bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Unveiling the financial effect of ESG disclosure on financial performance in India: climate-sensitive corporates’ perspective
Authors: Maji Santi Gopal , Lohia Prachi
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The study aims to examine the impact of environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure on financial performance by considering the moderating impact of less and high climate-sensitive industry firms.

Design/methodology/approach

The present study is a panel data approach with a sample of the top 100 Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE)-listed non-financial firms covering the years 2019–2022. Appropriate panel data models have been used to investigate the association between ESG disclosure and financial performance, followed by an instrumental variable regression model to address endogeneity. Further, the panel data interaction effect model has been used to examine the moderating impact.

Findings

The results favour the value-enhancing function of ESG disclosure. Of the three ESG components, only the G factor affects firm performance significantly. The interaction effect model suggests that the link between ESG disclosure and financial performance is moderated by industry. However, this effect is greater for less sensitive industries. The results are robust to endogeneity.

Originality/value

The study’s novelty lies in the use of the integrated “Stakeholder Capitalism Metrics”, which has not been previously used in any study to assess the ESG disclosure of corporates. To further distinguish itself, the moderating impact of high and less climate-sensitive industry firms on the ESG-financial performance link, which remains unexplored in the fast-emerging nation of India, is looked into.
Portfolio-based assessment feedback and development of pedagogical skills among instructors and pre-service teachers
Authors: Kihwele Jimmy Ezekiel , Mwamakula Edward Noel , Mtandi Raiza
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Assessment feedback is vital in identifying learning gaps, correcting misconceptions and adjusting teaching strategies. In many teacher training programs, instructors and pre-service teachers rarely reflect on assessment feedback; hence, it does not inform teaching and learning with constructive remedies. Studies have indicated the role of e-portfolios in elevating pedagogical skills; however, this does not apply well in contexts where teachers hardly access the internet. The study explored printed-based portfolio use for AaL and AfL in developing pedagogical skills among pre-service teachers.

Design/methodology/approach

Using an exploratory case study design in a class of 120 students, the study interviewed 14 respondents, twelve of whom were pre-service teachers and two instructors. Further, the study thoroughly reviewed 120 students’ portfolios to obtain adequate information. Researchers employed the content analysis method for data analysis.

Findings

Findings indicate that instructors and pre-service teachers underwent the learning process, un-learning and re-learning appropriate pedagogical skills by reflecting on the assessment feedback on their portfolios. Also, peer review enhanced the broadening of their perspectives regarding students and pedagogical approaches. Like instructors, the process enhanced the adjustment of teaching strategies to suit learners’ diverse needs.

Originality/value

Portfolio-based assessment feedback and development of pedagogical skills is an original work based on actual teaching practices. Instructors integrated the portfolio to enhance reflective practices, i.e. self-reflection, inquiry and self-regulated learning for pre-service teachers to adjust their pedagogical skills.
Factors influencing luxury service brand extension in a developing country
Authors: Ahn Jiseon , Gao Meiling
Published: July 2024

Purpose

Despite the prevalence of luxury brand extension in the service industry, customers tend to be skeptical of the value of the extended brand. This study aims to investigate whether a parent luxury service brand significantly alters customers’ predicted quality, identity and attitude toward the extended brand.

Design/methodology/approach

This study uses partial least squares structural equation modeling to examine the proposed hypotheses in a developing country.

Findings

The results show that the parent brand’s brand distinctiveness positively and significantly signals the identity and quality of the extended brand. The model also identifies the mediating effects of quality as it signals the relationship between customers’ perception of the parent brand and attitude toward the extended service brand. As expected, as the quality of the extended brand improves, so does attitude toward the extended hotel brand. By contrast, the perceived identity of the extended brand does not significantly increase support for a positive attitude toward the extended brand.

Originality/value

This study contributes to the existing consumer marketing literature by suggesting future research directions and brand extension strategies for luxury hotel brand companies in developing countries.
Social unrest and bank liquidity creation: evidence from MENA banks
Authors: Ghosh Saibal
Published: July 2024

Purpose

A host of studies have assessed the determinants of bank liquidity creation, highlighting the relevance of macroeconomic and microeconomic factors. However, whether and how social unrest impacts bank liquidity creation remains a moot issue. To inform this debate, this study aims to exploit bank-level data for Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries covering the period 2010–2019 to assess the interlinkage between social unrest and bank liquidity creation.

Design/methodology/approach

In view of the staggered inception of social unrest across MENA countries, the author uses a difference-in-differences specification to tease out the causal impact.

Findings

The findings reveal that the Arab Spring improves liquidity creation after onboarding after confounding factors. This impact differs across conventional and Islamic banks and differs across asset side (market) and liability side (funding) liquidity creation. The evidence also underscores the positive real effects of such liquidity creation on real economic output.

