bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Social and environmental reporting within Australian universities: an accountability perspective
Authors: Salib Hany Samir , Endrawes Medhat
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to examine the relationships between social and environmental reporting (SER) and the size and university ranking of 39 Australian universities. The study examines Australian universities and the impact of size on corporate social responsibility (CSR) using an accountability model. Not many studies have considered this relationship in the university environment.

Design/methodology/approach

The study uses content analysis by applying the Global Reporting Initiative (GRI) disclosure index to university annual reports and adopting the accountability model of Coyet al.(2001) to examine the impact of the size of Australian universities on SER, measured by the number of student enrolments. Data was collected in 2014. This classification of Australian universities based on size was adopted from Universities Australia (2022). The authors collected data about the academic ranking of Australian universities using the Shanghai ranking (Shanghai, 2022).

Findings

The authors predict and find that there is no relationship between SER and size. As the authors expected, the level of SER is marginally influenced by the world academic ranking of universities. The findings provide significant insight into the SER practices of Australian universities. The authors expand the SER literature and practice nationally and internationally.

Originality/value

Few studies have explored CSR in Australian universities. The current study expands the debate on SER using an accountability model in Australian universities. This paper describes CSR in 39 Australian universities and the importance of size and university ranking. The results offer new insights into the relationship between CSR in Australian universities and their size and ranking.
A machine learning and linear programming aided approach to wine ranking and selection
Authors: Tranzola Santos Leandro José , de Araújo Costa Igor Pinheiro , Moreira Miguel Ângelo Lellis , dos Santos Marcos
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to mitigate the subjective nature of wine rating by introducing statistical and optimization tools for analysis, providing a unique approach not found in existing literature.

Design/methodology/approach

The research uses an unsupervised machine learning algorithm, k-means, to cluster wines based on their chemical characteristics, followed by the application of the PROMETHEE II multicriteria decision-making model to rank the wines based on their sensorial characteristics and selling price. Lastly, a linear programming model is used to optimize the selection of wines under different scenarios and constraints.

Findings

The study presents a method to rank wines based on both chemical and sensorial characteristics, providing a more comprehensive assessment than traditional subjective ratings. Clustering wines based on their characteristics and ranking them according to sensorial characteristics provides the user/consumer with meaningful information to be used in an optimization model for wine selection.

Practical implications

The proposed framework has practical implications for wine enthusiasts, makers, tasters and retailers, offering a systematic approach to ranking and selecting/recommending wines based on both objective and subjective criteria. This approach can influence pricing, consumption and marketing strategies within the wine industry, leading to more informed and precise decision-making.

Originality/value

The research introduces a novel framework that combines machine learning, decision-making models and linear programming for wine ranking and selection, addressing the limitations of subjective ratings and providing a more objective approach.
Managers' perceptions of meaningfulness in the future work
Authors: Lemmetty Soila , Riivari Elina
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Meaningfulness at work means experience of work as important, satisfying and valuable. It is a key factor in promoting individual growth, strengthening the belief in one's own abilities and supporting a sense of belonging and commitment to the organization. In this paper, we explore managers' perceptions of meaningful work in the future, focusing on managers' talk about meaningful work and its promotion in their organizations.

Design/methodology/approach

The data for the study consists of 25 stories of future working life collected from Finnish managers in spring 2022, using the empathy-based method.

Findings

From managers' stories of future working life, we identified two overarching perception categories of meaningful work: (1) Perceptions of contexts underlining the experience of meaningfulness: evolving technologies, developing expertise and demands and change in working life values and (2) Perceptions of management practices determining meaningful work: leader-centered, distant and technical management practice versus participatory and interactive management practice.

Originality/value

The research produces a new and detailed understanding of the ways in which managers talk about decreasing and increasing meaningfulness at work and management practices related to it. As the research is qualitative in nature and based on a small dataset, its results cannot be generalized. Instead, it strengthens and sharpens the previous understanding of meaningful work and the future of work.
Dark tourism, thana tourism, and ghost tourism: a bibliometric visualization review for the last 23 years (2000–2023)
Authors: Rasool Shahid , Tariq Habib , Amin Muslim , Mubushar Muhammad , Cobanoglu Cihan
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study uses bibliometric visualization techniques to comprehensively review the intertwined concepts of dark tourism, thana tourism and ghost tourism from 2000 to 2023. The research seeks to clarify the ambiguity and inconsistencies arising from the interchangeable use of these terms and sets forth a roadmap for future research endeavors.

Design/methodology/approach

This study meticulously extracts research keywords from 634 scholarly papers in the Scopus database. It undertakes a thorough bibliometric analysis utilizing the visualization of similarities (VOS) viewer and RStudio to map the interconnectedness of these tourism phenomena.

