bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Semilichen - an unjustly neglected symbiotic system between green biofilms and true lichens
Authors: Vondrák Jan , Svoboda Stanislav , Říha Pavel , Kantnerová Veronika , Škaloud Pavel , Kubásek Jiří 
Published: December 2024

Summary-Symbiotic systems of photosynthetic microorganisms and fungi are widespread in terrestrial biomes and lichens are probably the most advanced and complex. Conversely, the least complex systems are “green biofilms” with a completely unexplored mycobiome. We describe here a new system intermediate between green biofilms and lichens – semilichens.-Light and fluorescence microscopy, eDNA sequencing, molecular phylogeny, Chlorophyllafluorescence and13C labelling/metabolomics were used to study algal and fungal identity, morphology and physiology of the symbiosis.-Tight contact between algae and a single predominant fungus (mycobiont) is revealed in semilichens. The algae are from the symbiotic lineages of Trebouxiophyceae and Ulvophyceae, the fungi belong to Arthoniomycetes, Dothideomycetes, Eurotiomycetes, Lecanoromycetes and Lichinomycetes. Algae are alive and perform substantial photosynthetic activity.13C labelled photosynthates are partially converted into specific fungal polyols (arabitol, mannitol) demonstrating the C-flow from algae to fungi.-The new symbiotic system was defined and compared with other terrestrial algal-fungal symbioses. It is characterized by minimalist environmental requirements and extremely low production of biomass. As a result, it also inhabits environments unfavourable for lichens. Our research supports the hypothesis that the long-term existence of algae and fungi in terrestrial conditions affected by frequent and repeated drying is likely dependent on their mutual coexistence.
Impact pathways: improving medicine access through cross-national stockpiling
Authors: De Vries Harwin , Lemmens Stef , Breugem Thomas , Olivier Max 
Published: December 2024

PurposePressure to address drug shortages is increasing, and calls for cross-national stockpiling solutions are on the rise. This paper argues that cross-national stockpiling presents an important opportunity for operations and supply chain management (OSCM) research to help improve medicine access in the short- and long-term.Design/methodology/approachTo substantiate our claims for future research, we conducted an empirical analysis of shortage co-occurrence on twelve EU member-states, reviewed practice reports and academic literature, and held extensive discussions with pharmaceutical supply chain stakeholders.FindingsWe show that the potential for cross-national stockpiling is unmistakably there and that, although OSCM research has touched upon important facets of cross-national stockpiling, many open questions still require novel research.Originality/valueWe present opportunities for impactful research along various dimensions, including understanding barriers and stakeholder behavior, quantifying cost-effectiveness and potential knock-on effects, analyzing the positive and negative implications of product standardization and determining novel equitable mechanisms for allocation and financing cross-national stockpiles.
US sanctions, workforce dynamics, and corporate entrepreneurship: evidence from Iran
Authors: Hesarzadeh Reza 
Published: December 2024

Purpose
This study aims to explore how political sanctions imposed by the US government have influenced workforce dynamics and corporate entrepreneurship within Iranian listed firms.

Design/methodology/approach
The study utilizes a difference-in-differences approach to compare the workforce compositions and corporate entrepreneurship of Iranian listed firms subjected to US sanctions with those unaffected by sanctions both before and after the implementation of sanctions. The empirical analysis utilizes data from Iranian listed firms spanning from 2013 to 2023.

Findings
Our analysis reveals a significant decrease in employment rates among sanctioned firms, indicating a reduction in their workforce size. However, interestingly, we also observe a simultaneous positive effect on the educational qualifications of employees, as evidenced by increases in academic credentials and training hours, coupled with higher research and development (R&D) expenditures. These shifts in human capital investment and R&D spending contribute to a heightened level of entrepreneurship in the subsequent year. Furthermore, our findings suggest that firms enhance their entrepreneurial activities by prioritizing innovation in processes over exploring new business domains.

Originality/value
Through this investigation, our study elucidates the intricate relationship between sanctions and corporate entrepreneurship, highlighting a complex dynamic wherein sanctions, despite reducing workforce quantity, encourage investments in workforce quality and efficiency, ultimately fostering an environment conducive to enhanced entrepreneurship.
The policy protection of heritage in England & Wales – time for a rethink? Is the negative heritage test in the guise of “less than/substantial harm” the most appropriate means by which heritage significance can be examined and assessed?
Authors: Stubbs Michael , Carr Oliver 
Published: December 2024

