bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Board gender diversity and earnings management: what difference does gender quota legislation make in emerging market?
Authors: Anwar Abdelghaffar Saleh Mohsen , Wu Dejun , Emad Areef Alhaleh Shadi , Effah Nana Adwoa Anokye , Tawab Abdelrahman Sayed Azza 
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This paper aims to examine the impact of board gender diversity (BOGD) following the adoption of gender quota legislation on earnings management (EM) in an emerging market, Egypt, whose cultural and economic conditions and institutional context are unlike most previously studied countries’ context.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors use ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to estimate the impact of gender quota legislation on EM using data from listed companies in Egypt from 2015 to 2022. Difference-in-difference (DID) approach estimation was used to validate the robustness of the main results.

Findings
This paper documents that gender diversity on boards has a significantly negative impact on EM. In addition, this paper provides robust evidence using the DID approach to show that BOGD is significantly negatively linked with EM for the period following gender quota legislation. Furthermore, the results support the critical mass and agency theories.

Practical implications
The findings of this study have important implications for Egyptian companies, regulatory bodies and investors in emerging markets. Specifically, these results suggest that when choosing board members, enterprises should pay particular attention to BOGD, and female involvement in all listed firms should be monitored by regulators.

Social implications
This paper provides evidence supporting the positive contribution of women in society by enhancing the economic performance of Egyptian firms and promoting the country’s sustainable development strategy in light of Egypt vision 2030.

Originality/value
As per the authors' knowledge, this empirical study is unique in investigating the impact of BOGD quota regulation on EM in Egypt. This paper contributes to BOGD as a major factor in improving financial reporting quality in Egyptian companies.
Unveiling virtual chat group inclusiveness code of conduct by Nigerians
Authors: Okpara Ngozi 
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This paper aims to unveil the general nature of virtual chat groups in multi-ethnic societies like Nigeria towards knowing whether and how diversity inclusiveness codes of conduct are encouraged and managed among virtual chat group participants.

Design/methodology/approach
Data in this research was collected via five virtual focus groups of five to eight discussants each and was complemented by virtual field surveys. Responses were validated through verification of registered personal mobile phone numbers. Each design was implemented to cover Nigeria’s six geopolitical zones. The research was broadly framed – according to the uses and gratification theory, social inclusion hypothesis and utilitarian theory of ethics.

Findings
The research shows how virtual chat groups can enhance understanding of diversities. However, virtual chat-group outcomes are better managed if anticipated gratifications are predictable and based on the utilization of stated conduct codes.

Research limitations/implications
Given Nigeria’s vast population, the sample size for this study is not adequate nor systematic enough towards generalizations. However, the diverse background of focus group discussants enhances the vista for understanding inclusive virtual chats in diverse societies. Moreover, the instruments of research data collection were validated.

Practical implications
This research points out that virtual chat groups’ codes of conduct are most effective when participants can anticipate collective gratifications. However, firmness and fairness in the implementation of code of conduct principles are essential for long-term virtual group chat sustenance.

Social implications
Code of conduct principles are essential for the long-term virtual chat group sustenance. When this is achieved, some of the social problems of Nigeria may be solved, and the social, ethnic and religious differences may not hinder the proper development of the country.

Originality/value
The research exposes the nature and role of virtual chat group communication inclusivity codes of conduct amidst participants’ demographic diversity.
Cultural influences on stigma of failure and entrepreneurial activity
Authors: Damaraju Naga Lakshmi , Barney Jay B. , Dess Gregory G. 
Published: August 2023

Purpose
This paper aims to draw from research on culture, stigma and entrepreneurial activity to hypothesize that the relationship of stigma with the level of entrepreneurial activity differs by the dimensions of national culture, i.e. individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and power distance.

Design/methodology/approach
The hypotheses were tested with data from 15 countries spanning over a 15-year period. Poisson regressions were used.

Findings
Results from Poisson regressions supported the hypotheses for the differences based on the “individualism,” “masculinity” and “power distance” dimensions of culture on the relationship between stigma of failure and entrepreneurial activity. However, the hypothesis for the differences based on the “uncertainty avoidance” dimension of culture was not supported.