Findings

The study identifies and explores contemporary theories such as self-categorization theory, stimulus-organism-response theory, embodiment theory, self-determination theory, socio-cognitive theory, risk perception theory, services theory, dark tourism theory, social and cultural theory, push-pull theory, performance theory, and wound culture theory. The research reveals four primary clusters through keyword co-occurrence and bibliographic coupling analyses: dark tourism insights, dynamics of dark tourism, dark tourism review and dark tourism experiences, illustrating their interrelationships and robustness.

Practical implications

Dark tourism insights can guide ethical practices, ensuring respectful site management and accurate historical representation. Integrating dark tourism into broader destination strategies can diversify offerings, attract niche markets and contribute to preserving historical memory through reflective experiences.

Originality/value

This study's outcomes significantly contribute to tourism literature by enhancing our understanding of the overlapping terminologies associated with dark, thana and ghost tourism. This improved comprehension sheds light on the importance of the research agenda surrounding the concept of dark, thana and ghost tourism.
The effect of Islamic financial literacy on business performance with emphasis on the role of Islamic financial inclusion: case study in Indonesia
Authors: Masrizal  , Sukmana Raditya , Trianto Budi
Published: September 2024

Purpose

Recently, financial inclusion promoters have observed that financial literacy is a vital tool for financial inclusion growth, especially among the poor who are considered financially illiterate. The purpose of this paper is to look at the role of Islamic financial literacy (IFL) and inclusion in improving the performance of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) in Indonesia.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses questionnaire data collected as many as 197 MSMEs. This study was analyzed using structural equation modeling approach to test the hypothesis.

Findings

The results show that IFL is an important variable to increase Islamic financial inclusion. The results also show that both have a significant influence in developing the MSME sector business.

Research limitations/implications

This research is not without limitations. This study only adopted a sample in one Province in Indonesia with focus on creative economy sector and some others sectors located in the province of Riau, therefore ignoring suburban and urban areas in Indonesia. Therefore, future studies using a cross-sectional research design are feasible. In addition, this study only uses quantitative data, so that qualitative research with key informant interviews can be considered for further research.

Practical implications

The findings of this study enlighten policymakers, managers of financial institutions and advocates of financial literacy and inclusion about the importance of improving the performance of MSMEs. As a policy recommendation, this study suggests that Islamic policy makers and financial institutions should play a proactive role in increasing service outreach and providing the regulatory environment needed for MSMEs given the important role MSMEs play in the Indonesian economy.

Originality/value

This study combines functional components (behaviors and attitudes) and nonfunctional measures (knowledge and skills) of financial literacy and financial inclusion in explaining the performance of MSMEs. Thus, this research is an initial effort to explain financial literacy and inclusion on the performance of MSMEs.
The effects of knowledge hiding on new product creativity in informational faultlines
Authors: Xi Cunhu , Qu Xiaoqian
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This paper aims to explore how informational faultlines impact new product creativity through specific mechanisms. The study focuses on analyzing how knowledge hiding mediates the relationship between informational faultlines and new product creativity, and how team promotion regulatory focus and team prevention regulatory focus moderate this process.

Design/methodology/approach

This research investigates the proposed hypotheses by examining sample data from 65 team leaders and 370 employees, delving into the relationship between informational faultlines and new product creativity and its underlying mechanisms.

Findings

Knowledge hiding negatively mediates the relationship between informational faultlines and new product creativity; team promotion regulatory focus negatively moderates the relationship between informational faultlines and knowledge hiding; team prevention regulatory focus positively moderates the relationship between informational faultlines and knowledge hiding; team promotion regulatory focus negatively moderates the mediating role of knowledge hiding in the link between informational faultlines and new product creativity. The higher the level of team promotion regulatory focus, the weaker the mediating role of knowledge hiding between informational faultlines and new product creativity, and vice versa; team prevention regulatory focus positively moderates the mediating effect of knowledge hiding in the relationship between informational faultlines and new product creativity. The higher the level of team prevention regulatory focus, the stronger the mediating effect of knowledge hiding on informational faultlines and new product creativity, and vice versa.

Originality/value

This paper constructs a novel moderated mediation model based on the need-threat model. To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this is the first to explore the relationship between informational faultlines and new product creativity from the perspective of knowledge retention, effectively filling the research gap on the role of knowledge hiding between informational faultlines and team innovative output and the moderate role of team motivational-based psychological characteristics, such as team regulatory focus, in the aforementioned mechanisms.
Community detection using Jaya optimization algorithm based on deep learning methods and KNN graph-based clustering
Authors: Aliabadi Mostafa , Ghaffari Hamidreza
Published: September 2024

Purpose

In this paper, community identification has been considered as the most critical task of social network analysis. The purpose of this paper is to organize the nodes of a given network graph into distinct clusters or known communities. These clusters will therefore form the different communities available within the social network graph.

