bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Methodological Pluralism and Innovation in Data-Driven Organizations
Authors: Allen Ryan T. , McDonald Rory M.
Published: January 2025

Prior research on data-driven innovation, which assumes quantitative analysis as the default, suggests a tradeoff: Organizations that rely heavily on data-driven analysis tend to produce familiar, incremental innovations with moderate commercial potential, at the expense of risky, novel breakthroughs or hit products. We argue that this tradeoff does not hold when quantitative and qualitative analysis are used together. Organizations that substantially rely on both types of analysis in the new-product innovation process will benefit by triangulating quantifiably verifiable demand (which prompts more moderate successes but fewer hits) with qualitatively discernible potential (which prompts more novelty but more flops). Although relying primarily on either type of analysis has little impact on overall new-product sales due to the countervailing strengths and weaknesses inherent in each, together they have a complementary positive effect on new-product sales as each compensates for the weaknesses of the other. Drawing on a unique dataset of 3,768 new-product innovations from NielsenIQ linked to employee résumé job descriptions from 55 consumer-product firms, we find support for our hypothesis. The highest sales and number of hits were observed in organizations that demonstrated methodological pluralism: substantial reliance on both types of analyses. Further mixed-method research examining related outcomes—hits, flops, and novelty—corroborates our theory and confirms its underlying mechanisms.
Global Financial Shocks and American Elites: Income and Wealth of the One Percent in the United States, 1989 to 2022
Authors: Keister Lisa A. , Lee Hang Young
Published: January 2025

Extreme levels of inequality have drawn increasing attention to those at the top of the income and wealth distributions, and the United States is home to some of the world’s most affluent and influential households. A robust literature on economic elites in the United States documented details about their incomes and wealth prior to 2019, but it is unclear how recent economic shocks affected their financial resources and the distribution of income and wealth among U.S. households more broadly. We contribute to the literatures on elite households and global political economies by exploring the association between the global economic shock that accompanied the coronavirus 2019 disease (COVID-19) pandemic and U.S. income and wealth. We use data from the 1989 to 2022 of Consumer Finances (SCF) to provide details regarding changing inequality and the incomes and wealth of the top one percent of households. We explore changes in income sources (e.g., wage, business, capital) and wealth components (e.g., real estate, financial assets) to identify reasons for changing resource composition. We study how the demographics—age and education—of the one percent have changed, and we also explore whether the double-rich—those with both top incomes and top wealth—have changed. Our results are among the first to document the current concentration of economic resources in the United States and underscore the need to incorporate global processes in understanding inequalities in major economies.
Acting Green? Private Environmental Coalitions in the United States
Authors: Pablo González Juan
Published: January 2025

Voluntary environmental programs (VEPs) have gained popularity in recent times as stakeholders strengthen pressure on private firms to address the climate crisis. In this article, I analyze a type of VEP with increasing importance within the private sector: environmental coalitions. Focusing on US publicly traded firms, I show that the firms that join a green coalition are greener than others and that they were also greener before becoming members. I apply a difference-in-differences design, using the fact that different firms became members at different points in time, and find no effect of membership on different measures of environmental performance. Why, then, do firms incur the costs of creating and maintaining these coalitions? I show that shareholder pressure, in particular from liberal and active individual shareholders, can explain this behavior. Taken together, the findings suggest that membership in a green coalition can be a tool for firms to signal their environmental credentials when faced with pressure from pro-environmental stakeholders.
School District Job Postings and Staffing Challenges Throughout the Second School Year During the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Goldhaber Dan , Brown Nate , Marcuson Nathaniel , Theobald Roddy
Published: January 2025

Purpose: In this paper we investigate school district staffing challenges during the 2021–22 school year, the second school year of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research Methods/Approach: We use novel data from Washington state collected by scraping websites for job postings during the 2021–22 school year; the districts represented in the study serve more than 98% of students in the state. We analyze these data using descriptive and regression analyses. Findings: There was considerable variation in staffing challenges across position types and throughout the year with postings per student tending to be higher in rural districts and districts serving larger populations of disadvantaged students. In Fall 2021, when postings likely signal vacancies at the outset of the 2021–22 school year, the data suggest that districts faced considerable challenges filling paraeducator and, to a lesser extent, teaching positions at the beginning of the school year. In the case of teachers, there is also heterogeneity in the postings per FTE across different teacher content areas. For instance, there are far more postings per FTE for special education teacher positions than elementary education positions. In Spring and Summer 2022, when postings likely signal anticipated staffing needs for the 2022–23 school year, districts with growing enrollments and that received more ESSER funding were more likely to have more postings.
The Impact of Attentiveness Interventions on Survey Data
Authors: Fuller Christie M. , Simmering Marcia J. , Waterwall Brian , Ragland Elizabeth , Twitchell Douglas P. , Wall Alison
Published: January 2025

