symmetric curved plates. Accurately predicting the biomechanical behavior of the implant posed challenges, especially during extensive simulations. Optimal parameters for the asymmetric curved plate were identified from the simulation results, and the 3D buttress plate was then fabricated using the metal fused filament fabrication (MFFF) process. This process presents challenges due to the novel nature of the asymmetric design.

Findings

The results indicate that the newly developed buttress plate exhibits superior strength and performance compared to current internal fixation plates. Biomechanical simulations show that the asymmetric curved design provides better stability and support. Moreover, the yield and ultimate tensile strengths were found to be 685 MPa and 855 MPa, respectively.

Research limitations/implications

The study’s finite element analysis model has limitations due to its reliance on assumptions about material properties, boundary conditions and loading scenarios. It also excludes biological factors, patient variability and the bone’s heterogeneous nature, which may affect the accuracy and applicability of the results in real-life situations.

Originality/value

The development of an asymmetric curved buttress plate using MFFF is a novel innovation aimed at improving biomechanical performance and patient outcomes in orthopedic surgery, offering significant potential impact in the medical field.
The High Prevalence of Orientia tsutsugamushi Among Wild Rodents and the Identification of Its Major Serotypes in Yamaguchi Prefecture, Japan, Where Scrub Typhus Patients Are Rarely Identified
Authors: Ahmed Abdelrahman , Supriyono  , Kiuno Kazuki , Kurihara Nozomi , Minami Shohei , Yonemitsu Kenzo , Kuwata Ryusei , Shimoda Hiroshi , Narita Tsubasa , Lau Alice C. C. , Takano Ai , Maeda Ken
Published: November 2024

Orientia tsutsugamushi (OT) is an obligate intracellular bacterium transmitted by larval trombiculid mites, responsible for scrub typhus in humans. In Japan, approximately 500 human cases are reported annually, with six major serotypes identified as Kato, Karp, Gilliam, Irie/Kawasaki, Shimokoshi, and Hirano/Kuroki. However, the prevalence of OT in Yamaguchi prefecture remains largely unknown. This study aimed to investigate the prevalence and serotypes of OT in wild rodents collected from eight locations within the prefecture. DNA was extracted from spleen and liver samples of 135 wild rodents collected between 2015 and 2024, and PCR was conducted to detect OT targeting the 56 kDa type‐specific antigen gene. As a result, five individuals (3.7%) were detected positive for OT DNA. OT was successfully isolated from two of the five rodents and characterized by multi‐locus sequence analysis (MLSA) based on 11 housekeeping genes. The MLSA results indicated that both isolates clustered with OT strain Ikeda (JG serotype). Additionally, we performed a serological test on 117 serum samples from wild rodents using the indirect immune peroxidase test. The results showed that 59.8% (n = 70/117) of the rodents had antibodies against OT, with 73% (n = 51/70) showing the highest titer against the OT strains Gilliam (Gilliam serotype) and Ikeda (JG serotype), known to be transmitted by Leptotrombidum pallidum mites. Overall, the present study identified the OT serotypes and potential primary vector species in Yamaguchi prefecture, emphasizing the need for further surveillance, particularly, in humans.
Foundation species support fauna across multiple trophic levels via trophic and non‐trophic mechanisms
Authors: Chen Shixuan , Cai Xing‐Xing , Zhang Shuyan , Wu Jihua , He Qiang
Published: November 2024

Foundation species, such as seagrasses, trees, and corals, form the biotic basis for many ecosystems. They engineer local habitats and can support many faunal species through trophic (e.g. providing feeding grounds) or non‐trophic (e.g. providing predation shelters and spawning grounds) mechanisms. How the supporting effects of foundation species on fauna change across multiple trophic levels remains poorly understood.

We investigated how a foundational seagrass supported faunal species at different trophic levels, using a series of comparative surveys, diet analyses, and field experiments.

We found that seagrasses substantially enhanced marine fauna across all but one of four trophic levels. Primary, secondary, and top consumers were significantly more abundant, whilst tertiary consumers were similarly or less abundant in seagrass beds than on unvegetated mudflats. Importantly, seagrasses supported fauna of different trophic levels via different trophic or non‐trophic mechanisms; seagrasses provided mainly feeding, refuging and feeding, feeding, and spawning grounds for primary, secondary, tertiary, and top consumers, respectively.