Design/methodology/approach

To date, numerous methods have been developed to detect communities in social networks through graph clustering techniques. The k-means algorithm stands out as one of the most well-known graph clustering algorithms, celebrated for its straightforward implementation and rapid processing. However, it has a serious drawback because it is insensitive to initial conditions and always settles on local optima rather than finding the global optimum. More recently, clustering algorithms that use a reciprocal KNN (k-nearest neighbors) graph have been used for data clustering. It skillfully overcomes many major shortcomings of k-means algorithms, especially about the selection of the initial centers of clusters. However, it does face its own challenge: sensitivity to the choice of the neighborhood size parameter k, which is crucial for selecting the nearest neighbors during the clustering process. In this design, the Jaya optimization method is used to select the K parameter in the KNN method.

Findings

The experiment on real-world network data results show that the proposed approach significantly improves the accuracy of methods in community detection in social networks. On the other hand, it seems to offer some potential for discovering a more refined hierarchy in social networks and thus becomes a useful tool in the analysis of social networks.

Originality/value

This paper introduces an enhancement to the KNN graph-based clustering method by proposing a local average vector method for selecting the optimal neighborhood size parameter k. Furthermore, it presents an improved Jaya algorithm with KNN graph-based clustering for more effective community detection in social network graphs.
Kingdom of Fintech: crowdfunding shaping the future in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia
Authors: Aysan Ahmet Faruk Faruk , Lemine Aza Sidi , Kayani Umar
Published: September 2024

Purpose

This study aims to assess that whether Islamic real estate crowdfunding (RECF) can offer a compelling alternative investment that can attract substantial funds from traditional securities and other conventional methods or otherwise.

Design/methodology/approach

The current study draws on secondary data that was published on legitimate website, Twitter and official documents. Document analysis is conducted using the statements of privacy policy, Sharia compliance, terms and conditions disclosers and the established facts. Second, to achieve in-depth knowledge, a qualitative analysis was conducted for the published interviews and presentations with Aseel CEO Majed Abalkhail on YouTube. Thematic analysis is adapted; it is among the most popular types of analyzing qualitative data.

Findings

The findings show that the Aseel platform has been successful in providing simple access to investment opportunities by minimizing the obstacles, reducing entry and exit costs, streamlining the process and widening the investor’s base.

Originality/value

This paper seeks to contribute to the literature on crowdfunding, Islamic crowdfunding and RECF. Its objectives include exploring the concept of crowdfunding, its growth and various types. Furthermore, the paper aims to examine the expansion of the Islamic crowdfunding system, its current market position and a focus on the Saudi Arabian market. Lastly, the paper investigates the first RECF in Saudi Arabia, Aseel Company, which has achieved remarkable success with seven investment funds completed within its first year of establishment.
Arrival‐breeding interval is flexible in a songbird and is not constrained by migration carry‐over effects
Authors: Smith Lakesha H. , Fraser Kevin C.
Published: September 2024

As spring phenology advances with climate change, so too must the timing of life cycle events. Breeding at the right time is critical in many species as it maximizes fitness. For long‐distance migratory birds, flexibility in the duration of the arrival‐breeding interval (pre‐breeding period) may allow populations to adjust their timing of breeding. However, whether first egg‐lay dates are flexible to local environmental conditions after arrival, and if they are constrained by the time needed to replenish energy lost during migration, remains unclear.

We investigated the regional flexibility of the arrival‐breeding interval in an avian migrant, the purple martin, Progne subis, across their breeding range. We evaluated whether the duration of the arrival‐breeding interval was flexible to temperature and precipitation at breeding sites, and if timing was limited by migration rate and stopover duration. We also tested if longer interval durations were associated with higher fledging success.

To address our hypotheses, we used a combination of migration tracking, weather and breeding data collected from four regions across eastern North America (26.1° N to 52.4° N latitude).

We found the arrival‐breeding interval to be shortest in the north and longest in the south. Across all regions, warmer temperatures encountered at breeding grounds were associated with shorter intervals, and faster migration rates led to longer intervals. The length of the interval was not influenced by precipitation or stopover duration. Finally, longer intervals were not associated with higher fledge success.

Currently, the longer arrival‐breeding intervals in this study system, on average 28.3 days, may provide both early and late‐arriving birds with ample time for recovery so birds can lay eggs according to temperature. Any negative effects of faster migration may have been buffered by longer arrival‐breeding intervals, as interval length did not determine fledge success. With ongoing climate change, further research is needed to examine if arrival‐breeding intervals become constrained by migration timing, which may limit opportunities for migrants to match the timing of breeding with key resources.
Severe fire regimes decrease resilience of ectothermic populations
Authors: de Sousa Heitor Campos , Malvasio Adriana , Colli Guarino Rinaldi , Salguero‐Gómez Roberto
Published: September 2024

Understanding populations' responses to environmental change is crucial for mitigating human‐induced disturbances.

