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This paper proposes a vibration model for modal analysis and vibration control of a vertical cable-dual tuned mass damper (C-DTMD) coupled system. The proposed model introduces several non-dimensional parameters to describe the in-plane vibration of the coupled system. Moreover, the phenomenon of modal split is comprehensively studied to present the complex vibration modes. Parameter analysis is conducted to show the influence of length ratio, mass ratio, damping ratio, and frequency ratio on vibration reduction. In addition, the theoretical model is verified using finite element methods. A practical vertical cable in Jiangyin Bridge with designed wind loads is chosen as a numerical example. The results show that DTMD devices can effectively reduce the modal vibration and have great potential for multi-mode vibration control of vertical cables in suspension bridges. The proposed model can accurately describe the in-plane vibration modes of C-DTMD systems and provides a basis for the optimal design of damper parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Eurovision Song Contest has long served as a platform for cultural diplomacy among its participants. This paper examines how Russia and Ukraine have approached cultural diplomacy in and around the Eurovision Song Contest in the wake of the Russo-Ukrainian war. Following an outline of pertinent events from 2014 to 2022, including the Song Contest and the respective countries' selected entries as well as the public discourse surrounding them, two distinct types of cultural diplomacy—culturalist versus neo-propagandist—are employed in a congruence analysis. The findings show that Russia employed a largely neo-propagandist approach to cultural diplomacy characterized by their projected image of peacefulness, innocence, and strength to alter their situational image. Ukraine has employed a mostly culturalist approach mainly focused on mutual recognition and the representation of national culture. The conscious instrumentalization of the platform to counter misconstrued perceptions of Ukraine shaped by the Kremlin's rhetoric also adds neo-propagandist elements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the problem of the rotor position estimation and control accuracy of permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM), this paper proposes a PMSM sensorless based on radial basis function (RBF) neural network optimized Automatic disturbance rejection control (RBF-ADRC) and strong tracking filter (STF) improved square root generalized fifth-order cubature Kalman filter (SGHCKF-STF). The Automatic disturbance rejection control (ADRC) has strong robustness, but there are many parameters and difficult to adjust. Now we use RBF neural network to adjust the parameters in ADRC online so as to improve the robustness and anti-disturbance ability. In order to improve the estimation accuracy of rotor position and speed, the orthogonal triangle (QR) decomposition and STF are introduced on the basis of the generalized fifth-order cubature Kalman filter (GHCKF) to design the SGHCKF-STF algorithm that not only ensure the non-positive nature of the covariance matrix but also improve the ability to cope with sudden changes in state during the filtering process. Experimental results show that the combination of RBF-ADRC and SGHCKF-STF improve the sensorless control effect of the PMSM to some extent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Science fiction takes many forms, including academic work that calls on readers to think about social and cultural problems. This paper takes a piece of science fiction, Kirinyaga: A Fable of Utopia, as an example and discusses the conflicts among globalization, modernization and tradition present in the text, thus highlighting the academic meaning of science fiction as a literary form. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The field of digital humanities (DH) has evolved throughout the parallel evolution of computers, software and networking techniques, as well as the different attitudes of interested scholars. Since the earliest historical phases of this research field, scholars have been debating whether it can be considered as a new academic discipline and whether it is revolutionary in nature. About 20 years ago, the early denotation of 'humanities computing' evolved to the present label of DH, and deep changes occurred in digital information technologies, as well as in their humanities applications. Meanwhile, dedicated academic curricula were launched, thus adding an argument in favor of the debated disciplinarity of DH. This paper gives an account of the relevant scholarly debate, distinguishing between the early period and the most recent years; it then tries to frame this process in a model of scientific revolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper studies when and under what conditions the actions undertaken by the power plants involved in China's emission trading scheme (ETS) pilot became cost effective. Based on unique plant-level panel data and the difference-in-differences strategy, we identify that an insignificant initial reduction in cost efficiency occurred at the announcement stage for power plants in the pilot provinces; however, the cost efficiency of the pilot plants increased significantly following formal policy implementation. Additionally, the by-stage treatment effects differed across the pilot provinces due to localized market and non-market variations. Localized conditions of higher marketization, stricter policy enforcement, and lower carbon dependence enhanced this positive effect. The synthetic control results confirmed this variation in the policy effects. The carbon trading pilots resulted in improved efficiency in power plants in Shanghai, Guangdong, and Tianjin during the period 2013--2017, with an associated total cost saving of approximately 29.75 million RMB. To enhance the efficacy of the ETS policy, our findings suggest that the design of the policy should consider localized external factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proved undeveloped reserves (PUDs) are typically assigned a value of zero when the cost to produce them is greater than the prevailing forward curve. The zero valuation occurs despite the option value contained in even the most expensive PUDs. While PUDs are worthless if spot and forward prices forever remain below the cost to produce them, they have positive value if either the spot price or a contracted futures price exceeds the cost at any time. Since the probability that future prices exceed cost is positive, PUDs have positive option value despite the industry practice. Zero valuation occurs primarily because financing is unavailable when hedging is contingent on uncertain future outcomes where probabilities cannot be modeled. The failure of models to recognize contingent hedging is a limitation that leads to chronically undervalued PUDs in marginal and sub-marginal price environments. The literature is silent on contingent hedging where financing is dependent on forward curves that will not exist until some future date. This paper introduces a model that addresses these limitations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Reasonable thermal insulation in cold regions is the key to improve the indoor thermal environment. In this paper, the detached house is taken as the research object, and the sensitivity analysis method is used to quantify the influence of each parameter on the building heat load in three different climate zones. The attenuation characteristics of the heat storage body to the outdoor temperature wave are studied by using the A·M Shklovel calculation method, and the thermal insulation strategy of the envelope structure is optimized by genetic algorithm (GA). The results show that the heat transfer coefficient of roof and exterior wall has the most significant influence on the building heat load. The mean effect response of each factor shows that the Delta (Delta is the value used in Taguchi design methodology to express the relative effect of each factor on the response) of roofs in the three regions is the highest, 3.061, 4.061, and 5.88, respectively. The influence of the type and thickness of the insulation material on the heat storage performance is different. The indoor and outdoor temperature wave penetration attenuation multiple increases with the increase of the thickness of the insulation layer, increases with the decrease of the thermal conductivity of the insulation material, and increases with the increase of the specific heat capacity. The choice of insulation materials is not only related to the above two parameters, but also directly affected by the price. Considering the influence of various factors, the economy of choosing expanded polystyrene board for thermal insulation in the three regions is the best. The optimal thermal insulation thickness of the north wall and roof is 8 and 16 cm (3A climate zone), 10 and 17 cm (2B climate zone), 13 and 20 cm (2A climate zone), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the self-study methods used by pilots while grounded and their perception of competence decline and confidence upon their return to flying. Background: Previously, long absences from flying were managed on a case-by-case basis. Thousands of pilots returning to flying as the pandemic eases have burdened airline training systems. Limited research has been conducted on the decline in skills of airline pilots while operationally absent from the cockpit. Few studies have considered this topic in the context of a pandemic. Method: A questionnaire study was conducted with 234 airline pilots who were grounded during the COVID-19 pandemic. Results: Uncertainty regarding sudden and indefinite periods of grounding made it challenging to maintain motivation to self-study. This matter was aggravated by the additional financial and personal stress caused by the state of the airline industry and the outcomes of the pandemic. The participants anticipated a decline in manual flying skills as the worst outcome after being absent from the flight deck. However, these pilots proved quick to recover these skills when they resumed flying. It took significantly more time for pilots to regain proficiency in applying knowledge, procedures and compliance with regulations, situation awareness and workload management. Conclusion: The study proposes recommendations for pilots and airlines to harness essential self-study practices in competency areas identified to have significantly declined. Application: The outcome of this paper guides airlines, pilots and