Originality/value

This is one of the early studies exploiting a large sample of MENA banks to examine this issue in a systematic manner.
The research landscape on generative artificial intelligence: a bibliometric analysis of transformer-based models
Authors: Marchena Sekli Giulio
Published: July 2024

Purpose

The aim of this study is to offer valuable insights to businesses and facilitate better understanding on transformer-based models (TBMs), which are among the widely employed generative artificial intelligence (GAI) models, garnering substantial attention due to their ability to process and generate complex data.

Design/methodology/approach

Existing studies on TBMs tend to be limited in scope, either focusing on specific fields or being highly technical. To bridge this gap, this study conducts robust bibliometric analysis to explore the trends across journals, authors, affiliations, countries and research trajectories using science mapping techniques – co-citation, co-words and strategic diagram analysis.

Findings

Identified research gaps encompass the evolution of new closed and open-source TBMs; limited exploration across industries like education and disciplines like marketing; a lack of in-depth exploration on TBMs' adoption in the health sector; scarcity of research on TBMs' ethical considerations and potential TBMs' performance research in diverse applications, like image processing.

Originality/value

The study offers an updated TBMs landscape and proposes a theoretical framework for TBMs' adoption in organizations. Implications for managers and researchers along with suggested research questions to guide future investigations are provided.
Exploring graduate students’ perceived helplessness, self-efficacy, social support and satisfaction
Authors: Yoo Hyeon Jean , Marshall David T.
Published: July 2024

Purpose

This study aims to understand the role of seeking social support in the relationship between perceived helplessness, self-efficacy and satisfaction among graduate students during the pandemic, drawing upon the transactional model of stress and coping. Graduate students are composed of nontraditional students who are considered significantly different from traditional students. Nonetheless, research has yet to explore how seeking social support contributed to graduate students’ mental health during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially to the relationship between feelings of helplessness and positive mental health. More specifically, this study examined how seeking social support from others mediates the relationship between perceived helplessness and self-efficacy, academic satisfaction and general life satisfaction among graduate students.

Design/methodology/approach

Using quantitative data collected from 545 graduate students at a large, research-intensive university in the USA, structural equation modeling was used to test our conceptual model.

Findings

The results of this study indicate that perceived helplessness has a direct and adverse relationship with self-efficacy. Social support mediates the negative relationship between the two variables, buffering the negative psychological experience students feel and leading to higher levels of self-efficacy and two domains of satisfaction. Self-efficacy is positively associated with academic and general life satisfaction among graduate students. Academic satisfaction positively predicts general life satisfaction, as well. A conceptual model was developed, yielding acceptable goodness-of-fit statistics.

Originality/value

This study adds to the postsecondary education literature and contributes to the larger discourse identifying the positive role of social support in supporting graduate students to cope with psychological challenges that may be exacerbated under stressful conditions.
Successful treatment of Darier's disease with apremilast and review of reported cases
Authors: Muto Yusuke , Kinjyo Kengo , Asano Yoshihide
Published: July 2024

Darier's disease (DD) is a rare autosomal dominant genetic disorder caused by a mutation in ATP2A2, which encodes calcium (Ca2+) ATPase pumps in the endoplasmic reticulum. In this report, we present the first documented case in Japan successfully treated with apremilast. An 18‐year‐old female presented with red or brown hyperkeratotic papules and plaques on her head, neck, and chest. Histopathological examination revealed a hyperkeratotic, acanthotic epidermis, along with suprabasal acantholysis characterized by corps ronds and grains. Exome sequencing of DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells identified a missense mutation in ATP2A2. Based on the above results, we diagnosed her with DD despite the absence of a family history. Given the effectiveness of apremilast, a phosphodiesterase 4 inhibitor, in treating Hailey‐Hailey disease (HHD), a genetically related disorder involving ATPases in epidermal calcium channels, we opted for apremilast therapy. Eight weeks post‐initiation, significant improvement was observed in the patient's skin lesions on the head, neck, and chest. In this paper, we discuss the successful treatment of DD and HHD cases with apremilast, providing insights into its therapeutic potential, and offer a comprehensive review.
Microplastics promote the invasiveness of invasive alien species under fluctuating water regime
Authors: Zhang Rui‐Feng , Guo Yu‐Jian , Lai Ya‐Wen , Zhao Ting‐Ting , Li Guan‐Lin , Yan Zhao‐Gui , Wang Yong‐Jian , Rillig Matthias C.
Published: July 2024

Microplastic (MP) pollution and alien plant invasions are two important threats to terrestrial ecosystems. Microplastics alter the physical and chemical characteristics of soil, potentially affecting the performance of alien plants. However, previous studies have overlooked the impact of weather on invasive plants in areas polluted by MPs. With the global increase in extreme rainfall events, it is imperative to redefine the correlation between MPs and invasive plants.

Here, we conducted an experiment in a climate chamber to examine the effects of MPs on the growth and development of both native and invasive alien plants under constant and fluctuating water regime (FWR). The FWR simulated extreme water pulses during the 2016–2020 growing seasons in Wuhan, China.