Here, we test hypotheses regarding how three essential components of demographic resilience (resistance, compensation and recovery) co‐vary along the distinct life histories of three lizard species exposed to variable, prescribed fire regimes.

Using a Bayesian hierarchical framework, we estimate vital rates (survival, growth and reproduction) with 14 years of monthly individual‐level data and mark‐recapture models to parameterize stochastic integral projection models from five sites in Brazilian savannas, each historically subjected to different fire regimes. With these models, we investigate how weather, microclimate and ecophysiological traits of each species influence their vital rates, emergent life history traits and demographic resilience components in varying fire regimes.

Overall, weather and microclimate are better predictors of the species' vital rates, rather than their ecophysiological traits. Our findings reveal that severe fire regimes increase populations' resistance but decrease compensation or recovery abilities. Instead, populations have higher compensatory and recovery abilities at intermediate degrees of fire severity. Additionally, we identify generation time and reproductive output as predictors of resilience trends across fire regimes and climate. Our analyses demonstrate that the probability and quantity of monthly reproduction are the proximal drivers of demographic resilience across the three species.

Our findings suggest that populations surpass a tipping point in severe fire regimes and achieve an alternative stable state to persist. Thus, higher heterogeneity in fire regimes can increase the reproductive aspects and resilience of different populations and avoid high‐severity regimes that homogenize the environment. Despite being more resistant, species with long generation times and low reproductive output take longer to recover and cannot compensate as much as species with faster paces of life. We emphasize how reproductive constraints, such as viviparity and fixed clutch sizes, impact the ability of ectothermic populations to benefit and recover from disturbances, underscoring their relevance in conservation assessments.
Plant metabolites modulate social networks and lifespan in a sawfly
Authors: Singh Pragya , Brueggemann Leon , Janz Steven , Saidi Yasmina , Baruah Gaurav , Müller Caroline
Published: September 2024

Social interactions influence disease spread, information flow and resource allocation across species, yet heterogeneity in social interaction frequency and its fitness consequences are still poorly understood. Additionally, the role of exogenous chemicals, such as non‐nutritive plant metabolites that are utilised by several animal species, in shaping social networks remains unclear.

Here, we investigated how non‐nutritive plant metabolites impact social interactions and the lifespan of the turnip sawfly, Athalia rosae. Adult sawflies acquire neo‐clerodane diterpenoids (‘clerodanoids’) from non‐food plants and this can serve as a defence against predation and increase mating success.

We found intraspecific variation in clerodanoids in natural populations and laboratory‐reared individuals. Clerodanoids could also be acquired from conspecifics that had prior access to the plant metabolites, which led to increased agonistic social interactions.

Network analysis indicated increased social interactions in sawfly groups where some or all individuals had prior access to clerodanoids, while groups with no prior access had fewer interactions. The frequency of social interactions was influenced by the clerodanoid status of the focal individual and that of other conspecifics.

Finally, we observed a shorter lifespan in adults with prior clerodanoid access when grouped with individuals without prior access, suggesting that social interactions to obtain clerodanoids have fitness costs. Our findings highlight the role of intraspecific variation in the acquisition of non‐nutritional plant metabolites in shaping social networks. This variation influences individual fitness and social interactions, thereby shaping the individualised social niche.
Seasonal variability and seagrass traits affect methane fluxes in a subtropical meadow
Authors: Bijak Alexandra L. , Reynolds Laura K. , Martens‐Habbena Willm , Smyth Ashley R.
Published: September 2024

Plant traits which vary both within and between species often drive biogeochemical cycling. Understanding the relative role of within‐ and between‐species trait variability in driving carbon cycling is essential to scaling site measurements to global carbon budgets. In seagrass meadows, carbon and nitrogen mineralization rates and associated greenhouse gas emissions are highly variable, impeding our ability to reliably predict whether meadows are net carbon sinks. Evaluating the influence of within‐ and between‐species trait variability on greenhouse gas fluxes will improve our understanding of local‐scale drivers of greenhouse gas production and consumption in seagrass meadows.

To test the effects of plant traits on dissolved greenhouse gas fluxes, we performed mesocosm incubations with live, intact seagrass plants. We compared methane (CH4) and nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes under dark and light conditions from sediments dominated by Halodule wrightii and Thalassia testudinum across dormant, early and peak growing seasons in a subtropical meadow along the west coast of peninsular Florida. We also measured oxygen (O2) fluxes to interpret greenhouse gas fluxes within the context of community metabolism. We measured several seagrass traits, such as above‐ and below‐ground biomass and leaf and root area and assessed their impact as well as the impact of species identity on dissolved gas fluxes.

