bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Digital transformation and the cost of bank loans in China
Authors: Cui Huijie , Li Yutong , Liang Shangkun
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aimed to analyze the impact of enterprise digital transformation on bank loan contracting from 2007 to 2021.

Design/methodology/approach

This study used an empirical approach to examine the impact of digital transformation on bank loan interest rates and the possible mechanisms. The digital transformation data of firms were obtained by Python, and the bank loan contracting information of Chinese listed firms was hand-collected from the notes of the annual report.

Findings

The results show that digital transformation can significantly reduce the bank loan interest rate and show heterogeneity in the nature of property rights, industry type and firm size. The above results remain significant after conducting a series of robustness tests. Channel tests suggest that digital transformation can promote total factor productivity, improve firms’ information environment and reduce the risk of financial distress, thus helping them reduce their loan interest rate. In addition, banks’ digital transformation can also affect the link between enterprise digital transformation and bank loan interest rates.

Originality/value

First, this paper deeply investigates the relationship between enterprise digital transformation and bank loan contracting, and the mechanisms behind it which expands the research on economic consequences of digitalization. Developing digitalization society has been a top priority in China as it is an urgent task to survive in the competitive global economic environment as a developing country. Second, in developed countries, the evidence relating to bank loan contracting is plentiful. However, the Chinese studies are still very limited as it has no database like Dealscan in US.
Criticism goes social: exploring public architectural criticism through architecture awards
Authors: Tempestini Matteo
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper investigates the evolving landscape of architectural criticism in the digital era, leveraging the enduring interplay between architecture and media. It specifically examines the role of social media and public awards in improving user engagement with architectural discourse.

Design/methodology/approach

A mixed-method approach, incorporating both qualitative and quantitative analyses, is used to discuss three architecture awards. These are chosen for their different evaluation processes and their capacity to offer diverse opportunities for public interaction and engagement.

Findings

The study emphasises the potential of social media to democratise architectural criticism, while also addressing challenges such as the prominence of non-critical visual material and the presence of algorithmic biases. The findings underline the importance of providing adequate materials for public evaluation and integrating expert juries to support the assessment process. These elements are essential to fostering informed public participation, bridging the gap between professional expertise and popular engagement, and enabling meaningful architectural discourse on social media.

Originality/value

This paper fills a gap in the academic literature by connecting public architectural awards – a relatively unexplored aspect of architectural culture – with the potential of social media as a platform for architectural criticism.
Building resilient municipalities: evaluating the economic and social impact of fire brigade department interventions
Authors: Nehme Nabil , Baboyan Kevork , Samaha Layal , Nehme Ghassan , de Wijn Marija
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The purpose of the paper is to evaluate the social and economic impact of the United Nations' intervention in the Fire Brigade Department (FBD) of the Urban Community Al-Fayhaa (UCF) in North Lebanon. The study uses a multi-perspective approach, including community, internal processes, resources and personnel development, to assess improvements in fire response capabilities, public safety measures and overall community resilience. The findings demonstrate that the intervention is both justifiable and feasible, with a high benefit-cost ratio, supporting the continuation and expansion of similar projects in crisis-affected regions.

Design/methodology/approach

The methodology for the appraisal involved four steps: (1) a general literature review was conducted to identify elements related to costs and benefits, using both qualitative and quantitative methods; (2) a framework on economic efficiency, focusing on minimizing fatalities, injuries and property losses, was created to assess the intervention’s impact on fire brigade operations; (3) all costs related to the intervention were converted into monetary values, and a benefit-cost ratio was calculated and (4) a financial plan for the operation and maintenance was developed, covering facility, equipment, human resources and information technology costs, including inflation and currency devaluation factors.

Findings

The paper finds that the United Nations' intervention in the FBD of the UCF significantly improved fire response capabilities, public safety and community resilience. The intervention enhanced operational efficiency through better equipment, infrastructure, and staff training. A benefit-cost analysis showed a high ratio of 10.48, proving the intervention’s economic and social value. The study concludes that such targeted interventions are effective and should be continued and expanded in crisis-affected regions to strengthen local resilience and improve safety outcomes.

Originality/value

The originality of the paper lies in its comprehensive social and economic appraisal of a specific United Nations intervention in the FBD of the UCF in North Lebanon. It utilizes a multi-perspective approach – covering community, internal processes, resources and personnel development – to quantify the impacts of the intervention, offering a unique context-specific analysis. The study combines qualitative and quantitative methods, including benefit-cost analysis, to provide a nuanced understanding of the intervention’s effectiveness. This approach provides new insights into the value and feasibility of similar resilience-building projects in crisis-affected regions, particularly in the context of Lebanon’s ongoing challenges.
Educational attainment and risk aversion: evidence from rural Uganda
Authors: Mugizi Francisco M.P.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This paper examines whether educational attainment correlates with risk aversion among rural households in Uganda.

Design/methodology/approach

Unique large-scale field experimental data on risk aversion is used and complemented with household survey data. In the analysis, the study uses the ordinary least square method.

