bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Factors determining default in P2P lending
Authors: Avgeri Evangelia , Psillaki Maria 
Published: September 2023

PurposeThe research documented in this paper aims to examine multiple factors related to borrowers' default in peer-to-peer (P2P) lending in the USA. This study is motivated by the hypothesis that both P2P loan characteristics and macroeconomic variables have influence on loan performance. The authors define a set of loan characteristics, borrower characteristics and macroeconomic variables that are significant in determining the probability of default and should be taken into consideration when assessing credit risk.Design/methodology/approachThe research question in this study is to find the significant explanatory variables that are essential in determining the probability of default for LendingClub loans. The empirical study is based on a total number of 1,863,491 loan records issued through LendingClub from 2007 to 2020Q3 and a logistic regression model is developed to predict loan defaults.FindingsThe results, in line with prior research, show that a number of borrower and contractual loan characteristics predict loan defaults. The innovation of this study is the introduction of specific macroeconomic indicators. The study indicates that macroeconomic variables assessed alongside loan data can significantly improve the forecasting performance of default model. The general finding demonstrates that higher percentage change in House Price Index, Consumer Sentiment Index and S&P500 Index is associated with a lower probability of delinquency. The empirical results also exhibit significant positive effect of unemployment rate and GDP growth rate on P2P loan default rates.Practical implicationsThe results have important implications for investors for whom it is of great importance to know the determinants of borrowers' creditworthiness and loan performance when estimating the investment in a certain P2P loan. In addition, the forecasting performance of the model could be applied by authorities in order to deal with the credit risk in P2P lending and to prevent the effects of increasing defaults on the economy.Originality/valueThis paper fulfills an identified need to shed light on the association between specific macroeconomic indicators and the default risk from P2P lending within an economy, while the majority of the existing literature investigate loan and borrower information to evaluate credit risk of P2P loans and predict the likelihood of default.
Managerial ability and voluntary ESG disclosure and assurance: evidence from Taiwan
Authors: Kao Mao-Feng , Jian Cih-Huei , Tseng Chien-Hao 
Published: September 2023

Purpose
The purpose of this study is to explore the effect of managerial ability on voluntary environmental, social and governance (ESG) disclosure and assurance. By focusing on managerial ability, this study provides a more nuanced understanding of the factors influencing a firm’s ESG disclosure and assurance practices. This study contributes to a relatively unexplored area of study regarding the role of top management in promoting ESG reporting.

Design/methodology/approach
This study draws on a sample of publicly listed firms from 2014 to 2019 in Taiwan and applies the data envelopment analysis method to measure managerial ability. Heckman’s (1979) two-step model is used to estimate the primary models to prevent the results from being affected by possible bias because of self-selection.

Findings
The empirical evidence suggests that managerial ability is positively related to voluntary ESG disclosure and intention to seek third-party assurance of the report. Overall, managerial ability determines whether a firm will use voluntary ESG disclosure and assurance as a corporate strategy to respond effectively to stakeholders’ needs. The findings are robust after using alternative measures of managerial ability.

Practical implications
Investors and other stakeholders keen on seeking ESG information offered by companies could find the findings of this study valuable. By better comprehending how managerial competence impacts voluntary ESG disclosure and assurance, stakeholders may be better equipped to hold companies responsible for their ESG disclosure practices and make informed investment decisions.

Social implications
In the ESG decision-making process, managers with better abilities have a higher tendency to use voluntary disclosure and assurance as a part of the company’s sustainable policy.