Our results indicated that biomass accumulation and root development were influenced by water conditions and MP pollution in both invasive and native species. The extent of the effects varied between the two groups of plant species. FWR promoted plant growth and fine root development in invasive plants but reduced the maximum quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) and nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) indices of native plants. Moreover, FWR attenuated the negative effects of polybutylene succinate (PBS, degradable MPs) on biomass and root characteristics (length, surface area and tips). FWR compensated the negative impacts of MPs on the total and below‐ground biomass of the invasive species Paspalum dilatatum and Sphagneticola trilobata, but not on the native species. Consequently, invasive species showed better performance than native species in the fine root development of biomass growth and chlorophyll fluorescence under the combined effects of MPs and FWR.

Synthesis and applications. Our findings suggest that MP pollution enhances the competitiveness of invasive alien species over the native species when exposed to pronounced dry–wet water cycle conditions, potentially affecting the composition and biodiversity of the ecosystems. Thus, controlling MP pollution should be a part of the management strategy to conserve biodiversity and ecosystems.
Impact of subsidy on the new type of forestry operating entity's input: Moderating effect of the rising labor cost
Authors: Xiao Hui , Liu Can , Hou Fangmiao , Liu Hao
Published: July 2024

In an era marked by escalating social aging and labor costs, the forestry sector faces a critical juncture for sustainable development. Amidst these challenges, an opportunity arises to enhance forestry practices by examining the moderating impact of rising labor costs on emerging forestry entities. Employing instrumental variable Tobit models, this study rigorously analyzes the influence of subsidy levels on input factors within these enterprises. Drawing on a comprehensive data set of 485 survey responses from 15 counties and 6 provinces, this investigation reveals significant insights into the dynamics of forestry subsidies, input levels, and labor costs. It identifies a substantial positive correlation between forestry subsidies and both capital and labor inputs within these entities. However, it is the burgeoning labor costs that emerge as a pivotal driver, prompting a strategic reallocation of labor inputs toward capital factors. This strategic shift is driven by a nuanced interplay between labor‐saving capital and labor, resulting in a dynamic substitution effect that concurrently augments employed labor inputs. These findings underscore the imperative for tailored strategies to address the challenges posed by escalating labor costs and social aging within the forestry sector. In response, this study advocates for proactive approaches to forestry subsidy standards, emphasizing dynamic implementation to facilitate increased inputs. Additionally, broader allocation of forestry subsidies and an accelerated drive toward forestry transformation are identified as essential pathways toward fostering sustainable development and resilience amidst evolving socio‐economic landscapes.
Comprehensive analysis of predominant pathogenic bacteria and viruses in seafood products
Authors: Roy Pantu Kumar , Roy Anamika , Jeon Eun Bi , DeWitt Christina A. Mireles , Park Jae W. , Park Shin Young
Published: July 2024

Given the growing global demand for seafood, it is imperative to conduct a comprehensive study on the prevalence and persistence patterns of pathogenic bacteria and viruses associated with specific seafood varieties. This assessment thoroughly examines the safety of seafood products, considering the diverse processing methods employed in the industry. The importance of understanding the behavior of foodborne pathogens, such as Salmonella typhimurium, Vibrio parahaemolyticus, Clostridium botulinum, Listeria monocytogenes, human norovirus, and hepatitis A virus, is emphasized by recent cases of gastroenteritis outbreaks linked to contaminated seafood. This analysis examines outbreaks linked to seafood in the United States and globally, with a particular emphasis on the health concerns posed by pathogenic bacteria and viruses to consumers. Ensuring the safety of seafood is crucial since it directly relates to consumer preferences on sustainability, food safety, provenance, and availability. The review focuses on assessing the frequency, growth, and durability of infections that arise during the processing of seafood. It utilizes next‐generation sequencing to identify the bacteria responsible for these illnesses. Additionally, it analyzes methods for preventing and intervening of infections while also considering the forthcoming challenges in ensuring the microbiological safety of seafood products. This evaluation emphasizes the significance of the seafood processing industry in promptly responding to evolving consumer preferences by offering current information on seafood hazards and future consumption patterns. To ensure the continuous safety and sustainable future of seafood products, it is crucial to identify and address possible threats.
Establishing a straightforward I‐SceI‐mediated recombination one‐plasmid system for efficient genome editing in P. putidaKT2440
Authors: Meng Hao , Köbbing Sebastian , Blank Lars M.
Published: July 2024