Findings

The study finds a positive, albeit not robust, correlation between educational attainment and risk aversion. The results suggest that in some contexts, education may reduce risk-taking behaviour. The study also finds that compared to other age groups, the correlation between years of schooling and risk aversion is positive and statistically significant in the subsample of those aged 60 and above. This suggests that the effects of education on risk aversion may differ across age groups.

Originality/value

This is the first study in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) linking educational attainment and risk aversion. Empirical studies that use experimentally elicited risk aversion parameters to examine the influence of educational attainment on risk aversion are nonexistent in SSA. Understanding whether education influences risk aversion in SSA is of policy relevance because individuals, on average, are said to be more risk averse. Risk aversion may aggravate poverty in the region by inducing sub-optimal risk-averse behaviours.

Peer review

The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-12-2023-0989
The informational relevance of IFRS 9 adoption: emerging market evidence
Authors: Taylor Daniel , Awuye Isaac S. , Cudjoe Eunice Yaa , Aubert Francois
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study aims to examine the value relevance of accounting information among African banks following the adoption of International Financial Reporting Standard 9-Financial Instruments (IFRS 9), the latest regulatory standard on financial instruments.

Design/methodology/approach

Using the price regression and return regression models, we test the informativeness of earnings, equity book values and earnings change post-IFRS 9 adoption.

Findings

We find evidence that IFRS 9 adoption enhances the informativeness of earnings. However, equity book values were more value-relevant under the previous IAS 39 regime. These findings remain robust to different model specifications. Further analysis reveals that IFRS 9 adoption has no informational value in an environment of low regulatory and enforcement quality, highlighting the crucial role of institutional structures in ensuring consistent application of the standard across jurisdictions.

Practical implications

Our findings support the notion that stronger regulatory oversight enhances the value relevance of IFRS 9 adoption. Thus, emerging countries such as Sub-Saharan African countries usually characterized by low regulatory enforcement could leverage optimal benefits from the adoption of high-quality standards such as IFRS 9 by prioritizing the strengthening of regulatory frameworks that effectively monitor IFRS compliance to enhance trust and market discipline in the financial markets. The findings are largely consistent with other non-African studies and imply consistent application of the standard is imperative to derive the intended benefits of the standard regardless of the geographical region of implementation.

Originality/value

To the best of our knowledge, this paper is the first empirical study to provide evidence on the value relevance of reported financial information under IFRS 9 in emerging markets, particularly Africa which is significantly under-represented in IFRS studies despite its unique context. By focusing on the unique African setting unlike previous studies, our paper builds upon previous research and extends our understanding of the economic outcomes of IFRS adoption in an emerging market. Moreso, the study is a response to the call by Awuye and Taylor (2024) whose systematic literature review on IFRS 9 adoption unveiled the paucity of research in emerging markets like Africa.
Enhancing students’ academic performance: a two-way serial mediation model
Authors: Azila-Gbettor Edem Maxwell , Glate Stanley Nelvis , Honyenuga Ben Q.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The study investigates the two-way serial mediation of academic self-efficacy and growth mindset in the nexus between team learning and perceived academic performance among university students in Ghana.

Design/methodology/approach

About 835 samples were selected using stratified sampling techniques from three technical universities that participated in the study. The data gathered using a self-reported questionnaire was analysed using SEM-PLS.

Findings

The findings reveal that team learning directly improves students’ academic self-efficacy, perceived academic performance and growth mindset. Academic self-efficacy and growth mindset separately, serially and bidirectionally mediate the relationship between team learning and perceived academic performance.

Practical implications

The results emphasize the need to foster a growth mindset among students. Additionally, educational policymakers should consider incorporating academic self-efficacy and growth mindset in students’ team learning processes to promote effective learning outcomes.

Originality/value

One of the first studies to have examined academic self-efficacy and growth mindset as a two-way serial mediation between team learning and perceived academic performance among university students.
Exploring three decades of key themes and trends in academic misconduct in higher education institutions: a literature review
Authors: Sozon Md , Alkharabsheh Omar Hamdan Mohammad , Pok Wei Fong , Sia Bee Chuan , Chowdhury Mozaffar A.
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study explores key themes and changes in the perception of students' academic misconduct over the last three decades. It also aims to identify underlying causes and propose strategies to mitigate academic honesty breaches in higher education.

Design/methodology/approach

A systematic review was conducted following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. Themes were derived from 69 studies published between 1988 and 2024 and were sourced from Scopus and Web of Science databases. The methodology included a systematic database search, the use of targeted search terms and quality-based inclusion criteria.

Findings

Academic misconduct is shaped by various factors: cultural, institutional, psychological, social, economic, individual, leadership and political. Cultural sensitivity training, community programs and mentorship can address cultural factors. Institutional transparency, clear policies and dedicated integrity offices improve enforcement. Psychological and social challenges can be mitigated through counseling, peer support and fostering academic well-being. Financial aid, equitable resource access and workload management tackle economic and individual pressures. Leadership commitment, collaborative governance and policy advocacy address leadership and political influences. Additionally, strategies like detection tools, digital literacy programs and ethical AI use are essential to combat technology misuse in higher education.

Research limitations/implications

This research enriches existing literature by providing empirical insights into academic misconduct in higher education.

