bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Bank intervention and firms’ earnings management: evidence from debt covenant violations
Authors: Huang Yichu , Chen Lei , Liu Frank Hong 
Published: March 2024

AbstractEarnings management has long been one of the main concerns in accounting and management literature, and the extent to which corporate governance mechanisms can discipline management behaviour and prevent earnings management has attracted increasing interest among policy makers and academic researchers. Differing from previous corporate governance literature that focuses mainly on the board and auditors, we explore the role of creditors in corporate governance. In particular, we examine the effect of bank intervention on earnings management via the lens of debt covenant violations, where control rights are transferred to creditors (banks). Using a Difference-in-Difference approach, we find that firms reduce both their accruals-based and real earnings management following debt covenant violations. The negative effect on earnings management is more prominent when banks possess greater bargaining and monitoring power and when firms are more financially constrained. By identifying a specific channel through which debt providers influence corporate financial reporting, our findings suggest that creditors can play an important role in governing organisations and disciplining management behaviour.
Impact of bee bread supplementation on Japanese quails: laying performance, eggshell chemical composition and serum biochemistry
Authors: Simonova Nikoleta , Kalafova Anna , Dupak Rudolf , Schneidgenova Monika , Hanusova Emília , Hrncar Cyril , Hascik Peter , Gren Agnieszka , Goc Zofia , Kapusta Edyta , Capcarova Marcela 
Published: March 2024

AbstractBee bread is exceptional product of the beehive by its composition and a unique production by honeybees. Since the legislation prohibits the use of growth stimulants in animal husbandry, there is a growing interest in improving the yield of meat and eggs, and its quality parameters after applying various natural products. The impacts of bee bread supplementation on laying performance, eggshell chemical composition, serum biochemical parameters of Japanese quails were studied. Antioxidant activity, polyphenols, flavonoids, phenolic acids from bee bread, feeding mixture and combination was determined. A total of 45 female quails were involved in the experiment. The quails were divided into three groups as follows: group with 0.2% addition of bee bread into feeding mixture (E1, n = 15), group with 0.6% addition of bee bread into feeding mixture (E2, n = 15), and the control without additives (C, n = 15). The groups were kept under the standard conditions. After 180 days the animals were slaughtered, blood samples were collected. Addition of 0.6% bee bread in group E2 significantly decreased TAG level compared to group E1, without affecting laying performance. We noticed significant increase in Cd, Pb levels in eggshell in group E1 compared to control group. On the other side, 0.6% addition of bee bread caused significant reduction in Pb, Cd levels in eggshell compared to group with 0.2% addition of bee bread. The incorporation of bee bread into feeding mixture added improved antioxidant activity along with polyphenols and flavonoids. The results indicate that the effect of bee bread was dose dependent. The effective dosage estimation of additives used in feed for Japanese quails plays important role.
Osteopontin Rejuvenates Senescent Adipose-Derived Stem Cells and Restores their Bone Tissue Regenerative Function
Authors: Zhang Yiran , Zhang Junni , Lesani Pooria , Lu Zufu , Zreiqat Hala 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThe regenerative function of stem cells is compromised when the proportion of senescent stem cells increases with ageing advance. Therefore, combating stem cell senescence is of great importance for stem cell-based tissue engineering in the elderly, but remains largely unexplored. Osteopontin (OPN), a glycosylated phosphoprotein, is one of the key extracellular matrix molecules in bone tissue. OPN activates various signalling pathways and modulates cellular activities, including cell senescence. However, the role of OPN in stem cell senescence remains largely unknown. This study aims to investigate if OPN modulates cell senescence and bone regenerative function in human adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ASCs), and to determine the underlying mechanisms. We first developed a senescent ASC model using serial passaging until passage 10 (P10), in which senescent cells were characterised by reduced proliferation and osteogenic differentiation capacity compared to P4 ASCs. The conditioned medium from P10 ASCs exhibited a diminished trophic effect on human osteoblasts (HOBs), compared to that from P4 ASCs. P10 ASCs on OPN-coated surface showed rejuvenated phenotype and enhanced osteogenic differentiation. The conditioned medium from P10 ASCs on OPN-coating improved trophic effects on HOBs. OPN regulated the morphology of senescent ASCs, transforming them from a more rounded and flattened cell shape to an elongated shape with a smaller area. These findings demonstrated the effects of OPN in restoring senescent ASCs functions, possibly through a mechanism that involves the modulation of cell morphology, indicating that OPN might hold a great potential for rejuvenating senescent stem cells and could potentially open a new venue for regenerating bone tissue in age-related diseases.
Graphical Abstract
Quantitative needs assessment tools for people with mental health problems: a systematic scoping review
Authors: Makivić Irena , Kragelj Anja , Lasalvia Antonio 
Published: March 2024

