bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
From overlap to distinction: disentangling the concepts of terrorism financing and money laundering
Authors: Honga Irish Scheel , Gikonyo Constance , Asaala Evelyne 
Published: November 2024

Purpose
This paper aims to address the existing gap in the anti-money laundering/counter-financing of terrorism (AML/CFT) regime and explore the possibility and effectiveness of disentangling the nexus between the two concepts.

Design/methodology/approach
The approach undertaken is doctrinal legal research by employing rigorous analysis of the legal terms of terrorism financing and money laundering.

Findings
Upon analysis, the study confirms that the two concepts are distinct; there is a slight overlap in the methods of acquisition of funds for both terrorists and money laundering; however, the purpose and intention of the two are totally separate and therefore creates a need for singular approach in tackling the two concepts. Enhanced collaboration between states and increased financial technologies will aid in better tackling of the two menaces.

Research limitations/implications
The research is limited to a desk review approach.

Practical implications
The study confirms the argument that the AML/CFT approach is ineffective in tackling money laundering and terrorism financing.

Originality/value
This paper delves into a deeper analysis of money laundering and terrorism financing and provides a nuanced understanding of the differences between the two terms.
Virtual communities of practice: nurturing teacher-coordinators’ well-being amidst stress and crisis
Authors: Schrire Odelia Orit , Kirchner Kathrin , Ipsen Christine , Tsybulsky Dina 
Published: November 2024

PurposeThis longitudinal study investigated the ways in which virtual communities of practice (VCoPs) can support the well-being of teachers in managerial roles during stressful changes and crises. Specifically, it examined the experiences of these educators to better understand how VCoPs contribute to sustaining well-being in the face of challenges.Design/methodology/approachA qualitative study methodology was utilized, consisting of three rounds of interviews with seven teacher-coordinators, coupled with content analysis to discern patterns and insights. A multidimensional model was then applied to pinpoint the associations between the community’s characteristics and the different approaches implemented by these teacher-coordinators to address stress and crises.FindingsThe analysis revealed a range of coping strategies within the VCoPs for handling stress and crises. Participation in virtual spaces was shown to foster in-depth, rich discussions. The multidimensional model captures how social, emotional and cognitive factors can help teacher coordinators navigate challenges.Originality/valueThis study contributes to a broader understanding of the well-being of educational staff, especially in managerial roles, by exploring the subtle dynamics of a VCoP. The findings highlight the impact of the community on teacher-coordinators' well-being in routine, stressful and crisis situations. These insights can provide valuable guidance for educational practitioners and policymakers to enhance the resilience of the education system to diverse challenges.
Do generation Z students read? Reading habits of the students of Dhaka University
Authors: Islam Md. Anwarul , Muna Jannatul Islam 
Published: November 2024

PurposeThe proliferation of digital tools and instant access to information has diversified reading habits among Generation Z (Gen Z) students. The primary objective of this study is to examine the reading habits of Gen Z students at Dhaka University.Design/methodology/approachA survey questionnaire method was employed to collect data from 354 university students. We collected research data through printed questionnaires, and randomly selected students to answer survey questions. A total of 500 printed questionnaires were distributed to the seminar library, university hall library and Dhaka University library. Additional efforts made to engage students in classrooms.FindingsStudents prefer printed materials, particularly fiction and enjoy reading at home. The majority have emerged as dormant readers and prefer using mobile phones for reading. Hobbies and interests have been identified as significant influencers in shaping reading habits. Promoting a reading culture, improving access to books, integrating technology, expanding fiction collections, creating engaging content and tailoring outreach strategies are key steps to enhancing the reading habits of the Gen Z students in Bangladesh.Social implicationsThese findings provide valuable guidance for policymakers and educators seeking to foster effective reading habits among students by aligning strategies with their preferences and needs.Originality/valueThis study offers original insights into the reading habits of Gen Z students at Dhaka University, focus on enhancing library collections, particularly in fiction literature, addresses challenges such as space constraints and reflects innovative approaches to fostering improved reading habits among students.
Accounting for credit card rewards programmes: the perceptions of managers and experts
Authors: Brink Sophia , Steenkamp Gretha , Odendaal Aletta 
Published: November 2024

Purpose
International Financial Reporting Standard (IFRS) 15 required credit card rewards programmes (CCRPs) to reconsider their accounting practices. While Brink and Steenkamp (2023a, 2023b) developed a theoretical accounting model for CCRP transactions after the effective date of IFRS 15, this model should be validated and finalised as an accounting framework. Thus, the purpose of the present paper was to examine the validity of Brink and Steenkamp’s (2023b) model by interviewing CCRP managers and obtaining the opinions of experts in the field, and then develop a framework for accounting for CCRP transactions after the effective date of IFRS 15.