Pseudomonas putida has become an increasingly important chassis for producing valuable bioproducts. This development is not least due to the ever‐improving genetic toolbox, including gene and genome editing techniques. Here, we present a novel, one‐plasmid design of a critical genetic tool, the pEMG/pSW system, guaranteeing one engineering cycle to be finalized in 3 days. The pEMG/pSW system proved in the last decade to be valuable for targeted genome engineering in Pseudomonas, as it enables the deletion of large regions of the genome, the integration of heterologous gene clusters or the targeted generation of point mutations. Here, to expedite genetic engineering, two alternative plasmids were constructed: (1) The sacB gene from Bacillus subtilis was integrated into the I‐SceI expressing plasmid pSW‐2 as a counterselection marker to accelerated plasmid curing; (2) double‐strand break introducing gene I‐sceI and sacB counterselection marker were integrated into the backbone of the original pEMG vector, named pEMG‐RIS. The single plasmid of pEMG‐RIS allows rapid genome editing despite the low transcriptional activity of a single copy of the I‐SceI encoding gene. Here, the usability of the pEMG‐RIS is shown in P. putida KT2440 by integrating an expression cassette including an msfGFP gene in 3 days. In addition, a large fragment of 12.1 kb was also integrated. In summary, we present an updated pEMG/pSW genome editing system that allows efficient and rapid genome editing in P. putida. All plasmids designed in this study will be available via the Addgene platform.
The association of nutritional and inflammatory biomarkers with overall survival in patients with non‐small‐cell lung cancer treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Authors: Horstman I. M. , Vinke P. C. , Suazo‐Zepeda E. , Hiltermann T. J. N. , Heuvelmans M. A. , Corpeleijn E. , de Bock G. H.
Published: July 2024

Objectives

Pretreatment biomarkers are needed to identify patients with non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) likely to have worse survival. This ensures that only patients with a real chance of benefit receive immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) treatment. In this study, we examined the associations of baseline nutritional and inflammatory biomarkers with overall survival in a real‐world cohort of NSCLC patients who received ICIs.

Materials and Methods

We used prospectively collected data from the OncoLifeS data biobank. The cohort included 500 advanced‐stage NSCLC patients treated with ICIs from May 2015 to June 2021. Biomarkers were evaluated within 2 weeks before ICI treatment: neutrophil‐to‐lymphocyte ratio, C‐reactive protein (CRP), Glasgow prognostic score, CRP/albumin ratio (CAR), prognostic nutritional index (PNI), and advanced lung cancer inflammation index. For each biomarker, low‐ and high‐risk groups were defined using literature‐based cut‐offs. Adjusted hazard ratios (aHRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were estimated using adjusted survival analysis.

Results

Most patients were male (60.8%), the mean baseline age was 65 ± 9 years, and 88% had stage IV disease. For each biomarker, low‐risk patients had better overall survival (all, p < 0.001), with CAR and PNI showing the strongest associations. In multivariable analyses a combined CAR/PNI risk score had a stronger association with overall survival (aHR 3.09, 95% CI 2.36–4.06) than CAR alone (aHR 2.22, 95% CI 1.79–2.76) or PNI alone (aHR 2.09, 95% CI 1.66–2.61).

Conclusion

These results highlight the potential value of nutritional and inflammatory biomarkers, in particular CAR and PNI, in identifying NSCLC patients with highest mortality risk before starting ICI treatment.
Prevalence and socioeconomic factors associated with non‐utilization of dental care in Lebanon: A nationwide cross‐sectional survey
Authors: Daou Dany , Saliba Christiane , Josseran Loic
Published: July 2024

Objectives

To assess the prevalence of non‐utilization of dental care in Lebanon and associated socioeconomic factors and self‐care behaviours.

Methods

A nationwide, quantitative, survey‐based study was conducted by trained interviewers with Lebanese residents aged ≥18 years between July and September 2019. Univariate analyses were performed using Pearson Chi Square test or the Fisher's exact test followed by a binary logistic regression using the SPSS Version 25.

Results

Of the 1070 participants, 247 (23.1%) did not utilise any type of healthcare and 144/247 (58.3%) did not utilise dental care. The prevalence of non‐utilization of dental care was estimated at 13.5%. Only 4.7% of the respondents consulted their dentist in the past year, among which 53% cited pain/emergencies as the reason for their consultation. Socioeconomic factors associated with the non‐utilization of dental care were lack of social medical insurance (OR, 0.49 [95% CI, 0.31 to 0.79]) and long waiting time/patient time restriction (OR, 2.05 [95% CI, 1.26 to 3.35]). On the other hand, facilitators for utilization of dental care included ethical standards/personal qualities of the dentist (OR, 0.53 [95% CI, 0.32 to 0.88]) and convenient cost with respect to the individual's economic status (OR, 0.28 [95% CI, 0.18 to 0.43]).

Conclusion

This study suggests that dental care practices in Lebanon, including the non‐utilization of dental care, are suboptimal. Measures such as reducing sugar and tobacco consumption, providing information on oral hygiene, and using fluoride products are inexpensive; however, implementing these measures may take substantial time and input by multiple stakeholders.
A New Tri‐channel Decomposition of External Adjustment: Model and Application
Authors: Hu Wangyin , Xia Guangtao , Li Yingting
Published: July 2024