Our work reveals that seagrasses support fauna from primary to top trophic levels via different trophic and non‐trophic mechanisms. Our findings highlight that protecting and restoring seagrasses is critical to enhancing fauna across multiple trophic levels and can inform conservation strategies targeted for fauna at different trophic levels. Our study can help stimulate future studies from other ecosystems to test how foundation species affect fauna across different trophic levels.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Intraspecific variation of thermal tolerance along elevational gradients: the case of a widespread diving beetle (Coleoptera: Dytiscidae)
Authors: Pallarés Susana , Carbonell José Antonio , Picazo Félix , Bilton David T. , Millán Andrés , Abellán Pedro
Published: November 2024

Species distributed across wide elevational gradients are likely to experience local thermal adaptation and exhibit high thermal plasticity, as these gradients are characterised by steep environmental changes over short geographic distances (i.e., strong selection differentials). The prevalence of adaptive intraspecific variation in thermal tolerance with elevation remains unclear, however, particularly in freshwater taxa. We explored variation in upper and lower thermal limits and acclimation capacity among Iberian populations of adults of the widespread water beetle Agabus bipustulatus (Dytiscidae) across a 2000 m elevational gradient, from lowland to alpine areas. Since mean and extreme temperatures decline with elevation, we predicted that populations at higher elevations will show lower heat tolerance and higher cold tolerance than lowland ones. We also explored whether acclimation capacity is positively related with climatic variability across elevations. We found significant variation in thermal limits between populations of A. bipustulatus, but no evidence of local adaptation to different thermal conditions across the altitudinal gradient, as relationships between thermal limits and elevation or climatic variables were largely nonsignificant. Furthermore, plasticities of both upper and lower thermal limits were consistently low in all populations. These results suggest thermal niche conservatism in this species, likely due to gene flow counteracting the effects of divergent selection, or adaptations in other traits that buffer exposure to climate extremes. The limited adaptive potential and plasticity of thermal tolerance observed in A. bipustulatus suggest that even generalist species, distributed across wide environmental gradients, may have limited resilience to global warming.
Evaluating floodplain vegetation after valley‐scale restoration with unsupervised classification of National Agriculture Imagery Program data in semi‐arid environments
Authors: Munyon Jay W. , Flitcroft Rebecca L.
Published: November 2024

Monitoring vegetation response to valley‐scale floodplain restoration to evaluate effectiveness can be costly and time‐consuming. We used publicly available National Agriculture Imagery Program (NAIP) data and commonly used ArcGIS software to assess land cover change over time at five study sites located in semi‐arid environments of eastern Oregon and north‐central California. Accuracy assessments of our unsupervised classifications were used to evaluate effectiveness. Overall accuracy across sites and years ranged from 64.2% to 89.2% with mean and median accuracy of 79.1% and 80.6%, respectively. Further, we compared our classifications with high‐resolution uncrewed aerial systems (UAS)‐based data collected in the same timeframe. Restored areas classified as dense vegetation were within 4% of the UAS study, water was within 6%, and post‐restoration classifications of sparse vegetation and bare ground classes were within 6% and 4% of the UAS study, respectively. This comparison demonstrates that our unsupervised NAIP data classification of land cover change across entire valley‐scale restoration projects can be used to monitor riparian vegetation change over time as accurately as UAS‐based methods, but at lower cost. Additionally, our methods leverage existing fine‐resolution, pre‐restoration vegetation density data that were not collected as part of project planning.
Comparison of CD30L and OX40L Reveals CD30L as a Promising Therapeutic Target in Atopic Dermatitis
Authors: Gupta Rinkesh K. , Figueroa Daniela Salgado , Ay Ferhat , Causton Benjamin , Abdollahi Shahla , Croft Michael
Published: November 2024

Background

Blocking IL‐13 is highly efficacious in patients with Th2‐biased atopic dermatitis (AD), and recent clinical data have highlighted that targeting the T cell costimulatory molecules OX40 and OX40L (TNFSF4) holds promise for future treatment of AD.

