bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Disasters “Through the looking glass”
Authors: Von Meding Jason , Brisotto Carla , Mehdipour Haleh , Lasch Colin 
Published: December 2023

PurposeThis paper will challenge normative disaster studies and practice by arguing that thriving communities require the pursuit of imperfection and solidarity. The authors use Lewis Carroll’s Looking-Glass World as a lens to critique both how disasters are understood, and how disaster researchers and practitioners operate, within a climate-change affected world where cultural, political and historical constructs are constantly shifting.Design/methodology/approachThe paper will undertake an analysis of both disasters and disaster studies, using this unique (and satirical) critical lens, looking at the unfolding of systemic mistakes, oppressions and mal-development that are revealed in contemporary disasters, that were once the critiques of Lewis Carroll’s Victorian-era England. It shows how disaster “resilience-building” can actually be a mechanism for continuing the status quo, and how persistent colonizing institutions and systems can be in reproducing themselves.FindingsThe authors argue the liberation of disaster studies as a process of challenging the doctrines and paradigms that have been created and given meaning by those in power – particularly white, Western/Northern/Eurocentric, male power. They suggest how researchers and practitioners might view disasters – and their own praxis – Through the Looking Glass in an effort to better understand the power, domination and violence of the status quo, but also as a means of creating a vision for something better, arguing that liberation is possible through community-led action grounded in love, solidarity, difference and interconnection.Originality/valueThe paper uses a novel conceptual lens as a way to challenge researchers and practitioners to avoid the utopic trap that wishes to achieve homogenized perfection and instead find an “imperfect” and complex adaptation that moves toward justice. Considering this idea through satire and literary criticism will lend support to empirical research that makes a similar case using data.
What determines the performance of pharmaceutical firms in India on account of COVID-19 interventions?
Authors: Lamba Ashu , Aggarwal Priti , Gupta Sachin , Joshipura Mayank 
Published: December 2023

Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of announcements related to 77 interventions by 46 listed Indian pharmaceutical firms during COVID-19 on the abnormal returns of the firms. The study also finds the variables which explain cumulative abnormal returns (CARs).

Design/methodology/approach
This study uses standard event methodology to compute the abnormal returns of firms announcing pharmaceutical interventions in 2020 and 2021. Besides this, the multilayer perceptron technique is applied to identify the variables that influence the CARs of the sample firms.

Findings
The results show the presence of abnormal returns of 0.64% one day before the announcement, indicating information leakage. The multilayer perceptron approach identifies five variables that explain the CARs of the sample companies, which are licensing_age, licensing_size, size, commercialization_age and approval_age.

Originality/value
The study contributes to the efficient market literature by revealing how firm-specific nonfinancial disclosures affect stock prices, especially in times of crisis like pandemics. Prior research focused on determining the effect of COVID-19 variables on abnormal returns. This is the first research to use artificial neural networks to determine which firm-specific variables and pharmaceutical interventions can influence CARs.
English as a medium of instruction and intellectual capital creation in Omani higher education: unravelling the dilemma
Authors: Al Muqarshi Amal , Al Adawi Sharifa Said , Al Bahlani Sara Mohammed 
Published: December 2023

PurposeA majority of higher education institutions (HEIs) in Oman, and internationally, have adopted English as the language of education, driven by its power and its globally accepted status as the language of knowledge and communication. Such an internationalisation policy has been inadequately evaluated to examine its actual effects. This paper aims at analysing the existing literature with a view to hypothesise the effects of adopting English as a medium of instruction (EMI) on establishing intellectual capital in the Omani context.Design/methodology/approachThe paper employs a case study design that draws on data generated through a systematic review of 94 peer-reviewed papers that are synthesised using thematic analysis.FindingsThe findings indicate that EMI negatively affects the optimal creation of intellectual capital through limiting access to HE, hindering knowledge transfer, impeding Omanis' employability and hindering faculty's professional growth. EMI leads HEIs to mirror the supplying countries' cultures in terms of materials, ideologies and standards. It affects teaching and research quality, training and communication, the sense of equity, belonging and self-worth amongst students and the relationships amongst faculty members. It also increases reliance on external stakeholders.Research limitations/implicationsThe paper highlights the interconnection between the forms of intellectual capital and how some components are antecedents to the creation of the intellectual capital forms. It establishes the moderating role the language of instruction plays in relation to the three sub forms of intellectual capital in higher education.Practical implicationsThe paper calls for maximising higher education intellectual capital through adopting bilingual rather than monolingual higher education. It calls upon policymakers to revisit the assumptions underlying higher education systems in order to optimise their outcomes.Originality/valueThe paper is the first one that sheds light on the role of language in intellectual capital construction. Such a moderating role has received almost no attention in the higher education literature that is largely busy quantifying its outcomes rather than ensuring they are actually sustainably generated.
Jointing quality effort and contract decision in green agri-food supply chain based on differential game
Authors: Yang Dong , Yang Peng , Li Yuhe , Wei Zhuan 
Published: December 2023