Design/methodology/approach
A qualitative exploratory approach within an interpretive paradigm was applied. Fifteen semi-structured interviews were conducted with South African CCRP managers, after which the Delphi technique (with 22 experts) was used. All data collected were analysed using thematic analysis, after which the CCRP accounting framework was finalised.

Findings
The study confirmed parts of the theoretical model, updated the model for what was evident in practice (e.g., not identifying interest as a relevant revenue stream, not differentiating between an open-loop and closed-loop structure and not including interest in the interchange fee) and improved the model by including alternative accounting treatments and additional guidance (e.g., to determine how the CCRP transaction should be viewed and to determine the value of award credits without an observable value).

Practical implications
The CCRP accounting framework provides practical guidelines for CCRP accounting and will assist managers of CCRPs in their decision-making processes and the application of judgement.

Originality/value
The study developed a CCRP accounting framework embedded in a decision tree and included all possible alternatives for accounting for CCRP transactions, which is a novel contribution to the field.
The professionalization of a national sport organization as event hosting legacy
Authors: Choi Kyu Ha , Leopkey Becca 
Published: November 2024

PurposeThe role of a national sport organization (NSO) is prominent when a country hosts a mega-sporting event since the organization is responsible for athlete preparation and coordinating with other organizations to ensure successful hosting. This research examines the impact of hosting a mega-sporting event on the professionalization of an NSO and its consequences on the sport, using the case of the Korea Ice Hockey Association (KIHA).Design/methodology/approachThe study utilizes a qualitative single-case study approach grounded in an interpretivist perspective. Data for this study included semi-structured interviews with key individuals (n = 16) and archival materials.FindingsThe findings indicate that hosting a mega-sporting event was a strong catalyst for the professionalization of the KIHA. KIHA underwent changes in its organizational structures and processes, human resources and interorganizational linkages, all of which contributed to significant transformations in the sport during the event preparation period.Originality/valueThe study elucidates how hosting can lead to increased professionalization and its subsequent impact on the sport. However, the current case demonstrates that the KIHA overlooked certain impacts of professionalization (e.g. internal conflicts and neglected parts of the sport) that should be enacted in order to further the sport’s development. Therefore, NSOs and event stakeholders must carefully assess their sport’s environment and attributes.
Does diversity matter? Explaining the effects of team diversity on team performance using data from a student’s business simulation game
Authors: Zumkley Marvin , Sage Felix , de Dios Panal Stefan , Prinz Joachim 
Published: November 2024

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to determine the impact of different diversity criteria (age and gender) on team performance using a business simulation game, where performance is operationalized by market valuation (Tobin’s Q) and profitability (cumulative net income).

Design/methodology/approach
The authors collected data of a business simulation game at a German public university (128 student groups and 645 individuals). Using multiple linear regression models, they investigated the impact of the different diversity criteria on team performance.

Findings
The authors found no significant effects of gender diversity on market valuation and profitability. However, the results of this study indicate a positive relationship between age diversity and both performance variables.

Originality/value
This paper contributes to the debate on the relationship between diversity and team performance by using data from a business simulation game. This study adds value by considering different diversity factors, objective performance indicators and the endogeneity of team formation (the seminar leaders randomly assign students to teams) which has not been applied in similar studies yet. Because of the setting of a simulated business game, the results could also be applied to the real economy where we observe working teams every day.
What drives the overall technical efficiency of farm businesses in the Wheatbelt of Western Australia? Analysis of persistent and transient efficiencies in the presence of firm effects
Authors: West Steele C. , Mugera Amin W. , Kingwell Ross S. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThis study enhances our comprehension of the performance of farm businesses in Western Australia by estimating persistent and transient technical efficiency measures in the presence of firm‐level effects. The analysis is based on a balanced panel data set of 54 farm businesses from the years 2002 to 2011. We employ Kumbhakar et al.'s (2014, Journal of Productivity Analysis, 41, 321) model to estimate persistent efficiency and firm effects separately, as well as Kumbhakar's and Heshmati's (1995, American Journal of Agricultural Economics, 77, 660) model where these two factors are confounded. Furthermore, we investigate the factors that influence transient and persistent technical efficiency. Our findings reveal that failing to differentiate between persistent technical efficiency and firm effects underestimates the estimates of persistent and overall technical efficiency. This underestimation may result in misguided policy recommendations for improving the technical performance of farm businesses. We also find that persistent efficiency dominates overall technical efficiency. The significant determinants of persistent overall technical efficiency include the regional rainfall zone where a farm business is located, the managerial competency of the farm operator denoted by their age and off‐farm activities. Off‐farm income plays a crucial role in determining transient technical efficiency.
Recreational reading as a leisure activity: Perspectives from Georgian and Finnish hearing and deaf students
Authors: Gviniashvili Zhuzhuna 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe benefits of recreational reading for academic success are clear. However, the full potential of recreational reading for socialisation and well‐being remains untapped by young readers. Studies of young readers' recreational reading intentions and perceived barriers to translating intentions into reading are scarce. Deaf and hard‐of‐hearing students have been particularly excluded from research on leisure reading. Using a mixed methods approach, this study investigates Finnish and Georgian students' attitudes towards leisure reading and the relationship between their reading intentions and actual reading. Students' engagement in recreational reading is assessed through a quantitative survey, while their attitudes and intentions towards reading are revealed through focus group interviews. The results of this study suggest that students generally have positive attitudes towards reading, regardless of their country of origin and degree of hearing loss. Furthermore, the analysis reveals a wide range of barriers to reading, the most common of which are long school days, large amounts of homework, limited free time and preferences for other leisure activities. Some speculative findings from this study will be used as a basis for further research, focusing on reading during COVID‐19.
No practice effect on the classification accuracy of the response time concealed information test
Authors: Lukács Gáspár , Matsuda Izumi 
Published: November 2024