Originality/value
Fostering entrepreneurship has been important for several countries around the world. A number of factors influence the phenomenon of entrepreneurship. In this paper, research in the areas of culture, stigma and entrepreneurship is brought together to explain how the stigma of failure may be intensified or mitigated in different cultural contexts. The results suggest that policies and attempts to alleviate stigma of failure for promoting entrepreneurship need to consider the complex interactions occurring within the cultural contexts in which entrepreneurs operate. Such initiatives should enhance their effectiveness.
A micro room temperature oxygen sensor based on LaF3 solid electrolyte thin film
Authors: Tang Yankun , Zhang Ming , Chen Kedong , Nawaz Sher Ali , Wang Hairong , Wang Jiuhong , Tian Xianqing 
Published: August 2023

Purpose
Detecting O2 gas in a confined space at room temperature is particularly important to monitor the work process of precision equipment. This study aims to propose a miniaturized, low-cost, mass-scale produced O2 sensor operating around 30°C.

Design/methodology/approach
The O2 sensor based on lanthanum fluoride (LaF3) solid electrolyte thin film was developed using MEMS technology. The principle of the sensor was a galvanic cell H2O, O2, Pt | LaF3 | Sn, SnF2 |, in which the Sn film was prepared by magnetron sputtering, and the LaF3 film was prepared by thermal resistance evaporation.

Findings
Through pretreatments, the sensor’s response signal to 40% oxygen concentration was enhanced from 1.9 mV to 46.0 mV at 30°C and 97.0% RH. Tests at temperatures from 30°C to 50°C and humidity from 32.4% RH to 97.0% RH indicated that the output electromotive force (EMF) has a linear relationship with the logarithm of the oxygen concentration. The sensitivity of the sensor increases with an increase in both humidity and temperature in the couple mode, and the EMF of the sensor follows well with the Nernst equation at different temperatures and humidity.

Practical implications
This research could be applied to monitor the oxygen concentration below 25% in confined spaces at room temperature safely without a power supply.

Originality/value
The relationship between temperature and humidity coupling and the response of the sensor was obtained. The nano-film material was integrated with the MEMS process. It is expected to be practically applied in the future.
Competition‐induced tree mortality across Europe is driven by shade tolerance, proportion of conspecifics and drought
Authors: Kulha Niko , Honkaniemi Juha , Barrere Julien , Brandl Susanne , Cordonnier Thomas , Korhonen Kari T. , Kunstler Georges , Paul Carola , Reineking Björn , Peltoniemi Mikko 
Published: August 2023

Abstract

Forest stand densities are increasing in the boreal and temperate biomes, suggesting that tree‐tree competition is intensifying. Anticipating the consequences of this intensified competition is difficult because competition‐induced mortality may depend not only on the occurrence of extreme climatic events such as drought, but also on stand composition, since tree species differ in their ability to compete and tolerate competition. A better understanding of the effects of stand composition and drought on competition‐induced mortality would help to anticipate future changes in forest ecosystems.

We studied the tree‐level probability of competition‐induced mortality using National Forest Inventory data from three European countries (Finland, France and Germany), covering a latitudinal gradient from the Mediterranean to the Arctic. We investigated how (i) the proportion of conspecifics, (ii) the shade tolerance (ST) of the focal tree and its competitors and (iii) drought events modify the effect of competition on tree mortality. We used a generalized linear mixed model on a dataset of 461,109 trees representing 39 species on 48,088 individual plots.

Competition, measured as the basal area of larger trees, was a stronger driver of background mortality (BM) than tree size and climate. A higher proportion of conspecifics increased the competition effect on mortality, showing that conspecific individuals had a higher competitive effect compared to heterospecific individuals. The competition effect on mortality also increased as a function of the ST of neighbouring trees, suggesting an increased shading effect. A higher ST of a focal tree decreased the competition effect on mortality. Drought anomalies increased the competition effect, resulting in a higher mortality probability for the most suppressed trees.