Aim

We asked whether targeting another T cell costimulatory molecule, CD30L (TNFSF8), might also be a possible treatment option in AD.

Methods

Single‐cell RNA‐seq data from human AD skin lesions was analyzed to identify pathogenic IL‐13‐ or IL‐22‐producing T cells and assess expression of CD30 and its ligand in comparison to OX40 and its ligand. Additionally, a murine model of AD with repetitive exposure to house dust mite allergen was used to compare neutralizing antibodies against CD30L with those against IL‐13 or OX40L.

Results

Analysis of several scRNA‐seq datasets from skin lesions of AD patients showed that transcripts for CD30 or CD30L were found expressed with OX40 or OX40L in the primary T cell populations that also expressed mRNA for IL13 and/or IL22. Suggesting that this could be therapeutically relevant, mice treated prophylactically with a blocking CD30L antibody were protected from developing maximal allergen‐induced AD features, including epidermal and dermal thickening, immune cell infiltration, and expression of AD‐related genes, similar to mice treated with a blocking IL‐13 antibody. Moreover, therapeutic neutralization of CD30L in mice with experimental AD also reduced all of the pathological skin lesion features to a comparable extent as blocking OX40L.

Conclusion

These data suggest that targeting the CD30–CD30L axis might hold promise as a future therapeutic intervention in human AD, similar to targeting the OX40–OX40L axis.
Young university students’ cultural values, filial obligation norms, and ageism toward older people
Authors: Taşdemir Nagihan
Published: November 2024

The present study examined Turkish young university students’ cultural values and filial obligation norms in association with their ageism toward older people. Participants (N  =  369) completed scales measuring relatedness and autonomy values, filial obligation norms, prescriptive intergenerational‐tension ageism, ambivalent ageism, warmth and competence stereotypes toward older people, and frequency of intergenerational contact. Multiple hierarchical regression analyses showed that relatedness values were negatively associated with succession prejudice; and positively associated with benevolent ageism and competence and warmth stereotypes. Relatively authoritarian filial obligation norms were further negatively associated with consumption prejudice, and positively associated with benevolent ageism and competence and warmth stereotypes. Finally, mediation analyses showed that relatively authoritarian and emotional filial obligation norms explained the indirect association between the variables, the former for benevolent ageism and competence and warmth stereotypes; the latter for warmth stereotypes and frequency of intergenerational contact. The present study suggests that young people's relatively traditional cultural values and hierarchical familial norms play a role in their positive prejudice and stereotypes whereas relationship‐oriented cultural values and emotional familial norms play a role in their warmth stereotypes and frequency of intergenerational contact. The findings help us understand how different contents and components of ageism toward older people are linked with young people's cultural values and familial norms.
Feelings and thoughts about life selection in pregnant women undergoing non‐invasive prenatal testing in Japan
Authors: Takeda Eri , Suzumori Nobuhiro , Kumagai Kyoko , Komata Chisato , Nishimura Yumiko , Sugiura‐Ogasawara Mayumi
Published: November 2024

The objective of this study was to conduct qualitative research by clarifying the thoughts of pregnant women undergoing non‐invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) in Japan, to collect evidence to provide information and psychosocial support in genetic counseling (GC). We attempted to conduct qualitative research to provide support for GC and the society in relation to children with special needs, by clarifying the thoughts of pregnant women undergoing NIPT. Between January 2016 and December 2017, we administered an open‐ended questionnaire to pregnant Japanese women undergoing NIPT to clarify their ethical views in relation to children with special needs. The target population included 754 pregnant women who described their feelings and thoughts about undergoing NIPT and about children with special needs. Pregnant women undergoing NIPT have a variety of various mixed feelings and concerns. We classified the feelings and thoughts of pregnant women who underwent NIPT into the following four primary categories (multiple classifications): (1) perception about people with special needs (18.0%); (2) relation between NIPT and life selection (22.3%); (3) attitudes towards undergoing NIPT (47.5%); and (4) negative feelings and thoughts about raising children with special needs (48.1%). Most pregnant women undergoing NIPT expressed negative feelings and raising children with special needs. These feelings and thoughts may be one of the reasons why pregnant women undergo NIPT. In GC, it is important to also provide wide information on the social support and the current situation in the actual life of children with special needs.
Mobile Element Insertion in the APOB Exon 3 Coding Sequence: A New Challenge in Hypobetalipoproteinemia Diagnosis
Authors: Surles Laurie , Janin Alexandre , Molitor Corentin , Chatron Nicolas , Moret Myriam , Nony Séverine , Dumont Sabrina , Marmontel Oriane , Simonet Thomas , Sassolas Agnès , Moulin Philippe , Di Filippo Mathilde
Published: November 2024