In this study, we expanded upon the current benchmark model of external adjustment and dissected the concept of international financial adjustment into two distinct components: valuation effect and investment income. Our enhanced model, which we refer to as “tri‐channel model,” incorporates three key elements: trade balance, valuation effect, and investment income. Using a consolidated quarterly dataset that encompassed China's balance of payments and international investment positions from 1998 to 2020, we estimated the relative importance of the three newly introduced adjustment channels to China's cyclical external imbalance. We found that the trade balance channel played a major role, accounting for approximately 76 percent of cyclical external adjustment. The contribution of the investment income channel to cyclical external adjustment (21 percent) was much greater than that of the valuation effect channel (3 percent). These findings imply that policy responses to the cyclical external imbalance in China should focus more on the trade balance and investment incomes channels rather than exploiting the valuation effects.
Incidence and progression of diabetic retinopathy in patients treated with glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists versus sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors: A population‐based cohort study
Authors: Lin Donna Shu‐Han , Lo Hao‐Yun , Huang Kuan‐Chih , Lin Ting‐Tse , Lee Jen‐Kuang , Lin Lian‐Yu
Published: July 2024

Aim

Glucagon‐like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP1RA) and sodium‐glucose cotransporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) are both recommended for patients with diabetes, yet their effects on the development or progression of diabetic retinopathy (DR) are largely unknown.

Methods

In this retrospective cohort study, data were collected from a nationwide database. Patients with diabetes who initiated treatment with a GLP1RA or SGLT2i between 1 May 2016 and 31 December 2017, were identified. Patients were divided into those with or without a previous diagnosis of DR and then categorized into the GLP1RA and the SGLT2i groups according to drug use. The primary outcome of interest in the DR group was the composite of new‐onset proliferative DR, vitreous haemorrhage and tractional retinal detachment (RD). In the non‐DR group, the primary outcome was the composite of newly diagnosed DR of any severity, vitreous haemorrhage and RD.

Results

In total, 97 413 patients were identified. After matching, 1517 patients were treated with a GLP1RA and 3034 with an SGLT2i in the DR cohort. In the non‐DR cohort, 9549 initiated a GLP1RA and 19 098 initiated an SGLT2i. In patients with pre‐existing DR, the incidence of any DR progression event was significantly higher in the GLP1RA group than the SGLT2i group (subdistribution hazard ratio 1.50, 95% confidence interval 1.01‐2.23), primarily because of the increased risk of tractional RD. In patients without DR at baseline, the risks of all ocular outcomes were similar between the GLP1RA and SGLT2i groups.

Conclusions

In patients with diabetes mellitus and established DR, GLP1RA treatment was associated with increased risks of DR progression compared with SGLT2i use.
Microfinance and economic and social empowerment of people with disabilities: Lessons from Bangladesh
Authors: Sarker Debashis , Khan M. Adil
Published: July 2024

Motivation

People with disabilities are among the most disadvantaged and dispossessed people on earth, especially in the global South, where they have limited or no access to basic amenities of life and income‐earning opportunities. Moreover, in developing societies where poverty is widespread and disability is often regarded as a liability and, at times, stigmatized, people with disabilities often live in starkly inadequate conditions.

This article is based on doctoral research which, among other things, investigated the pilot experiment by non‐governmental organizations (NGOs) in Bangladesh. This developing, tradition‐bound country is looking to share theoretical understanding of aspects that contribute to dispossessions and the quagmire of deprivations into which people with disabilities are trapped, and alongside this present the potential or otherwise of microfinance in economic and social empowerment of people with disabilities who are “economically active.”

Purpose

The article, which is based on qualitative research and depicts in an objective manner the lived experiences of people with disabilities in a developing country setting, offers useful lessons in social and economic empowerment of people with disabilities in such societies.

Methods and Approach

Underpinned by the theory of intersectionality, this research used an innovative and customized qualitative case study method that is crucial in reaching out, interacting with, and gathering information and articulating issues that are relevant for policy development.

Findings

There are two important findings. First, that reaching out to and gathering information from and articulating the lived experiences and empowerment imperatives of people with disabilities, as well as the innovation and customization of existing tools and techniques of qualitative research, are key; and second, while microfinance did help a few people with disabilities who are in poverty and have been deemed “economically active,” the empowerment of people with disabilities requires a more holistic approach.

Policy Implications

The findings of this research indicate the importance of qualitative research to understand the lived experiences of people with disabilities in their own environment and formulate policies and initiate programmes that address the needs of people with disabilities in a practical and empowering manner, especially in the global South.
Managerial ability and accounting comparability: Evidence from Chinese listed firms
Authors: Zhang Lu , Hao Boyang , Yang Dan , Wang Guojun
Published: July 2024

We explore the impact of management team ability on firm‐level accounting comparability. Through using a sample of Chinese listed firms from 2009 to 2022, the paper documents that accounting comparability has an inverse U‐shaped association with management team ability where a certain level of managerial ability leads to the highest levels of accounting comparability. Further analysis shows that high‐ability managers have different incentives on accounting comparability when compared to low‐ability managers, especially when they suffer financing constraints, possess more proprietary information, experience weak market environment, bear excessive price risk and risk premium and work in the politically connected firms.
Identifying greenwashing in corporate‐social responsibility reports using natural‐language processing
Authors: Gorovaia Nina , Makrominas Michalis
Published: July 2024