AbstractThe Response Time Concealed Information Test can reveal that a person recognizes a relevant item (probe, e.g., a murder weapon) among other, irrelevant items (controls), based on slower responses to the probe compared to the controls. A previous study (Lukács, 2022, JARMAC) analyzed the data of 14 experiments and demonstrated that classification accuracy is increased by increased test length (i.e., increased number of trials included in the analysis). However, that study left the important question open whether prior practice (whose trials are not included in the analysis) influences the classification accuracy of subsequent testing (i.e., subsequent trials included in the analysis). Reanalyzing the same data from the 14 experiments (comprising 2223 individual tests), we show that different sections of the test (each with the same number of trials), such as the first and second half of each examined test, do not differ substantially in their classification accuracy. The main implications for real‐life application are that, at least up to about 600 trials, prior practice does not affect subsequent tests' results, and the number of examined relevant items or their order of presentation may be freely chosen without compromising the method's validity.
Evaluation of interferents in sampling materials for analysis of post‐explosion residues (explosive emulsion/ANFO) using gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC/MS)
Authors: Logrado Lúcio Paulo Lima , Braga Jez Willian Batista 
Published: November 2024

AbstractChemical analysis aimed at identifying post‐explosion residues is critical for investigating crimes or accidents involving explosives, establishing it as a vital area of forensic chemistry. In general, only trace amounts remain in samples analyzed for this purpose, making the presence of interferents a constant concern. Therefore, understanding the materials used from collection to sample preparation is essential for this type of analysis. This study focuses on organic contaminants in collection and laboratory materials analyzed by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS), complementing a previous study by Mauricio et al. (2020), which addressed inorganic contaminants in materials used for similar purposes in ion chromatography (IC). No prior studies have specifically investigated the potential organic interferences introduced by various materials commonly used in forensic laboratories for sample pre‐processing, storage, and evidence collection in this context. Plastic films, bottle caps, disposable gloves, syringes, swabs, disposable cups, plastic tubes, and plastic pipettes were examined. GC/MS analyses revealed that certain materials, particularly syringe plungers, gloves, and plastic films, can interfere with the detection of post‐explosion residues from explosive emulsions and ANFO (ammonium nitrate‐fuel oil). These findings emphasize the importance of evaluating materials for potential interferences prior to sample collection and processing to minimize contamination risks. This study provides significant insights into how commonly used laboratory materials can impact forensic analysis, thereby enhancing the reliability of post‐explosion residue analysis and supporting more accurate forensic investigations.
Antibiotic beads found with a skeletal example of complications from a hip replacement
Authors: Alexander Alexia , Smith Alexander J. , Connor Melissa A. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractDuring maceration, a string of beads was found near the surgically modified right os coxa and femur of the remains of a 55‐year‐old woman donated to the Forensic Investigation Research Station at Colorado Mesa University. The remains were initially used in the study of decomposition of human remains, and then macerated to clean the skeleton. Documentation on this decedent noted three separate “hip replacement” surgeries, but no other details. The surgical modifications include significant alterations to the right os coxa and femur consistent with a Girdlestone procedure, generally used to treat an infected hip replacement unresponsive to other treatment. In this procedure, the surgeon removes the femoral head, and in this case, also the portion of the replacement in the os coxa. In this individual, a portion of the proximal femur was reflected, possibly to reduce contact with the os coxa. The beads are consistent with antibiotic beads, used to treat the infection that likely necessitated the Girdlestone procedure. Both the operation and the inclusion of the antibiotic beads are unusual and are potentially useful in the identification process.
Locus coeruleus vulnerability to tau hyperphosphorylation in a rat model
Authors: Omoluabi Tamunotonye , Hasan Zia , Piche Jessie E. , Flynn Abeni R. S. , Doré Jules J. E. , Walling Susan G. , Weeks Andrew C. W. , Benoukraf Touati , Yuan Qi 
Published: November 2024