Originality/value
Unlike previous studies of the determinant factors of ESG disclosure, which mainly explore factors at the national or corporate level, this study focuses on factors at the individual level (i.e. managerial ability) to fill the gap in the literature. This study also presents empirical evidence that corroborates the idea that managerial competence can influence not only ESG disclosure but also the voluntary assurance of ESG information.
Increase in heat tolerance following a period of heat stress in a naturally occurring insect species
Authors: Ardelan Andre , Tsai Anne , Will Sophia , McGuire Rosa , Amarasekare Priyanga 
Published: September 2023

AbstractClimate warming is the defining environmental crisis of the 21st century. Elucidating whether organisms can adapt to rapidly changing thermal environments is therefore a crucial research priority.We investigated warming effects on a native Hemipteran insect (Murgantia histrionica) that feeds on an endemic plant species (Isomeris arborea) of the California coastal sage scrub. Experiments conducted in 2009 quantified the temperature responses of juvenile maturation rates and stage‐specific and cumulative survivorship. The intervening decade has seen some of the hottest years ever recorded, with increasing mean temperatures accompanied by an increase in the frequency of hot extremes.Experiments repeated in 2021 show a striking change in the bugs' temperature responses. In 2009, no eggs developed past the second nymphal stage at 33°C. In 2021, eggs developed into reproductive adults at 33°C. Upper thermal limits for maturation and survivorship have increased, along with a decrease in mortality risk with increasing age and temperature, and a decrease in the temperature sensitivity of mortality with increasing age.While we cannot exclude the possibility that other environmental factors occurring in concert could have affected our findings, the fact that all observed trait changes are in the direction of greater heat tolerance suggests that consistent exposure to extreme heat stress may at least be partially responsible for these changes.Harlequin bugs belong to the suborder Heteroptera, which contains a number of economically important pests, biological control agents and disease carriers. Their differential success in withstanding warming compared to beneficial holometabolous insects such as pollinators may exacerbate the decline of beneficial insects due to other causes (e.g. pollution and pesticides) with potentially serious consequences on both biodiversity and ecosystem functioning.
‘Call the Bluff’ or ‘Build Back Better’—Anti‐corruption reforms in post‐war Ukraine
Authors: Richter Michael Martin 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe fight against corruption is presented as a leading principle in policy papers and at donor conferences discussing Ukraine's reconstruction. It therefore mirrors the usual narrative surrounding post‐war reconstruction and democracy promotion attempts. However, reconstruction aid has historically been used for illicit means by elites and ended up strengthening an uneven system rather than building a resilient and successful country, despite the window of opportunity for the latter. Rather than just proposing principles, this paper therefore poses the question of how actors involved in the reconstruction process can be bound to stick to their previously propagated and formally existing principles. The analysis combines academic and policy‐oriented studies and highlights the combined importance of the external and internal dimension for a successful outcome. It proposes a ‘double conditionality’ mechanism, where an independent, technocratic institution holds frozen, Russian assets and partially reimburses Western donors only after successful audits on the reconstruction aid are conducted. This conditionality puts domestic pressure on aid givers to follow through with the anti‐corruption conditions formulated beforehand and to call out any reform bluff on Kyiv's side. Paired with a credible EU accession perspective, this can bring about the much‐needed stimulus for a build back better scenario.
Distinct physiological characteristics and altered glucagon signaling in GHRH knockout mice: Implications for longevity
Authors: Lasher A. Tate , Sun Liou Y. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractOur previous research has demonstrated that mice lacking functional growth hormone‐releasing hormone (GHRH) exhibit distinct physiological characteristics, including an extended lifespan, a preference for lipid utilization during rest, mild hypoglycemia, and heightened insulin sensitivity. They also show a further increase in lifespan when subjected to caloric restriction. These findings suggest a unique response to fasting, which motivated our current study on the response to glucagon, a key hormone released from the pancreas during fasting that regulates glucose levels, energy expenditure, and metabolism. Our study investigated the effects of an acute glucagon challenge on female GHRH knockout mice and revealed that they exhibit reduced glucose production, likely due to suppressed gluconeogenesis. However, these mice showed an increase in energy expenditure. We also observed alterations in pancreatic islet architecture, with smaller islets and a reduction of insulin‐producing beta cells but no changes in glucagon‐producing alpha cells. Additionally, the analysis of hepatic glucagon signaling showed a decrease in glucagon receptor expression and phosphorylated CREB. In conclusion, our findings suggest that the unique metabolic phenotype observed in these long‐lived mice may be partly explained by changes in glucagon signaling. Further exploration of this pathway may lead to new insights into the regulation of longevity in mammals.
Fire frequency has a contrasting effect on vegetation and topsoil in subcoastal heathland, woodland and forest ecosystems, south‐east Queensland, Australia
Authors: Dooley Madeline , Lewis Tom , Schmidt Susanne 
Published: September 2023

