bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Predicting the acceptance of e-government: a systematic review
Authors: Wu Xiaohe , Chong Alain Yee Loong , Peng Yi , Bao Haijun 
Published: September 2024

PurposeThis study uses a systematic review to explore the potential causes of previous findings related to e-government acceptance research. By identifying the most frequently used, best, promising or worst factors that affect the acceptance of e-government, this research presents a research agenda for e-government researchers.Design/methodology/approachThrough conducting a systematic review following the preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analyses (PRISMA) procedure, this research first selected 109 papers. Subsequently, this research analyzed the predictors and linkages of e-government acceptance by adopting a weight-analysis method proposed by Jeyaraj et al. (2006).FindingsThe results first revealed the five most frequently used predictors and five best predictors of e-government acceptance at a comprehensive level. Furthermore, this study summarized the best predictors affecting the acceptance of e-government from the perspectives of adopter types and e-government stages. The results also illustrated the promising and the worst predictors influencing e-government acceptance.Originality/valueThe contribution of this research is twofold. First, this study identified the linkages between e-government acceptance at the individual and organizational levels and between different e-government development stages. Second, this research provided a research direction that could offer useful insights for future e-government studies.
Leveraging co-teaching in pre-service teacher education to enhance classroom management skills of pre-service teachers in China: effects and implications
Authors: Xu Jianmei , Lu Wei 
Published: September 2024

PurposeThis study examines the impact of a novel co-teaching approach, involving collaboration between university instructors and school teachers, on pre-service teachers’ (PSTs) understanding of classroom management skills, addressing the practical challenges that often exceed the university classroom’s scope.Design/methodology/approachUsing a pooled cross-sectional dataset of 513 students from a Chinese teacher training university, the study employed descriptive statistics, factor analysis and ordinary least squares (OLS) regression analysis. Focus group interviews were also conducted to explore the mechanisms underlying the co-teaching impact.FindingsThe co-teaching team effectively integrates theory with practice, enhancing student engagement and learning outcomes. Most students appreciated the co-teaching format, which positively correlated with their recognition of classroom management and the teaching profession. The success of co-teaching was linked to the authenticity brought by school teachers, including exposure to real-life cases that encouraged PSTs to actively solve educational problems.Practical implicationsPre-service teacher education benefits from university-school collaboration. Inviting experienced school teachers to co-teach in university classrooms offers an efficient instructional approach, improving students’ learning experiences with less time and effort.Originality/valueThis study empirically demonstrates the utility of co-teaching in pre-service teacher education, particularly within China, enriching the literature on school-university partnerships.
Reclaiming of the heritage name by Peranakan Chinese in the Netherlands and their sense of belonging
Authors: Thio May Ling , Sidarto Linawati 
Published: September 2024

PurposeLooking through an autoethnographical lens, the authors analyse the reclaiming of the heritage name of Indonesian Peranakan Chinese in the Netherlands with regard to their sense of belonging and (translocational) positionality. The discussion is situated in the realm of (post)colonial ties between the country of birth and their current country of residence, against the backdrop of assimilationist policies of President Soeharto’s “New Order” after the regime change following the September 30, 1965, coup attempt (G30S). The authors’ own reflections were studied in combination with interviews, both formal and informal, and desk research to compose a narrative of active memories and stories told. How was the state-imposed name change experienced? Why did they choose to reclaim their Chinese name when applying for Dutch citizenship rendered that opportunity? Where can the affective bonds be found?Design/methodology/approachThe authors’ own reflections were studied in combination with interviews, both formal and informal, and desk research to compose a narrative of active memories and stories told. How was the state-imposed name change experienced? Why did they choose to reclaim their Chinese name when applying for Dutch citizenship rendered that opportunity? Where do the affective bonds lie?FindingsThe reclaiming of the heritage name has a different resonance in the sense of belonging for different generational cohorts. In the specific post-colonial Dutch context - for the generation of our interviewees and of our parents - it represents an active re-positioning of one’s self as having Chinese ancestry (the name I was born with), not because they wanted to renounce their Indonesian connection but because they were forced to make a choice. For us, the authors, it was more a matter of: because we were raised with this name.Originality/valueThis article is a response to the appeal to expand the scarce literature published on the Peranakan Chinese group in the Netherlands (e.g. Tjiook–Liem, 2017; Van der Meer and Eickhoff, 2017; Ang, 2005; Li, 1999) who live in a fascinating (post)colonial positionality comprising of Chinese ancestry, Indonesian background and the Dutch (new) home country. Studies on this group barely mention the consequences of name change for their belonging (Healy, 2020) and positionality (Anthias, 2012).
Applying systems engineering principles to develop an open source laser based metal powder bed fusion system
Authors: Kjer Magnus Bolt , Nadimpalli Venkata Karthik , Budden Christian Leslie , Pedersen David Bue 
Published: September 2024