AbstractNeeds assessment in mental health is a complex and multifaceted process that involves different steps, from assessing mental health needs at the population or individual level to assessing the different needs of individuals or groups of people. This review focuses on quantitative needs assessment tools for people with mental health problems. Our aim was to find all possible tools that can be used to assess different needs within different populations, according to their diverse uses. A comprehensive literature search with the Boolean operators “Mental health” AND “Needs assessment” was conducted in the PubMed and PsychINFO electronic databases. The search was performed with the inclusion of all results without time or other limits. Only papers addressing quantitative studies on needs assessment in people with mental health problems were included. Additional articles were added through a review of previous review articles that focused on a narrower range of such needs and their assessment. Twenty-nine different need-assessment tools specifically designed for people with mental health problems were found. Some tools can only be used by professionals, some by patients, some even by caregivers, or a combination of all three. Within each recognized tool, there are different fields of needs, so they can be used for different purposes within the needs assessment process, according to the final research or clinical aims. The added value of this review is that the retrieved tools can be used for assessment at the individual level, research purposes or evaluation at the outcome level. Therefore, best needs assessment tool can be chosen based on the specific goals or focus of the related needs assessment.
TIDAL: exploring the potential of data physicalization-based interactive environment on runners' motivation
Authors: Guo Mengyan , Hu Jun , Vos Steven 
Published: March 2024

AbstractRepresenting fitness-related data physically can better help people gain awareness and reflect on their physical activity behavior. However, there has been limited research conducted on the impact of physicalizing personal data in a public context, particularly regarding its effect on motivations for physical activity. Augmenting the physical environment with interactive technology holds great promise in facilitating outdoor physical activity. To explore the design space of data physicalization-based interactive environments, we created TIDAL, a design concept that provides physical rewards in the form of tiles on the road to acknowledge runners’ goal achievements. We created a video prototype as a probe to gather insights through semi-structured interviews with six recreational runners to evaluate TIDAL. The co-constructing stories method, a participatory design technique, was employed during these interviews to facilitate qualitative evaluation. The results of our study showed that TIDAL has the potential to increase runners’ motivation. We reported the key insights derived from participants’ feedback and co-constructed stories and discussed the broader implications of our work.
Classification of geotechnical units and their associated slope movements for application to civil engineering in volcanic territories
Authors: Hernández-Gutiérrez Luis. E. , Rodríguez-Losada José A. , Cruz-Pérez Noelia , Rodríguez-Martín Jesica , Santamarta Juan C. 
Published: March 2024

AbstractSlope movements are one of the natural hazards that most affect volcanic islands and often cause alarm to society, as they produce considerable material losses, affect communications and basic community services and, on occasion, involve the loss of human lives. Based on the classification of geotechnical units of the Canary Islands and the characteristic slope movements observed in each of them, the main goal of this article has been to elaborate a classification of movements versus units, as a tool for the management landslides hazards in volcanic environments. The applied methodology was based on the types of slope movements defined by the USGS, and on the research team three decades of experience of the study of geotechnical characterisation and slope instability of volcanic formations. A graphical classification of the possible movements affecting the volcanic geotechnical units has been prepared to make a preliminary estimate of the types of movements that will affect a slope or hillside.
Status quo of fertilization strategies and nutrient farm gate budgets on stockless organic vegetable farms in Germany
Authors: Stein Sophie , Hartung Jens , Zikeli Sabine , Möller Kurt , Reents Hans Jürgen 
Published: March 2024

AbstractFertilizer management in stockless organic vegetable production is strongly affected by external nutrient purchases due to the high nitrogen (N) and potassium (K) requirements of vegetables. However, the database on nutrient flows and budgets in organic vegetable farming in Europe is very limited. Therefore, a survey based on semi-structured interviews was carried out comprising 12 organic horticultural farms in Germany. The results show that three different main fertilizer categories are used as inputs in different ratios by the inventoried farms: (1) base fertilizers (e.g., composts, solid farmyard manures), (2) commercial organic N fertilizers (e.g., keratins or plant products from food production or fermentation processes), and (3) commercial mineral fertilizers (e.g., potassium sulfate), all of which are approved for organic production. Ninety percent of the total nutrient inputs to the farms came from these fertilizers and biological N2 fixation, with the remaining 10% coming from other inputs, such as seeds or growing media. The estimated yearly average total farm budgets were nearly balanced across all farms with moderate surpluses (67.5 kg N ha−1, 2.06 kg P ha−1, and 0.26 kg K ha−1). However, large imbalances were found for most of the individual farms. These imbalances indicate the risk of nutrient accumulation or nutrient depletion in the soil, depending on the fertilization strategy and productivity of the farm. More specifically, increasing N share from base fertilizers led to increased P and K budgets, while strategies based on the use of large amounts of keratins led to the opposite—K and P depletion. We concluded that balanced nutrient management in organic vegetable production systems requires a thorough calculation and should combine the use of base fertilizers, commercial fertilizers with low P content, and increased N supply via BNF.
In Memory of Steffen Hölldobler: From Logic to Formal and Cognitive Reasoning
Authors: Bhadra Meghna , Furbach Ulrich 
Published: March 2024