We found that abiotic factors linked to metabolism (i.e. light and temperature) influenced greenhouse gas fluxes across seasons. In addition to light conditions and sampling month, plant size (a composite trait variable) was a significant predictor of O2 consumption and CH4 production under dark conditions, and better predicted fluxes than individual plant traits. CH4 production was slightly higher in H. wrightii‐dominated sediments, but species identity was less important than plant size in driving CH4 production. N2O fluxes were low and not influenced by plant traits or species identity.

Synthesis: Our results indicate that within‐species more so than between‐species trait variability drives the direction and magnitude of CH4 fluxes in seagrass meadows. We identified a trade‐off where seagrass biomass is often associated with enhanced sediment carbon storage, but in our study, plant size promoted CH4 production, potentially offsetting the benefits of long‐term storage.
Hospital‐physician integration and Medicare spending: Evidence from stable angina
Authors: Post Brady , Kitsakos Aliya , Alinezhad Farbod , Young Gary
Published: September 2024

Objective

To examine the association between hospital‐cardiologist integration and Medicare spending for stable angina patients.

Data Sources and Study Setting

This study used Medicare Standard Analytic Files from 2013 to 2020 and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services National Downloadable File for accompanying physician data.

Study Design

This was a retrospective cohort study of Medicare beneficiaries with a new diagnosis of stable angina between 2013 and 2020.

Data Collection/Extraction Methods

Patients with a new diagnosis of stable angina were categorized by whether they received care from an independent or a hospital‐integrated cardiologist.

Principal Findings

Total spending for this sample was high: an average of $103,946 per patient over 12 months. Adjusted for covariates, patients of integrated cardiologists did not spend significantly more or less than clinically comparable patients of independent cardiologists (−$3856, 95% CI: −$8631 to 920, p = 0.11). This was true for overall inpatient (−$2622, 95% CI: −6069 to 825, p = 0.14) and outpatient (−1162, 95% CI: −$3510 to 1185, p = 0.33) spending as well as cardiology‐specific inpatient and outpatient spending. Among high‐risk patients, overall spending between the integrated and independent groups was comparable, though patients of integrated cardiologists incurred lower spending than those of their independent counterparts in inpatient care (−$13,589; 95% CI: −24,432 to −2746, p = 0.01). In a supplemental analysis, findings suggested that site‐neutral payments would have resulted in lower spending among patients of integrated physicians.

Conclusions

Specific clinical settings may lend themselves to efficiencies created by integration for certain complex patients, though we do not test a causal mechanism here. Adoption of site‐neutral payment policy may also lead to lower spending among patients of integrated physicians.

What is known on this topic

Hospital‐physician integration has increased significantly in the United States.

Policymakers and health policy experts have expressed concerns that hospital‐physician integration leads to increased health spending and may threaten healthcare affordability.

While some studies link integration to greater spending, many use incomplete measures of spending, do not consider the potential benefits of care coordination, or rely on outdated data.

What this study adds

Spending among patients with stable angina, a common cardiovascular condition, was nearly equal, on average, across patients of integrated and independent cardiologists.

Inpatient spending on high‐risk patients was somewhat lower for those under the care of integrated cardiologists.

Overall, patients of integrated cardiologists incurred largely comparable spending relative to patients of independent cardiologists, indicating that the impact of hospital‐physician integration may depend on the clinical context.
The urban island: climatic suitability of Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) and the role of cities in the invasion of the Western Palearctic
Authors: LÓPEZ‐COLLAR Diego , CABRERO‐SAÑUDO Francisco J. , GIL‐TAPETADO Diego
Published: September 2024

Urban environments often present environmental conditions that facilitate the introduction and establishment of nonnative and invasive species. These can expand their range into areas with unfavorable climates by taking advantage of the ecological and climatic homogenization of cities, bypassing the ecological barriers presented by the surrounding environment. One way to monitor the expansion of these species is using potential distribution models. We used as a model species the Argentine ant, Linepithema humile (Hymenoptera: Formicidae) whose invasion has caused serious consequences for biodiversity and economic losses worldwide. We used the average result of six different algorithms and used climatic variables and population density as a proxy for the urbanization level in the Western Palearctic to build the predictive model. The model indicates this ant prefers to inhabit areas with Mediterranean and Temperate Oceanic climates and that its suitability depends on two main factors: the continentality (temperature annual range) and the degree of urbanization. The species is predicted to be absent in areas with large temperature contrasts throughout the year, particularly in rural and peri‐urban areas (i.e. adjacent to urban areas) of inland regions. Conversely, the species has a predilection for coastal and urban areas where environmental conditions are attenuated by the influence of the sea or the “urban heat island” effect in the case of inland cities. In this sense, cities act as “bioclimatic islands” facilitating the establishment of the Argentine ant as a reservoir, enlarging its distribution into climatically nonoptimal areas, and promoting its future expansion in a scenario of global warming and socioeconomic change.
Early positive tactile stimulation reverses the increase of anxiety and decrease of sociality induced by early chronic mechanical pain in mandarin voles
Authors: SUN Yahan , XIAO Jiayu , LI Luoman , NIU Haiwei , ZHU Yiting , LI Lu , QIAN Wei , LI Yin , ZHANG Lizi , QU Yishan , BAI Yuting , HAN Xiao , HUANG Kaizhe , HE Zhixiong , TAI Fadao
Published: September 2024