Mobile elements (ME) can transpose by copy‐and‐paste mechanisms. A heterozygous insertion in APOB exon 3 coding sequence was suspected in a patient with hypobetalipoproteinemia (HBL), by gel electrophoresis of the PCR products. An insertion of a 85 bp fragment flanked by a polyA stretch and a target replication site duplication was identified as a ME insertion (MEI) from the AluYa5 subfamily, NM_000384.3(APOB):c.135_136ins(160). Then, the DNA was reanalyzed using our NGS custom panel. Routine analysis did not reveal any causative variant, but manual inspection of the alignments and MELT enabled us to detect this MEI from NGS data. A functional study revealed that this MEI introduces a stop codon p.(Phe46Alafs*2) and additionally leads to p.(Lys41Serfs*2) due to an exon skipping. This is the first report of a MEI into APOB, as a cause of HBL. Furthermore, our study highlights the value of including MEI‐callers in routine pipelines to improve primary dyslipidemia diagnosis.
Enhancing disciplinary diversity and inclusion in conservation science and practice based on a case study of the Society for Conservation Biology
Authors: Winkler‐Schor Sophia , Eyster Harold N. , Lobo Diele , Redmore Lauren , Wright Andrew J. , Lukasik Victoria M. , Chávez‐Páez Wendy , Tully Brooke , Beard Sarah , Blount‐Hill Kwan‐Lamar , Christen Catherine , Nyssa Zoe
Published: November 2024

Effective conservation requires a variety of perspectives that center on different ways of knowing. Disciplinary diversity and inclusion (DDI) offers an important means of integrating different ways of knowing into pressing conservation challenges. However, DDI means more than multiple disciplinary approaches to conservation; cognitive diversity and epistemic justice are key. In 2020, the Disciplinary Inclusion Task Force was formed via a grassroots movement of the Society for Conservation Biology (SCB) to assess the extent of DDI and to chart a path to increase DDI. First, we assessed past and present SCB governance documents. Next, we surveyed current SCB members (n = 577). Finally, we surveyed nonmember conservationists (n = 213). Members who were not biological scientists perceived SCB as less diverse (21.4% vs. 16%) and not equitable (21.8% vs. 161%), and, although the majority (44) of nonmembers reported that their work aligned reasonably well with the mission of the SCB, they thought the organization focused on biological sciences. Despite SCB's mission to be diverse and inclusive, realizing this mission will likely require diverse epistemological perspectives and shifting from top‐down models of knowledge transfer. In centering on DDI, SCB can achieve its aspirations of connecting members across disciplines and ways of knowing to foster diverse perspectives and practices. We recommend that SCB and other organizations develop mechanisms to increase recruitment and retention of diverse members and leadership as well as expand strategic partnerships to flatten disciplinary hierarchies and promote inclusivity.
Multi‐View Self‐Supervised Auxiliary Task for Few‐Shot Remote Sensing Classification
Authors: Liu Baodi , Xing Lei , Qiao Xujian , Liu Qian
Published: November 2024