PurposeThe managerial questions of this paper are as follows, and the authors are trying to solve them: How revenue sharing contract (CSR) degree and government subsidy affect the agri-food quality? What kind of model (WPC, revenue-sharing contract [RSC] and cooperative) would be more effective in motivating manufacturers and retailer to increase effort and improve agri-food quality? What kind of model (WPC, RSC and cooperative) would make manufacturer and retailer better off?Design/methodology/approachConsidering the jointing quality effort and contract decision in green agri-food supply chain, this paper proposes six models that consider CSR of manufacturer and retailer, and then the obtained optimal solutions are compared and analyzed. At the same time, the impact of government subsidies is analyzed, and corresponding conclusions are drawn.FindingsThe results show that, first of all, whether the increasing CSR of the manufacturer or the retailer can motivate both parties to improve the agri-food quality effort investment. Second, the WPC and RSC contract may play different role in different cases. Finally, under the model with government subsidies, regarding positive influence of government subsidies on efforts of manufacturer and retailer, quality and profits of members is investigated. Based on these conclusions, this study puts forward the following policy suggestions. Firstly, governments should formulate reasonable subsidy policies to support manufacturer and retailer to improve the agri-food quality, thereby promoting green industries' development. Secondly, manufacturer and retailer should actively improve CSR and strengthen the effort of agri-food so as to advance quality. Finally, manufacturer and retailer can choose cooperative model or WPC contract.Research limitations/implicationsIn this paper, one manufacturer and one retailer are considered. Since the agri-food supply chain structure in reality is more complicated, the future research direction can consider the supply chain structure with one manufacturer and multiple retailers. In addition, this paper only considers the subsidy, and future research can classify the subsidy into different types.Originality/valueThe study makes two substantive contributions to the body of knowledge in the field of sustainable operations:(1) incorporating quality-based demand function in supply chain and dynamic process of agri-food quality; (2) exploring the impact of CSR awareness of members and subsidy of government on agri-food quality, and comparing the influence in different models.
Bird‐flower colour on islands supports the bee‐avoidance hypothesis
Authors: Rodríguez‐Sambruno Cristina , Narbona Eduardo , del Valle José Carlos , Valido Alfredo 
Published: December 2023

Abstract

Many insular plant species inhabiting different archipelagos worldwide present typical ornithophilous floral traits (e.g. copious nectar, red‐orange colours), but most of them are visited by insectivorous/granivorous birds and lizards, which act as generalist pollinators. Oceanic islands promote these ecological interactions mainly due to the scarcity of arthropods. Our goal is to understand how these generalist interactions contribute to the shift of floral traits from entomophily (mainland) to ornithophily or saurophily (island), where specialist nectar‐feeding birds have not inhabited.

We used the well‐known pollination interactions occurring in the Canary Islands to evaluate two proposed ecological hypotheses, bee‐avoidance or bird‐attraction, explaining evolutionary transitions of floral traits. Specifically, we studied the flower colour conspicuousness of bird‐pollinated Canarian species visited by birds and lizards with their closest relatives from the mainland mainly visited by bees. We analysed the chromatic contrast of flower colours using visual models of bees, birds and lizards and the achromatic contrast in visual models of bees. We also compared reflectance spectra marker points of flowers with available spectral discrimination sensitivities of bees and birds.

Using a phylogenetically corrected framework of independent plant lineages, our results revealed that bird‐pollinated Canarian species showed lower chromatic contrast according to bees and lizard visual models than their mainland relatives, but similar chromatic contrast for bird vision. In addition, reflectance spectra marker points of the Canarian species were displaced to the longest wavelengths, far from the wavelengths of maximum discrimination of bees, but close to birds.

We conclude that the avoidance of bees would be a primary ecological strategy explaining the evolutionary transitions of flower colours from melittophily to ornithophily. The lower conspicuousness of bird‐pollinated Canarian flowers in lizards is perhaps a side effect of the bee‐avoidance strategy rather than an independent evolutionary strategy. Together, these findings provide insights into how vertebrate generalist pollinators can also lead to divergence of floral traits in insular habitats, but also in other arthropod‐poor habitats.