Animals may experience early negative (mechanical pain: being retrieved using an incisor by parents or attacked) or positive stimulation (being licked and groomed) that may affect emotional and social behaviors in adulthood. Whether positive tactile stimulation can reverse adverse consequences on emotional and social behaviors in adulthood resulting from chronic mechanical pain and underlying mechanisms remain unclear. This study used a tail‐pinching model during development to simulate mechanical pain experienced by pups in high‐social mandarin voles (Microtus mandarinus). Subsequently, brush‐like positive tactile stimuli were applied to the backs of the mandarin voles. Various behavioral tests were used to measure levels of anxiety, depression, and sociability. The results showed that early tail‐pinching delayed the eye opening of pups, increased levels of anxiety, reduced levels of sociality in male mandarin voles, and impaired social cognition in females during adulthood. Brushing on the back reversed some of these effects. While mandarin voles that were exposed to tail‐pinching during development were exposed to sub‐threshold variable stress as adults, they were more likely to show a stress‐induced increase of anxiety‐like behavior, reduction of sociability, and impairment of social cognition, displaying heightened susceptibility to stress, particularly in males. However, back‐brushing reversed some of these effects, implying that these adults display enhanced stress resilience. In addition, tail‐pinching reduced levels of serum oxytocin and increased corticosterone levels in serum, but back‐brushing reversed these effects. Overall, it was found that positive tactile stimulation reversed increases in anxiety and impairments of social behavior induced by negative stimulation in male mandarin voles via alteration of oxytocin and corticosterone levels.
Dynamic Characteristics of the Long Runout Rock‐ice Avalanche at High Altitude—A Case from the Zelongnong Basin, Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis, China
Authors: GAO Shaohua , YIN Yueping , LI Bin , GAO Yang , ZHANG Nan , ZHANG Tiantian , GAO Haoyuan , LIU Xiaojie
Published: September 2024

Rock‐ice avalanches have frequently occurred in the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis region due to climate change and active tectonic movements. These events commonly trigger catastrophic geohazard chains, including debris flows, river blockages, and floods. This study focuses on the Zelongnong Basin, analyzing the geomorphic and dynamic characteristics of high‐altitude disasters. The basin exhibits typical vertical zonation, with disaster sources initiating at elevations exceeding 4000 m and runout distances reaching up to 10 km. The disaster chain movement involves complex dynamic effects, including impact disintegration, soil‐rock mixture arching, dynamic erosion, and debris deposition, enhancing understanding of the flow behavior and dynamic characteristics of rock‐ice avalanches. The presence of ice significantly increases mobility due to lubrication and frictional melting. In the disaster event of September 10, 2020, the maximum flow velocity and thickness reached 40 m/s and 43 m, respectively. Furthermore, continuous deformation of the Zelongnong glacier moraine was observed, with maximum cumulative deformations of 44.68 m in the distance direction and 25.96 m in the azimuth direction from March 25, 2022, to August 25, 2022. In the future, the risk of rock‐ice avalanches in the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis region will remain extremely high, necessitating a focus on early warning and risk mitigation strategies for such basin disasters.
Impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis of patients with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer treated with antiangiogenic therapy: A propensity score matching analysis
Authors: Huang Fuchun , Ma Mingxuan , Lang Liye , Yang Shuang , Zhao Hui , Zhang Jialin , Liu Hua
Published: September 2024

Background

Limited information is available regarding the impact of sarcopenia on the prognosis of antiangiogenic therapy in individuals with advanced non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). This study primarily sought to examine the prognostic significance of sarcopenia in individuals with advanced NSCLC undergoing antiangiogenic therapy.

Methods

We retrospectively enrolled all patients who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria from 2019 to 2021 at Nantong University Hospital. Patients were grouped according to the presence or absence of sarcopenia. After propensity score matching (PSM), progression‐free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), and adverse event rates were compared between the two groups. Factors associated with prognosis were screened using univariate and multivariate analyses.

Results

A total of 267 patients were included, with a total of 201 matched at baseline after PSM (77 in the sarcopenia group and 124 in the non‐sarcopenia group). The sarcopenia group had lower PFS (p = 0.043) and OS (p = 0.011) than the non‐sarcopenia group and a higher incidence of adverse events (p = 0.044). Multivariate analysis suggested that sarcopenia is an independent prognostic risk factor for OS in advanced NSCLC patients receiving antiangiogenic therapies (p = 0.009). Results of subgroup analyses showed some differences in the impact of sarcopenia on survival prognosis in populations with different characteristics.