regulators in better understanding how grounded pilots observe skill decline in a broader range of competencies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores the close interaction between environmental hazards and non-environmental factors inducing people to leave their areas of origin, augmented by the struggles they face and their urban survival strategies. Focusing on Aila-induced migrants in a slum in Khulna city, the study questions the conventional notion that environmental hazards singularly propel coastal inhabitants' migration. Instead, it asserts that migration results from a convergence of multi-causal factors, notably, the interplay between environmental hazards, socio-political and economic vulnerabilities, and proximity to ecologically fragile regions. Initially driven by subsistence needs, migration has transformed into something greater for many marginalized individuals. These migrants develop strong bonds with specific locations and location-specific networks, which facilitate their transition to urban life and allow them to mitigate the challenges associated with urban living. This study sheds light on the nuanced dynamics of climate-induced migration, emphasizing the necessity for comprehensive policy responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Premature closure of analysis refers to finishing data analysis too early, leading to underdeveloped qualitative findings. It is a critical issue in qualitative research affecting the rigor and trustworthiness of qualitative findings. While much has been written about how to conduct rigorous data analysis across a range of qualitative approaches, there has been no discussion of the features of premature closure of analysis and strategies for addressing it. The purpose of this paper is to outline how to spot premature closure of analysis and to describe strategies to mitigate this issue. Three identifying features of premature analysis are: providing thin descriptions with loaded participant quotes, presenting conventional concepts as themes, and using topic summaries as themes. Using a First Approach to qualitative analysis, working in segments to generate a wholistic thematic output, and critical reflection and examination before finalizing the thematic output can be useful strategies to mitigate premature closure of analysis. Themes and patterns that are too vague and meaningless to provide a comprehensive account of the studied phenomenon are a threat to the validity of the study and a waste of researchers' effort and time. Premature closure of analysis is one of the most common problems affecting the quality of thematic outputs in quality studies. Therefore, researchers should be mindful and critical in their analytical decision-making to prevent this problem. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we introduce a novel method for the synthesis of qualitative data and co-production in the development of evidence-based guidelines. The call for evidence-based practice in healthcare settings has been dominated by a focus on patient groups, overlooking the need for robust guidelines to inform the delivery of support or developmental interventions for staff members. We propose an eight-step method that brings together primary and secondary qualitative data with co-produced data. Data is synthesised at two of the eight stages. This method generates robust findings and recommendations which are well suited to informing written guidelines. We present our experience of implementing this method in the development of postvention guidelines for the support of National Health Service (NHS) staff following the death by suicide of a colleague. This worked example illustrates the application of the method to the generation of evidence-based, co-produced practice guidelines. We discuss the application of qualitative data and co-production in the development of fit for purpose guidelines, and the lack of transparent reporting of methods in existing guidelines. We recommend that guidelines should be underpinned by empirical evidence and developed in consultation with stakeholders and end-users, including those who will implement and those who will receive treatment or intervention. For transparency and to inform end-users, we conclude that written guidelines should always detail the methods employed in their production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As researchers in communication sciences and related disciplines continue to embrace qualitative research methodologies, there will be a corresponding need for innovative methods and strategies for data collection and generation, reflexivity and knowledge translation to make qualitative research methods more inclusive. Historically, those who communicate differently from the status quo have been excluded from or spoken for in qualitative research. The resulting omission of these perspectives in the literature constitutes a critical research-to-practice gap as clinicians seek to deliver client-focused communication care. Arts-Based Research (ABR) offers researchers a means of augmenting potentially linguistically and cognitively demanding verbal interviews while inviting participants to share a window into their daily lives with researchers and knowledge users. Additionally, ABR offers participants alternative forms of expression and creates avenues for researcher reflexivity and participant-researcher reflexive dialogue. To illustrate how ABR can enhance communication research, we present reflections on a study that incorporated multi-media artistic materials in a reflexive arts-based collective case study design. Working with young people experiencing post-concussion communication changes, we used arts-based materials collected and created by participants to support and enhance data collection. These materials were analyzed as part of each case, across cases, and played a central role in sharing our findings. Additionally, arts-based materials facilitated participant-researcher reflexive dialogue and researcher reflexivity. The goals of this paper are to: 1) provide a brief overview of ABR as a method for researchers interested in communication; 2) discuss four ways to incorporate ABR in the research process; 3) provide a case example illustrating different types of creative works to illustrate the four ways ABR can enhance communication research; and 4) discuss benefits, considerations and implications of using ABR to support inclusive research design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, Indigenous and non-Indigenous scholars used a decolonial conversation framework to build a meaningful bridge between Indigenous and Western worldviews. Our decolonial conversations approach is a unique and transformative space where Indigenous and Western knowledge systems intersect, facilitating a rich exchange of valuable insights for fostering intercultural dialogue and breathing new ways of knowing and acting into Indigenous cultures. The decolonial conversation provides a platform for transmitting Indigenous knowledge and cultural practices across generations by uniting Indigenous land-based knowledge, community members, and Western researchers. Integrating Indigenous and Western knowledge systems in these environments fosters collaboration, dispels stereotypes, and forges partnerships grounded in reciprocity and trust. Through this collaborative process, traditional cultural camps emerge as potent catalysts for instilling cultural pride, fostering community resilience, and co-creating knowledge. This collaborative approach aligns with the broader objectives of decolonization and cultural revitalization. In our exploration following the decolonial learning conversation, we, comprising an Indigenous woman land-based educator and a racialized academic scholar, focused on the transformative potential and synergies realized by integrating these knowledge systems within the context of traditional cultural camps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Public health qualitative research has largely failed to achieve full inclusion of people with disabilities and Black people and Latinx/as. Although there is a small, but growing, community of academic researchers from each of these communities, there has been limited involvement of non-academic community members in research. While Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) has informed the inclusion of marginalized groups in research for decades, instances of full inclusion of disabled Black people and Latinx/as in public health research have been minimal. One way to ensure the inclusion of Black/Latinx community members with disabilities is to involve them as peer researchers. As part of a qualitative study examining pregnancy experiences of individuals with physical disabilities from Black/Latinx communities, academic researchers trained four peer researchers to conduct interviews and analyze the data. This paper describes our approach, which may serve as a model for training peer researchers in qualitative research methodology for future studies. All peer researchers were women who identified as Black or Latina parents with physical disabilities. This approach was chosen due to the study's focus on the intersections of disability, race, ethnicity, and pregnancy, and applied a disability justice lens. Although CBPR offers important principles for research existing literature suggests CBPR is not always inclusive and power sharing. Therefore, we developed a research training model which places a unique and timely focus on the intersections of CBPR, racial and disability justice, the importance of building the capacity of Black and Latina disabled peer researchers, and its importance to building community relationships and trust. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This methodology paper introduces a collective, team-based approach to constructing narratives in narrative research. The goal of the larger study was to explore the pedagogical belief and practices of engineering faculty members. The newly formed team of researchers ranged from novices to experts in the field of qualitative research, and this space created a unique opportunity to reflect on and explore the co-construction of Cody's narrative, the first narrative that the team constructed. The narrative was smoothed and constructed in a way that reduces some of the limitations inherent in narrative smoothing, through a deliberate and intentional negotiation process. We hope that this deeper exploration of our methods is helpful for other narrative researchers who are interested in team-based approaches to co-construction of narratives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study comparatively examined two disability arts partnership projects' stakeholder perspectives on inclusive practice and social impact. It did so through an innovative abductive research design to visualise the qualitative findings of a comparative social impact assessment of active citizenship. In this paper we examine the inclusive practices of the disability arts partnership projects and an inclusive methodological approach. The approach sought to visualise the social impact footprint, or scope, of disability arts projects on radar diagrams. In developing this approach, we were able to document the enabling outcomes for the lived experience of artists with disability. The research has implications for the inclusion of artists with disability as part of disability specific art projects, ensembles of artists with disability together with nondisabled artists, and the way that creative process outcomes have social impact on the stakeholders and communities where they are performed. For the organisations involved the project demonstrates the wider outcomes of the artistic practice through the social impact of their disability arts programs on their internal and external stakeholders. Further, for arts funders it provides a tool for comparative understanding of social impact across programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-scale, multi-site collaboration is becoming indispensable for a wide range of research and clinical activities in oncology. To facilitate the next generation of advances in cancer biology, precision oncology and the population sciences it will be necessary to develop and implement data management and analytic tools that empower investigators to reliably and objectively detect, characterize and chronicle the phenotypic and genomic changes that occur during the transformation from the benign to cancerous state and throughout the course of disease progression. To facilitate these efforts it is incumbent upon the informatics community to establish the workflows and architectures that automate the aggregation and organization of a growing range and number of clinical data types and modalities ranging from new molecular and laboratory tests to sophisticated diagnostic imaging studies. In an attempt to meet those challenges, leading health care centers across the country are making steep investments to establish enterprise-wide, data warehouses. A significant limitation of many data warehouses, however, is that they are designed to support only alphanumeric information. In contrast to those traditional designs, the system that we have developed supports automated collection and mining of multimodal data including genomics, digital pathology and radiology images. In this paper, our team describes the design, development and implementation of a multi-modal, Clinical & Research Data Warehouse (CRDW) that is tightly integrated with a suite of computational and machine-learning tools to provide actionable insight into the underlying characteristics of the tumor environment that would not be revealed using standard methods and tools. The System features a flexible Extract, Transform and Load (ETL) interface that enables it to adapt to aggregate data originating from different clinical and research sources depending on the specific EHR and other data sources utilized at a given deployment site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The management of subglottic stenosis (SGS) in granulomatosis patients with polyangiitis (GPA) has no clear guidelines. This systematic review aimed to identify different surgical techniques and evaluate the outcomes of applied procedures. Methods: An electronic search was performed using 3 major databases, CINAHL, PubMed, and Clinical key, to include relevant studies published from the databases from inception through January 2017. All primary studies reporting treatment of SGS in cases with GPA were included. Articles were excluded if not relevant to the research topic or if they were duplicates, review articles, editorials, short comments, unpublished data, conference abstracts, case reports, animal studies, or non-English studies. Results: Thirteen papers were included in our systematic review with a total of 267 cases for the qualitative review Endoscopic approaches showed favorable outcomes with the need to use multiple procedures to achieve remission. The open transcervical approach showed excellent results mainly after failure of other endoscopic techniques. Tracheostomy was necessary for severe respiratory obstruction symptoms. Medical treatment was essential for stabilizing the active disease and therefore may enhance the success rate postoperatively. Conclusion: Subglottic stenosis in patients with GPA requires a multidisciplinary approach to provide optimal management regarding disease activity, grade of stenosis, and severity of symptoms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intro: With the rapid expansion of the esports industry, many esports training programs and academies have emerged. According to research, esports may lead to cognitive, metacognitive, academic and professional competencies if appropriately supported (Adachi & Willoughby, 2013). However, there is no systematic curriculum or guidance on how to identify and support these competencies through esports training. Methods: This paper conducts a systematic review of literature from the learning sciences to provide a systematic rubric of competencies and instructional approaches to support them through esports training. The competencies that may be supported through esports are mapped along the game design principles as categorized along Mechanics, Dynamics, and Aesthetics (MDA) framework. Current training programs were analyzed to identify training approaches that can support these competencies across different contexts. Results: There is a wide range of cognitive, self-regulation, social, academic, and career competencies that were found to be supported through video games. However, the development of such competencies depend on the availability of the learning opportunities and appropriate support provided to engage these opportunities, thus requiring a systematic framework for esports training. The training approaches that can be implemented to support diverse competencies from esports training, whether amateur or professional, are varied in modality, style, and structure. Conclusion: The goal of this study is to inform the esports industry more largely, as well as the trainers, researchers, and designers with systematic and research-informed approaches to support future esports athletes, both professional and amateurs. Learning from the traditional field of athletic training, esports training should take more systematic approaches to design training curriculum and programs, as well as preparing the trainers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This article focuses on communication in team-based esports, particularly in the ways that callouts enable players in team-based First-Person Shooters (FPS) to collaboratively link their own perception and awareness of in-game actions to that of their teammates. Callouts are short, community-based utterances that players use to communicate vital details of fast-paced action in competitive games. Aim: We provide an empirically-based theorization of why callouts appear to be especially important in team-based FPS games, which, because of the limited fields of vision and split-second decision-making, require players to communicate what is happening to the others in the team as they navigate the game environment. Methods: To describe this distributed perception, we borrow from studies on active military settings that term this seeing together as interperceptivity and employ ethnomethodology in our analysis of the minute details of players' actions in the screen recordings as they extended their team's collective perception and awareness of in-game activities and events. Results: Through this paper, we contribute to the ongoing research on understanding communication and collaboration in team-based games. The callout sequences (and aligning actions) are orienting towards sharing individual perceptions for the (co)construction of an interperceptivity of in-game activities. Hence, callouts form a precondition for coordinated play. Conclusion: The introduction of this concept to game studies can help in making sense of a key capability in networked team-based games; that is, how players collectively construct a situational awareness that encompasses teammates' perception. Also, because of the essential role of callouts and interperceptivity in highly-skilled networked play, we point to some of the cultural contexts in which this practice is accomplished. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The "rally 'round the flag" effect—a short-term boost in a political leader's popularity during an interstate political dispute—was first proposed by Mueller (1970) more than half a century ago. However, there is no scholarly consensus on its empirical validity and the circumstances under which the effect becomes most prominent. In this paper, based on a natural experimental design, we analyze large-scale worldwide surveys of 34,118 responses and causally identify the effects of 46 militarized interstate disputes (MIDs) on the approval ratings of political leaders in 27 countries. We find that MIDs, on average, decrease public support for national leaders. However, the public backlash could be attenuated depending on theoretically relevant contexts. Our finding implies that political leaders cannot rely on MIDs for public support increases, as they are generally penalized for such decisions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper first introduces a theoretical formalization connecting a polity's income level to terrorism. Our framework can accommodate different underlying assumptions about individual- and society-level grievances, yielding competing hypotheses. We then construct a panel database to study terrorism for 1527 subnational regions in 75 countries between 1970 and 2014. Results consistently imply an inverted U-shape that remains robust to incorporating a comprehensive set of region-level covariates, region- and time-fixed effects, as well as estimating an array of alternative specifications. The threat of terrorism systematically rises as low-income polities become richer, peaking at GDP/capita levels of ≈ US$12,800 (in constant 2005 PPP US$), but then falls consistently above that level. This pattern emerges for domestic and transnational terrorism alike. While peaks differ by perpetrator ideology, the inverted U shape also prevails across ideology-specific subsamples. In sum, alleviating poverty may first exacerbate terrorism, contrary to much of the proposed recipes advocated since 9/11. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A purported advantage of secrecy in international politics is its ability to reduce pressures for conflict escalation by obscuring responsibility for hostile actions. Delegating these actions to proxies is one strategy states use to retain plausible deniability and limit escalation risks. Yet, proxies often have strong ties to sponsoring states, raising questions about their ability to influence blame and demands for retaliation. This paper tests these effects by analyzing American responses to hypothetical attacks by Chinese, Russian, and Iranian actors through experiments administered on three surveys. The results show that using proxies for these attacks modestly reduced how much Americans blamed the respective foreign governments, while also limiting demands that their senior leadership be sanctioned. However, the use of proxies did not affect Americans' attitudes toward more forceful responses by the US government. These findings contribute to understanding of how proxies shape plausible deniability and escalation risks in international conflicts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing research portrays militant splinter groups as more violent than their parent organizations due to factors like more extreme preferences or capacity-building needs. Though widely held, the assumption that splinters are particularly violent has not been systematically tested. In this paper, we develop and test an alternative explanation for splinter behavior. We argue splinter groups often appear less violent than their parents due to an underlying selection effect. Splinters break away where there are large organizational barriers to internally address a faction's grievances. These barriers tend to exist in well-organized parents that are also capable of high levels of violence. Splinter groups lack this established organizational infrastructure, resulting in lower levels of relative violence. We test this logic with an original dataset on parent and splinter groups and a pair of comparative case studies. We find that splinters are less violent than parent organizations, challenging conventional wisdom. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The proton exchange membrane fuel cell gas control has been one key point in fuel cell management systems. The complexity and coupling of the air management system make it difficult to achieve precise air intake adjustment. In this paper, an accurate joint control method for the air flow and pressure regulation is proposed. The nonlinear mathematical model of the air management system is developed to describe the output characteristic and state change. Based on this, the feedback linearization method is proposed to obtain the direct correspondence between control variables and controlled variables. In addition, to solve the problem that the controlled variables cannot be measured directly, an extended state observer is applied to estimate the stack cathode pressure. The sliding mode predictive control method is proposed to control the oxygen excess ratio and cathode pressure simultaneously. The relative order of the system is used to design the sliding mode surface, and the corresponding predictive model is proposed. The results obtained by simulation experiments show that pressure and mass flow have little effect on each other through decoupling. The proposed algorithm has been verified to have high precision, fast response, and robustness through comparative experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a new integral-synergetic controller for direct reactive and active powers control (DARPC) for a grid-connected doubly-fed induction generators (DFIGs) in dual-rotor wind power generation applications. The proposed DARPC strategy employs integral-synergetic control (ISC) to regulate the reactive and active powers of the DFIG-based variable speed dual-rotor wind turbine systems. The proposed ISC technique is the contribution of this work, where this strategy is a development of synergetic control and simplicity and robustness are the most prominent features. The main advantages of the proposed ISC-DARPC technique are ease of implement, good dynamic response, simple structure, and constant switching frequency operation. The Matlab software is used to validate the design of the ISC-DARPC technique, and the obtained results are compared with traditional DARPC. In addition, the ISC-DARPC technique is able to fully minimize ripples in both torque and active power during grid voltage imbalance or parametric changes on the DFIG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of maximum power point tracking (MPPT) technology has significantly increased the conversion efficiency of PV modules. However, the presence of partial shading in PV arrays can lead to multi-peaked output curves, which traditional MPPT methods struggle to track due to falling into local maximum power points. The paper proposes a MPPT control algorithm based on the combination of differential flat control (DFBC) and adaptive particle swarm optimization (APSO) algorithm. The PSO output value is used as the feed-forward feedback input of differential flat, and a second-order controller is used to track the reference flat trajectory, achieving global MPPT through differential flat control. The algorithm can overcome the system oscillation caused by the randomness of the PSO algorithm with the initialized particle position and the existence of control lag misjudgment. Simulation and experimental results show that the algorithm not only solves the problem that the traditional MPPT algorithm cannot find the global maximum power point, but also solves the problems that the traditional particle swarm algorithm has large randomness, slow convergence speed, and easy to produce large oscillations. The algorithm has greatly improved the tracking accuracy, tracking speed and response speed, realizing fast and accurate response to external changes, reducing energy loss, and improving the dynamic tracking performance of the system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Design of centralised disturbance rejection controllers for an highly interacting MIMO quadruple tank process is tedious. Recently, centralised disturbance rejection Fractional Order LQI (FOLQI) controller is designed for such system to meet the desired specifications with better performance than various disturbance rejection controllers that are available in the literature. In this paper, an optimisation problem is formulated to obtain the optimal parameters of FOLQI controller providing minimum control effort by applying various widely used heuristic methods like Cuckoo Search (CS), Accelerated Particle Swarm Optimisation (APSO) and FireFly (FF) algorithms. A detailed simulation study is carried out to compare the performance of the FOLQI and Integer Order LQI (IOLQI) controllers obtained by these heuristic algorithms under disturbance and parameter uncertainty conditions. From the simulation study it is inferred that (i) FOLQI controller provides better time domain specifications % Mp, ts and J in comparison to IOLQI controllers and (ii) FF tuned FOLQI and IOLQI controllers provide better robustness characteristics compared to CS and APSO tuned controllers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concept of saturation in qualitative research is a widely debated topic. Saturation refers to the point at which no new data or themes are emerging from the data set, which indicates that the data have been fully explored. It is considered an important concept as it helps to ensure that the findings are robust and that the data are being used to their full potential to achieve the research aim. Saturation, or the point at which further observation of data will not lead to the discovery of more information related to the research questions, is an important aspect of qualitative research. However, there is some mystification and semantic debate surrounding the term saturation, and it is not always clear how many rounds of research are needed to reach saturation or what criteria are used to make that determination during the thematic analysis process. This paper focuses on the actualisation of saturation in the context of thematic analysis and develops a systematic approach to using data to justify the contribution of research. Consequently, we introduce a distinct model to help researchers reach saturation through refining or expanding existing quotations, codes, themes and concepts as necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

When I took on increasing responsibilities within my university's pedagogical training programs during the pandemic, I expected an increase in collaboration and pedagogical discussion because of the difficult teaching circumstances. Instead, I came to see a silence that kept teaching assistants (TAs) from talking about their labor process either with their instructors or with fellow TAs. In this paper, I theorize this silence both as a defense against anxiety and as protecting autonomy. I draw on my own experiences as a TA, my work as a pedagogy instructor in my department and for the university, and an ethnography of working TAs to investigate how TAs leverage their silence to strategically manage multiple competing interests. Finally, I suggest that TAs first internalize these dual purposes of silence to make sense of their teaching labor and later carry it with them as they go from trainee to professional academic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This review provides guidance and ideas for researchers through a comprehensive and comparative analysis of the present state, trends, and hotspots in the pediatric fracture literature over the past 6 years. Methods: We used Citespace 6.1.R6 software to explore the country/region distribution, institutions, journals, keyword analysis, and co-cited references of the literature from Web of Science core database. Results: There are 6472 pieces of pediatric fracture–related literature, including 2962 from 2017 to 2019 and 3510 from 2020 to 2022. The country with the most papers is the United States, and US institutions and journals also have a pivotal position in this field. Research hotspots for pediatric fractures in 2017–2019: The topic with the most attention is bone mineral density leading to related bone diseases. Treatment for pediatric fractures, including supracondylar humeral