In the past few years, the swift advancement of remote sensing technology has greatly promoted its widespread application in the agricultural field. For example, remote sensing technology is used to monitor the planting area and growth status of crops, classify crops, and detect agricultural disasters. In these applications, the accuracy of image classification is of great significance in improving the efficiency and sustainability of agricultural production. However, many of the existing studies primarily rely on contrastive self‐supervised learning methods, which come with certain limitations such as complex data construction and a bias towards invariant features. To address these issues, additional techniques like knowledge distillation are often employed to optimize the learned features. In this article, we propose a novel approach to enhance feature acquisition specific to remote sensing images by introducing a classification‐based self‐supervised auxiliary task. This auxiliary task involves performing image transformation self‐supervised learning tasks directly on the remote sensing images, thereby improving the overall capacity for feature representation. In this work, we design a texture fading reinforcement auxiliary task to reinforce texture features and color features that are useful for distinguishing similar classes of remote sensing. Different auxiliary tasks are fused to form a multi‐view self‐supervised auxiliary task and integrated with the main task to optimize the model training in an end‐to‐end manner. The experimental results on several popular few‐shot remote sensing image datasets validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. The performance better than many advanced algorithms is achieved with a more concise structure.
Characterization and spatial distribution of mesoplastics in an arable soil
Authors: Dorau Kristof , Rückamp Daniel , Weber Christian , Scheeder Georg , Reßing Ronja , Peth Stephan , Otto Philipp , Altmann Korinna , Fries Elke , Hoppe Martin
Published: November 2024

Extraction of plastic particles from soil is challenging and, thus, exceptionally little spatial information on plastic distribution at the field scale has been gathered. However, for environmental risk assessment, adequate sampling should complement coherent plastic profiling. In this study, we investigated the spatial distribution of mesoplastics (MePs; from >5 mm up to 130 mm) in arable soil (Haplic Cambisol) managed intensively by 12 years of compost application. Geo‐referenced samples (n = 128) and five different sampling designs (n = 45) of variable sampling volume (from 2 to 300 L) were collected at a three hectare study site in Northern Germany (0–30 cm soil depth). Soil properties such as pH and soil organic carbon (SOC) were measured to evaluate dispersion measures of these data. In total, we found 259 MePs with a predominance of transparent packaging foils made of polyethylene and coloured fibres of polypropylene. Average particle metrics were a projection area of 47 (3–400) mm2, a Feret diameter of 18.5 (5.4–130) mm and a mass of 1.89 (0.11–221) mg. Caution is advised when measuring the particle mass due to still strongly adhering soil material, especially for fibre bundles with 0.544 mg soil mg−1 particle. We recommend using a 0.1 mol L−1 tetrasodium pyrophosphate solution to purify MePs by removing attached soil before weighing for further environmental risk assessment. The MePs count with a median value of 0.50 (0–3.2) particles kg−1 and median mass of 2.26 (0–221) mg kg−1 featured the highest coefficient of variation (CV) with 103% and 187%, respectively. This is 10–20 times larger in comparison to the CV of SOC (9.2%) and even 50–93 times larger than CV of soil pH (2.2%). This leads to the need of larger sample numbers to delineate plastic metrics in comparison with soil properties to identify a reliable mean value of the field within a predefined allowable error. Mesoplastics in the soil were characterized by a pure nugget effect variogram (no spatial correlation), revealed no intrafield variability and the sample volume yielded inconclusive results. Sampling for plastics in soil should either (i) drastically increase the sample number for a single field or (ii) communicate transparently that the allowable error is by far enhanced in comparison with classical soil properties like pH and SOC. More systematic studies featuring geo‐spatial analysis of MePs and smaller‐sized plastics in soils are required to propose adequate sampling designs across multiple land uses and plastics fingerprints. A larger database would, thereupon, pave the way for best‐practice guides on how to treat ‘outliers’ and search for robust estimators for spatial mapping of plastics in soils.
Can coffee and cocoa cultivation restore intensively grazed dark earth of the Amazon rainforest?
Authors: Silva João Jose Costa , Souza Tancredo , Campos Milton César Costa , Mantovanelli Bruno Campos , de Lima Alan Ferreira Leite , Martins Thalita Silva , de Almeida Romaria Gomes , de Oliveira Flavio Pereira , Santana Rodrigo Macedo , da Silva Douglas Marcelo Pinheiro
Published: November 2024