Social and behavioral science researchers who use survey data are vigilant about data quality, with an increasing emphasis on avoiding common method variance (CMV) and insufficient effort responding (IER). Each of these errors can inflate and deflate substantive relationships, and there are both a priori and post hoc means to address them. Yet, little research has investigated how both IER and CMV are affected with the use of these different procedural or statistical techniques used to address them. More specifically, if interventions to reduce IER are used, does this affect CMV in data? In an experiment conducted both in and out of the laboratory, we investigate the impact of attentiveness interventions, such as a Factual Manipulation Check (FMC) on both IER and CMV in same-source survey data. In addition to typical IER measures, we also track whether respondents play the instructional video and their mouse movement. The results show that while interventions have some impact on the level of participant attentiveness, these interventions do not appear to lead to differing levels of CMV.
Analyzing the fight for decency: Combining framing and emotional approaches to social movement theory
Authors: Saxonberg Steven , Pažma Miroslav
Published: January 2025

This article shows how two separate traditions of social movement studies can be combined to better understand the dynamics of collective action. It does so by integrating frame analysis with the emotional approach to social movements. It does so in studying the nationwide protests that took place in Slovakia in 2018, which forced the prime minister to resign. For frames to resonate with the public, they need to play on emotions. Although some scholars have pointed out that frames play on emotions, they have not offered any theory showing which emotions each type of frame needs to get resonance. In this article, we present a model that connects different emotions to different frames. This model can be applied to the study of all types of mass protests.
Social work in a global context: The case of Ghana
Authors: Teye Abraham Tetteh
Published: January 2025

This article examines the global dimensions of social work in Ghana, using systematic literature review and qualitative content analysis. It explores how globalization affects social work practice, challenges, and opportunities in Ghana. It shows that social workers are vital for tackling social problems and enhancing service users’ well-being. It recommends indigenizing social work practices, promoting co-production, increasing social service funding, and improving social work education curriculum. The article aims to contribute to the understanding and development of social work as a global profession in Ghana.
Friction of Laser-Textured Zirconia Coated with a Platelet-Rich Fibrin
Authors: Oliveira M. Noronha , Sahoo N. , Carvalho O. , Silva F.S. , Gomes J. , Özcan M. , Henriques B. , Souza J.C.M.
Published: January 2025

In the present in vitro study, we evaluated the adhesion of an injectable platelet-rich fibrin (i-PRF) to laser-textured zirconia surfaces and their resultant friction behavior against bone tissue. Three types of zirconia surfaces were compared regarding the i-PRF coating effects: 1) grit blasted with 250-μm spherical alumina particles and acid etched with 20% hydrofluoric acid (ZLA), 2) laser textured with a random (RD) surface pattern, or 3) laser textured with a designed pattern based on 16 lines and 8 passages (L16N8). The coefficient of friction (COF) of the specimens was assessed on a reciprocating sliding pin-on-plate tribometer at 1-N normal load, 1 Hz, and a 2-mm stroke length. Sliding wear tests were carried out against bovine femoral bone tissue in 0.9% sodium chloride solution at room temperature. Surfaces were then assessed by scanning electron microscopy. COF mean values for test groups (0.35, ZLA; 0.45, L16N8) were lower when compared with the control groups (0.52, ZLA; 0.60, L16N8), with the exception of the RD group (0.47, test; 0.43, control). Results did not show significant differences in COF mean values between RD and L16N8 surfaces after coating with i-PRF. The 3-dimensional fibrin network embedded with leukocytes, platelets, and red blood cells was responsible for decreasing COF mean values over the zirconia surfaces, thus providing a lubricant effect. Also, the morphologic aspects of the laser-treated zirconia surfaces increased the adhesion of the platelet-rich fibrin, which could speed up the osseointegration process of zirconia implants.
Cultural Authority and (Non)Compliance with Public Health Directives: The Effect of Legitimacy and Values on Behavior during the COVID-19 Pandemic
Authors: Hawks Kate
Published: January 2025

During the COVID-19 pandemic in the United States, the success of public health authorities’ strategies to curb the spread of the virus hinged on individuals’ voluntary compliance with their directives. This study considers how two components of the cultural authority of public health influenced compliance with health guidelines during the pandemic: (1) individuals’ views of public health officials as legitimate and (2) the shared value of health. I also examine the influence of other basic values, alongside health, on pandemic behavior. Data come from an original survey of 1,356 U.S. adults collected online in spring 2022. Findings reveal the pivotal role of perceived legitimacy of public health authorities in motivating compliance, even when considering perceived threat of the virus, political orientation, and other contextual factors. Results provide insight into why people complied with health guidelines by indicating how variation in individuals’ value priorities influenced behavior.
Neighborhood Disadvantage, Rational Choice, and Offending
Authors: Thomas Kyle J. , Baumer Eric P.
Published: January 2025