fractures, Monteggia fractures, forearm fractures, knee fractures, and ankle fractures in children, is another topic of greater interest. Brain injuries and dental injuries in children due to abuse and trauma are also concerning issues. Research hotspots for pediatric fractures in 2020–2022: comparison with 2017–2019 revealed a relative decrease regarding ankle-related epiphyseal injuries, but there is a higher focus on the epidemiology of fractures in children, risk factors, and reasons for childhood trauma. We have confirmed through literature co-citations that the literature of high interest is also in these aspects. Conclusion: Researchers and clinicians can quickly learn about topics of interest through authoritative journals and highly cited literature and rapidly master the current status and frontiers of the field through study, providing ideas for future work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Confronted with a range of methodological options, novice researchers often face the daunting dilemma of selecting a methodological route which best fits the purpose of their study. Following the decision-making process, all methodologies present challenges which need to be explored and addressed. This paper outlines the application of descriptive phenomenology for a doctoral study. Examples and insights are offered about how applied theoretical underpinnings can translate into research action. The central aim of descriptive phenomenology is to use first person accounts to clarify the essential meanings of defined phenomena. Therefore, attention is placed on how researchers can use the process of methodologically coherent bracketing to remain participant focussed. The metaphor of a stage play is used to illustrate the research process and identify issues relating to researcher positionality. A suggested prompt sheet is included to help readers practically consider the steps involved in undertaking a study using descriptive phenomenology. The paper concludes with the assertion that methodologically coherent descriptive phenomenology is a useful approach for gaining valuable understandings into human experience. This paper will be relevant for many disciplines and allied healthcare professionals who wish to consider descriptive phenomenology as an interesting and appropriate qualitative methodology. This paper seeks to provide an academic awareness into an established, yet growing methodology, providing methodological insights and an interdisciplinary recognition that descriptive phenomenology can be applied and implemented to support many areas of qualitative study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article introduces the Rug Methodology to enhance participation in the qualitative research process. The idea of using rugs to facilitate narratives and expression, and to build reciprocity and activate reflexivity and meaning-making, grew out of a peer-to-peer debate between the authors of this paper on a qualitative research approach for weaving rugs, inventive methods for community action, and drawing as a reflective practice. The article describes the procedure of drawing rugs to encourage people participation. Rugs are everyday objects but they can become a qualitative tool that can be used with in-depth interviews, amplifying the opportunity of collecting participants' lived experiences, emotions, reflections, and desires. The paper aims to define a framework which connects "to-do activities" with dialogical practices in research and to describe strengths and limitations of drawings rugs in a qualitative research design. Drawings, life events, and stories from the field are described and discussed, showing how everyday objects such as rugs can support expression, participation, reflexivity, and how drawing rugs is suitable for various and vulnerable targets and settings in qualitative studies. Finally, the paper describes the challenges of analysing data from drawings to illustrate lived experiences related to people who stay in rural areas and how they learnt to generate their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Addressing Sexuality Education among learners in rural schools can be challenging when using traditional designs such as ethnography and phenomenology. This paper introduces Cyclical Longitudinal Ethnography as an innovative design for addressing Sexuality Education in South African rural farm schools. This design was developed as part of an engaged scholarship on HIV prevention in rural farm schools in Soutpansberg North Circuit, Limpopo Province, South Africa. The paper provides an overview of Sexuality Education at schools and the challenges thereof. It further provides the basics of ethnography and its limitation. The paper then introduces and describes cyclical ethnography as an alternative to original ethnography. The design allows researchers to still have a prolonged engagement with the community without gross disruption of other academic responsibilities such as tuition, academic citizenship, leadership, and administration. The design allows the researcher to visit the area several times over the years, enabling the researcher to observe variations of a phenomenon over time. The Cyclical nature of the design allows data collection, analysis, intervention, monitoring, and evaluation to be conducted iteratively. Though there are primary key informants, the findings could lead to other key informants, settings, and interventions which were not part of the initial plan and objectives. In this study, the target population was educators teaching Sexuality Education, but it ended up involving learners, parents, and community members. The Longitudinal nature of the design enables the researchers to see the impact of the interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper draws on my experience of organising a photovoice project with asylum seekers to outline the ethical dilemmas and rewards of planning and facilitating a participatory, creative research project with a hard-to-reach, potentially vulnerable population. It offers lessons learnt and useful insights for others considering a similar approach to data collection. The photo project was utilised to explore the impact of involvement with community-based social protection on the self-reported wellbeing of asylum seekers in the United Kingdom. It was also designed to test the efficacy of the photovoice research methodology to produce simple, impactful findings useful for researcher, research participant and policymaker, empowering those who have often had little voice in community development to inform policy discussions. The paper is written from the author's perspective, adopting a layered approach that utilises fieldnotes, quotes from project participants, and exhibition attendee feedback to provide a rounded description of the project. It pays particular attention to ethical dilemmas concerning project access, recruitment and communication and the complexity of juggling academic ethical rigour with a community-led approach across cultural and linguistic borders. It highlights how power dynamics can be experienced in the research environment entangled with issues of co-researcher dignity, ownership, and vulnerability. It also details the positive outcomes of the photovoice project in relation to collaborative knowledge creation, empathetic understanding, and advocacy opportunities. The author concludes by offering a summary of the key lessons learnt through the project and their implications for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite representing a vast and global concern, the narratives of children who experience child sexual exploitation (CSE) and access associated services are marginalised within research. As an outcome, relatively little is known about how children cope with the impact and consequences of their experiences. This paper draws together methodological insights from researchers reflecting upon three distinct pieces of qualitative fieldwork conducted with children and young people considered 'vulnerable' to, and 'at risk of', CSE. In doing so, we seek to recognise the challenges encountered when conducting research with vulnerable populations and explore the 'blurry boundaries' that researchers tread in order to balance competing power dynamics. This paper will discuss potential safeguarding concerns that arise when conducting sensitive research and will share our experiences of supporting young people to take part in research around child sexual exploitation. We will reflect upon the research process to highlight some of the strategies adopted to enable young people to engage in data collection safely. We consider the dynamic ethical practices that take place in the moment of research encounters, alongside the framework of procedural ethics, to conclude that both are fundamental to enable meaningful participation in research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether incorporating our novel in-training evaluation report (ITER), which prompts each resident to list at least three self-identified learning goals, improved the quality of narrative assessments as measured by the Narrative Evaluation Quality Instrument (NEQI). METHODS: A total of 1468 narrative assessments from a single institution from 2017 to 2021 were deidentified, compiled, and sorted into the pre-intervention form arm and post-intervention form arm. Due to limitations in our residency management suite, incorporating learning goals required switching from an electronic form to a hand-deliver form. Comments were graded by two research personnel utilizing the NEQI's scale of 0–12, with 12 representing the maximum quality for a comment. The outcome of the study was the mean difference in NEQI score between the electronic pre-intervention period and paper post-intervention period. RESULTS: The mean NEQI score for the pre-intervention period was 2.43 ± 3.34, and the mean NEQI score for the post-intervention period was 3.31 ± 1.71, with a mean difference of 0.88 (p < 0.001). In the pre-intervention period, 46% of evaluations were submitted without a narrative assessment (scored as a zero) while 1% of post-intervention period evaluations had no narrative assessment. Internal consistency reliability, as measured by Ebel's intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), showed high agreement between the two raters (ICC = 0.92). CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that implementing a timely, hand-delivered paper ITER that incorporates resident learning goals can lead to overall higher-quality narrative assessments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pierre Bourdieu's concept of habitus