Originality/value

By identifying multi-faceted causes and solutions, this study contributes to strengthening academic integrity among students.
Assessment of rural credit in the Brazilian Amazon: role of the Northern Constitutional Financing Fund in rural development
Authors: Borges Raysa Palheta , Azevedo Junior Wladimir Colman de , Souza dos Santos Marcos Antônio , Rodrigues Marcos
Published: February 2025

Purpose

Resources provided by The Northern Brazilian Constitutional Financing Fund (FNO) aim to promote regional development to economically and socially backward regions through subsidized financial resources for economic activities, including agriculture. This study aims to determine whether rural credit and the FNO were able to produce structural changes in the distribution of financial resources and thus contribute to economic growth in Northern Brazilian municipalities.

Design/methodology/approach

This paper used inequality indexes and the Local Indicator of Spatial Association to verify the credit concentration and the spatial presence of clusters. To analyze the role of credit in promoting agricultural growth, this paper estimated an ordinary least squares regression with panel data for 450 municipalities during 1995–2017.

Findings

The results highlighted that rural credit, including the FNO, is essential to incentivizing agricultural production and increasing rural income. However, the financial resources are mostly captured by a small share of municipalities, spatially clustered in the expanding agricultural frontier of Pará, Tocantins and Rondônia states. Low-Low clusters are mainly present in the Western Amazonian region and are subject to structural and institutional constraints that reduce their demand for credit. The FNO resources proved insufficient to reduce financial inequality between Brazil’s northern municipalities.

Originality/value

This study demonstrates that the FNO’s policies are failing to reduce the concentration of financial resources in Amazonian agriculture. The results emphasize the importance of credit for development and, consequently, reducing inequality, which leads to a higher demand for financial resources by farmers. Implications include supporting economic agents with infrastructure and technical assistance, as well as improving farmers’ access to the banking system.
Marketing insights from sentiment distribution of high-tech products using DistilBERT
Authors: An Minyoung , Yoo Donghee
Published: February 2025

Purpose

This study proposes a new method for detecting sentiment distribution and identifying key events in high-tech product categories, providing insights from decision-making in marketing.

Design/methodology/approach

Using DistilBERT, the study analyzes the sentiment of wireless earphone reviews, categorizing them and extracting labels and scores. It visualizes trends, identifies sentiment inflection points from sentiment distribution, infers events via topic analysis and compares product utility and customer sentiment.

Findings

Our approach detects key events and discloses sentiment fluctuations and product interest shifts. Innovations amplify positive responses, underscoring the dynamic consumer sentiment. This study adeptly pinpoints key events after introducing novel technologies and reveals disparities in product utility and customer sentiment pre- and post-notable sentiment changes.

Originality/value

This study presents a unique method that uses an event-based approach to analyze sentiment and topic shifts, providing new insights into sentiment trends and emerging topics. This new understanding of consumer preferences and trends over time can be especially valuable for better strategic decision-making in marketing.
Multidimensional nature of the absorptive capacity: an analysis of the Latin American countries
Authors: Querino Fabiane Fidelis , Calegario Cristina Lelis Leal , Souza Larissa Cristina Ribeiro e
Published: February 2025

Purpose

The objective of this study is to verify the role of national mechanisms of social empowerment in driving the development of the multidimensional nature of absorptive capacity at the national level, as a way of fostering innovation and economic prosperity for Latin American countries.

Design/methodology/approach

This research encompasses the 20 countries that make up the Latin American region. A Tobit model was used with censored data, in a panel format. The adoption of this model was necessary due to the characteristic of the dependent variable (national absorptive capacity) being an index that varies in the range of 1 to 7. The time horizon covers the period from 2006 to 2021.

Findings

The results show that the degree of economic development, institutions and locally developed innovation are the mechanisms for generating the multidimensional nature of the absorptive capacity of Latin American countries. The innovative base of the countries was the most significant variable and the biggest parameter to explain this relationship. This means that given the preexisting innovative capacity of these countries, it is possible to stimulate and increase the national absorptive capacity through this mechanism.

Originality/value

The originality of this article consists in analyzing the national mechanisms of social empowerment in the development of the multidimensional nature of absorptive capacity, which allows us to verify all the sources of absorptive capacity creation that can be transformed into innovation.
Emotional Intelligence and Transformation in Analytical Psychology: A Case Study
Authors: Pellitteri John
Published: February 2025

Emotions are evident in Jung’s work with regard to feeling‐toned complexes and the feeling function in psychological types as well as in the clinical processes of therapeutic change and transformation. Emotional Intelligence (EI) is an empirically‐grounded theory that involves a set of abilities for working with emotions, allowing the patient to unlock the inherent wisdom and meaning that emotions convey. EI can be embedded in analytical psychology and other dynamic‐oriented therapies as an approach for engaging with emotionally charged material. The four EI abilities include the perception, facilitation, understanding and management of emotions. The emotion‐management ability is particularly necessary during a client’s confrontations with the unconscious. The case of a woman with Dissociative Identity Disorder in Jungian psychotherapy is examined from an EI perspective. A series of active imagination activities in the clinical encounter is presented, outlining the transformation of imagery that accompanies the individuation process. The case illustrates the use of EI strategies to attenuate the over‐powering effect of complexes in the service of building ego strength. There is also emphasis on the importance of transference and the therapeutic container in this process of building EI capacity.
Cretaceous lacewing larvae with binocular vision demonstrate the convergent evolution of sophisticated simple eyes
Authors: Haug Carolin , Braig Florian , Linhart Simon J. , Briggs Derek E. G. , Melzer Roland R. , Caballero Alejandro , Fu Yanzhe , Haug Gideon T. , Hörnig Marie K. , Haug Joachim T.
Published: February 2025