A textual analysis of corporate‐social responsibility (CSR) reports reveals that companies engaged in environmental violations report differently from firms with a clean record. The violators issue longer, more positive and more frequent reports to relay environmental content that is more copious but less readable. The violator firms appear to modify their reporting practices right after committing a violation. The findings suggest that culpable firms exploit the current unregulated–unaudited state of CSR reporting as a means of greenwashing and call for institutional change. Our results are robust to a number of industry‐firm characteristics, including board composition, ownership dispersion and international presence.
The higher‐ranking local officials and local economic growth: Evidence from China
Authors: Li Yuan , Yu Chuanjiang , Luo Yue , He Xinju
Published: July 2024

This paper investigates the effect of administrative level on local economic growth from the perspective of officials' rank. We notice an interesting phenomenon that higher‐ranking local officials (HRO) serve in cities with lower administrative level, can effectively improve economic performance similar to the effect of promoting administrative level of local government. Based on prefecture‐level city data from 2001 to 2019, we find that HRO can significantly promote local economic growth, especially in cities with lower levels of development. The mechanism analysis shows that the HRO cities not only could receive upper‐level government's favoritism but also tend to shape good business environment to attract investment. Further, HRO is a softer and shorter way than a formal change of regional administrative level, with less negative impact on the surrounding regions. The results provide new evidence that raising administrative level promotes regional development.
Omalizumab for management of hypersensitivity reactions to anticancer drugs
Authors: Grover Piyush , Krummenacher Matthew , Loy Timothy , Nowak Anna K. , Lucas Michaela
Published: July 2024

Hypersensitivity reactions to anticancer drugs include treatment‐limiting toxicity. Standard drug desensitisation offers temporary tolerance and hence requires repetition. We used omalizumab, an anti‐immunoglobulin E antibody, to overcome immediate and delayed hypersensitivity reactions to various anticancer drugs. Seven of the eight patients in the current study successfully resumed the desired anticancer drug regimen without standard desensitisation. No safety issues from omalizumab were observed.
From properties of zirconium carbide to the reverse design of ultra‐high temperature CMCs
Authors: Zhou Yue
Published: July 2024

The development and commercialization of aerospace vehicles have posed significant challenges to the performance requirements for the corresponding materials. To meet these challenges, ceramic matrix composites (CMCs) have been developed and are widely used in the aerospace industry. However, their stability under extreme environmental conditions still needs to be improved. In this review, some properties of zirconium carbide (ZrC), which are related to extreme environmental applications of CMC are discussed first. Then, the effect of ZrC on the properties of CMC is comprehensively reviewed. ZrC can be introduced into the matrix and coated on the surface to increase the ablation resistance. The protection mechanisms of ZrC addition to CMCs, and the improvement in ZrC ablation resistance are explained. In addition, some perspectives on future developments are given.
Effect of NiO and Al2O3 on the Curie temperature, microstructure, and dielectric properties of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 ceramics
Authors: Zhang Xianxin , Gao Zengli , Xin Le , Zhang Mingwei , Ren Luchao , Geng Xin , Lyu Panpan , Li Cuncheng , Peng Hui , Zhai Jiwei
Published: July 2024

A series of new x(yNiO/zAl2O3)‐(1–x)Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 (x = 10, 30, and 50 wt.%, y = 1, 1.3, 1.5, z = 1, 1.3, and 1.5 mol) ceramics were prepared using the solid‐phase method. The effects of the spinel oxides on the microstructure, lattice vibrations, and dielectric properties of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 were assessed. When NiO and Al2O3 were present in equal quantities, they reacted to form NiAl2O4. Under the recombination effect, the dielectric permittivity of Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 was effectively reduced, the Curie temperature (Tc) was increased, and tunability gradually increased. The Tc value was not significantly altered when NiO was in excess. Impurity phases were generated, and the Tc value decreased when Al2O3 was in excess. This study elucidated the unique role of the spinel structure. The 50 wt.%(NiO/Al2O3)‐50 wt.%Ba0.5Sr0.5TiO3 had excellent microwave dielectric properties, with dielectric permittivity, tunability, and Q values of 300, 18.7%, and 357, respectively.
Tracking movements of meagre (Argyrosomus regius) during the spawning season: Preliminary indications of off estuary spawning
Authors: Abecasis David , Martínez‐Ramírez Lucas , Gandra Miguel , Winkler Alexander C.
Published: July 2024

Understanding the spawning behavior of meagre (Argyrosomus regius) is crucial for fisheries management and conservation. Meagre forms large spawning aggregations in estuaries, yet details of its spawning grounds remain elusive. We tagged 41 individuals and monitored their movements throughout several spawning seasons. Detections inside estuaries were limited. Fish detected inside the Tejo estuary during the spawning season performed regular movements toward coastal areas, suggesting potential spawning outside estuaries. Our findings underscore the significance of understanding meagre's migratory patterns for effective fisheries management and conservation strategies, supporting the establishment of spatial and seasonal closures during the spawning season.
Influence of changing dentition on food texture preferences and perception of eating difficulty in Australian children
Authors: Chow Ching Yue , Bech Anne C. , Olsen Annemarie , Keast Russell , Russell Catherine G. , Bredie Wender L. P.
Published: July 2024