Conclusion

Patients with advanced NSCLC with comorbid sarcopenia exhibit a worse prognosis when treated with antiangiogenic therapy, and preventing and ameliorating sarcopenia may lead to better survival outcomes in patients with advanced NSCLC.
Intragenic dystrophin (DMD) duplication variant in Entlebucher Mountain Dogs with Duchenne muscular dystrophy
Authors: Schwarz Cleo , Jagannathan Vidhya , Schelling Claude , Leeb Tosso
Published: September 2024

Muscular dystrophies represent a group of disorders characterized by progressive muscle degeneration and weakness. An important subgroup are the dystrophin‐related muscular dystrophies caused by variants in the DMD gene. They can be divided into the more severe Duchenne muscular dystrophy and the milder Becker muscular dystrophy. Here, we characterize the clinical, histopathological and molecular genetic aspects of two male Entlebucher Mountain Dogs with clinical signs of muscular dystrophy. The two dogs presented with marked dysphagia starting at the age of several weeks and in the later course recognizable exercise intolerance with highly increased serum creatine kinase levels. Histopathological signs of a dystrophic myopathy represented by degeneration of muscle fibers and signs of regeneration were present. Whole genome sequencing of one affected dog identified an intragenic 8.6 kb duplication in the X‐chromosomal DMD gene, c.7528‐4048_7645 + 4450dup. No other protein‐changing variants in candidate genes for muscular dystrophy were identified. The duplication includes exon 52 of DMD and is predicted to lead to a frameshift and truncation of 30% of the wild‐type open reading frame. Genotyping of the whole family confirmed the presence of the mutant allele in both affected dogs and the unaffected dam. The correct co‐segregation of the mutant allele in the affected family as well as knowledge from humans and other species suggest the identified DMD variant as the most likely candidate variant for the muscular dystrophy phenotype in the two investigated dogs.
Management of neonatal head injuries: A retrospective cohort study
Authors: Parri Niccolò , Giacalone Martina , Greco Marco , Aceti Arianna , Lucenteforte Ersilia , Corsini Iuri ,   the NeonATal Injury preVention rEsearch (NATIVE) group
Published: September 2024

Aim

The aim of this study is to describe circumstances, management and short‐term outcomes of neonatal head trauma, and adherence to the Paediatric Emergency Care Applied Research Network (PECARN) head trauma prediction rule for children under 2 years.

Methods

Multicentre retrospective cohort study of neonates (<29 days) with head trauma across 25 emergency departments (ED) from January 2017 to June 2021.

Results

A total of 492 neonates (median age 17 days, range 0–28 days) with non‐trivial head trauma were enrolled. Falls were the most common injury mechanism (375/492, 76.2%). Imaging was performed in 150/492 (30.5%) neonates.

Clinically important traumatic brain injury (ciTBI), defined as death, neurosurgery, prolonged intubation, or extended hospitalisation from injury, occurred in 7/492 (1.4%) cases. Notably, 286/492 (58.1%) neonates were managed by short‐term observation (<48 h), and 126/492 (25.6%) were admitted.

Among high‐risk neonates per PECARN criteria, 17/21 (80.9%) did not undergo recommended head CT scans but were observed within ED short observation units or underwent alternative imaging, with no ciTBI diagnoses among those discharged without CT.

Conclusion

Severe neonatal head injuries are rare, and most neonatal head injuries have a favourable outcome, making observation a suitable approach, while remaining vigilant for signs of non‐accidental injuries.
Understanding internal dynamics of state anxiety during COVID‐19 pandemic: Seven‐wave longitudinal findings via panel network analysis
Authors: Zhang Yimei , Ma Zhihao
Published: September 2024

Research on state anxiety has long been dominated by the traditional psychometric approach that assumes anxiety symptoms have a common cause. Yet state anxiety can be conceptualized as a network system. In this study, we utilized data from the COVID‐Dynamic dataset from waves 7 to 13, collected at three‐week intervals from June 6, 2020, to October 13, 2020, and included 1,042 valid participants to characterize the internal dynamics of state anxiety. Using the Gaussian graphical model along with strength centrality, we estimated three network models of state anxiety. The between‐subjects and contemporaneous network showed numerous positive relations between items and some unexpected negative relations. Three communities were identified in the between‐subjects network, and two communities were identified in the contemporaneous network. The temporal network showed the coexistence of positive and negative predictions between items after three weeks. Several items exhibited significant positive autocorrelations after three weeks. These findings have implications for anxiety theory and clinical interventions at between‐subjects and within‐subjects levels.
Acalabrutinib alone or in combination with rituximab for follicular lymphoma: An open‐label study
Authors: Strati Paolo , Champion Rebecca , Coleman Morton , Smith Sonali M. , Venugopal Parameswaran , Martin Peter , Wood Andrew , Miller Kara , Christian Beth
Published: September 2024