AbstractEcosystems managed with contrasting fire regimes provide insight into the responses of vegetation and soil. Heathland, woodland and forest ecosystems along a gradient of resource availability were burnt over four decades in approximately 3‐ or 5‐year intervals or were unburnt for 45–47 years (heathland, woodland), or experienced infrequent wildfires (forest: 14 years since the last fire). We hypothesized that, relative to unburnt or infrequent fires, frequent burning would favour herbaceous species over woody species and resprouting over obligate seeder species, and reduce understorey vegetation height, and topsoil carbon and nitrogen content. Our hypothesis was partially supported in that herbaceous plant density was higher in frequently burnt vegetation; however, woody plant density was also higher in frequently burnt areas relative to unburnt/infrequently burnt areas, across all ecosystems. In heathland, omission of frequent fire resulted in the dominance of fern Gleichenia dicarpa and subsequent competitive exclusion of understorey species and lower species diversity. As hypothesized, frequent burning in woodland and forest increased the density of facultative resprouters and significantly reduced soil organic carbon levels relative to unburnt sites. Our findings confirm that regular burning conserves understorey diversity and maintains an understorey of lower statured herbaceous plants, although demonstrates the potential trade‐off of frequent burning with lower topsoil carbon levels in the woodland and forest. Some ecosystem specific responses to varied fire frequencies were observed, reflecting differences in species composition and fire response traits between ecosystems. Overall, unburnt vegetation resulted in the dominance of some species over others and the different vegetation types were able to withstand relatively high‐frequency fire without the loss of biodiversity, mainly due to high environmental productivity and short juvenile periods.
Animal work before capitalism: Sheep's reproductive labor in the ancient South Caucasus
Authors: Chazin Hannah 
Published: September 2023

AbstractRecent anthropological interest in “animal work” has focused on contemporary human‐animal relations. This article explores the “provocation” of animal work in the deeper past through an analysis of human‐herd animal relations in the Late Bronze Age (1500–1100 BCE) in the South Caucasus. Zooarchaeological and isotopic data reveal unexpected traces of the complexity and diversity of human and animal labor, with implications for political life. Challenging the anthropocentrism of (zoo)archaeological practice, animal labor provides a starting point for repurposing standard tools to ask new questions. Engaging with critical ethnographic perspectives on (animal) work, I consider how the question of animal work in the deeper past raises important questions about labor prior to or outside of capitalism—and its relationship to hierarchy and inequality, and the implications for archaeology more broadly. This challenge to narratives, within and beyond archaeology, that treat production in the deeper past as the origin or a prototype of production and inequality under capitalism also undermines accounts that link contemporary human‐animal relations to an origin in the deep past.
XIII International Conference on Kangaroo Mother Care – Different opinions, experiences and related KMC issues: Good practices, stabilisation concept, nutrition and basic respiratory support
Authors: Pallás‐Alonso Carmen , Montealegre Adriana , Hernández‐Aguilar María Teresa , Muñoz‐Amat Bárbara , Collados‐Gómez Laura , Jiménez‐Fernández Lucía , García‐Lara Nadia , Cabrera‐Lafuente Marta , Moral‐Pumarega María Teresa , López‐Maestro María , Charpak Nathalie 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAimThis study aimed to summarise the views and experiences of the participants in the workshop of the XIII International Conference on Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC).MethodsThe results of the discussions held during the workshop of the XIII International Conference on KMC were summarised. There were 152 participants from 47 countries. Four main KMC topics were discussed: good practices, immediate implementation, nutrition and basic ventilation.ResultsSeveral agreements were reached, namely that professional societies and governments should develop official recommendations to promote KMC as standard care for preterm and low birth weight infants and that parents should be involved as active caregivers in neonatal care units. Moreover, the criteria for referring community‐born infants to KMC require standardisation.Important inequalities in resource availability among high‐, middle‐ and low‐income countries were recognised for all topics. Specific needs were identified for parenteral nutrition and fortifiers, nasal continuous positive airway pressure (nCPAP) and oxygen blenders, which are rarely available in low‐ and middle‐income countries.Immediate implementation of KMC was discussed as a new concept. Its benefits were recognised, but its application has some variability.ConclusionAdequate preterm care requires a basic neonatal package, including KMC, nCPAP, immediate management protocols and adequate nutrition and feeding strategies. The differences in resources among high‐, middle‐ and low‐income countries highlight the wide disparities in neonatal care according to the place of birth.
Editorial: serum oncostatin M at baseline predicts mucosal healing in Crohn’s disease patients treated with infliximab
Authors: Appleton Laura , Day Andrew S. 
Published: September 2023