PurposeConventional powder bed fusion systems, with their high costs, proprietary nature and restrictive fees, limit research opportunities. This study aims to unveil an affordable, open-source hardware, open-source software laser-based metal powder bed fusion system. Recognizing the distinction between DIY and open-source hardware is crucial for widespread acceptance.Design/methodology/approachThe authors present a comprehensive system architecture using object process methodology for functions and architecture, a design structure matrix to model system dependencies and classical technical drawing exploded views for select subsystems. Modularization enables high adaptability, fostering potential adoption.FindingsThe fully open system enables unrestricted research, mirroring common industrial metal laser-based powder bed fusion (L-PBF) systems. While “open” systems are available for purchase, they remain closed-source, lacking source code and technical drawings sharing, hindering contribution and co-development. The authors’ is the pioneering and sole open-source metal L-PBF system, boasting 1,500+ print hours. A series of industrial and academic adopters are currently implementing the system.Originality/valueThe open system, slicer software and controller offer unique process control, supporting multimaterial printing. The authors shared the design on the OpenAM GitHub page under the CERN-OHL-P v2 Open Source Hardware license. While it is functional for additive manufacturing (e.g. aluminum, tool steel, titanium and stainless steel), the entire process chain is actively evolving, ideal for co-development with the additive manufacturing community.
Fatigue research of metro car body based on operational loads
Authors: Jin Xihong , Guo Feng 
Published: September 2024

PurposeThe principle of infinite life design currently directs fatigue resistance strategies for metro car bodies. However, this principle might not fully account for the dynamic influence of operational loads and the inevitable presence of defects. This study aims to integrate methods of service life estimation and residual life assessment, which are based on operational loads, into the existing infinite life verification framework to further ensure the operational safety of subway trains.Design/methodology/approachOperational loads and fatigue loading spectra were determined through the field test. The material test was conducted to investigate characteristics of the fracture toughness and the crack growth rate. The fatigue strength of the metro car body was first verified using the finite element method and Moore–Kommers–Japer diagrams. The service life was then estimated by applying the Miner rule and high-cycle fatigue curves in a modified form of the Basquin equation. Finally, the residual life was assessed utilizing a fracture assessment diagram and a fitted curve of crack growth rate adhered to the Paris formula.FindingsNeither the maximum utilization factor nor the cumulative damage exceeds the threshold value of 1.0, the metro car body could meet the design life requirement of 30 years or 6.6 million km. However, three out of five fatigue key points were significantly influenced by the operational loads, which indicates that a single fatigue strength verification cannot achieve the infinite life design objective of the metro car body. For a projected design life of 30 years, the tolerance depth is 12.2 mm, which can underscore a relatively robust damage tolerance capability.Originality/valueThe influence of operational loads on fatigue life was presented by the discrepancy analysis between fatigue strength verification results and service life estimation results. The fracture properties of butt-welded joints were tested and used for the damage tolerance assessment. The damage tolerance life can be effectively related by a newly developed equation in this study. It can be a valuable tool to provide the theoretical guidance and technical support for the structural improvements and maintenance decisions of the metro car body.
Potential thioflavin T false positives in lipomembranous changes in adipocytes during systemic amyloidosis diagnosis
Authors: Kishibe Mari , Umekage Kaori , Nozaki Hiroyoshi , Nakagawa Tomoe , Kanno Kyoko , Manabe Akira , Ishida‐Yamamoto Akemi 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe diagnosis of systemic amyloidosis relies on the detection of amyloid deposition in the tissue, often utilizing biopsy specimens from the abdominal skin owing to their minimal invasiveness. Several amyloid staining methods, including Congo Red, Direct Fast Scarlet (DFS), and Thioflavin T (ThT), have been employed for visualization. Lipomembranous fat necrosis (LFN) is a non‐specific reaction pattern of adipose tissue to injury, typically derived from blood insufficiency across a wide range of clinical conditions or diseases. It is characterized by the presence of eosinophilic, crenulated, and/or serpiginous membranes in fat lobules. We encountered a patient in whom ThT yielded suspiciously positive results in amyloidosis screening tests. Furthermore, our retrospective observations suggested that ThT staining was positive for LFN, whereas DFS and Congo red staining yielded negative results. The awareness that LFN can result in false‐positive ThT staining during amyloid screening is crucial to avoiding the misdiagnosis of systemic amyloidosis. Furthermore, skin samples should not be collected from areas prone to developing lipomembranous changes. The use of more than two different stains for skin biopsy specimens is recommended.
Self‐organised pattern formation promotes consumer coexistence by fluctuation‐dependent mechanisms
Authors: Guill Christian , Nößler Felix , Klauschies Toni 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

In spatially extended ecosystems, habitat heterogeneity facilitates coexistence of species if each competitor experiences environmental conditions in a particular habitat that provide a growth advantage compared to other species, thereby making it locally competitively superior. If the competitive hierarchy among species is the same everywhere, heterogeneity‐facilitated coexistence is possible provided that superior competitors disperse maladaptively towards unfavourable habitats or if they hedge insufficiently against fluctuating environmental conditions.