PurposeOne of the central tenets of heritage protection is preserving heritage significance. This can be traced to the “conserve as found” philosophy espoused by Ruskin and Morris in the 1840s. A consensus of values framing what is conserved and the processes facilitating conservation has evolved. This paper examines those processes in land-use planning regulation.Design/methodology/approachAfter examining several cases selected for their high profile, revisions are suggested. A methodology is developed to promote a new way of applying the legal tests of preservation.FindingsThese include the development of a new methodology to assess cumulative heritage impacts, the removal of any artificial divide between tests of heritage harm and greater harmony between heritage policy and heritage legislative duties when confronting the delivery of preservation and enhancement within conservation practice.Originality/valueBeyond the calls for reform from such bodies as Historic England and Cadw, no real examination has been undertaken of the relationship between legal strictures and policy detail when assessing the rigours of heritage significance.
Employee voice in healthcare: a systematic review
Authors: Hague Leah , Barry Michael , Mowbray Paula K. , Wilkinson Adrian , Avgar Ariel 
Published: December 2024

PurposeWe aim to advance our understanding by examining voices related to employees’ own interests and associated outcomes for employees and healthcare organizations. Patient safety reviews do not explore contextual factors such as organizational or professional cultures and regulatory environments in depth, and arguments for overcoming barriers to voice in health are underdeveloped. The research has largely developed in separate literature (various subdisciplines of management and the health field), and we outline the divergent emphases and opportunities for integration with the aim of investigating all relevant contextual factors and providing guidance on best practice informed by multiple disciplines.Design/methodology/approachA systematic approach was taken to gathering and reviewing articles, and coding and reporting are in line with the most recent Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses statement (Rethlefsen et al., 2021).FindingsWe identified a range of facilitators, barriers and outcomes of employee interest voice at different levels (organizational, leadership, team or individual) in a healthcare context. We identify various theoretical, methodological and knowledge gaps, and we suggest several ways in which these can be addressed in future research efforts.Practical implicationsWe make multiple contributions to both theory and practice, including highlighting the importance and implications of integrating disciplinary approaches, broadening context, improving research design and exploring under-researched samples and topics. This information is essential in providing a more comprehensive model of healthcare voice and to shifting management focus to include all forms of employee voice in healthcare for the benefit of staff and patients.Originality/valueWe make multiple contributions to both theory and practice including highlighting the importance of integrating disciplinary approaches, broadening context to include employee interest issues, improving research design and exploring under-researched samples and topics. This information is essential in providing a more comprehensive model of health care voice and to shifting management focus to take a more inclusive view of employee voice in healthcare for the benefit of staff as well as patients.
Cham Muslims’ experiences in Vietnamese education institutions: an exploratory study
Authors: Ngoc Chau Huy , Kim Khanh Mai Thi 
Published: December 2024

Purpose
Cham Muslims are both an ethnic and religious minority group. Although reports indicate a bleak situation regarding school attainment and success, little research has been conducted exclusively on the experiences of Cham Muslims in Vietnam’s educational system. This study aims to investigate the challenges and supports that Cham Muslims may encounter during their years in public education. Additionally, this study explores how Islamic elements are received in various educational settings.

Design/methodology/approach
Using qualitative methods and purposive sampling, semi-structured interviews were conducted with Cham Muslim students enrolled in two Vietnamese universities. The data were analyzed to address the research questions and were interpreted through the lens of Bourdieu’s concepts of field and capital, as well as Appadurai's (2004) notion of “capacity to aspire.”

Findings
The findings of this study suggest that Cham Muslim students may encounter unique challenges compared to other ethnic groups residing in mountainous regions. Various forms of support, both from the state and individuals, have been identified as facilitators of educational engagement. However, this study also highlights the challenges associated with Islamic practices in both pre-collegiate and university environments.

Research limitations/implications
Given the exploratory nature of this study, the findings should be interpreted cautiously to avoid overgeneralization. While additional sources were consulted for substantiation, the small sample size limits the generalizability of the results. However, this study can serve as a foundation for future research investigating the experiences of Cham Muslims in Vietnamese education institutions. Larger-scale studies conducted in multiple locations would contribute to the literature on ethnic and religious minorities, which often requires in-depth analysis using various theoretical approaches.

Originality/value
This study is among the pioneering efforts to investigate Cham Muslims’ educational experiences in Vietnam, which has the potential to contribute to both the ethnic and religious minority studies.
Promoting the adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices: The role of crop insurance participation
Authors: Su Min , Feng Shuyi , Liu Ziming 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis study investigates the impact of crop insurance participation on farmers' adoption of environmentally friendly agricultural practices using microsurvey data from the China Land Economic Survey 2020. Propensity score matching and an endogenous switching probit model are applied to address potential selection bias. We find that crop insurance participation has significant and positive effects on farmers' adoption of straw return and biological pesticides. Specifically, it increases the probability of adopting straw return and biological pesticides by 45.6% and 46.3%, respectively. These impacts are particularly large for younger, larger scale and more risk‐averse farmers. Our results highlight the necessity of supporting crop insurance participation to encourage desirable environmental outcomes. We also discuss potential policies to facilitate crop insurance uptake in rural China.
The impact of the classified voting system on corporate investment and equity value
Authors: Jin Qinglu , Wu Sirui 
Published: December 2024