The transition from primary to permanent dentition is an important phase in children's oral development, yet its impact on texture perception and food acceptance are less explored. This study aimed to investigate how changing dentition and tooth loss influence texture preferences and perception of eating difficulty among children aged 5 to 12 years. Children (n = 475) completed a forced‐choice questionnaire featuring drawings of six food pairs, each available in hard or soft texture, and reported whether they had started losing primary teeth and the number of tooth gaps present. They also tasted four samples: chocolate snacks (cake and biscuits) and cheddar cheese (grated and cubes), evaluating their perceived eating difficulty and liking for each sample. Analysis of questionnaire responses showed a general preference for softer food textures among children, with a 36% probability of choosing hard foods. Preferences were not related to child's dental state, including primary teeth loss (p = .13) or number of tooth gaps (p = .45). In the taste test, chocolate biscuits and cheese cubes were perceived as significantly more difficult to eat than chocolate cake and grated cheese, respectively (both p < .0001). Children with more than two tooth gaps reported greater eating difficulty for chocolate biscuits and cheese cubes compared to children with fewer or no tooth gaps. This study demonstrated that children's texture preferences for hardness of foods remained consistent during dentition change, while their perception of eating difficulty could vary based on their dental state at specific points in time.
Knowledge spillovers or R&D collaboration? Understanding the role of external knowledge for firm innovation
Authors: Audretsch David B. , Belitski Maksim , Caiazza Rosa
Published: July 2024

Extant research has established that firms engage in R&D collaboration and access knowledge spillovers to enhance their innovativeness. We aim to take this conversation in a new direction by seeking to answer the question, ‘How does engagement in R&D collaboration with suppliers, customers, and competitors, both domestically and internationally, as well as access to knowledge spillovers from universities and other open sources, influence a firm's innovation?’ This is the primary goal of our study. The study develops a knowledge‐based view on knowledge collaboration and spillovers, explaining how a firm's decision to collaborate, as opposed to accessing knowledge spillovers, shapes its innovation outputs and propensity to innovate. The theoretical utility of this framework lies in elucidating how the distinct types of knowledge (basic or applied) transferred to a firm when accessing external knowledge create different mechanisms that influence innovation output. By analyzing data on knowledge spillovers and R&D collaboration from the innovation survey of firms in the United Kingdom over the period 2002–2014, we demonstrate that in most instances of knowledge combinations, the cost effect of knowledge sourcing exceeds the complementary effect of knowledge, leading to a firm's choice between R&D collaboration and spillovers. The study contributes to the innovation and R&D management literatures by explaining why this pattern emerges and demonstrating that these relationships are contingent upon the degree of collaboration and the level of knowledge spillovers.
Construction Parameters Optimization of CO2 Composite Fracturing for Horizontal Shale Wells
Authors: Pan Juncheng , Zhang Qi , Ding Lang , Huang Dongmei , Wu Le , Lu Mingjing
Published: July 2024

To ensure the economic feasibility of shale oil and gas exploitation, large-scale hydraulic fracturing is essential for increasing recovery volumes by creating more efficient conductivity channels. However, China's continental shale reservoirs present complex geological conditions, making optimization through traditional hydraulic fracturing challenging. Thus, substituting CO2 for water in fracturing fluids to enhance shale reservoirs has garnered significant interest. An orthogonal experimental design was implemented to identify the optimal parameters for CO2 composite fracturing. Analysis of single-factor experiments led to the selection of four key variables: slickwater volume, slickwater displacement, preflush liquid CO2 volume, and proppant addition volume, resulting in 16 experimental configurations. Using numerical simulation of tight oil shale reservoirs, the effective stimulated reservoir volume for each parameter combination was calculated. Variance analysis revealed that increased slickwater volume significantly enhances fracture initiation and propagation. While variations in slickwater displacement and preflush liquid CO2 volume influence fracture network morphology and complexity, they have a lesser effect on the stimulated volume compared to slickwater volume. Proppant quantity primarily affects fracture conductivity with minimal impact on stimulated volume. This research underpins the optimization of constructional parameters for CO2 composite fracturing.
Small-molecule probe for IBD risk variant GPR65 I231L alters cytokine signaling networks through positive allosteric modulation
Authors: Neale Ilona , Reddy Clark , Tan Zher Yin , Li Bihua , Nag Partha P. , Park Joshua , Park Jihye , Carey Kimberly L. , Graham Daniel B. , Xavier Ramnik J.
Published: July 2024