AbstractWith this article, the two authors would like to pay tribute to the memory of their dear friend and colleague Steffen Hölldobler, who left us far too early in 2023. Ulrich (UF), in his time as a postdoc at the University of the Bundeswehr Munich, mentored Steffen as a student in his first logic lectures. Meghna (MB) is Steffen’s last PhD student. Although there is so much more to the wonderful man Steffen was, this article strives to briefly touch upon some of the various hats he donned during his lifetime—as a student, a researcher, a professor and a friend.
Rotorcraft stability analysis using Lyapunov characteristic exponents estimated from multibody dynamics
Authors: Cassoni Gianni , Cocco Alessandro , Tamer Aykut , Zanoni Andrea , Masarati Pierangelo 
Published: March 2024

AbstractStability analysis of complex, nonlinear dynamical systems is a challenge. The use of Lyapunov Characteristic Exponents through a Jacobian-less method is proposed as a means to identify the Maximum Lyapunov Characteristic Exponent, namely the fundamental stability indicator of a generic problem, solely from time series obtained through general-purpose multibody dynamics simulations of complex rotorcraft aeromechanics models. The method is first applied to a relatively simple scenario concerning the identification of ground resonance. Then, its application to more complex models is addressed by studying the aeroelastic stability and identifying the whirl flutter of the XV-15 tiltrotor using a comprehensive aeroelastic model.
Artificial intelligence in the diagnosis and treatment of acute appendicitis: a narrative review
Authors: Bianchi Valentina , Giambusso Mauro , De Iacob Alessandra , Chiarello Maria Michela , Brisinda Giuseppe 
Published: March 2024

AbstractArtificial intelligence is transforming healthcare. Artificial intelligence can improve patient care by analyzing large amounts of data to help make more informed decisions regarding treatments and enhance medical research through analyzing and interpreting data from clinical trials and research projects to identify subtle but meaningful trends beyond ordinary perception. Artificial intelligence refers to the simulation of human intelligence in computers, where systems of artificial intelligence can perform tasks that require human-like intelligence like speech recognition, visual perception, pattern-recognition, decision-making, and language processing. Artificial intelligence has several subdivisions, including machine learning, natural language processing, computer vision, and robotics. By automating specific routine tasks, artificial intelligence can improve healthcare efficiency. By leveraging machine learning algorithms, the systems of artificial intelligence can offer new opportunities for enhancing both the efficiency and effectiveness of surgical procedures, particularly regarding training of minimally invasive surgery. As artificial intelligence continues to advance, it is likely to play an increasingly significant role in the field of surgical learning. Physicians have assisted to a spreading role of artificial intelligence in the last decade. This involved different medical specialties such as ophthalmology, cardiology, urology, but also abdominal surgery. In addition to improvements in diagnosis, ascertainment of efficacy of treatment and autonomous actions, artificial intelligence has the potential to improve surgeons’ ability to better decide if acute surgery is indicated or not. The role of artificial intelligence in the emergency departments has also been investigated. We considered one of the most common condition the emergency surgeons have to face, acute appendicitis, to assess the state of the art of artificial intelligence in this frequent acute disease. The role of artificial intelligence in diagnosis and treatment of acute appendicitis will be discussed in this narrative review.
Research on Fiber Optic Surface Plasmon Resonance Biosensors: A Review
Authors: Wang Qi , Zhang Dianyun , Qian Yizhuo , Yin Xiangyu , Wang Lei , Zhang Shushuai , Wang Yuyang 
Published: March 2024

AbstractDue to the benefits of the high sensitivity, real-time response, no labeling requirement, and good selectivity, fiber optic sensors based on surface plasmon resonance (SPR) have gained popularity in biochemical sensing in recent years. The current research on such sensors is hot in enhancing sensitivity, improving detection accuracy, and achieving the detection of biochemical molecules. The goal of this work is to present a thorough overview of recent developments in the optical fiber SPR biosensor research. Firstly, it explores the basic principles and sensing structures of optical fiber SPR biosensors, focusing on four aspects. Subsequently, this paper introduces three fiber optic surface plasmon biosensors: SPR, localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR), and long-range surface plasmon resonance (LRSPR). Each concept is explained from the perspective of the basic principles of fiber optic SPR biosensors. Furthermore, a classification of fiber optic SPR biosensors in health monitoring, food safety, environmental monitoring, marine detection, and other applications is introduced and analyzed. Eventually, this paper summarizes the current research directions of SPR biosensors. Meanwhile, it provides a prospective outlook on how fiber optic SPR sensors will develop in the future.
Parent-Mediated Naturalistic Developmental Behavioral Interventions for Young Autistic Children: A Systematic Literature Review of Single-Case Research
Authors: van Noorden Lauren , Gardiner Siobhan , Waddington Hannah 
Published: March 2024