AbstractGranting decision rights to minority shareholders protects them from expropriation by controlling shareholders, but it simultaneously fosters a mismatch between decision rights and decision‐relevant information. Using the setting of China's classified voting system (CVS), which requires minority shareholder approval for managerial proposals, this study investigates the effect of such a regulation on investment responsiveness to profitability and equity value attributable to growth options. Following the real‐options‐based valuation model, we document that the adoption of CVS diminishes both investment responsiveness and equity value. This reduction is attributed to heightened financial constraints following the CVS implementation. Further analyses show the negative impacts are more pronounced for firms experiencing greater information asymmetry, lower mutual fund holdings, and severe agency conflicts. Our evidence indicates that the efficacy of the regulation is contingent on the alignment between decision rights of minority shareholders and decision‐relevant information available to them. Our findings thus provide insights to the regulators regarding the advantages and disadvantages of allowing minority shareholders direct influence over corporate decision‐making.
Flexible or rigid? Evidence on managerial ability and cost structure
Authors: Banker Rajiv D. , Huang Rong , Wang Yuxuan , Yan Yan 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis study investigates the association between managerial ability and cost rigidity. Cost rigidity refers to the relative proportion of fixed and variable costs. We expect that high‐ability managers will assess the potential upside congestion and downside default risks and choose an appropriate level of cost rigidity accordingly. Our results show that, on average, high‐ability managers tend to adopt a more rigid cost structure because they are more likely to realize favorable demand, and therefore, they retain higher capacity with more fixed inputs to alleviate potential congestion risk. We further document that firms with high‐ability managers will exhibit a higher (lower) level of cost rigidity when facing higher congestion risk (default risk). Our results are robust to using a propensity score matching method, a CEO turnover subsample, and alternative measures of cost rigidity and managerial ability. Taken together, this study suggests that firms' capacity management choices vary with the level of managerial ability.
Telomerase reverse transcriptase gene knock‐in unleashes enhanced longevity and accelerated damage repair in mice
Authors: Zhu Tian‐Yi , Hu Po , Mi Yu‐Hui , Zhang Jun‐Li , Xu An‐Na , Gao Ming‐Tong , Zhang Ying‐Ying , Shen San‐Bing , Yang Guang‐Ming , Pan Yang 
Published: December 2024

AbstractWhile previous research has demonstrated the therapeutic efficacy of telomerase reverse transcriptase (TERT) overexpression using adeno‐associated virus and cytomegalovirus vectors to combat aging, the broader implications of TERT germline gene editing on the mammalian genome, proteomic composition, phenotypes, lifespan extension, and damage repair remain largely unexplored. In this study, we elucidate the functional properties of transgenic mice carrying the Tert transgene, guided by precise gene targeting into the Rosa26 locus via embryonic stem (ES) cells under the control of the elongation factor 1α (EF1α) promoter. The Tert knock‐in (TertKI) mice harboring the EF1α‐Tert gene displayed elevated telomerase activity, elongated telomeres, and extended lifespan, with no spontaneous genotoxicity or carcinogenicity. The TertKI mice showed also enhanced wound healing, characterized by significantly increased expression of Fgf7, Vegf, and collagen. Additionally, TertKI mice exhibited robust resistance to the progression of colitis induced by dextran sodium sulfate (DSS), accompanied by reduced expression of disease‐deteriorating genes. These findings foreshadow the potential of TertKI as an extraordinary rejuvenation force, promising not only longevity but also rejuvenation in skin and intestinal aging.
Effect of diode laser (980 nm) on IL‐8 expression in failed endodontic cases: Randomised control trial
Authors: Morsy Dina Ahmed , Shaker Olfat Gameel , ElKhodary Sherif Adel 
Published: December 2024

AbstractThis clinical study assessed the effectiveness of diode laser–980 nm as adjuvant in retreatment of failed endodontic cases with chronic periapical lesions on basis of IL‐8 expression and postoperative pain when compared to placebo. For 28 patients, the pre‐instrumentation periapical samples (S1) were gathered, following retreatment. After chemo‐mechanical preparation, post‐instrumentation samples (S2) were collected. Patients were allocated to diode laser (DL) or placebo (PL) groups. After which post‐irradiation samples (S3) were gathered. Patients recorded their pain on NRS scale at 6, 12, 24 and 7 days. After 1 week, samples (S4) were collected. An ELISA kit was used to measure an amount of IL‐8. DL group showed significantly lower IL‐8 levels at S4 (p < 0.001) and postoperative pain at 6 h (p = 0.003) compared to PL. Intracanal diode laser irradiation is a beneficial adjunct to endodontics, in retreatment cases regarding reducing postoperative pain and lowering the level of IL‐8 expression.
Long‐term in vivo performance of silicone membrane lungs coated with novel methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine polymers: A pilot study
Authors: Anraku Masaki , Yokoi Ryo , Hara Shintaro , Nobori Yuya , Nakao Keita , Fukumoto Kento , Ono Toshiya , Sato Kazuaki , Watanabe Fumikazu , Isoyama Takashi , Oshiyama Hiroaki , Ono Minoru , Nakajima Jun , Takai Madoka 
Published: December 2024