Many insects and their relatives are renowned for sophisticated compound eyes, which are also preserved in the fossil record. Yet there are other types of eyes, notably the so‐called stemmata of holometabolans, such as beetles, bees, and butterflies. Stemmata are not as effective as compound eyes, except in some predatory larvae. Here we report three lacewing larvae with large forward‐directed stemmata from Cretaceous Kachin amber, Myanmar. The stemmata are large relative to those of other fossil lacewing larvae, comparable to the simple eyes of modern larvae capable of image formation. The head is very wide in one larva, representing a new type of morphology as demonstrated by a quantitative comparison of the head and stylets of over 400 fossil and extant lacewing larvae. The arrangement of the exceptionally large stemmata of the larvae reported here provides stereoscopic vision. These new specimens demonstrate the convergent evolution of highly developed simple eyes in at least two additional lineages of lacewings, showcasing the enormous diversity of lacewing larvae in the Cretaceous.
Characteristic and functional study of intersex, a gene involved in sexual development in Gryllus bimaculatus
Authors: Duan Jia‐Xin , Shi Li‐Dong , Bai Yun , Di Mi , Zhang Ning , Fang Gang‐Qi , Li Dong‐Liang , He Zhu‐Qing , Li Kai
Published: February 2025

As a gene required for sexual development, intersex (ix), functions in concert with the female‐specific product of doublesex (dsx) at the end of the hierarchy to facilitate the sex‐specific differentiation of sexually dimorphic characters in female Drosophila melanogaster. In the present study, we initially identified the ix homolog in Gryllus bimaculatus, with the detection of a single isoform expressed in both sexes. Phylogenetic analyses and multiple sequence alignment revealed that Gbix exhibited conservation. Here we employed RNA interference (RNAi) and clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) / CRISPR‐associated nuclease 9 (Cas9), respectively, to analyze the functions of Gbix. Our findings indicated that Gbix played a crucial role in the normal development of the embryo and nymph, as well as in the regulation of wing morphogenesis in both sexes. RNAi‐mediated knockdown of Gbix resulted in poorly developed ovaries, whereas testicular development was not significantly affected. Nevertheless, CRISPR/Cas9‐mediated knockout of Gbix resulted in internal genital defects in both sexes, which ultimately led to a reduction in reproductive capacity in female and male individuals. Our results provide insights into the pleiotropic functions of Gbix in embryogenesis and sexual development, while also advancing our comprehension of sex determination in a hemimetabolous insect species.
The Effect of Different Socket Morphologies of a Maxillary Central Incisor on the Accuracy of Immediate Implants Placed With Freehand or Guided Surgery—An In Vitro Study
Authors: Pruthi Gunjan , Judge Roy , Abduo Jaafar , Ngo Luan , Gergely Attila
Published: February 2025

Objective

To evaluate the effect of socket morphology of a maxillary central incisor on accuracy of single implants placed with freehand or static guided surgery in simulated extraction sockets.

Materials and Methods

An anatomic central incisor was digitally designed and subtracted from the model to create socket morphology 1 (SM1), socket morphology 2 (SM2), and socket morphology 3 (SM3) simulating a central, retroclined, and proclined tooth. 90 implants were placed with freehand (FH); pilot guided (PG) and fully guided (FG) protocols in 30 models of SM1, SM2 and SM3 each. Implant accuracy was measured for vertical deviation (MVP), maximum horizontal deviation at implant platform (MHP) and apex (MHA), buccolingual (BLP, BLA), mesiodistal (MDP, MDA), and global angular deviation (GAD) deviations.

Results

The effect of interaction between SM and protocol was significant only on MVP (p = 0.03) and GAD (p = 0.000). Individual effect of SM was significant for all variables except mesiodistal deviation. Significant difference was observed among all groups for MHA and BLP, between SM1 and SM2 for all variables except mesiodistal deviation, between SM2 and SM3 for MHP and SM1 and SM3 for BLA (p < 0.05). Implant accuracy was almost similar with FG or PG protocol (p > 0.05) except for MVP (FG vs. PG = 0.01). Buccolingual inaccuracies of implants were higher than mesiodistal deviations.