Synthesis. Competition was the main driver of background mortality. Increasing stand density increased competition‐induced tree mortality in both monospecific and mixed stands, but to different extents depending on the proportion of conspecifics and tree species shade tolerance (ST). Drought periods increase mortality, especially among the most suppressed trees, suggesting an interaction between competitive status and drought. Incorporating more detailed information on stand composition and tree species ST into tree mortality models will improve our understanding of forest dynamics in a changing climate.
How limiting is finance for Dutch dairy farms? A dynamic profit analysis
Authors: Lamkowsky Melina , Meuwissen Miranda P. M. , van der Meulen Harold A. B. , Ang Frederic 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAccessibility to financial resources is considered a prevalent problem in the agricultural sector. We develop an approach to quantify the long‐term opportunity costs of financial constraints in relation to peers who do not face any financial constraints. Using data on past financial performance, we assess creditworthiness and the size of an additional accessible bank loan to farmers. Combining this with data on reported expenditure, we determine the accessible finance. We quantify the opportunity cost as the forgone dynamic profit (intertemporal profit in current‐value terms) from financial constraints. Using data envelopment analysis, we apply our approach to 264 specialised Dutch dairy farms for the years 2006–2017 and explore the potential impact of changes in finance provision for several scenarios. Our results show an increasing gap between frontrunners and other farmers, as the latter generate progressively less dynamic profit in comparison to their best peers. The gap between the dynamic profit of the average farm and that of its best peers from their production and investment decisions made over the span of 1 year grew from €40,040 in 2009 to €114,548 in 2017. However, the growth is not driven by insufficient access to finance. Financial constraints can only explain 6% of the forgone dynamic profit in 2009 and as little as 1% for 2017. The number of farms classified as financially constrained in comparison to their peers decreases in our sample from 44% in 2009 to 8% in 2017. This suggests that non‐financial factors are driving the growing gap.
A tuneable genetic switch for tight control of tac promoters in Escherichia coli boosts expression of synthetic injectisomes
Authors: Asensio‐Calavia Alejandro , Ceballos‐Munuera Álvaro , Méndez‐Pérez Almudena , Álvarez Beatriz , Fernández Luis Ángel 
Published: August 2023

AbstractBiosafety of engineered bacteria as living therapeutics requires a tight regulation to control the specific delivery of protein effectors, maintaining minimum leakiness in the uninduced (OFF) state and efficient expression in the induced (ON) state. Here, we report a three repressors (3R) genetic circuit that tightly regulates the expression of multiple tac promoters (Ptac) integrated in the chromosome of E. coli and drives the expression of a complex type III secretion system injectisome for therapeutic protein delivery. The 3R genetic switch is based on the tetracycline repressor (TetR), the non‐inducible lambda repressor cI (ind‐) and a mutant lac repressor (LacIW220F) with higher activity. The 3R switch was optimized with different protein translation and degradation signals that control the levels of LacIW220F. We demonstrate the ability of an optimized switch to fully repress the strong leakiness of the Ptac promoters in the OFF state while triggering their efficient activation in the ON state with anhydrotetracycline (aTc), an inducer suitable for in vivo use. The implementation of the optimized 3R switch in the engineered synthetic injector E. coli (SIEC) strain boosts expression of injectisomes upon aTc induction, while maintaining a silent OFF state that preserves normal growth in the absence of the inducer. Since Ptac is a commonly used promoter, the 3R switch may have multiple applications for tight control of protein expression in E. coli. In addition, the modularity of the 3R switch may enable its tuning for the control of Ptac promoters with different inducers.
A novel mutation in MECOM affects MPL regulation in vitro and results in thrombocytopenia and bone marrow failure
Authors: Ammeti Daniele , Marzollo Antonio , Gabelli Maria , Zanchetta Melania Eva , Tretti‐Parenzan Caterina , Bottega Roberta , Capaci Valeria , Biffi Alessandra , Savoia Anna , Bresolin Silvia , Faleschini Michela 
Published: August 2023