We use a generic two‐patch metacommunity model to show that the latter mechanisms also operate in metacommunities with homogeneous habitat quality when heterogeneous biomass distributions emerge from self‐organised pattern formation. The model consists of an abiotic resource, an autotroph producer and two competing heterotroph consumer species of which one is always competitively inferior to the other, irrespective of resource availability.

If the induced biomass patterns are static in time, a lower dispersal rate can allow the inferior competitor to avoid competitive exclusion by retaining most of its biomass in the patch with the higher resource density. However, if the biomass patterns fluctuate spatio‐temporally, the inferior competitor must adopt a higher dispersal rate than the superior competitor to persist. This increased movement enables the inferior competitor to effectively distribute its biomass across space, thereby achieving a higher growth rate during periods of recovery from local population minima.

Strikingly, we find a novel coexistence mechanism that emerges if the competitors differ in their abilities to induce pattern formation. Similar to relative nonlinearity in resource use (based e.g. on a gleaner–opportunist trade‐off), the dominant species modifies the spatial or spatio‐temporal variation in the distribution of the resource in a way that favours its competitor. This prevents competitive exclusion due to differently effective dispersal strategies.

We conclude that while temporal instabilities that cause, for example, predator–prey oscillations are usually regarded as jeopardising species' persistence, spatial instabilities that give rise to self‐organised pattern formation should be interpreted more positively, as they provide a generic mechanisms for maintaining diversity in metacommunities without requiring a priori habitat heterogeneity.

Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.
Response of parasitoid communities to insecticide application during a Lymantria dispar outbreak in mixed oak forests
Authors: Wolz Marina , Höcherl Amelie , Hübner Jeremy , Tschorsnig Hans‐Peter , Whitmore Daniel , Leroy Benjamin M. L. , Weisser Wolfgang W. , Mitesser Oliver , Zakharov Evgeny V. , Hebert Paul D. N. , Liebhold Andrew M. , Müller Jörg 
Published: September 2024

Abstract

In the temperate mixed oak forests of Central Europe, outbreaks of insects such as the spongy moth, Lymantria dispar, can cause severe defoliation and insecticide is sometimes applied for their control. Parasitoids, mainly Hymenoptera and Diptera, are among the most diverse and important natural enemies of caterpillars in these forests. However, due to their cryptic lifestyle and taxonomic difficulties, we lack knowledge on the impact of insecticide applications on complex host‐parasitoid networks.

In a large‐scale field experiment, we tested the effect of spraying the lepidopteran‐specific insecticide Mimic (tebufenozide) on the abundance and community composition of both adult and larval parasitoids. We combined morphological identification, DNA barcoding and metabarcoding to identify parasitoids adult or inside caterpillars, both sampled by canopy fogging during an outbreak and two subsequent years. We analysed the abundance of parasitoids, community composition and network specialisation using statistical methods that account for sample incompleteness in host‐parasitoid data.

For adult parasitoid assemblages, we found strong annual effects on abundance, with highest numbers of adult parasitoids occurring in the outbreak year, as well as on annual changes in community composition, but no effect linked to insecticide application. However, the abundance and species number of immature parasitoids revealed negative effects of insecticide application, while community composition was only affected by annual variation.

Coverage‐based network analyses showed a reduction of taxonomic network diversity and network specialisation associated with insecticide application in the first 2 years.