The proton-sensing heterotrimeric guanine nucleotide–binding protein–coupled receptor GPR65 is expressed in immune cells and regulates tissue homeostasis in response to decreased extracellular pH, which occurs in the context of inflammation and tumorigenesis. Genome-wide association studies linked
GPR65
to several autoimmune and inflammatory diseases such as multiple sclerosis and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The loss-of-function GPR65 I231L IBD risk variant alters cellular metabolism, impairs protective tissue functions, and increases proinflammatory cytokine production. Hypothesizing that a small molecule designed to potentiate GPR65 at subphysiological pH could decrease inflammatory responses, we found positive allosteric modulators of GPR65 that engage and activate both human and mouse orthologs of the receptor. We observed that the chemical probe BRD5075 alters cytokine and chemokine programs in dendritic cells, establishing that immune signaling can be modulated by targeting GPR65. Our investigation offers improved chemical probes to further interrogate the biology of human GPR65 and its clinically relevant genetic variants.
A synchronous-twisting method to realize radial scalability in fibrous energy storage devices
Authors: Zhou Zhenyu , Xie Sijie , Cai Heng , Colli Alejandro N. , Monnens Wouter , Zhang Qichong , Guo Wei , Zhang Wei , Han Ning , Pan Hongwei , Zhang Xueliang , Pan Hui , Xue Zhenhong , Zhang Xuan , Yao Yagang , Zhang Jin , Fransaer Jan
Published: July 2024

For wearable electronics, radial scalability is one of the key research areas for fibrous energy storage devices to be commercialized, but this field has been shelved for years due to the lack of effective methods and configuration arrangements. Here, the team presents a generalizable strategy to realize radial scalability by applying a synchronous-twisting method (STM) for synthesizing a coaxial-extensible configuration (CEC). As examples, aqueous fiber-shaped Zn-MnO
2
batteries and MoS
2
-MnO
2
supercapacitors with a diameter of ~500 μm and a length of 100 cm were made. Because of the radial scalability, uniform current distribution, and stable binding force in CEC, the devices not only have high energy densities (~316 Wh liter
−1
for Zn-MnO
2
batteries and ~107 Wh liter
−1
for MoS
2
-MnO
2
supercapacitors) but also maintain a stable operational state in textiles when external bending and tensile forces were applied. The fabricating method together with the radial scalability of the devices provides a reference for future fiber-shaped energy storage devices.
DNA-mediated assembly of Au bipyramids into anisotropic light emitting kagome superlattices
Authors: Li Zhiwei , Lim Yein , Tanriover Ibrahim , Zhou Wenjie , Li Yuanwei , Zhang Ye , Aydin Koray , Glotzer Sharon C. , Mirkin Chad A.
Published: July 2024

Colloidal crystal engineering with DNA allows one to design diverse superlattices with tunable lattice symmetry, composition, and spacing. Most of these structures follow the complementary contact model, maximizing DNA hybridization on building blocks and producing relatively close-packed lattices. Here, low-symmetry kagome superlattices are assembled from DNA-modified gold bipyramids that can engage only in partial DNA surface matching. The bipyramid dimensions and DNA length can be engineered for two different superlattices with rhombohedral unit cells, including one composed of a periodic stacking of kagome lattices. Enabled by the partial facet alignment, the kagome lattices exhibit lattice distortion, bipyramid twisting, and planar chirality. When conjugated with Cy-5 dyes, the kagome lattices serve as cavities with high-density optical states and large Purcell factors along lateral directions, leading to strong dipole radiation along the
z
axis and facet-dependent light emission. Such complex optical properties make these materials attractive for lasers, displays, and quantum sensing constructs.
Identification of novel bromodomain inhibitors of
Trypanosoma cruzi
bromodomain factor 2 (
Tc
BDF2) using a fluorescence polarization-based high-throughput assay
Authors: Tavernelli Luis E. , Alonso Victoria L. , Peña Imanol , Rodríguez Araya Elvio , Manarin Romina , Cantizani Juan , Martin Julio , Salamanca Juan , Bamborough Paul , Calderón Felix , Gabarro Raquel , Serra Esteban
Published: July 2024

Bromodomains are structural folds present in all eukaryotic cells that bind to other proteins recognizing acetylated lysines. Most proteins with bromodomains are part of nuclear complexes that interact with acetylated histone residues and regulate DNA replication, transcription, and repair through chromatin structure remodeling. Bromodomain inhibitors are small molecules that bind to the hydrophobic pocket of bromodomains, interfering with the interaction with acetylated histones. Using a fluorescent probe, we have developed an assay to select inhibitors of the bromodomain factor 2 of
Trypanosoma cruzi
(
Tc
BDF2) using fluorescence polarization. Initially, a library of 28,251 compounds was screened in an endpoint assay. The top 350-ranked compounds were further analyzed in a dose-response assay. From this analysis, seven compounds were obtained that had not been previously characterized as bromodomain inhibitors. Although these compounds did not exhibit significant trypanocidal activity, all showed
bona fide
interaction with
Tc
BDF2 with dissociation constants between 1 and 3 µM validating these assays to search for bromodomain inhibitors.