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SATISFICING DEATH: Ageing and end‐of‐life preparation among transgender older Americans
Authors: Lampe Nik M. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractA good death—a normative ideology of living and dying well that may allow an individual to gain awareness, acceptance, and preparation for death—has captured the attention of researchers, clinicians, and policymakers in recent years. Prior sociological research has uncovered nuanced perspectives of a good death, yet there has been minimal exploration into how marginalised communities reconstruct their own ideals of a good death in response to structural and institutional inequities. Utilising data from 47 in‐depth interviews, I examine how transgender older adults perceive and plan for ageing and end‐of‐life experiences through advance care planning. My analysis reveals transgender older adults’ reevaluated notions of a normatively desirable good death for themselves due to existing inequities. Consequently, they actively reconstruct a personalised ideology of death that is adequate enough to meet their end‐of‐life needs. I further offer the conceptualisation of SATISFICING DEATH, as a process of individuals from marginalised communities reevaluating and reconstructing their own ideologies of a good death that is adequate enough while using resourceful strategies to improve existing social conditions for themselves. These findings highlight the critical need to provide affirming end‐of‐life care, support, and resources to transgender communities.
Medical versus surgical causes of death following colorectal resection: a Queensland Audit of Surgical Mortality (QASM) study
Authors: Mao Derek , Rey‐Conde Therese , North John B. , Lancashire Raymond P. , Naidu Sanjeev , Chua Terence 
Published: December 2023

AbstractBackgroundThe causes of death following colorectal resection remain poorly explored. Few studies have addressed whether early post‐operative mortality is predominantly caused by a patient's medical co‐morbidities, or from factors pertaining to the presenting surgical disease process itself. This study analyses data from the Queensland audit of surgical mortality (QASM) to report the causes of in‐hospital death following colorectal resection, identifies whether these were due to either medical or surgical factors, and determines the patient characteristics associated with a medical cause of death.MethodsThrough analysis of QASM Surgical Case Forms, the causes of in‐hospital death were determined in 750 patients who died in Queensland following colorectal resection between January 2010 and December 2020. Deaths were attributed to a specific medical or surgical cause, with multivariate analysis used to identify independent risk factors associated with a medical cause of death.ResultsIn total, 395 patients (52.7%) died due to surgical causes and 355 (47.3%) died due to medical causes. Respiratory co‐morbidities (OR 1.832, 95% CI: 1.267–2.650), advanced malignancy (OR 1.814, 95% CI: 1.262–2.607), neurological co‐morbidities (OR 1.794, 95% CI: 1.168–2.757) and advanced age (OR 1.430, 95% CI: 1.013–2.017) were independent risk factors associated with increased risk of a medical cause of death.ConclusionEven in the absence of complicating surgical factors, a significant number of patients died in hospital following colorectal resection due to their underlying co‐morbidities. Multi‐disciplinary models of care which allow for the early recognition and treatment of medical complications may reduce post‐operative mortality in these patients.
Strabismus and refraction in non‐syndromic craniosynostosis – A longitudinal study up to 5 years of age
Authors: Ntoula Evangelia , Nowinski Daniel , Holmström Gerd , Larsson Eva 
Published: December 2023

AbstractPurposeTo evaluate the refractive outcome and strabismus at 5 years of age, in children operated for various types of non‐syndromic craniosynostosis, and further analyse the refractive and strabismic development over time.MethodsEighty‐nine children, who had undergone operations for non‐syndromic craniosynostosis, were examined at 5 years of age. These children also underwent ophthalmological examination preoperatively and up to 1 year after the operation. An age‐matched control group including 32 healthy children was also recruited.Strabismus and eye motility were registered. Refraction was measured in cycloplegia.ResultsThere was a difference regarding the refractive outcome between the different types of craniosynostosis. Higher values of hypermetropia were found in the metopic craniosynostosis group on both eyes. In the unicoronal craniosynostosis group, high values of hypermetropia and a higher degree of astigmatism were found on the side contralateral to the craniosynostosis. Strabismus was found in 11/88 children of whom 10/11 had unicoronal craniosynostosis. A vertical deviation on the side ipsilateral to the fused suture was highly prevalent (6/10 cases). Ophthalmological dysfunctions were rare in children operated for sagittal craniosynostosis.ConclusionOcular manifestations such as strabismus, astigmatism and anisometropia were highly prevalent in children operated for unilateral coronal craniosynostosis. Children operated for metopic craniosynostosis had higher rates of hypermetropia. The screening and follow‐up protocols need to be tailored with regard to the type of craniosynostosis.
Neutrophil microRNAs
Authors: Garley Marzena , Nowak Karolina , Jabłońska Ewa 
Published: December 2023