Objective: Recent contributions have highlighted the compatibility of choice- and structural-based perspectives of crime. Drawing on those insights, this study examines the mechanisms that may link neighborhood disadvantage to individual differences in subjective expectations of the risks, costs and rewards from crime. We also evaluate the extent to which subjective expectations may account for the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and individual offending. Methods: Using data from the Pathways to Desistance study and structural equation modeling, we decompose how experiences and interactions with others mediate the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage, subjective expectations and offending. Results: The impact of neighborhood disadvantage on perceived arrest risk is mediated by direct and vicarious arrest experiences. Social capital and commitment to conventional values partially mediate the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and anticipated social costs, and peer delinquency and peer attitudes partially mediate the association between disadvantage and perceived social rewards. Finally, we find that subjective expectations account for about one-third of the relationship between neighborhood disadvantage and individual offending. Conclusions: Our study illuminates the value of integrating rational choice and sociological perspectives and highlights the utility of advancing multilevel rational choice theories of offending.
Effects of Systematicity on Word Learning in Preschool Children: The Case of Semitic Morpho-Phonology
Authors: Omar Niveen , Nir Bracha , Banai Karen
Published: January 2025

This study investigated the role of systematicity in word learning, focusing on Semitic morpho-phonology where words exhibit multiple levels of systematicity. Building upon previous research on phonological templates, we explored how systematicity based on such templates, whether they encode meanings or not, influenced word learning in preschool-age Hebrew-speaking children. We examined form–meaning systematicity, where words share phonological templates and carry similar categorical meanings of manner-of-motion (e.g., finupál and bizudáx carry the meaning of skipping), and form-only systematicity, where words are phonologically similar but do not share a meaning (e.g., finupál and bizudáx belong to different categories of manner-of-motion). We aimed to discern how these systematicity types impact the learning of the meaning of the word as a whole, that is, the encoding of visual form combined with manner-of-motion. Using novel Semitic-like stimuli, our experiments demonstrated that different types of systematicity involve different effects on word learning. Experiment 1 showed that form–meaning systematicity hindered the learning of the manner-of-motion. In contrast, Experiment 2 revealed that form systematicity facilitated learning these features. The findings suggest a complex interplay of top-down and bottom-up processes in word learning, expanding our understanding of systematicity in word learning.
The Longitudinal Relationship Between Co-Rumination and Emotional Problems in Early Chinese Adolescents: The Moderating Role of Self-Compassion
Authors: Wang Zhongjie , Zheng Juanjuan , Wang Xuezhen
Published: January 2025

The longitudinal relationship between co-rumination and emotional problems has been understudied, particularly regarding the role of protective factors in moderating the relationship. This study employed a cross-lagged analysis to examine the bi-directional relationship between co-rumination and emotional problems, and the moderating role of self-compassion in this dynamic. The participants comprised 814 Chinese junior school students (Mage = 13.98 ± 0.83), who were surveyed over two tracking periods spaced four months apart. The results revealed that (1) baseline levels of co-rumination positively predicted subsequent depression and anxiety, whereas the prediction of anxiety and depression on subsequent co-rumination was not significant; (2) self-compassion buffered the impact of co-rumination on anxiety and depression, with higher levels of self-compassion correlating with weaker impacts of co-rumination on emotional problems. These findings suggest that co-ruminative behaviors within adolescent dyadic relationships generally pose risk to emotional development, while intervention programs targeting self-compassion could help to diminish the adverse effects.
Effects of Investments From the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant on Health Departments’ Capacity to Address Public Health Emergencies
Authors: Armstead Theresa L. , Castelin Kimberly , Cairns Catherine P. , Skillman Megan , Lamia Tamara L. , Heilig Charles M. , Dauphin Leslie A.
Published: January 2025

The COVID-19 pandemic magnified long-standing health disparities, showing that certain populations are at higher risk for effects of public health emergencies than others. The pandemic response also put demands on the nation’s health departments and stretched their limited resources. In 2021, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched the National Initiative to Address COVID-19 Health Disparities Among Populations at High-Risk and Underserved, Including Racial and Ethnic Minority Populations and Rural Communities (hereinafter, COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant) to reduce COVID-19 health disparities and advance health equity. Health departments in all 50 states, 50 localities, 5 territories, and 3 freely associated states were recipients of approximately $2.25 billion. This study explored the extent to which investments from the COVID-19 Health Disparities Grant, through the allocation of funds across 5 strategies, correspond to reported changes in recipient health departments’ capacity to address the COVID-19 public health emergency and future emergencies as measured in the Health Department and Jurisdiction Capacity Survey in 2023. The survey measured capacity along 4 domains: workforce and human resources, interorganizational relationships, data and informational resources, and governance and planning. In total, 70 of 75 recipients who responded to the survey reported that they began with low capacity in at least 1 capacity domain and advanced their capacity during grant implementation. This study demonstrated the reported value of investments in health departments to build capacity and infrastructure to address health disparities and advance health equity to respond to future public health emergencies.
IGF2BP3 is upregulated in endometrial cancer and tightly regulates the growth of drug-resistant endometrial cancer cells via HMGA1
Authors: Zhang Yiwei , Xiao Yanlai , Zhao Xiangzhai , Xu Jie , Zhao Huan , Guo Zhaojun , Zhao Jun , Zhang Yajing , Wang Ruoxi , Wang Jian
Published: January 2025