Conclusions

Vertical, horizontal, and angular deviations were highest in SM2 and least in group SM1. Within each socket, higher implant accuracy was observed with guided protocols than freehand placement. Results of this in vitro study should be interpreted with caution as the outcome may be different in real clinical settings.
Relationships Between Glymphatic System Activity and Tau Burden, Dopaminergic Impairment, Abnormal Glucose Metabolism in Progressive Supranuclear Palsy
Authors: Jiao Fangyang , Wang Qingmin , Zhong Jiayi , Lin Huamei , Lu Jiaying , Wang Luyao , Wang Min , Liu Fengtao , Jiang Jiehui , Zuo Chuantao
Published: February 2025

Background

Progressive supranuclear palsy (PSP) is a primary tauopathy characterized by dopaminergic impairment and abnormal glucose metabolism. The glymphatic system can promote the elimination of tau protein. The association between glymphatic function and pathological hallmark in neuroimaging remains unknown.

Methods

Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and positron emission tomography (PET) scanning with 18F‐Florzolotau, 18F‐FPCIT, and 18F‐FDG were performed in PSP patients. DTI analysis along the perivascular space (ALPS) index was computed to assess glymphatic function, while the semi‐quantitative value was employed to measure tau burden and dopaminergic impairment. The PSP‐related pattern (PSPRP) served as an indicator of abnormal metabolic brain network activity.

Results

PSP patients exhibited changes in ALPS index and tau deposition. ALPS index, tau deposition, and PSPRP expression showed significant correlations with clinical scores. Additionally, ALPS index was correlated with tau deposition and PSPRP expression. However, neither ALPS index nor the clinical scores were correlated with striatum dysfunction. Finally, tau deposition in subcortical regions and PSPRP expression exhibited mediating effects between ALPS index and clinical scores.

Conclusion

The glymphatic dysfunction is associated with tau deposition and abnormal metabolic brain network activity and is independent of dopaminergic impairment in PSP.
Global, regional and national burden of ischaemic heart disease attributable to high body mass index and low physical activity from 1990 to 2021
Authors: Lin Wenwen , Jiang Xinye , Chen Jingyi , Yuan Yin , Li Qiaowei , Wu Hongkun , Huang Feng , Zhu Pengli
Published: February 2025

Aim

This study aimed to estimate the distribution of and changes in the global burden of ischaemic heart disease (IHD) attributable to high body mass index (BMI) and low physical activity (PA) from 1990 to 2021.

Methods

Data on deaths, disability‐adjusted life years (DALYs) and age‐standardized rates for IHD attributable to high BMI and low PA were extracted from the Global Burden of Disease 2021 study. Temporal trends by gender, region and Socio‐Demographic Index (SDI) were analysed using joinpoint regression. Decomposition, health inequality analysis and Bayesian model were utilized.

Results

From 1990 to 2021, global DALYs and deaths for IHD attributable to high BMI and low PA nearly doubled, despite a decline in age‐standardized DALYs ([average annual percent change (AAPC) = −0.26, 95% uncertainty interval (95% UI): −0.45, −0.07), (AAPC = −1.03, 95% UI:−1.18, −0.88]) and deaths rates ([AAPC = −0.53, 95% UI: −0.72, −0.33], [AAPC = −1.13,95% UI: −1.34, −0.92]), respectively. The burden of IHD due to high BMI was predominantly seen in males, while low PA was more prevalent in females. Significant regional and national variation was observed, with the burden shifting from high SDI regions to middle or low SDI regions. Population growth and aging have exacerbated this burden. Health inequities have shown improvement between 1990 and 2021. Projections for the next 15 years suggest rising global age‐standardized DALYs and death rates of IHD attributable to high BMI, while those attributable to low PA may decrease.

Conclusions

Since 1990, the global and regional impact of IHD attributable to high BMI and low PA remains significant, with disparities by gender, age, region and SDI. Countries should implement effective measures to control BMI and promote PA to reduce the IHD burden.
Facial emotion recognition, affective empathy and psychosocial functioning in euthymic BD‐I
Authors: Zyto Susan , Jabben Nienke , Nugter Annet , Schulte Peter F. J. , Kupka Ralph W. , Schouws Sigfried
Published: February 2025

There is emerging evidence of social cognitive impairments in bipolar disorders (BD). Less evident is the question if social cognitive impairments are predictive of psychosocial functioning, independently of neurocognitive impairment. The aims of the study were to investigate if patients with BD‐I showed impairments in facial emotion recognition and alterations in affective empathy, in relation to healthy controls, and if these impairments would predict psychosocial functioning, after accounting for neurocognitive impairments. Thirty‐seven patients diagnosed with BD‐I, in an euthymic state, and 37 matched healthy controls underwent an assessment including a facial recognition test (ERT) and a self‐report scale of affective empathy (BEES). Patients additionally underwent an extensive neuropsychological assessment consisting of traditional tests. Patients with BD‐I were significantly less able to recognize the emotion fear compared to healthy controls. However, the lower ability to recognize fear did not predict psychosocial functioning. In addition, it was not related to any of the other neuropsychological variables. The degree of self‐reported empathy did not differ between patients and healthy controls. The results add to the evidence of a specific deficit in recognizing fear in BD‐I; however, a link with psychosocial functioning was lacking. It is possible that the ability to recognize fear is related to a more narrow concept of interpersonal functioning than to the broad concept of psychosocial functioning. Future research should be directed towards aspects of social functioning in relation to social cognitive impairments, while taking account of subgroups of social cognitive functioning.
Digital Vulnerability: Exploring the Mediating Role of FoMO in the Relationship Between Dark Triad Personality and Social Media Addiction
Authors: Liao Chien‐Po , Wu Chi‐Cheng , Chiu Eva Chia Hua
Published: February 2025