ABSTRACTNeutrophils are considered ‘first‐line defence’ cells as they can be rapidly recruited to the site of the immune response. As key components of non‐specific immune mechanisms, neutrophils use phagocytosis, degranulation, and formation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) to fight pathogens. Recently, immunoregulatory abilities of neutrophils associated with the secretion of several mediators, including cytokines and extracellular vesicles (EVs) containing, among other components, microRNAs (miRNAs), have also been reported. EVs are small structures released by cells into the extracellular space and are present in all body fluids. Microvesicles show the composition and status of the releasing cell, its physiological state, and pathological changes. Currently, EVs have gained immense scientific interest as they act as transporters of epigenetic information in intercellular communication. This review summarises findings from recent scientific reports that have evaluated the utility of miRNA molecules as biomarkers for effective diagnostics or even as start‐points for new therapeutic strategies in neutrophil‐mediated immune reactions. In addition, this review describes the current state of knowledge on miRNA molecules, which are endogenous regulators of gene expression besides being involved in the regulation of the immune response.
Identifying candidate genes underlying isolated congenital anosmia
Authors: Kamarck Marissa L. , Trimmer Casey , Murphy Nicolle R. , Gregory Kristen M. , Manoel Diogo , Logan Darren W. , Saraiva Luis R. , Mainland Joel D. 
Published: December 2023

AbstractAn estimated 1 in 10 000 people are born without the ability to smell, a condition known as congenital anosmia, and about one third of those people have non‐syndromic, or isolated congenital anosmia (ICA). Despite the significant impact of olfaction for our quality of life, the underlying causes of ICA remain largely unknown. Using whole exome sequencing (WES) in 10 families and 141 individuals with ICA, we identified a candidate list of 162 rare, segregating, deleterious variants in 158 genes. We confirmed the involvement of CNGA2, a previously implicated ICA gene that is an essential component of the olfactory transduction pathway. Furthermore, we found a loss‐of‐function variant in SREK1IP1 from the family gene candidate list, which was also observed in 5% of individuals in an additional non‐family cohort with ICA. Although SREK1IP1 has not been previously associated with olfaction, its role in zinc ion binding suggests a potential influence on olfactory signaling. This study provides a more comprehensive understanding of the spectrum of genetic alterations and their etiology in ICA patients, which may improve the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of this disorder and lead to better understanding of the mechanisms governing basic olfactory function.
Trends and dynamics of philanthropic funding for biodiversity conservation in China
Authors: Yang Fangyi , Tao Ze , Zhang Li 
Published: December 2023

AbstractImplementation and funding mechanisms to reverse biodiversity loss formed the core of the discussion focusing on the Post‐2020 Global Biodiversity Framework (“the Framework”), at the 15th Conference of Parties at the Convention on Biological Diversity hosted by China. Before financial support emerged from the private sector in China, biodiversity conservation had primarily been financed by the government. By the end of the 20th‐century international nongovernmental organizations and China's local philanthropists began to launch pilot programs in the country. In the past 5 years, biodiversity conservation across China has received CNY 1.757 billion (approximately $279 million) from the philanthropy sector. It represents the largest‐ and fastest‐growing share (69%) of environmental philanthropic funding; however, it accounted for <1% of all the philanthropic in all sectors nationwide. We suggested Foundations and NGOs review and adjust their strategies to align with the Kunming‐Montreal global biodiversity framework. Proactive connection and engagement with the philanthropies is required to expand its contributions while providing better pathways and support mechanisms for philanthropic funding for biodiversity conservation. Despite the philanthropic funding provided has been relatively modest over the past few decades, the philanthropic organizations have achieved significant positive results for biodiversity conservation in China. However, the funding for biodiversity conservation falls far short of what is needed to achieve the goals under the Kunming‐Montreal global biodiversity framework. This study provides a comprehensive overview of biodiversity philanthropic funding in China. Based on the collection of data related to environmentally relevant grants provided by companies, foundations, and individuals, we conducted a visualization analysis to reveal China's philanthropic funding flows between 2016 and 2020 in China. The profiles of donors and the receipts of the funding have been described.