remains an important theoretical framework educational researchers draw upon to explore the learner identities of students as well as their learning trajectories. As scholars grapple with habitus, as both a theory and a method of working with the data, they have drawn upon different research methodologies. To date, what has been largely absent in Bourdieusian educational research is how narrative inquiry can enhance our understanding of how habitus shapes learner identities. Narrative inquiry, as a research approach, seeks to understand and interpret human experiences through the collection and analysis of participants' life stories. This article first explains how to operationalise Bourdieu's habitus to understand learner identities and aspirations. Second, narrative inquiry is introduced as a methodology. Third, the paper offers a case study of Chinese female STEM students' experiences in higher education where the first author reflects on how narrative inquiry allowed for a deeper exploration of the formation and maintenance of their habitus as learners. Lastly, the paper concludes with the first author's own reflexive deliberations on what narrative inquiry can offer researchers interested in habitus. In exploring the relationship between narrative inquiry and habitus the paper highlights the continual dialectical relationship between theory and method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qualitative social science research has an obligation to resist replicating or reinforcing social harms. This paper explores how researchers can adopt strategies to develop inclusive, safe, and reflexive research spaces with queer participants. Reflecting on a research study that explored the impact of queer representation in young adult literature on young readers, the paper explores the concepts of building queer connections and fostering inclusion as methods to support qualitative research design. Through this reflexive process, it has been found that intentionally using strategies to establish queer connections between participants and promoting inclusion through empathetic listening can significantly enhance participant experiences, primarily in terms of safety, support, and openness to vulnerability. These deliberate strategies also play a crucial role in reinforcing participant engagement and retention. Further, these findings indicate that these methods have additional benefits for research that transitions from face-to-face methods to online and digital formats. We argue that qualitative social science researchers who work with the queer community have an obligation to create inclusive and safe spaces for participants – not only to resist replicating stigmatising social structures, but to move beyond a pedagogy of pathologization in queer research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The smartphone market is saturated with apps and games purporting to promote mental wellness. There has been a significant number of studies assessing the impact of these digital interventions. Motivation: The majority of review papers solely focussed on the impact of strict rules and award systems of the apps. There is comparatively little attention paid to other game techniques designed to encourage creativity, a lusory attitude, and playful experiences. Results: This gap is addressed in this paper in a consideration and analysis of a purposive selection of six mobile games marketed for wellbeing, our focus is on both external and internal motivations that these games offer. Our specific interest is how these games balance rule-based play with creativity. We find that ludic play is a highly-structured, rule-bound, goal-oriented play, in contrast to paedic play which a freeform, imaginative, and expressive. We argue that while ludic play is purposed towards the promotion of habit formation and generates feelings of accomplishment, it nonetheless relies heavily on extrinsic motivation to incentivise engagement. By contrast, paidic play, specifically role-playing, improvisation, and the imaginative co-creation of fictional game worlds, can be used effectively in these games to facilitate self-regulation, self-distancing, and therefore provides intrinsically-motivated engagement. In the context of games for mental wellbeing, ludic play challenges players to complete therapeutic exercises, while paidic play offers a welcoming refuge from real world pressures and the opportunity to try on alternate selves. Conclusion: Our intention is not to value paidic play over ludic play, but to consider how these two play modalities can complement and counterbalance each other to generate more effective engagement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The goal of this research is to evaluate the social commerce. With this goal, this research aims to determine: (1) the longitudinal distribution of the articles and citations in social commerce (2) the most productive countries, journals, and affiliations in social commerce articles; (3) the most cited articles in social commerce research; and (4) the most recurrent keywords and Web of Science (WoS) categories are involved in the social commerce studies. The research conducted social commerce research papers published between 1995 and 2023 in the WoS database. We used the following search query: "social commerce*," "social electronic commerce*," "social e-commerce*," "s-commerce*," "Facebook commerce*," "Instagram commerce*," and "social media commerce*" The study examines 965 articles, were recorded on September 21, 2023. The data obtained were figured with the visual mapping technique. Various techniques, such as bibliographic coupling of countries, journals, and institutions of authors, co-authorship of countries, co-citation of journals, and co-occurrence of author keywords, were used in bibliometric analysis. Most of the research was in 2022, and the greatest number of citations were in 2022. The most efficient country was China. Swansea University was the most productive affiliation, with publications, citations and total links. It is found that the articles were primarily written in the field of Business, with 363 papers. There has been a substantial surge in the volume of studies on social commerce since 2013, indicating a significant growth in research interest in this field. Finally, researchers working on social commerce can understand the literature based on this current study. Plain Language Summary: Visual Mapping of Social Commerce This study aims to identify the longitudinal distribution of articles and citations in the field of social commerce, the most productive countries and journals related to social commerce, the most cited articles in social commerce research, the most recurrent keywords in social commerce research and the Web of Science (WoS) categories. The search covered research articles on social commerce published in the WoS database between 1995 and 2023. The 965 articles examined in the study. The data obtained were analysed using the visual mapping technique. Most research was conducted in 2022 and most citations occurred in 2022. The most productive country was China. Swansea University was the most prolific organisation in terms of publications, citations and total links. Articles were found to be mainly in the field of business studies. The number of studies on social commerce has increased significantly since 2013, indicating a clear increase in research interest in this area. Researchers working on social commerce can gain insight into the literature based on this current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the World Declaration on Higher Education for the 21st Century that education is the ultimate support of human rights, and that access and participation remain key catalysts to accelerating equal educational opportunities for all, females continue to trail their male counterparts in educational outcomes across sub-Saharan Africa. This study focuses on the Ghanaian context and assesses the gender dimensions of student enrollment in higher education, highlighting the disparities therein. We adopt a typical case study design, and a mixed method approach, involving quantitative analysis of student enrollment data, qualitative interviews, and focus group discussions with administrators and students at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology. We find generally low female participation across all colleges of the university, except for the College of Health Sciences. We also find low female participation across three dimensions: qualified applicants, admissions, and enrollment. The causes of disparity in the dimensions of student enrollment are rooted in four main factors: institutional, socio-cultural, economic, and awareness of STEM policy and opportunities. The present findings have implications for the implementation of STEM and other gender policies at both the pre-tertiary and tertiary levels of education across sub-Saharan Africa. Plain Language Summary: How Far Is Progress? Gender Dimensions of Student Enrollment in Higher Education in Ghana: The Case of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology This paper examines the gender dimensions of higher education in Ghana between 2010-2020. It seeks to understand the extent of gender disparity in three key dimensions of student participation in higher education: qualified applicants, admissions, and actual enrolment. The paper also examines the causes of gender disparities across these three dimensions, and the impact of Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) policies intended to improve female participation in these areas of science. We use a typical case study research design, and a mixed-method approach involving quantitative analysis, interviews, and focus group discussions. We chose the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in Kumasi as our typical case, to help examine in-depth, the trends and causal mechanisms underlying gender participation along the three dimensions. Our findings show that gender disparities continue to exist, with particularly wide disparities in some academic disciplines. Notwithstanding, the university seems to have made significant strides in bridging the gender gap in enrolment in the last five years of the study period. The full potential of STEM policies, however, remains underexplored, importantly because the targets of the policy, females, are largely unaware of the opportunities available to them to pursue higher education. We also report the socioeconomic and socio-cultural bottlenecks girls continue to face in their quest to attain higher education, and the key role female role models can play in improving gender parity in higher education. Given the limitations of single case studies, we recommend large-n or comparative designs in future research on the subject [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The concepts of internet banking and mobile banking have led to changes in people's financial behavior in terms of earning, consuming, and saving. This new concept, which entered the market quite recently, was used at the beginning of the new digital technology in various types of activities, banking operations, and nowadays these services are used by all people who want to save through banks or create new sources of income, as well as to make quick currency exchanges without going to credit institutions. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze people's behavior toward new digital technologies, e-banking adoption, and non-banking financial institutions internet services. The objectives pursued are: whether e-banking users are homogeneous in their characteristics in the EU 27 and which users have the most convergent or divergent behavior in the EU 27. Statistical data taken from Eurostat 2023 was used for the Sigma convergence analysis, the time series taken into consideration being from 2004 to 2022. The results showed that the changes in the procedural-fiscal-financial sphere are the ones that fully reflect the two principles underlying the tax evolution: digitization and simplification. These results confirm that people are adopting the new digital technology and change their behavior from consumer to prosumer. The study shows that all most categories adopted e-banking using new digital technologies when it comes to consumption and saving, with few exceptions that should be carefully supported. Plain Language Summary: E-Banking convergence and the adopter's behaviour within the EU Countries The concepts of internet banking and mobile banking have led to changes in people's financial behavior in terms of earning, consuming, and saving. This new concept, which entered the market quite recently, was used at the beginning of the new digital technology in various types of activities, banking operations, and nowadays these services are used by all people who want to save through banks or create new sources of income, as well as to make quick currency exchanges without going to credit institutions. The main purpose of this paper is to analyze people's behavior towards new digital technologies, e-banking adoption, and non-banking financial institutions internet services. The objectives pursued are: whether e-banking users are homogeneous in their characteristics in the EU 27 and which users have the most convergent or divergent behavior in the EU 27. Statistical data taken from Eurostat 2023 was used for the Sigma convergence analysis, the time series taken into consideration being from 2004 to 2022. The results showed that the changes in the procedural-fiscal-financial sphere are the ones that fully reflect the two principles underlying the tax evolution: digitization and simplification. These results confirm that people are adopting the new digital technology and change their behavior from consumer to prosumer. The study shows that all most categories adopted e-banking using new digital technologies when it comes to consumption and saving, with few exceptions that should be carefully supported. Digital transformation is not just about buying new, modern equipment, or retrieving data quickly and securely, but also about the technical implementation of state-of-the-art IT systems. It should be noted that digitization has had important effects on both public and private organizations and people, which can be translated as follows: time saved in people's interaction with public and private organizations; efficiency in administrative processes; transparency in their work. The economic environment becomes much more attractive and leads to investment and innovation in all areas. The digitization of all public or private services would also strengthen the administrative capacity of the whole population. Through studies, research, and future studies, it is essential to analyze and demonstrate that new digital technologies and their use could lead to the elimination of tax fraud, increased public confidence in local or central government and confidence in business. Finally, we can say that it is essential that new research in the field of digitization and e-banking use strengthens the literature reviews and explains at a higher level the answers to all research questions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The leader–follower relationship plays an important role in preventing employees from engaging in counterproductive work behavior (CWB). We investigate the interplay among perceived leader–member exchange (LMX), leaders' motivation to lead (MTL), and CWB, specifically examining the cross-level effect of leaders' MTL in the relationship between individuals' LMX and CWB. We tested our hypotheses in two studies: a two-source field study in three large European Union companies (217 employees nested into teams with 31 unique leaders) and an experiment with 106 participants in which we manipulated LMX and MTL using vignette scenarios. Field study results indicated that individuals with higher levels of LMX exhibit lower levels of CWB. This relationship is more negative in cases of low MTL, indicating a trade-off effect of LMX and MTL. The experiment replicated these effects. We additionally tested a moderated-mediation model, which included the explanatory mechanism (mediator) of followers' MTL. Taken together, this paper proposes and simultaneously tests interplay effects of followers' dyadic perceptions of their relationships with leaders and leaders' individual differences in reducing CWB. It develops and tests the role-modeling process of leaders' MTL translation into followers' MTL. The paper also shows the multilevel nature of the proposed model with a two-source examination (leader vs. follower perspective). Plain Language Summary: Leadership, motivation and counterproductive behavior This study narrowed in on leader–follower relationship, which plays an important role in preventing employees from engaging in counterproductive work behavior. In two (experimental and lab) studies, we found that employees perceiving their relationship with leader better exhibit lower levels of counterproductive work behavior. Motivation to lead alters the studied relationship. When leaders are not motivated to lead, the relationship is more negative. However, leaders with high motivation to lead seem to foster that same motivation in their followers as well, providing evidence of trickle-down role-modeling taking place in leader-follower dyads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Board informal hierarchy plays a crucial role in board governance and corporate strategic decision-making. The article empirically examines the impact of board informal hierarchy on corporate digital transformation based on relational contract theory, using a fixed-effects model with Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed manufacturing companies from 2012 to 2019 as research subjects. The findings of this study demonstrate a positive correlation between board informal hierarchy and digital transformation. Specifically, the presence of a chairman with the highest rank in the informal hierarchy strengthens this relationship, while the presence of a CEO with the highest rank weakens it. Mechanistic analysis shows that informal hierarchy accelerates digital transformation through three channels: improving board decision-making efficiency, mitigating management myopia, and facilitating information communication. This study extends existing research. On the one hand, this paper explores the drivers of digital transformation in manufacturing firms at the level of corporate governance and board characteristics. The findings provide empirical evidence to support the understanding of transformational change behaviors of manufacturing enterprises in the digital economy. On the other hand, it also opens up the "black box" of the internal operation of the board and provides valuable lessons for strengthening board governance. JEL Classification: D21; M12; Z13. Plain Language Summary: Board Informal Hierarchy and Digital Transformation The article empirically examines the impact of board informal hierarchy on corporate digital transformation based on relational contract theory, using a fixed-effects model with Shanghai and Shenzhen A-share listed manufacturing companies from 2012 to 2019 as research subjects. The findings of this study demonstrate a positive correlation between board informal hierarchy and digital transformation. Specifically, the presence of a chairman with the highest rank in the informal hierarchy strengthens this relationship, while the presence of a CEO with the highest rank weakens it. Mechanistic analysis shows that informal hierarchy accelerates digital transformation through three channels: improving board decision-making efficiency, mitigating management myopia, and facilitating information communication. This study extends existing research. On the one hand, this paper explores the drivers of digital transformation in manufacturing firms at the level of corporate governance and board characteristics. The findings provide empirical evidence to support the understanding of transformational change behaviors of manufacturing enterprises in the digital economy. On the other hand, it also opens up the "black box" of the internal operation of the board and provides valuable lessons for strengthening board governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The prevalence of vaccine hesitancy underscores the fact that the general public does not uniformly embrace scientific recommendations. Vaccine hesitancy represents a spectrum, encompassing both those who accept all vaccines and those who outright reject them. This paper aims to explore the relationship between science literacy, contextual factors, and vaccine hesitancy while accounting for specific mediation mechanisms. The authors applied a theoretical framework derived from the deficit model and the contextual model of public understanding of science. Hypotheses regarding the relationship between scientific literacy, religiosity, political identification, and vaccine hesitancy were tested. The authors also tested several hypotheses based on the assumption that the perception of scientific credibility and institutional trust are significant mediators of the above-mentioned relationships. The data from an online survey with a nationally representative quota sample of the Croatian population (with an average age of 42.6 years.) were used (N = 1,500), while the data were analyzed using structural equation modeling. The results indicated that the perception of scientific credibility plays a significant role as a mechanism that translates the impacts of literacy, religiosity, and political identification. Institutional trust proved to be a significant mediator but in a way opposite to the hypotheses, which points to the need to contextualize the aforementioned relationships. The authors also determined that younger age, right-wing political orientation, higher religiosity, and lower scientific literacy were the determinants of hesitancy in both vaccine types (COVID-19 and vaccines in general), thus indicating that they might be connected to deeply rooted value dispositions. Plain Language Summary: Vaccine hesitancy and trust in science The paper deals with the issue of vaccine hesitancy and tries to determine the characteristics of people with a more skeptical attitude towards vaccination. The results of online research conducted among the general Croatian population showed that younger people, more religious people, and people with a right-wing political orientation have a more negative attitude towards vaccination and that this can mostly be explained by their lower trust in science and scientists. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blockchain technology has become more common in the audit industry, posing new problems for traditional audit work. Researchers have been studying the effect of customers' use of blockchain technology on audits, especially on audit risk and audit methods. This paper examines audit cases of Chinese enterprises that use blockchain technology. It analyzes the effect of the use of blockchain technology on the audit and the new audit problems. It also examines an Australian blockchain audit case using a questionnaire. This case study showed that the application of new technologies to the audit industry may lead to increased inherent risks and control risks. The audit methodology is uncertain and there are two possible approaches: (1) a combination of direct, indirect, account-level, and entity-level evidence and (2) an increase in indirect and entity-level evidence. This paper puts forward the reference case of the Australian blockchain audit experience and suggestions for developing blockchain audits in China. Plain Language Summary: Navigating New Horizons: Challenges and Opportunities in Auditing with Blockchain Technology Blockchain technology is changing how audits are done. We studied how Chinese companies using blockchain affect audits. We also looked at an Australian case using a survey. Our findings suggest that using new tech in audits can make things riskier. Figuring out the best way to do audits with blockchain is tricky, but we suggest using a mix of different evidence sources. This paper gives advice based on the Australian experience for improving blockchain audits in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research introduces Meta-Analysis Structural Equation Modeling (MASEM), a novel method that integrates meta-analysis (MA) and structural equation modeling (SEM). The method helps researchers to comprehensively understand issues in the strategic management field. Applying MASEM to analyze data from 112 papers, covering 101,981 observations, the results can be summarized as follows. (1) Entrepreneurial orientation (EO) is significantly positively correlated with firm performance (FP), which addresses the issue of inconsistency among prior studies' findings. (2) There is a significantly positive correlation between EO and market orientation (MO) and a significantly positive relationship between MO and FP, indicating that MO is a mediator variable to the EO-FP. (3) Environmental dynamism (ED) increases a positive link exists between MO and FP; in other words, compared to low ED, the presence of high ED enhances the correlation between MO and FP significantly. (4) ED influences the slope of MO's function as a mediator between EO and FP - that is, high ED increases the slope of the intermediary effect of MO on the MO-FP nexus, and low ED reduces the slope of the mediation effect of MO on the MO-FP nexus. These findings provide new thoughts and insights for studies on the correlation between EO and FP and offer substantial suggestions for enterprises. The aforementioned results indicate that besides providing deeper insights and a more comprehensive understanding, MASEM presents deeper insights for researchers and is more efficient than the traditional meta-analysis method. Moreover, MASEM can be applied to in other fields and used with other methods for greater in-depth analyses. Overall, the MASEM technique herein has high reliability and validity when utilized for discussing relationships among variables and gives more comprehensive and accurate conclusions in theoretical and practical aspects. Plain Language Summary: The Relationship Between Entrepreneurial Orientation and Firm Performance From the perspective of MASEM This research proposes meta-analysis structural equation modeling (MASEM), which combines meta-analysis and structural equation modeling. The method helps researchers to comprehensively understand issues in the strategic management field. Applying MASEM to analyze data from 112 papers, covering 101,981 observations. (1) There is a significantly positive relationship between entrepreneurial orientation (EO) and firm performance (FP), which addresses the issue of inconsistency among prior studies' findings. (2) There is a significantly positive relationship between EO and market orientation (MO) and a significantly positive relationship between MO and FP, indicating that MO is a mediator variable to the EO-FP. (3) Environmental dynamism (ED) increases the positive relationship between MO and FP; compared to low ED, high ED has a greater impact on the relationship between MO and FP. (4) ED influences the slope of the mediation effect of MO on the relationship between EO and FP—that is, high ED increases the slope of the mediation effect of MO on the MO-FP nexus, and low ED reduces the slope of the mediation effect of MO on the MO-FP nexus. These findings provide new thoughts and insights for studies on the correlation between EO and FP and offer substantial suggestions for enterprises. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to promote the innovative development of mobile fitness APP, based on value cocreation theory of customer-dominant logic, this paper discusses how the customer knowledge management, flow experience and customer involvement affect customer value cocreation in mobile fitness APPs. This study used convenience sampling and structural equation modeling to test the relationship between variables from questionnaire. Results revealed that customer knowledge management significantly and positively affected customer flow experience and customer flow experience significantly and positively affected customer value cocreation. Customer flow experience played a partial mediating role in the relationship through which customer knowledge management affected customer value cocreation, and customer involvement played a moderating role in the relationship through which customer flow experience affected customer value cocreation. Moreover, the results indicated that customer involvement significantly and positively regulated the effect of customer flow experience attention focus on customer value cocreation. Customer involvement not moderates the effect of perceived enjoyment in customer flow experience on customer value cocreation. Therefore, mobile fitness app enterprises or service organizations must strengthen knowledge management in industrial chain innovation development for strengthening the relationship with customers. Moreover, they should ensure flow experience to strengthen the psychological connection with customers and promote value cocreation to strengthen the behavioral connection with customers. These enterprises should improve the level of involvement to strengthen the emotional connection with customers. Plain Language Summary: Mobile fitness application customer value cocreation Purpose: In order to promote the innovative development of mobile fitness APP, based on value cocreation theory of customer-dominant logic, this paper discusses how the customer knowledge management, flow experience and customer involvement affect customer value cocreation in mobile fitness APPs. Methods: This study used convenience sampling and structural equation modeling to test the relationship between variables from questionnaire. Conclusions: Results revealed that customer knowledge management significantly and positively affected customer flow experience and customer flow experience significantly and positively affected customer value cocreation. Customer flow experience played a partial mediating role in the relationship through which customer knowledge management affected customer value cocreation, and customer involvement played a moderating role in the relationship through which customer flow experience affected customer value cocreation. Moreover, the results indicated that customer involvement significantly and positively regulated the effect of customer flow experience attention focus on customer value cocreation. Customer involvement not moderates the effect of perceived enjoyment in customer flow experience on customer value cocreation. Implications Mobile fitness app enterprises or service organizations must strengthen knowledge management in industrial chain innovation development for strengthening the relationship with customers. Moreover, they should ensure flow experience to strengthen the psychological connection with customers and promote value cocreation to strengthen the behavioral connection with customers. These enterprises should improve the level of involvement to strengthen the emotional connection with customers. Limitations: This study has several limitations that can be addressed in future research. First, this study did not examine the extent to which the theoretical model applied to the sports fitness industry and other digital sports industries. Second, because of the universality of flow experience, researchers have yet to create a unified classification dimension of customer flow experience. The researchers of this study selected customer perceived enjoyment and attention focus as the classification dimension and measurement dimension, respectively, and did not consider the application of other classification dimensions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]