The conversion of natural ecosystem to pasture or agricultural fields is the main factor of soil fertility and aboveground biomass decline in the Amazon basin. Our aim here was to present the impacts on soil chemical properties and aboveground biomass associated with four land covers (Coffea canephora, natural ecosystem, pasture and Theobroma cacao) from the Amazon basin, Amazonas, Brazil. The soil pH, soil organic carbon (SOC), SOC stock, phosphorus (P), Ca2+, Al3+, H++Al3+, sum of bases, cation exchange capacity (CEC), base saturation and aluminium saturation varied among the studied land covers. We observed a decrease in SOC stock by 82.9%, 33.1% and 79.5% when comparing the results of C. canephora, pasture and T. cacao with the natural ecosystem.Principal component analysis (PCA) showed that bulk density, soil pH, base saturation, Ca2+, K+, aboveground biomass increment (ABI), SOC stock, Al3+ and aluminium saturation were the main factors contributing to 86.45% of the data variance. Additionally, the proposed predictive models indicated that: (i) ABI was strongly influenced by soil pH, SOCstock, K+, Ca2+, base saturation and bulk density and (ii) SOCstock was strongly influenced by K+, Ca2+ and Al3+. The results of our study highlighted the importance of considering the conversion of natural ecosystems, aiming to find more suitable systems (e.g., agroforestry systems) in Brazil's Legal Amazon, based on the sustainable ways that simulate similar conditions to that occuring in the soil of natural ecosystems, since even the studied monocropping systems (T. cacao and C. canephora) that aimed to recover land degradation showed lower ABI and SOC stocks. Thus, future studies must consider the use of agroforestry systems with these crops to exploit positive results among soil chemical properties and aboveground biomass increment.
What Makes Measurement Important for Education?
Authors: Wilson Mark
Published: November 2024

This contribution to the Special Issue of EM:IP on the topic of The Past, Present and Future of Educational Measurement concentrates on the present and the future and hence focuses on the goal of improving education. The results of meta‐analyses were examined, and it was noted that the largest effect sizes were associated with actual use of formative assessments in classroom settings—hence classroom assessment (in contrast with large‐scale assessment). The paper describes micro assessment, which focuses on in‐classroom forms of measurement, and then expands this assessment approach to focus on frames beyond that in terms of summative end‐of‐semester tests (macro). This is followed by a description of how these approaches can be combined using a construct map as the basis for developing and using assessments to span across these two levels in terms of the BEAR Assessment System (BAS). Throughout, this is exemplified using an elementary school program designed to teach students about geometry. Finally, a conclusion summarizes the discussion, and also looks to the future where a meso level of use involves end‐of‐unit tests.
Climate Change and Human Activities Contribute to the Enhancement Recovery of Grassland Productivity in Xinjiang
Authors: Li Yeye , Dong Yiqiang , Zhang Yongjuan , Zhang Bin , Li Congjuan
Published: November 2024

Grasslands, as a vital component of arid and semi‐arid terrestrial ecosystems, play a pivotal role in carbon cycling and ecosystem functioning. Climate change and human activities significantly affected grassland productivity. Understanding the main driving factors and their contribution rates is of great significance for the protection and sustainable development of grasslands. However, we still lack a comprehensive understanding of the changes in grassland productivity and their driving factors in Xinjiang. This study investigated the spatiotemporal characteristics and underlying driving factors of grassland actual net primary productivity (AcNPP) in Xinjiang from 2000 to 2022, utilising the Carnegie‐Ames‐Stanford Approach and geospatial detectors. Employing the nonlinear Random Forest technique, we assessed the dual impacts of climate change and human activities on grassland productivity. Our findings revealed that grassland productivity in Xinjiang exhibited fluctuating growth during this period, with an average annual AcNPP growth rate of 0.33 g C m−2 year−1. Comprehensive evaluation revealed that soil type, precipitation, and soil moisture content were the key determinants of the spatial distribution of AcNPP, with higher values in mountainous regions and lower in basins. The study further revealed that climate change, human activities, and their combined effects contributed to the recovery of 60.97% of grasslands in Xinjiang. However, human activities were the primary drivers of grassland degradation, with a contribution rate reaching 67.71%. Further analysis indicated that water conditions, particularly precipitation and soil moisture content, were the main forces driving grassland changes in Xinjiang. Although grazing management strategies, such as rotational stocking and deferred stocking, facilitated grassland recovery in 36.71% of areas impacted by human activities, grazing remains a significant anthropogenic factor contributing to grassland degradation. These findings provide valuable scientific insights for the effective management and conservation of Xinjiang's grassland ecosystems.