This study underscores the necessity of assessing well‐being concerns in online environments through the lens of individual differences, going beyond simply addressing external vulnerabilities. It examines the relationships among dark personality traits, fear of missing out emotions, and social media addiction. The stability and identifiability of these traits are essential for formulating practical policies and interventions. Structural equation modeling reveals the varied influences of dark personality traits on social media addiction. Specifically, while Machiavellianism has a direct effect on SMA, its indirect influence through FoMO is not significant. Additionally, narcissism influences SMA both directly and indirectly, and psychopathy impacts SMA indirectly through FoMO. Based on these findings, we recommend that platforms and businesses adjust their algorithms and content strategies based on the personality‐driven mechanisms identified, to enhance consumer welfare and promote more effective management practices.
Learning and adaptation of transformational leaders: Linking transformational leadership to leader self‐efficacy for emotional regulation and work engagement
Authors: Qiao Yan , Fan Pan , Li Fuli , Chen Tingting
Published: February 2025

Leadership approaches that positively affect employees and organizations, such as transformational leadership, are subject to questions regarding their costs to leaders. Recent studies have taken a more critical stance on transformational leadership, concerning its emotional costs on leaders themselves in the short term. Moving beyond the investigation of the transient effects of transformational leadership on leaders, we integrate a learning and adaptation perspective with social cognitive theory to explore transformational leadership behaviours as an agentic experience that develops leader self‐efficacy for emotional regulation over time. In turn, the enhanced self‐efficacy for emotional regulation promotes increases in leader work engagement. Using a latent change score approach with four‐wave (with a 1‐month interval), multisource field data from 243 leaders and 1807 followers, we found empirical support for our research model. The theoretical and practical implications of these findings are discussed.
High‐Resolution Manometry With Solid Provocative Test in Patients With Mid‐Thoracic and Epiphrenic Esophageal Diverticula
Authors: Baravian Loris , Melchior Chloé , Hambli Sofia , Branche Julien , Gérard Romain , Wuestenberghs Fabien , Piessen Guillaume , Gourcerol Guillaume , Wils Pauline
Published: February 2025

Background

The number of studies exploring esophageal motility disorders using high‐resolution manometry (HRM) in patients with esophageal diverticula (ED) is limited. The goal of this study was to describe motility disorders using HRM in patients with ED and assess the added value of provocative testing in these patients.

Methods

Patients with ED who underwent HRM between 2010 and 2022 were retrospectively included. HRM findings were compared based on single water swallows (SWS), and provocative testing with solid food swallows in the upright seated position, using both ManoView and Medical Measurement Systems software. We also calculated median pressure slopes during the compartmentalization phase.

Key Results

Sixteen of the 39 included patients had mid‐ED and 23 had lower ED. Twenty (51.3%) patients had motility disorders based on SWS, including 7 (18%) with achalasia and 3 (7.7%) with esophagogastric junction obstruction. No significant differences in esophageal motility disorders were observed in relation to the location of the ED. Solid food swallows were performed in 29 (74%) patients leading to a change in the HRM diagnosis in 7 (24.1%), all of whom showed elevated IRP. Median pressure slopes during the compartmentalization phase (n = 30) were elevated in patients both with and without motility disorders.

Conclusion and Inferences

Half of the patients with mid‐ or lower ED had motility disorders on HRM. Adding solid food swallows during HRM in patients with ED improves the manometric diagnosis. Results suggest abnormal distensibility in these patients, indicated by elevated pressure slope, regardless of the presence of associated motility disorders.
Iron homeostasis in the annual and perennial stem zones of Arabis alpina
Authors: Sergeeva A. , Mai H.‐J. , Bauer P.
Published: February 2025

Plants store nutrients, including the micronutrient iron, in bioavailable forms to support growth in subsequent seasons. The perennial lifestyle is preponderant in nature. Arabis alpina is a perennial model organism with a particular architecture of branches having proximal perennial (PZ) and distal annual (AZ) stem zones with distinct anatomy and physiology. PZ undergoes secondary growth and stores carbon‐rich macromolecules. Here, we investigated iron homeostasis in PZ versus AZ.

We localized iron in stem internodes of PZ and AZ using Perls staining and ferritin immunodetection in the wild‐type Pajares (Paj) and perpetual flowering 1 mutant. We mined transcriptome data of the developing PZ and AZ.

Iron accumulated at various development stages in PZ and AZ. Iron levels in PZ were ca. two‐fold higher than in AZ, irrespective of flowering. Iron was predominantly located within plastid‐bound ferritin. Gene expression patterns supported the significance of ferritin and demonstrated enrichment of transcripts related to iron homeostasis within stems. Distinct patterns of expression among iron homeostasis genes were observed in relation to iron content in PZ and AZ, indicating tissue‐specific regulatory mechanisms governing iron accumulation.