SummaryMECOM‐associated syndrome (MECOM‐AS) is a rare disease characterized by amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia, progressive bone marrow failure, pancytopenia and radioulnar synostosis with high penetrance. The clinical phenotype may also include finger malformations, cardiac and renal alterations, hearing loss, B‐cell deficiency and predisposition to infections. The syndrome, usually diagnosed in the neonatal period because of severe thrombocytopenia, is caused by mutations in the MECOM gene, encoding for the transcription factor EVI1. The mechanism linking the alteration of EVI1 function and thrombocytopenia is poorly understood. In a paediatric patient affected by severe thrombocytopenia, we identified a novel variant of the MECOM gene (p.P634L), whose effect was tested on pAP‐1 enhancer element and promoters of targeted genes showing that the mutation impairs the repressive activity of the transcription factor. Moreover, we demonstrated that EVI1 controls the transcriptional regulation of MPL, a gene whose mutations are responsible for congenital amegakaryocytic thrombocytopenia (CAMT), potentially explaining the partial overlap between MECOM‐AS and CAMT.
Demographic and clinical characteristics of acute myeloid leukaemia diagnosed and treated at the tertiary level in Afghanistan
Authors: Noor Sarah , Haidary Ahmed Maseh , Yosufzai Ahmad Walid , Niazai Mirajan , Noor Sahar , Nasir Najla , Shinwari Ayub , Saadaat Ramin 
Published: August 2023

SummaryA retrospective case series design was conducted to elucidate the demographic features of acute myeloid leukaemia in Afghanistan. This study was conducted at Jamhuriat Hospital and French Medical Institute for Mothers and Children, Kabul, Afghanistan. A total of 203 patients with AML diagnosed and managed at Jamhuriat Hospital from 1 March 2018 to 31 March 2020, were included in the current study. The median age at diagnosis was 27 years. Housewives represented the largest subset of patients from an occupational point of view constituting 37.44% of the total sample population and 81.72% of the female population, followed by 20.69% patients who were students of which 14.77% were male and 5.91% were female, and 17.24% were farmers, which constituted 31.81% of the male population. Similarly, 69.95% of individuals presented with infection, 57.14% presented with bone tenderness, 46.3% presented with bleeding tendencies, 55.66% had hepatomegaly and/or splenomegaly, and 27.58% of patients had lymphadenopathy. Considering the chemotherapeutic regime, 64.53% of the individuals received standard 7 + 3 (cytarabine + daunorubicin) induction regimen, 10.68% of those received 5 + 2 re‐induction chemotherapy (cytarabine + daunorubicin). 10.84% who were diagnosed with acute promyelocytic leukaemia received all‐trans‐retinoic acid + arsenic trioxide, while 5.42% of patients defaulted chemotherapy. High prevalence was noted in young individuals. Similarly, a high proportion of patients were constituted by housewives.
Loyalty of rural microfinance borrowers: International evidence
Authors: Mia Md Aslam 
Published: August 2023

AbstractThe growth and financial sustainability of a firm is tied to its ability to retain existing and potential clients. On the contrary, the defection of customers has a huge implication on firms including microfinance institutions (MFIs), suggesting that the attainment of customer loyalty is an important strategy for MFIs to improve their performance. Hence, this study attempts to investigate the level of loyalty demonstrated by rural microfinance borrowers toward their respective service providers. To accomplish this, an unbalanced panel data, comprising 1101 unique MFIs and spanning the timeframe 2010–2018, were obtained from the World Bank database and thereafter subjected to conventional econometric techniques and a series of robustness tests, including endogeneity‐corrected methods, alternative proxies, and sub‐sample analyses. The findings indicate that rural microfinance borrowers generally demonstrate loyalty to their service providers, particularly when measured by borrower retention rates; however, these findings vary with the adopted techniques, sub‐samples, and proxies employed during the analysis.
Associations between a metal mixture and infant negative affectivity: Effect modification by prenatal cortisol and infant sex
Authors: Merced‐Nieves Francheska M. , Eitenbichler Samuel , Goldson Brandon , Zhang Xueying , Klein Daniel N. , Bosquet Enlow Michelle , Curtin Paul , Wright Robert O. , Wright Rosalind J. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractIn‐utero exposures interact in complex ways that influence neurodevelopment. Animal research demonstrates that fetal sex moderates the impact of joint exposure to metals and prenatal stress measures, including cortisol, on offspring socioemotional outcomes. Further research is needed in humans. We evaluated the joint association of prenatal exposures to a metal mixture and cortisol with infant negative affectivity, considering sex differences. Analyses included 226 (29% White, Non‐Hispanic) mother‐infant pairs with data on exposures and negative affectivity assessed using the Infant Behavior Questionnaire‐Revised in 6‐month‐olds. Results showed that girls whose mothers had higher cortisol had significantly higher scores of Fear and Sadness with greater exposure to the mixture. Examining higher‐order interactions may better elucidate the effects of prenatal exposure to metals and cortisol on socioemotional functioning.
Engaging families and parent advocates in research on substance use and drug policy reform: Guiding principles from a Canadian community‐academic partnership
Authors: Haines‐Saah Rebecca J. , Morris Heather , Schulz Petra , Jenkins Emily , Hyshka Elaine 
Published: August 2023