AbstractPost‐mortem investigations indicate that the locus coeruleus (LC) is the initial site of hyperphosphorylated pretangle tau, a precursor to neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs) found in Alzheimer's disease (AD). The presence of pretangle tau and NFTs correlates with AD progression and symptomatology. LC neuron integrity and quantity are linked to cognitive performance, with degeneration strongly associated with AD. Despite their importance, the mechanisms of pretangle tau‐induced LC degeneration are unclear. This study examined the transcriptomic and mitochondrial profiles of LC noradrenergic neurons after transduction with pseudophosphorylated human tau. Tau hyperphosphorylation increased the somatic expression of the L‐type calcium channel (LTCC), impaired mitochondrial health, and led to deficits in spatial and olfactory learning. Sex‐dependent alterations in gene expression were observed in rats transduced with pretangle tau. Chronic LTCC blockade prevented behavioral deficits and altered mitochondrial mRNA expression, suggesting a potential link between LTCC hyperactivity and mitochondrial dysfunction. Our research provides insights into the consequences of tau pathology in the originating structure of AD.
Biologics and airway remodeling in asthma: early, late, and potential preventive effects
Authors: Varricchi G. , Poto R. , Lommatzsch M. , Brusselle G. , Braido F. , Virchow J. C. , Canonica G. W. 
Published: November 2024

AbstractAlthough airway remodeling in severe and/or fatal asthma is still considered irreversible, its individual components as a cause of clinical symptoms and/or lung function changes remain largely unknown. While inhaled glucocorticoids have not consistently been shown to affect airway remodeling, biologics targeting specific pathways of airway inflammation have been shown to improve lung function, mucus plugging, and airway structural changes that can exceed those seen with glucocorticoids. This superiority of biologic treatment, which cannot be solely explained by insufficient doses or limited durations of glucocorticoid therapies, needs to be further explored. For this field of research, we propose a novel classification of the potential effects of biologics on airway remodeling into three temporal effects: early effects (days to weeks, primarily modulating inflammatory processes), late effects (months to years, predominantly affecting structural changes), and potential preventive effects (outcomes of early treatment with biologics). For the identification of potential preventive effects of biologics, we call for studies exploring the impact of early biological treatment on airway remodeling in patients with moderate‐to‐severe asthma, which should be accompanied by a long‐term evaluation of clinical parameters, biomarkers, treatment burden, and socioeconomic implications.
Short‐course subcutaneous treatment with birch pollen allergoids greatly improves symptom and medication scores in birch allergy
Authors: Mösges Ralph , Raskopf Esther , Klimek Ludger , Pfaar Oliver , Zielen Stefan , Xenofontos Elena , Decker Lea , Neuhof Christian , Rybachuk Anna , Acikel Cengizhan , Sahin Hacer , Allekotte Silke , del Pozo Collado Sandra , Subiza José Luis , Casanovas Miguel , Cuevas Mandy 
Published: November 2024

AbstractBackgroundSubcutaneous immunotherapy has emerged as an effective option for treating allergic diseases. Here, we assessed the clinical impact of the mannan‐conjugated birch pollen polymerized allergoid T502 in birch pollen‐induced allergic rhinoconjunctivitis.MethodsIn this prospective, randomized, double‐blind placebo‐controlled phase III trial, 298 birch pollen–allergic adult patients were treated across 28 trial sites in Germany. Patients received either placebo or 23,000 mTU T502 subcutaneously over five pre‐seasonal visits. Efficacy was assessed by comparing the combined symptom and medication score (CSMS) between placebo and T502 during the peak birch pollen season 2022. Safety, tolerability and immunologic effects were also analyzed.ResultsDuring the peak birch pollen season, the median CSMS of the T502 group was reduced by 33% (p = 0.002) compared to placebo. The median daily symptom score and daily medication score were reduced by 30.4% (p < 0.001) and 56.3% (p = 0.045), respectively. Health related quality of life improved as reflected by reduction of RQLQ values by 31.5% (p < 0.0001). Production of Bet v 1 sIgG4 and Bet v 1 sIgG increased up to 6.2‐fold and 3‐fold respectively in the T502 group (p < 0.0001). The sIgE/sIgG4 ratio was strongly reduced in the T502 group at V7 (−62.9%, p < 0.0001).No fatalities nor serious adverse events were reported. In total, 16 systemic allergic reactions occurred (Grade I/II).ConclusionsTreatment with T502 significantly reduced symptoms and medication need in rhinoconjunctivitis patients. The treatment is well tolerated and safe.