Objective:

Endometrial cancer (EC) is a malignant tumor with various histological subtypes and molecular phenotypes. The evaluation of drug resistance is important for cancer treatment. Progesterone resistance is the major challenge in EC. Knowledge of drug resistance in EC is important in the development of novel therapies.

Methods:

In this study, ten paracancerous and ten tumor tissues were collected to measure the expression of insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3 (IGF2BP3) and high-mobility group protein 1 (HMGA1). AN3CA and Ishikawa cells were used to explore the effects of IGF2BP3 on EC.

Results:

The expression levels of IGF2BP3 and HMGA1 were higher in EC tumor tissues than in paracancerous tissues. IGF2BP3 and HMGA1 are highly expressed in cisplatin-resistant EC cells. IGF2BP3 knockdown decreased the growth of cisplatin-resistant EC cells. Knockdown of IGF2BP3 decreased the level of HMGA1 protein. HMGA1 knockdown decreased the growth of cisplatin-resistant EC cells.

Discuss and conclusions:

The findings demonstrate that IGF2BP3 is upregulated in EC and closely regulates the growth of drug-resistant EC cells via HMGA1. The findings will inform the development of novel therapies for EC.
Exploring Performances of (Hyper) Intensive Motherhood in the Setting of Manchester’s Christmas Markets
Authors: Abushena Rebecca , Kerrane Ben , Platt Louise , Ward Amy
Published: January 2025

This article explores performances of intensive motherhood in the context of taking children to visit Manchester’s Christmas markets. Much sociological literature has studied intensive motherhood within the safe, managed space of the home. Less work, however, has examined performances of motherhood in urban spaces. Through in-depth interviews with 16 mothers with recent experience of taking their children to the Christmas markets, we highlight how such festive urban experiences surface tensions in intensive motherhood display. Intensive motherhood is grounded in shielding children from risk, yet our findings reveal how visiting the city-centre during the Christmas period exposed children to a range of perceived dangers. Our mothers reinterpreted the concept of intensive motherhood, performing a hyper-intensified practice in response to the less predictable nature of this ‘risky’ setting. We contribute to intensive motherhood literature and highlight several risk management strategies that participants employed to manage the risk their children were exposed to.
Theoretical and experimental study on the formation mechanism of fiber bundle hooks in the combing process
Authors: Chen Yuheng , Gao Weidong , Ren Jiazhi , Guo Mingrui , Wang Jingan
Published: January 2025

To enhance the quality of cotton webs during the high-speed combing process, an analysis of the formation mechanism of fiber bundle hooks was conducted. Predictive models for the length and mass of fiber bundle hooks were developed based on parameters of the combing process and cotton lap. The length of hooks was measured by ImageJ software, while the mass of hooks was determined by the cutting-weighing method. The accuracy of the predictive models was evaluated by comparing theoretical values with actual measured values. Additionally, the impact of speed on the length and mass of fiber bundle hooks, as well as the coefficient of variation (CV) of cotton webs and combed slivers was investigated. The results indicate that the theoretical values predicted by the models exhibit good consistency with the actual measured values. For long staple cotton fiber bundles, the maximum error between theoretical and actual hook lengths is 7.0%, while for medium staple cotton, it is 8.5%. Similarly, the maximum errors between theoretical and actual hook mass of long staple cotton and medium staple cotton fiber bundles are 7.1% and 7.9%, respectively. In addition, the increase in speed and the decrease in the flexural rigidity of cotton lap result in a gradual increase in the length and mass of the hooks, accompanied by a rapid reduction in fiber bundle length, which subsequently leads to an increase in the CV of cotton webs and combed slivers. The predictive models provide a theoretical foundation for optimizing the nipper mechanism of the comber.
Locked Out, Opened Up and Locked In by Needle and Syringe Exchange Programs: Harm Reduction in the Swedish Prohibitionist Context
Authors: Månsson Josefin , Samuelsson Eva , Storbjörk Jessica
Published: January 2025