AbstractBackgroundThis study was designed to evaluate the long‐term durability, oxygenation, and pressure loss of newly developed, methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC)‐polymer‐coated, nonporous silicone hollow fiber‐membrane lungs in vivo using a pulmonary artery‐to‐left‐atrium paracorporeal configuration.MethodsAn extracorporeal circuit from the pulmonary artery (device inflow) to the left atrium (device outflow) was established using dedicated composite vascular grafts in three healthy female goats for the prototype lung testing.ResultsDuration of testing the prototype lungs was 52, 57, or 100 days. Averages of oxygen transfer rates (ml/min) at the beginning of the evaluation were 77.6 ± 17.5 at 1 L/min blood flow, 137.1 ± 58.0 at 2 L/min, and 188.9 ± 86.4 at 3 L/min. Consistent oxygen transfer performance was maintained throughout the experiments. Electron microscopy revealed minimal thrombus formation on the hollow fiber membranes inside the lungs. Native lungs were maintained in good condition without appreciable congestion in all three subjects.ConclusionsThe longevity of the hollow fibers documented here is a key requirement for the development of a device for long‐term respiratory support. The pulmonary artery‐to‐left‐atrial configuration established with our composite vascular grafts could maintain long‐term functionality.
Long‐Term Outcomes of an Infliximab‐First Versus Vedolizumab‐First Treatment Strategy in Biologic‐Naïve Patients With Ulcerative Colitis
Authors: Haynesworth Austin , Yeh Kuan‐Hung , Lee Han Hee , Kirkpatrick Melissa , Boland Brigid S. , Syal Gaurav , Xu Ronghui , Singh Siddharth 
Published: December 2024

ABSTRACTBackgroundAlthough studies have compared on‐treatment effectiveness of infliximab and vedolizumab in patients with ulcerative colitis (UC), there has been limited comparison of treatment sequencing and long‐term patient‐centred outcomes.AimTo compare infliximab‐first and vedolizumab‐first strategy in biologic‐naïve patients with UC.MethodsWe conducted a retrospective cohort study in biologic‐naïve patients with UC who were treated first with either infliximab or vedolizumab between 2015 and 2021 and followed over 30 months following initiation. Primary outcomes were the number of hospitalisations, corticosteroid courses and serious infections with either strategy (regardless of switch to alternative therapies) within 30 months. We matched the groups 1:1 through cardinality matching, and fit logistic and zero‐inflated negative binomial models to compare outcomes.ResultsWe included 181 patients (94 vedolizumab‐first and 87 infliximab‐first treatment strategy). Of these, 144 were matched 1:1. There was no significant difference in the incidence of IBD‐related hospitalisations (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 1.98 [95% CI, 0.64–6.10]), corticosteroid courses (0.66 [0.38–1.15]) and serious infections (5.26 [0.62–45.45]), with comparable incidence of medication switches to alternative advanced therapies (1.08 [0.42–2.81]). At 30 months, there was no difference in proportion of patients in clinical remission (69.4% vs. 76.4%; p = 0.45) and endoscopic remission (55.6% vs. 65.3%; p = 0.36).ConclusionIn patients with UC, long‐term effectiveness and safety outcomes are comparable with infliximab‐first and vedolizumab‐first treatment strategies at 30 months. This can help to guide selection of treatment strategies in patients with UC.
Recognizing work: Respect and professionalism among activist domestic workers following passage of the New York City Domestic Worker Bill of Rights
Authors: Glaser Alana Lee 
Published: December 2024

AbstractIn 2010, New York State passed the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights, the first‐ever US legislation protecting home‐based workers. Although the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights represented a significant change to US labor law and in the lives of workers and activists who made its passage possible, relatively few of New York's domestic workers were aware of the new regulations governing their work after its implementation. The domestic worker activists who fought for its passage, instead, describe the bill as recognizing the legitimacy and visibility of reproductive work, reversing what they understand as centuries of racist norms proscribing their labor. These activist nannies and caretakers of older adults draw on idioms of professionalism to validate claims for the dignity of domestic work even as they regard the protections afforded by the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights as an inadequate first step toward meaningfully improving their employment sector. In this article, I draw on Nancy Fraser's critical theory of recognition to grapple with the afterlife of the Domestic Worker Bill of Rights.