AbstractCanada is in the midst of a public health emergency in drug poisoning (overdose) deaths. In this context parents, and especially mothers, of those who have died from drug poisoning have mobilised to advocate for urgent responses and drug policy reforms. To document this emerging women‐led advocacy, we initiated a community‐academic research partnership with three parent groups representing families in Canada bereaved by drug‐related deaths. In this commentary, we describe four guiding principles we developed during the course of this project, to ensure an ethical and equitable approach to conducting our research partnership. In particular, we emphasise how we navigated parents' roles as vocal advocates for addressing drug stigma and expanding harm reduction while actively working to avoid eclipsing the need to centre the perspectives of people who use drugs. Meaningful and collaborative partnerships between academics and community groups may facilitate greater understandings of how families and communities can be allied in drug policy reforms urgently needed to prevent drug poisoning deaths.
Host–enemy interactions provide limited biotic resistance for a range‐expanding species via reduced apparent competition
Authors: Prior Kirsten M. , Jones Dylan G. , Meadley‐Dunphy Shannon A. , Lee Susan , Milks Alyson K. , Daughton Sage , Forbes Andrew A. , Powell Thomas H. Q. 
Published: August 2023

AbstractAimAs species' ranges shift poleward in response to anthropogenic change, they may lose antagonistic interactions if they move into less diverse communities, fail to interact with novel populations or species effectively, or if ancestral interacting populations or species fail to shift synchronously. We leveraged a poleward range expansion in a tractable insect host–enemy community to uncover mechanisms by which altered antagonistic interactions between native and recipient communities contributed to ‘high niche opportunities’ (limited biotic resistance) for a range‐expanding insect.LocationNorth America, Pacific Northwest.MethodsWe created quantitative insect host–enemy interaction networks by sampling oak gall wasps on 400 trees of a dominant oak species in the native and expanded range of a range‐expanding gall wasp species. We compared host–enemy network structure between regions. We measured traits (phenology, morphology) of galls and interacting parasitoids, predicting greater trait divergence in the expanded range. We measured function relating to host control and explored if altered interactions and traits contributed to reduced function, or biotic resistance.ResultsInteraction networks had fewer species in the expanded range and lower complementarity of parasitoid assemblages among host species. While networks were more generalized, interactions with the range‐expanding species were more specialized in the expanded range. Specialist enemies effectively tracked the range‐expanding host, and there was reduced apparent competition with co‐occurring hosts by shared generalist enemies. Phenological divergence of enemy assemblages interacting with the range‐expanding and co‐occurring hosts was greater in the expanded range, potentially contributing to weak apparent competition. Biotic resistance was lower in the expanded range, where fewer parasitoids emerged from galls of the range‐expanding host.Main ConclusionsChanges in interactions with generalist enemies created high niche opportunities, and limited biotic resistance, suggesting weak apparent competition may be a mechanism of enemy release for range‐expanding insects embedded within generalist enemy networks.