Intrigued by the overwhelmingly positive response to the needle and syringe exchange program (NSP) by people who inject drugs in Stockholm, this article sought to untangle harm reduction in a prohibitionist drug policy context. The article drew on assemblage thinking and used semistructured individual interviews with 32 people who inject drugs, and three focus groups with staff at the Stockholm NSP. The aim was to dissect harm reduction in the form of NSP and how it worked to move people who inject drugs towards or away from drug-related harm. The analysis identified how bodies such as the NSP regulations, the setting, and stigma gathered in ways that reduced the capacity to move forward and enroll, as the inclusion of the NSP in the assemblage would decrease the capacity to uphold other connections considered to be more important. Regular NSP visitors however described how free injecting equipment, staff care, continuity, and trust were important objects that gathered in ways opening up for movement towards less harm. Fiercely, these profoundly caring experiences at the NSP could also block new becomings and moves forward as people who inject drugs, discouraged from previous negative experiences of other service providers and structural stigma, refrained from other connections that could improve their wellbeing. They risked becoming locked in at the NSP and similar services. A significant consequence of the agential cuts of us researchers, the staff, and policymakers alike, targeting primarily those that do access and benefit from harm-reducing interventions, is that alternative solutions embracing also those locked out and locked in become unimaginable.
‘And he sent them in pairs’ (Luke 10:1): Reimagining mission in Africa as a response to the Synodal Process
Authors: Mensah Michael Kodzo
Published: January 2025

The Catholic Church’s current Synod on synodality identifies mission as one of the key areas in which the entire church needs to ‘walk together’. In Ghana for example, the 2021 Population and Housing Census revealed an alarmingly sluggish growth of Catholic Church which has been viewed as a call to the local church to reexamine its mission strategy. The Lucan account of the mission of the seventy-two (Lk 10:1-12) is particularly relevant to this conversation. Mission in this passage is focused on three dimensions: The agents who are sent out in pairs; the household (οἰκία/οἶκος), the primary locus for the mission; and the city (πόλις), which could either be receptive to or reject the message. Using the evaluative approach of African Biblical Hermeneutics, this study attempts to assess the current state of the Catholic Church’s mission in Ghana considering the Lucan paradigm while drawing out the implications for Catholic evangelization in contemporary Africa.
Complete consensus control of nonlinear cyber-physical systems with two-layer switching networks
Authors: Zhong Xilin , Huang Jun , Sun Yuan , Zhang Yueyuan
Published: January 2025

The consensus control problem of nonlinear cyber-physical systems with two-layer switching networks is investigated in this paper. Due to the hierarchical structure of two-layer networks, two-layer switching networks can simulate real networks more effectively than single-layer networks. In addition, the nonlinear component of the networks satisfies incremental quadratic constraints. An appropriate Lyapunov function is constructed to provide sufficient conditions for the node-to-node consensus problem. Furthermore, under some given assumptions and the node-to-node consensus, the complete consensus of two-layer networks is achieved. Finally, the validity of the method is verified by a simulation.
Synchronization control of complex networks with bit-rate constraint via dynamic event-triggered strategy
Authors: Guo Jing , Huang Ling , Li Bing
Published: January 2025

A sampling-based dynamic event-triggered strategy is proposed for the synchronization control of continuous complex networks with uncertainties and delayed coupling, taking into account a bit-rate constraint in node communication. First, a synchronization error system is established by integrating the dynamics of complex networks with those of an isolated node. To conserve limited network bandwidth resources, a sampling-based dynamic event-triggered strategy is designed. By introducing bit-rate constraints to characterize the communication limitations of the system, the available bit rate for each node is allocated using an average allocation protocol. Subsequently, a binary encoding–decoding method is developed to transmit the triggered data, and the decoded signals are utilized to design the controller. Then, a closed-loop synchronization error system is derived. Given that coding errors are inevitable, an exponentially ultimately bounded definition of synchronization error is introduced. The coupling and transmission delays within the system are addressed by constructing Lyapunov-Krasovskii (L-K) functions. Utilizing Lyapunov stability theory and other technical theorems, the exponentially ultimately bounded condition for the closed-loop system is obtained. Based on this condition, the co-design of the controller gain and triggering parameters is achieved. In addition, the explicit relationship between synchronization error and bit rate is presented. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed method is validated through three numerical examples.
Study on subsidence evolution induced by coal mining under highway based on finite element simulation
Authors: Cheng Guoxi , Liu Huibin , Li Fengli , Nie Teng , Wang Qiang , Peng Chuang
Published: January 2025