LINKED CONTENTThis article is linked to Bertani et al papers. To view these articles, visit https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.15870 and https://doi.org/10.1111/apt.16031
Microbial colonization dynamics of the postnatal digestive tract of Bos indicus calves
Authors: Robles‐Rodríguez Carolina , Muley Vijaykumar Yogesh , González‐Dávalos María Laura , Shimada Armando , Varela‐Echavarría Alfredo , Mora Ofelia 
Published: September 2023

AbstractThe rumen and the jejunum of calves have distinct functional roles; the former is in the storage and fermentation of feed, and the latter is in transporting digesta to the ileum. It is unknown how nutrition changes the evolution of the microbiome of these organs after birth. We sequenced and characterized the entire microbiome of the rumen and the jejunum from Bos indicus calves of the Mexican Tropics to study their dynamics at Days 0, 7, 28, and 42 after birth. Operational taxonomic units (OTUs) belonging to 185 and 222 genera from 15 phylum were observed in the organs, respectively. The most abundant OTUs were Proteobacteria, Firmicutes, Actinobacteria, and Bacteroidetes. We observed that proteobacterial species were outcompeted after the first week of life by Bacteroidetes and Firmicutes in the rumen and the jejunum, respectively. Moreover, Prevotella species were found to predominate in the rumen (36% of total OTUs), while the jejunum microbiome is composed of small proportions of several genera. Presumably, their high relative abundance assists in specialized functions and is more likely in fermentation since they are anaerobes. In summary, the rumen and the jejunum microbiomes were outcompeted by new microbiomes in a dynamic process that begins at birth.
Personal tales of venous thromboembolism in the UK the last 60 years: from no interest to clinical excellence
Authors: Hunt Beverley J. 
Published: September 2023

SummarySixty years ago there was little interest in venous thromboembolism (VTE) in global medical circles, and the British were no different in this respect. And yet, from nowhere the clinical field has developed: now prevention and management of VTE accounts for a large part of many consultant haematologists’ working life, while some nursing staff and pharmacists spend the majority of their clinical time in this area. Indeed the ‘Brits’ have developed enormous VTE expertise and arguably lead the world in prevention of 60% of all VTE, which is hospital‐associated venous thromboembolism (HAT).
The genesis of paediatric haematology in the UK
Authors: Roberts Irene , Hann Ian 
Published: September 2023