Secondary growth in PZ plays a role in iron storage in the perennial A. alpina, while AZ may transiently store iron for seed production. Future research will address different iron homeostasis signalling pathways in AZ and PZ.
Rice RuBisCO activase promotes the dark‐induced leaf senescence by enhancing the degradation of filamentation temperature‐sensitive H
Authors: Zhang Yanli , Dong Guojun , Wu Xiaoyue , Chen Fei , Ruan Banpu , Jiang Yaohuang , Zhang Ying , Liu Lu , Yuan Yao‐Wu , Wu Limin , Wei Jian , Qian Qian , Yu Yanchun
Published: February 2025

Leaf senescence is a complex process that is triggered by many developmental and environmental factors. However, the mechanisms regulating leaf senescence remain unclear. Here, we revealed that rice ribulose‐1,5‐bisphosphate carboxylase/oxygenase activase (RCA) promotes the onset of basal dark‐induced senescence. RCA was mainly expressed in the leaves, and its expression level quickly declined under dark conditions. Furthermore, rca mutant plants presented a prolonged leaf longevity phenotype in the dark, whereas overexpression of the large isoform of RCA (RCAL), not small isoform (RCAS), in rice and Arabidopsis accelerated leaf senescence. Filamentation temperature‐sensitive H (OsFtsH1), a zinc metalloprotease, interacts with RCAL and RCAS and presents a higher binding efficiency to RCAL than RCAS in darkness. Furthermore, we found that RCAL promotes 26S proteasome‐mediated degradation of OsFtsH1 protein, which can be inhibited by protease inhibitor MG132. Consequently, OsFtsH1 loss‐of‐function mutants exhibit accelerated leaf senescence, whereas OsFtsH1‐overexpressing plants display delayed senescence. Collectively, our findings highlight the significant role of RCAL isoform in regulating leaf senescence under dark conditions, particularly through enhancing the degradation of OsFtsH1.
Hydrogen sulfide interferes with ethylene biosynthesis and signaling pathway in tomato by the mediation of SlERF.D2 persulfidation
Authors: Sun Ying , Zhang Min , Geng Meihui , Geng Zhikun , Lu Zixu , Liu Nannan , Liu Zhanmin , Zeng Dexin , Yao Gaifang , Hu Kangdi , Zhang Hua
Published: February 2025

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S), as a signaling molecule, is found to delay fruit ripening and senescence by antagonizing the biosynthesis and signaling of ethylene, whereas the mechanism remains unclear. In the current work, exogenous H2S fumigation could alleviate tomato fruit ripening and an ethylene response factor SlERF.D2 was found to be persulfidated at Cys35 by mass spectrometry analysis. Meanwhile, ethylene biosynthesis related genes SlACS1 and SlACO3 were significantly downregulated at gene expression level in H2S‐treated fruit. By CRISPR/Cas9 and gene overexpression, we showed that overexpression of SlERF.D2 promoted fruit ripening by accelerating chlorophyll degradation and carotenoid accumulation and upregulating the expression of ripening related genes SlPAO, SlPPH, SlSGR1, SlACS1, SlACS2, SlACS4, SlEIN2, SlACO1, and SlACO3, while the mutation of slerf.d2 delayed fruit ripening. Additionally, slerf.d2 mutant showed delayed ethylene production during tomato fruit ripening. Moreover, SlERF.D2 was found to interact with the kinase SlMAPK4 and was phosphorylated at Ser42 by yeast two‐hybrid screening, pull down and LC–MS/MS. By cis‐element analysis, electrophoretic mobility shift assay and dual‐luciferase assay, SlERF.D2 could activate the transcription of the ethylene pathway‐associated gene SlACO3 and SlEIN2. Besides, we provided evidence that SlERF.D2 persulfidation weakened the transcriptional activity of SlERF.D2 on the target gene SlACO3 and SlEIN2. In contrast, SlMAPK4‐mediated phosphorylation enhanced SlERF.D2's transcriptional activation activity on SlACO3 and SlEIN2. Therefore, the present research provides insights into the mechanism of H2S in antagonizing the biosynthesis and signaling transduction of ethylene and reveals the importance of SlERF.D2 persulfidation and phosphorylation in dynamically regulating tomato fruit ripening.
Nitrate activates an MKK3‐dependent MAPK module via NLP transcription factors in Arabidopsis
Authors: Schenk Sebastian T. , Brehaut Virginie , Chardin Camille , Boudsocq Marie , Marmagne Anne , Colcombet Jean , Krapp Anne
Published: February 2025