Accurate estimation of overlying strata subsidence and surface deformation caused by coal extraction is crucial for assessing the impact of mining activities on surface infrastructure. In this study, we investigated the subsidence evolution of overlying strata and ground surface induced by underground mining using finite element simulation and focus on a mining district in the Yu-Heng mining area of the central Ordos Basin and then, the influence of underground longwall mining on the surface roads was evaluated. A three-dimensional geological model of the mining district was constructed, considering the actual stratum structures and the deterioration effect of water on rock mechanical properties. The whole coal mining process was simulated to predict the evolution of the subsidence basin at different mining stages, and the surface deformation characteristics caused by coal mining were calculated. Results showed that the subsidence characteristics by numerical simulation were highly consistent with the records of surface subsidence in the adjacent areas, indicating that the constructed geological model can accurately reflect the actual geological conditions and the deformation behaviors of overlying strata. A comparative study revealed that the mechanical properties of the generalized layers determined by processing the mechanical parameters of dry core samples will be much higher than those of the natural strata under the in situ water-saturated condition, and then the subsidence caused by coal mining will be significantly underestimated. Thus, the water-induced mechanical property deterioration of overlying strata must be fully considered when constructing geological models.
Community-Based Research as Civic Action: An Example From the Youth Research Council
Authors: Call-Cummings Meagan , Best Amy L. , Gray Natale , Khalid Widad , Kalinichenko Oaklen , Berhe-Abraha Sara , Kodwo Manuela , Martah Sara , Rotherham Liz , Keller Jeffery , Davis Khaseem , Dazzo Giovanni P.
Published: January 2025

Literature on civic engagement has long held an adult bias and is rooted in understandings of civic participation undertaken by adults, not youth. Youth are rarely treated as civic actors in their own right, but instead as would-be civic actors. We make a case for building social science research capacity as a critical tool for civic action, especially salient for groups working toward organizational, institutional, and/or legislative change and encapsulated in youth participatory action research (YPAR). To explore the link between social science research and civic involvement we take as a case a formally organized Youth Research Council (YRC), founded to support youth civic action, build young people’s civic tools and social science research capacity, and provide opportunity for adult allies to partner with youth in support of youth-led civic interests. We explore the impact of the YRC as a durable organizational conduit to promote youth civic involvement and support movements and initiatives working toward greater community-based data justice and we identify a set of replicable practices for local adoption of youth research councils.
Discourse, incivility and language aggression in social media debates on Biafra separatist agitation: Implications for Nigeria’s democratic future
Authors: Ifeanyichukwu Ebuka A , Hoffman Lindsay H
Published: January 2025

This study explores the use of incivility and language aggression in social media debates on Biafra separatist agitation. Using the Critical Discourse Analysis (CDA) approach, 611 samples which reflected the opinions of pro-Biafra and anti-Biafra groups were analyzed to highlight how incivility and language aggression shape the Biafra agitation social media discourses. Contrary to other studies that situate the use of incivility to the pro-Biafra ingroup alone, this study found that the use of dehumanizing metaphors, threats, and aggressive language are mutual strategies utilized by both pro-Biafra and anti-Biafra ingroups in advancing their viewpoints. A major finding which recurred in the study’s themes is that that lack of genuine post-war reconstruction is a major predictor of incivility and language aggression in the discourse of Biafra agitation. This implies that the mutual animosities present in the debates were driven by historical grudges, ethnic prejudices, and dearth of objective truth-telling.
The role of bystander behavior and employee resilience in mitigating workplace cyberbullying impacts on employee innovative performance
Authors: Ullah Sami , Kukreti Mohit , Sami Abdul , Shaukat Muhammad Rehan , Dangwal Aarti
Published: January 2025

Background

Workplace cyberbullying significantly impacts employee well-being and innovation. Unlike traditional bullying, cyberbullying’s digital nature makes it pervasive and challenging to address.

Objective

This study investigates how workplace cyberbullying affects employee innovation performance, focusing on the mediating role of work disengagement and the moderating roles of bystander behavior and employee resilience.

Methods

Snowball sampling was used to identify 263 victims of workplace cyberbullying in the IT sector of Pakistan. The data collected through an online survey was analyzed using structural equation modeling to examine the relationships between workplace cyberbullying, work disengagement, innovation performance, and the moderating effects of bystander behavior and resilience.

Results

Workplace cyberbullying negatively impacts innovation performance directly and through increased work disengagement. Active bystander behavior mitigates, while passive bystander behavior exacerbates the adverse effects of workplace cyberbullying on work disengagement. Contrary to expectations, employee resilience did not significantly moderate the relationship between workplace cyberbullying and disengagement.