SummaryPaediatric haematology began to establish itself as a speciality in the UK just over 60 years ago. In that time, clinical trials involving all the specialist centres in the country, and based on scientific advances, have dramatically improved the outlook for children with a range of malignant and non‐malignant disorders, but particularly acute leukaemia. As in many specialties, multidisciplinary teams have played a major role in delivering these advances. With these structures in place at a national level, perhaps, of all specialities, paediatric haematology is poised to benefit from the new developments in precision medicine, gene editing and immunotherapy.
Membranous urethral length and urinary incontinence following robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy: a systematic review and meta‐analysis
Authors: Mac Curtain Benjamin M. , Sugrue Diarmuid D. , Qian Wanyang , O'Callaghan Michael , Davis Niall F. 
Published: September 2023

ObjectiveTo provide an update on the association between preoperative membranous urethral length (MUL) and postoperative urinary incontinence (UI) in men who undergo robot‐assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP)/robot‐assisted laparoscopic prostatectomy (RALP).Materials and MethodsUrinary incontinence is common after RARP/RALP, and early recovery of continence is one of the most important functional outcomes following surgery. MUL has been identified as a factor associated with continence recovery after RARP/RALP. A systematic review was carried out according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta‐Analyses guidelines, using PubMed, Embase, and Scopus databases. Inclusion criteria were English language full journal articles authored within the last 5 years that assessed continence using the Expanded Prostate Cancer Index Composite. The Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool for retrospective cohort studies was used to evaluate study quality. A random‐effects meta‐analysis was performed to pool odds ratios (ORs) from available studies relating to continence as a function of MUL. The Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluations framework was used to synthesise evidence.ResultsSix studies including 970 patients reported an association between MUL and continence at 12 months. Longer MUL was associated with reduced UI odds at 12 months after surgery (pooled OR 0.74, 95% confidence interval 0.68–0.87, P < 0.001). Significant methodological and statistical heterogeneity was encountered.ConclusionsPreoperative MUL measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is significantly associated with postoperative continence in men undergoing RARP/RALP. We recommend consideration of MRI measurement of MUL prior to RARP/RALP to guide treatment decisions in this population.
Clinical performance of monolithic zirconia crowns on titanium–zirconium reduced‐diameter implants in the molar area: Interim data at three years of a randomized controlled trial
Authors: Zumstein K. , Waller T. , Hämmerle C. H. F. , Jung R. E. , Benic G. , Mühlemann S. 
Published: September 2023

AbstractAimThe aim of the present study was (i) to evaluate the clinical performance of reduced‐diameter implants placed in the molar area and (ii) to test whether monolithic zirconia implant‐supported crowns lead to similar clinical outcomes compared to porcelain‐fused‐to‐metal crowns.Materials and MethodsA total of 76 patients needing a single implant crown in the posterior region were recruited. All patients received a titanium–zirconium reduced‐diameter implant (Straumann Roxolid, Tissue Level, Standard Plus, diameter 3.3 mm, regular neck) randomly allocated to receive either a (1) monolithic zirconia crown (test) or (2) porcelain‐fused‐to‐metal crown (control). Implant survival, prosthetic outcomes, and patient‐reported outcomes were assessed at crown delivery and after 3 years of follow‐up. Marginal bone levels (MBL) as well as clinical parameters including probing depth (PD), bleeding on probing (BOP), and plaque levels (PCR) were also recorded.ResultsA total of 59 patients were available at the 3‐year follow‐up; 32 patients with a monolithic zirconia crown (TEST) and 27 patients with a porcelain‐fused‐to‐metal crown (CONTROL). 14 implants (11 implant fractures/3 aseptic losses) were lost leading to an estimated implant survival rate of 80% ± 5.1% (95% CI 70.8%–90.8%). Prosthetic complications were limited to the control group and involved minor chippings.ConclusionsThis type of reduced‐diameter implant to support single implant molar crowns in the molar area cannot be recommended. Monolithic zirconia crowns appear to be a viable option in the posterior region showing similar prosthetic outcomes to porcelain‐fused‐to‐metal crowns.