Plant responses to nutrient availability are critical for plant development and yield. Nitrate, the major form of nitrogen in most soils, serves as both a nutrient and signaling molecule. Nitrate itself triggers rapid, major changes in gene expression, especially via nodule inception (NIN)‐like protein (NLP) transcription factors, and stimulates protein phosphorylation. Mitogen‐activated protein kinase (MAPK)‐related genes are among the early nitrate‐responsive genes; however, little is known about their roles in nitrate signaling pathways. Here, we show that nitrate resupply to nitrogen‐depleted Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) plants triggers, within minutes, an MAPK cascade that requires NLP‐dependent transcriptional induction of mitogen‐activated protein kinase kinase kinase 13 (MAP3K13) and MAP3K14 and that the MAPK cascade is composed of MKK3 and likely C‐clade MAPKs (MPK1/2/7/14). Importantly, nitrate reductase‐deficient mutants exhibited nitrate‐induced MPK7 activities comparable to those observed in wild‐type plants, indicating that nitrate itself is the signal that stimulates the cascade. We show that the modified expression of MAP3K13 and MAP3K14 affects nitrate‐stimulated BT2 expression and modulates plant responses to nitrogen availability, such as nitrate uptake and senescence. Our finding that an MAPK cascade involving MAP3K13 and MAP3K14 functions in the complex regulatory network governing responses to nitrate availability will guide future strategies to optimize plant responses to nitrogen fertilization and nitrogen use efficiency.
Chromosome engineering points to the cis‐acting mechanism of chromosome arm‐specific telomere length setting and robustness of plant phenotype, chromatin structure and gene expression
Authors: Helia Ondřej , Matúšová Barbora , Havlová Kateřina , Hýsková Anna , Lyčka Martin , Beying Natalja , Puchta Holger , Fajkus Jiří , Fojtová Miloslava
Published: February 2025

The study investigates the impact of targeted chromosome engineering on telomere dynamics, chromatin structure, gene expression, and phenotypic stability in Arabidopsis thaliana. Using precise CRISPR/Cas‐based engineering, reciprocal translocations of chromosome arms were introduced between non‐homologous chromosomes. The subsequent homozygous generations of plants were assessed for phenotype, transcriptomic changes and chromatin modifications near translocation breakpoints, and telomere length maintenance. Phenotypically, translocated lines were indistinguishable from wild‐type plants, as confirmed through morphological assessments and principal component analysis. Gene expression profiling detected minimal differential expression, with affected genes dispersed across the genome, indicating negligible transcriptional impact. Similarly, ChIPseq analysis showed no substantial alterations in the enrichment of key histone marks (H3K27me3, H3K4me1, H3K56ac) near junction sites or across the genome. Finally, bulk and arm‐specific telomere lengths remained stable across multiple generations, except for minor variations in one translocation line. These findings highlight the remarkable genomic and phenotypic robustness of A. thaliana despite large‐scale chromosomal rearrangements. The study offers insights into the cis‐acting mechanisms underlying chromosome arm‐specific telomere length setting and establishes the feasibility of chromosome engineering for studies of plant genome evolution and crop improvement strategies.
Hybrid Physics-Infused 1 Dimensional-Convolutional Neural Network (1D-CNN) based Ensemble Learning Framework for Diesel Engine Fault Diagnostics
Authors: Singh Shubhendu Kumar , Khawale Raj Pradip , Hazarika Subhashis , Rai Rahul
Published: February 2025

Due to their high thermal efficiency and long functional life, diesel engines have become ubiquitous in automobiles. Diesel engines are vulnerable to component failure and sensor faults. New cognitive fault diagnosis algorithms are crucial for the safe operation of equipment. Conventional model-based approaches are limited in their capabilities owing to the approximations made during the development of these models. In comparison, the efficacy of most of the data-driven approaches depends on the quantity of data. Additionally, the existing data-driven algorithms do not consider the system's physics and are susceptible to overfitting issues. To address the aforementioned issues, we propose an end-to-end autonomous hybrid physics-infused 1D CNN-based ensemble learning framework combining a low-fidelity physics-based engine model, Auto Encoder (AE), 1D CNNs (Convolutional Neural Networks), and a Multi-Layer Perceptron (MLP) for fault diagnosis. The system used to demonstrate the capabilities of the devised model is a 7.6 L, 6-cylinder, 4-stroke diesel engine. The physics model guarantees that the estimations produced by the framework conform to the engine's actual behavior, and the ensemble deep learning module overcomes the overfitting issue. Empirical results show that the framework is efficient and reliable against data from a real engine setup under various operating conditions, such as changing injection duration, varying injection pressure, and engine speed. Besides, the framework is tested against noisy data, reaffirming the model's robustness when subjected to actual working conditions where acquired noise is a norm.
FORECASTING THE RANGE OF POSSIBLE HUMAN HAND MOVEMENT IN CONSUMER ELECTRONICS DISASSEMBLY USING MACHINE LEARNING
Authors: Liao Hao-yu , Chen Yuhao , Hu Boyi , Liang Xiao , Behdad Sara
Published: February 2025

Robotic technology can benefit disassembly operations by reducing human operators' workload and assisting them with handling hazardous materials. Safety consideration and prediction of human movement are priorities in close collaboration between humans and robots. The point-by-point forecasting of human hand motion, which forecasts one point at each time, does not provide enough information on human movement due to errors between the actual movement and predicted value. This study provides a range of possible hand movements to increase safety. It applies three machine learning techniques, including Long Short-Term Memory (LSTM), Gated Recurrent Unit (GRU), and Bayesian Neural Network (BNN) combined with Bagging and Monte Carlo Dropout (MCD), namely LSTM-Bagging, GRU-Bagging, and BNN-MCD to predict the possible movement range. The study uses an Inertial Measurement Units (IMU) dataset collected from the disassembly of desktop computers by several participants to show the application of the proposed method.