Conclusions

Workplace cyberbullying undermines employee innovation performance by increasing work disengagement. Active bystander intervention can reduce these negative impacts, highlighting the need for organizational policies to encourage supportive behavior. The lack of a moderating effect of resilience suggests that tailored resilience training is necessary for high-pressure environments like the IT sector in Pakistan.
Continued Refinements of Identity Salience: A Multidimensional Specification
Authors: Markowski Kelly L. , Serpe Richard T.
Published: January 2025

In identity theory, identity salience refers to the probability that an identity will be invoked (e.g., “called up” or activated) across situations. In this article, we suggest there are many ways to invoke an identity, ultimately arguing that the multiplicity of salience operationalizations across decades of literature is valid because these operationalizations capture different identity activation methods. This leads us to theoretically reframe salience as an overarching concept that encompasses multiple methods of identity activation, including external and internal invocation. We empirically test this idea by estimating a second-order latent construct measurement model of salience. We use secondary data from the Religion and Identity data set to test a specification composed of first-order latent “tell,”“do,” and “think” constructs among 1,388 religious U.S. adults. Results support the multidimensional specification, outperforming alternative models even when other key identity concepts (i.e., prominence and role-specific authenticity) are included. This work adds to the decades-long effort to adequately translate the salience concept into empirical measurement, further aiding future analyses and data collection efforts.
The perception of insecurity and vote choice in national referendums: The case of Chile in 2022
Authors: Berg Bilbao Santiago , Navia Patricio
Published: January 2025

The perception of insecurity increasingly explains political behaviour in Latin American democracies. Since the literature on referendums underlines that people often vote motivated by issues not directly addressed in the ballot, we assess if the perception of insecurity impacted the vote choice in the September 2022 constitutional referendum in Chile. We hypothesise that those who perceive more insecurity punish the national government by voting against the ruling coalition’s preferred outcome. We use a national poll conducted before the 2022 constitutional referendum and find that moderates were more likely to vote against the government if they perceived more insecurity. Among those in the extreme ends of the ideological spectrum, the perception of insecurity has a more limited impact. As perceptions of insecurity increasingly impact vote choice in Latin American democracies, voters also use constitutional referendums as an opportunity to punish the government for issues that trigger popular discontent.
Alternate view for investigating data science knowledge gaps: A U.S. perspective
Authors: Grant Delvin , Yeo Benjamin , Jacob Binu
Published: January 2025

Data science, a dynamic and rapidly growing field with expanding job growth, has wide variations among data science programs and conceptualizations of data scientists’ skills. Consequently, employers face challenges recruiting the right data scientists, due to misalignment between university preparation and industry needs. To explore this further, we present an alternate data science view and use it to investigate knowledge gaps. Text mining of U.S. university syllabi is used to identify knowledge and skills taught by U.S. universities and colleges. These are compared to data science terms and concepts identified in job postings from previous research. We find graduates are better prepared for soft skills, but ill-prepared for technical and analytical skills. The findings are used to discuss how universities and industry can bridge the gaps.
Data preservation, sharing and reuse among graduate students in Ghana
Authors: Arthur Beatrice , Ofori Yaw , Arthur Collins , Afriyie Kwadwo , Agyekum Baffour Ohene , Dukper Kojo Bawa , Baidoo Dinah Korteikor , Akotey Rita , Filson Christopher Kawme , Taylor Joseph , Humphrey-Ackumey Setsoafia Afetsi Yao , Aviamu Yaw Akwoyire
Published: January 2025

This study, as part of a bigger study, investigates research data management (RDM) practices among graduate students at four universities, two public and two private, in Ghana: Central University, Catholic University of Ghana, University of Mines and Technology, and University of Cape Coast. The study aims to assess approaches to research data preservation, sharing, and reuse, with the goal of understanding how Ghanaian graduate students manage their research data. Using a mixed-method approach, data were collected from 300 respondents through questionnaires and interviews. The analysis revealed that the majority of graduate students prefer to store their research data on personal devices such as PCs and laptops, with cloud storage services like Google Drive and Dropbox also being popular. Despite recognising the benefits of data sharing and reuse, most respondents were reluctant to share their data, primarily due to concerns over intellectual property, competitive advantage in publishing, and the perceived effort involved in data sharing. The study concludes that while there is an understanding of the importance of data management, actual practices are limited by significant barriers. The study recommends that Ghanaian universities revise their RDM policies to address issues such as data storage, sharing, and reuse, and suggests that institutions should provide incentives for data sharing to promote a culture of transparency and collaboration in research.
The development and implementation of strategies for promoting cultural literacy Among university students in the digital environment
Authors: Zhou Lujiang , Shafique Hafiz Muhammad , Ahmad Khurshid
Published: January 2025