Synthesis and applications: This real‐world experiment shows that parasitoid populations respond immediately to large‐scale outbreaks but only limited to local disturbances. Results indicate that this group of natural enemies exhibits high mobility, enabling them to track host populations across large spatial scales. However, our observation of reduced network specialisation after insecticide application is a warning signal that ecosystem function, and consequently natural pest control services, may be impaired by human interference at the local stand scale.
Pyricularia oryzae enhances Streptomyces griseus growth via non‐volatile alkaline metabolites
Authors: Sugiura Risa , Arazoe Takayuki , Motoyama Takayuki , Osada Hiroyuki , Kamakura Takashi , Kuramochi Kouji , Furuyama Yuuki 
Published: September 2024

AbstractChemical compounds that affect microbial interactions have attracted wide interest. In this study, Streptomyces griseus showed enhanced growth when cocultured with the rice blast fungus Pyricularia oryzae on potato dextrose agar (PDA) medium. An improvement in S. griseus growth was observed before contact with P. oryzae, and no growth‐promoting effect was observed when the growth medium between the two microorganisms was separated. These results suggested that the chemicals produced by P. oryzae diffused through the medium and were not volatile. A PDA plate supplemented with phenol red showed that the pH of the area surrounding P. oryzae increased. The area with increased pH promoted S. griseus growth, suggesting that the alkaline compounds produced by P. oryzae were involved in this growth stimulation. In contrast, coculture with the soilborne plant pathogen Fusarium oxysporum and entomopathogenic fungus Cordyceps tenuipes did not promote S. griseus growth. Furthermore, DL‐α‐Difluoromethylornithine, a polyamine biosynthesis inhibitor, prevented the increase in pH and growth promotion of S. griseus by P. oryzae. These results indicated that P. oryzae increased pH by producing a polyamine.
Unveiling the hidden impact: Wildlife roadkill assessment in the Paraguayan Chaco
Authors: Martínez Nicolás , Goossen‐Lebrón Thomas , Bauer Frederick , Espínola Viviana , Ortiz María Belén , Gonçalves Larissa Oliveira 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe incidence of wildlife roadkill significantly threatens the persistence of wildlife populations and disrupts the ecological functionality of ecosystems. This study investigates the impact of roadkills on wildlife in the Paraguayan Chaco, focusing on a 250‐km segment of Route 9 ‘Dr. Carlos Antonio López’ between Villa Hayes and Pozo Colorado. We conducted a road survey for 15 months and recorded 2338 carcasses, identifying 87 species, with mammals (41.3%), reptiles (32.3%) and birds (19.8%) being the most observed groups. The species most frequently killed included Cerdocyon thous, Caracara plancus, Thamnodynastes hypoconia and Procyon cancrivorus. We also recorded species with conservation concern. Additionally, we estimated mortality rates by accounting for sampling errors such as carcass removal and searcher efficiency, revealing annual roadkill rates of 5183 mammals, 19 402 birds and 5020 reptiles on the 250 km per year. Spatial analysis using Ripley's K statistic and HotSpot Identification highlighted significant variation in roadkill distribution across different taxonomic groups and seasons, with 51 km of road identified as hotspots when analysing all groups together. Notably, there was minimal overlap in hotspot locations between seasons and taxonomic groups, emphasizing the need for targeted mitigation strategies. Our findings challenge previous macroecological assessments suggesting low roadkill rates in Paraguay, underscoring the importance of local studies in accurately assessing ecological impacts. This study provides critical baseline data for conservation efforts and calls for further research to develop and implement effective roadkill mitigation strategies in Latin America, especially in Chaco region.
Toward sustainable smart agriculture in a developing country: An empirical analysis of green firms determinants
Authors: Savastano Marco , Samo Altaf Hussain , Abdullah Uzair , Cucari Nicola 
Published: September 2024

AbstractThe significance of green entrepreneurship in achieving socioeconomic and environmental goals has received widespread recognition in academic literature. However, despite this acknowledgment, the internal and external variables influencing the expansion and sustainability of green agricultural enterprises have not been thoroughly studied and explored in the literature. This research aims to test the theoretical Green Agriculture Support Framework (GASF), suggesting internal and external support elements that, when strategically aligned, foster the growth of green agriculture enterprises, particularly those leveraging technologies and tools associated with Agriculture 4.0. To this end, we utilized survey data collected from managers and employees of green enterprises located in Pakistan. The collected data was analyzed using the structural equation modeling (SEM) method, incorporating the partial least squares (PLS) approach through SmartPLS software. The findings imply that external variables (formal Institutions, Government Support, Culture) have significant impacts on the development of green enterprises and that internal factors (Technology, Talent Management) have somewhat limited impacts. Consequently, policymakers must concentrate on creating strategies and measures to enhance the external environment of an organization, that is, intensive government support, less rigid formal institutions and their policies, entrepreneurial culture, and overall improved economic condition of the country, and be cautious about the internal factors like rigid and outdated technology and talent management policies, that may hinder the development of such enterprises. As a result, using the organismic integration theory (OIT) theoretical lens, this research contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the various internal and external factors that significantly affect the growth of innovative green agriculture enterprises. A thorough understanding of green determinants assists in identifying the areas that require attention of policymakers for the effective growth of the green agricultural sector in an economy, leading to valuable implications for green policies.