AbstractNaturalistic developmental behavioral interventions (NDBIs) are a class of supports that may lend themselves to a parent-mediated approach. This systematic literature review synthesizes single-case research evaluations of parent-mediated NDBIs for young autistic children. Of the 353 articles screened, 17 were eligible for inclusion. Child outcome measures included engagement, joint attention, language/communication, imitation, and ‘compliance’/avoidance. Most studies found positive effects for at least some children on at least one measure. However, there were no consistently positive effects across studies. Most parents increased their NDBI fidelity, but many did not reach specified fidelity criteria. Only three studies met all Council of Exceptional Children quality indicators. These results suggest that parent-mediated NDBIs are a promising approach to supporting young autistic children, but more high-quality research is needed.
AI for tribology: Present and future
Authors: Yin Nian , Yang Pufan , Liu Songkai , Pan Shuaihang , Zhang Zhinan 
Published: March 2024

AbstractWith remarkable learning capabilities and swift operational speeds, artificial intelligence (AI) can assist researchers in swiftly extracting valuable patterns, trends, and associations from subjective information. Tribological behaviors are characterized by dependence on systems, evolution with time, and multidisciplinary coupling. The friction process involves a variety of phenomena, including mechanics, thermology, electricity, optics, magnetics, and so on. Hence, tribological information possesses the distinct characteristics of being multidisciplinary, multilevel, and multiscale, so that the application of AI in tribology is highly extensive. To delineate the scope, classification, and recent trends of AI implementation in tribology, this review embarks on exploration of the tribology research domain. It comprehensively outlines the utilization of AI in basic theory of tribology, intelligent tribology, component tribology, extreme tribology, bio-tribology, green tribology, and other fields. Finally, considering the emergence of “tribo-informatics” as a novel interdisciplinary field, which combines tribology with informatics, this review elucidates the future directions and research framework of “AI for tribology”. In this paper, tribo-system information is divided into 5 categories: input information (I), system intrinsic information (S), output information (O), tribological state information (Ts), and derived state information (Ds). Then, a fusion method among 5 types of tribo-system information and different AI technologies (regression, classification, clustering, and dimension reduction) has been proposed, which enables tribo-informatics methods to solve common problems such as tribological behavior state monitoring, behavior prediction, and system optimization. The purpose of this review is to offer a systematic comprehension of tribo-informatics and to inspire new research ideas of tribo-informatics. Ultimately, it aspires to enhance the efficiency of problem-solving in tribology.
Experimental and numerical simulation study on forced ventilation and dust removal of coal mine heading surface
Authors: Zheng Haotian , Jiang Bingyou , Wang Haoyu , Zheng Yuannan 
Published: March 2024

AbstractIn order to study the problems of unreasonable airflow distribution and serious dust pollution in a heading surface, an experimental platform for forced ventilation and dust removal was built based on the similar principles. Through the similar experiment and numerical simulation, the distribution of airflow field in the roadway and the spatial and temporal evolution of dust pollution under the conditions of forced ventilation were determined. The airflow field in the roadway can be divided into three zones: jet zone, vortex zone and reflux zone. The dust concentration gradually decreases from the head to the rear of the roadway. Under the forced ventilation conditions, there is a unilateral accumulation of dust, with higher dust concentrations away from the ducts. The position of the equipment has an interception effect on the dust. The maximum error between the test value and the simulation result is 12.9%, which verifies the accuracy of the experimental results. The research results can provide theoretical guidance for the application of dust removal technology in coal mine.
Te Tiriti o Waitangi: The Treaty of Waitangi, Principles and Other Representations
Authors: Burns Christopher , Hetaraka Maia , Jones Alison 
Published: March 2024

AbstractThis article draws attention to shifting educational discourses on the two texts of the 1840 treaty: te Tiriti o Waitangi and the Treaty of Waitangi. Policy and resource conversations in education reveal subtle strategic shifts in use of an invented idea of “treaty principles”—from standing in for and attempting to reconcile the two language texts, to a focus on the specific language of te Tiriti o Waitangi with reference to so-called principles to support contemporary application. Tracing these changes assists our teachers and educators in developing a critical understanding of the language employed in education policy and teaching resources. Examining these shifts with students also provides “teachable moments” about the politics of treaty discourse.