The research purposes to assess the impact of digital era on promoting cultural literacy among fine arts students in South Punjab universities. A structured questionnaire was formed that based on the published literature on culture literacy and the hypothetical foundation of Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Proposed research model, which incorporates cultural literacy factors and the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), is referred to as Modified Technology Acceptance Model for Cultural Literacy Promotion (MTAM-FCLP). This survey targets students from the universities, including Sadiq College Women University, The Islamia University of Bahawalpur, Khawaja Fareed University of Engineering and Information Technology, and Bahauddin Zakariya University Multan. A pilot study was conducted upon completion of 20 questionnaires to assess the reliability and validity of the data collection tool. Census sampling method was used for data collection, out of 1355 we were able to collect the data from 950 fine arts undergraduate and postgraduate students across these institutions. The authors applied Smart PLS-SEM for data analysis that disclosed strong links between the constructs showing a significant impact on cultural literacy promotion. The validity and reliability of the model were established using metrics such as Cronbach's alpha, composite reliability, and average variance extracted, achieving values of 0.5, 0.7, and 0.8, respectively. The results of the research hypotheses show that the perceived ease and usefulness of digital technology positively influence students’ attitudes and skills, thereby enhancing cultural literacy.
Unpacking power dynamics in participatory communication among agricultural sector stakeholders
Authors: Tesfaye Anteneh Mekuria , Tyali Siyasanga M
Published: January 2025

This article explores power dynamics within participatory communication process among stakeholders in the agricultural sector of northwest Ethiopia. This study underpinning the article used qualitative data collected from key informant interviews, focus group discussions, and observations. Concepts from participatory development communication theory, the theory of communicative action, and power typology were used as analytical frameworks. The article underscores how political elites, structural hierarchies, experts, and cultural influence dominate participatory communication platforms, marginalising the voices of smallholder farmers and other stakeholders. These actors not only dominate discussions, but also shape decisions, as their ideas were taken for granted uncritically. This dominance mirrors existing broader political and cultural power structures, which marginalise smallholder farmers and other less powerful stakeholders, limiting inclusivity in decision-making. The findings underscore the need for equitable power redistribution to foster more equitable and inclusive decision -making in participatory platforms.
A-kinase anchor protein 12 promotes oligodendrogenesis and cognitive recovery in carbon monoxide therapy for traumatic brain injury
Authors: Choi Yoon Kyung , Maki Takakuni , Liang Anna C , Hayakawa Kazuhide , Koh Seong-Ho , Kim Young-Myeong , Whalen Michael J , Seo Ji Hae , Lok Josephine , Gelman Irwin H , Kim Kyu-Won , Lo Eng H , Arai Ken
Published: January 2025

Therapeutic drug development for central nervous system injuries, such as traumatic brain injury (TBI), presents significant challenges. TBI results in primary mechanical damage followed by secondary injury, leading to cognitive dysfunction and memory loss. Our recent study demonstrated the potential of carbon monoxide-releasing molecules (CORMs) to improve TBI recovery by enhancing neurogenesis. However, a comprehensive TBI recovery strategy requires not only neurogenesis but also oligodendrogenesis. In this study, we elucidate the critical role of A-kinase anchor protein 12 (AKAP12), a scaffolding protein predominantly expressed by intact pericytes, in oligodendrocyte regeneration during CO therapy for TBI. CORM treatment increased AKAP12 expression, which enhanced myelin intensity and mitigated TBI-induced oligodendrocyte loss. In addition, CO promotes the generation of new oligodendrocytes, a process that is impaired by AKAP12 deficiency. Notably, even after TBI, cognitive function was restored in wild-type mice following CORM treatment, but this effect was absent in Akap12 knockout mice. These findings highlight the importance of CO-induced AKAP12 upregulation, particularly in pericytes, in supporting oligodendrogenesis and cognitive recovery after TBI. Understanding these mechanisms holds promise for the development of targeted therapies to address TBI-associated impairments.
The expression of repulsive guidance molecule a in the rat brain and the diffusion tensor imaging evaluation for crossed cerebellar diaschisis
Authors: Ma Zhen , Cheng Jingliang , Lu Lin , Cheng Meiying , Wang Xiao , Wei Dong , Zhao Xin
Published: January 2025

Background

Cerebral infarction is one of the most common diseases. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) has been used to evaluate for crossed cerebellar diaschisis (CCD) to observe the expression of repulsive guidance molecule a (RGMa), the axonal regeneration as well as the effect on neural functional recovery in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model.

Purpose

To certify the expression pattern of RGMa in cerebral infarction and the mechanism of CCD to provide a new target for clinical therapy.

Material and Methods

Building the MCAO rat model, every 16 rats were randomly divided into one of six groups. The brain was scanned over the time points above and the rats were sacrificed for immunohistochemistry staining and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) to assay the RGMa expression.

Results

The apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) and fractional anisotropy (FA) value of MCAO rats declined and peaked at 12 h. The contralateral cerebellum had a lower parameter than the other side. The expression of RGMa kept climbing and achieved the maximum at 48 h ( P < 0.05). The value of the protein in the cerebellum was higher ( P < 0.05) compared with controls, especially the right cerebellum. The expression of RGMa was negative compared to the parameter of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the axonal regeneration.

Conclusion

The MRI and pathology parameters after MACO had significant differences compared to the controls, as well as the bilateral cerebellum, which provided evidence of CCD. RGMa was related to the axonal regeneration in the injured brain.