Acalabrutinib is a selective, second‐generation Bruton tyrosine kinase inhibitor. In this open‐label, parallel‐group study, patients with relapsed/refractory (R/R) follicular lymphoma (FL) were randomised to either acalabrutinib monotherapy or acalabrutinib plus rituximab. An additional cohort of patients with treatment‐naive (TN) FL received only the acalabrutinib‐rituximab combination. Acalabrutinib‐rituximab was well tolerated and active in R/R and TN FL; in the TN cohort the overall response rate was 92.3% with most remissions lasting over 4 years. Acalabrutinib monotherapy was also well tolerated and active in R/R FL. These results support further study of acalabrutinib alone and in combination with rituximab in FL.
Relevance of the common‐sense model for people living with a genetic predisposition for breast and ovarian cancer
Authors: Fantini‐Hauwel Carole , Geerts‐Crabbé Laura , Antoine Pascal
Published: September 2024

Objectives

BRCA1/2 pathogenic variants have been associated with an increased risk for breast, ovarian, pancreatic, prostate cancer as well as melanoma. The present research uses the Leventhal's common‐sense model of self‐regulation (CSM), a theoretical framework highlighting the role of mental representations on responses to a health‐threat. We aim at understanding the personal meaning and representation of living with an hereditary breast and ovarian cancer predisposition.

Method

Semi‐structured interviews of 15 BRCA carriers were analysed using the interpretative phenomenological analysis.

Results

Mental representations develops in childhood and are influenced by childhood emotional responses to the familial experience of the BRCA predisposition. Pre‐existing beliefs about BRCA, even erroneous, are deeply anchored and not called into question by medical informations given during the genetic counselling. This is particularly true when medical information is perceived as too complex, inconsistent or in contradiction with familial experience. These beliefs about the consequences of being carriers of the BRCA gene influence emotional and behavioural experiences leading to experience fear, anxiety, lack of hope for future or self‐identity change. For participants with a traumatic familial experience of cancer, the lack of treatment for this genetic disease generates a perpetual overestimation of cancers’ risk and the feeling of an unending danger associated with early death despite breast and ovarian prophylactic surgery. When strong negative representations of the BRCA predisposition are experienced, dysfunctional health behaviours, such as drugs consumption or overuse of medical consultations, could appear consecutively to emotional disorders.
Debate: How much should nonspecialists be involved in mental health care for children and young people when resources are limited?
Authors: Gega Lina
Published: September 2024

From the barber‐surgeons of the Middle Ages to the digitally enabled clinical interventions of today, the role of nonspecialists in delivering accessible health care remains relevant and important. Their contribution in developing and supporting appropriate interventions and care pathways in the community can make a big difference for the overwhelming majority of children and young people with diagnosable mental health conditions who are not eligible for specialist treatment or do not seek help. Even if resources for specialist services were unlimited, there are independent benefits in involving nonspecialists in mental health care, albeit not without limitations and concerns. The natural shift over time in the boundaries of specialisms, the omnipresence and omnipotence of digital media in our lives and the vision of ‘no wrong door’ for service users, mean that it is not a question of whether, but of how, nonspecialists should be involved. We need to get past the point of considering them just as alternative providers of mental health interventions and services. Instead, they are best placed to protect children and young people's mental health through ubiquitous everyday actions, which counter the negative and maximise the positive elements in current practices, environments and interactions that influence families and communities.
Review of susceptibility genes in developmental dysplasia of the hip: A comprehensive examination of candidate genes and pathways
Authors: Wang Wenla , Zhuang Wei , Zeng Wenxiang , Feng Yuqi , Zhang Zhaowei
Published: September 2024

Developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) is one of the most prevalent skeletal deformities, primarily due to the incompatibility between the acetabulum and femoral head. It includes complete dislocation, partial dislocation, instability with femoral head subluxation, and a range of imaging abnormalities that reflect inadequate acetabular formation. Known risk factors for DDH include positive family history, sex, premature birth, non‐cephalic delivery, oligohydramnios, gestational diabetes mellitus, maternal hypertension, associated anomalies, swaddling clothes, intrauterine space restriction, and post‐term pregnancy. Various research designs have been employed in DDH studies to identify relevant genes, including candidate gene association studies (CGAS), genome‐wide association studies (GWAS), restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP), and whole exome sequencing (WES). To date, multiple DDH‐associated genes have been identified in various populations. Despite extensive research into the epidemiology, risk factors, and genes associated with DDH, its pathogenesis remains unclear. This study provides a comprehensive summary of DDH research designs and evidence for relevant gene mutations through a PubMed search.